EP0545246B1 - Improved refrigeration appliance such as a domestic refrigerator, freezer or the like, with a vacuum compartment - Google Patents

Improved refrigeration appliance such as a domestic refrigerator, freezer or the like, with a vacuum compartment Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0545246B1
EP0545246B1 EP92120060A EP92120060A EP0545246B1 EP 0545246 B1 EP0545246 B1 EP 0545246B1 EP 92120060 A EP92120060 A EP 92120060A EP 92120060 A EP92120060 A EP 92120060A EP 0545246 B1 EP0545246 B1 EP 0545246B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
box member
compartment
refrigeration appliance
box
door
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP92120060A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0545246A3 (en
EP0545246A2 (en
Inventor
Franco Germi
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 Europe BV
Original Assignee
Whirlpool Europe BV
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Whirlpool Europe BV filed Critical Whirlpool Europe BV
Publication of EP0545246A2 publication Critical patent/EP0545246A2/en
Publication of EP0545246A3 publication Critical patent/EP0545246A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0545246B1 publication Critical patent/EP0545246B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • F25D17/00—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces
    • F25D17/04—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection
    • F25D17/042—Air treating means within refrigerated spaces
    • 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
    • F25D2317/00—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • F25D2317/04—Treating air flowing to refrigeration compartments
    • F25D2317/043—Treating air flowing to refrigeration compartments by creating a vacuum in a storage compartment
    • 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
    • F25D2400/00—General features of, or devices for refrigerators, cold rooms, ice-boxes, or for cooling or freezing apparatus not covered by any other subclass
    • F25D2400/16—Convertible refrigerators

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a refrigeration appliance as stated in the first part of the attached claim 1.
  • a refrigerator of the stated type is disclosed by EP-A-440 296, in which the box member is closed by an upper lid.
  • Refrigeration appliances such as refrigerators, of the stated type in which vacuum is generally generated within the entire compartment or in a box member provided with its own lid or closure element have been known for some time.
  • this seepage is prevented by locating a box member with its own lid inside the compartment.
  • this method is more costly than the first and comprises means, often not of simple construction, for opening the lid when the compartment door opens.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigeration appliance of the aforestated type which is of simple construction and low cost.
  • a further object is to provide a refrigeration appliance of the aforesaid type in which vacuum is reliably obtained in a compartment thereof.
  • a further object is to provide a refrigeration appliance of the aforesaid type in which by opening said compartment the vacuum therein is automatically broken, said opening being achieved without requiring particular force by the user.
  • an upright refrigerator is indicated overall by 1 and comprises a cabinet 2 insulated with a usual insulating material (such as polyurethane) 3 and comprising three compartments 4, 5, 6. These compartments have their own access apertures 4A, 5A, 6A closed by corresponding doors 7, 8 and 9; said compartments are specifically a usual freezer compartment 4, a refrigeration or preserving compartment 6 and a convertible compartment 5 able to be used at variable but controlled temperature, for example close to 0°C or to the temperature of a freezer compartment (-18°C).
  • a usual insulating material such as polyurethane
  • a pipe 10 connected to a usual pumping member (not shown) for creating vacuum.
  • the pipe 10 is associated with a deformable member or sucker 11 arranged to cooperate with a box member 13 removably contained in the compartment 5.
  • the box member 13 constructed of a mechanically strong material (such as metal), comprises side walls 14, a rear wall 15, a top 16 and a base or lower part 17.
  • the rear wall 15 comprises a through hole 18 to connect the interior cavity 20 of the box member 13 to the sucker 11 and hence to the pipe 10.
  • Said cavity is open on that side 22 thereof where the door 8 is provided.
  • the box member 13 comprises, externally on its side walls 14, wheels 25 (such as ball bearings or wheels of anti-friction material) movable within guides 26 associated with side walls 27 of the compartment 5. Said movement is limited by bosses 30 provided on the roof 31 and/or on the bottom 32 of the compartment 5, and with which corresponding axially movable elements 33 cooperate against the action of a spring 35.
  • wheels 25 such as ball bearings or wheels of anti-friction material
  • each element 33 comprises a substantially annular body 36 having a cavity 34 containing a substantially T-shaped pin 37.
  • the head 38 of this latter cooperates with an annular edge projecting into the cavity 34.
  • the pin is fixed in known manner to the outside of the top 16 of the box member 13, the spring being mounted about it to cooperate with said top and with the body 36.
  • the box member 13 supports guides 40 within which there slide wheels 41 (wheels of anti-friction material or ball bearings) of a usual basket 42 contained advantageously removably in the box member 13.
  • the basket 42 is rigid with that side 43 of the door 8 which faces the open side 22 of the cavity 20 and is arranged to seal this latter.
  • a member 45 of a material of high mechanical strength comprising an end edge 46 arranged to cooperate via a seal member 47, maintaining vacuum in the box member 13, with a flanged edge 49 of this latter arranged in a relative seat 50 provided in a position corresponding with the compartment 5.
  • one of said edges 46 cooperates with a microswitch 51 positioned to correspond with the flanged edge 49 of the box member 13 and connected to a usual control circuit (not shown) for the pumping member.
  • the door 8 (formed in the usual manner with a plastic structure 53 into which polyurethane or another insulating material 54 is injected and with which the member 45 is rigid) carries usual magnetic gaskets 57 ensuring the thermal seal of the compartment.
  • the door 8 is pulled to separate it from the cabinet 2.
  • the box member 13 is returned into contact with the sucker 11 and the microswitches 51 close. In this manner, if the operating pushbutton for the pumping member is again pushed, the pumping member immediately operates to create vacuum in the box member 13 to help to hermetically seal the door 8 against the cabinet 2.
  • the box member 13 can be extracted from the compartment 5, for example for cleaning. To achieve this, the box member has to be pulled directly with the door open, to overcome the resistance of the springs 35 against which the elements 33 move.
  • the microswitch 51 is positioned on the rear wall 5K of the compartment 5 (as shown by dashed lines in Figure 2 and indicated by 51K). It cooperates with the box member 13 on opening and closure of the door with resultant movement of the box member 13 along the guides 26.
  • a fixed stop 5H (indicated by dashed lines in Figure 2) is associated with the rear wall 5K of the compartment 5, and against which the box member 13 halts when the door 8 is opened.
  • the bosses 30 and elements 33 can be omitted.

