JP2001280800A - Air regulation device and air flow control device for storage room - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To contrive to solve problems of cost increase resulting from increase of dampers according to increase of air distributing routes and decrease of a net volume inside a storage room according to increase of occupying space of the dampers, in a refrigerator with many storage rooms in which opening and closing of each of the air distributing routes are controlled by each damper according to a temperature of each room so that the temperature in each room is properly controlled. SOLUTION: The air flow to the air distributing routes is controlled by a method wherein an inner ring for receiving air supplied from a supplying path and flowing out the air from an outlet, an outer ring having distributing openings communicating with each of the distributing routes and fitting with the inner ring, a driving device for rotating the inner ring, and a returning route for returning the air supplied to the storage room to the supplying path, are provided, and practically based on a temperature inside the storage room, the driving device rotates the inner ring to control communicating relation among the outlet and the distributing routes.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air flow control device for distributing air supplied from one supply path to a plurality of storage rooms through respective distribution paths.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recent refrigerators have a food storage room such as a refrigerator room, a freezer room, a vegetable room, and a room called a select room in which a user of the refrigerator can change the temperature range according to the stored foods. The number is increasing. In such a refrigerator, the air cooled by the cooler is forcibly circulated to these rooms through a blower and a distribution path. In such a refrigerator, in order to properly control the temperature of each room, an air regulating device (also referred to as a damper device) that controls opening and closing of an air distribution path by a respective damper device according to the temperature of each room is provided. It will be provided and controlled in the air distribution path.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned prior art, as the number of air distribution paths increases, the number of dampers increases, and as a result, the work of assembling into a refrigerator increases, and the cost increases. Also, the area occupied by the damper device increases,
In the case of a refrigerator having a limited size, the internal volume of the storage room is reduced. The present invention has been made in view of the above points,
It is intended to provide a technology capable of performing cold air distribution corresponding to a plurality of storage rooms by a single cool air adjusting device,
In particular, the present invention also provides a technique in which cold air distribution corresponding to two or more storage rooms can be performed by a single cool air adjusting device.

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided an inner ring having an air inlet for receiving air supplied from a blower and having two outlets formed on an outer peripheral wall for discharging the received air, and an outer ring provided on the outer side of the inner ring. An outer ring having three air distribution ports formed on an outer peripheral wall thereof, each of which is in communication with an air distribution path corresponding to each storage room, a driving device for rotating the inner ring, and substantially the temperature of the storage room. The air conditioner is characterized in that the inner ring is rotated by the drive of the drive device based on the above, and the communication relationship between the outlet and the distribution path is controlled.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided an inner ring having an air inlet for receiving air supplied from a blower and having two outlets formed on an outer peripheral wall for discharging the received air, An outer ring having three air distribution ports formed in an outer peripheral wall each communicating with an air distribution path corresponding to a storage chamber, a driving device for rotating the inner ring, and the driving device substantially based on a temperature of the storage chamber. The inner ring is rotated by the drive, the communication relationship between the outlet and the distribution path is controlled, and the air blower in a state where the blades of the blower face the air inlet. An air conditioner coupled to the outer race.

Further, according to the present invention, as an air flow control device for a control storage, air supplied from one supply path is distributed to a plurality of storage chambers through respective distribution paths, and the air supplied to the storage chambers is returned to a return path. A storage that circulates back to the supply path via the inner ring that receives air supplied from the supply path and flows out air from an outlet, and a distribution port that communicates with the respective distribution paths. An outer wheel that fits into the inner wheel, a driving device that rotates the inner wheel, and a return path that returns air supplied to the storage chamber to the supply path,
The air flow to the distribution passage is controlled by controlling the communication relationship between the outlet and the distribution passage by rotating the inner race by the driving device based on the temperature of the storage chamber. .

Further, according to the present invention, as an air flow control device for a control storage, the air cooled by the cooler is distributed by a blower to a freezing room, a refrigerator room, and a third storage room through respective distribution paths, and to the storage room. In the air flow control device in which the supplied air circulates back to the supply path via the return path, an inner ring that receives the air supplied from the blower and flows out the air from the outlet, and the respective distribution paths An outer ring having a communicating distribution port and fitting into the inner ring;
A drive device for rotating the inner ring, a return path for returning the air supplied to each of the storage chambers to the cooler, and rotating the inner ring by the drive device substantially based on the temperature of each of the chambers. Thus, the flow of air to the distribution path is controlled by controlling the communication relationship between the outlet and the distribution path.

