EP2659205A2

EP2659205A2 - A cooling device comprising a mullion having a heater

Info

Publication number: EP2659205A2
Application number: EP11794506.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Erhan Kacmaz; Mesut TUNCEL; Sunay Mutlu
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2010-12-27
Filing date: 2011-12-15
Publication date: 2013-11-06
Also published as: CN103261820B; CN103261820A; WO2012089512A2; WO2012089512A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling device (1) comprising a body (2) having two side walls (3), at least two compartments (4, 104) disposed in the body (2) and wherein the items to be cooled are placed, at least two lids (5) which provide access into the compartments (4, 104) and at least one mullion (6) extending between the two side walls (3), which separates the compartments (4, 104) from each other and whereon both of the lids (5) contact when the lids (5) are closed, and wherein the mullion (6) of the cooling device (1) is provided to be heated in an effective and economical way.

Description

A COOLING DEVICE COMPRISING A MULLION HAVING A HEATER

The present invention relates to a cooling device comprising a mullion having a heater.
When the door is closed, moisture forms on the frame that partially contacts the door due to the temperature difference between the inside of the refrigeration cabinet and the outer environment. The said moisture may freeze when the door is closed and causes the gasket, disposed between the door and the frame, to adhere to the frame. When the door is desired to be opened by the user, due to the adhering, too much force is required to be exerted for opening the door and in some situations, the gasket is caused to be damaged by tearing due to the excessive force exerted.
In the state of the art embodiments, the said surface is provided to be heated by inserting a heater into the flange and moisture is provided to be prevented from forming there. However in this embodiment, the heat transfer into the refrigeration cabinet increases and the energy consumption of the cooling device increases due to the increase of the thermal load inside the refrigeration cabinet.
In the state of the art Japanese Patent Application No. JP2008032258, a cooling device is described comprising a separating frame which separates the cooling device into compartments. Insulation material and a heater immersed in the insulation material are disposed in the separating frame. In this embodiment, the heater is in a position close to the rear face of the frame.
In the state of the art Japanese Patent Application No. JP2005308347, a cooling device is described comprising a heater disposed at the rear side of the front panel that separates the compartments and a heat insulation material that surrounds the heater.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooling device wherein the heating effectiveness of the heater, which is disposed inside the mullion that separates the compartment, is increased.
In the cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, at least two compartments wherein the items to be stored are placed and at least one mullion, which separates these compartments and intersects the cooling device transversely, are disposed.
The mullion consists of a casing, a heater disposed in the casing and a prestress means disposed so as to push the heater towards the front wall of the casing. The mullion is disposed so as to join the side walls of the cooling device. At least some portion of the lids of the compartments below and above the mullion contacts the mullion.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the prestress means is also used as insulation material. The prestress means is disposed between the heater and the compartment, thus preventing heat transfer from the heater to the interior volume of the compartment. The prestress means, which also serves as insulation material, is preferably a sponge having an elastic structure. The sponge entirely occupies the volume between the front and rear wall of the casing and thus pushes the heater towards the front wall.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a layer is surrounded so as to entirely close the outer sides of the prestress means. The said layer provides the insulation, which provides protection from the heater towards into the compartment, to be further reinforced. Moreover, by entering between the prestress means and the heater, the layer prevents the prestress means from being damaged due to high temperatures. In this embodiment, preferably aluminum foil is used as the layer.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the hot air discharged by the compressor to the outer environment during its operation is received from the compressor outlet by means of the capillary tubes to be carried into the mullion and used as heater.
While a door which is opened by rotating around an axis is used as the lid in an embodiment of the present invention, a drawer is used in another embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments of the present invention, the door and the drawer are used together. In these embodiments, gasket is used in the frames of the lids.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the mullion is disposed between a fresh food compartment and a freezing compartment. Since the cooling compartment is desired to be kept at approximately +4⁰C and the freezing compartment at approximately -18⁰C, the primary function of the mullion is to provide heat insulation between the compartments. Therefore, the mullion extends starting from the front surface of the body towards the rear wall thereof and serves as an insulation wall between the two compartments.
In different embodiments of the present invention, the mullion is disposed between two compartments which are desired to be kept at the same temperature and which serve the same function. In these embodiments, the compartments are separated so as to regulate the space inside the cooling device. The primary function of the mullion is to bear the lids that provide access into the compartment. Therefore, the mullion is not required to be extended to the rear wall of the body. It is sufficient for the mullion to have a depth so as to contain the heater and the prestress means. Both of the compartments in these embodiments are cooling compartments or freezing compartments.
By means of the cooling device of the present invention, the mullions that separate the compartments are provided to be effectively heated and the lids are provided to be easily opened. Since no additional heater is used for the said process, additional energy consumption is not required. Moreover, since the hot air exiting the compressor is prevented from entering the compartments, the compressor is provided to be operated less and energy saving is provided.
A cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:
Figure 1 – is the schematic view of the cooling device.
Figure 2 – is the partial perspective view of the cooling device.
Figure 3 – is the schematic view of the mullion.
The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Cooling device
Body
Side wall
104. Compartment
Lid
Mullion
Casing
Heater
Prestress means
Layer