Landscapes

  • 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)
  • Refrigerator Housings (AREA)
  • Cold Air Circulating Systems And Constructional Details In Refrigerators (AREA)
  • Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
EP92120060A 1991-12-03 1992-11-25 Improved refrigeration appliance such as a domestic refrigerator, freezer or the like, with a vacuum compartment Expired - Lifetime EP0545246B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITMI913233 1991-12-03
ITMI913233A IT1252155B (it) 1991-12-03 1991-12-03 Refrigeratore perfezionato, per esempio un frigorifero domestico, un congelatore o similare, con scomparto sottovuoto

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0545246A2 EP0545246A2 (en) 1993-06-09
EP0545246A3 EP0545246A3 (en) 1993-07-07
EP0545246B1 true EP0545246B1 (en) 1996-11-06

Family

ID=11361242

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP92120060A Expired - Lifetime EP0545246B1 (en) 1991-12-03 1992-11-25 Improved refrigeration appliance such as a domestic refrigerator, freezer or the like, with a vacuum compartment

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0545246B1 (it)
DE (1) DE69215061T2 (it)
ES (1) ES2097855T3 (it)
IT (1) IT1252155B (it)

Families Citing this family (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19931920A1 (de) * 1999-07-08 2001-01-18 Alois Scheidter Kühlschrank
EP1415116A1 (en) * 2001-08-01 2004-05-06 Jimpa, Inc. Appliance having shelving
US7325409B2 (en) 2004-03-24 2008-02-05 Espinosa Edward P Vacuum storage apparatus with sliding drawers
GB2414065B (en) * 2004-05-13 2007-08-22 Cambridge Consultants Vacuum storage compartment construction in cooling apparatus
GB2415766B (en) * 2004-07-02 2007-04-11 Cambridge Consultants Vacuum storage compartment construction in a cooling apparatus body
ITMC20090084A1 (it) * 2009-04-17 2010-10-18 Tarcisio Senzacqua Apparecchiatura per la conservazione sottovuoto degli alimenti in ambiente domestico.
DE102009046766A1 (de) * 2009-11-17 2011-06-30 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH, 81739 Kältegerät mit einem evakuierbaren Schubfach
BRPI0905051B1 (pt) 2009-12-14 2020-09-15 Electrolux Do Brasil S.A Suporte organizador para refrigeradores
CN203231607U (zh) * 2012-12-20 2013-10-09 博西华电器（江苏）有限公司 具有真空系统的冰箱
EP3109579B1 (de) * 2015-06-26 2019-03-13 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Kältegerät mit drucksensor
DE102015215487A1 (de) 2015-06-26 2016-12-29 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Kältegerät mit Drucksensor
US11104502B2 (en) 2016-03-01 2021-08-31 Jeffrey S. Melcher Multi-function compact appliance and methods for a food or item in a container with a container storage technology
US10747968B2 (en) 2017-11-22 2020-08-18 Jeffrey S. Melcher Wireless device and selective user control and management of a wireless device and data

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2550040A (en) * 1946-08-08 1951-04-24 Clar Mottel Selectively evacuated temperature regulated container
US3680941A (en) * 1971-02-17 1972-08-01 Sears Roebuck & Co Food storage compartment for refrigerator
IT1230958B (it) * 1989-06-30 1991-11-08 Eurodomestici Ind Riunite Frigorifero, congelatore o similare con contenitore amovibile in cui e' realizzato il vuoto.
IT1238452B (it) * 1990-02-01 1993-08-18 Eurodomestici Ind Riunite Frigorifero, congelatore o similare con contenitore amovibile in cui e' realizzato il vuoto a chiusura ed apertura automatica

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69215061D1 (de) 1996-12-12
DE69215061T2 (de) 1997-04-30
EP0545246A3 (en) 1993-07-07
ITMI913233A1 (it) 1993-06-03
ITMI913233A0 (it) 1991-12-03
ES2097855T3 (es) 1997-04-16
EP0545246A2 (en) 1993-06-09
IT1252155B (it) 1995-06-05

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