EP2612085B1 - Refrigerator, in particular domestic refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a refrigerator according to the preamble of claim 1.

Under a refrigeration device is in particular a household refrigeration appliance understood, ie a refrigerator that is used for household management in households or possibly in the catering sector, and in particular serves to store food and / or drinks in household quantities at certain temperatures, such as a refrigerator, a Freezer, a fridge-freezer or a wine storage cabinet.

The condensation water formed in the cold room of a refrigerator is usually conducted by means of a condensed water line from the refrigerator to the outer rear of the device and collected there in an evaporation tray. There, the collected condensate can be evaporated using the waste heat of the compressor and / or the condenser of the refrigerant circuit in the environment.

From the DE 202 09 839 U1 a generic refrigeration device is known, which has a, a refrigerator defining device body. The appliance body of the refrigeration device has a device return in its rear lower corner region. This serves as a machine room in which the compressor is arranged. The machine room is limited on the bottom side by a mounting rail on which the compressor rests.

Like from the DE 202 09 839 U1 further, sits on the top of the compressor, an evaporation tray in which the condensation is collected. The evaporation tray is here attached directly to the compressor to achieve a favorable heat transfer to the condensation. Because of this direct connection to the compressor, however, a specific evaporation tray is required for each type of compressor, which results in a high part complexity especially in a large-scale production with different refrigeration equipment variants.

A refrigerator according to the preamble of claim 1 is made US4023380 known.

The object of the invention is to provide a refrigeration device, in particular household refrigeration appliance, in which the evaporation tray is independent of the type of compressor used in the refrigeration device and at the same time provides an increased evaporation capacity.

The object is solved by the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the subclaims.

The refrigeration device according to the invention has a device body defining a cooling space and a support element on which a compressor connected in the refrigerant circuit is mounted. In addition, at least one evaporation tray is provided for collecting condensation water forming in the cooling space. According to the invention, the evaporation tray is not located on the top of the compressor, but the evaporation tray is integrated in the support element of the compressor, which has a tub bottom with laterally raised, circumferential side walls. The support element is usually formed from a sheet metal mounting rail, which extends between lateral outer walls of the refrigerator.

The compressor is mounted in a conventional manner via its feet on the support rail or the support element. The support element according to the invention can for this purpose have in the tub bottom corresponding fasteners to which the compressor can be screwed. The fasteners may be vertically upwardly open metal tabs.

The installation-related resulting openings in the support element, such as punched or cutouts for the metal tabs of the compressor attachment, are detrimental for a watertight recording of condensation. Therefore, the support member is formed for waterproof training with an insert. The insert is inserted into the trough-shaped support element in a shape-adapted manner. In this way, the inside of the tub-shaped support element is covered waterproof. In this embodiment, the support element is formed in two parts with a trough-shaped base body and with the insert part arranged thereon.

In such an embodiment, the trough-shaped support element and the insert can each be optimized according to their function. The support element can Therefore, pretend as a component-fixed structural part of the shell shape, while the insert can be a plastic part with greatly reduced component strength. Particularly preferably, the insert can be formed in comparison to the support element substantially without inherent dimensional stability, such as a pliable plastic film, the material thickness can be in the range of 0.5mm. In this case, the insert can easily adapt to a complex surface geometry of the trough-shaped support element.

Due to the comparatively large surface of the support element, an evaporation surface is obtained, which is substantially larger than in the prior art. The large evaporation surface results in a correspondingly increased evaporation capacity.

To further increase the evaporation performance, the support element of the compressor may be thermally coupled to a refrigerant line of the refrigerant circuit. In this case, the refrigerant line, in particular on the high pressure side of the refrigerant circuit, be supplemented by one or more loops. These loops can be inserted into the trough-shaped support element and connected to this. By virtue of the above-mentioned loop guide, the refrigerant line may preferably run around the support element in the manner of a frame. The loops of the refrigerant line thus form a support element heating, which accelerates the evaporation.

Thus, the refrigerant pipe is protected from external mechanical stresses, it may be disposed within the trough-shaped support element. The support member may also have attachment points, such as holding grooves or sheet metal tabs, with which the refrigerant line can be laid securely on the support element.

