EP2577193B1 - Refrigeration device with depressurised unit - Google Patents

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, more particularly to a refrigerator by means of which articles can be stored in a low pressure environment.

BACKGROUND

In order to provide a different storage condition, a refrigerator has been developed in the prior art by means of which articles can be stored in a low pressure environment. Such a refrigerator usually comprises an evacuable storage chamber. By evacuating air from the interior of the storage chamber, the air content inside the storage chamber is reduced, thus weakening the oxidation process of foods and thus improving the storage time and the quality of the food. Out CN101342970A and from JP2005 / 030648A1 are each known refrigerators with an evacuable storage chamber (also called "low-pressure chamber") in which the evacuable storage chamber is limited by a low-pressure storage unit, which is constructed independently of a body of the refrigerator and is movably received in a cooling chamber of the refrigerator. The body of the refrigerator is equipped with a vacuum pump, which is used to evacuate air from the storage chamber so as to reduce the pressure in the storage chamber, and a fluid conduit connected to the vacuum pump. The fluid conduit is exposed in the cooling chamber at one end so as to be connected to a connector spigot at a rear end of the low pressure storage unit so that the vacuum pump can be fluidly connected to the storage chamber. In both known devices, a connection between the fluid conduit and the connection sleeve is inaccessible.

Out FR 911,025 a refrigeration device is known in which a low-pressure storage unit arranged at the bottom of a cooling chamber and with the help a pump assembly is evacuated, which is disposed within the cooling chamber on the low-pressure storage unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention, in a refrigeration device of FR 911,025 . CN101342970A or JP2005 / 030648A1 known manner, the accessibility of the connection between low-pressure storage unit and fluid pipe while gleitährleisten, efficient use of the space available in the storage compartment. The object is achieved by a cooling device with the features of claim 1.

Since the first connector does not restrict the space available for the low-pressure storage unit in a lateral direction and a front-to-rear direction, the low-pressure storage unit may have a larger width and length. This not only makes it possible to increase the capacity of the low-pressure storage unit, but also provides a possibility that, by reasonably disposing the low-pressure storage unit independently of the carcass, the low-pressure storage unit looks like an integral part of the carcass so that the refrigerator is more handsome

The low pressure storage unit is closer to the compartment rear wall than the storage box, and the first connector is in a space bounded by a top wall of the low pressure storage unit, a container rear wall of the storage box, and the compartment rear wall. Therefore, the width of the storage container can not be limited by the first connector. Thus, it is possible to arrange a corresponding side of the storage container directly adjacent to the tray side wall, so that the front end of the storage compartment looks more compact.

Other individual technical features or combinations thereof which are considered to be technical features which characterize the present invention are set forth in the appended claims.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator further comprises one at least partially in the A storage compartment fan assembly, a gap is formed between the fan assembly and the compartment sidewall, and the first connector is located between the fan assembly and the compartment sidewall. On the one hand, this can facilitate the air circulation in the storage compartment. Since the space around the fan assembly can not be adapted to store items, the available space of the storage compartment is not reduced by placing the first connector in the space around the fan assembly, so that this can increase the space utilization of the storage compartment.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first connector extends from the compartment side wall of the storage compartment into the storage compartment. Since the first connector is provided on the side of the body on the compartment side wall, all operations in establishing the fluid communication of the low-pressure storage unit with the evacuation apparatus can be performed under the visual control of the operator, so that the low-pressure storage unit can be more reliably connected to the evacuation apparatus in order to prevent the To ensure airtightness. Further, the connection between the first connector and the second connector can be carried out in various ways and is not limited to the type of connection by means of an elastic suction nozzle used in the prior art. Further, for such a refrigerator in which the evaporator is disposed in the compartment rear wall or directly adjacent to the compartment rear wall, the possibility that the fluid piping is clogged due to freezing by disposing the first connector in the compartment side wall in the evaporator can not be reduced is arranged.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the low-pressure storage unit comprises an evacuation channel Fluidly communicating with the storage chamber, the evacuation channel includes a second connector for fluid communication with the first connector, and the evacuation channel penetrates a rear wall of the low pressure storage unit to be in fluid communication with the storage chamber. Since it is usually necessary to maintain a clearance between the compartment back wall and the storage box including the low-pressure storage unit so as to allow the air circulation, this will allow the space utilization of the storage compartment by placing the evacuation channel on the back wall of the low-pressure storage unit. Further, since the back wall of the low-pressure storage unit can not be easily seen by a user in the use of the refrigerator, it may allow the appearance of the refrigerator to be improved.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least at one end of the second connecting piece, the second connecting piece is arranged above the upper wall of the low-pressure storage unit. This may facilitate the work of a user / worker to establish fluid communication between the first connector and the second connector.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second connector extends forward. This may facilitate the work of a user / worker to establish fluid communication between the first connector and the second connector.

