Refrigerator

Abstract

This refrigerator comprises: a refrigerator body having, in the interior thereof, a storage space in which articles being cooled are stored, and a cooling chamber that generates cold air, the cooling chamber being formed closer to the rear-surface side than the storage space; a partition provided inside the refrigerator body, the partition segmenting the storage space into a plurality of storage chambers; and an air channel guide positioned on a rear surface inside a first storage chamber that is formed above the partition and that is controlled to within a refrigeration temperature band, the air channel guide communicating with a partition-internal air channel that is formed inside the partition and having formed therein a guide-internal air channel for sending cold air from the cooling chamber into the first storage space. The upper surface of the partition is provided with: a water channel that receives condensation water produced on the surface of the air channel guide; a water retention part linked to the water channel, a bottom surface of the water retention part being lower than the water channel, and the water retention part retaining the condensation water; and a return air channel inlet through which the cold air within the first storage chamber passes when returning to the cooling chamber. The water retention part is disposed adjacent to the return air channel inlet.

Description

refrigerator

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator having a structure for collecting and evaporating condensed water.

[0002] In a conventional refrigerator, an air passage for sending cold air to the refrigerator compartment is formed in an air passage guide, and the air passage guide is attached to the back of the refrigerator compartment formed by an inner box. When assembling this refrigerator, a sealant is adhered to the back of the air passage guide, and the air passage guide is attached to the back of the refrigerator compartment via the sealant, and the air passage guide and the inner box are tightly attached to be integrated, thereby insulating the back side of the refrigerator.

[0003] In such refrigerators, the gap between the rear surface of the air path guide and the rear surface of the refrigerator compartment is sealed with a sealant. However, due to unevenness in the sealant, unevenness on the rear surface of the air path guide, and unevenness on the inner box that occur during manufacturing, the gap between the rear surface of the air path guide and the rear surface of the refrigerator compartment may not be completely sealed, resulting in a partial gap between the inner box and the sealant. When such a gap is formed, the insulating properties of the rear surface of the air path guide are reduced, making condensation more likely to occur in the gap due to the temperature difference between the cold air in the refrigeration temperature range flowing through the gap and the cold air flowing through the air path in the air path guide. If the condensation water remains in the refrigerator compartment, it can cause mold, posing a hygiene problem for the refrigerator compartment.

[0004] To address this issue, conventional refrigerators have been equipped with a structure for collecting and evaporating condensed water (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, a dew tray with a reservoir is disposed below a condensation plate made of aluminum or the like, and a heater is disposed below the dew tray, so that dew adhering to the condensation plate is stored in the reservoir of the dew tray and evaporated by applying electricity to the heater.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-89379

[0006] In Patent Document 1, a structure is configured to collect and evaporate condensation water using a condensation plate, a condensation tray, and a heater, but there is a problem in that the number of parts is large and costs increase.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a refrigerator that reduces costs by configuring a structure for collecting and evaporating condensation water with fewer parts than conventional structures.

[0008] The refrigerator according to the present disclosure comprises a refrigerator body having a storage space in which an object to be cooled is stored and a cooling chamber formed behind the storage space and generating cold air; a partition disposed inside the refrigerator body and dividing the storage space into a plurality of storage chambers; and an air duct guide disposed behind a first storage chamber formed above the partition and controlled to a refrigeration temperature range, the air duct guide communicating with an air duct inside the partition and having an air duct inside the guide for sending cold air from the cooling chamber into the first storage chamber, the upper surface of the partition being provided with a water channel for receiving condensation water formed on the surface of the air duct guide, a water storage section connected to the water channel and having a bottom lower than the water channel for storing the condensation water, and a return air duct inlet through which the cold air in the first storage chamber passes when returning to the cooling chamber, the water storage section being disposed adjacent to the return air duct inlet.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, the upper surface of the partition is provided with a water channel for receiving condensation water generated on the surface of the air passage guide, a water storage section connected to the water channel and having a lower bottom than the water channel for storing the condensation water, and a return air passage inlet through which the cold air in the first storage chamber passes when returning to the cooling chamber, and the water storage section is located adjacent to the return air passage inlet. Therefore, when the cold air circulating in the first storage chamber flows into the return air passage inlet, the water vapor from the condensation water stored in the water storage section is collected by the cold air passing over the water storage section. Therefore, the cold air in the first storage chamber can be used to evaporate the condensation water in the water storage section. In other words, because the structure for collecting and evaporating the condensation water is composed of the water channel and the water storage section provided on the upper surface of the partition, the number of parts is reduced compared to conventional systems, resulting in reduced costs.

[0010] 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. It is a view taken along the A-A cross section of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows. It is an enlarged view of a refrigerator compartment and its periphery in the view shown in FIG. 2. It is an enlarged view of a C region of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 2. It is a cross-sectional perspective view showing a refrigerator compartment and its periphery in a refrigerator main body of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment. It is a front view showing a refrigerator compartment and its periphery in a refrigerator main body of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment. It is a view taken along the Y-Y cross section of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 6 in the direction of the arrows. It is a view taken along the B-B cross section of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows. It is an enlarged perspective view of a water storage section of a refrigerator compartment partition and its periphery in the view shown in FIG. 8. It is a view taken along the E-E cross section of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 8 in the direction of the arrows. It is a view taken along the Z-Z cross section of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 6 in the direction of the arrows. It is a side view showing an enlarged view of a shelf, a water storage section, and their periphery in the view shown in FIG. 10. It is a plan view of a horizontal cross section of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment. It is a side view of a vertical cross section of a refrigerator according to the second embodiment.

[0011] Refrigerators according to embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, the size relationships between components in the drawings may differ from those in reality. Furthermore, in the following description, terms indicating directions (e.g., "up," "down," "right," "left," "front," "rear," etc.) are used as appropriate to facilitate understanding, but these terms are for the purpose of explanation and do not limit the present disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, these directional terms refer to directions when the refrigerator is viewed from the front. Furthermore, in each drawing, parts denoted with the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent, and this applies throughout the entire specification.

[0012] Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a front view showing refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a view of the AA cross section of refrigerator 100 shown in FIG. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrows. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of refrigerator compartment 2 and its surroundings in the view shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of region C of refrigerator 100 shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing refrigerator compartment 2 and its surroundings in refrigerator body 1 of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is a front view showing refrigerator compartment 2 and its surroundings in refrigerator body 1 of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1. FIG. 7 is a view of the Y-Y cross section of refrigerator 100 shown in FIG. 6, viewed in the direction of the arrows. The cross sections in FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross sections perpendicular to the depth direction of refrigerator 100, to the right of water storage section 58 (the front side of the figure). Refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment includes refrigerator body 1, which is a substantially rectangular box-like structure including outer box 51 forming an outer shell, inner box 50 provided inside outer box 51, and insulating material 52 filled between outer box 51 and inner box 50. Outer box 51 is made of, for example, steel. Inner box 50 is made of, for example, thin, hard ABS resin. Insulating material 52 is, for example, hard urethane foam.

