CN102261801B

CN102261801B - For low pressure storage unit and the refrigerating appliance of refrigerating appliance

Info

Publication number: CN102261801B
Application number: CN201010190975.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 马敬东; 赵德飞; 杨振宇; 黄也贵
Original assignee: BSH Electrical Appliances Jiangsu Co Ltd
Current assignee: BSH Electrical Appliances Jiangsu Co Ltd
Priority date: 2010-05-28
Filing date: 2010-05-28
Publication date: 2015-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 2030-05-28
Also published as: CN102261801A; EP2577194A2; WO2011147901A3; WO2011147901A2

Abstract

The present invention is about a kind of low pressure storage unit for refrigerating appliance and refrigerating appliance.Low pressure storage unit (7) has the storeroom (32) that can find time.According to suggestion of the present invention, described storeroom (32) has at least one and is made of metal and the wall (21,23) with multiple reinforcement structure (34a, 34b, 34c) spaced apart from each other.

Description

Low-pressure storage unit for refrigeration appliance and refrigeration appliance

[ technical field ]

The invention relates to a low-pressure storage unit for a refrigeration appliance and a refrigeration appliance.

[ background art ]

Refrigeration appliances having evacuable storage compartments are known in the art, which after evacuation have a reduced air content, which in turn impairs the oxidation process of the food, thereby extending the shelf life and quality of the food.

In a refrigerator having an evacuable storage chamber (low pressure chamber) disclosed in chinese patent application No. CN1013243942A, a low pressure chamber body having a food access port includes a box-shaped resin outer contour forming the access port and a metal plate member extending along a plurality of wall surfaces (including a bottom surface) of the outer contour, so that the metal plate member supports the outer contour which is more easily deformed, thereby reducing deformation of the outer contour under pressure to ensure airtightness between the outer contour and the low pressure chamber door at the access port. However, when a large pressure difference is received, the resin outer casing is likely to be deformed, and the airtightness of the low-pressure chamber is reduced.

In addition, although the deformation of the wall of the storage room can be prevented by using a larger wall thickness, the excessive wall thickness not only greatly reduces the heat transfer effect inside and outside the storage room, but also makes the forming process of the box body very complicated and has a high forming defect rate.

[ summary of the invention ]

An object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the above technical problems, making it possible to obtain a low-pressure storage unit with better compression and heat transfer properties and a refrigeration appliance comprising the same.

Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention pertains to a low-pressure storage unit for a refrigeration appliance, the low-pressure storage unit having an evacuable storage compartment, characterized in that the storage compartment has at least one wall made of metal and having a plurality of mutually spaced apart reinforcing structures.

This metal wall can thus be deformed to a lesser extent under the same pressure, so that the low-pressure storage unit can withstand greater pressures. By providing a plurality of reinforcing structures spaced apart from one another, the metal wall can have a relatively small wall thickness at least in some regions, so that material savings and an increase in the heat transfer of the low-pressure storage unit are both facilitated.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention, individually or in combination with other features, are set forth in the following appended claims.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the wall thickness of the wall is the same everywhere but uneven to form the reinforcing structure.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reinforcing structure is formed by a projection projecting outwardly from the wall.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reinforcing structure is formed by stamping.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plurality of reinforcing structures have different shapes and at least one reinforcing structure has an arcuate profile.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one reinforcement structure of the plurality of reinforcement structures is at least partially surrounded by one or more further reinforcement structures.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the central region of the wall is provided with the reinforcement structure.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the wall is formed by a first member of metal having a box-like structure, said first member having a port on at least one side thereof.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plurality of reinforcing structures comprises at least one first reinforcing structure disposed along an edge of the port.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of reinforcing structures includes a first reinforcing structure: it is arranged along an edge of the port and extends from a first central axis of the wall perpendicular to the port to both sides by at least one quarter of the width of the wall, respectively.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the length of the first reinforcement structure is at least three quarters or more of the width of the wall.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first reinforcing structure is arranged symmetrically to the first central axis and with its two ends near both sides of the wall.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said first reinforcing structure is in the form of an elongated strip and is arranged close to a door for selectively closing or opening said port.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plurality of reinforcing structures comprises a second reinforcing structure located in a central region of the wall, the second reinforcing structure extending from a first central axis of the wall perpendicular to the port to each side for at least one eighth of the width of the wall.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said second reinforcing structure is at least partially curved in profile.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said second reinforcing structure is substantially elliptical and its length in a direction parallel to said port is greater than its length in a direction perpendicular to said port.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention further comprises a second member of plastic attached to the first member along the port.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the evacuable storage compartment has a flat configuration, the walls comprising the top and/or bottom walls of the storage compartment.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the wall has a wall thickness of not more than 4 mm, for example between 2 mm and 2.5 mm.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a refrigeration appliance comprising a storage compartment and a low pressure storage unit as described in any one of the above housed in the storage compartment.