With regard to corrosion protection, the refrigerant lines between the tub-shaped support member and the insert formed of plastic may be arranged. As a result, the refrigerant line, which is usually made of inexpensive galvanized steel, does not come into direct contact with the condensate. On the other hand, the waste heat can be conducted to the condensation water in a particularly effective manner by means of the preferably thin-walled insert.

As an alternative to an arrangement between the support element and insert part, the refrigerant line can also be positioned above the insert part. In this case, the refrigerant line is in direct contact with the condensate. For reasons of corrosion protection, it is therefore advantageous if the refrigerant line is made of a coated copper tube.

As already mentioned above, in the trough-shaped support element bent upwards fastening tabs for the compressor attachment are formed. This results in the support element free cuts through the condensation can escape to the support floor. To prevent this, the plastic insert for each compressor attachment point may have a passage which surrounds the fastening tab on the support member waterproof with a raised, cylindrical peripheral wall. In this way it is ensured that no condensation water can flow to the support bottom of the refrigerator via the attachment points.

Depending on the evaporation performance to be achieved, the refrigerant line thermally coupled to the support member may be used upstream or downstream of the condenser. In combination with the support element heating according to the invention, a further line section of the refrigerant circuit can additionally be used as a front frame heating, which heats a front frame surrounding the feed opening of the refrigeration device. Depending on the required heat demand of the front frame heating or the support element heating, the corresponding line sections in the refrigerant circuit can be used in any order before or after the condenser.

Preferably, the support element can limit a machine room of the refrigeration device as a stiffening cross-beam on the bottom side. The engine room can be designed as a device recess in the lower rear corner region of the device body. In this case, the mounting rail may be fixed in the device side direction respectively on the outer side walls of the refrigerator.

Another aspect of the invention is based on the problem that, depending on the type of device to be manufactured (refrigerator, freezer, fridge freezer, static refrigeration unit or no-frost appliance) and device size each produce different amounts of condensed water. Parallel to the different amounts of condensation water, the amount of waste heat from the compressor also varies greatly. This waste heat depends on the device type, the energy efficiency of the device and the compressor and the size of the device.

In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the number and / or size of the evaporation components used in the refrigeration device should therefore be factory-set, ie. H. an evaporation tray, a condensation gutter, etc., are always designed for dew water intake with regard to the evaporation performance of the device type or device size. Thus, in a basic refrigeration appliance, in which only a reduced evaporation capacity is required, only an evaporation component for condensate water can be provided, for example, the evaporation tray integrated in the compressor support rail. By any addition of further evaporation components, a gradual increase in the evaporation performance is possible in device variants with increased evaporation requirement. Through any combination of these different evaporation components, therefore, an optimal evaporation performance can always be set for different types of refrigeration appliances.

By way of example, a first evaporation component may be a drainage labyrinth which consists of cascade-shaped condensation gutters arranged one above the other on the device rear wall. A second evaporation component may be a per se known evaporation tray, which sits directly on the compressor. In contrast, a third evaporation component can be an evaporation tray arranged above the compressor in the machine room, which does not sit in a form-fitting manner on the compressor but is arranged at a distance above the compressor. These exemplified evaporation components can be provided depending on the design of the evaporation performance in any combination on the back of the device and attached to appropriate adapter points.

Below, two embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1

in einer vergrößerten perspektivischen Teilansicht einen geräterückseitigen, unteren Eckbereich eines Kältegerätes gemäß dem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel;

Fig. 2

in einer perspektivischen Schnittdarstellung eine Tragschiene des Verdichters des Kältegerätes gemäß dem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel;

Fig. 3

in einer Ansicht entsprechend der Fig. 2 die Tragschiene gemäß dem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel; und

Fig. 4

in einer der Fig. 3 entsprechenden Ansicht die Tragschiene mit entferntem Einlegeteil.

Show it:

Fig. 1

in an enlarged perspective partial view of a rear side, lower corner portion of a refrigerator according to the first embodiment;

Fig. 2

in a perspective sectional view of a mounting rail of the compressor of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment;

Fig. 3

in a view corresponding to Fig. 2 the mounting rail according to the second embodiment; and

Fig. 4

in one of the Fig. 3 corresponding view of the mounting rail with removed insert.