[0014] A storage space 1c is formed inside the refrigerator body 1. A plurality of horizontally extending partition members are provided in the storage space 1c, which divide the storage space 1c into a plurality of storage compartments. The storage compartments are spaces for storing food and other items to be cooled, and are comprised of a refrigerator compartment 2 (first storage compartment), an ice-making compartment 3, a switchable compartment 4 (first selectable compartment), a vegetable compartment 5, and a freezer compartment 6. The partition members include a refrigerator compartment partition 16 that separates the refrigerator compartment 2 from the ice-making compartment 3 and the selectable compartment 4 and forms the bottom surface 2c of the refrigerator compartment 2; a first partition 17 that separates the ice-making compartment 3 and the switchable compartment 4 from the vegetable compartment 5; and a second partition 18 that separates the vegetable compartment 5 from the freezer compartment 6. The front surface 1a of the refrigerator body 1 is covered with a plurality of doors that open and close the respective storage compartments. The doors consist of a left refrigerator compartment door 10, a right refrigerator compartment door 11, an ice maker compartment door 12, a selectable compartment door 13, a vegetable compartment door 14, and a freezer compartment door 15. Inside the refrigerator body 1, door open / close detectors 19a to 19d are provided to detect the opening and closing of each door.

[0015] (Refrigerator Compartment 2) The refrigerator compartment 2 is located at the top of the multiple storage compartments and is used to cool and store food and other items. The refrigerator compartment 2 is maintained at a refrigeration temperature range, for example, approximately 3°C, by a temperature adjustment unit (not shown). A food storage shelf (not shown) is installed horizontally in the refrigerator compartment 2. Food and other items are placed on the food storage shelf (not shown) and refrigerated. A left refrigerator compartment door 10 and a right refrigerator compartment door 11 are located in front of the refrigerator compartment 2. The left refrigerator compartment door 10 and the right refrigerator compartment door 11 are supported by hinges (not shown) on the refrigerator body 1 and are double-door doors that open and close the refrigerator compartment 2. In addition, a setting operation unit (not shown) is provided on the left refrigerator compartment door 10 or the right refrigerator compartment door 11, which allows the user to operate the storage compartment temperature and other settings.

[0016] (Selectable Refrigerator Compartment 41) A second selectable compartment, the selectable refrigerator compartment 41 (chilled compartment), is formed below the refrigerator compartment 2. The selectable refrigerator compartment 41 is formed by dividing the area below the refrigerator compartment 2 and is separated from the refrigerator compartment 2 by a shelf 76 and a storage container 75. The storage container 75 is made of, for example, polystyrene. The selectable refrigerator compartment 41 is maintained at a temperature range selected by a temperature adjustment unit from a freezing temperature range of approximately −18°C, a soft freezing temperature range of −10°C to −4°C, or a chilled temperature range of −3°C to 3°C. The temperature of the selectable refrigerator compartment 41 is controlled by opening and closing a selectable refrigerator compartment airflow regulator (not shown) described below or by heating by a heating device 70.

[0017] (Ice-making compartment 3) The ice-making compartment 3 is located below the refrigerator compartment 2 and produces and stores ice. The ice-making compartment 3 is maintained at a freezing temperature range, for example, about -18°C, by a temperature adjustment unit. An ice-making compartment door 12 is located in front of the ice-making compartment 3. The ice-making compartment door 12 is a drawer-type door that opens and closes the ice-making compartment 3.

[0018] (Switchable compartment 4) Switchable compartment 4 is located to the side of ice making compartment 3. The temperature regulator maintains switchable compartment 4 at a temperature range selected from a freezing temperature range of approximately -18°C or a soft freezing temperature range of approximately -7°C. The soft freezing temperature range may be any temperature between -10°C and -4°C. A switchable compartment door 13 is located in front of the switchable compartment 4. The switchable compartment door 13 is a drawer-type door that opens and closes the switchable compartment 4.

[0019] (Vegetable compartment 5) The vegetable compartment 5 is located below the ice-making compartment 3 and the switchable compartment 4, and mainly stores vegetables. The vegetable compartment 5 is maintained at a refrigerated temperature range, for example, at approximately 6°C, by a temperature adjustment unit. Note that the humidity of the vegetable compartment 5 may also be adjusted in addition to the temperature. A vegetable compartment door 14 is located in front of the vegetable compartment 5. The vegetable compartment door 14 is a drawer-type door that opens and closes the vegetable compartment 5.

[0020] (Freezer compartment 6) The freezer compartment 6 is located below the vegetable compartment 5 and freezes and stores food and the like. The freezer compartment 6 is maintained at a freezing temperature range, for example, about -18°C, by a temperature adjustment unit. A freezer compartment door 15 is located in front of the freezer compartment 6. The freezer compartment door 15 is a drawer-type door that opens and closes the freezer compartment 6.

[0021] The number and arrangement of the storage chambers described above are merely examples, and the number and arrangement are not limited to these.

[0022] (Cooling compartment 20) Inside refrigerator body 1, cooling compartment 20 and an air passage are formed closer to rear surface 1b than storage space 1c. Cooling compartment 20 is a space in which cooler 21 and blower fan 22 are arranged. The air passage is a space through which cool air generated by cooler 21 and sent by blower fan 22 passes.

[0023] (Temperature Adjustment Unit) The temperature adjustment unit adjusts the temperature of the storage compartment. The temperature adjustment unit includes a compressor 39, a condenser (not shown), an expansion unit (not shown), a cooler 21, a blower fan 22, and an air volume regulator. The compressor 39, the condenser, and the expansion unit are located in a machine room 38 located at the bottom of the rear surface 1b inside the refrigerator body 1. The compressor 39 draws in low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, compresses the drawn refrigerant, and discharges it as high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant. The condenser exchanges heat between the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant and air. The expansion unit is a pressure-reducing or expansion valve that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant to expand it. The cooler 21 is located upstream of the air passage and serves as an evaporator to exchange heat between the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant and air, thereby generating cold air. The blower fan 22 blows the cold air generated by the cooler 21 into the storage space 1c. The air volume regulator is, for example, a damper, and controls the amount of cool air sent to storage space 1c by adjusting its opening. The air volume regulators consist of refrigerator compartment air volume regulator 23, an ice-making compartment air volume regulator (not shown), and a switchable compartment air volume regulator (not shown). Refrigerator compartment air volume regulator 23 is installed in refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26, which is the outlet air duct for refrigerator compartment 2. The ice-making compartment air volume regulator (not shown) is installed in ice-making compartment outlet air duct (not shown), which is the outlet air duct for ice-making compartment 3. The switchable compartment air volume regulator (not shown) is installed in switchable compartment outlet air duct (not shown), which is the outlet air duct for switchable compartment 4.