The construction of the present invention and other objects and advantages thereof will be more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[ description of the drawings ]

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. Wherein,

fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a refrigeration appliance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the door of the refrigeration appliance is not shown.

Fig. 2 is a schematic assembled perspective view of a low pressure storage unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a low pressure storage unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention when it is opened.

Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective exploded view of a main body of a low pressure storage unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a schematic partial sectional view taken along a-a direction in fig. 2.

Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the body along a longitudinal plane in which the first central axis X is located, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[ detailed description of the invention ]

Referring to fig. 1, a refrigerator 1 includes a heat-insulating box 2, and the box 2 includes a casing 2a, an inner container 2b, and a heat-insulating layer (not shown) therebetween. The cabinet 2 defines a plurality of insulated storage compartments 3, 4, 5 for storing items such as food. In the present embodiment, these storage compartments are respectively a cold storage compartment 3 located at the upper part, a freezer compartment 5 located at the bottom part and a fresh food compartment 4 located between the two, the temperature of which is kept slightly above zero degrees centigrade. The storage compartments 3, 4, 5 can be closed by respective doors (not shown).

It should be understood that the present invention should not be limited to a specific distribution of the storage compartments of the refrigeration appliance, but the present invention can also be applied to other forms of refrigeration appliances, such as a refrigerator having a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment in an up/down/up distribution, a side-by-side refrigerator, a refrigerator having a drawer type door and/or a french side-by-side door, and the like.

The refrigeration appliance 1 has an evaporative refrigeration system forming a closed loop. The refrigeration system includes at least a compressor (not shown), a condenser (not shown), a throttle device (not shown), and an evaporator (not shown). Since such a refrigeration system is well known in the art, further description thereof will be omitted.

The refrigerator 1 is provided with a low-pressure storage unit 7 having an evacuable storage compartment 32 and with a suction device (not shown) for drawing gas from the storage compartment 32. The evacuation means may comprise a vacuum pump and a line (not shown) connected between the vacuum pump and the low pressure storage unit 7.

In this embodiment, the low-pressure storage unit 7 is disposed within the fresh food compartment 4. The low-pressure storage unit 7 is located at the bottom of the fresh food compartment 4 and is supported on the bottom wall of the fresh food compartment 4. In this embodiment, a fresh-keeping container 6 with high humidity and suitable for keeping food such as vegetables is disposed above the low-pressure storage unit 7. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the low-pressure storage unit 7 may be disposed in other storage compartments, such as the refrigerating compartment 3 or a temperature-changing compartment whose temperature range is switchable between a refrigerating temperature zone and a freezing temperature zone.

Fig. 2 is a schematic assembled perspective view of the low pressure storage unit 7 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the low pressure storage unit 7 when it is opened according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to fig. 2 and 3, in the present embodiment, the low pressure storage unit 7 is substantially a flat rectangular parallelepiped, and includes a main body 8 having one end opened and a drawer-type container 9 movably received in the main body 8.

The main body 8 defines a flat housing space having a front end opening. The drawer-type container 9 has a door 10 formed on the front wall thereof for closing the front end opening of the main body 8, and a tray-like container body 12 attached to the rear side of the door 10 for holding the articles. The main body 8 is received and fixed in the housing 2, and the main body 8 is preferably detachably fixed in the fresh food compartment 4. The user obtains the articles located in the low pressure storage unit 7 by pulling the drawer type container 9.