Although it is feasible for the first connector to be mechanically connected directly to the second connector, the refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention further comprises a connector lead unit constructed independently of the first connector and the second connector and having the first connector and the second connector in fluid communication and is mechanically connected.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device comprises an evacuation valve for selectively closing or opening the evacuation channel, and the second connector is integrally formed on a valve housing of the evacuation valve. This makes it possible to reduce the number of parts of the low-pressure storage unit and thus reduce the administrative and production costs of the refrigerator.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fluid conduit is at least partially disposed in a heat insulating layer of the body. More preferably, the evaporator for cooling the storage compartment is disposed so as to be heat-insulated from the fluid piping. Thus, it can be avoided that the fluid piping is arranged around the lower-temperature heat exchanger, thus making it possible to prevent the inside of the fluid piping from becoming clogged because it freezes due to the vicinity of the heat exchanger.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the low-pressure storage unit has a width slightly smaller than that of the storage compartment, and a pair of side walls of the low-pressure storage unit are respectively disposed adjacent to the corresponding compartment side walls of the storage compartment. In that case, the low-pressure storage unit has a larger width in order to increase its capacity. Such a possibility is provided that the low-pressure storage unit formed independently of the body may be made to look like an integral part of the storage compartment by being variably arranged, so that the refrigerator is more popular.

The construction of the present invention and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood by the description of preferred embodiments in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• Figur 1 eine schematische Perspektivansicht eines Kühlgerätes gemäß einer bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung, wobei eine Tür des Kühlgeräts nicht gezeigt ist;
• Figur 2 eine schematische Querschnittsansicht des Kühlgerätes gemäß der bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung entlang einer Richtung A-A in Figur 1, wobei das erste und das zweite Verbindungsstück nicht miteinander verbunden sind;
• Figur 3 eine schematische Querschnittsansicht des Kühlgerätes gemäß der bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung entlang einer Richtung B-B in Figur 1, wobei das erste und das zweite Verbindungsstück nicht miteinander verbunden sind;
• Figur 4 eine schematische Perspektivansicht einer Verbindungsleitungseinheit gemäß einer bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung, zum Verbinden des ersten Verbindungsstücks und des zweiten Verbindungsstücks.

As part of the description, and to further explain the present invention, the drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, are used to explain the principle of the present invention. In the drawings show:

• FIG. 1 a schematic perspective view of a refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein a door of the refrigerator is not shown;
• FIG. 2 a schematic cross-sectional view of the cooling device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention along a direction AA in FIG. 1 wherein the first and second connectors are not interconnected;
• FIG. 3 a schematic cross-sectional view of the cooling device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention along a direction BB in FIG. 1 wherein the first and second connectors are not interconnected;
• FIG. 4 a schematic perspective view of a connecting line unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, for connecting the first connector and the second connector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As in the FIGS. 1 . 2 and 3 1, a cooling device 1 comprises a heat-insulated body 2, the body 2 comprising an outer shell 2a, an inner shell 2b and between them a heat-insulating layer 2c. The body 2 defines a plurality of heat-insulated storage compartments 3, 4 and 5 for storing items such as food. In the present embodiment, the storage compartments are each an upper refrigerating compartment 3, a lower freezing compartment 5 and a preserving compartment 4, the preservation compartment being located between the upper and lower compartments and maintained at a temperature slightly above zero degrees Celsius. The storage compartments 3, 4 and 5 can each be closed with their corresponding doors (as in FIG. 2 shown).

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the exact arrangement of the storage compartments in the refrigerator. The present invention may apply to other forms of refrigerators, such as a refrigerator having a cooling chamber and a freezing chamber placed in a top-bottom or bottom-top manner, a side-by-side combination refrigerator, and a refrigerator having a refrigerator Drawers provided door and / or a glass door combination refrigerator with adjoining arrangement.

