EP2059737B1 - Refrigerator with pressure equalisation valve - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a pressure balancing value extending via a wall of a housing to enable inflow of air from the environment into an inner space (3) and to block the air discharge from the space. An opening is formed in a wall of the housing parallel to the valve and penetrable in two directions, where conductance of the housing is smaller than that of the valve in a penetrable direction and larger than a leakage conductance of the valve in a closing direction. A sealing-profile seals a gap between a door and the body in a groove of the door and extends the opening between the walls of the groove. The sealing profile has an anchor that intervenes in the groove.

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigeration device such as a refrigerator or freezer with a pressure compensation valve, which serves to prevent the formation of a negative pressure in the interior of the refrigerator.

Each time the door of a refrigerator is opened, warm air passes into its interior, which cools down after closing the door and creates a negative pressure, through which the door is sucked against the front side of the body. This negative pressure causes the door to be very difficult to open again after closing, until the pressure between the interior and the surroundings is balanced again. Although it comes after a long time always back to a pressure equalization, since the conventionally mounted between the door and the front of the body of the refrigerator does not seal completely airtight, but it is generally eager to keep the leakage rate of this seal as low as possible because of air , which is exchanged via leaks of the seal between the interior and the environment, also always leads to an undesirable entry of heat and moisture into the interior. The more precisely the refrigeration unit is processed and the smaller the leak rate, the longer the vacuum will last after closing the door.

In order to solve the problem, various door opening assist mechanisms have been proposed which reinforce a pull force exerted by a user to open the door on a door handle via a lever mechanism or the like to spread the door against the body against any negative pressure prevailing in the interior space.

Such door opening mechanisms necessarily include moving parts that are subjected to considerable forces during operation, such that wear and interference may occur.

To be able to open the door easily at any time, it has also been proposed to install in the housing wall of such a device, a pressure compensation valve, which in the case of in the interior prevailing negative pressure air from the outside to the inside can and locks, as soon as the pressure between the environment and the interior is balanced, so that an uncontrolled entry of heat and moisture is excluded in the interior. A refrigerator according to the preamble of claim 1 is made US 3,167,931 known.

In practice, it has been found that such a pressure compensation valve tends to freeze in the course of the operation of the refrigerator, so that a pressure equalization via the valve no longer takes place.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a refrigeration device with a pressure compensation valve between the interior and the environment, in which eliminates the risk of freezing of the pressure compensation valve or at least reduced.

The object is achieved in that parallel to the pressure compensating valve, a passage permeable in two directions is formed in a wall of the housing whose conductance is smaller than that of the pressure compensating valve in its passage direction, but greater than the leakage value of the pressure compensating valve in its reverse direction.

By the conductance of the passage is chosen sufficiently low, it is ensured that it does not come through the passage to a substantial exchange of air between the environment and the interior of the refrigerator, by the latter is undesirable burdened with heat and moisture. On the other hand, the passage allows low flow rate airflows caused by the periodic cooling and heating of the internal space due to the intermittent operation of a refrigerator to flow over the passage and not over the balance valve. It has surprisingly been found that the freezing of the pressure compensation valve usually does not go back to air flows, which flow respectively after closing the door by the pressure compensation valve, but that this much slower air flows are relevant. The temperature of the interior of the refrigerator is, even if the door remains closed, not exactly constant, but it varies periodically, and each cooling is associated with an influx of air into the interior, while in a warming air flows, ie it can be pictorial of a "inhalation" and "exhalation" of the refrigerator are spoken. While at a pressure equalization after door closing the air flows quickly through the pressure balance valve and moisture contained in it has little opportunity At the valve, the inflow is significantly slower, so that the incoming air already cools in the pressure balance valve and its moisture settles in it, with the result that the valve loses its mobility and clogs.

By creating a tight passage parallel to the pressure balance valve, the "inspired" air no longer has to flow through the pressure balance valve and the risk of freezing is eliminated. The narrowness of the passageway helps to prevent uncontrolled air exchange between the interior and the environment beyond inhaling and exhaling.

In order to prevent possible air exchange through the passage, which goes beyond the unavoidable due to the temperature fluctuations of the interior space, as far as possible, it is further preferred that the passage extends on a curved path through the wall.

Such a curved passage may also be substantially longer than the thickness of the wall through which it passes, so that there is a large surface area available in the passage on which moisture from the inhaled air can be deposited. This reduces the likelihood that precipitated moisture will fill the cross-section of the passage and obstruct the flow of air.

In order to avoid freezing of the moisture in the passage, it is expedient that the passage extends in a substantially frost-free region of the housing. Since conventionally, a heater is often mounted on a front side of the body to prevent the door from freezing on the body, the passage is advantageously arranged in a region of the housing which is heated by this heater.

