EP2936022B1

EP2936022B1 - Device for refrigeration of food products

Info

Publication number: EP2936022B1
Application number: EP13826969.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giorgio Sabatini; Giacomo QUAGLIA
Original assignee: Whirlpool EMEA SpA
Current assignee: Whirlpool EMEA SpA
Priority date: 2012-12-20
Filing date: 2013-12-20
Publication date: 2020-08-05
Anticipated expiration: 2033-12-20
Also published as: ITPR20120086A1; EP2936022A1; WO2014097230A1

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to a refrigeration device for food products.

State of the art

Refrigeration devices such as fridge-freezers are known. In particular, it is well-known a refrigeration device of food products that also allows you to perform the defrosting of the foods in an environment with a controlled temperature. In particular this cooling device includes a refrigeration compartment. The refrigeration compartment includes a vertical back wall and rear of this wall is present a Peltier cell and a fan. In the "Defrost" (defrosting) mode of operation the Peltier cell extracts heat from the outside of the compartment and warms the inside of the compartment thanks to the help of the fan. The fan indeed creates a fluid flow that invests the hot part of the Peltier cell causing then its entrance into the compartment. In a different operation mode the products present in the compartment are cooled by the introduction of refrigerated air.
The architectural solution described above is not free from drawbacks. In particular the Peltier cell in defrost mode introduces in the compartment a heated air flow and generates a uniform heating of the whole compartment. Consequently all products inside the compartment will be uniformly invested by a warm flow. JP2001 -043963 discloses a refrigeration device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Aim of the invention

Aim of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks by providing a device for refrigeration of food products, which allows the maximum flexibility of operation. In particular, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a device for refrigeration that, in a single compartment allows both the conservation of food products and the defrosting of the products.

Brief description of the drawings

These and other aims, which will become more evident in the description that follows, are achieved, in accordance with the present invention, by a device for refrigeration of food products having structural and functional characteristics in accordance with the appended independent claims, additional realizations of the same, being identified in the appended and corresponding dependent claims. The present invention will be described more in detail below with the aid of the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention purely for exemplifying and not limiting purpose.

Figure 1 shows a device for refrigeration of food products according to the present invention.
Figure 1a shows a schematic view of the device in figure 1, with some parts removed to better illustrate others.
Figures 2 and 3 show some of the components of a device according to the present invention.
Figures 4, 5, 6 show different solutions of components of a device according to the present invention.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

