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
  • F25D23/00—General constructional features
  • F25D23/003—General constructional features for cooling refrigerating machinery
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F9/00—Casings; Header boxes; Auxiliary supports for elements; Auxiliary members within casings
  • F28F9/001—Casings in the form of plate-like arrangements; Frames enclosing a heat exchange core
  • F28F9/002—Casings in the form of plate-like arrangements; Frames enclosing a heat exchange core with fastening means for other structures
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F2250/00—Arrangements for modifying the flow of the heat exchange media, e.g. flow guiding means; Particular flow patterns
  • F28F2250/08—Fluid driving means, e.g. pumps, fans
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F2275/00—Fastening; Joining
  • F28F2275/08—Fastening; Joining by clamping or clipping
  • F28F2275/085—Fastening; Joining by clamping or clipping with snap connection

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device for assembling a fan for a refrigeration unit.
• the invention is advantageously implemented in the field of commercial refrigeration and for example for the cooling of beverages packaged in bottles and cans arranged inside a thermally insulated enclosure having, for example, the shape of a cabinet . It is understood that the invention is not limited to the cooling of beverages or the field of commercial cold. Nevertheless, to facilitate the understanding of the invention, it will be described in connection with a beverage packaging cabinet.
• This type of cabinet is located mainly in public places such as airports, hotels, shopping centers and is intended for the sale of drinks.
• the cabinet has a rigid box closed by a door, usually glass, allowing access to the products arranged in the cabinet.
• a refrigeration unit, placed in the cabinet makes it autonomous. Specifically, to ensure its operation, the cabinet needs only an external power supply.
• the refrigeration unit of refrigerated cabinets consists of a drawer located at the bottom of the cabinet.
• This arrangement has the advantage of allowing easy extraction of the refrigeration unit for maintenance operations.
• Such an embodiment is for example described in the French patent application FR 2 855 871 filed in the name of the applicant.
• the refrigeration device comprises an evaporation stage and a condensation stage.
• Each stage comprises an exchanger for transferring thermal energy between an air flow and a heat transfer fluid.
• the air flows are driven by fans to create a forced convection at the corresponding exchanger.
• the various components of the refrigeration unit are assembled on a frame forming a bearing structure of the drawer located in the lower part of the cabinet. Walls attached to the structure guide the flow of air entrained by the fans.
• This method of assembly is complex to implement and the guiding of air flows is imperfect. More specifically, the entire air flow driven by a fan does not pass through the corresponding exchanger which reduces the efficiency of the refrigeration unit. In addition, because of long chains of dimensions, the fan can be off-center with respect to the associated exchanger, which also affects the performance of the refrigeration unit.
• the invention aims to overcome all or part of the problems mentioned above by simplifying the mounting of a fan relative to the exchanger associated with it.
• the subject of the invention is a device for assembling a fan for a refrigeration unit, characterized in that it comprises: a cover supporting the fan;
• An exchanger comprising a wall, the cover and the wall forming two elements of the device, the first element bearing against a first face of the second element,
• FIG. 1 schematically represents the operation of FIG. a refrigeration device
• Figure 2 shows in perspective the various functional elements described in Figure 1
• Figure 3 shows in perspective the mounting of a fan on a heat exchanger
• Figure 4 shows in a flat view mounting the fan on the exchanger
• FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a clamp allowing the support of a hood on an exchanger
• Figures 6, 7 and 8 show several phases in the implementation of a clamp
• Figures 9 to 13 show several phases in the introduction of the hood on the exchanger.
• the same elements will bear the same references in the different figures.
• the invention is described in relation to a refrigeration unit fitted to a refrigerating cabinet. It is understood that the invention can be implemented for any assembly of a fan with respect to an exchanger, the fan generating a flow of air through the exchanger.
• FIG. 1 schematically represents functional elements of a refrigeration unit 10 comprising an evaporation stage 11 and a condensation stage 12.
