refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator that can restrain damage to a vacuum heat insulation material, and has high heat insulation performance.SOLUTION: A refrigerator 1 comprises an outer box 10 made of metal, an inner box 20 fitted into a concave part 13 formed in the outer box 10, and a vacuum heat insulation material 30 arranged adjacently to the concave part 13 between the outer box 10 and the inner box 20. The outer box 10 is formed of a metal plate 11 bent so as to form the concave part 13. A portion constituting the concave part 13 out of the metal plate 11 comprises: a tip 12 of the metal plate 11; and a bent part 14 arranged closer to the side of a side wall 16 of the refrigerator 1 than the tip 12, and arranged on the side of the vacuum heat insulation material 30. The inner box 20 is in contact with or nearly in contact with a part between the tip 12 and the bent part 14 out of the metal plate 11 inside the concave part 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes "a refrigerator including an outer box, an inner box provided inside the outer box, a vacuum heat insulating material provided on the inner wall side of the side surface of the outer box, and a rigid urethane foam heat insulating material filled between the inner box and the vacuum heat insulating material, wherein a front flange continuously formed at the front edge of the outer box and bent inward is provided, and the front flange is continuously formed on the back side of the front flange and bent so as to form a fitting recess together with the front flange, and further, a back flange formed extending in the depth direction of the refrigerator, and an inner box flange continuously formed at the front edge of the inner box and bent outward and engaged with the fitting recess to fix the outer box and the inner box, and a buffer material provided between the front side of the refrigerator of the vacuum heat insulating material and the back flange."

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the technique described in Patent Document 1, the inner box abuts on the metal plate between a bent portion adjacent to the tip of the metal plate and another bent portion on the opposite side of the tip of the metal plate as viewed from the bent portion (FIG. 8). Therefore, the tip of the metal plate is disposed on the side opposite to the contact side with the inner box. For this reason, the tip of the metal plate may contact the vacuum heat insulating material, and the vacuum heat insulating material may be damaged. The problem to be solved by the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator capable of suppressing damage to the vacuum heat insulating material and having high heat insulation performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] It is a refrigerator, A metal outer box, It is a refrigerator, A metal outer box, An inner box that fits into a recess formed in the outer box, The piping through which the refrigerant hot gas flows, The outer box and the inner box are provided with a vacuum insulating material positioned adjacent to the recess, The outer box is formed from a metal plate that has been bent to form the recess, Among the aforementioned metal plates The aforementioned piping is housed The portion constituting the recess is, A bent tip portion, which is bent in a direction away from the vacuum insulation material, is located nearby. The tip of the aforementioned metal plate, It is positioned closer to the side wall of the refrigerator than the aforementioned tip, and also on the side of the vacuum insulation material. Side wall Bent part and 、 A connecting portion is provided between the tip and the vacuum insulation material, and connects the tip-side bent portion and the side wall-side bent portion. Equipped with, The inner box is located inside the recess, connecting part In contact with or nearly in contact with Occasionally, The tip of the metal plate is spaced apart from the inner box. Having urethane foam disposed in the area including the recess Yes, they are. Other solutions will be described later in the section on embodiments for carrying out the invention. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] This is a front view of the refrigerator in this disclosure. [Figure 2] This diagram shows a magnified view of the fitting portion of the inner box into the outer box. [Figure 3] This diagram shows the fitting portion of the inner box into the outer box in a refrigerator of another embodiment. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the fitting portion of the inner box into the outer box in a refrigerator of another embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a side view of a refrigerator, illustrating the mounting locations of protective components. [Figure 6] It is a top view of a refrigerator according to another embodiment, showing a state where a protection member is attached. [Figure 7] It is an enlarged view of the protection member shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] It is a view showing a state where the protection member shown in FIG. 6 contacts a vacuum insulation material. [Figure 9] It is a view showing a state where a protection member according to another embodiment contacts a vacuum insulation material. [Figure 10] It is a view showing a fixing portion of an inner box to an outer box in a refrigerator according to another embodiment. [Figure 11] It is a view showing a fixing portion of an inner box to an outer box in a refrigerator according to another embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a view showing a fixing portion of an inner box to an outer box in a refrigerator according to another embodiment. [Figure 13] It is a view showing a fitting portion of an inner box to an outer box in a refrigerator according to another embodiment.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0007] Hereinafter, embodiments (referred to as embodiments) for carrying out the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of one embodiment below, descriptions of other embodiments applicable to 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 that does not significantly impair 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 that does not significantly impair 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 necessarily required to have all the configurations.

[0008] Figure 1 is a front view of the refrigerator 1 of this disclosure. The refrigerator 1 is equipped with doors 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Door 2 is rotatable around pivot shafts (not shown) located on the left and right sides of the refrigerator 1, and the refrigerator 1 is a double-door (French door) type. Doors 3, 4, 5, and 6 are pull-out doors. By opening doors 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the storage compartments 8 (described later; refrigerator compartment, freezer compartment, rapid freezer compartment, ice maker compartment, vegetable compartment, etc.) formed inside the refrigerator 1 are exposed to the outside.

[0009] Figure 2 is a magnified view showing the fitting portion of the inner box 20 into the outer box 10. Figure 2 is a top view of the vicinity of part A in Figure 1. Part A is the joint between the pull-out doors 3, 4, 5, and 6 (door 5 in the illustrated example) and the front end face of the refrigerator 1. Part A is also the fitting portion of the inner box 20 into the outer box 10. In the following example, the fitting portion on the right side in a front view of the refrigerator 1 will be described. However, the following description can be similarly applied to the fitting portions on the left, top, and bottom sides in a front view of the refrigerator 1.

[0010] Refrigerator 1 comprises an outer box 10, an inner box 20, and a vacuum insulation material 30.

