DE202013007655U1 - Cool box with accumulator - Google Patents

Abstract

Cooling box (1), in particular a Kompressorkühlbox, for mobile purposes, in particular for transport in vehicles, with a cooling volume, a cooling device and the cooling volume and the cooling device comprehensive housing (3), wherein the housing (3) the cooling volume thermally insulated, characterized in that an accumulator (2) is provided and can be arranged and / or exchanged in the housing bottom (3C), in / on side walls (3A) of the housing (3) and / or in / on a housing cover (3B).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a cooling box, in particular a compressor cooling box, for mobile purposes, in particular for transport in vehicles, according to the preamble of claim 1. The cooling box has a cooling volume, a cooling device and the cooling volume and the cooling device comprehensive housing, wherein the housing the cooling volume is thermally insulated.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Known from DE 20 2004 010 081 U1 are active cool boxes and cabinets for transport in vehicles, for travel comfort and mobility, eg. As with perishable food, to increase. Due to the sometimes very high power consumption of these active coolers, they are dependent on an external energy source. Such external energy sources may be mains voltage connections or car batteries. In the latter case, therefore, a permanent mobile operation in / on the vehicle is possible after all. The mere thermal insulation (passive cooling) allows for shorter periods due to the stored cold and a use of the cool box far away from vehicles.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The invention has for its object to further increase the mobility of coolers, especially far away from vehicles for long periods. To solve this problem, a cooler with the features of claim 1 is proposed.

Accordingly, the invention is based in the core on a cool box, in particular a Kompressorkühlbox, for mobile use, especially for transport in vehicles, with a cooling volume, a cooling device and the cooling volume and the cooling device comprehensive housing in which the housing, the heat insulating the cooling volume, and in which an accumulator in / on side walls of the housing and / or in / on a housing cover can be arranged and / or exchanged.

The term "cool box" means actively cooling cool boxes, which rely on an energy source and are not based solely on thermal insulation and / or passive cooling elements such as cooling batteries. Such coolers have as a cooling device either a compressor (comparable to the operation of refrigerators and air conditioners) or a Peltier element. Although the latter allow for more compact, technically more flexible and thus easier to integrate cooling units, but have a much lower efficiency. Consequently, Peltier coolers must be powered by a more powerful source of energy to achieve the same cooling performance.

Cooling boxes according to the invention can have feet and carrying handles as well as a box-shaped design. But you can also take any other geometric shape and do not include feet / carrying handles. The housing cover may be fixed with hinges on the side walls of the housing but also as a loose element on the side walls, for example by clamping or locking action, be placed.

As the coolbox contains a rechargeable battery, it is no longer dependent on external energy sources and thus enables active cooling away from external energy sources (eg car batteries) and therefore also very good cooling over longer periods of time. This significantly increases the mobility of the cooler and allows, for example, the cooling of drinks or food during a beach stay.

The ability to be arranged on the housing ensures quick access to the accumulator and thus a certain practicability. The interchangeability of the accumulator allows the use of a charged second accumulator to increase the mobility even further. In this way, with a corresponding number of batteries, the service life of the cooler can be extended to a variety of days.

Advantageously, the accumulator comprises at least one lithium-ion cell. This allows the utilization of lithium-ion technology, which achieves high energy densities. Correspondingly low is the weight to be carried and / or the space required by the accumulator and correspondingly comfortable the cool box. The accumulator can have a single, but also several cells.

If the accumulator has a storage capacity of at least 100 Wh, preferably at least 180 Wh and particularly preferably at least 240 Wh, cooling boxes of typical dimensions (about 40-50 W power consumption) can operate for at least 2 hours, preferably at least 4 hours and more preferably at least 5 hours become.

If the accumulator is designed as a battery pack and a plurality of cells, preferably 10 to 50, more preferably 20 to 40 and most preferably 25 to 30 cells, the accumulator can be constructed of standardized mass production cells and made so low.

Advantageously, the accumulator is associated with a compensating controller in the case of a plurality of cells. The compensator avoids critical states of charge of the individual cells by regulating the charge and discharge of the cells. This increases the life of the individual cells and thus also of the accumulator.