If, in a manner known per se, a sealing profile sealing a gap between the door and the body is anchored in a groove of the door, the passage advantageously extends between the walls of the groove and an anchoring portion of the sealing profile engaging in the groove. Such a passage can be realized in a simple manner and without additional costs in the production of the already required groove.

In particular, the passage can be conveniently created by each groove transverse to the longitudinal direction of the groove is recessed into side walls of the groove.

In order to make the length of the passage large, preferably a portion of the passage is guided in the longitudinal direction of the groove. This section can be created without any effort if it is limited on the one hand by a wall of the groove and on the other hand by the sealing profile.

If a rib is formed at the bottom of the groove, which engages in a longitudinal channel of the seal, this rib is preferably locally interrupted to form the passage.

Preferably, furthermore, at least one end of the passage is located at a corner of the door since the corners are generally the warmest areas of the door.

Fig. 1

eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht eines Kältegerätes, an dem die vorliegende Erfindung anwendbar ist;

Fig. 2

einen Schnitt durch ein Druckausgleichsventil;

Fig. 3

eine untere Ecke, der Innenwand einer Kältegerätetür gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Fig. 4

einen Schnitt durch die Innenwand und das daran verankerte Dichtprofil entlang der in Fig. 2 mit IV bezeichneten Ebene;

Fig. 5

einen Schnitt entlang der mit V bezeichneten Ebene der Fig. 2;

Fig. 6

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Ecke der Innenwand einer Kältegerätetür und eines darin aufgenommenen Dichtprofils gemäß einer zweiten Ausgestaltung der Erfindung; und

Fig. 7

einen Schnitt entlang der mit VII bezeichneten Ebene in Fig. 6.

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

a schematic perspective view of a refrigeration device to which the present invention is applicable;

Fig. 2

a section through a pressure compensation valve;

Fig. 3

a lower corner, the inner wall of a refrigerator door according to the present invention;

Fig. 4

a section through the inner wall and the anchored sealing profile along the in Fig. 2 level designated IV;

Fig. 5

a section along the designated V plane of the Fig. 2 ;

Fig. 6

a perspective view of a corner of the inner wall of a refrigerator door and a sealing profile received therein according to a second embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 7

a section along the plane designated VII in Fig. 6 ,

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a refrigerator with a body 1 and a battered door 2, which enclose a cooled interior 3. On the body 1 facing the inside of the door 2, a magnetic seal 4 is mounted in a conventional manner, which rests tightly in the closed position of the door 2 on a front side 5 of the body 1. The front side 5 is heated by a not visible in the figure, in the interior of the body 1 adjacent to the front 5 around the interior 3 extending refrigerant line, which is connected between the pressure outlet of a compressor and a condenser and, while the compressor operates, of warm Refrigerant is flowed through.

In a formed in the lower part of the door 2 opening 6, a pressure compensation valve is mounted. An example of a possible structure of the pressure compensation valve is in Fig. 2 shown, which shows a perspective longitudinal section through the pressure compensation valve 7. Between an outer panel 9 of the door 2 and a plastic deep-drawn inner wall 10 extends a foam-tight on the inner wall 10 fixed by a bayonet connection sleeve 11. A held inside the sleeve 11 under bending stress membrane 12 has on the walls of the sleeve 11 tightly fitting edges and is held by a transversely through the interior of the sleeve 11 extending intermediate wall 13 and a cap part 14 in position. In the case of a negative pressure in the interior 3, air flows between the edges of the membrane 12 and the sleeve 11 to compensate for the negative pressure; an overpressure in the interior 3, however, presses the membrane 12 against the sleeve 11 and thus increases the sealing effect of the valve. 7

In order to prevent that, when the inner space 3 cools in an operating phase of the compressor, air flows slowly from the outside through the valve 7 and moisture contained therein condenses on the valve 7, is on the door 2 to the valve. 7 parallel, provided in both directions permeable passage 15, from the two ends in Fig. 3 you can see.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a lower corner of the inner wall 10 and attached to the inner wall 10 magnetic seal 4. The magnetic seal 4 is a flexible extrusion profile with a plurality of longitudinal chambers, one of which contains a magnetic tape 16 which is provided to the magnetic seal 4th firmly against the ferromagnetic front side 5 of the body 1 to press.

