EP2331889B1

EP2331889B1 - A refrigerator

Info

Publication number: EP2331889B1
Application number: EP09782726.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Han Iyigun; Soner Kahraman; Ahmet Ziya Demir; Turgay Ercan; Murat Ungor
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2008-09-09
Filing date: 2009-09-08
Publication date: 2017-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 2029-09-08
Also published as: CN102149989B; WO2010029052A3; CN102149989A; TR201716628T3; EP2331889A2; PL2331889T3; WO2010029052A2

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, in the cooling system of which a cold wall evaporator is used. Such a refrigerator is known for example from US-A-2 059 840 . This document discloses all the features of the preamble of claim 1.
In some refrigerators, the cooling process is performed by means of an evaporator embodiment known as cold wall evaporator. In this embodiment, the evaporator is adhered to the back surface of the compartment wall to be cooled. This surface, whereto the evaporator is adhered, is the surface that remains at the back of the surface visible to the user and that contacts the polyurethane material used for insulation during the refrigerator production (Figure 1).
In some of these types of refrigerators, the hanging shelf embodiment is performed in order to allow the user to adjust the height of the shelf. In this embodiment, unlike normal embodiments, shelves are carried by means of shelf supports that are located not on the side walls of the refrigerator inner cabinet but on the rear wall of the inner cabinet (see, for example, US-A-5 361 599 or DE-A1-10 2007 005 949 ). These shelf supports are fastened to the refrigerator rear wall by means of screws and extensions.
However, in situations wherein the hanging shelf embodiment is performed, the shelf supports assembled to the rear wall and the evaporator fixed to the other surface of the rear wall by being adhered, overlap.
In the state of the art, beginning from a level of alignment below the shelf supports, the evaporator is fixed to the rear wall. However, in this situation, an efficient cooling cannot be provided. Because, the evaporator is not in alignment with the shelf supports.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cold wall evaporator embodiment in refrigerators wherein shelf supports fixed to the rear wall are situated and efficient cooling of height-adjustable shelves can be achieved.
The refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is defined in the claims. It comprises a cut-out wherein the portion of the shelf support, being mounted to the rear wall, that is corresponding to the panel mounted to the other side of the rear wall is cut out and separated from the panel, and a flow pipe at both sides of the cut-out, fixed to the panel such that it will sweep almost the entire surface of the panel, bent in a serpentine shape such that a continuous flow will be provided.
Thus, when the shelf support is mounted onto the rear wall, the portion of the shelf support mounted to the rear wall corresponds to the cut-out on the evaporator fixed to the other side of the rear wall. Thus, both the shelves can be easily assembled onto the rear wall and an effective cooling process can be performed by means of the cold wall evaporator embodiment. Furthermore, while the height adjustment of the hanging shelves mounted to the inner cabinet rear wall can be performed, every region of the inner cabinet is also provided to be cooled in a balanced way.
The panel comprises two additional surfaces remaining at both sides of the cut-out and a main surface remaining at the lower portion of the cut-out. Thus, the shelves that are disposed into the inner cabinet side by side and that can be adjusted to different heights are enabled to be cooled almost equally.
In an embodiment of the present invention, after being turned around on one of the additional surfaces, the flow pipe passes to the main surface and is turned around on the main surface, and then passes to the other additional surface and is turned around on this additional surface. Thus, the flow pipe is fixed onto the panel such that it will sweep almost the entire surface of the panel.
In another embodiment of the present invention, after being turned around on one of the additional surfaces, the flow pipe passes to the other additional surface and after the turning around on these two additional surfaces is completed, the flow pipe is turned around such that it will sweep the main surface.
In another embodiment of the present invention, while the additional surfaces on the panel correspond to the hanging shelves, the main surface corresponds to the shelf that extends between the side walls and that is seated onto the shelf supports on the side walls. Thus, two different types of shelves are provided to be cooled together without any imbalance in cooling.
By means of the present invention, while hanging shelves are enabled to be used in refrigerators such that they will not cause any reduction in the cooling efficiency, cold wall evaporators are also enabled to be used in refrigerators comprising hanging shelf embodiments.
A refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the rear perspective view of a refrigerator inner cabinet in the former technique.
Figure 2 - is the front perspective view of a refrigerator inner cabinet.
Figure 3 - is the front schematic view of the refrigerator.
Figure 4 - is the view of detail D in Figure 2.
Figure 5 - is the rear perspective view of the refrigerator inner cabinet.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Refrigerator
2. Inner cabinet
3. Rear wall
4. Shelf
5. Shelf support
6. Evaporator
7. Panel
8. Flow pipe
9. Cut-out
10. Inlet
11. Outlet

