Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a rigid polyurethane foam material, a method of manufacturing a refrigerator using the material, and a refrigerator manufactured by the same method. The method includes recovering highly purified rigid polyurethane foam from a scrapped refrigerator, and decomposing the rigid polyurethane foam for recycling. The method includes steps of: shredding a scrapped refrigerator containing rigid polyurethane foam in order to separate rigid polyurethane foam lumps; grinding the rigid polyurethane foam lumps into a rigid polyurethane foam powder; liquefying the rigid polyurethane foam powder by either aminolysis reaction or glycolysis reaction; reacting thus obtained liquefied rigid polyurethane foam powder and supercritical/sub-critical water in order to decompose the rigid polyurethane foam powder into a crude material; and fractionating the crude material to obtain a raw material of rigid polyurethane foam.

Abstract: Air traps 37a, 37b are disposed on one side adjacent at least one of suction and discharge ports of circulating pumps 14a, 14b forming a heat radiating or heat absorbing cycle. Also, the circulating pumps 14a, 14b are disposed at a level higher than heat-radiating and cooling heat exchangers 10, 20 and first and second heat exchanging portions 26a, 26b to recover air bubbles mixed therein so that the air bubbles circulated can be reduced to improve the heat efficiency.

Abstract: A hermetic motor compressor includes a generally spherical casing having a generally spherical side wall and a first downwardly curved bottom wall, an integrated structure accommodated in said casing and having a compression section and a drive section integrally formed with each other, and a plurality of supporting units for elastically supporting the integrated structure. A plurality of legs are secured to the first downwardly curved bottom wall, and each of them is of the same shape as the downwardly curved bottom wall.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric power unit with a condenser input type rectification circuit which converts an alternating current power source to a direct current voltage, and more particularly, to an electric power unit for inverter-controlled refrigerators. An electric power unit according to the present invention feeds electric power to a load (7), which comprises an alternating current power source (1), a bridge-type rectification circuit (2) having an input from the alternating current power source (1) and consisting of bridge-connected diodes (D1, D2, D3, D4), an auxiliary capacitor (3) connected in parallel to an output of the bridge-type rectification circuit (2), a series circuit of a reactor (4) and a diode (5) connected between one output of the bridge-type rectification circuit (2) and the load (7) so as to flow a load current in a forward direction, and a smoothing capacitor (6) connected in parallel to the load (7).

Abstract: An electrically-operated sealed compressor includes a cylinder, a cylinder head mounted on the cylinder and having a suction chamber and first and second discharge chambers, a piston accommodated in the cylinder, and a valve mechanism. The valve mechanism includes a suction muffler and a valve plate having at least one suction port, first and second discharge ports, and first and second pass holes. The first discharge port and the first pass hole communicate with the first discharge chamber, while the second discharge port and the second pass hole communicate with the second discharge chamber. The valve mechanism also includes first and second discharge valves mounted on the valve plate and accommodated in the first and second discharge chambers, respectively, a suction reed having a reed valve for selectively opening and closing the suction port, a discharge gasket for sealing the valve plate and the cylinder head, and a discharge muffler.

Abstract: A tightly closed casing has an inside space for storing coolant gas. A block is accommodated in this casing. A motor includes a stator and a mover. A piston is connected to the mover of the motor. A movable element includes the mover of the motor and the piston. A stationary element includes the stator of the motor and the block. An elastic element has a portion fixed to the movable element and another portion fixed to the stationary element. A cylinder is shiftable in an axial direction with respect the block. A shifting device shifts the cylinder in the axial direction.

Abstract: A refrigerator door (17) includes an outer plate (6); an inner plate (7); a heat-insulating element (18) filling a gap between the outer plate (6) and the inner plate (7); and a gasket (21) provided between an outer housing (2) of a refrigerator main body (1) and a surface of the refrigerator door (17) facing the outer housing (2). The gasket (21) includes a housing engaging portion for sealing a gap between the outer housing (2) of the refrigerator main body (1) and the surface of the refrigerator door (17) facing the outer housing (2) and an anchor (23) for securing the gasket (21) in a groove (22) formed in the refrigerator door (17). The anchor (23) has a pair of fins (24), the fins of the pair projecting in opposite directions from each other, and is secured in the groove (22) by contact of the pair of fins (24) to inner walls of the groove (21) facing each other.