The width of the main body 8 and the width of the door 10 are respectively slightly smaller than the width of the fresh-keeping compartment 4, so that the main body 8 and the door 10 can be inserted into the fresh-keeping compartment 4 or pulled out from the fresh-keeping compartment 4, and therefore, gaps are formed between the two sides of the low-pressure storage unit 7 and the inner container 2b of the fresh-keeping compartment 4. In order to block such a gap, the low pressure storage unit 7 may include a gap blocking member 50, which is deformable, provided at a front end of the main body 8.

The housing 40 of the low pressure storage unit 7 is composed of the main body 8 and the door 10 of the drawer type container 9. The housing 40 defines an evacuable storage compartment 32 with the tray-like container body 12 located within the storage compartment 32. In the present embodiment, the storage chamber 32 is substantially formed by the housing space of the main body 8.

When the storage chamber 32 is closed by the door 10 and the air extractor is activated, air located within the storage chamber 32 is extracted and the storage chamber 32 is at a low pressure. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at the end of the evacuation process, the pressure within the storage chamber 32 is between one standard atmosphere and an absolute vacuum (e.g., less than 690 millibars absolute). The skilled person also colloquially refers to the "vacuum chamber" as the pressure in the storage chamber 32 is lower than the standard atmospheric pressure. In the present embodiment, the storage chamber 32 has a volume of about 20L.

The front end of the body 8 and/or the door 10 may be provided with sealing elements (not shown) to enable an airtight engagement between the body 8 and the door 10 when the drawer container 9 is in the fully closed position, preventing gas from entering the storage compartment 32 from the engagement between the body 8 and the door 10.

A retractable rail unit 14 is provided between the drawer-type container 9 and the main body 8 so that the drawer-type container 9 can be smoothly pulled out of or pushed into the main body 8.

The door 10 is provided with an inflation passage (not shown) for fluidly communicating the inside and outside of the storage chamber 32 and an inflation valve (not shown) for opening or closing the inflation passage. When the air charging valve opens the air charging passage, external air can be introduced into the storage chamber 32 through the air charging passage to release the low pressure state of the storage chamber 32.

The door 10 is provided at a front end thereof with a handle 13, and the user can operate the drawer type container 9 through the handle 13. In a preferred embodiment, the air-filling valve is operatively associated with the handle 13 in such a manner that when the handle 13 is operated, the air-filling valve is opened to place the reservoir chamber 32 in fluid communication with the exterior, so that air can enter the reservoir chamber 32 to release the low pressure state of the reservoir chamber 32. In other embodiments, the inflation valve may be provided separately from the handle 13, such as by providing a button on the door 10 that is depressed to open the inflation valve, after which the user may open the door 10 by manipulating the handle 13.

The door 10 constituting the front wall of the storage chamber 32 is made of plastic which is easy to mold due to a relatively complicated structure of an air-filling valve, a handle 13, and the like. In the present embodiment, the door 10 is made of ABS resin (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer).

The inner surface of the door 10 is exposed to the storage chamber 32, and the outer surface constitutes a part of the outer contour of the low pressure storage unit 7 to form a part of the wall of the storage chamber 32. The door 10 is required to withstand a pressure difference between the inside and the outside when the storage compartment 32 is in a low pressure state, and the tray-shaped container body 12 is not required to withstand the pressure because it is located inside the storage compartment 32, and therefore, the door 10 has a larger wall thickness than the tray-shaped container body 12. In this embodiment, the thickness of the door 10 is 6 mm, and the thickness of the tray-shaped container body 12 may be about 1 to 2 mm.

Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective exploded view of the body 8 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to fig. 4 in conjunction with fig. 2 and 3, the main body 8 includes a box-shaped box body 11 having front and rear ends opened, a rear cover 16 fixed to the rear end of the box body 11 to close a rear port 26 of the box body 11, and a front connection unit 17 fixed to the edge of a front port 25 of the box body 11.

Sealing elements 18 are provided between the box body 11 and the rear cover 16 and between the box body 11 and the front connection unit 17, respectively, so that an airtight connection is formed between the box body 11 and the rear cover 16 and the front connection unit 17, respectively.