If the accumulator is designed as a single cell and this, preferably, a DC-DC converter is assigned, however, can be dispensed with a compensation regulator. But even here, a charging management system makes sense. In the case of a single cell, a DC-DC converter is required to mediate between the voltage levels of single cell, car battery and compressor.

Preferably, the accumulator can be arranged by means of a first sliding and / or latching guide in / on the housing. This allows a particularly simple and therefore fast handling.

If a surface of the accumulator is arranged substantially flush with a lid surface, side wall and / or the housing bottom and / or is optically adapted to the appearance of the lid surface, a mechanical protection and / or a particularly aesthetic effect is achieved.

The accumulator can be electrically connected via cover hinges with the cooling device. In this way, the accumulator can be accommodated in the easily accessible lid and at the same time can be dispensed with cable connections outside the housing. This increases the robustness of the cooler and makes the cooler appear higher quality.

Preferably, the accumulator can be arranged on a flange, which on the housing, preferably on the side walls or the lid of the housing, can be fastened. Through the flange already existing coolers can be easily retrofitted with a battery. Such retrofitting is of independent inventive importance for a generic cool box. If the flange is arranged on the side walls, a particularly short electrical connection between a power cable socket of the cool box and the accumulator can be achieved. This keeps the susceptibility small and affects the aesthetics of the retrofitted cool box only slightly. If the flange comprises a sliding and / or locking guide, a correspondingly simple and quick handling is achieved.

The above-mentioned and the claimed components to be used according to the invention described in the exemplary embodiments are not subject to special conditions of size, shape, material selection and technical design, so that the selection criteria known in the field of application can be used without restriction

Further details, features and advantages of the subject matter of the invention will become apparent from the subclaims, as well as from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which - by way of example - an embodiment of a cool box is shown. Also, individual features of the claims or of the embodiments may be combined with other features of other claims and embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the drawing show

1A a cooling box in a first embodiment in perspective view;

1B from the same cool box, a sectional view along the line IB-IB according to 1A with open battery compartment;

2A a cooling box in a second embodiment in a perspective view;

2 B from the same cooler an exploded view;

3A a block diagram of electrical components of a cooling box in a first embodiment; such as

3B a block diagram of electrical components of a cooling box in another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

After the cooler 1A / 1B are sidewalls 3A and a housing cover 3B a heat-insulated housing 3 recognizable. The housing 3 includes a cooling volume within which refrigerated goods can be stored. The housing 3 comprises in integrated form a cooling device which may comprise at least one Peltier element or, preferably, a compressor.

An accumulator 2 is; z. B. in the middle, the lid surface is inserted and flush with this. Here is a surface of the accumulator 2 or an accumulator lid 2A aesthetically to that of the lid 3A customized. The accumulator 2 has z. B. a socket, which over a power cable and z. B. via a power cable socket on the cool box 1 can be connected to the cooling device. Alternatively, and preferably, the accumulator 2 but also via electrical connections, which via cover hinges 8th run, be connected to the cooling device / be.

1B shows the cooler 1 to 1A with the battery cover removed 2A , The accumulator 2 includes 4 × 7 in one layer in an accumulator pan 2 B arranged lithium-ion cells 4 to minimize the height of the accumulator 2 to achieve. The thermal insulation 10 of the housing cover 3B is in the place of the accumulator 2 naturally thin-walled, but still present. However, it has been found that "cold losses" are negligible due to this thinner insulation.

2A / 2 B shows a second embodiment of a cooler according to the invention 1 dar. The accumulator 2 is by means of a sliding guide 7A on an associated sliding guide 7B a flange 9 attached. The flange 9 in turn, by means of a screw set on the cool box 1 be attached so that the cool box 1 can be retrofitted. Thus, coolers can 1 , which are necessarily dependent on an external source of energy, with an accumulator 2 equipped, which the mobility of the cool box 1 elevated.

The flange 9 framed in the illustrated and so far preferred embodiment of switch and power cable socket, so that their functions are not impaired. The framing also ensures that there is a distance between an electrical connection of the accumulator 2 and the power cable socket is low. As a result, this distance with a short and correspondingly less disturbing electrical connection part, z. B. with a cable bridged.