[0008]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. 1 to 8 show a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the refrigerator, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the air conditioner, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the air conditioner. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a state in which the distribution path A is closed by the air conditioner and the distribution paths B and C are opened, and FIG. 5 is a state in which the distribution paths A and B are opened by the air conditioner and the distribution path C is closed. Explanatory drawing, FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a state in which the distribution paths A, B, and C are opened by the air conditioner, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a state in which the distribution paths A and C are closed and the distribution path B is opened by the air conditioner. FIG. 8 is a control configuration diagram.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator main body, which has a heat insulating structure in which a heat insulating material 4 is filled between an outer box 3 and an inner box 2. Inside the refrigerator body 1, a refrigerator room 5, a vegetable room 6,
A select room 10 and a freezing room 11 are provided separately, and a specific low-temperature room 9 partitioned by a refrigerator room 5 and a partition plate (compartment wall) 8 above the refrigerator room 5 is provided at the bottom of the refrigerator room 5. . The select room 10 can be selected from a refrigerator room, a freezer room, and a chilled room, a partial room, and an ice green room, which are temperature bands described later, by a selection device (a switch or the like) that allows a user of the refrigerator to change a temperature zone according to stored food. It can be set. A front opening of the refrigerating compartment 5 is provided on one side of the refrigerator main body 1 with a hinged device, which is turned laterally by a hinge device so as to be opened and closed.
It is closed at 2. The front opening of the vegetable compartment 6 is supported by the left and right rails or roller devices 29 and 30 provided in the vegetable compartment 6 so as to be able to be pulled out in the front-rear direction.
4 together with a drawer-type door 14 that is pulled out forward. The select room 10 and the freezing room 11 are, like the vegetable room 6, respectively, containers 1 supported so that they can be pulled out in the front-rear direction with respect to the left and right rails provided in the room.
Pull-out door 17, which is drawn forward together with 5, 16;
It is closed at 18. The vegetable container support 24 is formed by molding a synthetic resin or a metal plate into a container having a side wall 25 and a bottom wall 26 and having an open top surface. The container 13 is placed.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a refrigerant compressor of the refrigeration system;
Is a condenser of the refrigerant of the refrigeration system, and 21 is an evaporator (cooler) of the refrigerant of the refrigeration system. Reference numeral 22 denotes a blower for circulating the cool air cooled by the evaporator 21 to the refrigerator compartment 5, the specific low-temperature compartment 9, the vegetable compartment 6, the select room 10, and the freezer compartment 11. Reference numeral 7 denotes an air (cool air) adjusting device according to the present invention, which controls the distribution of the air supplied from the blower 22 to each distribution path. The specific low-temperature chamber 9 is provided with a container 33 that is supported so as to be able to be pulled out in the front-rear direction with respect to left and right rails provided in the specific low-temperature chamber 9.

The temperature of each room is about 3 to 5 ° C. in the refrigerator compartment 3, about 3 to 5 ° C. in the vegetable compartment 4, and about −18 ° C. to −20 in the freezer compartment 11.
° C. Specific low-temperature room 9 and select room 10 are at 0 ° C
A chilled room of about 1 ° C higher than the above, an ice greenhouse of about -1 to -2 ° C below the freezing temperature of the food below 0 ° C, and a thin layer of ice on the surface of the food. It may be a partial chamber of about -4 ° C. to the extent that it is formed. The select room 10 can be changed to a refrigerator room (about 3 to 5 ° C.) or a freezer room (about −18 ° C. to −20 ° C.).

As one of the embodiments of the present invention, a refrigeration room 5 and a select room 10
The case where air (cold air) is distributed and supplied to the freezing compartment 11 will be described. In this case, the air (cool air) adjusting device 7 has the following configuration. That is, 25 is an outer ring, one surface 26
Has a cylindrical shape with an open bottom 27 and outer peripheral walls 28 for the refrigerator compartment 5, the select room 10 and the freezer compartment 1 respectively.
It has an air (cool air) distribution port 29, 30, 31 for one.
An inner ring 32 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom 34 having an air (cool air) inlet 33 on one surface, and has two outlets 36 and 37 on an outer peripheral wall 35. The outlet 36 is formed by cutting the outer peripheral wall 35 largely, and the outlet 3 which is smaller than this is formed.
7 is formed on the outer peripheral wall 35. Outer ring 25 and inner ring 32
This means that the outer rings 28 and 35 are almost exactly fitted with each other, and the inner ring 32 enters the inner side of the outer ring 25 so that the inner ring 32 can rotate coaxially with the outer ring 25, and air (cool air) leaks between the two. There is no fit. 38 is inner ring 3
2 is a driving device for rotating the motor 2. The driving device 38 includes the outer ring 2
The motor part 39 housed in the housing part 41 formed at the center of the bottom wall 27 of the motor 5 and the rotating shaft 4 extending from the motor part 39
0, and the central portion 42 of the inner race 32 is fixed to the rotating shaft 40.