[0024] The operation of the temperature adjustment unit will now be described. During operation of the refrigerator 100, the refrigerant drawn into the compressor 39 is compressed by the compressor 39 and discharged in a high-temperature, high-pressure gas state. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 39 flows into the condenser. The refrigerant that flows into the condenser exchanges heat with air, condenses, and liquefies. The liquid refrigerant flows into the expansion unit, where it is decompressed and expanded to become a low-temperature, low-pressure, two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant. The two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant flows into the cooler 21, which functions as an evaporator. The refrigerant that flows into the cooler 21 exchanges heat with air, evaporates, and gasifies. At this time, the cooled air cools the interior of the refrigerator main body 1. The evaporated low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant is then drawn into the compressor 39.

[0025] The cold air generated by cooler 21 is shaped by the rotation of blower fan 22 located above cooler 21. The cold air passes through refrigerator compartment air volume regulator 23, ice compartment air volume regulator (not shown), and switchable compartment air volume regulator (not shown), and is blown out from the outlets provided in each storage compartment via refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26, ice compartment outlet air duct (not shown), and switchable compartment outlet air duct (not shown). Cold air is blown into vegetable compartment 5 through vegetable compartment outlet air duct (not shown). Cold air is blown into freezer compartment 6 from freezer compartment outlet air duct 30 via freezer compartment outlet 31.

[0026] A fan grill 32 is provided between ice making compartment 3, switchable compartment 4, and vegetable compartment 5 and rear surface 1b of refrigerator body 1. Fan grill 32 has refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26, ice making compartment outlet air duct (not shown), switchable compartment outlet air duct (not shown), and freezer compartment outlet air duct 30 inside.

[0027] As shown in Figure 3, the refrigerator compartment 2 has an opening on the front surface 2a, and the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 forms the bottom surface 2c of the refrigerator compartment 2. A mounting portion 62 is provided behind the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16. An air duct guide 35 is attached to the mounting portion 62 with screws or the like. The air duct guide 35 is also attached with screws or the like to the back surface 2b of the refrigerator compartment 2 formed by the inner box 50. As shown in Figure 4, a third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26c for sending cool air to the refrigerator compartment 2, and a selectable refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 42 (see Figure 8 described later) for sending cool air to the selectable refrigerator compartment 41 are formed inside the air duct guide 35.

[0028] 5 and 6 , a plurality of refrigerator compartment outlets 36 are formed on the front side of the air path guide 35. The refrigerator compartment outlets 36 are openings that communicate with the third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26c and allow the cold air flowing through the third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26c to be blown into the refrigerator compartment 2. Also, a switchable refrigerator compartment outlet 60 is formed on the front side of the air path guide 35. The switchable refrigerator compartment outlet 60 is openings that communicate with the switchable refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 42 and allows the cold air flowing through the switchable refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 42 to be blown into the switchable refrigerator compartment 41 (chilled compartment) located below the refrigerator compartment 2.

[0029] In the refrigerator compartment 2, the cold air passes through the third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26c provided inside the air duct guide 35 and is blown into the refrigerator compartment 2 from multiple refrigerator compartment outlets 36 formed on the front side of the air duct guide 35, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 7. The cold air blown out from the multiple refrigerator compartment outlets 36 and circulated inside the refrigerator compartment 2 returns to the cooling compartment 20 through a refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 (see Fig. 8 described later) provided in the refrigerator compartment partition 16. In the switchable refrigerator compartment 41, the cold air passes through the switchable refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 42 provided inside the air duct guide 35 and is blown into the switchable refrigerator compartment 41 from a switchable refrigerator compartment outlet 60 formed on the front side of the air duct guide 35, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 7. The cold air blown out from the refrigerator compartment selectable compartment outlet 60 and circulated inside the refrigerator compartment selectable compartment 41 returns to the cooling compartment 20 through a refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 (see FIG. 8 described later) provided in the refrigerator compartment partition 16. In the following, the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 is also referred to as the return air duct inlet.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 2, a refrigerator compartment temperature detector 43 that detects the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 2 is provided in the refrigerator compartment 2. The refrigerator compartment temperature detector 43 is, for example, a thermistor. As shown in Fig. 4, a refrigerator compartment air volume regulator 23 that can adjust the amount of cold air flowing in is provided in the third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26c. As shown in Fig. 2, a selectable refrigerator compartment temperature detector 46 that detects the temperature of the selectable refrigerator compartment 41 is provided in the selectable refrigerator compartment 41. The selectable refrigerator compartment temperature detector 46 is, for example, a thermistor. A selectable refrigerator compartment air volume regulator (not shown) that can adjust the amount of cold air flowing in is provided in the selectable refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 42.

[0031] (Control unit 48) Inside refrigerator body 1, control unit 48 is provided at an upper part on the rear surface 1b side. Control unit 48 controls opening and closing of refrigerator compartment air volume regulator 23 and the selectable refrigerator compartment air volume regulator (not shown) based on temperature information detected by refrigerator compartment temperature detector 43 and selectable refrigerator compartment temperature detector 46.

[0032] 3 and 4 , a sealant 55 is attached to the back surface 35a of the air-path guide 35. The sealant 55 is pressed against the inner box 50 that forms the back surface 2b of the refrigerator compartment 2, and the air-path guide 35 is screwed to the refrigerator compartment partition 16 and the inner box 50 (the back surface 2b of the refrigerator compartment 2). The sealant 55 is provided to cover the back surface protrusion 57a ​​of the upper outer casing 56a that forms the upper part of the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 and the underside of the back surface 35a of the air-path guide 35, thereby sealing the gap between the air-path guide 35 and the inner box 50. Separate sealants 59 are also provided between the refrigerator compartment partition 16 and the air-path guide 35, and between the refrigerator compartment partition 16 and the fan grill 32, to prevent cold air from leaking from each air path.

