EP2612090B1 - Refrigeration device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the field of refrigeration appliances.

For cooling in refrigerators compression refrigerating machines can be used, in which a change in the state of aggregation of the refrigerant is used from liquid to gas for cooling. The refrigerant is moved in a refrigerant circuit and compressed by a compressor, i. compacted. The compressed refrigerant is a heat exchanger, in particular a condenser, supplied and liquefied there under heat. The liquefied refrigerant is for pressure change using a throttle, such as an expansion valve, relaxed and another heat exchanger, in particular an evaporator supplied. In the evaporator, the refrigerant evaporates under heat absorption at a low temperature and is then supplied to the compressor. The heat exchanger is also often subjected to an air flow, which is generated for example by means of a fan.

From the DE 199 52 330 A1 is a laboratory cooling and / or warming cabinet with an interior and this multi-sided enclosing air circulation space known. At least one heating and / or cooling device is removably arranged in the air circulation space.

From the US 2,267,432 A is a cooling element for a refrigerator known. The cooling element is separated by means of a door from the remaining interior of the refrigerator.

The publication EP 05 24 451 A2 shows a refrigerator with a plastic wall, which has a shape. In the molding a clamping piece is frictionally inserted to clamp a component to the plastic wall.

A refrigerator according to the preamble of claim 1 is the utility model DE 20 005 803 U1 known. The Utility Model DE 20 005 803 U1 shows a fastener for securing an evaporator plate to the rear wall of a refrigerated goods chamber of a refrigerator.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator with improved thermal properties.

Under a refrigerator, in particular, a household refrigeration appliance is understood, so a refrigerator used for household management in households or possibly even in the catering sector, and in particular serves to store food and / or drinks in household quantities at certain temperatures, such as For example, a refrigerator, a freezer, a Kühlgefrierkombination or a wine storage cabinet.

This object is solved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to one aspect, the invention relates to a refrigeration device with a housing which surrounds an interior of the refrigeration device, and with an evaporator arranged in the interior. An indentation is formed in an inner wall of the housing. The evaporator is fixed to the housing via a guide body, which is arranged in the concavity of the inner wall.

The arranged in the concavity guide body allows to arrange the evaporator in different positions within the housing. In particular, the evaporator during the manufacture of the refrigerator may be positioned in a different position than during normal operation of the refrigerator after its completion. This allows, for example, a bilateral flow around the evaporator during normal operation of the refrigerator.

According to one embodiment, the guide body is axially movable in the concavity. This allows a particularly simple way to vary the distance between the inner wall and the evaporator during the manufacturing process.

According to one embodiment, the concavity has a closed inner wall or is made foam-tight. In other words, the concavity does not form a breakthrough through the inner wall, so that when foaming the housing with insulating foam, an insulation foam lying behind the concavity can not penetrate into the indentation.

The concavity has a stop and the guide body has a stop element. The stop and the stop member cooperate such that axial movement of the guide body in the concavity in a first direction by abutting the stop member to the stop
is limited. This causes the guide body is held in the concavity and can not completely slip out of the concavity.

According to one embodiment, an elastic element is arranged in the concavity of the inner wall in order to act on the guide body with a force acting in the axial direction. The force pushes the guide body out of the concavity. This causes the vaporizer to be in the first position only as long as it is pressed into the first position or held in the first position, for example because of a catch, and otherwise automatically moves to the second position.

According to one embodiment, the guide body is at least partially elastic. This makes it possible to apply the force to the guide body in the direction out of the concavity. Forming the guide body elastically constitutes an alternative or supplementary measure for arranging the elastic element in the concavity.

According to one embodiment, the guide body is arranged biased in the concavity, so that acts on the guide body, a force in the axial direction, which presses the guide body, for example, from the concavity out.

According to one embodiment, a fan is arranged in the interior so that an air flow generated by means of the fan flows past at least between the evaporator and the inner wall.

According to one embodiment, the evaporator is a plate evaporator, a tube evaporator or a Rollbond evaporator. This helps to be able to produce the refrigerator in a simple manner.