In the appended figures the reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigeration device for food products.
The device 1 comprises a first compartment 2 for food refrigeration bounded by a bottom wall 21, an upper ceiling 22, a back wall 23, two side walls 24, 25, a movable opening and closing element 26.
The device 1 may comprise a drawer 5 that can be inserted and extracted from the first compartment 2 (in figure 1a the drawer has been removed for better pointing out portions behind).
In a preferred architectural solution the movable element 26 could be a front panel of the drawer 5. The front panel performs therefore an airtight with the remaining portions of delimitation of the first compartment 2. In this case to access the first compartment 2 it is sufficient to pull the movable element 26.
In an alternative solution the movable opening and closing element 26 may include a door. In this alternative solution the user before pulling out the drawer 5, may need to open the door. The door is typically hinged around a vertical axis of rotation.
Conveniently the device 1 comprises a second compartment 3 for refrigeration of food, stacked to the first compartment 2 of refrigeration. Preferably but not necessarily the second compartment 3 is a freezer compartment. In the exemplifying solution illustrated in the appended figures, the first compartment 2 overlaps the second compartment 3. Conveniently the second compartment 3 contains a pull-out drawer.
The device 1 also comprises an electrical heating resistor 9 formed in said bottom wall 21.
The bottom wall 21 preferably defines a partition, which separates the first and the second compartment 2, 3. The bottom wall 21 could also display a plurality of layers and in particular could include one or more air gaps. The bottom wall 21 comprises a first portion 212 not affected by said resistor 9 and arranged side by side horizontally to said resistor 9. The vertical projection of said first portion 212 on a horizontal plane can entirely contain at least one imaginary square of size 15x15 centimeters. Preferably the imaginary square has a size 25x25 centimeters. Conveniently, the first compartment 2 comprises a region 27 for defrosting of foods that overlaps the resistor 9. Conveniently, the first compartment 2 also comprises a region 28 for conservation of food in refrigerated environment that overlaps said imaginary square. The area 27 for defrosting and the area 28 for conservation are arranged side by side. In particular, the area 27 for defrosting develops from the movable opening and closing element 26 up to the back wall 23. Similarly, the zone 28 for conservation extends from the movable opening and closing element 26 up to the back wall 23.
The heating generated by the resistor 9 performs a localized action within said area 27 for defrosting. In addition, the placement of the resistor 9 in the bottom wall 21 is very advantageous since in this way the resistor 9 is close to the food to defrost. In addition, the heat that spontaneously moves up goes to affect the food to be unfrozen. When the drawer 5 is fully inserted in said first compartment 2 it overlaps at least in part the resistor 9 and the first portion 212.
In this way as a function of how foods are distributed in the drawer they come to be in the zone 27 for defrosting or in zone 28 for conservation.
If it is defined the smallest imaginary parallelepiped enveloping said device 1 for refrigeration; said parallelepiped comprising a first side that faces and contacts said movable opening and closing element 26. If it is defined an imaginary plane that is: vertical, orthogonal to the first face, parallel to a second and a third face of the parallelepiped. The distance between said imaginary vertical plane and said second face is equal to 60% of the distance between the second and the third face; the electrical heating resistor 9 is fully interposed between said imaginary vertical plane and the second face.
The device 1 comprises visual reference means that indicate which portion of the first compartment 2 will be affected by the area 27 for defrosting and which portion of the first compartment 2 will be affected by the area 28 for conservation.
For example, these visual reference means could be placed in correspondence of the inlet opening of the first compartment 2.
Conveniently the drawer 5 may comprise visual reference means that inform the user which portion of the drawer 5 will be introduced into region 27 for defrosting and which portion will be introduced into region 28 for conservation.
For example, the visual reference means may be an adhesive or graphic signs produced by printing. Figure 3 shows, for example, the resistor 9, which is located inside the bottom wall 21.
Advantageously, the bottom wall 21 comprises a thermally insulating coating. This thermally insulating coating affects at least a zone below the resistor 9. This thermally insulating coating for example is made of polystyrene. The thermally insulating coating makes it possible to prevent the heating, determined by the resistor 9, carries out an undesired heating effect in the second compartment 3.
The bottom wall 21 comprises an upper layer interposed between the resistor 9 and said first compartment 2. Conveniently, this top layer is made of plastic material. This arrangement prevents the user from accidentally coming into contact with the resistor 9 during the normal operation of the device 1. Resistor 9 is preferably embedded in the wall 21. The minimum distance between said resistor 9 and the first compartment 2 is less than 3 centimeters. In this way the resistor 9 can perform a localized heating in the desired area (the area 27 for defrosting).
Conveniently the electrical resistor 9 has a planar development inside the bottom wall 21.