[0011] The outer casing 10 is a metal structure, such as steel. The outer casing 10 can also be called the enclosure. The outer casing 10 constitutes the outer frame of the refrigerator 1, including the left and right side walls 16, the rear wall, and the top surface, and is a structure exposed to the outside. Of the outer casing 10, the fitting portion (joint portion) with the inner casing 20 is formed by bending a metal plate 11, such as a steel plate. The "bent portion" is the portion where the extending direction of the metal plate 11 changes direction, and similar descriptions below have the same meaning unless otherwise specified. The end of the metal plate 11 constituting the outer casing 10 includes, for example, the tip 12 of the metal plate 11 and a portion that is somewhat close to the tip 12 in the extending direction of the metal plate 11 when viewed from the tip 12 (for example, the fitting portion described above). In the example of this disclosure, the outer casing 10 has a recess 13 formed by bending the end of the metal plate 11 to fit the end 21 of the inner casing 20.

[0012] The recess 13 is formed continuously by bending the metal plate 11 and is a single piece of the metal plate 11. In the illustrated example of the refrigerator 1, the metal plate 11 that forms the right side wall 16 is bent to the left on the front side. The metal plate 11 that extends to the front side due to the bending comes into contact with the gasket 59 located on the inside of the door 5. That is, the outer box 10 and the gasket 59 come into contact. The metal plate 11 located on the front side has approximately the same size (length) as the gasket 59 and is folded back at the front side edge 15, which is the end of the gasket 59 opposite to the side wall 16. The folded metal plate 11 extends along the front side metal plate 11 to the inside of the metal plate 11 that makes up the side wall 16 and then towards the rear.

[0013] The metal plate 11 facing the rear is bent into a convex (mountain-shaped) form on the side of the vacuum insulation material 30, which is placed between the outer box 10 and the inner box 20. This forms a bent portion 14 in the convexly bent portion. At the bent portion 14, the metal plate 11 is bent at an acute angle, and the bent portion 14 protrudes toward the vacuum insulation material 30. However, on the side of the vacuum insulation material 30 that is outside the bent portion 14, the metal plate 11 is bent to have an R shape, that is, not to be angular. Therefore, the bent portion 14 contacts the vacuum insulation material 30 over a surface area of ​​a certain size. This suppresses damage to the vacuum insulation material 30 due to contact by the bent portion 14.

[0014] The metal plate 11, whose orientation has been changed by the bend 14, is further rotated near the tip 12 of the metal plate 11 so that it extends in the left-right direction of the refrigerator 1. Then, a recess 13 is formed between the tip 12 and the portion of the metal plate 11 that faces the tip 12 on the front side of the refrigerator 1. In other words, the outer casing 10 is formed from the metal plate 11 that has been bent to form the recess 13.

[0015] The metal plate 11 has a flat shape near its tip 12. That is, near the tip 12, the flat shape is not bent, and the tip 12 of the metal plate 11 faces the inner box 20. By doing so, the heat capacity near the tip 12 is kept small, and so-called "heat buildup" can be suppressed. By suppressing heat buildup, heat transfer from the tip 12, which is part of the metal plate 11 forming the outer box 10, to the inner box 20 can be suppressed, and heat transfer to the storage chamber 8 formed inside the inner box 20 can be suppressed. In particular, the outside of the outer box 10 is at the temperature of the environment in which the refrigerator 1 is placed (for example, room temperature), which is usually higher than the temperature of the storage chamber 8. Therefore, heat present in the environment in which the refrigerator 1 is placed can be suppressed from being transferred to the storage chamber 8 inside the inner box 20, and the storage chamber 8 can be suppressed from unintentionally rising in temperature.

[0016] Furthermore, the distance from the joint surface (inner surface 17 of the side wall 16) between the vacuum insulation material 30 and the outer box 10 to the tip 12 is shorter than the thickness of the vacuum insulation material 30. This allows the tip 12 to be kept away from the inner box 20, thereby suppressing heat transfer from the tip 12 to the inner box 20.

[0017] A bent portion 14 exists between the tip 12 and the vacuum insulation material 30. Therefore, even if the bent portion 14 comes into contact with the vacuum insulation material 30, contact between the tip 12 and the vacuum insulation material 30 can be suppressed. Since the tip 12 is usually pointed, if the tip 12 comes into contact with the vacuum insulation material 30, the vacuum insulation material 30 may be damaged. Also, since the tip 12 is formed by, for example, cutting a metal plate, there may be burrs remaining on the tip 12. Therefore, if the burrs come into contact with the vacuum insulation material 30, the vacuum insulation material 30 may also be damaged by the burrs. However, as described in this disclosure, contact between the tip 12 and the vacuum insulation material 30 is suppressed, so damage to the vacuum insulation material 30 caused by contact with the tip 12 can be suppressed.

[0018] The portion of the metal plate 11 that constitutes the recess 13 comprises a tip 12 of the metal plate 11 and a bent portion 14 that is positioned on the side wall 16 side (inner surface 17 side) of the refrigerator 1 and on the side of the vacuum insulation material 30. The portion of the metal plate 11 that constitutes the recess 13 faces the tip 12 on the front side of the refrigerator 1 and extends in the left-right direction of the refrigerator 1. The portion of the metal plate 11 that constitutes the recess 13 extends in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1 and is positioned on the opposite side from the opening that connects to the recess 13 (the opening into which the inner box 20 is initially inserted).

[0019] Inside the recess 13 are pipes 7 (e.g., heat transfer tubes) for the refrigerant flowing through the refrigeration cycle device (not shown) provided in the refrigerator 1. For example, hot gas of the refrigerant flows through the pipes 7 and can function as part of a condenser. The pipes 7 are formed on the front side of the refrigerator 1 and are arranged around an opening (not shown) that is closed by doors 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. As a result, the area near the opening is heated by the refrigerant flowing through the pipes 7, and condensation near the opening is suppressed.

