EP2470845B1 - Channel closure for a meltwater channel of a refrigerator, meltwater channel of a refrigerator, and refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a channel closure means for a Abtauwasserkanal a cooling device, in particular a NoFrost cooling device, a Abtauwasserkanal a cooling device and a cooling device, in particular a NoFrost cooling device.

In a cooling device of the type mentioned, the air is supplied by means of a circulating air system in the cooling chamber to an evaporator, which is arranged in particular outside the actual cooling space. Ice forms on the evaporator. The evaporator thaws regularly, the defrost water is discharged through a Abtauwasserkanal in an evaporation tray. In order to prevent an influx of ambient air through the Abtauwasserkanal in the cold room or in the case of a Nofrost device in the evaporator chamber is in the Abtauwasserkanal z. B. integrated a siphon.

The disadvantage is that in particular already before starting the cooling device or until the time until the siphon is filled with water, ambient air and moisture can flow through the Abtauwasserkanal in the refrigerator or to the evaporator and can freeze the evaporator.

JP 10 267507 A1 and DE 200 00 595 U1 each disclose a refrigerator with a Abtauwasserkanal, which is closed by a water-soluble channel closure means. By releasing the channel closure in contact with condensate generated in the refrigerator, it can release the defrost water channel as soon as there is enough water to fill the siphon.

The problem is, however, that the channel closure means, when it hermetically seals the Abtauwasserkanal, also obstructs the advance of the condensate to the channel closure means. Therefore, it may be the case that the channel sealant does not come off in time, and instead the condensate builds up in the cooling unit. If, however, the channel closure means the Abtauwasserkanal not completely sealed, can be sucked in particular by the inside of the refrigerator after closing a door moist ambient air through the Abtauwasserkanal inside the refrigerator and condense out there.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a Abtauwasserkanal with a water-soluble channel closure means, which reliably allows a penetration of condensate to the channel closure means even when the channel closure means is hermetically sealed against ambient air.

The object is achieved by a Abtauwasserkanal a cooling device, in particular a NoFrost cooling device, with the features of claim 1.

A refrigerator according to the invention is in particular automatically defrostable and, for example, a refrigerator, a freezer or fridge-freezer or a freezer. Preferably, it is a household refrigerator. A NoFrost cooling device in the context of the invention is a cooling device in which the evaporator outside the cooling compartment arranged in an evaporator compartment, and the cooling air is circulated via cooling air ducts using a fan between evaporator compartment and cooling compartments. The evaporator of such a refrigerator can be defrosted by a defrost heater.

The Abtauwasserkanal the cooling unit transported in the refrigerator, in particular at the evaporator resulting defrost water outside the refrigerator, so that the defrost water outside the refrigerator, in particular by utilizing the waste heat of a compressor, can evaporate. The Abtauwasserkanal is for example a pipe, a hose or a channel and preferably opens into an evaporation tray, which is advantageously arranged over the compressor.

In order to prevent an influx of ambient air through the Abtauwasserkanal in the cold room or in the case of a NoFrost device in the evaporator chamber, a siphon is preferably integrated in the Abtauwasserkanal, which fills with defrost water and then the entry of ambient air into the refrigerator or at NoFrost devices in the evaporator compartment prevented.

A channel closure means according to the invention dissolves at least partially through contact with water, in particular through contact with defrosting water of a cooling unit. The sewer sealant seals the Abtauwasserkanal a cooling device by its arrangement within the siphon and / or by its formation at least largely until the siphon has filled so far with defrost water that the water level in the siphon seals the opening cross section of the siphon. This means that the arrangement of the channel closure means in the ascending branch of the siphon, in the flow direction of the defrost water, at least the height of the siphon occluding water level has, but is preferably higher in this branch in the flow direction of the defrost water. From this level, the channel closure means is then dissolved by the contact with the defrost water, so that no ambient air and moisture can flow through the Abtauwasserkanal from the outside to the refrigerator.

