EP1120798B1 - Heizvorrichtung, insbesondere zum Abtauen von Gefrierfächern - Google Patents

Heizvorrichtung, insbesondere zum Abtauen von Gefrierfächern Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1120798B1
EP1120798B1 EP01830002A EP01830002A EP1120798B1 EP 1120798 B1 EP1120798 B1 EP 1120798B1 EP 01830002 A EP01830002 A EP 01830002A EP 01830002 A EP01830002 A EP 01830002A EP 1120798 B1 EP1120798 B1 EP 1120798B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
resistive elements
envelopes
envelope
electrically connected
pellicular
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
EP01830002A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1120798A3 (de
EP1120798A2 (de
Inventor
Valerio Bresolin
Daniele Ragazzon
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.)
ALPER Srl
Original Assignee
ALPER Srl
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ALPER Srl filed Critical ALPER Srl
Publication of EP1120798A2 publication Critical patent/EP1120798A2/de
Publication of EP1120798A3 publication Critical patent/EP1120798A3/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1120798B1 publication Critical patent/EP1120798B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B3/00—Ohmic-resistance heating
    • H05B3/02—Details
    • H05B3/04—Waterproof or air-tight seals for heaters
    • 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
    • F25D21/06—Removing frost
    • F25D21/08—Removing frost by electric heating
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01C—RESISTORS
    • H01C1/00—Details
    • H01C1/02—Housing; Enclosing; Embedding; Filling the housing or enclosure
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B3/00—Ohmic-resistance heating
    • H05B3/20—Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional plane, e.g. plate-heater
    • H05B3/22—Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional plane, e.g. plate-heater non-flexible
    • H05B3/28—Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional plane, e.g. plate-heater non-flexible heating conductor embedded in insulating material
    • H05B3/286—Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional plane, e.g. plate-heater non-flexible heating conductor embedded in insulating material the insulating material being an organic material, e.g. plastic
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B2203/00—Aspects relating to Ohmic resistive heating covered by group H05B3/00
    • H05B2203/02—Heaters using heating elements having a positive temperature coefficient