[0020] The inner box 20 is a structure that forms a storage chamber 8 inside the inner box 20. The inner box 20 is made of, for example, resin, formed by injection molding or the like. When the user opens doors 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the user can see the inner box 20.

[0021] The inner box 20 fits into a recess 13 formed in the outer box 10. The end portion 21 (edge) of the inner box 20 fits into the recess 13. The end portion 21 has a bent shape. The end portion 21 is positioned in the recess 13 so as to fit into the gap between the pipe 7 and the tip 12. The end portion 21 is slightly larger than the entrance to the recess 13. Therefore, when fitting the inner box 20 into the recess 13 by inserting the end portion 21 into the recess 13, the tip 22 of the resin member (resin plate) constituting the inner box 20 is inserted into the gap between the pipe 7 and the tip 12, and the end portion 21 is then pushed in, causing the bent portion 14 to function like a leaf spring. As a result, the gap between the tip 12 and the pipe 7 widens slightly, and the bent portion of the inner box 20 fits into the gap between the pipe 7 and the tip 12. At the same time, the tip 22 of the inner box 20 is positioned outside the pipe 7. Furthermore, on the side of the bent portion opposite to the side where the outer box 10 and the inner box 20 abut or nearly abut, the end portion 21 contacts, for example, a cylindrical pipe 7. Also, the tip 22 of the inner box 20 abuts against the metal plate 11 of the outer box 10. These also generate frictional force, which fixes the inner box 20 to the outer box 10.

[0022] The inner box 20 is in contact or nearly in contact with the tip 12 and the bent portion 14 of the metal plate 11 inside the recess 13. In the illustrated example, the bent portion of the end 21 of the inner box 20 is in contact with the inner wall surface of the metal plate 11 between the tip 12 and the bent portion 14. This contact generates friction between the outer box 10 and the inner box 20, and the frictional force allows the inner box 20 to be firmly fixed to the outer box 10.

[0023] However, it is not limited to direct contact; approximate contact is also acceptable. Approximate contact, as used here, includes cases where, for example, the design dictates contact but tolerances prevent it from actually making contact, or where, although the design dictates contact, the contact is unintentionally released (i.e., detached) due to factors such as injection pressure during the injection of the urethane foam, and the urethane solidifies in this released state. In the case of approximate contact, configurations without direct contact may be included, but even in cases without direct contact, the inner box 20 is fixed to the outer box 10 by means of contact (abrasion) between the inner box 20 and the piping 7, as described above.

[0024] The vacuum insulation material 30 is an insulating material placed adjacent to the recess 13. The vacuum insulation material 30 will now be described.

[0025] The vacuum insulation material 30 consists of a core material, an outer covering material that encloses the core material, and an adsorbent material that adsorbs internal gases and gases that enter from the outside. The core material is, for example, inorganic glass wool made of glass. As for the glass wool, materials such as short fibers and long fibers are used, but it is not particularly limited to these. The adsorbent material is an adsorbent that can adsorb internal and external gases, and for example, quicklime, synthetic zeolite, etc. are used. The outer covering material encloses the core material and maintains the inside in a reduced pressure state (a so-called vacuum state). In other words, the outer covering material forms the exterior of the vacuum insulation material 30.

[0026] As the outer covering material, a laminate film having gas barrier properties and being heat-sealable can be suitably used. A laminate film having a four-layer structure consisting of a surface protective layer, a first gas barrier layer, a second gas barrier layer, and a heat-sealable layer can be suitably used.

[0027] For the surface protective layer, it is preferable to use a resin film that acts as a protective material and has low hygroscopic properties.

[0028] The first gas barrier layer is preferably a resin film with a metal vapor-deposited layer. The second gas barrier layer is preferably a resin film with high oxygen barrier properties with a metal vapor-deposited layer. Furthermore, the first and second gas barrier layers are preferably formed by bonding the metal vapor-deposited layers of the two resin films facing each other.

[0029] Similar to the surface protective layer, it is preferable to use a resin film with low hygroscopicity as the heat-sealing layer.

[0030] Specifically, it is preferable to use a biaxially oriented resin film such as polypropylene, polyamide, or polyethylene terephthalate as the surface protective layer. It is preferable to use a biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film with aluminum vapor deposition as the first gas barrier layer. It is preferable to use a biaxially oriented ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin film with aluminum vapor deposition, or a biaxially oriented polyvinyl alcohol resin film or aluminum foil with aluminum vapor deposition as the second gas barrier layer. It is preferable to use an unoriented resin film such as polyethylene or polypropylene as the heat-sealable layer.

[0031] As described above, the vacuum insulation material 30 is placed between the outer box 10 and the inner box 20. However, between the outer box 10 and the inner box 20, an additional insulation material, such as on-site foamed urethane foam (not shown), is placed. The urethane foam is also placed inside the recess 13. Therefore, an insulation layer 40 consisting of the vacuum insulation material 30 and urethane foam is placed between the outer box 10 and the inner box 20. In addition, an insulation layer 40 (urethane foam) is placed between the tip 12 and the vacuum insulation material 30.

[0032] Figure 3 shows the fitting portion of the inner box 20 into the outer box 10 in a refrigerator 1 of another embodiment. In the example of Figure 3, the metal plate 11 is bent in the direction away from the vacuum insulation material 30 near the tip 12. The bending creates a bent portion 121. A part of the metal plate 11 is then placed between the tip 12 and the vacuum insulation material 30. The part of the metal plate 11 that is placed is the metal plate 11 that is placed between the portion bent near the tip 12 (bent portion 121) and the bent portion 14. As described above, when the inner box 20 is fitted into the recess 13, the bent portion 14 functions like a leaf spring, causing the tip 12 to tilt towards the vacuum insulation material 30. Therefore, with this arrangement, even if the tip 12 tilts towards the vacuum insulation material 30, the bent portion 121 may make contact, but contact between the tip 12 and the vacuum insulation material 30 can be suppressed, thereby suppressing damage to the vacuum insulation material 30. Furthermore, near the tip 12, the metal plate 11 is bent to the opposite side from the vacuum insulation material 30, thereby ensuring a sufficient distance between the tip 12 and the vacuum insulation material 30.