• the evaporation stage 11 comprises an evaporator 13 in which an air stream cools. 14 circulating in a useful compartment of a refrigerated cabinet not shown.
• the useful compartment is intended to keep for example food at a temperature below ambient.
• the air flow 14 is driven by a fan 15 arranged downstream of the evaporator 13.
• a heat transfer fluid circulates in an expansion member 16 and then in the evaporator 13. Downstream of the evaporator 13, the coolant in the gaseous state sees its pressure increase in a compressor 17 belonging to the stage of condensation 12. The coolant is then cooled in a condenser 18 by thermal contact with a second forced air circulation 19 by a fan 20 shown downstream of the condenser 18.
• the evaporator 13 and the condenser 18 are both exchangers allowing the transfer of thermal energy between the coolant and the air flow therethrough.
• the coolant flows towards the expansion member 16 located in the evaporation stage 1 1.
• the functional diagram of the refrigeration device 10 has been deliberately simplified. It is, of course, possible to add other components to improve its operation.
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the relative position of the various components of the refrigeration unit shown in FIG.
• the frame 21 contains, attached to a frame 21, the compressor 17, the condenser 18 and the fan 20.
• the frame 21 has the shape of a plate which once in place in the refrigerating cabinet is placed on a floor of the wardrobe.
• On the chassis 21 can also fix a housing 22 enclosing various electrical components allow the operation of the electrical appliances of the refrigeration unit such as the fans 15 and 20 and the compressor 17.
• a hot pipe 24 in which circulates the coolant can meander in the bottom of the tank 23
• FIG. 2 also shows the position of the evaporator 13 and the fan 15.
• FIG. 3 shows in perspective a device for assembling the fan 15 on the evaporator 13.
• the assembly represented here, can also be used for assembling the fan 20 on the condenser 18.
• the device comprises a cap 35 15.
• the hood 35 is in turn supported by the evaporator 13.
• the cover 35 guides the flow of air entrained by the fan 15 and passing through the evaporator 13 so that the entire flow of air driven by the fan 15 through the evaporator 13.
• the cover 35 comprises a face 36 bearing on a wall 37 of the evaporator 13, a tubular portion 38 and a grid 39.
• the tubular portion 38 is connected to one of its ends to the face 36 and the other of its ends to the grid 39.
• the fan 15 is fixed to the center of the grid 39 and the fan blades 15 rotate inside the tubular portion 38 .
• FIG. 4 shows the evaporator 13, the fan 15 and the hood 35 in a view through a plane perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the fan 15.
• the fan 15 is centered with respect to the evaporator 13, thus ensuring a better efficiency in the heat transfer between the air flow driven by the fan 15 and the evaporator 13.
• the only part serving as an intermediate between the fan 15 and the evaporator 13 is the hood 35.
• the dimension chain linking the fan 15 to the evaporator 13 is thus very short. This ensures a good centering of the fan 15 despite unavoidable dispersions in the manufacture of different mechanical parts.
• the assembly device comprises a plurality of grippers 40 belonging to the cover 35.
• the various grippers 40 are advantageously identical to simplify their production.
• the grippers 40 are distributed around the axis of the fan 15 in zones of the evaporator 13 outside its active part, which part passes through the air flow entrained by the fan 15.
• Each clamp 40 provides a point pressure of the cover 35 against the evaporator 13.
• the distribution of the clamps 40 is defined according to the rigidity of the two elements in contact, evaporator 13 and cover 35, so as to ensure sufficient sealing of the flow of 'air.
• FIG. 5 shows in partial section the cover 35 and the wall 37 of the evaporator 13 at one of the clamps 40.
• the cap 35 and the evaporator 13 are represented in the assembled position.
• the wall 37 of the evaporator 13 comprises two faces 41 and 42 opposite.
• the face 36 of the cover 35 bears on the face 41 of the evaporator 13 and the clamps 40 bear against the face 42.
• the clamps 40 have a shape allowing the assembly of the fan 15 by means of a translational movement of the cover 35 with respect to the exchanger 13 along the wall 37.