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns heating devices, in particular for the quick defrosting of freezer compartments or the like which comprise resistive elements to be connected to a source of electrical supply.
  • the freezer compartments are recptacles substantially of parallelepipedic form inside which cooling or evaporating coil are housed, and forming part of a cooling apparatus, to lower the inside temperature to the required values.
  • defrosting devices have been developed to allow the ice created to melt and usually to collect it in a tray located on the bottom of the freezer compartment.
  • a first example of the device is comprised of armoured resistances wich consist of electrical wires wound around a suitable support of insulating material, for example polyester, inserted inside protective sheathes in PVC (polyvinyl of chloride) in its turn inserted in metallic pipes. These resistances are housed in the walls of the freezer compartments near the cooling coil of the refrigerating apparatus. By connecting the armoured resistances to an electrical supply, the heat generated melts the ice and the water formed accumulates in the collecting tray.
  • PVC polyvinyl of chloride
  • pellicular resistive elements are utilized, that is not filiform elements but sheet-like elements, so as to cover in an optimum way the inside surface of the freezer compartment.
  • Pellicular resistive elements are described in the Italian utility model N. MI98U000773 filed on 27.11.1998.
  • Each element comprises a plurality of plastic sheets or laminae between which, by means of a felt-tip pen, printing or silk-screen process, a layer of resistive ink strips are deposited, these strips are connected by means of conductive tracks also achieved by the same depositing techniques.
  • the electrical connection between the conductive tracks of the different sheets is obtained by metallic elements which perforate the sheets.
  • the resistive ink has the electrical characteristics of the PTC type (positive temperature coefficient) in which, as the temperature increases, the value of the electrical resistance increases, so as to self-limit the intensity of the electrical current thus avoiding possible overheating.
  • the sheets are arranged in the hollow walls of the freezer compartment, together with the evaporating coil, and the whole apparatus is soaked by a foam layer which, solidifying, fills the wall of the freezer compartment.
  • the laminar structure is complex because it is made of several layers.
  • a second drawback is due to the fact that the sheets or the laminae which form the pellicular resistive elements have a unique electrical insulation which might be insufficient; moreover, in order to connect more sheets therebetween, metallic elements are utilized which perforate the sheets, further reducing the electrical insulation and introducing at the same time difficulties in constructing the device.
  • patent US 5,380,988 discloses a heated mat structure for melting ice and snow.
  • the mat structure is made of plural individual mats each of which is formed with laminae, namely starting from the lower side: a back support, a plastic layer, a heating lamina, another plastic layer and an upper surface layer. These elements are all structurally interconnected by a mechanical joiner on adjacent surface, as for example by adhension.
  • the heating lamina is further composed of an electrically resistive heating element embedded in and covered by a plastic matrix.
  • the aim of the invention is to obtain a device in which the drawbacks cited with reference to the above-described prior art are eliminated.
  • a device of the initially indicated type that is a defrosting device for freezer compartments comprising pellicular resistive elements electrically connected therebetween, said pellicular resistive elements are contained in close envelopes of electrically insulating material, each envelope containing one or more pellicular resistive elements electrically connected therebetween, said resistive elements of each envelope are electrically connected with resistive elements of at least one of the other envelopes and the resistive elements of at least one said enevelope are connected with supply electric wires thus maintaning the resistive elements contained in said at least one envelope electrically insulated, characterized in that each envelope comprises a covered lower and upper sheet, each of them having a perimetrical edge, said sheets being joined for at least a part of their perimetrical edge thus defining an open side, the edges of the open side being joined with the edges of the open side of other envelopes so as to seal said resistive elements inside said envelopes, thus allowing only the passage to the outside of said electrical supply wires.
  • the resitive elements do not necessitate to be covered with layers of insulating material, but it is sufficient to arrange only one support layer on which the resistive ink has to be depositated.
  • the insulation is achieved after by means of the envelope in which the resistive elements are placed in, envelopes which are obtained with electrically insulating material, therefore the resistive elements are perfectly insulated.