[0033] 4, refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26 is made up of first refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26a formed in fan grill 32, second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b formed in refrigerator compartment partition 16, and third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26c formed in air duct guide 35. Note that, hereinafter, second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b will also be referred to as the partition in-air duct, and third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26c will also be referred to as the guide in-air duct.

[0034] The refrigerator compartment partition 16 is filled with polystyrene foam 54a and urethane foam 54b (see FIG. 10 , described later) as heat insulating materials. The outer shell 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 is made of resin. A water channel 53 is formed in the upper part of an upper outer shell 56a constituting the outer shell 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16. The water channel 53 is formed by recessing the upper part of the upper outer shell 56a downward, and is located below the back surface 35a of the air-path guide 35 and the sealing material 55. The water channel 53 is also provided on the upper surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, along the back surface 35a of the air-path guide 35. As shown in FIG. 5 , a water storage section 58 is provided on the upper surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 to the right of the air-path guide 35. The bottom surface 53a of the water channel 53 is inclined toward the water storage section 58. The bottom surface of the water storage section 58 is lower than the bottom surface 53 a of the water channel 53 .

[0035] As shown in Figure 4, rear protrusion 57a ​​is provided behind water channel 53 and serves as a guide to guide condensation water that has formed between the back surface 35a of air-path guide 35 and sealing material 55 into water channel 53. Rear protrusion 57a ​​also constitutes part of the back surface 57 of refrigerator compartment divider 16, and is provided on the back side of upper outer casing 56a, with part of back surface 57 protruding upward. The lower part of sealing material 55 is provided between rear protrusion 57a ​​and the back surface 35a of air-path guide 35, and the part of sealing material 55 above the upper end of rear protrusion 57a ​​is provided between inner box 50 (rear surface 2b of refrigerator compartment 2) and the back surface 35a of air-path guide 35.

[0036] In the refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment, the gap between the inner box 50 and the rear surface 35a of the air-path guide 35 is sealed with a sealing material 55. However, due to unevenness in the sealing material 55, the rear surface 35a of the air-path guide 35, and the inner box 50 (the rear surface 2b of the refrigerator compartment 2) that occurs during manufacturing, the gap between the inner box 50 and the rear surface 35a of the air-path guide 35 may not be completely sealed, and a gap D (see the enlarged view in FIG. 4 ) may be formed between the inner box 50 and the sealing material 55. When such a gap D is formed, the insulation performance of the rear surface 35a of the air-path guide 35 is reduced. Therefore, condensation is likely to occur in the gap D due to the temperature difference between the cold air in the refrigeration temperature range that flows through the gap D during normal operation of the refrigerator 100 and the cold air that flows through the third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26c and the refrigerator compartment switchable outlet air duct 42. If the condensed water generated by such condensation accumulates in the refrigerator compartment 2, it can cause mold and pose a hygiene problem for the refrigerator compartment 2. Therefore, in the first embodiment, a water channel 53 that receives condensation water below the sealing material 55 is formed on the upper surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16. This allows the condensation water to flow between the inner box 50 and the rear surface 35a of the air passage guide 35 in the direction of the arrow in Figure 4, run down the rear surface protrusion 57a ​​and fall into the water channel 53. The bottom surface 53a of the water channel 53 has an inclined surface that slopes toward the water storage section 58, and the bottom surface of the water storage section 58 is lower than the bottom surface 53a of the water channel 53. Therefore, the condensation water that falls into the water channel 53 easily flows into the water storage section 58 and is easily stored in the water storage section 58.

[0037] FIG. 8 is a view of the B-B cross section of refrigerator 100 shown in FIG. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrows. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an enlarged view of water storage section 58 of refrigerator compartment partition 16 and its surroundings in the view shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a view of the E-E cross section of refrigerator 100 shown in FIG. 8, viewed in the direction of the arrows. FIG. 11 is a view of the Z-Z cross section of refrigerator 100 shown in FIG. 6, viewed in the direction of the arrows. FIG. 12 is a side view showing an enlarged view of shelf 76, water storage section 58 and their surroundings in the view shown in FIG. 10. Note that outer box 51, heat insulating material 52, and air duct guide 35 are omitted from FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0038] 8 and 9, a mounting portion 62 is provided on the rear side of the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, part of which protrudes upward. The mounting portion 62 is the portion where the air path guide 35 is attached to the refrigerator compartment partition 16. The dashed line X1 shown in Fig. 8 indicates the area where the air path guide 35 is attached, and the area inside the dashed line X1 corresponds to the mounting portion 62.

[0039] The mounting portion 62 has an opening 63 therein, and the second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b and the switchable refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 42 are arranged in this opening 63. The second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b and the switchable refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 42 are formed by vertically penetrating the polystyrene foam 54a filled in the refrigerator compartment partition 16.

[0040] A wire storage section 64 and a wire restraining section 65 are provided adjacent to the mounting section 62 on the left side of the mounting section 62. The wire storage section 64 is a recessed portion formed by partially recessing a portion of the rear side of the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment divider 16, and stores multiple wires. The multiple wires include a wire connected at one end to an electronic board (not shown) and at the other end to the heating device 70, and a wire connected at one end to the electronic board and at the other end to the refrigerator compartment air volume regulator 23 that adjusts the air volume of the second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b within the air duct guide 35. The wire restraining section 65 is a member that stores the multiple wires within the wire storage section 64 to prevent them from derailing toward the front of the refrigerator compartment 2, and is a member that covers the multiple wires from above so that they are not visible to the user.

[0041] A water channel 53 extending laterally adjacent to the mounting portion 62 is formed on the rear side of the mounting portion 62. This water channel 53 is provided on the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 so as to overlap at least the left and right ends of the third refrigerator compartment outlet air channel 26c formed inside the air channel guide 35 and the left and right ends of the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment outlet air channel 42, when viewed from the front. Therefore, the water channel 53 can receive condensation water that occurs between the inner box 50 (the rear surface 2b of the refrigerator compartment 2) and the rear surface 35a of the air channel guide 35 without leaking. The water channel 53 also extends to the right end of the mounting portion 62 and further extends from there to connect with the water storage portion 58 adjacent to the right side of the mounting portion 62. With this structure, condensation water that occurs between the inner box 50 (the back surface 2b of the refrigerator compartment 2) and the back surface 35a of the air path guide 35 due to the temperature difference between the cold air passing through the air path guide 35 and the cold air inside the refrigerator compartment 2 can be received by the water path 53 and then flowed into the water storage section 58 to be stored.

