EP4056928A1

EP4056928A1 - Foodstuff refrigerating machine

Info

Publication number: EP4056928A1
Application number: EP22161179.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alessandro ZANOLIN
Original assignee: Irinox SpA
Current assignee: Irinox SpA
Priority date: 2021-03-09
Filing date: 2022-03-09
Publication date: 2022-09-14
Also published as: IT202100005444A1

Abstract

A foodstuff refrigerating machine (1) comprising: an external self-supporting casing (2), having, inside thereof, a substantially parallelepiped-shaped, large thermal-insulated chamber (3) which is adapted to contain the fooduse product to be preserved and communicates with the outside through a large access opening (3a); and a thermoregulator assembly (5), which is adapted to circulate an airflow inside of the thermal-insulated chamber (3) and is capable of regulating/controlling the value of the temperature of the air entering the thermal-insulated chamber (3); the thermoregulator assembly (5) being connected to said thermal-insulated chamber (3) via at least one air-feeding duct (7) that ends inside the thermal-insulated chamber (3), at or close to the upper wall (9) of said thermal-insulated chamber (3); the refrigerating machine (1) additionally comprising at least two side-by-side, substantially rectilinear and substantially vertical, air-distribution conduits (20) that are superiorly connected to the or to a corresponding air-feeding duct (7) so as to receive the airflow (f) produced by the thermoregulator assembly (5), and extend downwards one beside the other while remaining flush with a vertical wall (10, 100) of the thermal-insulated chamber (3); both air-distribution conduits (20) being provided with a series of small venting openings (21), which are distributed along the entire length of the conduit (20) and allow the controlled and progressive outflow of the air towards the thermal-insulated chamber (3).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102021000005444 filed on March 9, 2021 .

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a foodstuff refrigerating machine.
More in detail, the present invention relates to a refrigerated storage cabinet for professional use particularly adapted to be used in kitchens of restaurants, canteens, pastry labs and the like. Use to which the following disclosure will make explicit reference without however losing in generality.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

As is well known, refrigerated storage cabinets for professional use are machines capable of continuously keeping large quantities of food and/or other food-use products at constant and predefined temperature and humidity conditions, so as to complete the leavening, creaming, fermentation or other food processing/ripening/refining processes, which require predefined and constant environmental conditions.
More in detail, the refrigerated storage cabinets for professional use are usually capable of keeping food and other food-use products at a predefined temperature, which can be selected by the user in a range between -25°C and +15°C. At the same time, the professional refrigerated storage cabinets are also capable of keeping the relative humidity of the air that skims the food and the other food-use products in the neighbourhood of a predefined target value, usually comprised between the 30% and the 95%.
The refrigerated storage cabinets therefore have a much wider temperature range than that typical of a traditional refrigerator, and moreover perform an actively control of the humidity level of the air so as to prevent food or other food-use products from becoming dehydrated or over-hydrated.
The refrigerated storage cabinets for professional use generally comprise: a substantially parallelepiped-shaped, self-supporting outer casing, which is usually made of stainless steel and has, inside itself, a substantially parallelepiped-shaped, large storage cavity or chamber that is suitably thermal-insulated so as to minimise the heat exchange with the outside, is adapted to contain the food to be preserved, and communicates with the outside through a large access opening located on the front face of the self-supporting casing; a door with thermal-insulating structure, which is flag hinged to the self-supporting casing so as to be movable about a vertical axis, to and from a closed position wherein the door rests on the front face of the casing so as to air-tightly close the access opening to the storage chamber; and an electrically-operated thermoregulator assembly, which circulates an airflow in closed-loop into the storage chamber, and is capable of regulating the temperature value of the airflow entering the storage chamber, so as to maintain the food or other food-use product contained therein at the target temperature set by the user.
In addition, the thermoregulator assembly is also capable of regulating the humidity degree of the airflow circulating in the storage chamber, so as to keep the food or other food-use product at the right degree of hydration set by the user.
In the refrigerated storage cabinets currently on the market, the thermoregulator assembly is placed at the top and outside of the self-supporting casing, and the airflow produced by the thermoregulator assembly enters and leaves the storage chamber through two large, oblong-shaped venting mouths, which are made on the upper wall of the storage chamber, one near the vertical rear wall of the storage chamber and the other near the access opening, and which extend transversally to the vertical midplane of the apparatus, substantially for the entire width of the storage chamber.
