EP3945270A1 - Frostfreies kühlschrankgerät - Google Patents

Frostfreies kühlschrankgerät Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3945270A1
EP3945270A1 EP20188918.5A EP20188918A EP3945270A1 EP 3945270 A1 EP3945270 A1 EP 3945270A1 EP 20188918 A EP20188918 A EP 20188918A EP 3945270 A1 EP3945270 A1 EP 3945270A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
refrigerator
compartment
channel
inlet duct
refrigerator compartment
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP20188918.5A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Jutta Ziermaier
Davide Soligno
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Whirlpool Corp
Original Assignee
Whirlpool Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Whirlpool Corp filed Critical Whirlpool Corp
Priority to EP20188918.5A priority Critical patent/EP3945270A1/de
Publication of EP3945270A1 publication Critical patent/EP3945270A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D11/00—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
    • F25D11/02—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators with cooling compartments at different temperatures
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D17/00—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces
    • F25D17/04—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection
    • F25D17/06—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection by forced circulation
    • F25D17/062—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection by forced circulation in household refrigerators
    • F25D17/065—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection by forced circulation in household refrigerators with compartments at different temperatures
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2317/00—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • F25D2317/06—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass with forced air circulation
    • F25D2317/065—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass with forced air circulation characterised by the air return
    • F25D2317/0653—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass with forced air circulation characterised by the air return through the mullion