According to one embodiment, the guide body on the front side a fastening means for holding the evaporator. This allows a particularly simple way to attach the evaporator to the guide body. The attachment means may be resilient so that vibrations that occur during operation on the evaporator are not transmitted to the housing.

According to one embodiment, an inner wall region of the inner wall facing the evaporator comprises at least one deformation. The inner wall, for example, at least partially limit the interior and form an inner shell. The deformation of the inner wall portion causes during the operation of the refrigerator, an air flow between the evaporator and the inner wall due to, for example, a locally turbulent air flow is deflected and at least partially directed to the evaporator, whereby a heat exchange between the interior and the evaporator can be improved , The locally turbulent air flow can be achieved, for example, by deformation of an inner wall region of an inner wall of the refrigeration device adjacent to the evaporator. If this deformation comprises a structure which is at least partially a negative impression of a rear side of the evaporator, in particular an evaporator coil or a refrigerant channel, an air flow adapted to a shape of the evaporator and thus turbulent air flow can be produced between the rear side of the evaporator and the inner wall region with the deformation , Such a deformation of the inner wall can be generated particularly advantageous already during the introduction of insulating foam in a limited by the inner wall and an outer shell of the refrigerator space. If, during foaming, the rear side of the evaporator is pressed against the inner wall, the inner wall is deformed due to the outward-pointing foam pressure according to a structure of the rear side of the evaporator, for example according to a course of an evaporator coil. After the introduction of foam, the evaporator can be spaced from the inner wall again.

According to one embodiment, the deformation comprises a negative impression of an inner wall area facing side of the evaporator. By "negative impression" is meant a structure in the inner wall region which receives a structure of the inner wall region facing side of the evaporator. If, for example, the elevation of the side of the evaporator facing the inner wall region comprises an elevation, then the negative impression is formed by a bulge which can at least partially accommodate the elevation.

According to one embodiment, the deformation is a negative impression of a protrusion, for example a survey formed by an evaporator coil or by a refrigerant channel of the evaporator.

According to one embodiment, the elevation is formed by a coil or by a refrigerant channel or by a rollbond arrangement of the evaporator.

According to one embodiment, the deformation comprises at least one indentation and / or a bulge. The bulge may be, for example, a negative impression of a gap between adjacent portions of an evaporator coil or between adjacent refrigerant channels.

According to one embodiment, the inner wall region comprises a plurality of deformations which form parallel channels, in particular parallel longitudinal channels or parallel transverse channels. The deformations may, for example, correspond to a course of the evaporator coil or a course of the refrigerant channels.

According to one embodiment, the deformation is provided to generate an air flow component in the direction of an inner wall region facing side of the evaporator when exposed to an air flow. The air flow can be generated for example by means of a fan arranged in the interior. However, the air flow may also be a heat flow.

According to one embodiment, the inner wall region comprises a spatial extent that is equal to or smaller than a cross section of the evaporator. In this way, advantageously, a local air flow can be generated.

According to one embodiment, the deformation in the inner wall region corresponds to a deformation on a side of the evaporator facing the inner wall region. In other words, the deformation in the inner wall region represents a negative shape of the deformation on the evaporator. This contributes to the fact that the air flow is at least partially directed to the evaporator. Furthermore, this allows a particularly simple production of the deformation, namely by the deformation of the evaporator is used as a mold for forming the deformation in the inner wall area.

In one aspect, the invention relates to the manufacture of the refrigeration device. In this case, the concavity is formed in the inner wall of the housing. The guide body for fixing the evaporator is placed in the concavity. This helps to attach the evaporator in a particularly simple manner to the housing.

According to one embodiment, the evaporator is attached to the guide body before or after arranging the guide body in the concavity. This contributes to a particularly simple mountability of the evaporator.

In one embodiment, the evaporator is placed in a first position. Behind the inner wall an insulating foam is foamed. Subsequently, the evaporator is brought into a second position in which the distance between the evaporator and the inner wall, is introduced behind the insulating foam, greater than in the first position. This contributes to a simple manufacturability of the refrigerator. Furthermore, this contributes to a high efficiency of the refrigerator, since in the second position, the efficiency of the evaporator is better than in the first position.