  • the envelopes are sealed making them perfectly water-tight, so that the device is waterproof thus eliminating the risk that water might infiltrate damaging the pellicular resistive elements contained in the envelopes.
  • the sheet 10 of the device 12 comprises an envelope 14 formed by a lower sheet 13 and an upper sheet 15 both made of electrically insulating material, as for example polyester. Inside the envelope 14 pellicular resistive elements 16a, 16b of the PTF type (polymer thick film) are contained.
  • the pellicular resistive elements 16a,16b are formed by a lower layer of insulating material 18 which represents the support on which, by depositing techniques, resistive ink 20 is applied which optionally, as indicated in figure 4, is covered by a covered upper layer 22 of insulating material.
  • the insulating material used in the lower layer of the support 18 and in the covered upper layer 22 is usually of plastic material, for example polyester or material containing aramidic fibers or similar to those known by the "kevlar” or "kapton” trademark.
  • the resistive ink layer 20 is laid down in strips and preferably has characteristics of PTC type (positive temperature coefficient) whereby as the temperature increases, the electric resistance value increases thus self-limiting the current intensity avoiding dangerous overheating.
  • the resistive ink layer 20 is composed of a mixture of conductive solid particles and a synthetic resin dispersed in a solvent.
  • the conductive particles are made of carbon powder of the type usually known as "carbon black" which may be combined with other conductive materials, in particular metallic elements.
  • the synthetic resin, made of a polymer is chosen among plastic-fluorines, polyolefines or others on the basis of acetates, metacrilati, etc.
  • the solvent, in which the mixture of solid particles is dispersed is chosen among the chlorinated hydrocarbon, the esters, the ethers, the esters-ethers or a mixture of the like.
  • the envelope 14 has a window 24, that is a cavity which is useful because, when considering that the envelope 14 is interposed between the inside walls of the freezer compartment 11 and the evaporating coil, it facilitates the heat transmission from the evaporating coil to the inside of freezer compartment 11.
  • the resistive elements 16a,b are electrically connected therebetween by means of connecting electric wires 40 or conductive tracks in the case the lower support layer 18 is extented between the two resistive elements 16a,16b.
  • the electric wires or conductive tracks 40 which are connected therebetween, come out from the envelope 14 by an electric wire or conductive track 42 (in the case the lower support layer 18 comes out form the envelope 14) in order to be connected with an electric wire or conductive track of the sheet 100, as better illustrated in the following.
  • the lower sheet 13 and the upper sheet 15 have respectively an outside perimetrical edge composed of the lower sides 13b and 15b, the lateral sides 13a,13c and 15a,15c and the upper sides 13d and 15d and an inside perimetrical edge 26.
  • the sides 13a,c of the lower sheet 13 have a length lower than those of the sides 15a,c of the upper sheet 15.
  • the lower sheet 13 and the upper sheet 15 are overimposed on each other, with the pellicular elements 16a,16b interposed between them and the side 13b which corresponds with the side 15b, after which the sheets are joined to each other by means of welding done by radio frequency or hot welding at the sides 13a,b,c and 15a,b,c of the outside perimetrical edge, defining a soldering seam 28.
  • the lower sheet 13 and upper sheet 15 are joined also at the inside perimetrical edge 26 thus defining the envelope 14 opened on the upper side 15d and with the window 24, as illustrated in figure 7.
  • the soldering seam 28 may involve only the partial sides 15a,15c of the upper sheet 15 before reaching the upper side 15d, as indicated in figure 7.
  • Figures 8A, 8B, 8C and 8D represent the sequence by means of which the envelope 14 of the sheet 10 is joined with the envelope 114 of the sheet 100, wherein the elements of the sheet 100 corresponding to the elements of the sheet 10 are indicated with the same numeric reference plus 100. As indicated in figures 8A and 8B, the sheets 10 and 100 are overimposed so that the upper sheet 15 of the sheet 10 is in front of the upper sheet 115 of the sheet 100.
  • soldering seam 32 which involves also a part of sides 13a and 113a and a part of sides 13c and 113c of sheets 10 and 100 until reaching the soldering seam 28 so as to close the envelopes 14,114 and completely seal the pellicular resistive elements 16 contained inside the envelopes 14 and 114, whereas the electric wire 44 of the electric supply comes out of the envelopes 14 and 114.
  • the portions of the sheets 13 and 113 which cover the electric wire 44 are joined around the electric wire 44 by means of a soldering seam 34.
  • the same system used to join the sheet 10 to the sheet 100 is used to join therebetween all the other sheets 200,300,400 in order to finally obtain the device 12.

