EP0376389A1 - Cold generator with an end-of-defrost sensor - Google Patents

Cold generator with an end-of-defrost sensor Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0376389A1
EP0376389A1 EP89203266A EP89203266A EP0376389A1 EP 0376389 A1 EP0376389 A1 EP 0376389A1 EP 89203266 A EP89203266 A EP 89203266A EP 89203266 A EP89203266 A EP 89203266A EP 0376389 A1 EP0376389 A1 EP 0376389A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
defrosting
siphon
water
branch
flip
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP89203266A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0376389B1 (en
Inventor
Michel Steers
Jean-Pierre Hazan
Gilles Delmas
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Whirlpool France SAS
Whirlpool Europe BV
Original Assignee
Laboratoires dElectronique Philips SAS
Whirlpool France SAS
Whirlpool Europe BV
Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken NV
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Publication of EP0376389A1 publication Critical patent/EP0376389A1/en
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D21/00—Defrosting; Preventing frosting; Removing condensed or defrost water
    • F25D21/14—Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2321/00—Details or arrangements for defrosting; Preventing frosting; Removing condensed or defrost water, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • F25D2321/14—Collecting condense or defrost water; Removing condense or defrost water
    • F25D2321/141—Removal by evaporation
    • F25D2321/1411—Removal by evaporation using compressor heat
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2321/00—Details or arrangements for defrosting; Preventing frosting; Removing condensed or defrost water, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • F25D2321/14—Collecting condense or defrost water; Removing condense or defrost water
    • F25D2321/145—Collecting condense or defrost water; Removing condense or defrost water characterised by multiple collecting pans
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2321/00—Details or arrangements for defrosting; Preventing frosting; Removing condensed or defrost water, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • F25D2321/14—Collecting condense or defrost water; Removing condense or defrost water
    • F25D2321/146—Collecting condense or defrost water; Removing condense or defrost water characterised by the pipes or pipe connections