• the direction of the translational movement is carried by an axis z parallel to the plane of the wall 37.
• Each clamp 40 corresponds to an opening 43 of the evaporator 13 allowing at the gripper 40 to access the second face 42.
• the clamps 40 belong to the cover 35. It is of course possible to make clamps in the wall 37 of the evaporator 13. In this case, the clamps bear against a face of the hood 35 opposite the face 36 and the openings corresponding to each clamp are then made in the cover 35.
• the clamp 40 in the form of a hook, a free end 44 comprises a bulge 45 extending towards the face 42 and to ensure a pressure of the cap 35 against the face 41.
• the clamp 40 extends from a wall 46 of the cover 35 to its free end 44.
• the wall 46 bears against the wall 37 of the evaporator 13.
• the presence of the bulge 45 makes it possible to control the point of contact between the clamp 40 and the face 42.
• the point of contact is on this bulge 45.
• the force exerted by the clamp 40 is a function of the stiffness of the clamp 40 between its hooking on the cover 35 and the point of contact which is always made on the bulge 45.
• the force is also a function of the thickness of the wall 37.
• the force exerted by the clamp 40 is independent of the position of an edge 47 of the opening 43, edge located closer to the clamp 40.
• the contact between the clamp 40 and the wall 37 could be at the edge 47, which would cause a significant variation in the effort depending on the manufacturing dispersions of the opening 43. Such a variation could cause a rupture of the clamp 40.
• the cover 35 can be open facing the clamp 40 in order to facilitate the production of the cover 35, for example by molding.
• Figures 6, 7 and 8 show several phases in the establishment of a clamp 40.
• the cover 35 is at a distance from the wall 37.
• the hood is brought closer. 35 in a horizontal direction x until the faces 36 and 41 come into contact with each other as shown in FIG. 7.
• the gripper 40 enters the opening 43. It is necessary that in one direction vertical axis carried by the axis z the dimensions of the opening 43 are greater than those of the clamp 40 so that the clamp 40 can freely enter the opening 43.
• the cover 34 is moved along the wall 37.
• the direction of displacement of the cover 35 is -z in FIGS. 7 and 8.
• the final position at the end of this second phase is shown in FIG. 8 and corresponds to FIG.
• the free end 44 of the clamp 40 is located above the edge 47 and during the second phase, the free end 44 passes below the edge 47 by sliding along the face 42 of the wall 37.
• the faces 36 and 41 remain in contact with each other. 'other.
• the assembly device comprises means for imposing the simultaneous penetration of all the clamps 40 in the corresponding openings 43. If only one of the clamps 40 enters its opening 43, it is likely to break.
• These means comprise for example: • a guide 50 belonging to the evaporator 13 for installing the cover 35 so that the clamps 40 are facing openings 43 corresponding,
• a finger 52 belonging to the cover 35 made in such a way that the finger 52 can penetrate into the light 51 only when the face 36 of the cover 35 intended to bear against the face 41 of the evaporator 13 is parallel to the face 41 of the evaporator 13.
• Figures 9 to 13 show several phases in the introduction of the cap 35 on the evaporator 13.
• a single assembly comprising a guide 50, a light 51 and a finger 52 is shown. It is of course possible to provide several sets, for example two, one on each side of the fan 15 as shown in FIG.
• the cover 35 is at a distance from the wall 37 of the evaporator 13.
• the cover 35 rests in its lower part 56 on the guide 50.
• the two faces 36 and 41 are not parallel.
• the hood 35 moves along the guide 50, the movement of the hood 35 is along the x axis until it reaches the position shown in FIG. 10.
• the light 51 opens into the wall 37 and into this wall. position, the finger 52 abuts against the wall 37.
• the finger 52 can enter the light 51 only when the cap 35 is raised until the faces 36 and 41 become parallel as shown in Figure 1 1.