In the solution illustrated in Figure 4 with non-limiting and illustrative purpose, the electrical heating resistor 9 extends along a spiral line. Conveniently, the spiral has a curvilinear shape. In the solution shown in figure 5, the winding spiral of resistor 9 is given by a succession of straight sections which converge toward a central area.
Conveniently, resistor 9 comprises a first portion and a second portion 91, 92 which are parallel to each other and that extend along said spiral line. The first and the second portion 91, 92 are joined at a central zone 93 of the spiral.
In the solution of figure 6, the resistor 9 extends along a twisting line e.g. sinusoidal. Conveniently the resistor 9 includes at least three concavities in one direction and three other concavities facing in the opposite direction.
In general the outer coil 90 of the spiral identifies advantageously an area larger than ¼ of the vertical projection of the bottom wall 21 on a horizontal plane. In particular, the outer coil 90 of the spiral identifies an area greater than 200 cm². Conveniently the outer coil 90 of the spiral identifies an area less than 600 cm². Advantageously, this allows to identify an area sufficient to accommodate a plate or a small baking pan (which could therefore contain the food to defrost).
The device 1 comprises a temperature sensor placed in the first compartment 2. In particular, this temperature sensor 6 is placed in the zone 27 of defrosting. In a preferred solution, the temperature sensor 6 is located above the drawer 5 when the latter is completely inserted into the first compartment 2. Conveniently, the sensor 6 is placed in correspondence of the upper ceiling 22.
The device 1 comprises thermoregulation means 7 operatively connected to the temperature sensor 6 and which implement corrective actions of stabilization of the temperature detected by the sensor 6 to a preset temperature value.
The thermoregulation means 7 comprise the resistor 9 stated above.
The thermoregulation means 7 also comprise control means that compare the value detected by the sensor with a range of values containing said temperature preset value. This range of values includes an upper and a lower limit. At the detection by the sensor 6 of the reaching the lower limit of the interval the control means activate the resistor 9. Upon reaching the upper limit of this range of values the control means deactivates the resistor 9. In the preferred solution this predetermined interval of values is between 0 °C and 4 °C. Conveniently the thermoregulation means 7 comprise at least one first port 70 for the introduction of a refrigerant fluid in the first compartment 2. If necessary the control means could activate the introduction of the refrigerant fluid through the first introduction port 70.
In the solution illustrated in figure 2 the port 70 is formed on the back wall 23. Appropriately, the first port 70 introduces the refrigerant fluid in the first compartment 2 directing it toward the movable opening and closing element 26. The first port 70 is advantageously located above the maximum size defined by the draw 5 when the latter is placed in the first compartment 2.
Advantageously, the device 1 comprises a second port 71 that introduces the refrigerant fluid in the first compartment 2. Conveniently, the first and the second ports 70, 71 are arranged side by side. Advantageously, the bottom wall 21 provides at least one way that put in fluid communication the first and the second compartment 2, 3. This passage for example enables the outflow from the first compartment 2 of refrigerant fluid introduced through the first and/or the second port 70, 71.
The device 1 may comprise a selector which can be operated by the user that switches operation of thermoregulation means 7 between at least one plurality of operating modes, each operating mode being associated with a respective different conservation conditions of food products contained in the first compartment 2. The plurality of operating modes comprises, for example, a first operating mode in which the conservation condition corresponds to a preset temperature value greater than or equal to -1 °C, and less than or equal to +3 °C (the first compartment 2 thus behaves like "Chiller" compartment).
The plurality of operating modes may comprise a second operating mode; in the second operating mode the conservation condition corresponding to a preset temperature value greater than or equal to -35 °C and less than or equal to -15 °C (in this case, the first compartment 2 implements a function of fast cooling).
The plurality of operating modes comprises, for example, a third operating mode; in the third operating mode the conservation condition corresponds to a preset temperature value between +3 and +6 °C. In the expressions "first operating mode", "second operating mode", "third operating mode" the numeral adjective is used only to distinguish from one another the various operating modes. The possibility to implement an operating mode identified by the numeral adjective of greater degree does not necessarily imply the possibility of implementing the operating mode identified by the numeral adjective of minor degree. Advantageously, the device 1 comprises a third compartment 4 for refrigeration of food products stacked with the first and the second compartment 2, 3 for refrigeration. Preferably the third compartment 4 of refrigeration overlaps the first compartment 2. The third compartment 4 is a refrigerator compartment which maintains a conservation temperature above 0 °C (typically from 3 °C to 6 °C).
The first compartment 2 for refrigeration is therefore interposed between the second and the third compartment 3, 4 for refrigeration. In the solution illustrated in figure 1, the third compartment 4 is a compartment with a door with two shutters.
Appropriately during the use can be implemented a method that comprises the steps of:

placing in said area 27 for defrosting a first food that must be defrosted;
placing in the area 28 for conservation a second food not frozen and to be refrigerated;
defrosting the first dish by activating the resistor 9.

The present invention allows to achieve multiple benefits. First of all, it allows you to use the same compartment to perform at the same time a fast and effective defrosting of food products and even the low-temperature conservation of other food products.
In addition having the opportunity to adapt to various operating temperatures the device according to the present invention also allows you to have a "Jolly" compartment that where necessary may be used or as freezer or as refrigerator. This therefore allows to expand the capacity of the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment present in the same device 1.
The invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications provided they are within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Refrigeration device (1) for food products, comprising:
- a first food refrigeration compartment (2) delimited by a bottom wall (21), an upper ceiling (22), a back wall (23), two side walls (24, 25), a mobile opening and closing element (26);

- a second food refrigeration compartment (3) stacked with the first refrigeration compartment (2);

- an electric heating resistance (9) afforded in said bottom wall (21); said bottom wall (21) comprising a first portion (212) not touched by said electric heating resistance (9) and flanked horizontally to said electric heating resistance (9); characterised in that a vertical projection of said first portion (212) on a horizontal plane contains entirely at least an imaginary square of 15x15 centimetres in dimensions; the first food refrigeration compartment (2) comprising a food defrosting zone (27) at least partly surmounting the electric heating resistance (9) and a zone (28) for food conservation in a refrigerated environment at least partly surmounting the imaginary square; the defrosting zone (27) and the zone (28) for food conservation being flanked; the refrigeration device (1) comprising visual reference means that indicate which portion of the first food refrigeration compartment (2) will be affected by the food defrosting zone (27) and which portion of the first food refrigeration compartment (2) will be affected by the conservation (28) zone.
The refrigeration device according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a third food product refrigeration compartment (4) stacked with said first and said second refrigeration compartment (2, 3); said first refrigeration compartment (2) being interposed between said second and said third refrigeration compartment (3, 4); said third refrigeration compartment (4) conserving food products at a temperature higher than 0 °C, the second refrigeration compartment (3) being a freezer compartment.
The refrigeration device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that it comprises a drawer (5) which may be inserted into and extracted from the first food refrigeration compartment (2); the drawer (5), when it is completely inserted into said first compartment (2), at least partly surmounting said first portion (212) and electric heating resistance (9).
The refrigeration device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said electrical heating resistance (9) winds in a spiral.
The refrigeration device according to claim 4, characterised in that the most external turn (90) of the electrical resistance (9) wound in a spiral identifies an area which is ¼ larger than the area of vertical projection of the bottom wall (21) onto said horizontal plane.
The refrigeration device according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the winding spiral of the electric heating resistance (9) is given by a succession of straight sections which converge towards a central zone.
The refrigeration device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises:
- a temperature sensor (6) placed in the food defrosting zone (27);

- thermoregulation means (7) operatively connected to the temperature sensor (6) and which implement corrective measures to stabilise the temperature detected by the sensor (6) around a preset temperature value; said thermoregulation means (7) comprising said electric heating resistance (9).
The refrigeration device according to claim 7, characterised in that it comprises a user controlled switch which switches functioning of the thermoregulation means (7) between at least a first, a second and a third operating mode, each operating mode being associated with a respective different conservation condition of the food products contained in the first food refrigeration compartment (2); the preset temperature value in the first operating mode being higher or equal to -1 °C and lower or equal to +3 °C; the preset temperature value in the second operating mode being higher or equal to - 35 °C and lower or equal to -15 °C; the preset temperature value in the third operating mode being between +3 and +6 °C.
The refrigeration device according to any of the preceding claims; the smallest imaginary parallelepiped incorporating said refrigeration device being defined; said parallelepiped comprising a first side which faces said mobile opening and closing element (26); an imaginary surface being defined which is vertical, orthogonal to said first side, parallel to a second and a third side of said parallelepiped; the distance between said vertical imaginary plane and said second side being equal to 60% of the distance between said second and said third side; said electrical heating resistance (9) being entirely interposed between said vertical imaginary plane and said second side.
Method for using the refrigeration device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that it comprises the steps of:
- positioning in said food defrosting zone (27) a first foodstuff which must be defrosted;

- positioning in the conservation zone (28) a second not frozen foodstuff to be refrigerated;

- defrosting the first foodstuff, the step of defrosting the first foodstuff comprising the step of activating said electric heating resistance (9).