The channel closure means contains a water-soluble material, e.g. As organic materials such as sugar, gelatin, sucrose and polysucrose, or inorganic materials such. As NaCl or other salts. The channel sealant need not be made entirely of the water-soluble material, it must only be ensured that the channel sealant is in contact with water for this permeable. It is therefore conceivable that residues of the channel closure means remain in the Abtauwasserkanal, provided that they do not hinder the flow of defrost water.

The valve is permeable to air in the flow direction of the defrosting water. This feature serves to allow the air displaced by the incoming defrost water to escape from the defrost water channel. This ensures that no air bubble forms between the defrosting water and the channel closure means in the defrosting water duct formed as a tube or hose, which could prevent the channel closure means from coming into contact with the defrosting water.

The one-way valve may in particular be a poppet valve or a ball valve. It is z. B. the closure or valve body made of a water-soluble material, in particular one of the above materials. By contrast, the valve seat is preferably not water-soluble. Before the closure body has dissolved, it can only in the Lift flow direction of the defrost water from the valve seat and is thus permeable to air and water in this direction. In contrast, no air can flow into the refrigerator.

Should the dissolving material of the channel sealant leave residues in the defrost water which may cause biological growth in the evaporation tray in which the defrost water is collected, a biological growth inhibiting substance may be placed as a countermeasure in the area of the defrost water evaporation. Salt or other suitable chemicals such as cationic surfactants or the like. The substance that prevents biological growth may also be a biocide, especially a bactericide or fungicide. For example, this substance can be fixed in a packet or as a tablet in the condensate bucket, so that the substance is buried on contact with the defrost water.

However, it is particularly advantageous to integrate a substance which prevents the biological growth in the defrost water into the channel closure means.

Since the channel closure agent comprises the substance, the substance is activated only if the biological growth due to the dissolving channel closure agent actually has to be prevented. The channel closure means comprises the substance, for example in tablet form, wherein the tablets are, for example, sealed in the channel closure means, or it is integrated in the channel closure means in any other form. If the channel sealant is a tab, the biological growth inhibiting substance is preferably compressed together with the water-soluble material into a tablet.

The channel closure means may also have a composite structure, wherein, for example, the substance forms part of the channel closure means.

Alternatively, the substance can be provided separately from the channel closure means in the defrost water channel, for example in the flow direction of the defrost water before and / or behind the channel closure means. Further, the substance may also form the channel closure means or it may be an additional channel closure means temporarily occluding the defrost water channel.

Preferably, the Abtauwasserkanal comprises a siphon. The siphon fills with defrost water during the first defrost cycle (s) and prevents air from getting inside the refrigerator. At the same time the defrost water can drain easily.

Preferably, the channel closure means is arranged in the flow direction of the defrost water behind the siphon. When defrosting the evaporator of the refrigerator, therefore, the siphon is first filled with defrost water. Only then does the channel closure come into contact with the water and dissolve. Since the siphon is already filled with defrost water, no ambient air can penetrate through the Abtauwasserkanal into the interior of the refrigerator even after the dissolution of the channel closure means. Particularly preferably, the channel closure means is arranged in the Abtauwasserkanal that it dissolves completely, for example by it comes along its entire water-facing surface with the water in contact.

Particularly preferred is at a water level in the siphon, in which the water just closes the Abtauwasserkanal, the channel closure means disposed at its lowest point approximately at the level or just above the water surface. This has the advantage that the channel closure means is dissolved as early as possible, but only when the defrost water in the siphon is so high that the cross-connection between inlet and outlet of the siphon is completely filled with water. This preferably leads to the fact that the channel closure means dissolves already after the first defrost cycle of a NoFrost cooling unit. In this way, an optionally integrated into the channel closure agent substance to prevent the biological growth in the standing in the siphon water and prevents there biological growth.

Furthermore, the substance for preventing the biological growth is preferably additionally arranged upstream of the siphon in the direction of flow of the defrosting water so that it also acts on the water held in the siphon. The substance can be arranged, for example, in tablet form or in any other form in the defrost water channel, for example as salt, gel or liquid. Alternatively or additionally, the channel closure means may also comprise the substance.