In the Fig. 1 is shown in a perspective partial view of an accessible from the back of the refrigerator engine room 1. The engine room 1 is freed as a device return at the rear, lower corner area in the device body of the refrigerator. The engine room 1 is in the device side direction x through side walls 3 of the refrigeration device and in the device vertical direction z by a in the Fig. 1 limited ceiling wall shown. In the machine room 1 of the refrigerator, a compressor 5 is arranged, which rests on a running as a support rail support member 7. The support element 7 is supported on its in the device side direction x opposite narrow sides 9 on support strips 11, which are provided on the mutually facing inner sides of the side walls 3. The support strips 11 may additionally wear device feet, not shown, with which the refrigerator is parked on a floor. Like from the Fig. 1 further shows, the support rail 7 is mounted on its narrow sides 9 via indicated screw 13 on the support rails 11. The support bar 7 limited according to the Fig. 1 the engine room 1 on the bottom side.

In the Fig. 1 In addition, the condenser 15, which is arranged on the rear wall of the device, is partially shown. The condenser 15 is arranged together with the compressor 5 and an expansion element, not shown, and an evaporator in a refrigerant circuit, wherein the device components are fluidly connected to each other via refrigerant lines. Is exemplary in the Fig. 1 one from the compressor 5 to Condenser 15 leading refrigerant line 17 and a leading from the evaporator to the compressor low pressure line 19 shown.

In the depth direction y is in the Fig. 1 between a device rear wall and the condenser 15 a condensation pipe 21 is shown. This runs starting from a water outlet not shown at the back of the device obliquely downward, with the free outlet end 22 is located at a vertical distance a above the support rail 7. The rear water inlet is in turn in a known manner with the cooling chamber of the refrigeration device in fluid communication.

The in the Fig. 1 shown mounting rail 7 stiffened in device side direction x the rear lower corner region of the refrigerator. The mounting rail 7 thus improves the structural design of the refrigerator. In a dual function, the mounting rail 7 is also formed as an evaporation tray in which the dew from the condensation pipe 21 dripping water can be collected.

For this purpose, the support rail 7 is designed in two parts with a trough-shaped base body 8 and a later-described insertion part 27. The trough-shaped main body 8 of the support rail 7 is formed with a recessed bottom bottom 20 which is surrounded by laterally raised, circumferential side walls 24. The tub bottom 20 takes according to the Fig. 1 approximately the entire bottom surface of the engine room 1, whereby an evaporation surface is greatly increased compared to the prior art.

In the Fig. 2 the trough-shaped mounting rail 7 is shown in isolation. Accordingly, the trough-shaped body 8 of the support rail 7 is a shaping, deep-drawn sheet metal blank, which defines the trough shape and on which the insert 27 rests. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the insert 27 is a plastic film whose material thickness s can be in a range of 0.5 mm. The plastic film 27 is in contrast to the sheet metal plate with almost no inherent dimensional stability, that is limp, formed and therefore particularly inexpensive to produce, since no special profiling in the plastic part 27 is provided.

The plastic insert 27 can cover the tub-shaped main body 8 of the support rail 7 waterproof. Installation-related openings in the tub bottom 23 of the support rail 7 are therefore without influence on the watertightness. Such mounting holes are according to the Fig. 2 For example, free cuts 29 from which sheet metal tabs 31 are bent up vertically, which are used as fastening elements for connection of the compressor 5. In addition, in the Fig. 2 shown further mounting technology required mounting holes 33, which are punched out in the tub bottom 23 of the support rail 7.

According to the Fig. 2 Covering the plastic insert 27 over the entire surface of the tub bottom 23 of the main body 8 of the support rail 7 and additionally also the raised side walls 24. In order to allow an attachment of the compressor 5, in each case a hollow cylindrical passage 35 are provided in the plastic insert 27 for each bent fastening tab 34 , which surrounds the respective sheet metal tab 31 at a distance with a raised annular wall.