The refrigerator 1 has a closed loop evaporative cooling system. The cooling system includes at least a compressor, a condenser, a throttle device, and an evaporator. In the present embodiment, the compressor 60 is mounted in a compressor chamber 62 on a bottom of the body 2. Since the cooling system is well known in the art, a more detailed explanation of its cooling principle and structure will be omitted.

The refrigerator 1 is provided with a low-pressure storage unit 7 which is constructed independently of the body 2 and then attached to the body 2. The low pressure storage unit 7 has an evacuable storage chamber 32 that can maintain fluid tightness.

In the present embodiment, the low-pressure storage unit 7 is provided in the preserving compartment 4. The preservation compartment 4 comprises a compartment rear wall 4a, a vertically extending left (not shown) and right (4c) compartment side wall, and a substantially horizontally extending upper and lower compartment walls 4e and 4f. These compartment walls define a heat-insulated and open-front space.

In the present embodiment, the preservation compartment 4 is cooled in direct cooling mode. An evaporator 61 associated with the preservation compartment 4 is located in the compartment rear wall 4a and is directly adjacent to the inner enclosure 2b. In this case, the evaporator 61 is a plate evaporator. In an alternative embodiment, the evaporator can also be located in the preservation compartment 4 and be arranged directly adjacent to the compartment rear wall 4a. In this case, the evaporator is a finned evaporator.

In the present embodiment, the low-pressure storage unit 7 has the shape of a substantially flat, rectangular body. The low-pressure storage unit includes a main body 8 opened at one end and a drawer-like container 9 movably received in the main body 8.

The main body 8 defines a flat receiving space with a front opening. A front wall of the drawer-like container 9 forms a door 10 for closing the front opening of the main body 8. A cup-shaped receiving body 12 is connected to a rear side of the door 10 for storing articles. The storage chamber 32 is defined by the main body 8 together with the door 10, wherein the cup-shaped receiving body 12 is located in the storage chamber 32.

The low-pressure storage unit 7 is located at the bottom of the preservation compartment 4 and is supported on the lower compartment wall 4f of the preservation compartment 4. The main body 8 is received in the body 2 and then fixed. It is preferable that the main body 8 is removably fixed in the preserving compartment 4. A user can access the articles in the low-pressure storage unit 7 by pulling out the drawer-like container 9.

The widths of the main body 8 and the door 10 are each slightly smaller than the width of the preserving compartment 4. The left and right side surfaces of the main body and the door are respectively adjacent to the left and right compartment side walls 4c of the preserving compartment 4, and gaps are respectively formed between the respective left and right side surfaces and the left and right compartment side wall, so that the main body 8 and the door 10 can be inserted into the preserving compartment 4 or pulled out of the preserving compartment 4. In order to protect the gaps between both sides of the low pressure storage unit 7 and the left compartment side wall and the right compartment side wall 4c, the low pressure storage unit 7 may include a deformable gap protection piece (not shown) provided at the front end of the main body 8 and used to cover the gaps between the main body 8 and the left tray side wall 4b and the right tray side wall 4c.

The door 10 is provided with a gas supply passage (not shown) for fluid communication with the inside and outside of the storage chamber 32 and a gas supply valve (not shown) for opening or closing the gas supply passage. When the gas supply passage through the Gas supply valve is opened, gas can enter from outside through the gas supply passage in the storage chamber 32, and thus the low pressure state of the storage chamber 32 is degraded.

In the present embodiment, a preserving container 6 having a higher humidity and adapted for storing foods such as vegetables and the like is provided above the low-pressure storage unit 7. The preservation container 6 is removably stored in the preservation compartment 4.

Between a container rear wall 6a of the preservation container 6 and the compartment rear wall 4a is a gap which is significantly larger than the distance between a rear wall 16 of the low-pressure storage unit 7 and the compartment rear wall 4a. In the present embodiment, the preservation container 6 has a front end surface that is substantially coplanar with a front end surface of the low-pressure storage unit 7. In a front-to-back direction, the preservation container 6 has a length less than that of the low-pressure storage unit 7.

Behind the preservation container 6, a fan assembly 63 is provided. The fan assembly 63 is at least partially exposed in the preservation compartment 4. The fan assembly 63 is separated by a clearance from the left tray side wall and the right tray side wall 4c, respectively.

In the present embodiment, the fan assembly 63 causes air to circulate in the preservation compartment 4. For example, in an alternative embodiment, the fan assembly 63 may also be used to move air in the preservation chamber.

