DE102013205659A1 - Domestic refrigerating appliance with a container and a device for adjusting the nitrogen content in the interior of the container and method for operating a household refrigerating appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a domestic refrigeration appliance (1) with a container (3, 18), which has an interior (4, 19) for holding food, and with a device (5) for adjusting the nitrogen volume fraction of the interior (3, 18) located gas, the device (5) having a nitrogen supply device (13), which is connected to the nitrogen supply to the interior (4, 19) and the nitrogen supply device (13) has a nitrogen reservoir (17). The invention also relates to a method for operating a household refrigeration device (1).

Description

The invention relates to a household refrigerator with a container having an interior for receiving food, and a nitrogen accumulation in the interior is possible. Such a household appliance is for example from the WO 2007/020581 A1 known.

Domestic refrigerators are known for example in the form of refrigerators, which have a refrigerated compartment as an interior in which food, such as food and drinks, can be introduced and stored and preserved there. In the interior, a so-called no-frost compartment may be present in the vegetables can be stored.

In the interior is usually located as a gas air, which has the essential components nitrogen, oxygen and argon.

It is an object of the present invention to improve the shelf life of the food in the interior of the household refrigerator.

This object is achieved by a household refrigerator and a method according to the independent claims.

A domestic refrigerator according to the invention comprises a container which has an interior for holding food. An essential idea of the invention is to be seen in that the domestic refrigerator has a device for adjusting the nitrogen volume fraction of the gas in the interior and the nitrogen supply device has a nitrogen storage. This ensures that a sufficient proportion of nitrogen is always provided for feeding into the interior. By such a configuration with the subject device is defined and operating state-dependent actively acted on the nitrogen content in the gas of the interior and this can be appropriately dosed and changed as needed. By means of such a configuration, the regulation of the nitrogen volume fraction can thus be adapted individually, thereby improving the preservation of the food. Since just nitrogen favors the durability of the food in the interior, such a configuration of the household refrigerating appliance with a corresponding device is particularly advantageous.

Just when the domestic refrigerator is not used for a long time and thus the door for closing the interior is not opened for a long time, is achieved by such a device for actively regulating the nitrogen volume fraction in the interior of a significant extension of the shelf life of the food therein. This is particularly beneficial for meat or fish in a freezer compartment of the household refrigerator.

The interior of the household refrigeration appliance can thus be, for example, only a refrigerated compartment or only a freezer or only a no-frost compartment. However, it can also be designed so that it has at least two of the mentioned different compartments, which are then designed accordingly and optionally separated from each other.

In an advantageous embodiment it is provided that the device for adjusting the nitrogen volume fraction comprises a suction device for sucking off the gas in the interior. As a result, active and defined generates a negative pressure in the interior and favors an otherwise supply of nitrogen in view of the pressure conditions.

It is preferably provided that the device for adjusting the nitrogen volume fraction comprises a nitrogen separator, which is connected to the suction device. The nitrogen separator is designed to separate the nitrogen from the gas extracted from the interior. Since the gas in the interior is usually air, which has at least the molecular and atomic constituents already mentioned above, the nitrogen constituent can be selectively removed from this air by such an advantageous embodiment. This is a particularly noteworthy embodiment, since thus quasi from a waste product such as the air, which was sucked out of the interior, the useful component is separated and thus quasi in the sense of some recycling takes place, so that the separated nitrogen then reused and can be supplied to the interior, which can increase the nitrogen concentration and thus also the nitrogen volume fraction in the gas in the interior.

It is preferably provided that the suction device has a suction pump. The removal of the gas from the interior is thereby substantially accelerated in terms of volume and time.

It can be provided that the suction pump and the nitrogen separator are separate components which are connected by at least one line.

In an alternative embodiment, it is provided that the suction pump and the nitrogen separator are integrated in one unit. This space can be saved.

It is preferably provided that a suction pump of the suction device is arranged outside the interior and is arranged in particular outside of the container bounding the interior. The volume of the interior is not affected. Also, the heat generated during operation of the intake pump does not adversely affect the temperatures in the interior. Additionally or instead, it can also be provided that a nitrogen separator of the device outside the interior, in particular outside of the container bounding the interior space is arranged. Again, the advantages already mentioned for the corresponding positional arrangement of the suction pump apply.