The airflow produced by the thermoregulator assembly usually enters the storage chamber through the mouth placed close to the rear wall of the chamber, and leaves the storage chamber through the mouth placed close to the access opening to the storage chamber.
Unfortunately, despite allowing to maximize the inner volume of the storage chamber, the arrangement of the thermoregulator assembly on top of the self-supporting casing, in some cases, does not consent a sufficiently even distribution of temperature and/or humidity over the entire volume of the storage chamber.
In the relatively high refrigerated storage cabinets, in fact, the airflow produced by the thermoregulator assembly hardly reaches the lower part of the storage chamber, with all limitations that this entails.
In fact, the food-use products that are placed in the upper part of the storage chamber tend to become excessively dehydrated, whereas the food-use products that are placed in the lower part of the storage chamber tend to become excessively hydrated.
In order to overcome this major drawback, the most recent models of refrigerated storage cabinet have a large perforated septum, which is arranged inside the storage chamber, in a vertical position and at a short distance from the rear wall of the chamber, so as to form a gap that facilitates the descent of the airflow towards the lower part of the storage chamber.
Unfortunately, despite the presence of the perforated septum, experimental tests have shown that if the storage chamber is occupied by a rack with a large number of baking trays stacked one over the other, the temperature and/or the humidity in some areas of the storage chamber still deviate excessively from the target values, with the problems that this entails.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Aim of the present invention is to further improve the circulation of the airflow produced by the thermoregulator assembly within the storage chamber, so as to make the temperature and humidity distribution within the storage chamber of the storage refrigerator even more constant and uniform.
In accordance to these aims, according to the present invention there is provided a foodstuff refrigerating machine as defined in Claim 1 and preferably, though not necessarily, in any one of the dependent Claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, which show a non-limiting embodiment thereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a foodstuff refrigerating machine realized according to the teachings of the present invention, with parts in section and parts removed for clarity's sake;
Figure 2 is a partially-exploded perspective view of the upper part of the foodstuff refrigerating machine shown in Figure 1, with parts in section and parts removed for clarity's sake;
Figure 3 is a side view of the foodstuff refrigerating machine shown in Figure 1, sectioned along the midplane and with parts removed for clarity's sake;
Figure 4 is a front view of the refrigerating machine shown in Figure 1, with parts in section and parts removed for clarity's sake; whereas
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a different embodiment of the refrigerating machine shown in Figure 1, with parts in section and parts removed for clarity's sake.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

With reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, number 1 denotes, as a whole, a foodstuff refrigerating machine which is adapted to continuously keep foods and/or other food-use products at substantially constant and predefined temperature and preferably also humidity conditions, and which is particularly advantageously used in the kitchens of restaurants, canteens, pastry labs and the like.
More in detail, the refrigerating machine 1 is adapted to continuously keep foods and/or other food-use products in the neighbourhood of a predefined target temperature, the value of which can be freely selected by the user preferably in the range between -25°C and +15°C.
In addition, the refrigerating machine 1 is moreover adapted to continuously keep the relative humidity of the air that skims the foods and/or other food-use products in the neighbourhood of a predefined target value, which can be freely selected by the user preferably in the range between the 30% and the 95%.
In other words, the refrigerating machine 1 is preferably a professional refrigerated storage cabinet that can advantageously be used to complete leavening, creaming, fermentation or other food processing/ripening/refining processes, which require predefined and constant environmental conditions.
The refrigerating machine 1 firstly comprises: a preferably substantially parallelepiped-shaped, self-supporting outer casing 2 which has inside itself a substantially parallelepiped-shape, large storage cavity or chamber 3, which is suitably thermal-insulated so as to minimise the heat exchange with the outside, is adapted to contain the food-use products to be preserved, and communicates with the outside through a large access opening 3a that is preferably located on the front face of the outer casing 2; and a door 4 with thermal-insulated structure, which is structured/ dimensioned to close the access opening 3a preferably substantially air-tightly, and is hinged to the outer casing 2 so as to freely rotate to and from a closed position (see Figures 1 and 3) wherein the door 4 closes, preferably substantially air-tightly, the opening 3a to the storage chamber 3.
More in detail, the self-supporting casing 2 and the storage chamber 3 are preferably shaped substantially like a rectangular parallelepiped, and the storage chamber 3 preferably communicates with the outside via a substantially rectangular-shaped, access opening 3a that preferably takes up substantially the entire front face of the self-supporting casing 2.
