EP1882141A1

EP1882141A1 - Modular refrigeration device

Info

Publication number: EP1882141A1
Application number: EP06725364A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Irena Sonnenfroh; Jörg STELZER
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2005-05-10
Filing date: 2006-03-28
Publication date: 2008-01-30
Also published as: CN101171486B; CN101171486A; US8511766B2; WO2006120064A1; US20090038335A1; DE102005021555A1; RU2393395C2; RU2007136019A

Abstract

A refrigeration device comprises a housing enclosing an interior and at least one housing part which are interlinked to give a single unit. A sealing profile (7) is arranged in the form of a frame-type structure between surfaces (12) of the walls (5, 6) of the housing facing each other. The sealing profile consists of a compressible foam strand (17) that is provided with a diffusion-inhibiting membrane (10, 18) extending between the surfaces.

Description

Modular refrigeration device

The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a modular structure in which a housing having an interior and at least one housing part are connected to form a unit. Known refrigeration devices of this type are the so-called side-by-side devices, in which a cooling part and a freezer part each have autonomous housings arranged side by side. Between the mutually facing side walls of these housing exists a narrow air gap, which, since it is hardly heated by heat flow from the environment, can easily reach temperatures in the operation of the device, in which moisture condenses from the penetrating into the gap air.

In order to prevent condensation of moisture in the gap, it was first proposed to heat the gap. However, this solution is extremely unsatisfactory because it makes the power consumption of the combined refrigeration device higher than that of two independent, spaced-apart devices. To remedy this disadvantage, it has been proposed in DE 20209516 U1 to seal the gap between two housing parts by means of a seal airtight. As a seal, any plastic or rubber or other material with a suitable sealing effect is recommended; Silicone is mentioned as an example.

However, practical experience shows that it is difficult to keep moisture permanently out of the gap with such a sealing profile. On the one hand by the technique with which the refrigeration device housings are manufactured and often cause the slightly curved outer surfaces of the housing parts, and on the other hand because of the difficulty to set up the two housing parts so that they are exactly parallel their facing wall surfaces and even during remain throughout the life of the device, it is very difficult with the conventional seals to ensure satisfactory tightness over the entire circumferential length of the facing walls permanently.

The object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator with a housing having an interior and at least one housing part, which is connected to this housing to form a unit, in which a gap between each other facing surfaces of the housing and the housing part is permanently protected from the ingress of moisture.

The invention solves the problem by means of a frame-shaped sealing profile of a provided with a diffusion-inhibiting membrane compressible foam strand, which is mounted between the mutually facing surfaces of the housing and the housing part. Unlike the known solid seal, the foam strip does not have to prevent the passage of moisture, but it is without difficulty possible to compress it to a small fraction of the thickness that it has in the relaxed state, and so with him the gap be filled throughout its entire width, even if the gap between the facing surfaces at its widest point is many times wider than at its narrowest. The object of preventing the passage of moisture and which the foam is unable to satisfy satisfactorily, especially when open-pored, is perceived by the diffusion-inhibiting membrane extending between the surfaces.

In order to ensure a tight connection of the membrane to the surfaces of the housing and the housing part, it is preferably arranged on each of a part of its width to the latter fitting.

This is particularly easy to ensure when the membrane is attached to the surface of the foam strand.

A simple and inexpensive way to obtain the sealing profile is, one coated with adhesive on one side and the membrane on the other side

Fold foam strip longitudinally so that the adhesive comes to rest inside the sealing profile and holds the folded strip in shape. Such a strip can be obtained in a particularly simple manner by the membrane over its entire surface on a

Foam plate attached or by a starting material of the foam is applied to the membrane and allowed to expand on this, and by cutting the resulting composite into strips of the required width. According to another embodiment, the membrane forms a tube surrounding the foam strand. In this embodiment, it is not absolutely necessary that the membrane and the foam strand are materially connected to each other.

The tube is preferably formed by connecting the longitudinal edges of at least one membrane strip to each other. Conveniently, the connection of the longitudinal edges is made with each other including the foam strand.

In order to obtain a high diffusion barrier effect, a membrane containing a layer of metal, especially aluminum, may be used. Preferably, this is a plastic-metal composite film.

A preferred plastic for the membrane due to its high moisture barrier effect is polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE).

The sealing profile is preferably glued to at least one of the surfaces of the housing or the housing part, preferably by means of a two-sided adhesive tape. So it is possible to attach the sealing profile to the one surface, before the housing and the housing part are mounted together.

It is also useful to bond the sealing profile to the mutually facing surfaces of both the housing and the housing part. Thus, the tightness can also be maintained if the width of the gap, for example, because the ground warps on which the device is placed, is slightly larger than that of the sealing profile in the relaxed state.