[0042] A refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 is provided adjacent to the water storage section 58 on the right side of the water storage section 58, which is provided adjacent to the right side of the mounting section 62. In other words, the water storage section 58 is provided at a position sandwiched between the mounting section 62 and the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 in the left-right direction. By providing the water storage section 58 adjacent to the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 in this way, when the cold air circulating within the refrigerator compartment 2 flows into the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66, the cold air passing over the water storage section 58 collects water vapor from the condensed water in the water storage section 58, and the water vapor collected by the cold air ultimately returns to the cooling compartment 20 together with the cold air. Therefore, the cold air within the refrigerator compartment 2 can be used to evaporate the condensed water. Furthermore, the water storage section 58 is arranged adjacent to the cold air return air duct inlet (refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66), but the cold air flowing through the return air duct inlet has a higher temperature than the cold air flowing through the outlet, so condensed water evaporates more easily than when the water storage section 58 is arranged adjacent to the cold air outlet, thereby increasing the evaporation speed.

[0043] 11 and 12, an opening 76a is formed in the shelf 76 that separates the refrigerator compartment 2 from the selectable refrigerator compartment 41. This opening 76a is located above the water storage compartment 58, and cold air circulating within the refrigerator compartment 2 flows in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 12 through this opening 76a and into the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66. In other words, when the cold air circulating within the refrigerator compartment 2 flows into the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66, it easily passes over the water storage compartment 58 formed below the opening 76a. This makes it easier for the cold air passing over the water storage compartment 58 to collect water vapor from condensation in the water storage compartment 58. Therefore, the cold air within the refrigerator compartment 2 can be used to further speed up evaporation.

[0044] As shown in Figure 8, a first wall 67 protruding upward from the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 is provided in front of the water storage section 58. A second wall 68 protruding upward from the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 is provided between the water storage section 58 and the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66. The water storage section 58 is surrounded by the first wall 67, the second wall 68, and the side surface 62a of the mounting section 62. The second wall 68 acts as a weir to prevent condensation water stored in the water storage section 58 from leaking into the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66. The height (vertical width) of the first wall 67 is smaller than that of the second wall 68. By setting the heights of the first wall portion 67 and the second wall portion 68 in this way, when the water generated by condensation cannot be stored in the water storage portion 58 and overflows, the condensed water flows to the front side of the water storage portion 58 through the first wall portion 67, which is lower than the second wall portion 68. This makes it possible to prevent the condensed water from flowing into the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66, and to prevent poor cooling due to frosting caused by condensation in the refrigerator compartment return air duct, the transfer of odors to other storage compartments via condensation, and the condensed water from getting on the compressor 39 of the machine compartment 38, etc.

[0045] In the first embodiment, the water storage portion 58 is disposed on the right side of the mounting portion 62, but this is not limiting. The water storage portion 58 may be disposed on either the right or left side of the mounting portion 62. The inclination direction of the water channel 53 is determined by the position of the water storage portion 58, and may be downward to the right or downward to the left. Furthermore, the water storage portion 58 is formed next to the mounting portion 62 behind the storage container 75 disposed in the refrigerator compartment 2, so that the water storage portion 58 is hidden behind the storage container 75 and is difficult for the user to see, making it difficult for the user to see the condensation water.

[0046] A heating device 70 is provided within the refrigerator compartment partition 16, and the heating device 70 includes a metal portion 71 and a heating wire 72. The dashed line X2 in FIG. 8 indicates the metal portion 71 provided within the refrigerator compartment partition 16. The metal portion 71 is attached to the back side of the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 and fixed within the refrigerator compartment partition 16. The metal portion 71 is, for example, a plate-shaped aluminum material. The dashed line X3 in FIG. 8 indicates the heating wire 72 provided within the refrigerator compartment partition 16. The heating wire 72 is electrically connected to an electronic board (not shown) and generates heat when power is supplied from the electronic board, thereby providing heat to the metal portion 71. The heating wire 72 is provided in contact with the metal portion 71 and snakes around the inside thereof. The heating device 70 is a heater that adjusts the temperature to prevent food stored in the selectable refrigerator compartment 41 within the refrigerator compartment 2 from freezing. In embodiment 1, the heating device 70 uses the current generated by the heating device 70 to remove the supercooled state of the food, to heat the refrigerator compartment partition 16 in which the water storage section 58 is formed, and is used to indirectly heat and evaporate the condensed water.

[0047] As shown in Figure 8, protrusions 73 protruding upward from the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 are provided on the left and right sides of the top surface 16a. These left and right protrusions 73 extend in the front-to-rear direction. The left and right protrusions 73 are members that support the bottom surface of the storage container 75, and the storage container 75 is inserted and removed from the refrigerator compartment 2 in the front-to-rear direction by sliding along the protrusions 73. The interior of the storage container 75 corresponds to the selectable refrigerator compartment 41.

[0048] Door opening / closing detectors 19a to 19d that detect the opening and closing of the left refrigerator compartment door 10, the right refrigerator compartment door 11, the ice-making compartment door 12, and the selectable compartment door 13 are provided on the inside of the front surface 16b of the refrigerator compartment partition 16. The door opening / closing detectors 19a to 19d are installed in the refrigerator compartment partition 16 so that, when viewed from the front of the refrigerator 100, the left refrigerator compartment door 10, the right refrigerator compartment door 11, the ice-making compartment door 12, and the selectable compartment door 13 overlap with the door opening / closing detectors 19a to 19d when each door is closed. The door opening / closing detectors 19a to 19d are, for example, reed switches that detect when each door is opened or closed. A magnet (not shown) is provided on each door in a position facing the door opening / closing detectors 19a to 19d.

[0049] In the first embodiment, the control unit 48 sets a time period when the refrigerator 100 is not in use using the door open / close detectors 19a to 19d. During the time period when the refrigerator 100 is not in use, the user has few opportunities to use the refrigerator 100, and the left and right refrigerator doors 10 and 11 are rarely opened or closed. For this reason, the food and other items stored in the selectable refrigerator compartment 41 are unlikely to be released from a supercooled state due to temperature changes caused by the opening and closing of the left and right refrigerator doors 10 and 11. Therefore, the control unit 48 controls the food and other items stored in the selectable refrigerator compartment 41 to be supercooled, and maintains the food and other items so that they do not freeze.

[0050] During non-use periods, the temperature inside the selectable refrigerator compartment 41 drops to the supercooling temperature. After the supercooling time has elapsed, the control unit 48 sets the target temperature of the selectable refrigerator compartment 41 to the normal temperature and turns on the heating device 70 to heat the selectable refrigerator compartment 41. The control unit 48 repeatedly executes this procedure at regular intervals. The control unit 48 learns periods when the door is opened and closed less frequently, and executes the temperature-raising process for the selectable refrigerator compartment 41 during periods when the door is expected to be opened and closed less frequently.