In the following Figures 3 and 4 the support rail 7 is shown according to the second embodiment. According to the Fig. 3 is to increase the evaporation capacity, the compressor 5 with the condenser 15 connecting high pressure line 17 partially thermally coupled to the support rail 7, whereby the refrigerant line 17 is used as a rail heating. According to the Fig. 3 the high-pressure line 17 runs with two pipe loops 36, 37 around the support rail 7 like a frame. The two pipe loops 36, 37 are arranged to protect against external mechanical stresses on the inside of the trough-shaped mounting rail 7 directly to the peripheral side wall 24 of the support rail 7. So that is in the Fig. 3 outer pipe loop 36 laid in a circumferential retaining groove 39. The retaining groove 39 is formed by appropriate Abkantvorgänge in the upper region of the peripheral side wall 24 such that the open sides of the circumferential retaining groove 39 in the transverse direction facing each other. In contrast, the inner pipe loop 37 runs in the inner corner region between the circumferential side wall 24 and the trough bottom 25.

Both the outer and the inner pipe loop 36, 37 is each waterproof covered by the plastic insert 27, so that the pipe loops 36, 37 can not come into contact with condensation.

In the Fig. 4 is the support rail 7 according to the second embodiment without the plastic insert 27, that is, only the designed as a sheet metal base body 8 is shown. According to the Fig. 4 the two pipe loops 36, 37 serving as mounting rail heating open into connecting lines 41, which merge into the high-pressure line 17 of the refrigerant circuit on the narrow side 9 of the mounting rail 7. In the Fig. 4 Additional fastening tabs 43 are provided, with which the inner pipe loop 37 is fixedly held on the inner corner region of the trough-shaped mounting rail 7.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

engine room

3

outer side walls

5

compressor

7

supporting member

9

Narrow side of the support element 7

11

carrying strips

13

screw

15

condenser

17

High-pressure line

19

Low-pressure line

21

condensate line

22

water outlet

23

Wannenboden

24

raised sidewall

27

Plastic insert

29

Clear cut

31

fastener

33

mounting hole

35

execution

36, 37

tube loops

39

retaining groove

41

interconnectors

43

metal tabs

a

distance

s

material thickness

x, y, z

spatial directions

Claims (11)

1. Refrigerator, in particular household refrigerator, having an appliance carcass defining a refrigerating zone, a support element (7) to which a compressor (5) which is connected to the refrigerant circuit is fastened, and at least one evaporation pan (23, 24) for collecting condensation water forming in the refrigerating zone, wherein the support element (7) of the compressor (5) for embodiment as a evaporation pan comprises a pan base (23) and laterally raised peripheral side walls (24), characterised in that the support element (7) is embodied in two parts with a pan-type base body (8) and for the watertight embodiment with an insert (28) which can be placed in the pan-type base body (8) adapted to its shape.
2. Refrigerator according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one fastening element (31) for fastening the compressor (5) is arranged in the pan base (23) of the support element (7).
3. Refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the base body (8) of the support element (7) is an inherently stable sheet metal part and the insert (27) is a plastic part.
4. Refrigerator according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the insert (27) is embodied to essentially be flexible without its own form stability by comparison with the base body (8) of the support element (7) and is in particular a plastic film, the material thickness (s) of which preferably lies in a region of 0.5 mm.
5. Refrigerator according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support element (7) is thermally coupled to at least one line segment (36, 37) of a refrigerant line (17, 19) of the refrigerant circuit, in particular to a refrigerant line (17) leading from the compressor (5) to the condenser (15).
6. Refrigerator according to claim 5, characterised in that the line segment (36, 37) of the refrigerant line (17) runs in the manner of a frame around the support element (7).
7. Refrigerator according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the line segment (36, 37) of the refrigerant line (17) is arranged on the interior of the pan-type support element (7), and holders, e.g. holding grooves or metal straps (43) in which the refrigerant line (36, 37) is placed are embodied in particular in the support element (7).
8. Refrigerator according to claim 5, 6 or 7, characterised in that the line segment (36, 37) of the refrigerant line (17) is arranged between the base body (8) of the support element (7) and the insert (27).
9. Refrigerator according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the insert (27) has at least one feedthrough (35), which, with a raised peripheral wall, surrounds the fastening element (31) embodied on the base body (8) of the support element (7) in a watertight manner.
10. Refrigerator according to one of claims 5 to 9, characterised in that a refrigerant line is thermally coupled to the support element (7) downstream of the condenser (15).
11. Refrigerator according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support element delimits a machine compartment (1) of the refrigerator on the base side, said machine compartment being embodied as a recess in the rear lower corner region of the appliance carcass.

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