Abstract: A sealed compressor for use in a refrigerator includes a sealed housing having an interior communicated to the outside of the sealed housing through a discharge tube, a compressor element accommodated within the sealed housing, an electric element accommodated within the sealed housing for driving the compressor element, and a coupling tube fluid-connecting the compressor element and the discharge tube within the sealed housing. To avoid a resonant motion of the coupling tube which would otherwise generate obnoxious noise, an inverter controller is employed to allow the electric element to be operated at one of a plurality of frequencies other than the resonance frequency of the coupling tube.

Abstract: A linear motor comprising prismatic inner yokes each constructed in a manner that a large number of sheets each having a generally rectangular configuration and having a high magnetic permeability are piled up each other and outer yokes each constructed in a manner that a number of sheets each having a generally rectangular configuration and having a high magnetic permeability are piled up each other. Each of coils is wound around a central portion of three magnetic pole portions of the outer yoke to alternately establish different magnetic poles along a direction of an axis of the linear motor. A surface of the outer yoke, holding the magnetic pole portions, is disposed in an opposed relation to the inner yoke to define a predetermined gap therebetween so that the inner yoke and the outer yoke form each of a plurality of yoke blocks. The yoke blocks are placed around the axis so that the sheet piling-up direction is perpendicular to a diametrical direction of a shaft.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric power unit with a condenser input type rectification circuit which converts an alternating current power source to a direct current voltage, and more particularly, to an electric power unit for inverter-controlled refrigerators.An electric power unit according to the present invention feeds electric power to a load (7), which comprises an alternating current power source (1), a bridge-type rectification circuit (2) having an input from the alternating current power source (1) and consisting of bridge-connected diodes (D1, D2, D3, D4), an auxiliary capacitor (3) connected in parallel to an output of the bridge-type rectification circuit (2), a series circuit of a reactor (4) and a diode (5) connected between one output of the bridge-type rectification circuit (2) and the load (7) so as to flow a load current in a forward direction, and a smoothing capacitor (6) connected in parallel to the load (7).

Abstract: A hermetic compressor of the present invention is provided with one or more small holes 17 formed in the shell of the suction muffler 16 formed with a low thermal conductivity material such as synthetic resin. The small holes 17 are positioned at nodes 18 in a vibration mode for the resonance frequency of the space formed in the hermetic shell, so that amplification of the resonance sound of the space in the hermetic shell 1 is suppressed. Furthermore, a shortage of the refrigerant is supplemented by the refrigerant gas sucked from the hermetic shell 1 through the small holes 17 when it occurs due to a suction loss caused by the resistance of the flow path for guiding a high density refrigerant gas from the suction tube into the cylinder 8 according to the circulation of the refrigerant.

Abstract: A linear compressor is provided which may be employed in refrigerators or air conditioners. The linear compressor includes a compressor mechanism disposed within a hermetic casing. The compressor mechanism includes a linear motor which makes a piston reciprocate within a cylinder and a piston oscillation controller. The piston oscillation controller controls oscillations of the piston so as to bring an actual top dead center position of the piston into agreement with a reference top dead center position and alters the reference top dead center position based on a given parameter such as an ambient temperature or a required thermal load of, for example, a refrigerator. An improved structure of the linear motor is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hermetic-type compressor delivering high refrigeration capability at low noise. The hermetic-type compressor of the present invention is provided with a position adjustment mechanism, a communication/shutoff mechanism, a passage changeover mechanism or the like so as to dispose the opening end of a suction passage, which is provided in an enclosed container and used to communicate the cylinder of its compressor with the enclosed container, on a predetermined plane so that the opening end is aligned with the position of a node of a resonance mode generated in the enclosed container.