[0051] When the heating device 70 is turned on, that is, during the temperature-raising process, the rotation speed of the blower fan 22 is reduced, and the opening of the refrigerator compartment air volume regulator 23 and the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment air volume regulator is closed more than during normal operation, thereby reducing the amount of cold air flowing toward the refrigerator compartment 2. In this way, even when the heating device 70 is turned on, heating of the cold air circulating inside the refrigerator 100 is suppressed, making it less likely that the temperature will rise. Note that when the heating device 70 is on, the operation of the compressor 39 is stopped.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 10 , the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment divider 16 is composed of an upper outer casing 56a constituting the upper part of the outer casing 56 and a lower outer casing 56b constituting the lower part of the outer casing 56. Furthermore, within the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment divider 16, i.e., between the upper outer casing 56a and the lower outer casing 56b, a space in which polystyrene foam 54a, which serves as an insulating material, is provided and a space in which urethane foam 54b, which serves as an insulating material, is filled are formed, and a partition wall 74 is provided between these spaces. The partition wall 74 separates the space in which polystyrene foam 54a is filled from the space in which urethane foam 54b is filled so that pressure is not applied to the polystyrene foam 54a when the urethane foam 54b is filled. Within the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment divider 16, the space in front of the partition wall 74 is filled with urethane foam 54b, and the space in back of the partition wall 74 is filled with polystyrene foam 54a.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 8 , the second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b, the selectable refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 42, and the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 are provided at the rear side of the refrigerator compartment partition 16. Therefore, when filling with urethane foam 54b, the second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b, the selectable refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 42, and the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 may be deformed by the pressure generated by the foaming of the urethane foam 54b. Furthermore, the wiring storage section 64 is provided at the rear side of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, resulting in a complex shape and making it difficult to hold the outer casing 56 with a jig around the wiring storage section 64. Therefore, in the space inside the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, polystyrene foam 54a is provided at the rear side where the air duct and wiring storage section 64 are provided, and urethane foam 54b with high thermal insulation performance is filled at the front side. By configuring the refrigerator compartment divider 16 in this manner, in the area of ​​the outer shell 56 of the refrigerator compartment divider 16 where the polystyrene foam 54a is provided, deformation of the second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b, the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment outlet air duct 42, and the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 is suppressed without the need to hold down the upper outer shell 56a and the lower outer shell 56b with a jig. Furthermore, because no jig is required in this area, the degree of freedom in the structure of the upper outer shell 56a and the lower outer shell 56b is increased and the cost associated with machining the jig is reduced. In other words, the polystyrene foam 54a is provided around the air duct in the space inside the outer shell 56 of the refrigerator compartment divider 16.

[0054] 10, heating device 70 including metal part 71 and heating wire 72 is provided in the space filled with urethane foam 54b inside refrigerator compartment partition 16, and cross sections of metal part 71 and heating wire 72 can be seen in the cross section of urethane foam 54b in Fig. 10. In Embodiment 1, polystyrene foam 54a is provided in part of the space inside outer shell 56 to obtain the above-mentioned effects, but the entire space inside outer shell 56 may be filled with urethane foam 54b.

[0055] As described above, the first wall 67, which is lower than the second wall 68, is provided in front of the water storage section 58. Therefore, if the water generated by condensation cannot be stored in the water storage section 58 and overflows, the condensed water flows through the first wall 67 to the front side of the water storage section 58. As a result, the flow of condensed water into the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 is suppressed, thereby suppressing poor cooling due to frost formation caused by condensation in the refrigerator compartment return air duct, odor transfer to other storage compartments via condensation, and splashing of condensed water on the compressor 39 of the machine compartment 38. The condensed water that flows to the front side of the water storage section 58 is indirectly heated by the heat of the heating device 70 provided in front of the water storage section 58 within the refrigerator compartment partition 16, i.e., the heating device 70 located below the condensed water that flows to the front side of the water storage section 58. This increases the evaporation speed of the condensed water.

[0056] As shown in Fig. 8, partition wall 74 is provided at the boundary between wiring storage section 64, mounting section 62, and water storage section 58 and bottom surface 2c of refrigerator compartment 2 in which storage container 75 is stored. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 10, partition wall 74 is provided linearly on the left and right sides inside outer shell 56 of refrigerator compartment divider 16, along first wall section 67 of water storage section 58. Providing partition wall 74 in this manner makes it easier to shape polystyrene foam 54a, and allows the areas below wiring storage section 64, mounting section 62, and water storage section 58 to be insulated with a single polystyrene foam 54a.

[0057] As described above, in the first embodiment, the refrigerator compartment partition 16 has the water channel 53 formed in the upper portion of the upper outer casing 56a constituting the outer casing 56 thereof. The water channel 53 is formed by recessing the upper portion of the upper outer casing 56a downward, and is formed below the back surface 35a of the air passage guide 35 and the sealing material 55. The refrigerator compartment partition 16 also has a water storage section 58 on the right side of the air passage guide 35 on its upper surface 16a. The bottom surface 53a of the water channel 53 is inclined toward the water storage section 58. The bottom surface of the water storage section 58 is lower than the bottom surface 53a of the water channel 53. The water channel 53 and the water storage section 58 are also located adjacent to the mounting section 62. This configuration allows the routing distance of the water channel 53 to be reduced compared to a configuration in which the water channel 53 is routed to the refrigerator compartment return air passage inlet 66. In addition, the drainage distance of condensation water is shortened by providing water reservoir 58 in refrigerator compartment 2. Furthermore, since water channel 53 and water reservoir 58 are provided on top surface 16a of refrigerator compartment partition 16, the number of parts required is reduced, and the cost of the manufacturing process can be reduced.

[0058] The bottom surface of the water storage section 58 may be flat or may be sloped so that it becomes lower as it approaches the front. If it is sloped so that it becomes lower as it approaches the front, the condensed water will be guided in a direction approaching the heating device 70, thereby speeding up the evaporation speed of the condensed water.

[0059] In addition, since a heating device 70 is provided in front of the water storage section 58 within the refrigerator compartment partition 16, the bottom surface of the water storage section 58 is indirectly heated by the heat from the heating device 70 via the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, thereby speeding up the evaporation of condensed water.