The door 4, on the other hand, has a preferably substantially rectangular, plate-shaped structure and is flag hinged to the front face of the self-supporting casing 2 so as to be manually movable/rotatable about a preferably substantially vertical, rotation axis A to and from a closed position (see Figures 1 and 3) wherein the door 4 rests on the front face of the self-supporting casing 2 and closes, substantially air-tightly, the access opening 3a to the storage chamber 3.
With reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the refrigerating machine 1 moreover comprises an electrically-operated thermoregulator assembly 5, which is located outside of the storage chamber 3, and is adapted to circulate inside the storage chamber 3 a temperature-controlled airflow. In addition, the thermoregulator assembly 5 is structured so as to regulate/control, in real time, the temperature value and preferably also the humidity value of the air entering the storage chamber 3.
The refrigerating machine 1 is furthermore provided with an electronic control unit 6, which is adapted to control the thermoregulator assembly 5 and is preferably located outside the self-supporting casing 2; and preferably also with a control panel (not visible in the Figures) which is located outside the self-supporting casing 2 and allows the user to interact with the electronic control unit 6.
More in detail, the electronic control unit 6 is adapted to control the thermoregulator assembly 5 according to the signals coming from one or more temperature sensors (not visible in the figures), which are placed inside the storage chamber 3 and are adapted to detect, preferably continuously or at regular intervals, the temperature of the air inside the storage chamber 3.
Preferably, the electronic control unit 6 is moreover adapted to command the thermoregulator assembly 5 also according to the signals coming from one or more hygrometric sensors (not visible in the Figures), which are adapted to detect, preferably continuously or at regular intervals, the value of humidity of the air present inside the storage chamber 3.
In addition to or in place of the temperature sensors and/or hygrometric sensors, the refrigerating machine 1 may comprise one or more portable temperature- and/or humidity-probes, which are electronically connected to the electronic control unit 6 and are adapted to be manually inserted by the user from time to time into the foods or other food-use products temporarily placed within the storage chamber 3. The temperature- and/or humidity- probe/probes are adapted to detect the temperature and/or humidity value inside food or other food-use product into which they are inserted.
More in detail, the electronic control unit 6 is programmed/configured so as to maintain the temperature inside the storage chamber 3 in the neighbourhood of a first target value, preferably manually selectable by the user and preferably raging between -25°C and +15°C.
Preferably, the electronic control unit 6 is moreover programmed/configured so as to maintain the relative humidity of the air inside the storage chamber 3 in the neighbourhood of a second target value, preferably manually selectable by the user and preferably comprised between the 30% and the 95%.
Additionally or alternatively, the electronic control unit 6 may be programmed/configured so to maintain the relative humidity of the air in the storage chamber 3 within a predefined tolerance range, preferably manually selectable by the user. In addition, such a tolerance range may extend between the values 30% and 40%, or between the values 40% and 50%, or between the values 50% and 60%, or between the values 70% and 80%, or between the values 80% and 90%, or between the values 90% and 95%.
Optionally, the electronic control unit 6 may also be programmed/configured so as to bring, within a predefined and relatively short time interval, the temperature measured inside the storage chamber 3 to a predefined target value.
With reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, in addition, the thermoregulator assembly 5 is structured so as to form a closed circuit with the storage chamber 3.
In other words, the thermoregulator assembly 5 communicates with the storage chamber 3 via at least one air-feeding duct 7 and at least one air-extraction duct 8, which are made directly in the self-supporting casing 2 and end inside the storage chamber 3, at or close to the horizontal upper wall 9 of the storage chamber 3.
Clearly, the airflow produced by the thermoregulator assembly 5 enters into the storage chamber 3 through the air-feeding duct/ducts 7, and leaves the storage chamber 3 through the air-extraction duct/ducts 8. Preferably the air-feeding duct/ducts 7 moreover reach the storage chamber 3 near the vertical rear wall 10 of the chamber, while the air extraction duct/ducts 8 reach the storage chamber 3 near the access opening 3a of storage chamber 3.
With reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, preferably the thermoregulator assembly 5 is furthermore placed outside the self-supporting casing 2.
