EP2659206B1

EP2659206B1 - A cooling device comprising a connection member

Info

Publication number: EP2659206B1
Application number: EP11805046.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ozgur Bilgic; Fatih Mehmet Ozturk; Yalcin EFE; Ahmet KECECI; Fatih Demiray
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2010-12-31
Filing date: 2011-12-23
Publication date: 2015-02-11
Anticipated expiration: 2031-12-23
Also published as: WO2012089686A3; PL2659206T3; WO2012089686A2; EP2659206A2

Description

The present invention relates to a cooling device that comprises a condenser whereof ease of assembly is provided.
In cooling devices, a condenser is disposed that provides the refrigerant leaving the compressor as superheated vapor to change into the liquid phase. The condenser is generally mounted on the rear wall of the body. The rear wall of the body is produced by injecting a heat insulating material between a preferably plastic inner wall and a plastic outer wall. The outer wall forming the side walls of the body is generally from sheet material and is also produced by injecting heat insulating material between itself and a plastic inner wall.
In the state of the art, the connection members used in the assembly of the condenser to the rear wall are generally secured on the side wall since the strength of the sheet material is higher than the plastic material. Securing the condenser produced from metal to the metal side wall by a fastening element like screw etc causes generation of low frequency noise. This noise transmitted to the body due to connection of the condenser is annoying in terms of the user. Furthermore, the necessity for fixing methods like screwing etc makes labor harder and increases production costs during the assembly of the condenser on the body.
In the state of the art Great Britain Patent Document No. GB1353767 , a refrigerator is described that comprises at least one metal member that provides the condenser to be attached to the rear wall by screwing. A cooling device according to the preamble of claim 1 is disclosed in DE 20 2006 0024 18 U1 .
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooling device comprising a condenser, the assembly of which on the body is facilitated.
A cooling device according to claim 1 is provided in order to attain the aim of the present invention.
When the horizontal arm is seated into the horizontal channel, the first vertical arms and the second vertical arms are also seated into the vertical channels. Thus, the condenser is mounted on the outer wall by the arms of the condenser being clasped both in the horizontal axis and the vertical axis with the horizontal channel and vertical channels respectively.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the first vertical arm and the second vertical arm are placed on the horizontal arm one after the other. In other words, on the horizontal arm, a second vertical arm is disposed to be between each two first vertical arms. The distance between each of the two adjacent first vertical arms is almost twice the distance between an adjacent first vertical arm and the second vertical arm. The connection member furthermore comprises at least one vertical channel and at least one second vertical channel, disposed one after the other, matching the configuration of the first vertical arms and the second vertical arms, wherein the first vertical arm is seated and the second vertical arm is seated respectively. There is difference of depth between the first vertical channel and the second vertical channel in accordance with the positioning of the first vertical arm and the second vertical arm on the horizontal arm. In other words, when the surface of the base is taken as reference, the second vertical channel remains more in the front than the first vertical channel. The inlet ports of the first vertical channel and the second vertical channel face the same direction as the inlet port of the horizontal channel. First of all, the first vertical arm is seated into the first vertical channel during insertion of the condenser into the connection member. Afterwards, the horizontal arm is provided to be fitted into the horizontal channel by snap-fitting method. Meanwhile, the second vertical arm is provided to be seated into the second vertical channel by itself. When the assembly process is completed, the first vertical arms are situated behind the horizontal arm, the second vertical arms in front of the horizontal arm. Thus, an intertwined configuration is formed between the horizontal and vertical arms of the condenser and the horizontal and vertical channels of the connection member.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the retainer comprises an extension in grooved shape and a pointed piercer disposed at the end of the extension. The outer wall is provided to be punctured by means of the piercer while the connection member is secured on the outer wall. The extension, embedded into the heat insulating material, is provided not to be easily dislodged from its place by means of its grooved shape.
In another embodiment of the present invention, at least one support is provided on the base that extends between the second vertical channel and the base. The strength of the connection member is increased by means of the support.
By means of the present invention, the condenser is provided to be easily mounted on the outer wall by the connection member.
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 a cooling device.
Figure 2 - is the perspective view of a cooling device.
Figure 3 - is the view of detail A in Figure 2.
Figure 4 - is the perspective view of a connection member.
Figure 5 - is the perspective view of a connection member from another angle.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Cooling device
2. Body
3. Refrigeration volume
4. Outer wall
5. Inner wall
6. Compressor
7. Horizontal arm
8. First vertical arm
9. Second vertical arm
10. Condenser
11. Base
12. Retainer
13. Horizontal channel
14. Vertical channel
15. Connection member
16. Extension
17. Piercer
18. Support

