EP3732413B1

EP3732413B1 - A cooler comprising a heat controlled special compartment

Info

Publication number: EP3732413B1
Application number: EP18897066.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Aylin MET; Sabahattin Hocaoglu; Ersin Sarikaya
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2017-12-25
Filing date: 2018-10-10
Publication date: 2023-07-12
Anticipated expiration: 2038-10-10
Also published as: EP3732413A4; WO2019132813A1; EP3732413A1; PL3732413T3

Description

The present invention relates to a cooler comprising a heat controlled special compartment.
In conventional coolers, generally there is a cooler compartment in which food products are placed to be cooled, and a freezer compartment in which food products are placed to be frozen, maintained at a temperature cooler than the cooler compartment. Nowadays, with the rapid advancement in technology, the new generation coolers further comprise a special compartment, commonly called the zero degrees compartment, usually provided in the cooler compartment, in which delicatessen type food products such as cheese or meat are placed, and whose temperature is intended to be maintained at a temperature range between the temperatures of the cooler compartment and the freezer compartment, such as between - 2 to +3°C.
In present zero degrees compartments available in the coolers of the state of the art, average temperature swings have high values such as approximately from 2,5 to 3,5°C, with negative effects on the shelf lives of the food products stored in said compartments. In the state of the art, heat control in such compartments is usually attempted to be performed in a precise manner by using special flaps, engine mechanisms and heat sensors. A compartment is enabled to be maintained at desired temperatures with lower temperature swings by adjusting the aperture of a flap according to running/halted durations of a compressor and the temperature information received from the heat sensors positioned in said compartment. But the flaps, engine mechanisms, heat sensors and the electronic cards enabling controlling said components, cause complications.
State of the art Turkish patent document no TR 2015/11066 mentions a cooler comprising a heat controlled special compartment. In the invention disclosed in said document, the special compartment is cooled in a controlled manner together with the cooler compartment and the freezer compartment already provided on the cooler, and the interior of said special compartment is thus maintained at a desired temperature.
In the international patent application No. WO2013182374A1 , a cooling appliance having a fresh food compartment and a freezing compartment that are kept at different temperatures is disclosed.
In the international patent application No. WO2012089604A2 , a cooling appliance having a control unit to determine the cut-in and cut-out times of the compressor and the fan is disclosed.
In the international patent application No. WO9942770A1 , a refrigerator comprising a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment and a low-temperature storage chamber formed in the refrigerator compartment having a temperature lower than that of the refrigerator compartment is disclosed.
In the European patent application No. EP2988081A1 , a refrigerator comprising storage compartments, a cool air supplying unit and a heat-exchanger to divide a flow path at which cool air is provided to flow along the cool air supplying unit is disclosed.
In the European patent application No. EP2413074A1 , a refrigerator comprising two fresh-food sub-compartments designed to operate at different ranges of temperatures is disclosed.
In the European patent application No. EP1314940A1 , a refrigerator with a multipurpose storage chamber is disclosed.
In the United States patent application No. US2003131617A1 , a cooling appliance comprising a refrigeration compartment, a cold storage compartment and a freezer compartment which are separated from one another by partition walls and at least one door or flap is disclosed.
In the European patent application No. EP3029399A1 , a refrigerator comprising a refrigerating compartment that is divided into a refrigerating section and an alternate temperature section is disclosed.
The aim of the present invention is to realize a cooler in which the temperature in a special compartment is conveniently and cost-effectively maintained at a desired temperature range.
The cooler comprising a heat controlled special compartment, realized to achieve the aim of the present invention and disclosed in the first claim and the dependent claims, comprises a control unit determining the times in which a fan is turned on and off at least when the compressor is halted or operated, by controlling the data received from a first heat sensor measuring the temperature in at least one cooler compartment and from a second heat sensor measuring the temperature in the special compartment. The control unit determines whether the fan should be activated depending on the temperatures of at least the cooler compartment and the special compartment, and enables maintaining the temperature in the special compartment between determined temperature values and enables maintaining the homogeneity of the air temperature in the cooler compartment.
According to the invention, when the compressor is not running, i.e. is turned off, the control unit does not activate the fan until the temperature in the cooler compartment reaches an upper limit temperature determined by the producer and saved in the control unit, or until the temperature in the special compartment reaches a lower limit temperature determined by the producer and saved in the control unit, and activates the fan upon the cooler compartment temperature reaching said cooler compartment upper limit temperature, or upon the special compartment temperature reaching said special compartment lower limit temperature. By this, when the compressor is not running, i.e. is turned off, the fan is enabled to be not activated almost at a predefined ratio depending on conditions such as the temperature values measured by the sensors, compressor operation ratio, the ambient temperature, the door being opened, loading of new items, and the like. When the fan is not activated, the air pouring from the surface of an evaporator which is cold, enables the special compartment to be cooled for some more time, and the homogeneity of the air temperature in the cooler compartment is provided by activation of the fan later on.
In an embodiment of the invention, when the compressor is initially activated after a halted period, the control unit activates the fan after a duration predetermined by the producer and saved in the control unit, following activation of the compressor. In an embodiment of the invention, the duration predetermined by the producer and saved in the control unit, is equal to a percentage ratio of the total running duration of the compressor. By this, the fan is prevented from blowing air hotter than 0°C towards the special compartment when the compressor is activated, thereby avoiding an instantaneous temperature increase in the special compartment.