The siphon can z. B. be designed as a tube siphon, so have a U-shaped tube, the lower bend always remains filled with condensation and thus prevents the entry of ambient air into the evaporator chamber. This training is particularly easy to manufacture.

Alternatively, the siphon can also be designed as a bottle, cup, baffle or bell siphon. Particularly preferred is an arrangement in which the tube of Abtauwasserkanals opens from above into a cup-shaped container, wherein the outlet opening of Abtauwasserkanals is arranged as far as possible below the cup rim, so that the accumulating in the cup defrost water closes the outlet opening. Such a configuration is called cup or bottle siphon. Particularly preferably, the cup is arranged in the evaporation tray, so that the condensation from the cup flows directly into this.

According to the preferred embodiment, a cover is arranged above the siphon, which indeed allows the overflow of water, but slows down the drying of the siphon or the cup.

The object is also achieved with a cooling device, in particular a NoFrost cooling device, wherein the cooling device comprises a Abtauwasserkanal invention. In such a cooling device, even before the first defrosting of the evaporator no ambient air and no moisture can flow through the Abtauwasserkanal to the evaporator.

Fig. 1

zeigt schematisch einen Ausschnitt aus einem Abtauwasserkanal eines Kühlgerätes.

In the following the invention will be described by a figure. The figures are merely exemplary and do not limit the general idea of the invention.

Fig. 1

schematically shows a section of a Abtauwasserkanal a cooling device.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a section of a Abtauwasserkanal 2 of a refrigerator. The Abtauwasserkanal 2 has a U-shaped siphon 5. In the flow direction F of the defrosting water behind the siphon 5, the channel closure means 1 arranged so that it gets into contact with the defrost water only after filling the siphon 5 and dissolves. Therefore, at no time ambient air or moisture can flow through the Abtauwasserkanal 2 against the flow direction F to the evaporator 6 and freeze it. The channel closure means 1g is formed as a valve body of a one-way valve, here a ball valve. In this case, at the outlet end of the siphon 5, a portion 2a of Abtauwasserkanals is provided, at its lower end by a constriction, a valve seat 22 is formed. On this is a spherical valve body 1g of an at least partially water-soluble material. This prevents that air from the environment against the flow direction F of the defrost water can penetrate into the interior of the refrigerator or the evaporator. The other way around, however, the air displaced by the defrosting water flowing into the siphon 5 can escape to the outside. If the water in the siphon 5 rises higher, the ball 1g dissolves. The section 2a of Abtauwasserkanals z. B. pressed with the siphon 5 or connected in any other way. Alternatively, the defrost water pipe 2 may also be integrally formed in this embodiment. Further, the one-way valve formed by the valve seat 222 and the valve body 1g may be formed as a poppet valve or disc valve instead of a ball valve. In this case, the valve seat is straight and the valve body has a flat disc shape.

It is understood that the embodiments of the channel closure means shown in connection with a tube siphon are also applicable to a cup siphon and vice versa.

Claims (7)

1. Meltwater channel (2) of a refrigerator, in particular a frost-free refrigerator, with a water-soluble channel closure (1), characterised in that the channel closure (1) is embodied as a valve unit of a one-way valve.
2. Meltwater channel according to claim 1, characterised in that the channel closure (1) comprises at least essentially a water-soluble organic or inorganic material.
3. Meltwater channel according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the channel closure (1) comprises a substance (4) which impedes biological growth.
4. Meltwater channel (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a siphon (5).
5. Meltwater channel (2) according to claim 4, characterised in that the channel closure (1) is arranged in the direction of flow (F) of the meltwater after the siphon (5).
6. Meltwater channel (2) according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that with a water level in the siphon where the water just closes the meltwater channel, the lowest point of the channel closure (1) is arranged at approximately the height of or just above the water surface.
7. Refrigerator, in particular a household appliance frost-free refrigerator, characterised in that the refrigerator comprises a meltwater channel (2) according to one of the claims 1 - 6.

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