In the present embodiment, the box body 11 includes a top wall 21, a bottom wall 23, and left and right side walls 22 connected between the top wall 21 and the bottom wall 23, which are made of a metal having a relatively high material strength. The cartridge body 11 constitutes a main part of the housing 40. In the present embodiment, the inner sides of the metal top wall 21, the bottom wall 23, and the left and right side walls 22 are exposed to the storage chamber 32, and the outer surfaces thereof constitute a part of the outer contour of the low pressure tank 7. When the reservoir chamber 32 is in a low pressure state, the top wall 21, the bottom wall 23, and the left and right side walls 22 receive a pressure due to the pressure inside the reservoir chamber 32 being lower than that outside.

The top wall 21, bottom wall 23, left and right side walls 22 may be made of steel plate and have a wall thickness of no greater than 4 mm, and most preferably, these walls 21-23 have a wall thickness of 2 mm to 2.5 mm.

The top wall 21, bottom wall 23 and left and right side walls 22 of the box body 11 are preferably of one-piece construction, thereby reducing or even eliminating the connecting seams between these walls. In the present embodiment, the top wall 21, the bottom wall 23, and the left and right side walls 22 are formed by welding a steel plate (cold-rolled plate) bent into a rectangular shape. As shown in fig. 3 and 4, the weld 33 is located in the middle portion of the right side wall 22, which is advantageous, on the one hand, to reduce the possibility of air leakage of the weld 33 under pressure, since the side wall 22 is subjected to a lower pressure than the top wall 21 and the bottom wall 23, and on the other hand, to facilitate the setting of the jig during the welding step; in addition, this also contributes to a more aesthetic refrigeration appliance 1, since the weld is provided on a side wall that is less noticeable to the user.

It should be understood that in other embodiments, it is also possible for the top wall 21, the bottom wall 23, and the left and right side walls 22 of the box body 11 to be formed by joining (e.g., welding) a plurality of metal plates.

Alternatively, the body may be made of other metallic materials, such as aluminum. In the case of a box body made of aluminum, the box body is preferably obtained in its entirety by an extrusion process. Since the modulus of elasticity of aluminium is lower than that of steel, the wall thickness of the box body made of aluminium is preferably greater than 2 mm, for example 4 mm.

In the present embodiment, the top wall 21 and the bottom wall 23 have a symmetrical structure, and constitute the wall of the box body 11 having the largest area.

In order to fix the front connection unit 17 and the rear cover 6 to the box body 11 without perforating the top wall 21, the left and right side walls 22 and the bottom wall 23, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in fig. 3, 4 and 5, mounting pieces 27 are provided on the outer sides of the top wall 21, the bottom wall 23 and the left and right side walls 22, respectively, in the front and rear end regions of the box body 11. The mounting plate 27 may be made of metal, such as steel plate.

Each mounting tab 27 includes a connecting foot 27a that is horizontally secured to the corresponding wall 21-23. In the present embodiment, the mounting piece 27 is fixed to the box body 11 by welding the connecting leg portions 27a to the respective walls 21 to 23. In other embodiments, the mounting tab 27 may be secured to the box body 11 in other ways, such as by being adhesively attached to the box body.

The mounting piece 27 includes an extension portion 27b bent from the connecting leg portion 27a and extending outward. In this embodiment, the extension 27b is generally perpendicular to the respective walls 21-23. The extension portion 27b is plate-shaped, having flat front and rear surfaces. The extending portions 27b at the front and rear ends of the box body 11 are spaced from the front and rear end faces of the box body 11, respectively.

In the present embodiment, the extension portion 27b and the connecting leg portion 27a together constitute the mounting piece 27 having an L-shaped cross section. However, in other embodiments, the extension portions 27b may be integrally formed on the respective walls 21-23 to extend directly outwardly from the respective walls 21-23 of the container body 11.

Each of the extension portions 27b is provided with a plurality of first holes 31a penetrating front and rear surfaces thereof. Preferably, the first holes 31a of each of the extension portions 27b are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and arranged in a row. The first holes 31a at the front and rear ends of the cartridge body 11 form a rectangular frame having a size larger than the front/rear ports 25, 26, respectively, and the cartridge body 11 is surrounded by the corresponding rectangular frame. The first hole 31a at the rear end of the box body 11 is internally provided with threads, and the first hole 31a at the front end of the box body 11 is not provided with threads.

