EP2580546A1

EP2580546A1 - Household appliance

Info

Publication number: EP2580546A1
Application number: EP11728688.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luca Bossi; Adriano Mencarini; Paolo Faraldi; Giacomo Pittalis
Original assignee: Indesit Co SpA
Current assignee: Whirlpool EMEA SpA
Priority date: 2010-06-09
Filing date: 2011-06-08
Publication date: 2013-04-17
Also published as: WO2011154909A1; ITTO20100489A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a household appliance (1) comprising a cabinet (2) which includes at least one door (3) for closing an access opening providing access to an operating space within said cabinet (2). The invention is characterized in that said household appliance (1) comprises a system (10) for producing electric current, in particular comprising a fuel cell (11 A), said system (10) being integrated into a base (20) of the cabinet (2) of said household appliance (1).

Description

"HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE"

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a household appliance according to the preamble of claim 1.

The present invention typically applies to a household appliance such as a refrigerator, a refrigerator- freezer, a dishwasher, a washing machine, a washing/drying machine, a clothes dryer, an oven or the like.

In general, a household appliance comprises a cabinet that includes at least one door for closing an access opening providing access to an operating space within said household appliance, e.g. the drum of a washing or washing/drying machine, the tub of a dishwasher, or the refrigerated cells of a refrigerator or a refrigerator- freezer.

Usually, said at least one door is fitted with an actuation device through which the door can be moved to the positions where it closes or opens the access opening.

Also, the household appliances known in the art are typically connected to an electric energy generation system, typically consisting of the electric mains.

In particular, most household appliances known in the art use alternating mains voltage (e.g. 230V, 50Hz).

However, the household appliances known in the art suffer from the drawback that they cannot be made independent of the electric mains or the power supply source; as a consequence, they do not allow for managing demand peaks effectively, avoiding any power blackouts, and reducing the load whenever necessary.

This problem is especially felt in our times, when the electric mains is sometimes proving to be inadequate to meet the demands and requirements of the users of known household appliances.

Moreover, the increasing use of alternative energy sources and the increasingly localized generation thereof through domestic systems based on photovoltaic panels, aeolian generators, cogeneration systems, etc., as well as the interfacing thereof to traditional networks, has caused new requirements to emerge for both energy providers and final users.

As a result, the classic vision of an electric network is becoming outdated, in that now it also comprises electronics, information technology and communication in addition to lines, switches and transformers; furthermore, with the expansion of distributed power generation from renewable sources, household environments are also beginning to make use of an additional production network which must be properly integrated with the traditional one.

In this frame, it is the main object of the present invention to provide a household appliance adapted to overcome the above-described drawbacks.

In particular, it is one object of the present invention to provide a household appliance so designed that it can be made independent of the electric mains, so as to avoid possible power blackouts.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a household appliance which allows to integrate an additional electric current production network with the traditional one even within a household environment.

Said objects are achieved by the present invention through a household appliance incorporating the features set out in the appended claims, which are intended as an integral part of the present description.

Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and from the annexed drawings, which are supplied by way of non-limiting example, wherein:

Figs, la and lb show a first and a second perspective views, respectively, of a household appliance according to the present invention;

- Fig. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of a detail of the household appliance according to the present invention;

Figs. 3a and 3b schematically illustrate the operation of the system 10 of the household appliance according to the present invention.

Said description and said drawings are to be considered as non-limiting examples. Referring now to the drawings, in Figs, la and lb reference numeral 1 designates as a whole a household appliance according to the present invention.

In particular, Figs, la and lb illustrate a household appliance 1 consisting of a dishwasher; it is however clear that said household appliance 1 may be a refrigerator, a refrigerator-freezer, a washing machine, a washing/drying machine, a clothes dryer, an oven or the like.

The household appliance 1 comprises a cabinet 2 which includes at least one door 3 for closing an access opening providing access to an operating space (not shown in the drawings) within said cabinet 2. For example, said operating space may be a tub of a dishwasher, or the drum of a washing or washing/drying machine, or the refrigerated cell of a refrigerator or a refrigerator-freezer.

Said at least one door 3 is fitted with an actuation device 4 through which the door 3 can be moved to the positions where it closes or opens the access opening.