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a refrigerator or freezer type cold generator provided with a device for defrosting the cold parts which transforms the ice into water to be evacuated.
  • Ventilated cold refrigerators / freezers have the advantage of no frost in the cooling compartments. This frost, however, is deposited in the coldest place of the freezer, that is to say on the fins of the evaporator. If the freezer or refrigerator doors are opened often, the amount of frost on the evaporator is such that it clogs the fins, thereby reducing cooling efficiency and preventing air circulation. It is therefore necessary to defrost this evaporator periodically.
  • this defrosting is carried out with a heating resistor placed in contact with the evaporator. Regularly, thanks to a clock, this resistance is supplied (generally 1/2 hour every 8 hours). In order to avoid an excessive rise in temperature in the freezing compartment, it is necessary not to supply this heater for too long and to disconnect it as soon as the defrosting is finished.
  • the problem is therefore to determine the end of defrosting time in order to stop the defrosting operation.
  • One solution may consist in detecting the flow of water in the evacuation duct for example using a measurement of electrical resistance between two electrodes as described in the document FR 2 609 789.
  • these measurements are erratic and do not allow reliable operation to correctly determine the end of defrosting.
  • the cold generator comprises an end-of-defrost sensor comprising: . a reservoir which receives the water to be discharged, into which one of the branches of a siphon plunges in order to empty the reservoir when the water reaches the level required to initiate the siphon, the other branch being outside the reservoir, . an optical barrier, comprising a light emitter and a light receiver, arranged around the other branch of the siphon so that the light beam of the optical barrier is interrupted by the passage of water in said other branch when defrosting is in progress, . and an electrical circuit, which processes the electrical signal delivered by the optical barrier, detecting the end of defrosting when the light beam is no longer interrupted for a predetermined period in order to deactivate the defrosting member.
  • the ice When the cold generator is defrosted, the ice turns into water. It is evacuated by a pipe at the back of the refrigerator and accumulates in a main tank placed above the refrigeration unit. The heat released by the group evaporates the evacuated water.
  • the end of defrost sensor can be placed between this drain pipe and the main tank.
  • the sensor tank is connected to the main tank via the siphon. During the defrosting operation, the water will flow into the sensor tank and as soon as the level is sufficient to prime the siphon, the water will suddenly flow into the main tank until the siphon is defused.
  • the defrosting operation is therefore characterized by a succession of filling and emptying of the sensor tank. This succession is detected at the level of the optical barrier by a signal which activates a monostable which remains in this state for a time slightly greater than the time separating two emptying of the sensor tank. The pulse corresponding to the second drain is used to reset the monostable for an equivalent time.
  • the RS flip-flop is activated on its other input by a signal which can come from a clock if defrosting operations are programmed in advance. It can also come from a frost sensor which detects that a defrosting operation must be carried out.
  • the electrical signal of the optical barrier activates each time the siphon is primed a monostable which in turn activates one of the inputs of a RS flip-flop so that the output of the RS flip-flop implements the defrosting operation, the active period T2 of the monostable being greater than the relaxation period T1 of the siphon, the flip-flop RS being deactivated when the monostable is itself deactivated, the start of the defrost end sensor operating by activating the other input of the flip-flop RS at l using either a clock or an external signal.
  • FIG. 1 represents a diagram of a cold generator 10 comprising a tank 11 in which a compressor 12 delivers cold to an evaporator 13.
  • the defrosting of the evaporator can be carried out using a heating resistor 33.
  • the sensor 20 Under the evaporator 13 is placed the sensor 20 according to the invention intended to receive the water due to the defrosting operation. It is shown in Figure 2. It includes a siphon 21, one branch 23 plunges into a small tank 24 of the sensor and the other branch 22 dips into the main tank 25 which is intended to receive the defrost water from the generator cold.
  • the small reservoir of the sensor 24 receives its water from the evaporator via the conduit 26.
  • an optical barrier comprising a light emitter 27 (for example a light emitting diode) and a light receiver 28 (for example a phototransistor).
  • a light emitter 27 for example a light emitting diode
  • a light receiver 28 for example a phototransistor
  • the detector receives a light flux.
  • the light flow is interrupted.
  • the interruptions of the luminous flux will be spaced by a period T1 (figure 3).
  • the start of the signal it detects is used to reset a monostable 30.
  • This has a natural period T2 which is greater than the period T1 as indicated in FIG. 3.
  • the output of the monostable acts on an input R of a flip-flop RS 31 and activates the output of flip-flop 31 so that it activates the power supply 32 of the resistor 33 which is used to heat the evaporator and to ensure defrosting.
  • the resistor 33 is supplied.
  • the monostable T2 is no longer reset and switches to deactivate the supply of the resistor 33.
  • the defrosting cycle is finished.
  • a device 34 which can be a programmed clock which imposes regular cycles or by a frost sensor which by measuring the he thickness of the frost detects that a defrosting operation is to be undertaken.
  • the end of defrost sensor according to the invention can be used in a fridge or freezer or any machine intended to produce cold requiring defrosting operations.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Defrosting Systems (AREA)
  • Removal Of Water From Condensation And Defrosting (AREA)

Abstract

Cold generator of the refrigerator or deep-freeze type, equipped with a member for defrosting the cold parts which transforms ice into water to be removed. It is provided with an end-of-defrost sensor (20) which comprises: . a reservoir (24) which receives the water to be removed, in which is immersed one (23) of the branches of a siphon (21) in order to empty the reservoir when the water reaches the level required to activate the siphon, the other branch (22) being outside the reservoir, . an optical barrier (27) (28) arranged around the other branch (22) of the siphon, the luminous beam of which is interrupted by the passage of the water in said other branch when the defrosting is in progress, . and an electric circuit which stops the defrosting when the luminous beam is no longer interrupted for a predetermined length of time. <??>Application: cold generator, refrigerator, deep-freeze. <IMAGE>

Description

L'invention concerne un générateur de froid du type réfrigérateur ou congélateur muni d'un organe de dégivra­ge des parties froides qui transforme la glace en eau à éva­cuer.The invention relates to a refrigerator or freezer type cold generator provided with a device for defrosting the cold parts which transforms the ice into water to be evacuated.