The structures of the rear cover 16 and the front connection unit 17 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention are described in detail below.

The rear cover 16 is connected to the rear port 26 of the box body 11, and constitutes a rear wall of the housing 40 to define a rear boundary of the storage chamber 32. The rear cover 16 has a plate shape corresponding to the square of the rear port 26, and has a size larger than that of the rear port 26 and extends beyond the rear port 26.

The rear cover 16 is provided with a suction passage (not shown) penetrating the rear cover 16 and a suction valve unit 36 for selectively closing or opening the suction passage. In this embodiment, the suction valve unit 36 extends above the top wall 21, with a connection port 39 located above the top wall 21. The low pressure storage unit 7 is connected to a pipe fixed to the tank 2 through a connection port 39 so that the low pressure storage unit 7 can be in fluid communication with the suction device.

The rear cover 16 includes a main body wall portion 20 constituting a substantial portion thereof and a rear connecting portion 19 provided around the periphery of the main body wall portion 20 to connect the rear cover 16 to the edge of the rear port 26. The rear connection portion 19 is connected to the entire edge of the rear port 26.

In the present embodiment, the rear connecting portion 19 and the main body wall portion 20 are integrally injection-molded from plastic having a lower modulus of elasticity than metal. Preferably, the rear cover 16 is made of Polycarbonate (PC) which is a material having a large strength. The thickness of the main body wall portion 20 made of PC is about 6 mm. To enhance the strength of the main wall portion 20, the rear surface of the main wall portion 20 may be further provided with a plurality of ribs 35.

It should be understood that in other embodiments, the rear attachment portion 19 may also be provided separately from the main body wall portion 20 and then secured in an airtight connection to form the rear cover 16, which is particularly advantageous in cases where the rear attachment portion 19 and the main body wall portion 20 are made of different materials.

The front connection unit 17 is connected to the entire edge of the front port 25, and has a square frame-shaped structure forming a closed loop. The front attachment unit 17 has an abutment surface 37 for abutment with the door 10, the abutment surface 37 being flat in this embodiment and lying in the same longitudinal plane. When the door 10 is closed, the seal on the door 10 is compressed between the abutment surface 37 and the door 10 to effect a seal.

In order to connect the front connection unit 17 and the rear cover 16 to the cartridge body 11 in a gas-tight manner, the front connection unit 17 and the rear cover 16 are each provided with an annular recess 30 for receiving the annular sealing element 18 on the side facing the cartridge body 11. The front and rear ends of the top wall 21, the side wall 22 and the bottom wall 23 of the box body 11 are inserted into the corresponding grooves 30, respectively, and the sealing member 18 is located between the grooves 30 and the box body 11.

Outside the recess 30, the front connection unit 17 and the rear cover 16 are respectively provided with a plurality of second holes 31 b. These second holes 31b are respectively located on portions of the front connection unit 17 and the rear connection unit 19 beyond the outer surfaces of the top wall 21, the side walls 22, and the bottom wall 23 so as to be located outside the storage chamber 32. The second holes 31b on the front connection unit 17 and the rear cover 16 form a rectangular frame having a size larger than the front/rear ports 25, 26, respectively.

In the present embodiment, the second hole 31b on the front connection unit 17 extends forward from the rear side of the front connection unit 17 without penetrating the front connection unit 17, and is a blind hole having a thread formed therein to fix the screw 29. The second hole 31b on the rear cover 16 extends forward from the rear side of the rear connection portion 19 and penetrates the rear connection portion 19 as a through hole for the corresponding screw 29.

The front connection unit 17 is integrally injection-molded from plastic. In the present embodiment, since the screw holes for fixing the screws 29 are provided on the front connection unit 17, the front connection unit 17 is injection-molded by mixing PC resin having a relatively high strength and ABS resin having a relatively high toughness to balance the strength and toughness thereof.

The fixing manner between the front connection frame 17, the rear cover 16 and the box body 11 is described in detail below.

The front attachment unit 17 and the rear cover 16 are fixed to the front and rear ends of the box body 11 by a plurality of fixing units, respectively.