An air (cool air) distribution port 29 of the outer ring 25 communicates with an air (cool air) distribution path 45 communicating with the refrigerator compartment 5, and an air (cool air) distribution port 30 communicates with the air (cool air) communicating with the select room 10. ) Communicating to distribution path (50), air (cold air)
The distribution port 31 communicates with an air (cool air) distribution path (51) communicating with the freezing room 11.

Next, the blower 22 has a support frame 44 extending from around the electric motor 43 to around the blades of the blower.
The support frame 44 is connected to the outer peripheral wall 28 of the outer race 25 with screws or the like. With this configuration, the blower 22 faces the air (cool air) inlet 33 of the air (cool air) adjusting device 7, and the air (cool air) adjusting device 7 and the blower 22 are configured as one set. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the size by unitization, and it is not necessary to separately install the air (cool air) adjusting device 7 and the blower 22 at the time of assembling into a refrigerator, and the assembling work can be simplified.

Reference numeral 46 denotes a refrigerator sensor for substantially sensing the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 5 to change the resistance value, and 47 denotes a select room sensor for substantially sensing the temperature of the select room 10 to change the resistance value. It is. 48 is substantially the freezer 11
Is a sensor for the freezer compartment whose resistance value changes by sensing the temperature of the freezer compartment 11, and detects the air temperature of the freezer compartment 11 or the temperature of the cooler 21. 49 is a compressor 1 based on temperature sensing of these sensors.
9, a control device that controls the operation of the blower 22 and the drive device 38, and performs a microcomputer-type control operation.

In such a configuration, usually, the freezer 1
For preservation of frozen foods, it is preferable to continue supplying cold air until the refrigerator compartment 5 and other storage compartments are cooled to a predetermined lower limit temperature. For this reason, there is a method in which the operation of the compressor 19 and the blower is stopped when the refrigerator compartment 5 and the select room 10 are both cooled to a predetermined lower limit temperature set and the freezer compartment 11 is cooled to the predetermined lower limit temperature. . In addition, as one control method, there is a method in which the operation of the compressor 19 and the blower is started and stopped by the freezer compartment sensor 48.

In such a configuration, FIG. 4 shows that the refrigerator compartment sensor 46 detects that the refrigerator compartment 5 has been cooled to the predetermined lower limit temperature, and the select room 10 has not yet been cooled to the predetermined lower limit temperature. This is a state in which the sensor 47 for the select room is detecting this, the drive device 38 rotates the inner ring 32 by the control device 49, and the outlet 36 communicates with the air (cool air) distribution port 31 for the freezer compartment, The outlet 37 communicates with the distribution port 30 for the select room 10, and the air (cold air) distribution port 29 for the refrigerator compartment is closed.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the select room 10 is cooled to a predetermined lower limit temperature and the refrigerating room 5 is not cooled to the predetermined lower limit temperature. 38 rotates the inner ring 32, and the outflow port 36 becomes the air (cool air) distribution port 31 for the freezer compartment.
The outlet 37 is connected to the air (cold air) distribution port 2 for the refrigerator compartment.
9 and the distribution port 30 for the select room 10 is closed.

FIG. 6 shows a state in which the select room 10 and the refrigeration room 5 are not cooled to the predetermined lower limit temperature. The driving device 38 rotates the inner ring 32 by the control device 49 by the same operation as described above. The outlet 36 communicates with the air (cool air) distribution port 31 for the freezer compartment and the air (cool air) distribution port 29 for the refrigerator compartment, and the outlet 37 communicates with the distribution port 30 for the select room 10.

FIG. 7 shows a state in which the select room 10 and the refrigerator compartment 5 have been cooled to a predetermined lower limit temperature, but the freezer compartment 11 has not yet been cooled to the predetermined lower limit temperature.
By the same operation as described above, the driving device 38 rotates the inner ring 32 by the control device 49, and the outlet 36 communicates with the freezing room air (cold air) distribution port 31, and the refrigerating room air (cold air).
The distribution port 29 and the distribution port 30 for the select room 10 are in a closed state.