In accordance with the present invention, said household appliance 1 comprises a system 10 for producing electric current, in particular comprising a fuel cell 11 A, said system 10 being integrated into a base 20 of the cabinet 2 of said household appliance 1.

The height of the base 20 may be in the range of 100 to 500 mm, preferably 150 to

200 mm, more preferably 170 to 180 mm; also, said base 20 may be 500mm to 600mm deep and 400mm to 900mm wide.

Said system 10 for producing electric current is visible in Fig. lb, because this drawing does not show a covering 5 (visible in Fig. la) of the cabinet 2. In particular, the covering 5 may be extractable, or it may comprise a door 5 A extending in height above the base 20 for about 120 mm, and adapted to rotate relative to the cabinet 2 in order to allow a user to gain access to the system 10.

The integration of the system 10 into the base 20 of the household appliance 1 allows said household appliance 1 to be made independent of the electric mains, thus preventing it from suffering a possible power blackout.

Furthermore, especially when said household appliance 1 is a washing machine, a washing/drying machine or a clothes dryer, the design of the cabinet 2 of the household appliance 1 remains substantially unchanged, since the system 10 is arranged in that place which typically houses an additional drawer-like compartment used in known washing machines, washing/drying machines and clothes dryers for storing the laundry and/or the washing agent containers. This allows the current overall dimensions of the machine to be kept unchanged; also, this solution allows using the packaging of prior-art household appliances without requiring any modifications thereto.

Fig. 2 shows a partially exploded perspective view of the system 10 and of the base 20 of the household appliance 1 according to the present invention.

As can be seen in this drawing, said base 20 is designed in a manner such as to house the components of the system 10.

In fact, said base 20 comprises a bracket 21 for securing an assembly 11 to the base 20, said assembly 11 comprising at least said fuel cell 11 A and a cooling circuit adapted to cool the fuel cell 11 A. Preferably, said bracket 21 can be removed as one piece from the base 20, i.e. without having to separate beforehand from the bracket 21 the items that make up the assembly 11 and that are secured thereon, e.g. for maintaining the system 10.

The base 20 also comprises a plurality of guides 22 for housing at least one can 12 containing a combustible fluid to be fed to the fuel cell 11 A, said combustible fluid being preferably a methanol-based solution.

In particular, said at least one can 12 comprises a pair of cans 12 housed in said base 20. Preferably, the two cans 12 are substantially equal and interchangeable. This solution allows using one can 12 for supplying and operating the fuel cell 11 A, while keeping a spare can 12, useful if the other one becomes depleted.

Each can 12 may be fitted with devices (not shown in the drawings) adapted to monitor the presence and/or level of the fuel contained therein. Furthermore, each can 12 may be equipped with suitable pressure balancing valves 30 allowing the cans 12 to be drained with the cap 31 closed.

The base 20 also comprises connection means 22A for a quick connection of said at least one can 12, said connection means 22A being preferably of the quick-coupling type and being associated with said guides 22.

To this end, said at least one can 12 comprises fittings (not shown in the drawings) which allow it to be automatically coupled to the connection means 22A when said at least one can 12 is fully pushed in for the whole travel of the corresponding guides 22.

Each can 12 is advantageously removable from the front side of the household appliance 1.

In addition, the base 20 comprises a plate 23 adapted to accommodate an accumulator unit 13; preferably, said plate 23 is positioned above said plurality of guides 22 that house at least one can 12. Said plate 23 may be integrated as one piece with said guides 22.

Said accumulator unit 13 comprises a rechargeable battery, in particular a "soft pouch" type lithium- ion battery having a capacity of approximately lOOAh; advantageously, the elements of this type of battery can be placed into a casing that can be provided as a thin, flat piece, which facilitates assembling the system 10 with the base 20.

The accumulator unit 13 is preferably removable from the front side of the household appliance 1. Advantageously, the accumulator unit 13 is arranged above said at least one can 12, so that any liquid leaking from the can 12 will not come in contact with any live parts.

If the household appliance 1 is a refrigerating apparatus (a refrigerator or a refrigerator-freezer), then the base 20 may also comprise a support 24 for securing a compressor (not shown in the drawings).

In a preferred embodiment, tabs 24L are obtained in the support 24 into which compressor dampers engage, said dampers being usually made of rubber.