In the present embodiment, each of the fixing units includes a screw 29, a first hole 31a provided on the mounting piece 27 of the cartridge body 11, and a second hole 31b provided on the front attachment unit 17/the rear cover 16, and the front attachment unit 17/the rear cover 16 are securely fixed to the cartridge body 11 by inserting the screw 29 into the first hole 31a and the second hole 32b and forming a screw-fastening with the first hole 31a or the second hole 32b having a screw therein, respectively. The fixing unit provides a preload between the front connection unit 17 and the cartridge body 11 and between the rear cover 16 and the cartridge body 11 in such a manner that the screw 29 is fixed, so that the sealing member 18 between the front connection unit 17/the rear cover 16 and the cartridge body 11 can be pressed, which can enhance the sealing effect between the front connection unit 17/the rear cover 16 and the cartridge body 11.

In other embodiments, other fixing elements capable of providing pre-tightening force can be used for the fixing unit. For example, the screws may be replaced with bar-shaped fixing members integrally injection-molded on the front connection unit 17 and the rear cover 16, and in this case, the second holes 31b provided on the connection frame 17 and the rear cover 16 may be omitted.

In the present embodiment, since the first and second holes 31a and 31b are located entirely outside the reservoir chamber 32, the inside of the reservoir chamber 32 is not in fluid communication with the outside due to the arrangement of the first and second holes 31a and 31 b. In addition, since the first hole 31a and the second hole 31b are located outside the annular seal member 18, the first hole 31a and the second hole 31b are virtually isolated from the storage chamber 32 and do not communicate. In this way, the possibility of outside air entering the storage chamber 32 through the first and second holes 31a, 31b is eliminated, that is, these first and second holes 31a, 31b do not adversely affect the airtightness of the storage chamber 32, thereby contributing to the improvement in airtightness of the low-pressure storage unit 7.

When the low pressure storage unit 7 is in a low pressure state, the top wall 21 and the bottom wall 23 of the box body 11 bear a greater pressure than the other walls of the low pressure storage unit 7. In order to increase the pressure resistance of the top wall 21 and the bottom wall 23 and to reduce their deformation, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the top wall 21 and the bottom wall 23 are provided with a plurality of mutually spaced apart reinforcing structures 34a, 34b, 34c, respectively.

Since the top wall 21 and the bottom wall 23 have a symmetrical structure, only the top wall 21 will be specifically described as an example.

In this embodiment, the top wall 21 is uneven but the wall thickness is the same everywhere to form the above-described reinforcing structures 34a, 34b, 34 c. The moment of inertia of the top wall 21 is changed by merely changing the shape of the cross-section of the top wall 21, thereby increasing the pressure resistance of the top wall 21, which is not only advantageous for reducing material but can be achieved without having to significantly increase the manufacturing process. This can be achieved, for example, by stamping the box body 11 during its manufacture.

Preferably, the reinforcing structures 34a, 34b, 34c are formed by projections projecting outwards from the top wall 21. This is not only advantageous for increasing the volume of the storage compartment 32, but also because the inner side of the reinforcing structure 34a, 34b, 34c is outwardly concave, the influence of the reinforcing structure 34a, 34b, 34c on the appearance of the interior of the storage compartment 32 can be reduced for the low-pressure storage unit 7 embedded in the fresh-keeping compartment 4. In this embodiment, the projections are boss-shaped, and the height of each boss is substantially equal.

These reinforcing structures 34a, 34b, 34c comprise two first reinforcing structures 34a, 34c arranged along the front port 25 and the rear port 26, respectively. The first reinforcing structures 34a, 34c are continuous and extend to both sides from a first central axis X of the top wall 21 extending in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the front port 25 and the rear port 26, respectively, by at least one-fourth of the width W of the top wall 21, so that the central portion having a large amount of deformation can be effectively reinforced.

Preferably, the length Wa, Wc of the first reinforcing structure 34a, 34c is at least three-quarters or more of the width W of the top wall 21. In this embodiment, the first reinforcing structures 34a, 34c have their ends respectively close to the two sides of the top wall 21, so that their length is very close to the width W of the top wall 21. The first reinforcing structures 34a, 34c are preferably arranged symmetrically to the first central axis X.