At a side facing away from the chamber 16 the rear side of the magnetic seal 4, two projections 17, 18 are formed, one of which, 17, barbed. The projections 17, 18 engage in a groove 19 of the inner wall 10, which is divided by an extending in the longitudinal direction of the groove 19 rib 20 in an inner and an outer portion 21, 22. The barbs of the projection 17 are latched to undercuts of the inner portion 21. A in the width direction of the magnetic seal 4 extending, in the section 22 in bulging transverse wall 23 is held by the latch in a bending-loaded position in which it keeps the projection 18 pressed into the outer portion 22 of the groove 19. A thin, flexible wall portion 24 of the magnetic seal 4 is bent inwardly by an edge of the outer portion 22, so that the wall portion 24 is substantially close to this edge. At an opposite edge of the transverse wall 23, a lip 25 is formed, which is pressed by the latching of the projection 17 tightly against an adjacent to the inner portion 21 shoulder 26 of the inner wall 10. The wall portion 24, the lip 25 and the barbs of the projection 17 form a plurality of sealing lines between the inner wall 10 and the magnetic seal 4th

However, these sealing lines do not extend over the entire length of the magnetic seal 4, but they are interrupted at the corner of the door 2 shown by a passage 15. The passage 15 is formed by a recess on the inner wall 10 is tightened at the location of the meeting of a horizontal and a vertical portion of the groove 19. In Fig. 4 which cuts through the inner wall 10 and the magnetic seal 4 along the in Fig. 3 with IV indicated plane, an outer contour 28 of this depression is visible.

Fig. 5 shows a section along the inclined at 45 ° to the horizontal, in Fig. 3 with V designated cutting plane. The section plane runs along the passage 15, and it can be seen that along this section plane neither the wall section 24 nor the barbs or the lip 25 touch the inner wall 10. Thus, an exchange of air between inside and outside, bypassing the pressure compensation valve 7 is possible, the often changing direction of its course of the passage 15 in the manner of a labyrinth seal prevents a free exchange of air between the interior 3 and the environment. Since the passage 15 is heated on the one hand by the front side 5 and on the other hand air that has passed through the passage 15 before reaching the interior 3 still has to pass a temperature-compensating gap 29 between the inner wall 10 and the front 5, there is no danger of clogging of the passage 15 due to excessive condensation.

An improved embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 described. Fig. 6 is like Fig. 2 a perspective view of a corner of the inner wall 10, wherein the groove 19 of the inner wall 10 is shown equipped only on a part of its length with the magnetic seal 4 to a in the sections 21, 22 of the groove 19 separating rib 20 cutout 30 show to be able to. The cross sections of the groove 19 and the magnetic seal are the same as in the embodiment of Fig. 1 to 5 , How to use the Fig. 5 analog section of the Fig. 7 can be seen, the passage 15 is interrupted by the rib 20 in the sectional plane of this figure. However, as based on Fig. 4 can be seen, there are in both sections 21, 22 of the groove 19 each one hand by the walls of the groove 19 and the other part of the magnetic seal 4 itself limited longitudinal channels 31, 32, of which in height of Fig. 6 shown corner of a 31 via an outer portion 33 of the passage 15 (see Fig. 7 ) communicates with the environment and the other 32 via an inner portion 34 of the passage 15 with the interior 3. The two longitudinal channels 31, 32 are connected to each other via the cutout 30 in connection. By locating the cutout 30 at a great distance from the corner in which the two sections 33, 34 are arranged, the length of the entire passage can easily be made larger than the edge length of the door 2. The large length of the passage will eventually lead large cross-section of the individual sections of the passage to a low conductance, through the air exchange between the interior 3 and the environment, which exceeds the amount caused by temperature fluctuations of the inner space 3, is reliably suppressed.

Claims (9)

1. Refrigerating appliance with a housing, which surrounds a cooled interior space (3) and comprises a body (1) and a door (2), and a pressure compensating valve (7), which extends through a wall of the housing (1, 2), so as to enable an inflow of air from the environment into the interior space (3) and to block an outflow of air from the interior space (3), characterised in that formed in a wall of the housing and parallel to the pressure compensating valve (7) is a passage (15) which is passable in two directions and the conductance of which is smaller than that of the pressure compensating valve in pass direction and greater than the leakage conductance of the pressure compensating valve (7) in blocking direction.
2. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, characterised in that the passage (15) runs on a curved path through the wall.
3. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the passage (15) stands in thermally conductive contact with a heating means.
4. Refrigerating appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the heating means is mounted at a front side (5) of the body (1) and that the passage (15) runs in a region of the housing (1, 2) heated by the heating means.
5. Refrigerating appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that a sealing profile member (4) sealing a gap between door (2) and body (1) is anchored in a groove (19) of the door (2) and that the passage (15) extends between the walls of the groove (19) and an anchoring section (17), which engages in the groove (19), of the sealing profile (4).
6. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 5, characterised in that the passage (15) comprises at least one section (31; 32) extending in longitudinal direction of the groove.
7. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that a respective groove (33, 34), which is oriented transversely to the longitudinal direction of the groove (19), is recessed into each of the side walls of the groove (19).
8. Refrigerating appliance according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the groove (19) is transversely divided by a rib (20) which engages in a longitudinal channel of the seal (4) and that the rib (20) is locally interrupted so as to form the passage (30).
9. Refrigerating appliance according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterised in that at least one end of the passage (15) is arranged at a corner of the door (2).

Images