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)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Resistance Heating (AREA)
  • Defrosting Systems (AREA)
  • Refrigerator Housings (AREA)
  • Surface Heating Bodies (AREA)

Claims (12)

  1. Heizvorrichtung, insbesondere zum Abtauen von Gefrierfächern, umfassend pellikulare Widerstandselemente (16a, 16b), die elektrisch miteinander verbunden sind, wobei die pellikularen Widerstandselemente (16a, 16b) in geschlossenen Hüllen (14) aus elektrisch isolierendem Material enthalten sind, wobei jede Hülle (14) ein oder mehrere pellikulare Widerstandselemente (16a, 16), die elektrisch miteinander verbunden sind, enthält, wobei die Widerstandselemente (16) jeder Hülle (14) elektrisch mit Widerstandselementen zumindest einer anderen Hülle derart verbunden sind, um die in den Hüllen (14) enthaltenen Widerstandselemente (16) elektrisch isoliert und wasserdicht zu halten, und die Widerstandselemente zumindest einer Hülle sind mit elektrischen Zufuhrdrähten (44) verbunden, wodurch die in der mindestens einen Hülle (14) enthaltenen Widerstandselemente (16) elektrisch isoliert gehalten werden,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass jede Hülle (14) ein bedecktes unteres (13) und ein bedecktes oberes (15) Blatt aufweist, die jeweils einen Umfangsrand besitzen, wobei das untere und das obere Blatt (13, 15) an zumindest einem Teil ihres Umfangsrandes (13a, b, c, 15a, b, c) verbunden sind, wodurch eine offene Seite (13d, 15d) definiert wird, wobei die Ränder der offenen Seite (13d, 15d) mit den Rändern der offenen Seite der anderen Hüllen (114) derart verbunden sind, um die Hüllen (14, 114) zu schließen und die Widerstandselemente (16a, b) innerhalb der Hüllen (14, 114) abzudichten, wodurch nur der Durchgang der elektrischen Zufuhrdrähte (44) nach außen ermöglicht wird.
  2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das untere und das obere Blatt (13, 15) jeder Hülle (14) entlang des Umfangsrandes (13a, b, c, d, 15a, b, c, d) mittels Heißschweißens verbunden sind.
  3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Heißschweißen ein Radiofrequenzschweißen ist.
  4. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das untere und das obere Blatt (13, 15) jeder Hülle (14) entlang des Umfangsrandes (13a, b, c, d, 15a, b, c, d) mittels Klebens verbunden sind.
  5. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Hüllen (14) Fenster (24) aufweisen.
  6. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Widerstandselemente (16) der Hüllen (14) elektrisch mittels elektrischer Verbindungsdrähte (40, 42) verbunden sind.
  7. Vorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Widerstandselemente (16) der Hülle (14) elektrisch miteinander mittels von leitenden Pfaden (40, 42) verbunden sind, die elektrisch miteinander durch Metallclips oder Brücken verbunden sind.
  8. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Hüllen (14) aus thermoplastischem Material hergestellt sind.
  9. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das thermoplastische Material Polyvinylchlorid (PVC) ist.
  10. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die pellikularen Widerstandselemente (16) vom Typ "Polymer thick film" (PTF) sind.
  11. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Widerstandselemente (16) vom Typ "positive temperature coefficient" (PTC - positiver Temperaturkoeffizient) sind.
  12. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Hüllen (14) fünf an der Zahl sind, sodass wenn sie um 90° zueinander gefaltet werden, eine Würfelstruktur (10, 200, 300, 400) mit fünf Oberflächen entsprechend den Wänden (11a, b, c, d, e, f) des Gefrierfaches (11), in welchem die Vorrichtung eingebaut ist, bilden.
EP01830002A 2000-01-27 2001-01-05 Heizvorrichtung, insbesondere zum Abtauen von Gefrierfächern Expired - Lifetime EP1120798B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT2000VE000002U ITVE20000002U1 (it) 2000-01-27 2000-01-27 Dispositivo riscaldante in particolare per lo scongelamento di celle frigorifere.
ITVE000002 2000-01-27

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1120798A2 EP1120798A2 (de) 2001-08-01
EP1120798A3 EP1120798A3 (de) 2002-07-10
EP1120798B1 true EP1120798B1 (de) 2004-08-11

Family

ID=11460957

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP01830002A Expired - Lifetime EP1120798B1 (de) 2000-01-27 2001-01-05 Heizvorrichtung, insbesondere zum Abtauen von Gefrierfächern

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1120798B1 (de)
AT (1) ATE273555T1 (de)
DE (1) DE60104734T2 (de)
ES (1) ES2225457T3 (de)
IT (1) ITVE20000002U1 (de)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR100664051B1 (ko) * 2003-04-08 2007-01-03 엘지전자 주식회사 열교환기의 제상장치

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2263658A1 (en) * 1974-03-04 1975-10-03 Brochier & Fils Heater panel is of heat resistant woven fabric having carbon yarns - in weft or warp direction and connected to electrical supply
DE2427753A1 (de) * 1974-06-08 1975-12-18 Gnp Ges Fuer Neue Industriepro Defroster
JPH0616442B2 (ja) * 1988-04-06 1994-03-02 株式会社村田製作所 有機正特性サーミスタ
US5380988A (en) * 1992-04-29 1995-01-10 Dyer; C. William Heated mat structure for melting ice and snow

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1120798A3 (de) 2002-07-10
ATE273555T1 (de) 2004-08-15
ES2225457T3 (es) 2005-03-16
EP1120798A2 (de) 2001-08-01
DE60104734D1 (de) 2004-09-16
DE60104734T2 (de) 2005-01-27
ITVE20000002U1 (it) 2001-07-27

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