Les réfrigérateurs/congélateurs à froid ventilé présentent l'avantage d'absence de givre dans les comparti­ments réfrigérants. Ce givre cependant se dépose à l'endroit le plus froid du congélateur, c'est-à-dire sur les ailettes de l'évaporateur. Si les portes du congélateur ou du réfrigéra­teur sont ouvertes souvent, la quantité de givre sur l'évapo­rateur est telle qu'elle obstrue les ailettes, diminuant ainsi l'efficacité de refroidissement et empêchant la circulation d'air. Il est donc nécessaire de dégivrer périodiquement cet évaporateur.Ventilated cold refrigerators / freezers have the advantage of no frost in the cooling compartments. This frost, however, is deposited in the coldest place of the freezer, that is to say on the fins of the evaporator. If the freezer or refrigerator doors are opened often, the amount of frost on the evaporator is such that it clogs the fins, thereby reducing cooling efficiency and preventing air circulation. It is therefore necessary to defrost this evaporator periodically.

Habituellement ce dégivrage s'effectue avec une résistance chauffante placée en contact avec l'évaporateur. Régulièrement, grâce à une horloge, cette résistance est ali­mentée (en général 1/2 heure toutes les 8 heures). Afin d'évi­ter une remontée trop importante de la température dans le compartiment de congélation, il est nécessaire de ne pas ali­menter trop longtemps cette résistance et de la déconnecter dès que le dégivrage est terminé.Usually this defrosting is carried out with a heating resistor placed in contact with the evaporator. Regularly, thanks to a clock, this resistance is supplied (generally 1/2 hour every 8 hours). In order to avoid an excessive rise in temperature in the freezing compartment, it is necessary not to supply this heater for too long and to disconnect it as soon as the defrosting is finished.

Le problème posé est donc de déterminer l'instant de fin de dégivrage afin d'arrêter l'opération de dégivrage.The problem is therefore to determine the end of defrosting time in order to stop the defrosting operation.

Une solution peut consister à détecter l'écoule­ment de l'eau dans le conduit d'évacuation par exemple à l'ai­de d'une mesure de résistance électrique entre deux électrodes tel que cela est décrit dans le document FR 2 609 789. Mais ces mesures sont erratiques et ne permettent pas un fonction­nement fiable permettant de déterminer correctement la fin du dégivrage.One solution may consist in detecting the flow of water in the evacuation duct for example using a measurement of electrical resistance between two electrodes as described in the document FR 2 609 789. However, these measurements are erratic and do not allow reliable operation to correctly determine the end of defrosting.

La solution au problème posé consiste selon l'in­vention en ce que le générateur de froid comprend un capteur de fin de dégivrage comprenant :
. un réservoir qui reçoit l'eau à évacuer, dans lequel plon­ge une des branches d'un siphon afin de vider le réservoir lorsque l'eau atteint le niveau requis pour amorcer le siphon, l'autre branche étant extérieure au réservoir,
. une barrière optique, comprenant un émetteur de lumière et un récepteur de lumière, disposée autour de l'autre branche du siphon de façon à ce que le faisceau lumineux de la barrière optique soit interrompu par le passage de l'eau dans ladite autre branche lorsque le dégivrage est en cours,
. et un circuit électrique, qui traite le signal électrique délivré par la barrière optique, détectant la fin de dégivrage lorsque le faisceau lumineux n'est plus interrompu pendant une durée prédéterminée afin de désactiver l'organe de dégivrage.The solution to the problem posed consists, according to the invention, in that the cold generator comprises an end-of-defrost sensor comprising:
. a reservoir which receives the water to be discharged, into which one of the branches of a siphon plunges in order to empty the reservoir when the water reaches the level required to initiate the siphon, the other branch being outside the reservoir,
. an optical barrier, comprising a light emitter and a light receiver, arranged around the other branch of the siphon so that the light beam of the optical barrier is interrupted by the passage of water in said other branch when defrosting is in progress,
. and an electrical circuit, which processes the electrical signal delivered by the optical barrier, detecting the end of defrosting when the light beam is no longer interrupted for a predetermined period in order to deactivate the defrosting member.

Lors du dégivrage du générateur de froid, la gla­ce se transforme en eau. Elle est évacuée par un tuyau à l'ar­rière du réfrigérateur et s'accumule dans un réservoir princi­pal placé au-dessus du groupe frigorifique. La chaleur dégagée par le groupe évapore l'eau évacuée.When the cold generator is defrosted, the ice turns into water. It is evacuated by a pipe at the back of the refrigerator and accumulates in a main tank placed above the refrigeration unit. The heat released by the group evaporates the evacuated water.