The cooling device (1) comprises a refrigeration volume (3) wherein the foodstuffs to be cooled are placed, at least one body (2) having an outer wall (4) separating the refrigeration volume (3) from the outside environment and an inner wall (5) with heat insulating material injected between itself and the outer wall (4), a compressor (6) providing to compress the refrigerant and a condenser (10)

providing the refrigerant leaving the compressor (6) as superheated vapor to change to liquid phase by condensing,
having more than one horizontal arm (7) extending parallel to each other in the vertical plane, formed by bending a pipe in serpentine shape, more than one first vertical arm (8) parallel to each other extending vertical to the horizontal arm (7) and parallel to the outer wall (4) on the surface of the horizontal arm (7) facing the outer wall (4) and more than one second vertical arm (9) parallel to each other, extending vertical to the horizontal arm (7) and parallel to the outer wall (4) on the surface of the horizontal arm (7) facing the outside environment.

The cooling device (1) of the present invention furthermore comprises at least one connection member (15),

providing the condenser (10) to be attached to the outer wall (4),
having a base (11), at least one retainer (12), disposed on the rear surface of the base (11), embedded between the outer wall (4) and the inner wall (5) by being anchored into the outer wall (4), a horizontal channel (13) disposed on the front surface of the base (11) wherein the horizontal arm (7) is seated and at least one vertical channel (14, 114, 214) extending vertical to the horizontal channel (13), wherein the first vertical arm (8) and the second vertical arm (9) are seated.

The condenser (10) is mounted on the outer wall (4) by means of the connection member (15) so as to be in communication with the outside environment. The body (2) is produced by injecting a heat insulating material preferably like polyurethane between the inner wall (5) and the outer wall (4). The connection member (15) is embedded into the heat insulating material that remains between the outer wall (4) and the inner wall (5) by being anchored on the outer wall (4) by means of the retainer (12). Thus, the connection member (15) is secured on the outer wall (4). The first vertical arms (8) and the second vertical arms (9) are attached on both surfaces of the horizontal arm (7) and there is a distance between the first vertical arms (8) and the second vertical arms (9) in the horizontal plane as much as the diameter of the horizontal arm (7). When the horizontal arm (7) is seated into the horizontal channel (13), the first vertical arms (8) and the second vertical arms (9) are seated into the vertical channels (14) automatically. The condenser (10) is provided to be attached on the outer wall (4) by means of the connection member (15) as the horizontal arm (7) and the vertical arms (8, 9) of the condenser (10) are clasped by the horizontal channel (13) and the vertical channels (14) respectively. Thus, the assembly of the condenser (10) on the outer wall (4) is easily performed without requiring any extra fastening elements like screws etc.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the first vertical arm (8) and the second vertical arm (9) are placed on the horizontal arm (7) one after the other. The connection member (15) comprises at least one first vertical channel (114) wherein the first vertical arm (8) is seated and at least one second vertical channel (214) wherein the second vertical arm (9) is seated. The inlet ports of the first vertical channel (114) and the second vertical channel (214) face the same direction as the inlet port of the horizontal channel (13).
During the assembly of the condenser (10) on the outer wall (4), the first vertical arms (8) are inserted into the first vertical channels (114) and the horizontal arm (7) is fitted into the horizontal channel (13) by snap-fitting method. When the horizontal arm (7) is fitted into the horizontal channel (13), the second vertical arms (9) are seated into the second vertical channels (214) automatically. Since the horizontal arm (7) is fitted into the horizontal channel (13) by snap-fitting method, the horizontal arm (7) forms a barrier in front of the first vertical arms (8) so that the first vertical arms (8) cannot be dislodged from the first vertical channels (114). Since the first vertical arms (8) and the second vertical arms (9) are placed one after the other, a second vertical arm (9) remains between each two first vertical arms (8). The first vertical channels (114) and the second vertical channels (214) are disposed successively on the base (11), in other words so that a first vertical channel (114) is adjacent to a second vertical channel (214). Consequently, the condenser (10) is provided to be fastened on the outer wall (4) by means of the connection member (15). The depth of the first vertical channel (114) is greater than the depth of the second vertical channel (214). Since the distance between the first vertical arm (8) and the second vertical arm (9) is as much as the diameter of the horizontal arm (7), the distance between the base of the first vertical channel (114) and the base of the second vertical channel (214) is at least as much as the diameter of the horizontal arm (7).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the retainer (12) comprises an extension (16) in grooved shape and a conical shaped piercer (17) disposed at the end of the extension (16). During securing of the connection member (15) on the outer wall (4), the extension (16) is provided to be inserted into the heat insulating material by puncturing the outer wall (4) with the piercer (17) since the piercer (17) has a pointed end.
The extension (16) is easily embedded into the heat insulating material since the hardness scale of the heat insulating material is low. The extension (16) is not easily dislodged when anchored into the heat insulating material since the surface of the extension (16) is grooved. Consequently, the assembly of the connection member (15) on the outer wall (4) is performed firmly.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the connection member (15) comprises at least one support (18) disposed on the base (11) and extending between the second vertical channel (214) and the base (11). The support (18) extends almost vertically to the base (11) and increases the strength of the connection member (15). Thus, the strength of the connection member (15) is increased against the force exerted on the connection member (15) during placing the horizontal arm (7) into the horizontal channel (13).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the inner wall (5) and the outer wall (4) are produced from plastic.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the connection member (15) is secured on the rear wall of the body (2). The condenser (10) is mounted to the rear wall by means of the connection member (15).
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the connection member (15) is produced from plastic. Generation of noise between the connection member (15) and the outer wall (4) is prevented since the outer wall (4) is also produced from plastic material.
By means of the cooling device (1) of the present invention, the assembly of the condenser (10) on the body (2) is easily performed by means of at least one connection member (15) secured on the outer wall (4).
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 refrigeration volume (3) wherein the foodstuffs to be cooled are placed, at least one body (2) having an outer wall (4) separating the refrigeration volume (3) from the outside environment and an inner wall (5) with heat insulating material injected between itself and the outer wall (4), a compressor (6) providing to compress the refrigerant and a condenser (10)
- providing the refrigerant leaving the compressor (6) as superheated vapor to change to liquid phase by condensing,