[0060] A first wall 67 is provided in front of the water storage section 58, and a second wall 68 is provided between the water storage section 58 and the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66. The height (vertical width) of the first wall 67 is lower than that of the second wall 68. This configuration allows the condensed water to flow through the first wall 67 to the front of the water storage section 58 when the water storage section 58 cannot store all of its condensed water and overflows. This prevents the condensed water from flowing into the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66, thereby preventing poor cooling due to frosting caused by condensation in the refrigerator compartment return air duct, odor transfer to other storage compartments via condensation, and splashing of condensed water onto the compressor 39 of the machine compartment 38, etc. The condensation water that has flowed to the front side of the water storage section 58 is indirectly heated via the outer shell 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 by the heat of the heating device 70 provided in front of the water storage section 58 inside the refrigerator compartment partition 16, that is, the heating device 70 located below the condensation water that has flowed to the front side of the water storage section 58. This makes it possible to speed up the evaporation of the condensation water.

[0061] As described above, refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment comprises refrigerator main body 1 having storage space 1c in which objects to be cooled are stored and cooling chamber 20 formed on the rear surface 1b side of storage space 1c and generating cold air therein; a partition provided inside refrigerator main body 1 to divide storage space 1c into a plurality of storage chambers; air duct guide 35 formed above the partition and installed on the rear surface of a first storage chamber controlled to a refrigeration temperature range, communicating with an intra-partition air duct formed inside the partition and having an intra-guide air duct formed therein for sending cold air from cooling chamber 20 into the first storage chamber; and on the upper surface of the partition, there are provided water channel 53 for receiving condensation water formed on the surface of air duct guide 35, water storage section 58 connected to water channel 53 and having a bottom surface lower than water channel 53 for storing the condensation water; and a return air duct inlet through which the cold air in the first storage chamber passes when returning to cooling chamber 20, and water storage section 58 is disposed adjacent to the return air duct inlet.

[0062] In refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1, the upper surface of the partition is provided with water channel 53 for receiving condensation water generated on the surface of air passage guide 35, water storage section 58 connected to water channel 53 and having a lower bottom than water channel 53 for storing condensation water, and a return air passage inlet through which cold air from the first storage compartment passes when returning to cooling compartment 20. Water storage section 58 is disposed adjacent to the return air passage inlet. Therefore, when cold air circulating in the first storage compartment flows into the return air passage inlet, water vapor from the condensation water stored in water storage section 58 is collected by the cold air passing over water storage section 58. Therefore, the condensation water in water storage section 58 can be evaporated using the cold air from the first storage compartment. In other words, because the structure for collecting and evaporating condensation water is composed of water channel 53 and water storage section 58 provided on the upper surface of the partition, the number of parts is reduced compared to conventional refrigerators, resulting in reduced costs. Furthermore, the water storage section 58 is arranged adjacent to the return air duct inlet for the cold air, but the cold air flowing through the return air duct inlet has a higher temperature than the cold air flowing through the outlet, so condensed water can evaporate more easily than when the water storage section 58 is arranged adjacent to the cold air outlet, thereby increasing the evaporation speed.

[0063] In addition, in refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1, bottom surface 53 a of water channel 53 has an inclined surface that slopes downward toward water storage section 58 .

[0064] According to refrigerator 100 of embodiment 1, condensation water that has fallen into water channel 53 can be made to flow more easily into water storage section 58 and can be more easily stored in water storage section 58.

[0065] In addition, in refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment, sealant 55 is provided between the rear surface of the first storage compartment and rear surface 35 a of air passage guide 35 .

[0066] According to refrigerator 100 of embodiment 1, the gap between the rear surface of the first storage compartment and rear surface 35a of air passage guide 35 can be sealed with sealing material 55, thereby suppressing condensation.

[0067] In addition, in the refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1, the water passage 53 is provided on the upper surface of the partition along the back surface 35a of the air passage guide 35, and is arranged so as to overlap at least the left and right ends of the air passage within the partition and the left and right ends of the air passage within the guide when the refrigerator body 1 is viewed from the front.

[0068] According to refrigerator 100 of embodiment 1, condensation water generated between the rear surface of the first storage compartment and rear surface 35a of air passage guide 35 can be received without leakage.

[0069] Moreover, refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment includes heating device 70 provided in front of water storage section 58 inside the partition.

[0070] According to refrigerator 100 of embodiment 1, the bottom surface of water storage section 58 is indirectly heated by the heat of heating device 70 through the outer shell of the partition, thereby speeding up the evaporation of condensed water.

[0071] In addition, in the refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1, the upper surface of the partition is provided with a first wall portion 67 that is located between the water storage portion 58 and the heating device 70 and protrudes upward, and a second wall portion 68 that is located between the water storage portion 58 and the return air duct inlet and protrudes upward, and the first wall portion 67 is lower than the second wall portion 68.

[0072] According to refrigerator 100 of embodiment 1, when water generated by condensation cannot be stored in water storage section 58 and overflows, the condensed water flows through first wall section 67 to the front side of water storage section 58. As a result, the flow of condensed water to the return air duct inlet can be suppressed, and poor cooling due to frost formation caused by condensation in the return air duct, odor transfer to other storage compartments via condensation, and splashing of condensed water on compressor 39 of machine compartment 38 can be suppressed. The condensed water that flows to the front side of water storage section 58 is indirectly heated by heat from heating device 70 provided inside the partition on the front side of water storage section 58, i.e., heating device 70 located below the condensed water that has flowed to the front side of water storage section 58. This increases the evaporation speed of the condensed water.

[0073] In addition, the refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 is provided with a shelf 76 that divides the first storage compartment into upper and lower compartments, and the shelf 76 has an opening 76a above the water storage section 58 through which the cold air in the first storage compartment passes when returning to the cooling compartment 20.

[0074] In refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment, the cold air circulated in the first storage compartment flows to the return air duct inlet through opening 76a formed above water storage section 58. In other words, when the cold air circulated in the first storage compartment flows to the return air duct inlet, it is easy for the cold air to pass over water storage section 58 formed below opening 76a, and therefore the cold air passing over water storage section 58 can easily collect water vapor from condensation in water storage section 58. Therefore, the cold air in the first storage compartment can be used to further increase the evaporation speed.

[0075] Second Embodiment A second embodiment will be described below, but explanations of parts that overlap with those of the first embodiment will be omitted, and parts that are the same as or equivalent to those of the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals.

[0076] Fig. 13 is a plan view of a transverse cross section of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 2. Fig. 14 is a side view of a longitudinal cross section of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 2. Fig. 13 is a view of a cross section at the same position as cross section B-B in Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 14 is a view of a cross section at the same position as cross section E-E in Fig. 8, viewed in the direction of the arrows.