The refrigerator (1) of the present invention comprises an outer wall, a rear wall (3) and an inner cabinet (2), between which and the outer wall insulation material is filled, one or more shelves (4) disposed into the inner cabinet (2), carrying the items placed thereon, one or more shelf supports (5) which are fixed to the side of the rear wall (3) facing the inside of the inner cabinet (2) and whereon the shelves (4) are seated, and an evaporator (6) that has a flat sheet-shaped panel (7) mounted to the other side of the rear wall (3) such that it will remain between the outer wall and the inner cabinet (2) and a flow pipe (8) fixed onto the panel (7), bent in a serpentine shape such that it will form a continuous flow (Figure 2). The evaporator (6) is an evaporator (6) that is identified as cold wall evaporator (6) in the technique and is fixed to the outer surface of the inner cabinet (2) rear wall (3) preferably by being adhered by means of the panel (7).
The evaporator (6) comprises a cut-out (9) which is located on the panel (7), whereto the shelf support (5) mounted to the rear wall (3) corresponds and which partially divides the panel (7) into two, and a flow pipe (8) at both sides of the cut-out (9), fixed to the panel (7) such that it will sweep almost the entire surface of the panel (7).
The shelf (4) is a hanging shelf and carried by means of the shelf supports (5) that are assembled not to the inner cabinet (2) side walls but to the inner cabinet (2) rear wall (3). The shelf supports (5) are mounted onto the rear wall (3) by means of fixing elements. When the shelf supports (5) are assembled to the rear wall (3), the fixing elements and some of the shelf supports (5) pass to the other side of the rear wall (3) whereon the panel (7) is fixed by passing over the rear wall (3).
The cut-out (9) is provided by a quadrilateral-shaped piece, whereto the shelf support (5) mounted to the rear wall (3) corresponds on the panel (7) mounted to the other side of the rear wall (3), being cut out of the sheet-shaped panel (7). In this situation, when the shelf support (5) is mounted onto the rear wall (3), the portion of the shelf support (5) mounted to the rear wall (3) corresponds to this cut-out (9) which is cut-out of the panel (7) and which is on the evaporator (6) fixed to the other side of the rear wall (3). Thus, both the shelves (4) can be easily assembled onto the rear wall (3) and the cold wall evaporator (6) embodiment can be effectively performed. Furthermore, while the height adjustment of the shelves (4) mounted to the inner cabinet (2) rear wall (3) can be performed, every region of the inner cabinet (2) is provided to be cooled in a balanced way, also (Figure 3 and Figure 4).
The panel (7) comprises two additional surfaces (A) remaining at both sides of the cut-out (9) and a main surface (B) remaining at the lower portion of the cut-out (9).
In an embodiment of the present invention, after being turned around on one of the additional surfaces (A), the flow pipe (8) passes to the main surface (B) and is turned around on the main surface (B), and then passes to the other additional surface (A) and is turned around on this additional surface (A). Thus, the flow pipe (8) is fixed onto the panel (7) such that it will sweep almost the entire surface of the panel (7) (Figure 5).
In another embodiment of the present invention, after being turned around on one of the additional surfaces (A), the flow pipe (8) passes to the other additional surface (A) and after the turning around on these two additional surfaces (A) is completed, the flow pipe (8) is turned around such that it will sweep the main surface (B).
In both embodiments, the flow pipe (8) extends on the panel (7) in the horizontal direction.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a shelf is situated under the hanging shelf (4) that is seated to the side walls and that extends between the side walls. In this embodiment, while the hanging shelves (4) correspond to the additional surfaces (A) on the panel (7), the other shelf corresponds to the main surface (B) (Figure 3).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the inlet (10) and the outlet (11) of the flow pipe (8) are located on the same edge of the panel (7).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the surface area of the main surface (B) is at least equal to the sum of the areas of the two additional surfaces (A) and the cut-out (9).
By means of the present invention, while hanging shelves (4) are enabled to be used in refrigerators (1) such that they will not cause any reduction in the cooling efficiency, cold wall evaporators (6) are enabled to be used in refrigerators (1) comprising hanging shelf (4) embodiments.
It is to be understood that the said present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed above and an expert in the technique can easily introduce different embodiments within the scope of the claims.

Claims

A refrigerator (1) comprising an outer wall, an inner cabinet (2) having a rear wall (3), insulation material filled between the inner cabinet (2) and the outer wall, one or more shelves (4) disposed into the inner cabinet (2), for carrying items placed thereon, one or more shelf supports (5) which are fixed to the side of the rear wall (3) facing the inside of the inner cabinet (2) and whereon the shelves (4) are seated, and an evaporator (6) that has a flat sheet-shaped panel (7) mounted to the other side of the rear wall (3) such that it will remain between the outer wall and the inner cabinet (2), the evaporator (6) comprising a cut-out (9) which is located on the panel (7), at a position corresponding to that of the shelf supports mounted to the rear wall (3), and which partially divides the panel (7) into two and characterized by a flow pipe (8) fixed onto the panel (7), bent in a serpentine shape such that it will form a continuous flow, the flow pipe (8) being at both sides of the cut-out (9), fixed to the panel (7) such that it will sweep almost the entire surface of the panel (7), the panel (7) comprising two additional surfaces (A) remaining at both sides of the cut-out (9) and a main surface (B) remaining at the lower portion of the cut-out (9), wherein, after being turned around on one of the additional surfaces (A), the flow pipe is ether turned around on the main surface (B) and then turned around on the other additional surface (A), or turned around on the other additional surface (A) and then turned around on the main surface (B).
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the cut-out (9) provided by a quadrilateral-shaped piece being cut out on the panel (7).
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the main surface (B), the surface area of which is at least equal to the sum of the areas of the two additional surfaces (A) and the cut-out (9).
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the flow pipe (8) extending on the panel (7) in the horizontal direction.
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the flow pipe (8), the inlet (10) and the outlet (11) of which are located on the same edge of the panel (7).