The lengths Wa, Wc of the first reinforcing structures 34a, 34c are substantially the same. The first reinforcing structure 34a near the front port 25 is elongated and has a larger area than the first reinforcing structure 34a, and the other first reinforcing structure 34c near the rear port 26 is longer in the front-rear direction than the first reinforcing structure 34 a. In this embodiment, the area of the first reinforcing structure 34c is greater than one-fourth of the area of the top wall 21. The front end of the first reinforcing structure 34c has an arcuate profile having a generally U-shape.

Between the two first reinforcing structures 34a, 34c, the top wall 21 is provided with a second reinforcing structure 34 b. The second reinforcing structure 34b is located in a central region of the top wall 21, extending from the first central axis X to both sides, respectively, by at least one eighth of the width W of the top wall 21. The second reinforcing structure 34b is preferably arranged symmetrically to the first central axis X. The length of the second reinforcing structure 34b in a direction parallel to the front port 25 is preferably between one quarter and one half of the width W of the top wall 21.

The second reinforcing structure 34b has an arcuate profile. In this embodiment, it is generally oval. The second reinforcing structure 34b has a greater length in a direction parallel to the front ports 25, 26 than it has in a direction along the first central axis X.

The second reinforcing structure 34b falls substantially within the U-shaped region of the first reinforcing structure 34c, while being surrounded by the latter.

Since the first reinforcing structures 34a, 34c extend from the first central axis X of the top wall 21 to both sides by at least one-fourth of the width W of the top wall 21, respectively, and the second reinforcing structure 34b extends from the first central axis X of the top wall 21 to both sides by at least one-eighth of the width W of the top wall 21, respectively, the moment of area inertia of the region where the amount of deformation is large can be effectively increased for the cartridge body 11 having the front and rear ports 25, 26.

As shown in fig. 6, in the section of the top wall 21 along the first central axis X and the section which is more parallel to it and is provided with the second reinforcing structure 34b, the convex portions and concave portions of the front half of these sections are more densely and alternately present than the rear half, which is advantageous in reducing the amount of deformation of the top wall 21 in the front portion, and thus helps to reduce the amount of deformation of the front attachment unit 17 and the door 10 which can be observed by the user.

Since the reinforcing structures 34a, 34b, 34c have different shapes, for example, the first reinforcing structure 34a near the front port 25 is strip-shaped, the second reinforcing structure 34b located in the central region of the top wall 21 has an oval shape, and the first reinforcing structure 34c extending forward from near the rear port 26 has a U-shaped portion surrounding the second reinforcing structure 34b, it is possible to achieve a more uneven shape in the cross section of the top wall 21 with only a limited number of reinforcing structures.

Claims

1. A low-pressure storage unit (7) for a refrigeration appliance (1), the low-pressure storage unit (7) having an evacuable storage compartment (32), the low pressure storage unit has a door for selectively closing or opening the storage chamber (32), characterized in that the storage compartment (32) has at least one wall (21, 23) made of metal and having a plurality of mutually spaced apart reinforcing structures (34a, 34b, 34c), said reinforcing structure (34a, 34b, 34c) being formed by a projection projecting outwards from said wall (21, 23), in a cross section of the wall (21, 23) along a first central circumferential line (X) of the wall (23, 23) extending in the front-rear direction, the projections and recesses of the wall (21, 23) close to the front half of the door are more densely alternated than the projections and recesses of the wall (21, 23) remote from the rear half of the door.

2. The low-pressure storage cell (7) according to claim 1, characterized in that the wall thickness of said walls (21, 23) is identical everywhere but is uneven to form said reinforcing structure (34a, 34b, 34 c).

3. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcement structure (34a, 34b, 34c) is formed by stamping.

4. The low-pressure storage module (7) according to claim 1, characterized in that said walls (21, 23) are formed by a first component (11) of metal having a box-like structure, said first component (11) having ports (25, 26) on at least one side thereof.

5. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of reinforcing structures (34a, 34b, 34c) comprises at least one first reinforcing structure (34a, 34c) arranged along an edge of said port (25, 26).

6. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 5, characterized in that the first reinforcing structure (34a, 34c) extends from a first central axis (X) of the wall (21, 23) perpendicular to the port (25, 26) to both sides by at least one quarter of the width (W) of the wall (21, 23), respectively.

7. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 5, characterized in that the first reinforcing structure provided along the front port (25) of said first member is in the form of an elongated strip, said first reinforcing structure in the form of an elongated strip being provided close to the door (10) for selectively closing or opening said port (25).

8. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 7, characterized in that the front end of the first reinforcement structure, which is arranged along the port on the rear side of the first component, has an arcuate profile, which is substantially U-shaped.

9. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 8, characterized in that said plurality of reinforcing structures (34a, 34b, 34c) comprises a second reinforcing structure (34b) located in a central region of said wall (21, 23), said second reinforcing structure (34b) extending laterally to at least one eighth of the width (W) of said wall (21, 23) from a first central axis (X) of said wall (21, 23) perpendicular to said port (25, 26), respectively, said second reinforcing structure being surrounded by said curved contour.

10. A low-pressure storage unit (7) for a refrigeration appliance (1), the low-pressure storage unit (7) having an evacuable storage compartment (32) with a front-end opening which can be selectively closed or opened by a door, characterized in that the storage compartment (32) has at least one wall (21, 23) which is made of metal and has a plurality of mutually spaced-apart reinforcing structures (34a, 34b, 34c), the plurality of reinforcing structures (34a, 34b, 34c) having different shapes, the plurality of reinforcing structures (34a, 34b, 34c) comprising a first reinforcing structure (34c), the front end of the first reinforcing structure (34b, 34c) having a substantially U-shaped curved contour which opens towards the front.

11. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 10, wherein at least one second reinforcement structure (34b) of the plurality of reinforcement structures (34a, 34b, 34c) is at least partially surrounded by the substantially U-shaped curved contour.

12. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 11, characterized in that said second reinforcing structure (34b) is located in a central region of said walls (21, 23).

13. The low-pressure storage module (7) according to claim 10, characterized in that said walls (21, 23) are formed by a first component (11) of metal having a box-like structure, said first component (11) having ports (25, 26) on at least one side thereof.

14. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 13, characterized in that said first reinforcing structure (34c) is provided along an edge of said port (26).

15. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 14, characterized in that the first reinforcing structure (34c) extends bilaterally from a first central axis (X) of the wall (21, 23) perpendicular to the port (25, 26) by at least one quarter of the width (W) of the wall (21, 23), respectively.

16. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the length (Wc) of the first reinforcement structure (34c) is at least more than three quarters of the width (W) of the wall (21, 23).

17. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 16, characterized in that said first reinforcing structure (34c) is arranged symmetrically to said first central axis (X) and with its two ends close to the two sides of said walls (21, 23).

18. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to any one of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that said plurality of reinforcing structures further comprises an elongated strip-shaped reinforcing structure (34a) provided close to the door (10) for selectively closing or opening said port (25).

19. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 13, characterized in that said plurality of reinforcing structures (34a, 34b, 34c) comprises a second reinforcing structure (34b) located in a central region of said wall (21, 23), said second reinforcing structure (34b) extending from a first central axis (X) of said wall (21, 23) perpendicular to said ports (25, 26) to each side by at least one eighth of the width (W) of said wall (21, 23).

20. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 19, characterized in that said second reinforcing structure (34b) is at least partially contoured in an arc.

21. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 20, characterized in that said second reinforcing structure (34b) is substantially oblong, having a greater length in a direction parallel to said ports (25, 26) than in a direction perpendicular to said ports (25, 26).

22. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to any one of claims 13 to 15 and 19 to 21, further comprising a second component (16, 17) made of plastic connected to said first component (11) along said port (25, 26).

23. Low pressure storage unit (7) according to any one of claims 1 to 15 and 19 to 21, characterized in that the evacuable storage compartment (32) has a flat structure, the walls (21, 23) comprising the top and/or bottom wall of the storage compartment (32).

24. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 23, characterized in that the wall (21, 23) has a wall thickness of not more than 4 mm.

25. The low-pressure storage unit (7) according to claim 23, characterized in that the wall (21, 23) has a wall thickness of between 2 mm and 2.5 mm.

26. A refrigeration appliance (1) comprising a storage compartment (4) and a low-pressure storage unit (7) according to any one of the preceding claims housed in the storage compartment (4).