More in detail, the thermoregulator assembly 5 is preferably located on the top of the self-supporting casing 2, immediately above the storage chamber 3. Preferably, the air-feeding duct/ducts 7 and the air-extraction duct/ducts 8 furthermore extend in pass-through manner only across the upper wall 9 of storage chamber 3.
Even more specifically, the thermoregulator assembly 5 is preferably located/accommodated inside a machine compartment open at the top, which is realized on top of the self-supporting housing 2.
Preferably, the thermoregulator assembly 5 moreover comprises: an air recirculation conduit 11 which, on the side opposite to the storage chamber 3, puts the mouth/mouths of the air-feeding duct/ducts 7 in direct communication with the mouths of the air-extraction duct/ducts 8; at least one electrically-operated air-circulation pump 12, which is preferably located along the recirculation conduit 11, and is adapted to produce an airflow f that flows along the recirculation conduit 11, from the air-extraction duct/ducts 8 towards the air/feeding duct/ducts 7; and an electrically-operated heat-pump refrigeration circuit 13, which is adapted to selectively remove heat from the airflow f that flows along the recirculation conduit 11.
With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, additionally the thermoregulator assembly 5 is preferably located on a support platform 14 with self-supporting structure, which in turn is fixed in easy removable manner, resting on the bottom of the machine compartment of self-supporting casing 2, so as to ease the removal and/or replacement of the thermoregulator assembly 5.
In other words, the air recirculation conduit 11, the air-circulation pump 12 and the heat-pump refrigeration circuit 13 are preferably fixed onto the support platform 14, so as to form a single, easy removable block therewith.
In the example shown, in particular, the support platform 14 is preferably made of plastic or metal material, and is preferably fixed in a rigid and stable, though easily removable manner, directly to the bottom of the machine compartment of self-supporting casing 2 by means of removable anchoring screws or other similar mechanical anchoring members.
More in detail, the heat-pump refrigeration circuit 13 preferably has a heat exchanger 15, traditionally called low-pressure heat exchanger or evaporator, which is located inside the recirculation conduit 11 so as to be skimmed by the airflow f that flows through the recirculation conduit 11.
Preferably, the air-circulation pump/pumps 12, on the other hand, are axial-flow fans that are attached directly to the heat exchanger 15 of refrigeration circuit 13.
In addition, the heat-pump refrigeration circuit 13 preferably comprises also: a second heat exchanger 16, traditionally called a high-pressure heat exchanger or condenser, which is located outside of the recirculation conduit 11 so as to be skimmed by the external air; and an electrically-operated compressor 17, preferably of the volumetric type, which is interposed between the heat exchangers 15 and 16, and is adapted to compress the refrigerant fluid leaving the low-pressure heat exchanger 15 and entering the second high-pressure heat exchanger 16.
More in detail, the compressor 17 has the suction mouth connected to the outlet of heat exchanger 15 and the delivery mouth connected to the inlet of heat exchanger 16, so as to compress the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant fluid leaving the heat exchanger 15, and to feed the inlet of heat exchanger 16 a flow of refrigerant fluid with a temperature and pressure significantly higher than those at outlet of the heat exchanger 15.
In addition, the heat-pump refrigeration circuit 13 further comprises an active or passive expansion member 18, which is interposed between the outlet of heat exchanger 16 and the inlet of heat exchanger 15, and is adapted to cause the rapid and irreversible expansion of the gaseous-state refrigerant fluid directed towards the heat exchanger 15, so that the refrigerant fluid entering the heat exchanger 15 has a pressure and temperature significantly lower than those of the refrigerant leaving the heat exchanger 16.
Clearly, the low-temperature refrigerant fluid circulating within the low-pressure heat exchanger 15 removes heat from the airflow f flowing along the recirculation conduit 11, whereas the high-temperature refrigerant fluid circulating within the high-pressure heat exchanger 16 releases heat to the outside air.
With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, in the example shown, in particular, the thermoregulator assembly 5 preferably includes a substantially rigid and preferably thermal-insulated cup-shaped body 19, which is arranged resting on the upper face of support platform 14, in inverted position, and is substantially fluid-tightly fixed to the support platform 14 so as to form a closed container.
Preferably, the low-pressure heat exchanger 15 and optionally also the air-circulation pump/pumps 12 are moreover located inside the cup-shaped body 19, resting on the support platform 14, while the air-feeding duct/ducts 7 and the air-extraction duct/ducts 8 end at the bottom of the machine compartment, within the area enclosed by the cup-shaped body 19 and on opposite sides of the low-pressure heat exchanger 15.