In an embodiment of the invention, after the control unit activates the fan while the compressor is running, the control unit continues running the fan for a duration predetermined by the producer and saved in the control unit. By this, temperature swings likely to occur in the cooler compartment due to delayed activation of the fan are regulated when the compressor is initially activated after a halted duration, providing temperature homogeneity in the cooler compartment.
In an embodiment of the invention, while the compressor is running, after elapsing of a duration following activation of the fan, determined by the producer and saved in the control unit, the control unit halts the fan when the cooler compartment temperature reaches a lower limit temperature determined by the producer and saved in the control unit, or when the special compartment temperature reaches an upper limit temperature determined by the producer and saved in the control unit. The special compartment is thus prevented from overheating.
In an embodiment of the invention, the control unit runs the fan until the cooler compartment temperature reaches the fan halting cooler compartment temperature determined by the producer and saved in the control unit, if, following halting of the fan while the compressor is running, the cooler compartment temperature reaches an upper limit temperature determined by the producer and saved in the control unit, or if, after completion of the maximum halted duration for the fan determined by the producer and saved in the control unit, the cooler compartment temperature has a value higher than the fan activating cooler compartment temperature determined by the producer and saved in the control unit.
In an embodiment of the invention, the control unit activates the fan, if, while the compressor is running, the special compartment temperature reaches a compressor halting special compartment temperature determined by the producer and saved in the control unit, before the cooler compartment temperature reaches a compressor halting cooler compartment temperature determined by the producer and saved in the control unit. The special compartment is thus prevented from overcooling.
In an embodiment of the invention, while the compressor is running, the control unit halts the compressor, if the cooler compartment temperature reaches a compressor halting cooler compartment temperature determined by the producer and saved in the control unit.
In an embodiment of the invention, the cooler of the invention further comprises at least one third heat sensor measuring the surface temperature of the evaporator. By this, the control unit determines whether the fan should be activated depending on also the surface temperature of the evaporator, and enables maintaining the temperature in the special compartment between determined temperature values as well as enables maintaining the homogeneity of the air temperature in the cooler compartment.
When the compressor is halted, i.e. turned off, the control unit provided in the cooler of the invention does not activate the fan until the evaporator surface temperature reaches a limit temperature determined by the producer and saved in the control unit, and activates the fan if the evaporator surface temperature reaches said evaporator limit temperature. The temperature in the special compartment is thus prevented from increasing by not running the fan to an extent when the compressor is not running. In the meanwhile, the air pouring from the surface of the evaporator enables the special compartment to be kept cool for some more time, and temperature homogeneity in the cooler compartment is provided by activation of the fan later on.
In an embodiment of the invention, the cooler of the invention further comprises at least one heater heating during the defrosting process the air around the evaporator in order to defrost the snow or ice forming around the evaporator.
In an embodiment of the invention, when initiating the defrosting process which is performed to defrost the snow or ice forming around the evaporator, the control unit does not activate the fan until the evaporator surface temperature reaches an upper limit temperature determined by the producer and saved in the control unit, or until the temperature in the special compartment reaches a lower limit temperature determined by the producer and saved in the control unit, and activates the fan upon the evaporator surface temperature reaching said evaporator limit temperature, or upon the special compartment temperature reaching said special compartment lower limit temperature. Thus, by the delayed activation of the fan, the fan is prevented from blowing air of a temperature hotter than 0°C towards the special compartment, thereby maintaining the air in the special compartment at a desired temperature. The air pouring from the surface of the evaporator when the fan is not activated, enables the special compartment to stay cool for some more time, and the temperature swings in the cooler compartment due to delayed activation of the fan are eliminated by the activation of the fan, providing temperature homogeneity in the cooler compartment.
In an embodiment of the invention, during the defrosting process which is performed to defrost the snow or ice forming around the evaporator, the control unit halts the fan and activates the heater after temperature homogeneity is provided in the cooler compartment. By this, the air heated by the heater enabling defrosting the snow around the evaporator, is prevented from being directed by the fan towards the special compartment, avoiding an instantaneous temperature increase in the special compartment.
By means of the invention, the temperature in the special compartment is easily and cost-effectively maintained at a temperature range in which spoiling of the food products placed therein is prevented, by the control unit determining the times when the fan is activated or halted while the compressor is running or halted, according to data obtained from at least one first heat sensor measuring the cooler compartment temperature and from at least one second heat sensor measuring the special compartment temperature. In an embodiment of the invention, in order to maintain the special compartment temperature at a desired range, in determining the times at which the fan is activated or halted while the compressor is running or halted, the control unit also uses the evaporator surface temperature measured by a third heat sensor. In the cooler of the invention, the special compartment temperature is maintained at a desired temperature range also during the defrosting process in which the snow or ice forming around the evaporator is defrosted.
The cooler realized to achieve the aims of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:
Figure 1 is a schematic view of the cooler of the invention.
The elements in the figure are numbered individually and the correspondence of these numbers are given hereinafter.