• the length the finger 52 in the x direction is determined so that, when it abuts against the wall 37, the clamps 40 remain at a distance from the wall 37 without being able to penetrate the corresponding openings 43.
• the penetration of the finger 52 into the lumen 51 allows the two faces 36 and 41 to be brought together until the clips 40 penetrate into their respective openings 43 as shown in FIG. 12. This position of the clamps 40 with respect to the openings 43 corresponds to that described in FIG. 7.
• the evaporator 13 comprises a groove 55 allowing the cover 35 to escape the guide 50, when the clamps 40 have all penetrated into their corresponding openings 43.
• the groove 55 also serves as a guide in the movement of the cover 35 along the axis z along the wall 37.
• the groove 55 extends along the axis z perpendicular to the guide 50.
• a lower portion 56 of the cover 35 descends in the groove 55 during the movement of the cover 35 along the axis z to clamp the wall 37 and reach the position shown in Figure 13.
• the height of the light 51 allows the finger 52 to move in the light 51 during the movement of lowering the hood 35.
• the length of the finger 52 is also defined so that the lower part 56 can not engage in the groove 55 until the finger 52 has penetrated the light 51.
• the position of the groove 55 also makes it possible to avoid, when tilting the cover 35, the opposite of that shown in FIG. 10, a movement of the cover 35 in a -z direction. Indeed, in the case of a reverse inclination, the clamps 40 located at the top of the cover 35 could have penetrated into their respective openings 43 while the clamps located at the bottom of the cover 35 would be outside their openings 43.
• the groove 55 also contributes to maintaining the hood 35 under pressure against the wall 37. More specifically, an edge 57 of the groove 55 bears against the lower part 56 when the lower part 56 engages in the groove 55 in its translational movement. along the z axis. For this purpose, it is possible to provide a negative clearance of a few tenths of millimeters between the edge 57 and the lower part 56 of the cover 35 when the face 36 of the cover 35 is in contact with the face 41 of the exchanger in the position of the FIG. 12. The negative clearance is defined in the direction x and ensures the pressurization of the two faces 36 and 41 against each other when the cover 35 passes from the position of FIG. 12 to that of FIG. 13.
• the cover 35 comprises a stop 60 making it possible to bear against the evaporator 13 during a translational movement the cover 35 with respect to the evaporator 13 along the wall 37, movement allowing the assembly of the fan 15, the stop 60 being distinct from the clamps 40.
• the stop 60 is for example located in the upper part of the cover 35.
• the stop 60 comes into contact with the evaporator 13 when the clamps 40 are engaged behind the wall 37.
• the stop 60 allows the clamps 40 not to come into contact with the corresponding edges 47.
• the evaporator 13 has a mainly parallelepipedal shape, the wall 37 forming a vertical face of the parallelepiped.
• the stop may cover the whole of a horizontal upper face of the parallelepiped in order to seal the air flow entrained by the fan 15 in the upper part thereof.
• the device comprises means for locking the exchanger 13 and the cover 35 relative to each other.
• These means comprise for example two screws 65 and 66 allowing the cover 35 to be fixed on the evaporator 13.
• the two screws 65 and 66 are for example arranged between two adjacent clamps 40.
• 65 and 66 can be provided a smooth hole made in the cover 35 and a tapped hole made in the wall 37. These two holes are aligned, to allow the introduction of the screws 65 and 66, only when the position of Figure 13 is reached.
• the screws 65 and 66 also contribute to keeping the hood 35 under pressure against the wall 37.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Cold Air Circulating Systems And Constructional Details In Refrigerators (AREA)

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Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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• 2008
  • 2008-07-04 FR FR0803814A patent/FR2933487B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2009
  • 2009-07-06 SI SI200931897T patent/SI2315996T1/sl unknown
  • 2009-07-06 ES ES09772572T patent/ES2700860T3/es active Active
  • 2009-07-06 WO PCT/EP2009/058532 patent/WO2010000872A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2009-07-06 EP EP09772572.5A patent/EP2315996B1/de active Active

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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