It is preferably provided that the device for adjusting the nitrogen volume fraction in the gas of the interior has a nitrogen supply device which is connected to the active and defined nitrogen supply into the interior with this interior. As a result, the nitrogen volume fraction can be precisely and actively adjusted in a demand-driven and situation-specific manner.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the nitrogen reservoir is connected to a device for separating nitrogen from a gas formed nitrogen separator of the device and the separated nitrogen in the nitrogen storage is conductive and storable. Such an embodiment is particularly advantageous in that since nitrogen always obtained from the air can be recycled and fed into the interior, must not be introduced into the interior again by the intermediate storage in the nitrogen storage but immediately after separation from the air. The nitrogen storage thus also offers the possibility to store the quasi recovered from the air nitrogen and only then bring back into the interior when it is required. In addition, it is also possible by such a configuration to replenish the nitrogen storage again and again, to this end, the quasi-recovered from the extracted waste product air nitrogen medium is to be used. In this context, it is therefore not necessary to buy in again a new nitrogen storage that is already filled.

Preferably, the suction device has a shut-off valve, in particular arranged in the interior, with which the suction from the interior can be blocked or released. The needs-based and situation-adapted gas exchange in the interior is achieved.

In particular, the nitrogen supply device has a shut-off valve, in particular arranged in the interior, with which the supply of nitrogen into the interior can be blocked or released. The needs-based and situation adapted nitrogen enrichment in the interior is achieved.

The household refrigerating appliance preferably comprises a control unit which is designed to control the device for extracting gas from the interior and / or for feeding nitrogen into the interior. As a result of this control unit, a precise control of the suction and delivery processes is thus intelligently achieved as a function of operating states and / or other parameters. This also favors the extension of the shelf life of food in the interior.

It is preferably provided that the control unit is designed such that the suction is started depending on the nitrogen volume fraction in the gas of the interior and / or the supply of nitrogen is started depending on a lower than the ambient pressure of the household refrigerator lower pressure threshold.

In particular, it is provided that the control unit is designed to perform after starting the nitrogen supply, the supply of nitrogen to a time at which in the interior a relation to the ambient pressure of the domestic refrigerator higher Überdruckschwellwert is reached and / or the nitrogen volume fraction in the gas in the interior ≥ 80%, in particular ≥ 85%. Such nitrogen enrichment over the usual nitrogen volume fraction in air promotes the extension of the shelf life of food in the interior essential.

It can be provided that the container is arranged with the interior stationary in a housing of the household refrigerator and it can not be removed non-destructively detachable. However, it can also be provided that the container from the household refrigerator can be removed and used non-destructively. In this context, the container may be a mobile portable box or the like, which in turn can then be inserted and removed in an inner container of the household refrigerating appliance, which is arranged stationarily in the housing of the household refrigerating appliance.

Advantageously, the household refrigerating appliance comprises a fan, with which the gas located in the interior, in particular the nitrogen-enriched gas, is distributed, so that the most uniform possible nitrogen distribution in the interior is provided.

In an advantageous embodiment it is provided that the nitrogen separation unit has a discharge unit, via which the from the interior extracted gas can be discharged into the environment. By means of this discharge unit and the nitrogen separated from the gas can be discharged, if no intermediate storage in the nitrogen storage is desired or this is already filled to the desired level with nitrogen.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating a household refrigerating appliance, which has a container which has an interior for receiving food. In the method according to the invention, the nitrogen volume fraction of the gas in the interior is defined by a device of the household refrigerating appliance and set active depending on the operating state.

Advantageous embodiments of the domestic refrigerator according to the invention are to be regarded as advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention, to which the household refrigeration appliance mentioned objective components and their functional interaction are designed to carry out the respective process steps.

In particular, a monitoring of the pressure conditions in the interior and / or the nitrogen volume fraction of the gas in the interior is carried out with the control unit or the control unit. Depending on this, preferably, when the pressure in the interior corresponds to the ambient pressure of the container, a suction of the gas is started, wherein this is carried out until a defined Unterdruckschwellwert is reached. Preferably, from this time or with a time delay to the supply of nitrogen is then controlled in the interior, this being done until a Überdruckschwellwert is reached, which is higher than the ambient pressure. In particular, at this time or with a time delay to both the suction of gas from the interior and the supply of nitrogen is then prevented and the suction only started again when the pressure in the interior corresponds to the ambient pressure of the container.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or in isolation, without the scope of To leave invention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are to be regarded as encompassed and disclosed, which are not explicitly shown and explained in the figures, however, emerge and can be produced by separated combinations of features from the embodiments explained.

Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. Show it:

1 a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a household refrigerator according to the invention;

2 a schematic representation of a second embodiment of a household refrigerator according to the invention;

3 a schematic representation of a third embodiment of a household refrigerator according to the invention; and

4 a diagram in which the pressure in the interior is shown as a function of time, and by means of which, for example, a control of the suction of the gas from the interior and a supply of nitrogen is explained.

In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

In 1 is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a household refrigerator 1 shown which is an outer casing 2 having an inner container 3 surrounds. The inner container 3 limits an interior 4 which may have a refrigerated compartment and / or a freezer compartment and / or a no-frost compartment. In the interior 4 Food, such as food and drinks, can be stored for storage and preservation.