More in detail, the support platform 14 preferably has two through openings 14a and 14b that are arranged within the area enclosed by the cup-shaped body 19, on opposite sides of the low-pressure heat exchanger 15. The air-feeding duct/ducts 7 preferably end at the through opening 14a, whereas the air-extraction duct/ducts 8 preferably end at the through opening 14b.
In the example shown, therefore, the cup-shaped body 19 and the support platform 14 form the air-recirculation conduit 11 of thermoregulator assembly 5.
The high-pressure heat exchanger 16, the compressor 17 and optionally also the expansion member 18, on the other hand, are preferably fixed on the support platform 14 beside the cup-shaped body 19.
The electronic control unit 6, in turn, is adapted to command the air-circulation pump/pumps 12, or rather the axial-flow fan/fans, and the compressor 17 of refrigeration circuit 13.
More in detail, the electronic control unit 6 is preferably adapted to command the air-circulation pump/pumps 12, or rather the axial-flow fan/fans, and the compressor 17 of refrigeration circuit 13, so as to control the temperature, humidity and/or flow rate of the airflow f that flows through the recirculation conduit 11 and reaches the storage chamber 3.
Even more specifically, the electronic control unit 6 is preferably programmed/configured so as to control the switching on and off of the air-circulation pump 12, and preferably also the speed of the air-circulation pump 12 so as to regulate the flow rate of the airflow f flowing through the recirculation duct 11.
In addition, the electronic control unit 6 is preferably programmed/configured so as to control the switching on and off of the compressor 17 of heat-pump refrigeration circuit 13, and optionally also the speed of compressor 17 so as to regulate/vary the flow rate of the refrigerant fluid that flows through the low-pressure heat exchanger 15, and consequently the amount of heat removed from the airflow f.
With reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the refrigerating machine 1 is furthermore provided with at least two substantially rectilinear and substantially vertical, side-by-side air-distribution conduits 20, which are superiorly connected to the or to a corresponding air-feeding duct 7 so as to receive the airflow f produced by the thermoregulator assembly 5, and extend downwards one beside the other while remaining flush with the vertical rear wall 10 of storage chamber 3, so as to convey the airflow f towards the lower part of the storage chamber 3.
In other words, the two air-distribution conduits 20 extend downwards within the storage chamber 3, starting substantially from the horizontal upper wall 9 of the chamber.
The two air-distribution conduits 20, moreover, extend downwards while remaining spaced from the two vertical side walls of storage chamber 3, i.e. while remaining spaced from the two vertical walls flanking and joined to the vertical rear wall 10.
In addition, the two air-distribution conduits 20 are preferably also arranged on opposite sides of the centerline M of the vertical rear wall 10, spaced apart from each other. The two air-distribution conduits 20 are therefore spaced apart from the mouth of the air-extraction duct 8.
Each air-distribution conduit 20 has a series of small venting openings 21, which are suitably distributed along the entire length of the air-distribution conduit 20, and allow the controlled and progressive outflow of the air towards the storage chamber 3.
Preferably, the venting openings 21 are moreover small slits arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis L of the distribution conduit 20.
Preferably at least one, and more appropriately both air-distribution conduits 20 are furthermore tapered/ converging downwards.
More in detail, each air-distribution conduit 20 preferably has a substantially rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section, and extends flush with the rear wall 10 of storage chamber 3, preferably while keeping the two larger side walls substantially parallel to the rear wall 10 of the storage chamber 3 and/or the smaller side walls substantially perpendicular to the rear wall 10 of storage chamber 3. Preferably the venting openings 21, or rather the transversal slits, are furthermore arranged along the two smaller side walls of the air-distribution conduit 20.
In other words, each air-distribution conduit 20 preferably has two rows of venting openings 21 that are arranged on opposite sides of the same conduit. Preferably, one of the two rows of venting openings 21 faces the centreline M of the rear wall 10 of storage chamber 3, and the other faces the vertical side wall of storage chamber 3.
The airflow leaving the various venting openings 21 is therefore locally substantially flush with the rear wall 10 of the storage chamber 3.
With reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, in the example shown, in particular, the thermoregulator assembly 5 preferably communicates with the storage chamber 3 via a pair of air-feeding ducts 7 preferably having a substantially rectangular cross-section, which are preferably substantially rectilinear and vertical, and extend in the self-supporting casing 2 one spaced beside the other, preferably on opposite sides of the vertical midplane of the machine.
In addition, the thermoregulator assembly 5 preferably communicates with the storage chamber 3 via a single air extraction duct 8.
The two air-distribution conduits 20, in turn, are preferably each connected to a respective air-feeding duct 7, preferably so as to form an extension of the corresponding air-feeding duct 7.
Furthermore, the two air-distribution conduits 20 extend downwards, flush with the vertical rear wall 10 of storage chamber 3, preferably with an inclination angle with respect to the vertical lower than 10° and higher than or equal to 3°, and are preferably also arranged in a substantially specular position with respect to the centreline M of the vertical rear wall 10.
More in detail, the two air-distribution conduits 20 are inclined with respect to the vertical by an angle preferably ranging between 4° and 6°.
Preferably, the two air-distribution conduits 20 are moreover inclined and dimensioned so that the minimum distance from the vertical side walls of storage chamber 3 is always higher than or equal to 4 cm (centimetres).
In addition, each air-distribution conduit 20 is preferably formed/delimited by the vertical rear wall 10 of storage chamber 3 and by a rigid covering/half-shell 22 shaped substantially like an oblong basin, which is attached directly to the rear wall 10 and to the upper wall 9 of storage chamber 3, at the mouth of the corresponding air-feeding duct 7. Preferably the rigid covering/half-shell 22 is also made in one piece and from a metal sheet, preferably by cutting and bending a metal sheet with a proper thickness.
Preferably, the thermoregulator assembly 5 finally also includes an air-circulating active humidification device (not visible in the figures), which is structured so as to spray/introduce, on command, nebulised water into the airflow f directed towards the storage chamber 3, so as to increase the humidity rate of the airflow f.
Alternatively, the active humidification device may also be structured to spray/feed nebulised water directly into the storage chamber 3.
Preferably, the active humidification device moreover comprises: a small storage tank, preferably with a capacity ranging between 1 and 5 litres, which is adapted to contain the water to be nebulised; one or more nebulising nozzles which are capable of spraying nebulised water inside the air-recirculation conduit 11, preferably downstream of the heat exchanger 15 of heat-pump refrigeration circuit 13, or directly inside the storage chamber 3; and a small electric supply pump, which is capable of drawing water from the tank and feeding it to the nebulising nozzles.
Alternatively, the active humidification device may comprise, instead of the storage tank and the supply pump: a connection pipe that connects the nebulising nozzle/ nozzles directly to an external water mains capable of supplying drinkable water; a solenoid valve, which is placed along the connection pipe and is adapted to regulate the flow rate of water directed towards the nozzles; and optionally also a non-return valve, which is placed along the connection pipe and is oriented so as to allow water to flow exclusively towards the nebulising nozzles.
Clearly, the electronic control unit 6 is adapted to command the active humidification device, and more in detail the supply pump or the solenoid valve, according to the signals coming from the hygrometric sensor/sensors and/or according to the signals coming from the portable probe/ probes.
The operation of refrigerating machine 1 is easily inferable from the foregoing.
The thermoregulator assembly 5 draws air from the storage chamber 3; regulates the temperature and/or humidity of the airflow f arriving from storage chamber 3 depending on the operating parameters set by the user; and finally feeds the air back into the storage chamber 3 through the two air-distribution conduits 20, which substantially evenly distribute the airflow f over the entire volume of the storage chamber 3.
The electronic control unit 6, moreover, can control the humidity value of the air present inside the storage chamber 3 by means of a suitable variation of the hysteresis of the set-point temperature of the heat-pump refrigeration circuit 13 (lower humidity corresponds to a lower hysteresis and vice versa), and/or by means of ventilation pulses at different intervals.
The advantages resulting from the presence of the two vertical air-distribution conduits 20 are remarkable.
Experimental tests have highlighted that the two vertical air-distribution conduits 20 are able to distribute the airflow f produced by the thermoregulator assembly 5 inside the storage chamber 3 much more evenly than any currently known solution, making it possible to contain, within more than acceptable values, the fluctuations in temperature and/or relative humidity even in the most critical points of the storage chamber 3.