According to a further embodiment, the evaporator is held in the first and / or second position by means of the guide body in the concavity. In its movement between the first and the second position, the evaporator is guided by the guide body. In this way, the evaporator can be easily brought to the first or second position.

According to a further embodiment, the evaporator is held in the interior in the first and / or second position by means of an external guide device and / or the evaporator is guided in its movement between the first and the second position of the external guide device. The external guide device essentially comprises no components of the refrigeration device which are contained in the refrigeration appliance during normal operation after the completion of the refrigeration appliance. In this way, the evaporator can easily be in the first or the second Position be brought. Alternatively, the guide may be combined with the aid of the guide body and the guide with the aid of the external guide device. For example, the guide body can guide the movement and hold the evaporator and the external guide device can move the evaporator.

Fig. 1

eine Ausführungsform eines Kältegeräts mit einem Verdampfer;

Fig. 2

eine Ausführungsform des Kältegeräts mit dem Verdampfer in einer ersten Position;

Fig. 3

eine Ausführungsform des Kältegeräts mit dem Verdampfer in einer zweiten Position;

Fig. 4

eine Ausführungsform des Kältegeräts mit dem Verdampfer in der zweiten Position mit einem elastischen Element;

Fig. 5

eine Ausführungsform des Kältegeräts mit dem Verdampfer in der zweiten Position;

Fig. 6

eine Ausführungsform des Kältegeräts mit dem Verdampfer in der ersten Position;

Fig. 7

eine Ausführungsform des Kältegeräts mit dem Verdampfer in der zweiten Position;

Fig. 8

eine Ausführungsform des Kältegeräts gemäß Figur 7 mit einem Lüfter.

Further embodiments will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

an embodiment of a refrigerator with an evaporator;

Fig. 2

an embodiment of the refrigeration device with the evaporator in a first position;

Fig. 3

an embodiment of the refrigeration device with the evaporator in a second position;

Fig. 4

an embodiment of the refrigeration device with the evaporator in the second position with an elastic element;

Fig. 5

an embodiment of the refrigeration device with the evaporator in the second position;

Fig. 6

an embodiment of the refrigeration device with the evaporator in the first position;

Fig. 7

an embodiment of the refrigeration device with the evaporator in the second position;

Fig. 8

an embodiment of the refrigeration device according to FIG. 7 with a fan.

Elements of the same construction or function are identified across the figures with the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 shows a partial view of a section through a refrigerator 10. The refrigerator 10 is, for example, a household refrigerator, in particular a refrigerator. The refrigeration device 10 has a housing 12 which encloses an interior 14. In the interior 14, an evaporator 16 is arranged. The evaporator 16 may be connected to supply and discharge lines, not shown, and to electrical lines for controlling or regulating the evaporator 16.

The interior 14 is suitable for cooling refrigerated goods, such as food. The evaporator 16 receives heat energy in the inner space 14 and transports it, so that the inner space 14 is cooled by means of the evaporator 16. In the evaporator 16, a cooling liquid is moved, which evaporates even at low temperatures, for example, the temperature of the product to be cooled. If the gaseous cooling liquid is pumped out, then the average kinetic energy of the entire system decreases, which is equivalent to a lower temperature and thus a cooling.

The evaporator 16 is designed, for example, as a tube evaporator, rollbond evaporator or plate evaporator, in particular with an evaporator coil. The evaporator 16 is fixed to the housing 12 by means of a guide arrangement 21. The guide assembly 21 holds the evaporator 16 and allows movement of the evaporator 16, by which a distance between the evaporator 16 and an inner wall 19 of the inner space 14 is variable.