[0033] Figure 4 shows the fitting portion of the inner box 20 into the outer box 10 in a refrigerator 1 of another embodiment. In the example of Figure 4, the vicinity of the tip 12 of the metal plate 11 is flat.

[0034] The tip 12 is positioned on the side wall 16 side of the outer casing 10 (outside the refrigerator 1) rather than on the flange surface F of the outer casing 10, in the thickness direction of the vacuum insulation material 30 (the length of the refrigerator 1 in the left-right direction). The flange surface F of the outer casing 10 is the surface that passes through the front edge 15 of the outer casing 10 (the part where the metal plate 11 is folded back at the front) and extends in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1. The protective member 50, described later, is also positioned on the side wall 16 side of the outer casing 10 rather than on the flange surface F.

[0035] The distance L1 from the tip 12 to the vacuum insulation material 30 is shorter than the distance L2 from the tip 12 to the side wall 16 of the outer box 10. This allows the tip 12 to be brought closer to the vacuum insulation material 30. Therefore, the heat transfer from the tip 12 to the inner box 20 can be suppressed by utilizing the heat insulation effect of the vacuum insulation material 30. In addition, the tip 12 is positioned closer to the side wall 16 than to the side surface 31 of the vacuum insulation material 30 on the inner box 20 side. Therefore, the tip 12 can be kept away from the inner box 20, and the heat transfer from the tip 12 to the inner box 20 can be suppressed by utilizing the heat insulation effect of the insulation layer 40 (especially the urethane foam).

[0036] The outer box 10, vacuum insulation material 30, and metal plate 11 are arranged in the following order from the inner box 20 toward the side wall 16 of the outer box 10: the flange surface F of the outer box 10, the side surface 31 of the vacuum insulation material 30 on the inner box 20 side, and the part of the metal plate 11 closest to the inner box 20, for example, the tip 12. By doing so, the part of the metal plate 11 closest to the inner box 20 (for example, the tip 12) is sufficiently far from the inner box 20, thereby suppressing heat transfer to the inner box 20. The flange surface F is a surface that passes through the front side edge 15 of the outer box 10 and extends in the front-to-back direction of the refrigerator 1. Surface 36 faces the outer surface 25 of the inner box 20.

[0037] A protective member 50 is provided at the tip 12 of the metal plate 11. The protective member 50 is a member that suppresses contact of the tip 12 with the vacuum insulation material 30. In other words, the protective member 50 is a member that protects the vacuum insulation material 30. By providing the protective member 50, even if the metal plate 11, including the tip 12, is temporarily tilted towards the vacuum insulation material 30 when the inner box 20 is fitted into the recess 13, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 4, it is possible to suppress contact between the tip 12 and the vacuum insulation material 30.

[0038] Although the drawing numbers are not shown, even if the tip 12 is not equipped with a protective member 50, as in Figure 13, heat transfer from the tip 12 to the inner box 20 can be suppressed by utilizing the heat insulation effect of the vacuum insulation material 30, similar to the configuration in Figure 4. Furthermore, since the protective member 50 is not required, assembly is made easier by reducing the number of parts, leading to cost reduction.

[0039] The specific shape of the protective member 50 is not particularly limited, as long as it can cover the tip 12, in addition to the shapes shown in Figures 6 to 9 described later. In the example shown in Figure 4, the protective member 50 has a cylindrical shape with a part cut out in the circumferential direction. The protective member 50 can be attached to the tip 12 by inserting (feeling) the tip 12 into the cut-out portion.

[0040] In the protective member 50, it is preferable that the contact portion (potential contact portion) with the vacuum insulation material 30 has a surface (flat or curved surface). That is, it is preferable that the protective member 50 has a contact surface 51 (for example, a flat or curved surface) that comes into contact with the vacuum insulation material 30 when the protective member 50 comes into contact with the vacuum insulation material 30. This ensures that the surfaces come into contact with each other, and damage to the vacuum insulation material 30 caused by the protective member 50 can be sufficiently suppressed. In other words, the contact pressure at the contact surface can be made lower than the puncture strength of, for example, the outer packaging material of the vacuum insulation material 30. Surface-to-surface contact can be achieved by designing the protective member 50 so that the contact portion does not have corners, or by chamfering the contact portion that originally had corners.

[0041] Thus, it is preferable that the protective member 50 has a contact surface 51, which is the contact portion when the protective member 50 and the vacuum insulation material 30 come into contact, that has a larger contact area than the contact portion when it is assumed that the tip 12 is in contact with the vacuum insulation material 30. This helps to suppress damage to the vacuum insulation material 30.

[0042] The material of the protective member 50 is preferably a material with a lower thermal conductivity than the metal plate 11 (e.g., steel plate) that constitutes the outer box 10. For example, by using a urethane foam insulation material, the same material used for the insulation layer 40, heat transfer to the inner box 20 can be suppressed. If the protective member 50 is made of urethane foam, for example, a molded product that has been pre-formed into the shape of the protective member 50 using another mold can be used. By using such a molded product, both protection and heat insulation can be achieved.

[0043] The protective member 50 may be made of resin. There are no particular restrictions on the resins that can be used, but examples include polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, ABS resin (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), PVC resin (polyvinyl chloride), etc. Furthermore, the protective member 50 may also be hot melt adhesive, foam melt, mirror mat, elastic material, etc.