[0077] The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the following three respects. First, inside the outer shell 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, there is no partition wall at the boundary between the water storage section 58 and the bottom surface 2c of the refrigerator compartment 2 in which the storage container 75 is stored, i.e., at the front side of the water storage section 58. Second, the heating device 70, i.e., the metal section 71 and the heating wire 72, is provided not only at the front side but also below the water storage section 58. Third, the space below the water storage section 58 is filled with urethane foam 54b.

[0078] Regarding the first point, in the refrigerator compartment divider 16 according to the second embodiment, in order to place the heating device 70 below the water storage portion 58 inside the outer shell 56, the partition wall is divided into two parts, a first partition wall part 79 and a second partition wall part 80, as shown in FIG. 13 , and no partition wall part is provided in front of the water storage portion 58. The first partition wall part 79 has an L-shape bent along the side surface 62a of the mounting portion 62, as indicated by dashed line X4 in FIG. 13 . The second partition wall part 80 has an L-shape bent along the second wall part 68, as indicated by dashed line X5 in FIG. 13 . Regarding the second point, in the refrigerator compartment divider 16 according to the second embodiment, no partition wall part is provided in front of the water storage portion 58 inside the outer shell 56, and part of the heating device 70, i.e., part of the metal part 71 and the heating wire 72, extends from the front side of the water storage portion 58 to below the water storage portion 58. Regarding the third point, in the refrigerator compartment partition 16 according to embodiment 2, since no partition wall portion is provided in front of the water storage section 58 inside the outer casing 56, the lower part of the water storage section 58 is filled with urethane foam 54b instead of polystyrene foam 54a.

[0079] As described above, in the second embodiment, a portion of the heating device 70 is modified so that the heating device 70 is provided within the refrigerator compartment partition 16 so as to at least partially overlap the water storage portion 58 in a plan view. Therefore, the bottom surface of the water storage portion 58 is indirectly heated by the heat of the heating device 70 not only from the front side of the water storage portion 58 but also from below the water storage portion 58 via the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, thereby enabling faster evaporation of condensation water than in the first embodiment. Furthermore, even if the water storage portion 58 and the heating device 70 partially overlap, polystyrene foam 54a is provided as a thermal insulator between the second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b and the heating device 70. Therefore, the thermal effect of the heating device 70 on the cold air flowing through the refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26 can be reduced.

[0080] As described above, in refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 2, heating device 70 is arranged so as to overlap at least a portion of water storage section 58 when refrigerator body 1 is viewed in plan.

[0081] According to the refrigerator 100 of the second embodiment, the bottom surface of the water storage section 58 is indirectly heated not only from the front side of the water storage section 58 but also from below the water storage section 58 by the heat of the heating device 70 via the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, so that the evaporation of condensed water can be made faster than in the first embodiment.

[0082] REFRIGERATOR BODY, 1a front, 1b rear, 1c storage space, 2 refrigerator compartment, 2a front, 2b rear, 2c bottom, 3 ice maker compartment, 4 switch compartment, 5 vegetable compartment, 6 freezer compartment, 10 left refrigerator compartment door, 11 right refrigerator compartment door, 12 ice maker compartment door, 13 switch compartment door, 14 vegetable compartment door, 15 freezer compartment door, 16 refrigerator compartment partition, 16a top, 16b front, 17 first partition, 18 second partition, 19a door opening / closing detector, 19b door opening / closing detector, 19c door opening / closing detector, 19d door opening / closing detector, 20 cooling compartment, 21 cooler, 22 blower fan, 23 refrigerator compartment air volume regulator, 26 refrigerator compartment outlet air duct, 26a first refrigerator compartment outlet air duct, 26b Second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct, 26c Third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct, 30 Freezer compartment outlet air duct, 31 Freezer compartment outlet, 32 Fan grill, 35 Air duct guide, 35a Back surface, 36 Refrigerator compartment outlet, 38 Machine compartment, 39 Compressor, 41 Refrigerator compartment selectable compartment, 42 Refrigerator compartment outlet air duct, 43 Refrigerator compartment temperature detector, 46 Refrigerator compartment temperature detector, 48 Control unit, 50 Inner box, 51 Outer box, 52 Heat insulating material, 53 Water channel, 53a Bottom surface, 54a Styrofoam, 54b Urethane foam, 55 Sealing material, 56 Outer shell, 56a Upper outer shell, 56b Lower outer shell, 57 Back surface, 57a Back protrusion, 58 Water storage section, 59 Sealing material, 60 Refrigerator compartment switching compartment air outlet, 62 mounting portion, 62a side surface, 63 opening portion, 64 wiring storage portion, 65 wiring holding portion, 66 refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet, 67 first wall portion, 68 second wall portion, 70 heating device, 71 metal portion, 72 heating wire, 73 protrusion portion, 74 partition wall portion, 75 storage container, 76 shelf, 76a opening portion, 79 first partition wall portion, 80 second partition wall portion, 100 refrigerator.

Claims

1. a refrigerator body having a storage space in which an object to be cooled is stored and a cooling chamber formed on a rear side of the storage space and for generating cold air; A partition provided inside the refrigerator body and dividing the storage space into a plurality of storage compartments; an air passage guide provided on a rear surface of a first storage compartment formed above the partition and controlled to a refrigeration temperature range, communicating with an air passage inside the partition, and having an air passage inside the guide formed therein for sending cold air from the cooling compartment into the first storage compartment; The upper surface of the partition is a water channel for receiving condensation water generated on a surface of the air passage guide; A water storage section that is connected to the water channel, has a bottom surface lower than the water channel, and stores the condensation water; a return air duct inlet through which the cold air in the first storage chamber passes when returning to the cooling chamber, The water storage section is disposed adjacent to the return air passage inlet. refrigerator.

2. The bottom surface of the water channel has a sloping surface that descends toward the water storage section.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

3. A sealant is provided between the rear surface of the first storage chamber and the rear surface of the air passage guide.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The waterway is The partition is provided on an upper surface thereof along a rear surface of the air passage guide, When the refrigerator body is viewed from the front, the air passage is provided so as to overlap at least the left and right ends of the partition air passage and the left and right ends of the guide air passage.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2.

5. A heating device is provided in front of the water storage section inside the partition.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The upper surface of the partition is a first wall portion located between the water storage portion and the heating device and protruding upward; a second wall portion located between the water storage portion and the return air passage inlet and protruding upward; The first wall is lower than the second wall.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5.

7. The heating device includes: The water storage unit is provided so as to at least partially overlap the water storage unit when the refrigerator body is viewed from above.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5.

8. a shelf that divides the first storage chamber into upper and lower compartments; The shelf has an opening above the water storage section through which the cold air in the first storage compartment passes when returning to the cooling compartment.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2.