The guide arrangement 21 preferably comprises one, two or more guide bodies 22 and corresponding indentations 24 in which the guide bodies 22 are guided. The evaporator 16 is fixed to the guide bodies 22 by means of fastening means 20, which are preferably at least partially elastic, for example rubber-like, so that vibrations of the evaporator 16 are not transmitted to the housing 12. This contributes to a low noise during operation of the refrigerator 10 at. The guide body 22 are at least partially disposed in indentations 24 of the housing 12. The guide body 22 are for example piston-shaped and the indentations 24 are for example cylindrical. The guide body 22 are movably guided in the indentations 24, in particular in the axial direction. Alternatively, the guide assembly 21 may be formed differently.

The housing 12 has the indentations 24 associated stops 26, which are for example nose-shaped or shoulder-shaped and project in the radial direction in the corresponding indentation 24. The guide body 22 have 26 corresponding stop elements 28 to the stops. The stops 26 limit in cooperation with the stop elements 28, the movement of the guide body 22 in the axial direction and thus prevent the guide body 22 slip out of the indentations 24.

FIG. 1 shows the guide assembly 21 in the maximum extended state. That is, a distance between the evaporator 16 and its closest inner wall 19 is almost maximum or maximum. The evaporator 16 is located, for example, in the intended use of the refrigerator 10 after completion in the extended state. This allows the air in the inner space 14 to flow around both sides of the evaporator 16, which promotes high efficiency of the evaporator 16.

FIG. 2 shows the refrigerator 10 with the evaporator 16 according to FIG. 1 in the inserted state, in which the distance between the evaporator 16 and the inner wall is smaller than in the extended state. The evaporator 16 is, for example, during the manufacture of the refrigeration device 10 in the inserted state in which a distance from the inner wall is the lowest.

FIG. 3 shows the refrigerator 10 with the evaporator 16 according to FIG. 1 in the extended state, in which a distance to the inner wall is greatest.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the refrigeration device 10 according to the FIGS. 1 to 3 in which the guide arrangement 21 comprises an elastic element 34. On the one hand, the elastic element 34 is partially arranged in a concavity of the guide body 22 and on the other hand is supported on a bottom of the indentations 24. The elastic member 34 is biased such that a force acts on the guide bodies 22 urging the guide bodies 22 in the direction of their extended state. This allows the guide assembly 21, for example, automatically brings the evaporator 16 in the extended state. Alternatively or in addition to the elastic element 34 can also be the guide body 22 wholly or partially of an elastic material, such as rubber, be formed and biased due to their own elasticity and / or due to the elastic member 34 in the concavity 24.

The FIGS. 5 and 6 show an alternative embodiment which, except for the shape of the evaporator 16 structurally and functionally the embodiment according to the FIGS. 1 to 3 equivalent. In contrast to the exemplary embodiments explained above, the evaporator 16 has protrusions 36, on which the evaporator 16 is uneven and bulges in the direction of the inner wall 19. For example, the protrusions 36 may be constructive and may be tubular channels for circulating cooling fluid. Alternatively, the protrusions 36 may be formed to favorably influence an air circulation in the inner space 14, which will be described below with reference to FIGS FIGS. 7 and 8 is explained in more detail.

FIG. 7 shows the embodiment according to FIG. 6 , wherein the evaporator 16 is in the extended state and wherein on the inner wall 19, a deformation region 32 is formed. The deformation region 32 has indentations 37, which correspond to the protrusions 36. The indentation 37 is formed, for example, during foaming of insulating foam behind the inner wall 19, for example, the indentations 37 are formed as negative impressions of the protrusions 36.

FIG. 8 shows the embodiment according to FIG. 7 , In addition, a fan 38 is arranged in the inner space 14, which generates an air flow, in particular an air circulation, in the inner space 14. In this case, the air flows in the inner space 14 essentially in a first flow direction 40 and in a second flow direction 42. In the first flow direction 40, the air absorbs heat of the chilled goods and is sucked in by the fan 38. In the second flow direction 42, the air flows between the evaporator 16 and the inner wall 19 and discharges the absorbed heat to the evaporator 16 and thereby cools itself off. Subsequently, the cooled air again absorbs heat energy from the refrigerated goods.