Selon l'invention, le capteur de fin de dégivrage peut être placé entre ce tuyau d'évacuation et le réservoir principal. L'eau coule par le tuyau d'évacuation dans le ré­servoir du capteur qui a une contenance par exemple de quel­ques centimètres-cube. Le réservoir du capteur est relié au réservoir principal par l'intermédiaire du siphon. Lors de l'opération de dégivrage, l'eau va s'écouler dans le réservoir du capteur et dès que le niveau est suffisant pour amorcer Le siphon, l'eau s'écoule brusquement dans le réservoir principal jusqu'à désamorcer le siphon.According to the invention, the end of defrost sensor can be placed between this drain pipe and the main tank. Water flows through the drain pipe into the sensor tank which has a capacity for example of a few cubic centimeters. The sensor tank is connected to the main tank via the siphon. During the defrosting operation, the water will flow into the sensor tank and as soon as the level is sufficient to prime the siphon, the water will suddenly flow into the main tank until the siphon is defused.

L'opération de dégivrage se caractérise donc par une succession de remplissage et de vidange du réservoir du capteur. Cette succession est détectée au niveau de la barrière optique par un signal qui active un monostable qui reste dans cet état pour un temps légèrement supérieur au temps séparant deux vidanges du réservoir du capteur. L'impulsion correspondant à la deuxième vidange sert à réenclencher le monostable pour un temps équivalent.The defrosting operation is therefore characterized by a succession of filling and emptying of the sensor tank. This succession is detected at the level of the optical barrier by a signal which activates a monostable which remains in this state for a time slightly greater than the time separating two emptying of the sensor tank. The pulse corresponding to the second drain is used to reset the monostable for an equivalent time.

A la fin du dégivrage, il n'y a plus suffisamment d'eau pour remplir à nouveau le réservoir du capteur. Par sui­te il n'y a plus de signaux délivrés par la barrière optique pour activer le monostable. Il revient alors à son état initial dès que son temps de basculement est terminé.At the end of defrosting, there is no longer enough water to refill the sensor tank. As a result there are no longer any signals delivered by the optical barrier to activate the monostable. It then returns to its initial state as soon as its switching time is over.

Pour initialiser le démarrage de l'opération de dégivrage, la bascule RS est activée sur son autre entrée par un signal qui peut provenir d'une horloge si des opérations de dégivrage sont programmées à l'avance. Il peut aussi provenir d'un capteur de givre qui détecte qu'une opération de dé­givrage doit être mise en oeuvre.To initialize the start of the defrosting operation, the RS flip-flop is activated on its other input by a signal which can come from a clock if defrosting operations are programmed in advance. It can also come from a frost sensor which detects that a defrosting operation must be carried out.

Ainsi le signal électrique de la barrière optique active à chaque amorçage du siphon un monostable qui active à son tour une des entrées d'une bascule RS pour que la sortie de la bascule RS mette en oeuvre l'opération de dégivrage, la période active T2 du monostable étant supérieure à la période de relaxation T1 du siphon, la bascule RS étant désactivée lorsque le monostable est lui-même désactivé, le démarrage du capteur de fin de dégivrage s'opérant en activant l'autre entrée de la bascule RS à l'aide soit d'une horloge soit d'un signal externe.Thus the electrical signal of the optical barrier activates each time the siphon is primed a monostable which in turn activates one of the inputs of a RS flip-flop so that the output of the RS flip-flop implements the defrosting operation, the active period T2 of the monostable being greater than the relaxation period T1 of the siphon, the flip-flop RS being deactivated when the monostable is itself deactivated, the start of the defrost end sensor operating by activating the other input of the flip-flop RS at l using either a clock or an external signal.

L'invention sera mieux comprise à l'aide des fi­gures suivantes données à titre d'exemples non limitatifs qui représentent :

  • figure 1 : un schéma représentant un générateur de froid mu­ni d'un capteur de fin de dégivrage.
  • figure 2 : un schéma représentant le réservoir, le siphon et la barrière optique du capteur de fin de dégivrage selon l'in­vention.
  • figure 3 : une représentation des signaux électriques déli­vrés par la barrière optique et par le monostable.
  • figure 4 : un schéma du circuit électrique du capteur.
The invention will be better understood using the following figures given by way of nonlimiting examples which represent:
  • Figure 1: a diagram representing a cold generator with a defrost end sensor.
  • Figure 2: a diagram showing the tank, the siphon and the optical barrier of the end of defrost sensor according to the invention.
  • Figure 3: a representation of the electrical signals delivered by the optical barrier and by the monostable.
  • Figure 4: a diagram of the electrical circuit of the sensor.