The housing part may be a second housing having an inner space or else merely an insulating plate supplementing the insulation of the first housing.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it: Fig. 1 is a perspective exploded view of two

Housing parts of a refrigerator with a frame-shaped sealing profile arranged between them according to the present invention;

2 shows a section through the sealing profile and adjacent housing walls according to the first embodiment of the invention.

3 shows a cross section through a sealing profile according to a second embodiment of the invention.

4 shows a section through the sealing profile according to a third embodiment;

5 shows a section through the sealing profile and adjacent housing walls according to a fourth embodiment;

Fig. 6 shows a section analogous to FIG. 5 according to a development of the fourth

design;

Fig. 7 shows a fifth embodiment of the sealing profile and adjacent

Housing walls in section; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective exploded view of a refrigerator with two housings and to be placed on the side walls of the housing

Insulation.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective exploded view of a refrigerator with two housings 1, 2, each having a cooled interior 3. The hinged on the side walls 4 facing away from each other of the housing 1, 2 doors are not shown for simplicity. Of the two mutually facing side walls 5, 6 of the housing 1, 2 is one, here the side wall 5, provided with a rectangular frame forming a sealing profile 7. The elastically compressible sealing profile 7 is provided in order to close a free space 8 surrounded by it between the two side walls 5, 6 in an air-tight and moisture-tight manner when the two housings 1, 2 are placed against one another. Since the temperature gradient between the two interior spaces 3 over the side walls 5, 6 away is significantly smaller than from the interior spaces 3 via one of the side walls 4 to the outside, the side walls 5, 6 can be made significantly thinner than the side walls 4.

Fig. 2 shows a section through the sealing profile 7 and adjacent portions of the side walls 5, 6 according to a first embodiment of the invention. The sealing profile 7 is formed by a foam strand 9, which is arranged between two strips 10, 11 of a diffusion-inhibiting film. The film strips 10, 11 are wider than the foam strand 9, and over the foam strand 9 laterally projecting edge zones of the film strips are each folded and adhered to the lateral edges of the foam strand 9 adjacent to each other so as to tightly enclose the foam strand 9. The film may be e.g. is a sheet of polychlorotrifluoroethylene of 100μm in thickness, which has excellent moisture barrier properties, or a plastic-metal composite foil, especially with an aluminum layer.

The foam strand 9 is compressed between the mutually facing side walls 5, 6, so that the foil strips 10, 11 in each case over the entire width of the sealing profile 7 away tight against the outer skin 12 of the side wall 5 and 6 respectively.

In each case behind the fixed outer skin 12 made of sheet metal or plastic, a piece of insulating foam filling 13 of the side wall 5 and 6 is shown.

The moisture damping effect of an adhesive layer 14, which holds together the edge regions of the film strips 10, 11, may be less than that of the film itself. Since the adhesive layer 14 has to be penetrated in the width direction, the amount of moisture that penetrates through the free space 8 is nevertheless negligible.

Fig. 3 shows in a section a second embodiment of the sealing profile 7. The foam strand 9 and the film strips 10, 11 are the same as in the embodiment of Fig. 2, with the difference that in Fig. 3 over the foam strand 9 protruding Edges of the strips 10, 11 not overlapping are glued, but only pressed from two sides clamped against each other and welded. Since the width of the weld 15 can be made much larger than the thickness of the film, a sufficient diffusion tightness of the weld 15 is to ensure without difficulty.

Instead of welding the film edges, of course, in this embodiment, a connection could be provided by an adhesive layer.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, a single film strip 16 is provided, which is wrapped around the foam strand 9 and whose edges are connected to one another at a narrow side of the foam strand 9 by a weld 15. This narrow side preferably forms each of the free space 8 facing side of the sealing profile. 7

A particularly easy-to-implement embodiment of the sealing profile is shown in Fig. 5. Here, a foam strand 17 is used, which is originally twice as wide but only half as thick as the strand 9 of the previously considered embodiments and which is provided on one side over its entire surface and material fit with a film 18 acting as a diffusion barrier. Material and construction of the film may be the same as in the strips 10, 11, 16 of the previous embodiments.

One of the film 18 opposite surface of the foam strand 17 is provided with an adhesive layer 19, and then the strand 17 is folded longitudinally, the adhesive layer 19 inside and the film 18 comes to lie outside. Thus, the sealing profile 7 shown in Fig. 5 is obtained.

The adhesive layer 19 may be a painted or sprayed on liquid adhesive; Preferably, it is formed by a double-sided adhesive tape, which is applied to half the width of the foam strand 17.