1. Cooler
2. Cooler compartment
3. Special compartment
4. Compressor
5. Evaporator
6. Fan
7. First heat sensor
8. Second heat sensor
9. Control unit
10. Third heat sensor
11. Heater

The cooler (1) comprises at least one cooler compartment (2), at least one special compartment (3) provided in the cooler compartment (2) and maintained at a temperature lower than the cooler compartment (2), at least one compressor (4) enabling circulating a refrigerant fluid by compressing it, at least one evaporator (5) enabling the cooler compartment (2) to be cooled, at least one fan (6) enabling air circulation in the cooler compartment (2), at least one first heat sensor (7) measuring the temperature in the cooler compartment (2) and at least one second heat sensor (8) measuring the temperature in the special compartment (3). In the cooler (1), the food products desired to be cooled are placed in the cooler compartment (2), and the food products such as delicatessen products like cheese or meat, desired to be stored in more sensitive conditions are placed in the special compartment (3). The compressor (4) runs in given time intervals also known as compressor running durations, depending on at least the temperature in the cooler compartment (2), and compresses the refrigerant fluid and pumps it towards the evaporator (5). The evaporator (5) enables cooling the interior of the cooler compartment (2) as a result of the heat transfer performed by means of the refrigerant fluid pumped by the compressor (4), and the fan (6) circulates air inside the cooler compartment (2) so as to homogenize the air temperature in the cooler compartment (2). Snow and ice forms around the evaporator (5) due to cold. From time to time, the cooler (1) performs the defrosting process in order to remove the snow and ice forming around the evaporator (5), and the compressor (4) does not run during said defrosting process.
The symbols below are used to disclose the cooler (1) of the invention:

T_FF: The cooler compartment (2) temperature detected by the first heat sensor (7).
T_ZD: The special compartment (3) temperature detected by the second heat sensor (8).
T_FF-ul: The cooler compartment (2) upper limit temperature at which the fan (6) is turned on, determined by the producer and saved in the control unit (9).
T_FF-ll: The cooler compartment (2) lower limit temperature at which the fan (6) is turned off, determined by the producer and saved in the control unit (9).
T_ZD-ul: The special compartment (3) upper limit temperature at which the fan (6) is turned off, determined by the producer and saved in the control unit (9).
T_ZD-ll: The special compartment (3) lower limit temperature at which the fan (6) is turned on, determined by the producer and saved in the control unit (9).
T_FANcut-in: The cooler compartment (2) temperature at which the fan (6) is turned on, determined by the producer and saved in the control unit (9).
T_FANcut-out: The cooler compartment (2) temperature at which the fan (6) is turned off, determined by the producer and saved in the control unit (9).
T_FFcut-out: The cooler compartment (2) temperature at which the compressor (4) is turned off, determined by the producer and saved in the control unit (9).
T_ZDcut-out: The special compartment (3) temperature at which the compressor (4) is turned off, determined by the producer and saved in the control unit (9).
T_E: The evaporator (5) surface temperature detected by the third heat sensor (10).
T_El: The evaporator (5) surface temperature at which the fan (6) is turned on, determined by the producer and saved in the control unit (9).