La figure 1 représente un schéma d'un générateur de froid 10 comprenant une cuve 11 dans laquelle un compres­seur 12 délivre du froid à un évaporateur 13. Le dégivrage de l'évaporateur peut être effectué à l'aide d'une résistance chauffante 33. Sous l'évaporateur 13 est placé le capteur 20 selon l'invention destiné à recevoir l'eau due à l'opération de dégivrage. Il est représenté sur la figure 2. Il comprend un siphon 21 dont une branche 23 plonge dans un petit réservoir 24 du capteur et dont l'autre branche 22 plonge dans le réservoir principal 25 qui est destiné à recevoir l'eau de dégivrage du générateur de froid. Le petit réservoir du capteur 24 reçoit son eau en provenance de l'évaporateur par le conduit 26. Autour de la branche 22 située à l'extérieur du petit réservoir 24, on a placé une barrière optique comprenant un émetteur de lumière 27 (par exemple une diode électroluminescente) et un récepteur de lumière 28 (par exemple un phototransistor). Lorsqu'au cours du dégivrage l'eau s'accumule dans le petit réservoir 24 jusqu'au niveau le plus haut du siphon, celui-ci s'amorce, ce qui provoque l'évacuation du petit réservoir 24. Le mécanisme se déroule de la même manière jusqu 'à ce que l'évaporateur soit totalement dégivré.FIG. 1 represents a diagram of a cold generator 10 comprising a tank 11 in which a compressor 12 delivers cold to an evaporator 13. The defrosting of the evaporator can be carried out using a heating resistor 33. Under the evaporator 13 is placed the sensor 20 according to the invention intended to receive the water due to the defrosting operation. It is shown in Figure 2. It includes a siphon 21, one branch 23 plunges into a small tank 24 of the sensor and the other branch 22 dips into the main tank 25 which is intended to receive the defrost water from the generator cold. The small reservoir of the sensor 24 receives its water from the evaporator via the conduit 26. Around the branch 22 located outside the small reservoir 24, an optical barrier has been placed comprising a light emitter 27 (for example a light emitting diode) and a light receiver 28 (for example a phototransistor). When during defrosting water accumulates in the small tank 24 up to the highest level of the siphon, the latter starts, which causes the evacuation of the small tank 24. The mechanism takes place from the same way until the evaporator is completely defrosted.

Au niveau de la barrière optique lorsque l'eau ne s'écoule pas, le détecteur reçoit un flux lumineux. Lorsque l'eau s'écoule, le flux lumineux est interrompu. Selon la constante de temps propre au siphon les interruptions du flux lumineux se feront espacées d'une période T1 (figure 3).At the optical barrier when the water does not flow, the detector receives a light flux. When the water flows, the light flow is interrupted. According to the time constant specific to the siphon, the interruptions of the luminous flux will be spaced by a period T1 (figure 3).

Pour détecter la fin du dégivrage c'est-à-dire la fin du cycle d'interruption et de passage du flux lumineux on utilise le circuit électrique représenté sur la figure 4.To detect the end of defrosting, that is to say the end of the cycle of interruption and passage of the light flux, the electrical circuit shown in FIG. 4 is used.

Il comprend le détecteur 28 dont le début du si­gnal qu'il détecte sert au réenclenchement d'un monostable 30. Celui-ci a une période propre T2 qui est supérieure à la période T1 comme cela est indiqué sur la figure 3. La sortie du monostable agit sur une entrée R d'une bascule RS 31 et rend active la sortie de la bascule 31 afin qu'elle mette en fonctionnement l'alimentation 32 de la résistance 33 qui sert à rechauffer l'évaporateur et à assurer le dégivrage.It includes the detector 28, the start of the signal it detects is used to reset a monostable 30. This has a natural period T2 which is greater than the period T1 as indicated in FIG. 3. The output of the monostable acts on an input R of a flip-flop RS 31 and activates the output of flip-flop 31 so that it activates the power supply 32 of the resistor 33 which is used to heat the evaporator and to ensure defrosting.