[0044] Figure 5 is a side view of the refrigerator 1 and illustrates the mounting location of the protective member 50. In Figure 5, for the sake of simplicity, some parts of the outer casing 10 that are exposed to the outside of the refrigerator 1 are omitted from the illustration. As described above, the protective member 50 is attached to the tip 12 of the outer casing 10. However, the protective member 50 may be placed on all of the tip 12 adjacent to the vacuum insulation material 30, or on only a part of it.

[0045] When the protective member 50 is placed only on a portion of the metal plate 11, it is preferable that it be placed on at least the tip 12 of the metal plate 11 that is closest in distance to the vacuum insulation material 30. This is because, when manufacturing the vacuum insulation material 30, the excess outer covering material from the core material is folded back, and the end where this folded portion overlaps tends to be the largest. By arranging it in this way, contact with the vacuum insulation material 30 can be suppressed at the tip 12 that is closest in distance and most likely to contact the vacuum insulation material 30. Furthermore, since the metal plate 11 hardly shrinks and is also resistant to bending, protecting the closest tip 12 can also suppress contact with the vacuum insulation material 30 at the other tips 12.

[0046] Furthermore, if they are provided only in part, for example, multiple protective members may be provided at equal intervals. In the illustrated example, three protective members 50 are provided at equal intervals on the side wall of the refrigerator 1: at the top, in the middle vertically, and at the bottom. Also, since partitions are provided between each storage compartment 8 (room) of the refrigerator 1, the protective members 50 can also be placed in locations that avoid these partitions. Furthermore, the protective members 50 may be provided at all of the tips 12 adjacent to the vacuum insulation material 30.

[0047] Figure 6 is a top view of a refrigerator 1 of another embodiment, showing the protective member 50 attached. The protective member 50 shown in Figure 6 has a different shape from the protective member 50 shown in Figure 4.

[0048] Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the protective member 50 shown in Figure 6. The protective member 50 in Figure 7 is made of a flexible material (e.g., an elastic material) such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The protective member 50 includes a gap 52 into which the tip 12 is inserted, a flat portion 53, and a curved portion 54. The flat portion 53 and the curved portion 54 are connected at a connecting portion 55 near the tip 12 (Figure 6). The portion of the curved portion 54 that comes into contact with the vacuum insulation material 30 is provided with a contact surface 51 as described above.

[0049] Figure 8 shows how the protective member 50 shown in Figure 6 contacts the vacuum insulation material 30. When the protective member 50 is bent and widened, the metal plate 11 is inserted through the gap 52, and the inner wall surface 531 of the flat portion 53 comes into contact with the metal plate 11. This allows the metal plate 11 to support the protective member 50. In particular, frictional force is generated between the inner wall surface 531 and the metal plate 11, so it can be supported fairly firmly. Also, when the metal plate 11 is inserted all the way in, the tip 12 is positioned inside the protective member 50 near the connection portion 55. On the other hand, a space (gap) is formed between the inner wall surface 541 of the curved portion 54, which is located on the opposite side of the flat portion 53 of the inserted metal plate 11, and the metal plate 11.

[0050] As described above, when inserting the inner box 20 into the recess 13, the bent portion 14, which functions as a leaf spring, allows the tip 12 to approach the vacuum insulation material 30. In some cases, the protective member 50 may come into contact with the side surface 31 of the vacuum insulation material 30 (the surface facing the protective member 50). Therefore, the contact surface 51 is made up of a flat surface as described above. This increases the contact area, which is the size of the contact portion, and suppresses damage to the vacuum insulation material 30. The surface that makes up the contact surface 51 may be a curved surface or a flat surface as described above, but in the illustrated example, it is a curved surface.

[0051] Figure 9 shows how a protective member 50 of another embodiment contacts the vacuum insulation material 30. As described above, the contact surface 51 provided on the protective member 50 is preferably a surface, but the contact surface 51 may also be a corner. That is, if the pressure exerted by the protective member 50 on the contact surface 51 is less than the pressure required to damage the vacuum insulation material 30, the vacuum insulation material 30 will not be damaged. Qualitatively speaking, the vacuum insulation material 30 will not be damaged if the protective member 50 only lightly touches it. Therefore, in the example shown in Figure 9, the contact surface 51 is a corner of the protective member 50.

[0052] In the example shown in Figure 9, the protective member 50 includes a flat portion 56 instead of the curved portion 54. The flat portion 56 is connected to the flat portion 53 at the connecting portion 55. The flat portion 56 includes a flat portion 57 that is connected at a right angle to the upper end of the flat portion 53, and a flat portion 58 that is connected to the flat portion 57 at the end of the flat portion 57 on the vacuum insulation material 30 side. The flat portion 58 faces the flat portion 53 when the metal plate 11 is not inserted. The distance between the flat portion 53 and the flat portion 58 is approximately the same as the thickness of the metal plate 11. Even with this shape of protective member 50, damage to the vacuum insulation material 30 caused by contact of the tip 12 with the vacuum insulation material 30 can be suppressed.

[0053] Figure 10 shows the fixing portion of the inner box 20 to the outer box 10 in a refrigerator 1 of another embodiment. In the embodiments shown in Figure 10 and the following Figures 11 and 12, damage to the vacuum insulation material 30 due to contact of the tip 12 with the vacuum insulation material 30 is suppressed. However, in the embodiment shown in Figure 10, the inner box 20 is fixed to the inner surface 17 of the outer box 10 by joining, for example, using an adhesive. Also, since the inner box 20 is fitted inside the front edge 15 of the outer box 10, the inner box 20 is fitted into the outer box 10.