In the above embodiment, the controlled storage rooms are the refrigeration room 5, the select room 10 and the freezer room 11, but
The configuration is not limited to this, and a configuration in which the distribution of cold air to the specific low-temperature room 9 may be added, or the specific low-temperature room 9 may be an ice-hot room, a partial room, or a chilled room as described above. In the above embodiment, the select room 10
May be the specific low-temperature chamber 9. Furthermore, the number of storage rooms may be two, but even if there are three or more,
The outlet of the inner ring 32 and the air distribution port of the outer ring 25 may be formed in accordance with the number of air distribution paths to the storage chamber. Cooler 2
The cool air cooled in 1 enters the refrigeration room 5, the specific low-temperature room 9, the vegetable room 6, the select room 10 and the freezer room 11 from the air conditioner 7 through each air distribution path by the blower 22, and is cooled through the return path. It returns to the vessel 21 and is cooled again to perform the same circulation.

According to the present invention, as described above, an inner ring having an air inlet for receiving air supplied from a blower and having two outer outlets for discharging the received air formed in an outer peripheral wall, and an outer ring which fits outside the inner ring. The outer ring having three air distribution ports formed on the outer peripheral wall, each communicating with the air distribution path corresponding to each storage chamber, a driving device for rotating the inner ring, and substantially based on the temperature of the storage chamber. The air conditioner is characterized in that the inner ring is rotated by the driving of the driving device, and the communication relationship between the outflow port and the distribution port is controlled. For this reason, there is an advantage that a single configuration can be used instead of a configuration in which dampers are required in the number of air distribution paths. In addition, since the outer ring wraps around the inner ring and the thickness of the airflow control device can be reduced, the thickness is reduced together with the achievement of unitization compared to the conventional case where individual dampers were provided. Can be achieved.

Also, the present invention provides an inner ring having an air inlet for receiving air supplied from a blower and having two outlets formed on an outer peripheral wall for discharging the received air, and each of the inner ring being fitted to the outer side of the inner ring. An outer ring having three air distribution ports formed in an outer peripheral wall each communicating with an air distribution path corresponding to a storage chamber, a driving device for rotating the inner ring, and the driving device substantially based on a temperature of the storage chamber. The inner ring is rotated by the drive, the communication relationship between the outflow port and the distribution port is controlled, and the air blower in a state where the blades of the blower face the air flow inlet. An air conditioner coupled to the outer race. For this reason, the integration with the blower further reduces the size, simplifies the work of assembling into the storage, and reduces the cost.

According to the present invention, the air supplied from one supply path is distributed to a plurality of storage chambers through respective distribution paths, and the air supplied to the storage chamber is returned to the supply path via a return path. An inner ring that receives air supplied from the supply path and outputs air from an outlet, an outer ring that has a distribution port communicating with the respective distribution paths and fits into the inner ring, A drive device for rotating the inner ring, and the drive device rotates the inner ring based on the temperature of the storage chamber to control the communication between the outlet and the distribution port. A control device for controlling the flow of air is provided. As a result, the outer ring wraps around the inner ring, and the thickness of the air conditioner can also be reduced.Thus, compared to the conventional case where individual dampers are provided, the thickness is reduced together with the achievement of unification. Can be achieved. In addition, the number of dampers is reduced, the assembling work is simplified, and the cost is reduced. In addition, a decrease in the internal volume of the storage room can be suppressed.

Further, according to the present invention, the air cooled by the cooler is distributed by a blower to a freezing room, a refrigerator room, and a third storage room through respective distribution passages, and the air supplied to the storage room is returned via a return passage. An air flow control device that circulates back to the supply path, has an inner ring that receives air supplied from the blower and outputs air from an outlet, and a distribution port that communicates with the respective distribution paths. An outer wheel that fits into the inner wheel, a driving device that rotates the inner wheel, and a return path that returns the air supplied to each of the storage chambers to the cooler,
The air flow to the distribution path is controlled by controlling the communication relationship between the outlet and the distribution port by rotating the inner ring by the driving device based on the temperature of each of the chambers. . For this reason, as the control of the refrigerator having a freezing room, a refrigerator room, and a third storage room (select room, specific low-temperature room, etc.), the number of dampers is reduced, the assembling work is simplified, and the cost can be reduced. Can also suppress a decrease in the internal volume.

[0026]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is an advantage that a single configuration can be used instead of the number of dampers required for the number of air distribution paths. In addition, since the outer ring wraps around the inner ring and the thickness of the air conditioner can be reduced, the thickness is reduced together with the achievement of unification compared to the conventional case where individual dampers were provided. The device can be achieved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the integration with the blower further reduces the size, simplifies the work of assembling into the storage, and reduces the cost.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the outer ring envelops the inner ring, and the thickness of the air conditioner can be reduced, so that the unit is unified as compared with the conventional case in which dampers are individually provided. Along with the achievement, an apparatus with a reduced thickness can be achieved. In addition, the number of dampers is reduced, the assembling work is simplified, and the cost is reduced. In addition, a decrease in the internal volume of the storage room can be suppressed.