Tant que les cycles effectués par le siphon s'ef­fectuent, la résistance 33 est alimentée. Lorsque le dégivrage est terminé le monostable T2 n'est plus réenclenché et bascule pour désactiver l'alimentation de la résistance 33. Le cycle de dégivrage est terminé.As long as the cycles carried out by the siphon are carried out, the resistor 33 is supplied. When the defrosting is finished the monostable T2 is no longer reset and switches to deactivate the supply of the resistor 33. The defrosting cycle is finished.

Pour démarrer un cycle de dégivrage il suffit de réenclencher la bascule RS en agissant sur son autre entrée S. Ceci peut se faire par un dispositif 34 qui peut être une horloge programmée qui impose des cycles réguliers ou par un capteur de givre qui en mesurant l'épaisseur du givre détecte qu'une opération de dégivrage est à entreprendre.To start a defrosting cycle, simply reset the RS flip-flop by acting on its other input S. This can be done by a device 34 which can be a programmed clock which imposes regular cycles or by a frost sensor which by measuring the he thickness of the frost detects that a defrosting operation is to be undertaken.

Le capteur de fin de dégivrage selon l'invention peut être utilisé dans un réfrigérateur ou un congélateur ou toute machine destinée à produire du froid nécessitant des o­pérations de dégivrage.The end of defrost sensor according to the invention can be used in a fridge or freezer or any machine intended to produce cold requiring defrosting operations.

Claims (3)

1. Générateur de froid (10) du type réfrigérateur ou congélateur muni d'un organe de dégivrage des parties froides qui transforme la glace en eau à évacuer caractérisé en ce qu'il est muni d'un capteur (20) de fin de dégivrage compre­nant :
. un réservoir (24) qui reçoit l'eau à évacuer, dans lequel plonge une (23) des branches d'un siphon (21) afin de vider le réservoir (24) lorsque l'eau atteint le niveau requis pour a­morcer le siphon, l'autre branche (22) étant extérieure au ré­servoir,
. une barrière optique (27,28), comprenant un émetteur de lumière (27) et un récepteur de lumière (28), disposée autour de l'autre branche (22) du siphon de façon à ce que le faisceau lumineux de la barrière optique soit interrompu par le passage de l'eau dans ladite autre branche lorsque le dégi­vrage est en cours,
. et un circuit électrique (30,31,32), qui traite le signal électrique délivré par la barrière optique, détectant la fin de dégivrage lorsque le faisceau lumineux n'est plus interrom­pu pendant une durée prédéterminée afin de désactiver l'organe de dégivrage.1. Cold generator (10) of the refrigerator or freezer type provided with a defrosting member for the cold parts which transforms the ice into water to be drained, characterized in that it is provided with a sensor (20) for the end of defrosting including:
. a tank (24) which receives the water to be drained, into which one (23) of the branches of a siphon (21) plunges in order to empty the tank (24) when the water reaches the level required to prime the siphon, the other branch (22) being external to the tank,
. an optical barrier (27,28), comprising a light emitter (27) and a light receiver (28), arranged around the other branch (22) of the siphon so that the light beam from the optical barrier either interrupted by the passage of water in said other branch when defrosting is in progress,
. and an electrical circuit (30,31,32), which processes the electrical signal delivered by the optical barrier, detecting the end of defrosting when the light beam is no longer interrupted for a predetermined period in order to deactivate the defrosting member. 2. Générateur de froid selon la revendication 1 ca­ractérisé en ce que le signal électrique de la barrière opti­que active à chaque amorçage du siphon un monostable (30) qui active à son tour une des entrées d'une bascule RS (31) pour que la sortie de la bascule RS mette en oeuvre l'opération de dégivrage, la période active T2 du monostable étant supérieure à la période de relaxation T1 du siphon, la bascule RS étant désactivée lorsque le monostable est lui-même désactivé, le démarrage du capteur de dégivrage s'opérant en activant l'au­tre entrée de la bascule RS à l'aide soit d'une horloge soit d'un signal externe.2. Cold generator according to claim 1 characterized in that the electrical signal from the optical barrier activates each time the siphon is primed a monostable (30) which in turn activates one of the inputs of an RS flip-flop (31) so that the output of the RS flip-flop implements the defrosting operation, the active period T2 of the monostable being greater than the relaxation period T1 of the siphon, the RS flip-flop being deactivated when the monostable is itself deactivated, the sensor start-up defrost taking place by activating the other input of the RS flip-flop using either a clock or an external signal. 3. Générateur de froid selon la revendication 2 ca­ractérisé en ce que le signal externe est issu d'un capteur de givre.3. Cold generator according to claim 2 characterized in that the external signal comes from a frost sensor.
EP89203266A 1988-12-30 1989-12-20 Cold generator with an end-of-defrost sensor Expired - Lifetime EP0376389B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8817494 1988-12-30
FR8817494A FR2641368B1 (en) 1988-12-30 1988-12-30 COLD GENERATOR PROVIDED WITH A DEFROST END SENSOR