[0054] The vacuum insulation material 30 is placed between the outer box 10 and the inner box 20 as described above. At least a portion of the vacuum insulation material 30 is joined to the outer box 10. In the illustrated example, the entire surface 32 of the vacuum insulation material 30 on the side wall 16 side is joined (bonded) to the metal plate 11 by the adhesive layer 60. The adhesive layer 60 is joined to the inner surface 17 of the metal plate 11 that forms the side wall 16 portion of the outer box 10. The adhesive layer 60 can be formed, for example, by applying heated hot melt adhesive to the metal plate 11, positioning the vacuum insulation material 30 so that it adheres to the hot melt adhesive, and then allowing it to solidify (cool down by natural cooling, etc.). Hot melt adhesive is an adhesive that is solid at room temperature but becomes liquid when heated.

[0055] The tip 12 of the metal plate 11 is positioned on the inner surface 17, which is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the vacuum insulation material 30 (the left-right direction of the refrigerator 1). However, since the tip 12 is a different part from the inner surface 17, it can also be said that the tip 12 is positioned in the vicinity of the inner surface 17, directly adjacent to the inner surface 17, and directly opposite the inner surface 17. In addition, the tip 12 overlaps the vacuum insulation material 30 when viewed in the thickness direction of the vacuum insulation material 30. Therefore, a portion of the metal plate 11 including the tip 12 is positioned between the vacuum insulation material 30 and the portion of the metal plate 11 that forms the side wall 16. Furthermore, the adhesive layer 60 is formed to cover a portion of the metal plate 11 including the tip 12.

[0056] The adhesive layer 60 is a protective member 70 (first protective member) that protects the vacuum insulation material 30. The protective member 70, which is the adhesive layer 60, is placed between the tip 12 and the vacuum insulation material 30. The vacuum insulation material 30 then comes into contact with (adheres to, joins) the protective member 70. As described above, the tip 12 is formed by cutting a metal plate. Therefore, there is a possibility that burrs resulting from the cutting process may remain on the tip 12. By providing the adhesive layer 60 so as to cover the tip 12, it is possible to suppress contact of the burrs with the surface 32 of the vacuum insulation material 30. This makes it possible to suppress damage to the vacuum insulation material 30 caused by contact between the tip 12 (especially any remaining burrs) and the vacuum insulation material 30.

[0057] If the thickness of the adhesive layer 60 (the length of the refrigerator 1 in the left-right direction) is greater than the thickness of the metal plate 11, the tip 12 can be embedded in the adhesive layer 60. This makes it difficult for any burrs present on the tip 12 to come into contact with the vacuum insulation material 30. However, even if the thickness of the adhesive layer 60 is shorter than the thickness of the metal plate 11, by providing the adhesive layer 60 so as to cover the tip 12, it is possible to make it difficult for any burrs present on the tip 12 to come into contact with the vacuum insulation material 30. In other words, since burrs are usually smaller than the thickness of the metal plate 11, covering the tip 12 with the adhesive layer 60 makes it difficult for the burrs to come into contact with the vacuum insulation material 30.

[0058] The protective member 70 is positioned to cover at least the side of the tip 12 of the metal plate 11 where the vacuum insulation material 30 is placed. The protective member 70 is an adhesive that bonds the vacuum insulation material 30 and the outer box 10, as described above. In this way, when bonding the vacuum insulation material 30 to the outer box 10, it is possible to mitigate the impact on the vacuum insulation material 30 caused by burrs that may be present on the tip 12. This reduces the effort required for burr countermeasures.

[0059] The outer box 10 is formed from a metal plate 11 that is bent to include a joint portion 19 for joining with the inner box 20. The joint portion 19 is formed on the metal plate 11 that is positioned behind the metal plate 11 that is exposed to the outside on the front side of the refrigerator 1. At the joint portion 19, the metal plate 11 and the end portion 23 that connects to the front end 22 of the inner box 20 are joined (bonded) by an adhesive layer 61. The end portion 23 is formed in a flat shape. The adhesive layer 61 can be formed, for example, by applying heated hot melt adhesive to the joint portion 19 (metal plate 11), positioning the inner box 20 so that it adheres to the hot melt adhesive, and then allowing it to solidify. Positioning can be achieved by inserting the end portion 23 of the inner box 20 into the gap 80 (space) formed between the front edge 15 of the outer box 10 and the vacuum insulation material 30.

[0060] In this way, the front edge 18 of the metal plate 11 is bonded to the inner box 20 (particularly the front end 23 of the inner box 20). Bonding at this position allows the inner box 20 to be fixed to the outer box 10.

[0061] A gap 80 is formed between the side surface 31 of the vacuum insulation material 30, which is the front surface of the refrigerator 1, and the outer box 10. The end portion 23 of the inner box 20 is inserted into the gap 80. The side surface 31 is one of the surfaces constituting the vacuum insulation material 30, located near the tip 12 (on the tip 12 side), and is the surface that faces the end portion 23 of the inner box 20 when the inner box 20 is installed. However, as will be described in detail later, a protective member 62 may be placed between the side surface 31 and the end portion 23. The formation of the gap 80 allows the end portion 23 of the inner box 20 to be inserted into the gap 80, and the inner box 20 can be joined.

[0062] As described above, the inner box 20 is fixed by, for example, applying hot melt adhesive to the outer box 10 and inserting the end portion 23 into the gap 80. The size of the vacuum insulation material 30 is such that it is positioned close to the front edge 15 of the outer box 10 in order to enhance the insulation effect, so the size of the gap 80 (the length of the refrigerator 1 in the front-to-back direction) becomes small. For this reason, when inserting the inner box 20 into the gap 80, the end portion 23 may come into contact with the vacuum insulation material 30.