According to the fourth invention, the number of dampers is reduced for controlling a refrigerator having a freezing room, a refrigerator room, and a third storage room (select room, specific low-temperature room, etc.)
The assembly work can be simplified, the cost can be reduced, and the decrease in the internal volume of the storage room can be suppressed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a vertical side view of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state where the distribution path A is closed and the distribution paths B and C are opened by the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state where the distribution paths A and B are opened and the distribution path C is closed by the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state in which distribution paths A, B, and C are opened by the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which distribution paths A and C are closed and distribution path B is opened by the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a control configuration diagram according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Refrigerator body 2 Inner box 3 Outer box 4 Insulation material 5 Refrigerator room 6 Vegetable room 7 Air conditioner 8 Partition wall 9 Specific low-temperature room 10 Select Room 11 ... Freezer room 12 ... Refrigerator room door 13 ... Food storage container (vegetable container) 14 ... Vegetable room door 15 ... Container 16 ... Container 17 ... Select room room door 18 ... Freezer room door 19 ... Compressor 20 ... Condenser 21 ... cooler 22 ... blower 24 ... support body 25 ... outer ring 26 ... open surface 27 ... bottom wall 28 ... outer peripheral wall 29 ... air distribution port 30 ... air distribution port 31 ... air distribution port 32 ... inner ring 33 ... air flow inlet 34 ... Bottom wall 35 ... Outer peripheral wall 36 ... Air outlet 37 ... Air outlet 38 ... Driver 39 ... Electric motor 40 ... Rotating shaft 41 ... Storage part 43 ... Electric motor 44 ... Support frame 45 ... Refrigerator room air distribution passage 46 ... Refrigerator room Sensor 47 ... Select room 48 ... sensor for the freezer compartment sensor 49 ... controller 50 ... air distribution channel 51 ... refrigerating compartment select room

Claims (4)

[Claims] An inner ring having an air inlet for receiving air supplied from a blower and having two outlets for discharging the received air formed in an outer peripheral wall; An outer ring having three air distribution ports formed in an outer peripheral wall each communicating with a corresponding air distribution path, a driving device for rotating the inner ring, and driving of the driving device substantially based on the temperature of the storage chamber. The inner ring rotates,
The air conditioner, wherein a communication relationship between the outlet and the distribution port is controlled. 2. An inner ring having an air inlet for receiving air supplied from a blower and having two outlets formed on an outer peripheral wall for discharging the received air, and an outer ring which fits on the outer side of the inner ring to each storage chamber. An outer ring having three air distribution ports formed in an outer peripheral wall each communicating with a corresponding air distribution path, a driving device for rotating the inner ring, and driving of the driving device substantially based on the temperature of the storage chamber. The inner ring rotates,
An air conditioner in which communication between the outlet and the distribution port is controlled, wherein the blower is coupled to the outer ring in a state where blades of the blower face the air inlet. Adjustment device. 3. A storage that distributes air supplied from one supply path to a plurality of storage chambers through respective distribution paths, and circulates the air supplied to the storage chambers back to the supply path via a return path. , An inner ring that receives air supplied from the supply path and flows out the air from an outlet, an outer ring that has a distribution port communicating with each of the distribution paths and fits into the inner ring, and rotates the inner ring. A moving drive;
A return path for returning the air supplied to the storage chamber to the supply path; and a communication between the outlet and the distribution port by rotating the inner ring by the driving device based on the temperature of the storage chamber. An air flow control device for a storage, wherein the flow of air to the distribution path is controlled by controlling the relationship. 4. The air cooled by the cooler is distributed by a blower to a freezing room, a refrigerator room, and a third storage room through respective distribution paths, and the air supplied to the storage room is supplied to the supply room via a return path. An air flow control device that circulates back to the path, wherein the inner ring has an inner ring that receives air supplied from the blower and outputs air from an outlet, and a distribution port that communicates with each of the distribution paths. A combined outer wheel, a driving device for rotating the inner wheel, a return path for returning the air supplied to each of the storage chambers to the cooler, and the driving device based on the temperature of each of the chambers. An air flow control device for a storage, wherein an inner ring is rotated to control a flow of air to the distribution path by controlling a communication relationship between the outflow port and the distribution port.