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0376389A1 true EP0376389A1 (en) 1990-07-04
EP0376389B1 EP0376389B1 (en) 1993-07-28

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ID=9373631

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP89203266A Expired - Lifetime EP0376389B1 (en) 1988-12-30 1989-12-20 Cold generator with an end-of-defrost sensor

Country Status (5)

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US (1) US4995244A (en)
EP (1) EP0376389B1 (en)
JP (1) JPH0293683U (en)
DE (1) DE68907877T2 (en)
FR (1) FR2641368B1 (en)

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WO2007031452A1 (en) * 2005-09-12 2007-03-22 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Refrigerator and a condensate evaporator therefor

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EP0522980A3 (en) * 1991-06-17 1993-04-14 Eastman Kodak Company Method and apparatus for thermally printing large images with small dye-donor patches
US5699677A (en) * 1996-11-07 1997-12-23 White Consolidated Industries, Inc. Compressor mounted drain pan utilizing polyurethane adhesive
US6321555B1 (en) * 1999-02-25 2001-11-27 I.R.C.A. S.P.A Industria Resistenze Defrosting device, in particular for refrigeration systems
AR027200A1 (en) * 2000-01-11 2003-03-19 Multibras Eletrodomesticos Sa INDICATOR DEVICE FOR ICE FORMATION IN COOLING EQUIPMENT
DE102011113477A1 (en) * 2011-05-03 2012-11-08 Liebherr-Hausgeräte Ochsenhausen GmbH Cooling and freezing appliance for cooling interior space, has unit for measuring property of defrosted water, and contact element, which is provided directly or indirectly with measuring unit
US10398076B1 (en) * 2018-03-23 2019-09-03 Cnh Industrial Canada, Ltd. Method and system for preventing plugging of an agricultural particulate material

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FR1517089A (en) * 1967-02-03 1968-03-15 Martin Usines Fonderie Arthur Improvements to defrosting devices for refrigerated cabinets
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FR2427563A1 (en) * 1978-05-30 1979-12-28 Gen Electric DEFROST CONTROL UNIT FOR TEMPERATURE CONDITIONING SYSTEM

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US2250945A (en) * 1938-10-21 1941-07-29 Hoover Co Refrigeration
US2525342A (en) * 1947-12-23 1950-10-10 Kramer Trenton Co Means for evacuating drip water from evaporating units of refrigerating equipment
US2886954A (en) * 1956-07-25 1959-05-19 Joseph R Batteiger Ice making apparatus
FR1517089A (en) * 1967-02-03 1968-03-15 Martin Usines Fonderie Arthur Improvements to defrosting devices for refrigerated cabinets
FR2253191A1 (en) * 1973-11-29 1975-06-27 Pierce Martin Safety switch for ice making machine - immersion electrode stops ice formation when ice slurry reduces flow
FR2427563A1 (en) * 1978-05-30 1979-12-28 Gen Electric DEFROST CONTROL UNIT FOR TEMPERATURE CONDITIONING SYSTEM

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007031452A1 (en) * 2005-09-12 2007-03-22 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Refrigerator and a condensate evaporator therefor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE68907877D1 (en) 1993-09-02
US4995244A (en) 1991-02-26
DE68907877T2 (en) 1994-01-13
EP0376389B1 (en) 1993-07-28
FR2641368B1 (en) 1991-03-15
JPH0293683U (en) 1990-07-25
FR2641368A1 (en) 1990-07-06

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