Definitions

  • the present invention generally relates to household refrigerator appliances and more particularly to built-in refrigerator appliances of the so called no-frost type.
  • Known no-frost refrigerating appliances typically comprise a cabinet wherein two inner compartments separated by a thermally insulating wall are formed. The two compartments are kept at different temperatures, thereby allowing to store food under different conditions. More particularly, a refrigerator compartment is typically operated at a temperature comprised between 1°C and 10°C, which is suitable to preserve fresh food, while a freezer compartment generally operates at temperatures ranging between -15°C and -30°C to preserve food in a frozen condition.
  • No-frost refrigerating appliances typically comprise at least one inlet duct allowing to suck warm air resulting from the heat exchange with food items stored in the refrigerator compartment and to supply it to the refrigerating chamber where the evaporator is located.
  • the warm air can thus be cooled and dehumidified before it is made to recirculate back to the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment.
  • Known no-frost refrigerating appliances of the type above are generally free-standing products, wherein the inlet duct allowing to suck warm air from the refrigerator compartment is housed in a side wall or in the rear wall thereof.
  • this arrangement is not possible in built-in refrigerating appliances, because, in order to be mounted in a cavity of a kitchen furniture, their peripheral walls are generally thinner than those of a free-standing appliance and offer little room or no space at all for air ducts.
  • a possible arrangement of air ducts in the peripheral walls of a built-in refrigerating appliance would heavily reduce the thickness of insulating material, thereby penalizing thermal insulation and resulting in a poorer energy performance.
  • the technical problem underlying and solved by the present invention is therefore to provide a total no-frost, built-in refrigerating appliance that allows to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above with reference to the prior art.
  • An idea of solution underlying the invention is provide a total no-frost, built-in refrigerating appliance with an air-duct stretching out in a vertical direction and having a plurality of outlet ports fluidly communicating with the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment, so that air cooled in a refrigerating chamber is made to circulate towards both said compartments by way of a fan accommodated in the refrigerating chamber together with an evaporator. It is also an idea underlying the invention to arrange an inlet duct at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment so as to allow suction of warm air into the evaporator compartment.
  • peripheral walls of the built-in refrigerating appliance are not affected by the provision of the inlet duct, thus not penalizing thermal insulation and the resulting energy performance of the appliance.
  • the inlet duct comprises a channel that crosses the insulating wall separating the refrigerator compartment from the freezer compartment.
  • the end of the channel facing the refrigerator compartment is arranged in a recessed portion of its bottom wall. This configuration allows to have a clearance under the crisper drawer that is typically slidably arranged on the bottom wall, thereby facilitating suction of warm air into the refrigerating chamber. This configuration also allows to completely hide the inlet duct from the users' view, thus not affecting the overall aesthetic appearance of the refrigerating appliance.
  • a septum in the form of a mesh or grid may advantageously be arranged inside the channel to hold possible solid items falling into it.
  • a cover member featuring a plurality of apertures allowing suction of warm air into the inlet duct may advantageously be arranged atop the end of its channel that faces the refrigerator compartment. This contributes to prevent suction of fluids and solid items into the inlet duct.
  • the cover member may advantageously have a mushroom shape in cross section, which allows to divert away from the inlet duct possible fluids and/or solid items falling onto the bottom wall of the refrigerator compartment. This configuration further contributes to prevent suction of fluids and solid items into the inlet duct.
  • a built-in refrigerating appliance according to the invention is generally indicated by reference number 100.
  • the refrigerating appliance 100 is shown with reference to a three-dimensional coordinate system.
  • a first axis X and a second axis Y that are mutually perpendicular define a horizontal plane, while a third axis Z, perpendicular to said horizontal plane, defines a vertical axis corresponding to the direction along which the force of gravity acts.
  • the refrigerating appliance 100 hereinafter also referred to as refrigerator only, comprises a cabinet 110 whose cavity is configured to store food items.
  • the appliance shown in the drawings is e.g. a "bottom mount" refrigerating appliance, where a refrigerator compartment 111 is formed above a freezer compartment 112 in a vertical direction and are separated from each other by an insulating wall 113, also known as "mullion" to those skilled in the art.
  • the cabinet 110 comprises an inner casing or liner 114 that is made e.g. of a polymeric material, where the refrigerator compartment 111 and the freezer compartment 112 are formed, and an outer casing 115.
  • the outer casing 115 is spaced apart from the inner casing 114 so as to define a cavity that is typically filled with a thermally insulating material such as e.g. polyurethane foam.
  • the outer casing 115 has a parallelepiped shape and comprises a pair of spaced apart side walls, a top wall, a bottom wall and a back wall. These walls may e.g. be made of sheet metal or a plastic material.
  • the refrigerator compartment 111 and the freezer compartment 112 are selectively accessible through respective doors that are not shown in the drawings.
  • the refrigerator appliance 100 comprises a refrigerating chamber 130 that is arranged e.g. below the mullion 113.
  • the refrigerating chamber 130 accommodates an evaporator 131 allowing to cool air and a fan 132, which allows to supply cooled air to the refrigerator compartment 111 and the freezer compartment 112, respectively, through an air duct 140 that stretches out in the vertical direction Z and has a plurality of outlet ports 141 fluidly communicating with the refrigerator compartment 111 and the freezer compartment 112.
  • a gate valve 133 also known as "damper" in the field of refrigerating appliances, allows to adjust the flow of cooling air to the refrigerator compartment 111.
  • the evaporator 131 is part of a closed cooling circuit of the refrigerator appliance 100 that also comprises a condenser (not shown), wherein a refrigerant fluid is made to circulate by a compressor (not shown).
  • the refrigerant fluid fills the closed cooling circuit.
  • the compressor is operated by a control unit (not shown) of the refrigerator appliance 100, and makes the refrigerant fluid to circulate through the condenser and then through the evaporator 131.
  • the refrigerant fluid When flowing through the condenser, the refrigerant fluid is cooled down and changes phase from gas to liquid while releasing heat that is dissipated by the condenser.
  • Cooling temperatures are typically comprised between 1°C and 10°C in the refrigerator compartment 111, and between -15°C and -30°C in the freezer compartment 112.
  • the evaporator 131 can advantageously be arranged in a substantially horizontal position, which prevents refrigerant fluid from flowing away due to gravity during the compressor off phase. Despite its static condition, the refrigerant fluid confers thermal inertia to the evaporator, which minimizes temperature rise and allows to save energy when the compressor is restarted.
  • cool air supplied from the outlet ports 141 of the air duct 140 to the refrigerator compartment 111 and the freezer compartment 112 subtracts heat from food items stored therein (not shown) and warms up.
  • Warm air is made to circulate back to the refrigerating chamber 130 through inlet ducts fluidly communicating with the refrigerator compartment 111 and the freezer compartment 112, respectively. This allows to cool down and dehumidify such air before it is made to recirculate to these compartments.
  • At least one inlet duct 150 is provided at a bottom wall 116 of the refrigerator compartment 111.
  • the inlet duct 150 crosses the mullion 113 in order to allow suction of warm air from the refrigerator compartment 111 into the refrigerating chamber 131.
  • the refrigerator appliance 100 features a single inlet duct 150.
  • the inlet duct 150 includes a channel 151 one end of which faces the refrigerator compartment 111, while the opposite end fluidly communicates with the refrigerating chamber 130.
  • the end of the channel 151 facing the refrigerator compartment 111 is preferably arranged in a recessed portion 116a formed in the bottom wall 116 thereof.
  • This configuration allows to have a clearance under the crisper drawer or drawers (not shown) that is or are typically arranged on the bottom wall 116, thereby facilitating suction of warm air into evaporator compartment.
  • This configuration also allows to completely hide the inlet duct 150 from the users' view, thus not penalizing the overall aesthetic appearance of the refrigerating appliance 100.
  • the end of the channel 151 facing the refrigerator compartment 111 protrudes from the bottom wall 116, more particularly from its recessed portion 116a, thus allowing to prevent suction into the refrigerating chamber 130 of possible fluids collected on the latter.
  • the inlet duct 150 comprises at least one septum 152.
  • the septum 152 which can be configured e.g. as a mesh or grid element, acts as a separation element preventing objects, such as e.g. parts of fruits or vegetables, from falling into the inlet duct 150 thereby reaching the refrigerating chamber 130 and clogging the evaporator 131.
  • the septum 152 can be formed integrally with the channel 151 or mounted thereto. In the latter case, the septum can be removably mounted in the channel 151, so as to ease cleaning and removal of possible solid items.
  • a cover member 153 may advantageously be arranged at the end of the channel 151 facing the refrigerator compartment 111 to protect it and to contribute to prevent suction of fluids and solid items in the inlet duct 150.
  • the cover member 153 features a plurality of apertures allowing suction of warm air into the channel 151 of the inlet duct 150.
  • the cover member 153 may advantageously have a convex profile, e.g. a mushroom-like shape, in cross section, which allows to divert away from the inlet duct 150 possible fluids and/or solid items falling on the bottom wall 116.
  • the cover member 153 is preferably removably mounted at the end of the channel 151, so as to allow access to the interior thereof for cleaning purposes, e.g. to remove possible objects obstructing the septum 152.
  • Ribs 154 can advantageously formed on the outer surface of the duct 150 to facilitate its assembly inside the mullion 113 and stiffen its structure during foaming.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Cold Air Circulating Systems And Constructional Details In Refrigerators (AREA)
EP20188918.5A 2020-07-31 2020-07-31 Frostfreies kühlschrankgerät Withdrawn EP3945270A1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP20188918.5A EP3945270A1 (de) 2020-07-31 2020-07-31 Frostfreies kühlschrankgerät