The cooler (1) of the invention comprises at least one control unit (9) configured to determine the times in which the fan (6) is turned on and off at least during the running or halted durations of the compressor (4), by controlling the data received at least from the first heat sensor (7) and the second heat sensor (8). By this, the control unit (9) determines whether the fan (6) should be activated depending on the temperatures of at least the cooler compartment (2) and the special compartment (3), and enables maintaining the temperature in the special compartment (T_ZD) between determined temperature values and enables maintaining the homogeneity of the air temperature (T_FF) in the cooler compartment.
According to the invention, during the halted duration of the compressor (4), the control unit (9) is configured to not turn the fan (6) on until the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) reaches an upper limit temperature (T_FF-ul), or until the special compartment (3) temperature (T_ZD) reaches a lower limit temperature (T_ZD-ll), and to turn the fan (6) on upon the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) reaching said upper limit temperature (T_FF-ul) or upon the special compartment (3) temperature (T_ZD) reaching said lower limit temperature (T_ZD-ll). The temperature in the special compartment (3) is thus prevented from increasing by not running the fan (6) to an extent during the halted duration of the compressor (4). In the meanwhile, the air pouring from the surface of the evaporator (5) enables the special compartment (3) to be kept cool for some more time, and by turning the fan (6) on after some time, the special compartment (3) temperature (T_ZD) is prevented from increasing excessively and the temperature homogeneity is provided in the cooler compartment (2).
In an embodiment of the invention, when the compressor (4) is activated, the control unit (9) is configured to turn the fan (6) on after elapsing of a certain duration (t₁) following the activation of the compressor (4). By this, the fan (6) is prevented from blowing air hotter than 0°C towards the special compartment (3) when the compressor (4) is activated, thereby avoiding an instantaneous temperature increase in the special compartment (3).
In an embodiment of the invention, the control unit (9) is configured to keep the fan (6) turned on for a duration (t₂) after turning the fan on (6) during the running duration of the compressor (4). By this, the temperature swings are regulated, likely to occur in the cooler compartment (2) arising due to delaying activation of the fan (6) when the compressor (4) is initially activated, providing temperature homogeneity in the cooler compartment (2).
In an embodiment of the invention, after the fan (6) has been kept turned on for a duration (t₂) during the running duration of the compressor (4), the control unit (9) is configured to turn the fan (6) off upon the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) reaching a lower limit temperature (T_FF-ll), or upon the special compartment (3) temperature (T_ZD) reaching an upper limit temperature (T_ZD-ul). The temperature (T_FF) in the special compartment (3) is thus prevented from increasing excessively.
In an embodiment of the invention, following turning off of the fan (6) during the running duration of the compressor (4) if the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) is higher than the fan (6) activating cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FANcut-in) upon the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) reaching an upper limit temperature (T_FF-ul) or upon completion of a maximum halted duration (t₃), the control unit (9) is configured to turn the fan (6) on until the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) reaches a fan (6) halting cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FANcut-out).
In an embodiment of the invention, the control unit (9) is configured to turn the fan (6) on if the special compartment (3) temperature (T_FF) reaches a compressor (4) halting special compartment (3) temperature (T_ZDcut-out) before the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) reaches a compressor (4) halting cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FFcut-out) during the compressor (4) running duration. The special compartment (3) temperature (T_FF) is thus prevented from decreasing excessively.
In an embodiment of the invention, the control unit (9) is configured to turn the compressor (4) off upon the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) reaching a compressor (4) halting cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FFcut-out) during the running duration of the compressor (4).
In an embodiment of the invention, the cooler (1) of the invention further comprises at least one third heat sensor (10) measuring the surface temperature of the evaporator (5).
In an embodiment of the invention, the control unit (9) is configured to not turn the fan (6) on during the halted duration of the compressor (4) until the evaporator (5) surface temperature (T_E) reaches a limit temperature (T_El), and to turn the fan (6) on upon the evaporator (5) surface temperature (T_E) reching said evaporator limit temperature (T_El). The temperature (T_ZD) of the special compartment (3) is thus prevented from increasing by not running the fan (6) to an extent during the halted duration of the compressor (4). In the meanwhile, the air pouring from the surface of the evaporator (5) enables the special compartment (3) to be kept cool for some more time, and temperature homogeneity in the cooler compartment (2) is provided by activation of the fan (6) after some time.
In an embodiment of the invention, the cooler (1) of the invention further comprises at least one heater (11) increasing during the defrosting process the temperature in the vicinity of the evaporator (5) in order to defrost the snow forming around the evaporator (5).
In an embodiment of the invention, during defrosting, the control unit (9) is configured to not turn the fan (6) on until the evaporator (5) surface temperature (T_E) reaches a limit temperature (T_El) or until the special compartment (3) temperature (T_ZD) reaches a lower limit temperature (T_ZD-ll), and to turn the fan (6) on upon the evaporator (5) surface temperature (T_E) reaching said evaporator limit temperature (T_El) or upon the special compartment (3) temperature (T_ZD) reaching said special compartment lower limit temperature (T_ZD-ll). Thus, by the delayed activation of the fan (6), the fan (6) is prevented from blowing air of a temperature hotter than 0°C towards the special compartment (3), thereby maintaining the air temperature in the special compartment (3) at a desired level. The air pouring from the surface of the evaporator (5) in the meanwhile enables keeping the special compartment (3) cold for some more time. Temperature homogeneity in the cooler compartment (2) is provided following activation of the fan (6).
In an embodiment of the invention, the control unit (9) is configured to turn the fan (6) off and to turn the heater (11) on after temperature homogeneity in the cooler compartment (2) is provided during defrosting period. By this, when the temperature of the air around the evaporator (5) is thus increased in order to defrost the snow around the evaporator (5), this heated air is prevented from being blown towards the special compartment (3) by the fan (6), avoiding a rapid increase of the special compartment (3) temperature.
By means of the invention, the temperature in the special compartment (3) is easily and cost-effectively maintained at a desired temperature range, by determining the times when the fan (6) is turned on and off during the operating or halted durations of the compressor (4), in accordance with the data obtained by at least one first heat sensor (7) measuring the cooler compartment (2) temperature and by at least one second heat sensor (8) measuring the special compartment (3) temperature. In addition, in an embodiment of the invention, the evaporator (5) surface temperature measured by a third heat sensor (10), is also used to determine times at which the fan (6) is turned on and off during the halted durations of the compressor (4). In the cooler (1) of the invention, the special compartment (3) temperature is maintained at a desired temperature range also during the defrosting process in which the snow or ice forming around the evaporator (5) is defrosted.