It is understood that in an alternative embodiment, the low pressure storage unit 7 also in other storage compartments may be arranged, such as the cooling compartment 3 or a variable temperature chamber whose temperature can be switched between a cooling temperature zone and a freezing temperature zone. Obviously, the preservation container 6 may be any storage container, or may even be another low-pressure storage container.

The refrigerator 1 comprises an evacuation device 70 for evacuating gas from the storage chamber 32 and a fluid conduit 71 fixed to the body 2 and connected to the evacuation device 70. In the present embodiment, the evacuation device 70 is a vacuum pump disposed in the compressor chamber 62.

The fluid conduit 71 is connected at one end to the evacuation device 70. The other end of the fluid conduit 71 penetrates the thermal insulation layer 2c and then extends into the preservation compartment 4, thus forming a first connector 72 for fluid communication with the low pressure storage unit 7. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first connector 72 extends from the right shed side wall 4c of the preservation compartment 4 into the preservation compartment 4. Therefore, the fluid conduit 71 can be arranged to be heat-insulated from the evaporator 61. As in the Figures 2 and 3 As shown in FIG. 2, the fluid pipe 71 is heat-insulated by the heat insulating layer 2 c from the evaporator 61.

The first connector 72 is in the form of a hard tube extending into the preservation compartment 4 for a predetermined length so that the first connector 72 vertically overlaps the low-pressure storage unit 7. Compared to the front opening of the preserving compartment 4, the first connecting piece 72 is closer to the compartment rear wall 4a. However, the first connector is separated by a distance from the compartment rear wall 4a. The first connector 72 is located adjacent to the rear end of the low-pressure storage unit 7.

Seen in a direction from the front to the rear, the first connector 72 is located between the preservation container 6 and the compartment rear wall 4a. As seen in the vertical direction, the first connector 72 is located above the low pressure storage unit 7. As seen in the lateral direction, the first connector 72 is located between the fan assembly 63 and the right-hand compartment sidewall 4c.

That is, in the present embodiment, the first connector 72 is located within a space defined by an upper wall 21 of the low-pressure storage unit 7, the container rear wall 6a of the storage container 6, and the compartment rear wall 4a. More specifically, the first connector 72 is located within a space defined by the upper wall 21 of the low pressure storage unit 7, the container rear wall 6a of the storage container 6, the compartment rear wall 4a, a fan assembly 63 side facing the right compartment side wall 4c, and the right compartment side wall 4c is limited.

The low-pressure storage unit 7 has an evacuation passage which penetrates a wall of the low-pressure storage unit 7 and thus is in fluid communication with the storage chamber 32. In the present embodiment, the evacuation passage penetrates the rear wall 16 of the low-pressure storage unit 7 so as to be in fluid communication with the storage chamber 32.

Usually, an evacuation valve for selectively closing or opening the evacuation channel is provided in the evacuation channel. A second connector 39 is provided at one end of the evacuation channel, wherein the second connector is used to communicate with the to be connected to the body 2 attached first connector 72 in fluid communication.

In the present embodiment, the second connector 39 is formed by a hard tube having a length. The second connector 39 is attached to the evacuation valve and formed integrally with a valve housing 73 of the evacuation valve.

The second connector 39 is located at one end of the rear wall 16 adjacent to the compartment rear wall 4c. The second connector 39 is closer to the compartment rear wall 4 a than the first connector 72.

The evacuation passage extends upward beyond the upper wall 21 of the low-pressure storage unit 7, so that the second connector 39 is located above the upper wall 21 of the low-pressure storage unit 7. In the present embodiment, the second link 39 extends horizontally forward and toward the right tray side wall 4c. It should be understood that in an alternative embodiment, the second connector 39 may extend upwardly at right angles or may extend up and down.

The refrigerator 1 includes a connection line unit that can be adapted to be mechanically and fluidly connected to the first connector 72 and the second connector 39, so that the low-pressure storage unit 7 can be brought into fluid communication with the evacuation device 70.

At the in FIG. 4 In the embodiment shown, the connection line unit 74 comprises a first quick coupling 74a for mechanical connection to the first connection piece 72, a second one Quick coupling 74b for mechanical connection to the second connector 39, and a hard tube body 74c between the first quick connector 74a and the second quick connector 74b. Of course, it is possible that the tubular body 74c is at least partially soft.

In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the connection conduit unit is formed by a hose which is mechanically connected to the first connector 72 at one end and mechanically connected to the second connector 39 at the other end. This solution is particularly preferable in the case where a compact tray is provided with a plurality of storage containers.