Abstract: A rotary compressor has a cylinder, a crank shaft having an eccentric part disposed in said cylinder, a bearing which rotatably supports said crank shaft, a roller which moves in said cylinder following said eccentric part, and a vane whose all or part of the tip is of circular configuration, wherein a groove with which the vane tip is disposed in contact is provided on the outer periphery of said roller, a first oil groove is provided on the end face of said roller, and said roller is provided with an oil hole communicating said first oil groove and said groove of the roller.

Abstract: A temperature control device is provided in a refrigerator having at least one compartment (RC or FC) defined by top, bottom and opposite side walls (TW; BW; and SW), and a heat insulating material (12) exteriorly encircling the compartment. One of the side walls (SW) has a mounting hole (2) defined therein and a front surface thereof confronts the compartment (RC or FC). The device includes a box-like console (C), and a circuit carrier board (3) fixedly connected to a rear surface of the console (C). Electric wiring (11) extends outwardly from the circuit carrier board, and a display panel (30) is disposed on a front surface of the console (C). At least one manipulatable temperature control element (31a, 31b, 31c: PB, LED) is mounted on the console (C), and a hat-like console casing (13) having a peripheral flange (10) is fixedly secured to the side wall (SW) in alignment with the mounting hole (2).

Abstract: A linear compressor is provided which may be employed in refrigerators or air conditioners. The linear compressor includes a compressor mechanism disposed within a hermetic casing. The compressor mechanism includes a linear motor which makes a piston reciprocate within a cylinder and a piston oscillation controller. The piston oscillation controller controls oscillations of the piston so as to bring an actual top dead center position of the piston into agreement with a reference top dead center position and alters the reference top dead center position based on a given parameter such as an ambient temperature or a required thermal load of, for example, a refrigerator. An improved structure of the linear motor is also provided.

Abstract: A vibrating compressor which may be employed in refrigerators is provided which includes an elastic mechanism designed to produce reaction against movement of a piston through a moving mechanism such as an electric motor to oscillate the piston to change the volume of a compression chamber. The elastic mechanism consists of a plurality of discs connecting at the center with the piston. Each of the discs has slits curved in a scroll fashion to form spring arms. The discs are laid to overlap each other and shifted in angular position from each other so that the arms of one of the discs coincide with the slits of adjacent one of the discs, thereby avoiding direct contact of the arms of adjacent two of the discs.

Abstract: An electrically-operated sealed compressor includes a cylinder, a cylinder head mounted on the cylinder and having a suction chamber and first and second discharge chambers, a piston accommodated in the cylinder, and a valve mechanism. The valve mechanism includes a suction muffler and a valve plate having at least one suction port, first and second discharge ports, and first and second pass holes. The first discharge port and the first pass hole communicate with the first discharge chamber, while the second discharge port and the second pass hole communicate with the second discharge chamber. The valve mechanism also includes first and second discharge valves mounted on the valve plate and accommodated in the first and second discharge chambers, respectively, a suction reed having a reed valve for selectively opening and closing the suction port, a discharge gasket for sealing the valve plate and the cylinder head, and a discharge muffler.

Abstract: When a lock detector detects a locked state of a DC motor in a starting stage, a torque increasing circuit immediately selects a starting sequence pattern of an output torque that is greater in magnitude by one preselected step, and outputs the selected output torque to a starting sequence controller, so that a compressor can be restarted speedily without repeating starting failures. A compressor, driven by a DC motor, has a shell of an internal pressure approximately equal to the pressure of an inhalation gas. An inverter is provided to make the speed of the DC motor variable. A rotational frequency setting circuit sets the rotational frequency of the DC motor to a frequency that is not greater than the frequency of a commercial power source when the internal temperature of a refrigerator is stabilized. By this construction, the power consumption can be remarkably reduced.

Abstract: A vacuum thermal insulating material of the present invention and a thermally insulating case using the vacuum thermal insulating material are used as thermal insulation in, for example, refrigerators and freezers. The vacuum thermal insulating material has a core material including two or more different powders and an adsorbent. The vacuum thermal insulating material of the present invention has excellent performance of thermal insulation and is light in weight and manufactured at a low cost. The thermally insulating case of the present invention enables the performance of thermal insulation to be practically maintained over a long time period.