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP20188918.5A EP3945270A1 (de) 2020-07-31 2020-07-31 Frostfreies kühlschrankgerät

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3945270A1 true EP3945270A1 (de) 2022-02-02

Family

ID=71899588

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP20188918.5A Withdrawn EP3945270A1 (de) 2020-07-31 2020-07-31 Frostfreies kühlschrankgerät

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP3945270A1 (de)

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3005321A (en) * 1959-08-25 1961-10-24 Philco Corp Multiple temperature refrigerator
US3050955A (en) * 1960-12-19 1962-08-28 Gen Electric Multi-temperature refrigerator
US3107502A (en) * 1961-04-24 1963-10-22 Whirlpool Co Air circuit means for combined freezer and refrigerator apparatus
JPS53114662U (de) * 1977-02-18 1978-09-12
JPS54124364A (en) * 1978-03-20 1979-09-27 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd Double-temperature refrigerator
JPS5647460U (de) * 1979-09-19 1981-04-27
US5357769A (en) * 1993-05-10 1994-10-25 Whirlpool Corporation Bottom mount refrigerator air return system
US6286330B1 (en) * 2000-03-16 2001-09-11 Amana Company, L.P. Refrigerator air filter

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3005321A (en) * 1959-08-25 1961-10-24 Philco Corp Multiple temperature refrigerator
US3050955A (en) * 1960-12-19 1962-08-28 Gen Electric Multi-temperature refrigerator
US3107502A (en) * 1961-04-24 1963-10-22 Whirlpool Co Air circuit means for combined freezer and refrigerator apparatus
JPS53114662U (de) * 1977-02-18 1978-09-12
JPS54124364A (en) * 1978-03-20 1979-09-27 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd Double-temperature refrigerator
JPS5647460U (de) * 1979-09-19 1981-04-27
US5357769A (en) * 1993-05-10 1994-10-25 Whirlpool Corporation Bottom mount refrigerator air return system
US6286330B1 (en) * 2000-03-16 2001-09-11 Amana Company, L.P. Refrigerator air filter

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