The household refrigerator 1 also includes a device 5 , which for adjusting the nitrogen volume fraction of the interior 4 is formed gas located. The device 5 includes a suction device for this purpose 6 that a suction pump 7 having. The suction pump 7 is outside the interior 4 arranged and via a pipe 8th with the interior 4 connected. In the line 8th is also a valve 9 arranged, which in the embodiment in the interior 4 is arranged.

With the suction device 6 will gas out of the interior 4 aspirated. The operation of the suction device 6 is via a control unit 10 controlled.

The device 5 also includes a nitrogen separator 11 that with the suction pump 7 connected is.

It can be provided that the suction pump 7 and the nitrogen separator 11 are separate components that are connected by another line. However, it can also be provided that the suction pump 7 and the nitrogen separator 11 integrated into one unit.

The control unit 10 is also for controlling the nitrogen separator 11 educated.

The nitrogen separator 11 is to separate the nitrogen from the air coming out of the interior 4 is sucked, trained. The nitrogen separator 11 includes a discharge unit 12 , about which the from the interior 4 extracted gas can be discharged into the environment.

The device 5 further comprises a nitrogen supply device 13 which in particular via a line 14 with the nitrogen separator 11 connected is. About the nitrogen supply device 13 Nitrogen is transferred via a pipe 15 in the interior 4 directed. In the line 15 is a valve 16 arranged, which in the embodiment in the interior 4 is arranged. The valves 9 and 16 be through the control unit 10 depending on operating conditions of the household appliance and / or parameter values of the gas in the interior 4 , such as the pressure and / or the nitrogen volume fraction, opened or closed.

The administration 14 flows into the line 15 , It is thus achieved that the nitrogen separated from the extracted gas from the nitrogen separator 11 over the line 14 and the line 15 in the interior 4 is returned. The nitrogen volume fraction in the gas in the interior 4 is through the nitrogen supply 13 actively adjustable and adjustable. In particular, it is provided that the nitrogen supply 13 a nitrogen storage 17 having nitrogen stored therein. This nitrogen can already be contained in an attachable container with the supply of the container. Preferably, it is also provided that the stock store 17 is designed to receive the separated from the extracted gas Stockstoffs. Namely, the on the nitrogen separator 11 separated nitrogen not directly over the line 15 and the open valve 16 in the interior 4 but this is situation-dependent not required and the valve 16 closed, this separated and recovered nitrogen can be passed through the line 14 also in the nitrogen storage 17 be inserted and cached.

In the embodiment according to 1 is the interior 4 by the stationary and non-destructively insoluble arranged inner container 3 limited.

In 2 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of a household refrigerator 1 shown. In contrast to the execution according to 1 here is a container 18 provided with the device 5 is coupled to adjust the nitrogen volume fraction. The container 18 is in this embodiment in the interior 4 arranged and thus of the inner container 3 surround. In particular, the container 18 with its interior 19 from the interior 4 separated so that in the interior 19 different pressure conditions to the interior 4 can be adjusted. It can be provided that the container 18 non-destructively detachable from the interior 4 removed and can be used again.

However, it can also be provided that the container 18 in the inner container 3 is integrated and thus not non-destructively removable removable. For example, it may be provided here that the interior 4 a cooling compartment is, and the interior 19 is a no-frost tray or a freezer.

In 3 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the household refrigerator 1 shown. In this embodiment, a container 18 shown, in particular, non-destructively detachable from the interior 4 can be removed and can be used again. The container 18 includes a lid 20 , which is used to seal the container 18 is formed and thus can be removed and put back on. The container 18 is with the wires 8th and 15 nondestructive releasably coupled, in which case corresponding seals are formed at the interfaces.

In 4 is a schematic representation of a diagram in which the pressure as a function of time in that interior is indicated, in which the gas is sucked off and the nitrogen is supplied. As can be seen from the diagram in 4 can be seen, for example, by the control unit 10 and corresponding sensors, the pressure in the corresponding interior and / or the nitrogen volume fraction monitored in the corresponding interior. In addition, the ambient pressure P _{U is} detected in the environment of the household refrigerator. Starting from the exemplary situation, as in 4 is shown, when in the interior of the pressure equal to the ambient pressure, the suction of the gas from the interior via the control unit 10 started. The suction is preferably carried out until a vacuum level lower than the ambient pressure is reached. This Unterdruckschwellwert P ₁ can be specified depending on various parameters. This can for example depend on the volume of the interior and / or other parameters of the gas, such as temperature, composition of matter, etc.