Preferably, the base 20 comprises a plurality of reinforcement elements 25 adapted to bear the weight of the household appliance 1; preferably, said reinforcement elements 25 are C-shaped.

In addition, the base 20 comprises a protective cover 26, in particular for preventing any liquid leaking from the household appliance 1 from reaching the live components of the system 10.

Figs. 3a and 3b schematically show the system 10 for producing electric current in accordance with the present invention.

The system 10 further comprises:

a fuel circuit for feeding a combustible fluid to an anode of the fuel cell 1 1 A, said fuel circuit comprising a first pump PI for taking the fluid from said at least one can 12;

a blower and/or compressor device 14 for supplying air and, consequently, oxygen to a cathode of the fuel cell 11 A.

It can be seen in these figures that the system 10 includes a cooling circuit that comprises at least one heat exchanger 15 and a second pump P2, both connected to the fuel cell 11 A through suitable tubing.

The system 10 also comprises a control device 16 for controlling the components of said system 10.

Said control device 16 may be integrated into a printed circuit board of the household appliance 1 itself, or into a dedicated printed circuit board of the system 10. The control device 16 may then be operationally connected to a source 17, in particular of renewable energy (e.g. photovoltaic, aeolian, etc.), in order to charge the accumulator unit 13. In particular, the connection between the control device 16 and the source 17 may be obtained by means of connectors (not shown) associated with said control device 16. Since the renewable energy sources 17 known in the art generate direct current, they can be directly connected to the control device 16 for charging the accumulator unit 13.

Furthermore, the control device 16 may be connected to a transformer/power supply 18 which allows to charge the accumulator unit 13 by connecting it directly to the electric mains (not shown in the drawing), if available.

As a result, the system 10 according to the present invention allows to exploit most effectively the differentiation of electric energy rates. In fact, the household appliances known in the art include a delayed and/or programmable start function which allows the machine to be set to operate in the hours when power is cheapest (typically at night).

Thanks to the system 10 according to the present invention, this possibility is extended to a refrigerating appliance (such as a refrigerator or a refrigerator- freezer), which must receive power and operate all day long; as a matter of fact, being equipped with a fuel cell 11A and an accumulator unit 13, the system 10 according to the present invention can overcome this problem by allowing the household appliance 1 to receive power independently of the electric mains.

In particular, it is possible to control the operation and to adapt the cycles of a household appliance 1 that comprises a control device 16 based, for example, on:

presence or absence of the electric mains;

presence or absence of an alternative energy source 17 that can potentially be connected to the system 10;

- mains frequency value, the control device 16 comprising a mains frequency measuring device (not shown) and implementing a specific algorithm like the one described in US4317049;

residual charge of the accumulator unit 13, and so on.

When the household appliance 1 includes water heating means (not shown), such as electric resistors, and mains power is not available, it is conceivable that hot water is taken from an external source, such as a boiler or a gas burner or a thermal solar panel. In such a case, the household appliance 1 will participate in the method as per patent EP 1396687, and the operating time of the system (accumulator or fuel cell) can be maximized because it will no longer have to supply power to resistive loads, but only to electric loads of a different nature.

As can be inferred by comparing Figs. 3a and 3b, the system 10 according to the present invention may be:

of the type without recirculation (see Fig. 3a), wherein the system 10 comprises a container 12A for collecting the exhausted solution of the combustible fluid coming from the fuel cell 11 A;

- of the type with recirculation (see Fig. 3b), wherein the combustible fluid returns to said at least one can 12 after going through the fuel cell 11 A.

Advantageously, the system 10 comprises a solenoid valve 19 associated with a pair of cans 12 for the purpose of controlling the supply of combustible fluid; this solution allows using one can 12 for feeding and operating the fuel cell 11 A, while keeping a spare can 12, useful if the other one becomes depleted.

The system 10 further comprises a drain duct 32 extending outwards from the fuel cell 11 A and adapted to evacuate the residues of the chemical reaction taking place in said fuel cell 11 A, in particular C02 and H20 in the form of water vapour; preferably, said drain duct 32 is associated with the fuel cell 11 A through a valve 33.

The features and advantages of the household appliance according to the present invention are apparent from the above description.