The protrusions 36 and the corresponding concavities 37 cause the air in the second flow direction 42 is not rectilinear, but turbulent at the Evaporator 16 flows past. In this case, a surface of the evaporator 16 is partially flowed at relatively large angles, which has a favorable effect on the heat transfer. This is, for example, maximum when the air meets the evaporator 16 at a right angle, and minimal when the air flows parallel to the evaporator 16 to the evaporator 16.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

The refrigerator

12

casing

14

inner space

16

Evaporator

19

inner wall

20

fastener

21

guide assembly

22

guide body

24

concavity

26

attack

28

stop element

30

Einschäumrichtung

32

deformation zone

34

elastic element

36

bulging

37

concavity

38

Fan

40

first flow direction

42

second flow direction

Claims (19)

1. Refrigeration appliance (10) with a housing (12) which surrounds an interior (14) of the refrigeration appliance (10), and with an evaporator (16) arranged in the interior (14), wherein a concave section (24) is embodied in an inner wall (19) of the housing (12) and the evaporator (16) is fastened on the housing (12) via a guide body (22) which is arranged in the concave section (24) of the inner wall (19), characterised in that the concave section (24) has an end stop (26), that the guide body (22) has an end stop element (28) and that the end stop (26) and the end stop element (28) interact in such a manner that an axial movement of the guide body (22) out from the concave section (24) is restricted by the end stop element (28) striking against the end stop (26).
2. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that the guide body (22) is axially moveable in the concave section (24).
3. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the concave section (24) has a closed interior wall or is sealed by foam.
4. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that an elastic element (34) is arranged in the concave section (24) in order to apply a force acting in the axial direction to the guide body (22).
5. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guide body (22) is embodied as at least partially elastic.
6. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guide body (22) is arranged so that it is pretensioned in the concave section (24).
7. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a fan (38) is arranged in the housing (12) in order to generate an air flow which flows past at least between the evaporator (16) and the inner wall (19).
8. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the evaporator (16) is a plate evaporator, a tube evaporator or a roll bond evaporator.
9. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guide body (22) has a fastening means (20) on an end face for retaining the evaporator (16).
10. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that an inner wall region (19) of the inner wall (18) facing towards the evaporator (16) has at least one deformation (36, 37).
11. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to claim 10, characterised in that the deformation (36, 37) comprises a negative imprint of a side of the evaporator (16) facing towards the inner wall region (19).
12. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the deformation (36, 37) is a negative imprint of a raised section (16) of a side of the evaporator (16) facing towards the inner wall region (19).
13. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to claim 10, 11 or 12, characterised in that the raised section (16) is formed by a tube coil or by a coolant duct or by a roll bond arrangement of the evaporator (16).
14. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to one of the preceding claims 10 to 13, characterised in that the deformation (36, 27) comprises at least one indentation (37) and/or protrusion (36).
15. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to one of the preceding claims 10 to 14, characterised in that the inner wall region (19) has a plurality of deformations (36, 37), which form parallel ducts, in particular parallel longitudinal ducts or parallel transverse ducts.
16. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to one of the preceding claims 10 to 15, characterised in that the deformation (36, 37) is provided to generate an air flow component in the direction of a side of the evaporator (16) facing towards the inner wall region (19) when an air flow is applied.
17. Refrigeration appliance (10) according to one of the preceding claims 10 to 16, characterised in that the inner wall region (19) has a spatial extent which is equal to or less than a cross-section of the evaporator (16).
18. Method for manufacturing a refrigeration appliance (10) according to claim 1, characterised by:

    Forming a concave section with an end stop (26) in an inner wall (19) of a housing (12) of the refrigeration appliance (10) and

    Arranging a guide body (22) with an end stop element (28) in the concave section (24) of the inner wall (19) for fastening an evaporator (16), wherein the end stop (26) and the end stop element (28) interact in such a manner that an axial movement of the guide body (22) out from the concave section (24) is restricted by the end stop element (28) striking against the end stop (26).
19. Method according to claim 18, characterised by:
    Fastening the evaporator (16) on the guide body (22) after or before the guide body (22) is arranged in the concave section (24).

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