When the pressure in the interior reaches this vacuum threshold P ₁ , the suction is ended, which is the case in the diagram at time t ₁ . With the achievement of the time t1 or offset in time, the supply of nitrogen is then started in the interior, which then until the exemplary time t2 so long until the pressure in the nitrogen to be acted upon an inner space with respect to the ambient pressure P _U higher Overpressure threshold P ₂ reached. At this time t2, the supply of nitrogen into the interior to be acted is then terminated. The reduction of the overpressure then takes place over a certain period of time, and when the pressure in the interior then again corresponds to the ambient pressure P _U , then preferably a new suction of the gas from the interior and the previously explained operating steps are repeated accordingly. The in the diagram according to 4 The pressure curve shown is merely exemplary and to be understood schematically and in particular the discrete steps shown here and thus pressure jumps are to be replaced in reality by correspondingly over a certain period of time extending slope drops.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

 Household refrigerator

2

 outer casing

3

 inner container

4

 inner space

5

 contraption

6

 suction

7

 suction Pump

8th

 management

9

 Valve

10

 control unit

11

 Nitrogen separation device

12

 drain unit

13

 Stickstoffzuführeinrichtung

14

 management

15

 management

16

 Valve

17

 nitrogen storage

18

 container

19

 inner space

20

 cover

P _U

 ambient pressure

P ₁

 negative pressure threshold

P ₂

 Überdruckschwellwert

t1

 time

t2

 time

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• WO 2007/020581 A1 [0001]

Claims (15)

Household refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) with a container ( 3 . 18 ), which has an interior ( 4 . 19 ) for receiving food, and with a device ( 5 ) for adjusting the nitrogen volume fraction of the interior ( 4 . 19 ) characterized in that the device ( 5 ) a nitrogen supply device ( 13 ), which for nitrogen supply to the interior ( 4 . 19 ) and the nitrogen supply device ( 13 ) a nitrogen storage ( 17 ) having. Household refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the device ( 5 ) a suction device ( 6 ) for sucking the gas in the interior ( 4 . 19 ) having. Household refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that the device ( 5 ) a nitrogen separator ( 11 ), which with the suction device ( 6 ) and for the separation of nitrogen from the interior ( 4 . 19 ) extracted gas is formed. Household refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the suction device ( 6 ) a suction pump ( 7 ) having. Household refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) according to claim 3 and 4, characterized in that the suction pump ( 7 ) and the nitrogen separator ( 11 ) are separate components which are connected by at least one line. Household refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) according to claim 3 and 4, characterized in that the suction pump ( 7 ) and the nitrogen separator ( 11 ) are integrated in a unit formed. Household refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the suction device ( 6 ) a shut-off valve ( 9 ), especially in the interior ( 4 . 19 ), with which the suction from the interior ( 3 . 18 ) is lockable or releasable. Household refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a suction pump ( 7 ) a suction device ( 6 ) and / or a nitrogen separator ( 11 ) of the device ( 5 ) outside the interior ( 4 . 19 ), especially outside of the interior ( 4 . 19 ) limiting container ( 3 . 18 ) are arranged. Household refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nitrogen supply device ( 13 ) a shut-off valve ( 16 ), especially in the interior ( 4 . 19 ), with which the supply of nitrogen into the interior ( 4 . 19 ) is lockable or releasable. Household refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nitrogen storage with ( 17 ) a nitrogen separator (see FIG. 2) for separating nitrogen from a gas ( 11 ) of the device ( 5 ) and the separated nitrogen into the nitrogen storage ( 17 ) is conductive. Household refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a control unit ( 10 ) used to control the device ( 5 ) for sucking gas from the interior ( 4 . 19 ) and / or for feeding nitrogen into the interior ( 4 . 19 ) is trained. Household refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) according to claim 11, characterized in that the control unit ( 10 ) is formed such that the suction depending on the nitrogen content in the gas of the interior ( 4 . 19 ) is started and / or the supply of nitrogen depending on a relative to the ambient pressure of the household refrigerator ( 1 ) lower negative pressure threshold is started. Household refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) according to claim 12, characterized in that the control unit ( 10 ) is adapted, after starting the supply of nitrogen, to carry out the feeding of the nitrogen until a point in time at which 4 . 19 ) relative to the ambient pressure of the household refrigerating appliance ( 1 ) higher overpressure threshold is reached and / or the nitrogen volume fraction in the gas is greater than or equal to 80%, in particular greater than or equal to 85%. Household refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container ( 18 ) from the household refrigerator ( 1 ) can be removed and used non-destructively. Method for operating a household refrigerating appliance ( 1 ), with a container ( 3 . 18 ), which has an interior ( 4 . 19 ) for holding foods, characterized in that the nitrogen volume fraction of the interior ( 4 . 19 ) gas through a device ( 5 ) of the household refrigerating appliance ( 1 ) is set and actively set operating state dependent, wherein the nitrogen from a nitrogen storage ( 17 ) can be removed.

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