The cooling device (1) comprises a body (2) having two side walls (3), at least two compartments (4, 104) disposed in the body (2) and wherein the items to be cooled are loaded, at least two lids (5) which provide access into the compartments (4, 104) and at least one mullion (6) extending between the two side walls (3), which separates the compartments (4, 104) from each other and whereon both of the lids (5) contact when the lids (5) are closed.
In the cooling device (1) of the present invention, the mullion (6) comprises a casing (7), a heater (8) disposed in the casing (7) and a prestress means (9) which pushes the heater (8) such that the heater (8) touches the front wall (F) of the casing (7) by being disposed between the heater (8) and the rear wall (R) of the casing (7). By means of the heater (8) in the mullion (6) contacting the front wall (F) of the mullion (6), the front wall (F) is provided to be heated more effectively and the lids (5), which contact the mullion (6) when closed, are provided to be opened more easily.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the prestress means (9) is an insulation material which prevents the heat emitted from the heater (8) from being transmitted into the compartment (4). Since the prestress means (9) which also serves as an insulation means is positioned in the mullion (6) between the compartment (4) and the heater (8), the heat emitted from the heater (8) is prevented from increasing the temperature of the compartment (4) by passing into the compartment (4). Thus, less amount of energy is consumed for cooling the compartments (4, 104) and sweating is prevented from occurring due to the temperature difference therebetween (Figure 1, Figure 3).
In a derivative of this embodiment, the prestress means (9) is a sponge with a high heat insulation power. The sponge, by means of its elastic structure, both touches the rear wall (R) of the mullion (6) and pushes the heater (8) towards the front wall (F) of the mullion (6). In this embodiment, high density sponge is used for increasing heat insulation.
In another embodiment of the present invention, at least the front wall (F) of the mullion (6) is produced from sheet metal. Thus, the heat emitted from the heater (8) is transmitted to the front wall (F) of the mullion (6) in a more effective way.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the mullion (6) comprises a layer (10) which is surrounded on the outer surface of the prestress means (9) and which reinforces the heat insulation between the heater (8) and the compartment (4). The layer (10) surrounded all around the prestress means (9) prevents heat transfer from the heater (8) to the compartment (4). Moreover, since the prestress means (9) does not directly contact the heater (8), it is prevented from being damaged due to high temperature. In this embodiment, preferably aluminum foil is used as the layer (10).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the heater (8) is shaped as a capillary tube wherein the hot air pumped by the compressor (K) is circulated. The hot air delivered by the compressor (K) during its operation is brought into the mullion (6) by being received by means of the heater (8). Thus, the temperatures of the compartment (4) are prevented from increasing due to the spreading of the residual heat in the cooling device (1) and also energy saving is provided since no additional heater is used.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the lid (5) is shaped as a door which is opened by rotating around an axis. In this embodiment, when the lid (5) is closed, at least one of the portions of the lid (5) that is parallel to the ground contacts at least one mullion (6).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the lid (5) is shaped as a drawer which is opened by being pulled outwards.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the mullion (6) is disposed between a fresh food compartment (4) wherein the foods are placed to be cooled and a freezing compartment (104) wherein the foods are placed to be frozen and which is kept at temperatures lower than the fresh food compartment (4). The mullion (6) which separates the two compartments (4, 104) at different temperatures from each other extends from the front side to the rear wall of the body (2) in order to provide an effective insulation. In this embodiment, the lid of the fresh food compartment (4) is preferably shaped as a door and the lid of the freezing compartment (104) is preferably shaped as a drawer.
In different embodiments of the present invention, the mullion (6) is disposed between the two freezing compartment (4, 104) or between the two fresh food compartments (4, 104). In these embodiments, the function of the mullion (6) is to bear the lids (5) which are preferably shaped as drawer rather than to prevent heat transfer between the two compartments (4, 104). Therefore, the mullion (6) has a depth that is deep enough only to contain the heater (8) and the prestress means (9). Since the mullion (6) does not extend to the rear wall of the body (2), the compartments (4, 104) are at the same temperature and join in the body (2) (Figure 2).
By means of the cooling device (1) of the present invention, the mullions (6) are provided to be heated without using an additional heater and the lids (5) are provided to be easily opened. Moreover, the heat emitted from the heater (8) is prevented from being transmitted to the compartments (4, 104) and energy saving is provided by operating the cooling device (1) less.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed above and a person skilled in the art can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

A cooling device (1) comprising a body (2) having two side walls (3), at least two compartments (4, 104) disposed in the body (2) and wherein the items to be cooled are placed, at least two lids (5) which provide access into the compartments (4, 104) and at least one mullion (6) extending between the two side walls (3), which separates the compartments (4, 104) from each other and whereon both of the lids (5) contact when the lids (5) are closed,

characterized by at least one mullion (6) having

- a casing (7),

- a heater (8) disposed in the casing (7) and

- a prestress means (9) which pushes the heater (8) such that the heater (8) touches the front wall (F) of the casing (7) by being disposed between the heater (8) and the rear wall (R) of the casing (7).
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the prestress means (9) that is an insulation material which prevents the heat emitted from the heater (8) from being transmitted into the compartment (4).
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 2, characterized by the prestress means (9) that is a sponge with a high heat insulation power.
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the mullion (6) at least the front wall (F) of which is produced from sheet metal.
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the mullion (6) comprising a layer (10) which is surrounded on the outer surface of the prestress means (9) and which reinforces the heat insulation between the heater (8) and the compartment (4).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the heater (8) shaped as a capillary tube wherein the hot air pumped by the compressor (K) is circulated.
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the lid (5) shaped as a door which is opened by rotating around an axis.
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the lid (5) shaped as a drawer which is opened by being pulled outwards.
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the mullion (6) disposed between a fresh food compartment (4) wherein the foods are placed to be cooled and a freezing compartment (104) wherein the foods are placed to be frozen and which is kept at temperatures lower than the fresh food compartment (4).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the Claims 1 to 7, characterized by the mullion (6) disposed between the two freezing compartments (4, 104).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the Claims 1 to 7, characterized by the mullion (6) disposed between the two fresh food compartments (4, 104).