Claims

A cooler (1) comprising at least one cooler compartment (2), at least one special compartment (3) provided in the cooler compartment (2) maintained at a temperature lower than the cooler compartment (2), at least one compressor (4) enabling circulating a refrigerant fluid by compressing it, at least one evaporator (5) enabling the cooler compartment (2) to be cooled, at least one fan (6) enabling air circulation in the cooler compartment (2), at least one first heat sensor (7) measuring the temperature in the cooler compartment (2) and at least one second heat sensor (8) measuring the temperature in the special compartment (3), at least one control unit (9) configured to determine the times at which the fan (6) is turned on and off at least during the operating or halted durations of the compressor (4), by controlling the data received at least from the first heat sensor (7) and the second heat sensor (8) characterized by the control unit (9) configured to not turn the fan (6) on until the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) reaches an upper limit temperature (T_FF-ul) or until the special compartment (3) temperature (T_ZD) reaches a lower limit temperature (T_ZD-ll), and to turn the fan (6) on upon the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) reaching said upper limit temperature (T_FF-ul) or upon the special compartment (3) temperature (T_ZD) reaching said lower limit temperature (T_ZD-ll), during the halted duration of the compressor (4).
A cooler (1) according to claim 1 , characterized by the control unit (9) configured to turn the fan (6) on when the compressor (4) is activated, after elapsing of a certain duration (t₁) following the activation of the compressor (4).
A cooler (1) according to claim 2, characterized by the control unit (9) configured to keep the fan (6) turned on for a duration (t₂), after turning the fan on (6) during the running duration of the compressor (4).
A cooler (1) according to claim 3, characterized by the control unit (9) configured to turn the fan (6) off upon the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) reaching a lower limit temperature (T_FF-ll), or upon the special compartment (3) temperature (T_ZD) reaching an upper limit temperature (T_ZD-ul), after the fan (6) has been kept turned on for a duration (t₂) during the running duration of the compressor (4).
A cooler (1) according to claim 4, characterized by, the control unit (9) configured to turn the fan (6) on until the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) reaches a fan (6) halting cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FANcut-out), if the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) is higher than the fan (6) activating cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FANcut-in) upon the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) reaching an upper limit temperature (T_FF-ul) or upon completion of a maximum halted duration (t₃), following turning off of the fan (6) during the running duration of the compressor (4).
A cooler (1) according to claim 4, characterized by the control unit (9) configured to turn the fan (6) on during the compressor (4) running duration, if the special compartment (3) temperature (T_FF) reaches a compressor (4) halting special compartment (3) temperature (T_ZDcut-out) before the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) reaches a compressor (4) halting cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FFcut-out).
A cooler (1) according to any one of the claims 2 to 6, characterized by the control unit (9) configured to turn the compressor (4) off upon the cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FF) reaching a compressor (4) halting cooler compartment (2) temperature (T_FFcut-out) during the running duration of the compressor (4).
A cooler (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by at least one third heat sensor (10) measuring the surface temperature of the evaporator (5).
A cooler (1) according to claim 8, characterized by the control unit (9) configured to not turn the fan (6) on until the evaporator (5) surface temperature (T_E) reaches a limit temperature (T_El), and to turn the fan (6) on upon the evaporator (5) surface temperature (T_E) reaching said evaporator limit temperature (T_El), during the halted duration of the compressor (4).
A cooler (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by at least one heater (11) increasing during the defrosting process the temperature in the vicinity of the evaporator (5) in order to defrost the snow forming around the evaporator (5).
A cooler (1) according to claim 10, characterized by the control unit (9) configured to not turn the fan (6) on until the evaporator (5) surface temperature (T_E) reaches a limit temperature (T_El) or until the special compartment (3) temperature (T_ZD) reaches a lower limit temperature (T_ZD-ll), and to turn the fan (6) on upon the evaporator (5) surface temperature (T_E) reaching said evaporator limit temperature (T_El) or upon the special compartment (3) temperature (T_ZD) reaching said special compartment lower limit temperature (T_ZD-ll) during defrosting.
A cooler (1) according to claim 11, characterized by the control unit (9) configured to turn the fan (6) off and to turn the heater (11) on, after temperature homogeneity in the cooler compartment (2) is provided during defrosting.