In 2A is the cool box 1 Although depicted without a battery cover; but such can be done comparatively in 1A an accumulator tub 2 B cover. The accumulator 2 has 3 × 7 single-layered cells 4 on. The Einlagigkeit reduced too much standing of the accumulator 2 from the cool box 1 and thus increases the robustness of the retrofit kit and reduces any unwanted rubbing of the accumulator 2 for example, on seats of a motor vehicle. For the same and / or other reasons, the accumulator is 2 or an accumulator tub receiving it 2 B Correspondingly rounded at the edges and corners. 2 B shows u. A. the bottom area of the cooler 1 and the feet of the cooler 1 adapted flange 9 , On the one hand, this increases the stability of the flange 9 at the cool box 1 and on the other hand, the function of the feet is not impaired.

3A shows a block diagram of electrical components of a first embodiment of the refrigerator according to the invention 1 , An accumulator 2 includes a single Li-ion cell 4 connected to a DC-DC converter 6 connected. The converter 6 Converts 12 V or 24 V DC voltage of a car battery on its input side 6A in 3.2 V nominal voltage of the cell 4 around. The 3.2 V are also from the converter 6 at its exit 6B converted into 27 V for compressor operation.

In 3B is a block diagram of a second embodiment of electrical components of the cooler according to the invention 1 shown. The accumulator 2 includes a variety of Li-ion cells 4 , which correspond via a series connection of the operating voltage of 27 V of the compressor. A compensation regulator 5 takes over the regulated loading and unloading of all cells 4 so that a transducer 6 is not required.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

cooling box

2

accumulator

2A

Akkumulatordeckel

2 B

Akkumulatorwanne

3

casing

3A

Side walls of the housing

3B

housing cover

3C

caseback

4

Lithium-ion cell

5

balancers

6

DC converter

6A

input side

6B

output side

7A

Sliding and / or locking guide

7B

Sliding and / or locking guide

8th

lid hinges

9

flange

10

thermal insulation

12

power cable

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

• DE 202004010081 U1 [0002]

Claims (11)

Cooling box ( 1 ), in particular a compressor cooling box, for mobile purposes, in particular for transport in vehicles, with a cooling volume, a cooling device and a housing comprising the cooling volume and the cooling device ( 3 ), the housing ( 3 ) the cooling volume is thermally insulated, characterized in that an accumulator ( 2 ) and in the housing bottom ( 3C ), in / on side walls ( 3A ) of the housing ( 3 ) and / or in / on a housing cover ( 3B ) can be arranged and / or exchanged. Cooling box ( 1 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the accumulator ( 2 ) at least one lithium-ion cell ( 4 ). Cooling box ( 1 ) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the accumulator ( 2 ) has a storage capacity of at least 100 Wh, preferably at least 180 Wh and more preferably at least 240 Wh. Cooling box ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the accumulator ( 2 ) is formed as a battery pack and a plurality of cells, preferably 10 to 50, more preferably 20 to 40 and most preferably 25 to 30 cells. Cooling box according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the accumulator ( 2 ) a compensation regulator ( 5 ) assigned. Cooling box ( 1 ) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the accumulator ( 2 ) is formed as a single cell and this, preferably, a DC-DC converter ( 6 ) assigned. Cooling box ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the accumulator ( 2 ) by means of a sliding and / or latching guide ( 7A ) in / on the housing ( 3 ) can be arranged. Cooling box ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a surface ( 2A ) of the accumulator ( 2 ) is arranged substantially flush to a cover surface, side wall and / or the housing bottom and / or is optically adapted to the appearance of the lid surface. Cooling box ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the accumulator ( 2 ) via cover hinges ( 8th ) is electrically connected to the cooling device. Cooling box ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the accumulator ( 2 ) on a flange ( 9 ) can be arranged, which on the housing ( 3 ), preferably on the side walls ( 3A ) of the housing ( 3 ), is attachable. Cooling box ( 1 ) according to claim 10, characterized in that the flange ( 9 ) a sliding and / or latching guide ( 7B ).

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