[0063] Therefore, in order to protect the vacuum insulation material 30, a protective member 62 (second protective member) is provided that covers at least the corners 33 of the vacuum insulation material 30 that form the opening of the gap 80, which are the side surfaces 31 of the vacuum insulation material 30 that partition the gap 80. This prevents the end portion 23 from coming into contact with the vacuum insulation material 30 when the end portion 23 is inserted into the gap 80, thereby preventing damage to the vacuum insulation material 30. In particular, when the end portion 23 is inserted into a narrow gap 80, the end portion 23 is most likely to come into contact with the corners 33 of the vacuum insulation material 30. Therefore, by covering at least the corners 33, damage to the vacuum insulation material 30 near the corners 33 can be prevented.

[0064] In the example of this disclosure, the protective member 62 each comprises flat protective portions 621 and 622. Protective portion 621 is a member that extends along the surface 34 of the vacuum insulation material 30 that extends in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1 from the corner 33. Protective portion 622 is a member that extends along the side surface 31 of the vacuum insulation material 30 that extends in the left-right direction of the refrigerator 1 from the corner 33. Protective portions 621 and 622 are joined near the corner 33 so as to be along the side surface 31 and surface (top surface) of the vacuum insulation material 30. Protective portion 621 faces the member 24 of the inner box 20 that is exposed to the storage compartment 8. Protective portion 622 faces the end portion 23 of the inner box 20.

[0065] The constituent material of the protective member 62 is not particularly limited as long as it is a material that can prevent the end portion 23 from directly contacting the vacuum insulation material 30. Examples of constituent materials include adhesive tapes such as double-sided tape and single-sided tape, hot melt adhesives, urethane, resin materials, etc.

[0066] Figure 11 shows the fixing portion of the inner box 20 to the outer box 10 in a refrigerator 1 of another embodiment. In the example of Figure 11, the protective member 70 is a pipe 7 positioned near the tip 12 of the metal plate 11. The pipe 7 is a refrigerant pipe that flows through the refrigeration cycle (not shown) provided in the refrigerator 1, as described above. The pipe 7 is provided between the vicinity of the tip 12 and the vacuum insulation material 30. This makes it possible to suppress damage to the vacuum insulation material 30 caused by burrs on the tip 12.

[0067] Figure 12 shows the fixing portion of the inner box 20 to the outer box 10 in a refrigerator 1 of another embodiment. In the example of Figure 12, multiple pipes 7 are arranged along the side wall 16. The vacuum insulation material 30 has a bent structure (stepped shape) to avoid the pipes 7. Specifically, the vacuum insulation material 30 has an inclined surface 35 that is bent to have a space 81 relative to the outer box 10 as it moves from the adhesive layer 60 toward the tip 12 side of the metal plate 11. The adhesive layer 60 is the bonding portion between the vacuum insulation material 30 and the side wall 16 of the outer box 10. The pipes 7 are provided in contact with the vacuum insulation material 30 in the space 81. This structure also suppresses contact of the tip 12 with the vacuum insulation material 30.

[0068] In the example shown in Figure 12, multiple pipes 7 are provided. In space 81, one pipe 7 is provided near the inclined surface 35. In addition, one pipe 7 is provided near the tip 12 in space 81. The pipe 7 provided near the tip 12 also functions as a protective member 70.

[0069] The space 81 may or may not be filled with urethane foam. The refrigerator 1 may also be provided with a gas vent pipe (not shown) that communicates with the space 81. The gas vent pipe is a pipe that connects the space 81 (the space between the outer box 10 and the inner box 20) to the outside of the refrigerator 1. By providing a gas vent pipe, the pressure in the space between the outer box 10 and the inner box 20 can be made the same as the external pressure, and deformation of the refrigerator 1's structure, such as the outer box 10 and the inner box 20, caused by residual gas in the space 81 can be suppressed.

[0070] This disclosure encompasses the following technical ideas 1 and 2.

[0071] [Technical thought 1] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, the inner box contacts the metal plate between a bent portion adjacent to the tip of the metal plate and another bent portion on the opposite side of the tip of the metal plate when viewed from that bent portion (Figure 8). Therefore, the tip of the metal plate is positioned on the side opposite to the side that contacts the inner box. As a result, the tip of the metal plate may come into contact with the vacuum insulation material, potentially damaging the vacuum insulation material. The problem that Technical Concept 1 aims to solve is to provide a refrigerator with high insulation performance that can suppress damage to the vacuum insulation material.

[0072] [Note 1-1] It is a refrigerator, A metal outer box, An inner box that fits into a recess formed in the outer box, The outer box and the inner box are provided with a vacuum insulating material positioned adjacent to the recess, The outer box is formed from a metal plate that has been bent to form the recess, The portion of the metal plate that constitutes the recess is, The tip of the aforementioned metal plate, A bent portion is positioned closer to the side wall of the refrigerator than the aforementioned tip and is positioned closer to the vacuum insulation material, Equipped with, The inner box is in contact or substantially in contact with the front end and the bent portion of the metal plate inside the recess. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 1-2] The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-1, Near the tip of the metal plate, it is bent in a direction away from the vacuum insulation material. A portion of the metal plate is positioned between the tip and the vacuum insulation material. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 1-3] The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-1, The tip is positioned in the thickness direction of the vacuum insulation material toward the side wall of the outer box rather than toward the flange surface of the outer box. An insulating layer is placed between the tip and the vacuum insulating material. The distance from the tip to the vacuum insulation material is shorter than the distance from the tip to the side wall of the outer box. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 1-4] The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-1, The outer box, the vacuum insulation material, and the metal plate are arranged in the following order from the inner box toward the side wall of the outer box: the flange surface of the outer box, the surface of the vacuum insulation material facing the inner box, and the portion of the metal plate closest to the inner box. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 1-5] The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-1, The vicinity of the tip of the metal plate has a flat shape. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 1-6] The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-1, A protective member is provided at the tip of the aforementioned metal plate. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 1-7] The refrigerators described in Appendix 1-6, The protective member is a member that suppresses contact of the tip with the vacuum insulation material. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 1-8] The refrigerators described in Appendix 1-6, The protective member is provided at least at the tip of the metal plate where the distance between the tip of the metal plate and the vacuum insulation material is closest. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 1-9] The refrigerators described in Appendix 1-6, The protective member has a contact area at the contact portion when the protective member and the vacuum insulation material are in contact, which is larger than the contact area at the contact portion when it is assumed that the tip is in contact with the vacuum insulation material. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 1-10] The refrigerators described in Appendix 1-6, The protective member has a surface that comes into contact with the vacuum insulation material when the protective member comes into contact with the vacuum insulation material. A refrigerator characterized by the following features.