In particular, the integration of the system 10 into the base 20 of the household appliance 1 allows said household appliance 1 to be made independent of the electric mains, thus preventing it from suffering a possible power blackout.

In addition, the particular design of the base 20 allows the cabinet 2 of the household appliance 1 to be kept substantially unchanged, in particular when said household appliance 1 is a washing machine, a washing/drying machine or a clothes dryer.

Another advantage of the present invention lies in the fact that the peculiar design of the system 10 according to the present invention allows to exploit most effectively the differentiation of electric energy rates, e.g. by programming the operating cycles of the household appliance in the hours (typically at night) when power is cheapest. Furthermore, the system 10 according to the present invention allows extending this possibility to a refrigerating appliance, which must receive power and operate all day long.

It is however clear that many changes may be made to the household appliance according to the present invention, and that in its practical implementation the various components may have different shapes and arrangements or be replaced with other technically equivalent elements without departing from the novelty spirit of the inventive idea.

It can therefore be easily understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-described household appliance, but may be subject to many modifications, improvements or replacements of equivalent parts and elements without departing from the inventive idea, as clearly specified in the following claims.

Claims

1. A household appliance (1) comprising a cabinet (2) which includes at least one door (3) for closing an access opening providing access to an operating space within said cabinet (2),

characterized in that

said household appliance (1) comprises a system (10) for producing electric current, in particular comprising a fuel cell (1 1A), said system (10) being integrated into a base (20) of the cabinet (2) of said household appliance (1).

2. A household appliance (1) according to claim 1 , characterized in that said base (20) comprises a bracket (21) for securing an assembly (11) to the base (20), said assembly

(11) comprising at least said fuel cell (HA) and a cooling circuit adapted to cool the fuel cell (11 A).

3. A household appliance (1) according to claim 1 , characterized in that said base (20) comprises a plurality of guides (22) for housing at least one can (12) containing a combustible fluid to be fed to the fuel cell (11A), in particular said combustible fluid being a methanol-based solution.

4. A household appliance (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said at least one can (12) comprises a pair of cans (12) housed in said base (20).

5. A household appliance (1) according to one or more of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that said base (20) comprises connection means (22A) allowing for a quick connection of said at least one can (12), said connection means (22A) preferably being of the quick-coupling type and being associated with said guides (22).

6. A household appliance (1) according to claim 1 , characterized in that said base (20) comprises a plate (23) adapted to accommodate an accumulator unit (13), in particular a rechargeable battery.

7. A household appliance (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that said accumulator unit (13) comprises a "soft pouch" type lithium-ion battery.

8. A household appliance (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said system (10) comprises at least one extractable element, said extractable element being in particular said at least one can (12) and/or said accumulator unit (13), said extractable element being in particular extracted through a front wall of said base (20).

9. A household appliance (1) according to claims 3 and 6, characterized in that said accumulator unit (13) is arranged on top of said at least one can (12).

10. A household appliance (1) according to claim 1 , characterized in that said household appliance (1) is a refrigerating appliance and the base (20) comprises a support

(24) for securing a compressor.

11. A household appliance (1) according to claim 1 , characterized in that said base (20) comprises a protective cover (26), in particular for preventing any liquid leaking from the household appliance (1) from reaching the live components of the system (10).

12.A household appliance (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said system (10) for producing electric current comprises:

-a fuel circuit for feeding a combustible fluid to an anode of the fuel cell (11 A), said fuel circuit comprising a first pump (PI) for taking the fluid from said at least one can (12);

-a blower and/or compressor device (14) for supplying air and/or oxygen to a cathode of the fuel cell (11 A).

13. A household appliance (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that said system (10) includes:

-a cooling circuit comprising at least one heat exchanger (15) and a second pump

(P2);

- a control device (16) for controlling the components of said system (10).

14. A household appliance (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that said control device (16) is connected to a source (17), in particular of renewable energy, and/or to a transformer/power supply (18) which allows to charge the accumulator unit (13) by connecting it directly to the electric mains.

15. A household appliance (1) according to claim 11 , characterized in that said system (10) comprises a solenoid valve (19) associated with a pair of cans (12) for the purpose of controlling the supply of combustible fluid.