- having more than one horizontal arm (7) extending parallel to each other in the vertical plane, formed by bending a pipe in serpentine shape, more than one first vertical arm (8) parallel to each other, extending vertical to the horizontal arm (7) and parallel to the outer wall (4) on the surface of the horizontal arm (7) facing the outer wall (4) and more than one second vertical arm (9) parallel to each other, extending vertical to the horizontal arm (7) and parallel to the outer wall (4) on the surface of the horizontal arm (7) facing the outside environment,
wherein at least one connection member (15)
- providing the condenser (10) to be attached to the outer wall (4)

- having a base (11), at least one retainer (12), disposed on the rear surface of the base (11), embedded between the outer wall (4) and the inner wall (5) by being anchored into the outer wall (4), a horizontal channel (13) disposed on the front surface of the base (11) wherein the horizontal arm (7) is seated, characterized by at least one vertical channel (14, 114, 214) extending vertical to the horizontal channel (13), wherein the first vertical arm (8) and the second vertical arm (9) are seated.
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the condenser (10) having more than one first vertical arm (8) and second vertical arm (9) being placed on the horizontal arm (7) in a disoriented way according to each other and a connection member (15) having at least one first vertical channel (114) wherein the first vertical arm (8) is seated and at least one second vertical channel (214) wherein the second vertical arm (9) is seated.
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the first vertical channel (114) and the second vertical channel (214) the inlet ports of which face the same direction as the inlet port of the horizontal channel (13).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the retainer (12) having a grooved shaped extension (16) and a conical shaped piercer (17) disposed at the end of the extension (16).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the connection member (15) having at least one support (18) disposed on the base (11) and extending between the second vertical channel (214) and the base (11).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the inner wall (5) and the outer wall (4) that are produced from plastic.
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the connection member (15) that is secured to the rear wall of the body (2).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the connection member (15) that is produced from plastic.