[0073] [Technical thought 2] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, the tip of the metal plate forming the outer box is exposed. As a result, the vacuum insulation material may be damaged if the tip comes into contact with it. The problem that Technical Concept 2 aims to solve is to provide a refrigerator with high insulation performance by suppressing damage to the vacuum insulation material.

[0074] [Note 2-1] It is a refrigerator, A metal outer box, The box comprises a vacuum insulation material placed between the outer box and the inner box, The outer box is formed from a metal plate that has been bent to include a joint that connects to the inner box. The tip of the metal plate is provided on a surface perpendicular to the thickness direction of the vacuum insulation material, and when viewed in the thickness direction, it overlaps with the vacuum insulation material. At least a portion of the vacuum insulation material is joined to the outer box, The vacuum insulation material abuts against the first protective member positioned between the tip and the vacuum insulation material. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Note 2-2] The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-1, Of the aforementioned metal plates, the front edge of the refrigerator is bonded to the inner box. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 2-3] The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-1, The first protective member is positioned to cover at least the end of the metal plate on the side where the vacuum insulation material is placed, and is an adhesive that bonds the vacuum insulation material and the outer box. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 2-4] The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-1, The first protective member is positioned near the tip of the metal plate and is a refrigerant pipe that flows through the refrigeration cycle provided in the refrigerator. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 2-5] The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-1, A gap is formed between the front surface of the vacuum insulation material of the refrigerator and the outer box. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 2-6] The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-5, The end of the inner box is inserted into the aforementioned gap. A second protective member is provided that covers at least the corner of the vacuum insulation material that forms the opening in the void, among the surfaces of the vacuum insulation material that partition the void. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 2-7] The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-5, The vacuum insulation material has an inclined surface that is bent so as it moves from the adhesive portion between the vacuum insulation material and the side wall of the outer box toward the tip of the metal plate, it creates a space relative to the outer box. In the aforementioned space, piping for the refrigerant flowing through the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator is provided, in contact with the vacuum insulation material. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1. Refrigerator 10 Outer box 11 Metal plate 12 Tip 121 Bending section 13 recess 14 Bending section 15 Front edge 16 side wall 17. Inner self 18 Edge 19 Joint 2 doors 20 Inner box 21 End 22 Tip 23 End 24 components 25 sides 3 doors 30 Vacuum insulation material 31 Side view 32 sides 33 angle 34 sides 35 Slope 4 doors 40 Insulation layer 5 doors 50 Protective components 51 Contact surface 52 Gap 53 Plane part 54 Curved part 55 Connection part 56 Plane section 57 Plane part 58 Plane part 59 Gasket 6 doors 60 Adhesive layer 61 Adhesive layer 62 Protective member (second protective member) 621 Protection Department 622 Protection Department 7 Piping 70 Protective member (first protective member) 8 Storage Room 80 void 81 Space F flange surface L1 distance L2 distance

Claims

1. It is a refrigerator, A metal outer box, An inner box that fits into a recess formed in the outer box, The piping through which the refrigerant hot gas flows, The outer box and the inner box are provided with a vacuum insulating material positioned adjacent to the recess, The outer box is formed from a metal plate that has been bent to form the recess, The portion of the metal plate that constitutes the recess housing the piping is, The tip of the metal plate is located near the tip of the metal plate, where the tip is bent in a direction away from the vacuum insulation material, A side wall-side bent portion is positioned closer to the side wall of the refrigerator than the aforementioned tip and is positioned closer to the vacuum insulation material, A connecting portion is positioned between the tip and the vacuum insulation material in a side view of the refrigerator, and connects the tip-side bent portion and the side wall-side bent portion. Equipped with, The inner box is in contact with or substantially in contact with the connecting portion inside the recess. The tip of the metal plate is spaced apart from the inner box. The area including the recess has urethane foam. A refrigerator characterized by the following features.

2. A refrigerator according to Claim 1, The aforementioned connecting portion, when traced from the side wall bend towards the tip bend, extends in the front-to-back direction of the refrigerator, moving away from and then approaching the vacuum insulation material. The inner box is such that, within the recess, the bent portion that abuts or substantially abuts the connecting portion also abuts or substantially abuts the piping on the opposite side, and is positioned closer to the vacuum insulation material than the tip in the front-rear direction. A refrigerator characterized by the following features.

3. A refrigerator, A metal outer box, An inner box that fits into a recess formed in the outer box, The piping through which the refrigerant hot gas flows, The outer box and the inner box are provided with a vacuum insulating material positioned adjacent to the recess, The outer box is formed from a metal plate that has been bent to form the recess, The portion of the metal plate that constitutes the recess housing the piping is, The tip of the metal plate is located near the tip of the metal plate, where the tip is bent in a direction away from the vacuum insulation material, A side wall-side bent portion is positioned closer to the side wall of the refrigerator than the aforementioned tip, A connecting portion is positioned between the tip and the vacuum insulation material in a side view of the refrigerator, and connects the tip-side bent portion and the side wall-side bent portion. Equipped with, The inner box is in contact with or substantially in contact with the connecting portion inside the recess. The tip of the metal plate is spaced apart from the inner box. The area including the recess has urethane foam. A refrigerator characterized by the following features.

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