In assembly, the connection pipe unit is mechanically connected to the second connector 39 at one end, and then the low-pressure storage unit 7 is inserted into the preservation compartment 4 and fixed therein. Subsequently, the connection line unit is mechanically connected to the first connection piece 72 at the other end, so that the low-pressure storage unit 7 is brought into fluid communication with the vacuum pump 70.

Since the first connector 72 fixed to the body 2 is disposed on the compartment side wall 4c of the preserving compartment 4, all operations in establishing the fluid communication of the low-pressure storage unit 7 with the evacuation apparatus 70 can be performed under the visual control of an operator, so that the connection between the low-pressure storage unit 7 and the evacuation device 70 is more reliable. Further, the manner of connection between the first connector 72 and the second connector 39 can be varied.

In the refrigerator 1, if the evaporator 61 is disposed in the compartment rear wall 4a or directly adjacent to the compartment rear wall 4a, the possibility of the fluid conduit 71 being clogged due to freezing is reduced by disposing the first connector 72 on the compartment side wall 4c. in which the evaporator is not arranged.

Further, the second connector 39 located at the low-pressure storage unit 7 is disposed above the low-pressure storage unit 7, so that the first connector 72 can be more conveniently connected to the second connector 39.

Claims (9)

1. Refrigeration device (1) comprising:

   a carcass (2), which defines a plurality of storage compartments (3, 4, 5), wherein a storage compartment (4) has a compartment rear wall (4a), a vertically extending compartment side wall (4c) and a substantially horizontally extending upper and lower compartment wall (4e, 4f);

   a depressurised storage unit (7), which has an evacuable storage chamber (32), is designed independently of the carcass (2) and is received in the storage compartment (4);

   a fluid conduit (71), which is fastened in the carcass (2), wherein at one end the fluid conduit is connected to an evacuation apparatus (70) and at another end passes through a heat insulation layer (2c) and is laid open in the storage compartment (4), in order thus to be used as a first connecting piece (72) for the fluid connection with the depressurised storage unit (7); and

   a storage container (6), which is movably received in the storage compartment (4) and is disposed above the depressurised storage unit (7),

   wherein the first connecting piece (72) is arranged above the depressurised storage unit (7),

   wherein the depressurised storage unit (7) is located closer to the compartment rear wall (4a) than the storage container (6) and the first connecting piece (72) is disposed in a room which is delimited by an upper wall (21) of the depressurised storage unit (7), a container rear wall (6a) of the storage container (6) and the compartment rear wall (4a),

   the depressurised storage unit (7) has an evacuation channel, which passes through a wall (16) of the depressurised storage unit (7) in order to be fluidically connected to the storage chamber (32) and which comprises a second connecting piece (39) for fluidic connection to the first connecting piece (72), wherein the second connecting piece (39) is arranged above the upper wall (21) of the depressurised storage unit (7).
2. Refrigeration device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that it further comprises a ventilator assembly (63) that is disposed at least partially in the storage compartment (4), a distance is formed between the ventilator assembly (63) and the compartment side wall (4c) and the first connecting piece (72) is disposed between the ventilator assembly (63) and the compartment side wall (4c).
3. Refrigeration device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the first connecting piece (72) extends from the compartment side wall (4c) of the storage compartment (4) into the storage compartment (4).
4. Refrigeration device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the wall through which the evacuation channel passes is a rear wall (16) of the depressurised storage unit (7).
5. Refrigeration device (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that the second connecting piece (39) extends forwards.
6. Refrigeration device (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that it further comprises a connecting line unit (74), which is designed independently of the first connecting piece (72) and the second connecting piece (39) and is mechanically connected to the first connecting piece (72) and to the second connecting piece (39) and is thus fluidically connected therewith.
7. Refrigeration device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the fluid conduit (71) is arranged at least partially in a thermal insulation layer (2c) of the carcass (2).
8. Refrigeration device (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that it comprises an evaporator (61) for cooling the storage compartment (4) and the evaporator (61) is arranged such that it is thermally insulated from the fluid conduit (71).
9. Refrigeration device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the depressurised storage unit (7) has a width which is slightly smaller than that of the storage compartment (4), and a pair of side walls (22) of the depressurised storage unit (7) are each arranged adjacent to the corresponding compartment side walls (4c) of the storage compartment (4).

Images