According to an advantageous further development shown in FIG. 6, the double-sided adhesive tape 20 shown in FIG. 20 is attached to the foam strand 17 prior to longitudinal folding over one of its longitudinal edges 21, 22, and after the longitudinal folding of the foam strand 17, the projecting region of the Adhesive tape 20 folded around the longitudinal edge 21 around, so that a part of it on the outside of the film 18, this covering on a part of the sidewall 5 facing width, comes to rest. With the help of this outer portion of the adhesive tape 20, the sealing profile 7 can be mounted directly on the side wall 5.

A further embodiment of the sealing profile 7 is shown in Fig. 7. As in the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3, again a foam strand 9 is sheathed in two strips 10, 11 of a diffusion-inhibiting foil. However, here overlap the two strips 10, 11 respectively between the strand 9 and the adjacent side walls 5 and 6, and the strip 10 is turned to the outside, while the other 11 faces the space 8.

The film strips 10, 11 are joined at their two edges by strips 14 of double-sided adhesive tape which extend beyond the edges of the strip 10 onto the outer surface of the strip 11, between them and the side walls 5 and 6, respectively, and adhere thereto. The adhesive tape strips 14 maintain a tight contact between the film and the walls 5, 6 even if, over time, the gap between the walls 5, 6 should be slightly wider than the thickness of the sealing profile in the uncompressed state.

Of course, the profiles 7 of Figures 2 to 6 could also be applied to both surfaces contacting the walls 5 and 6 with an adhesive layer, whether in the form of a two-sided adhesive tape or e.g. As applied liquid adhesive, be provided to allow adhesion to the walls 5, 6 even in the uncompressed state.

Fig. 8 shows an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a refrigeration device to which the present invention is applicable. As in the case of Fig. 1, the refrigerator on two housings 23, 24, each enclosing an interior, however, each of the housing 23, 24 has two equally strong side walls 25, 26. From the mutually facing side walls 25 of the housing 23, 24th is one provided with a sealing profile 7 according to one of the embodiments described above. The thickness of the side walls 25, 26 is measured based on the between the interiors of the housing 23, 24 required insulation effect. It therefore does not ensure sufficient insulation against room temperature at the side walls 26 facing away from the housing 23, 24. In addition, therefore, additional insulation plates 27 are each provided for mounting on an exposed outside of the side walls 26 facing away from each other.

Between each insulating plate 27 and one of these facing side wall 26 of the housing 23, 24 is also a frame-shaped sealing profile 7 is mounted according to one of the embodiments described above.

The right-left symmetry of the housings 23, 24 gives the manufacturer as well as the user a high degree of freedom to assemble different types of devices from a small number of modular components. So it is e.g. possible to equip the housing 23 on both sides with insulating plates 27, so as to obtain a single refrigerator with adapted for operation as a cooling device all-round wall thickness, the housing 24 on both sides with insulation plates 27 equip to receive a customized for operation as a freezer wall thickness, or in a combination device such as shown in Fig. 7, the places of the housing 23, 24 and the position of the door stop on the housing 23 and 24 to exchange.

Claims

claims

A refrigerator having a housing (1; 2; 23; 24) having an interior space (3) and at least one housing part (2; 1; 24; 23; 27) connected in a unit, characterized in that between each other facing

A sealing profile (7) of a with an extending between the surfaces of diffusion-inhibiting membrane (10, 11, 16, 24) and the housing part (2; 1, 24, 23, 27) attached compressible foam strand (9; 17) is attached.

2. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the diffusion-inhibiting membrane (10, 11, 16, 18) on the surfaces (12) of the housing (1, 2, 23, 24) and the housing part (2, 1, 24; 23, 27).

3. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the membrane

(10, 11, 16, 18) is attached to the surface of the foam strand (9; 17).

4. Refrigerating appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealing profile (7) is obtained by longitudinal folding of a on one side with an adhesive (19; 20) coated and on the other side of the membrane (18) carrying foam strip (17) ,

5. Refrigerating appliance according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the membrane (10, 11, 16) forms a foam strand (9) surrounding hose.

6. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that the tube is formed by connecting the longitudinal edges of at least one membrane strip (10, 11, 16) with each other

7. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that the longitudinal edges are connected to the inclusion of the foam strand (9).

8. Refrigerating appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the membrane (10, 11, 16, 18) is a metal, in particular aluminum, containing film.

9. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 8, characterized in that the film is a plastic-metal composite film.

10. Refrigerating appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the membrane comprises a layer of polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE).

11. Refrigerating appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealing profile (7) on at least one of the surfaces

(12) of the housing (1; 2; 23; 24) or the housing part (2; 1; 24; 23; 27) is glued.

12. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 11, characterized in that the sealing profile (7) on the surfaces (12) of both the housing (1; 2; 23; 24) and the

Housing part (2; 1; 24; 23; 27) is glued.

13. Refrigerating appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing part is a second housing having an interior (2; 1; 24; 23).

14. Refrigerating appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing part is an insulating plate (27).