In addition, the presence of the two vertical air-distribution conduits 20 concentrates almost all the pressure drops of the aeraulic circuit at the vertical conduits 20, and more specifically at the venting openings 21, thus making much simpler and more effective the control of the flow rate of the air f circulating in the storage chamber 3.
The pressure drops due to the presence of the foodstuff in the storage chamber 3, in fact, are much lower than the pressure drops due to the presence of the two air-distribution conduits 20, therefore the flow rate of the airflow f is practically independent of the filling level of storage chamber 3.
It is finally clear that modifications and variations may be made to the refrigerating machine 1 described above without departing from the scope of the present invention.
For example, the two vertical air-distribution conduits 20 may be connected to a single air-feeding duct 7. In other words, the two vertical air-distribution conduits 20 may bifurcate downstream of an initial tubular segment, directly connected to the air-feeding duct 7.
Moreover, with reference to Figure 5, rather than being placed flush with the vertical rear wall 10 of storage chamber 3, the two vertical air-distribution conduits 20 are placed on one of the two opposite vertical side walls of storage chamber 3, hereinafter referred to by number 100. Clearly, the arrangement of the thermoregulator assembly 5 is modified so that the air-feeding duct/ducts 7 are aligned with the vertical side wall 100 of storage chamber 3 that has the two vertical air-distribution conduits 20.
In this embodiment, moreover, the mouth/mouths of the air-extraction duct/ducts 8 are preferably located on the upper wall 9 of storage chamber 3, close to the second vertical side wall of storage chamber 3.

Claims

A foodstuff refrigerating machine (1) comprising: an outer self-supporting casing (2) having, on the inside thereof, a substantially parallelepiped-shaped, large thermal-insulated chamber (3) which is adapted to contain the food-use product to be preserved and communicates with the outside through an access opening (3a); and a thermoregulator assembly (5) which is adapted to circulate an airflow inside of the thermal-insulated chamber (3) and is capable of regulating/controlling the value of the temperature of the air entering the thermal-insulated chamber (3);
the thermoregulator assembly (5) being connected to said thermal-insulated chamber (3) via at least one air-feeding duct (7) that ends inside the thermal-insulated chamber (3), at or close to the upper wall (9) of said thermal-insulated chamber (3);

the refrigerating machine (1) being characterised by additionally comprising at least two, substantially rectilinear and substantially vertical, side-by-side air-distribution conduits (20), which are superiorly connected to the or to a corresponding air-feeding duct (7) so as to receive the airflow (f) produced by the thermoregulator assembly (5), and which extend downwards one beside the other while remaining flush with a vertical wall (10, 100) of the thermal-insulated chamber (3); both air-distribution conduits (20) being provided with a series of small venting openings (21) which are distributed along the entire length of the conduit (20) and allow the controlled and progressive outflow of the air towards the thermal-insulated chamber (3) .
Refrigerating machine according to Claim 1, wherein said air-distribution conduits (20) extend downwards while remaining on opposite sides of the centerline (M) of said vertical wall (10, 100), spaced one from the other.
Refrigerating machine according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein said air-distribution conduits (20) are tapered/ converging downwards.
Refrigerating machine according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the venting openings (21) are slits arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis (L) of the air-distribution conduit (20).
Refrigerating machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each air-distribution conduit (20) is provided with two rows of venting openings (21) that are arranged on opposite sides of the same conduit.
Refrigerating machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said air-distribution conduits (20) extend downwards with an inclination angle with respect to the vertical lower than 10° and higher than or equal to 3°.
Refrigerating machine according to Claim 6, wherein said air-distribution conduits (20) are arranged in substantially specular positions, on opposite sides of the centerline (M) of said vertical wall (10, 100).
Refrigerating machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each air-distribution conduit (20) has a substantially rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section, and extends flush with the vertical wall (10, 100) of the thermal-insulated chamber (3) while keeping the two larger side walls substantially parallel to the vertical wall (10, 100) of the thermal-insulated chamber (3).
Refrigerating machine according to Claim 8, wherein the venting openings (21) are arranged along the two smaller side walls of the air-distribution conduit (20).
Refrigerating machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said air-distribution conduits (20) are placed on the vertical rear wall (10) of the thermal-insulated chamber (3).
Refrigerating machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermoregulator assembly (5) is located at the top and outside of the self-supporting casing (2), above the thermal-insulated chamber (3).
Refrigerating machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermoregulator assembly (5) is connected to the thermal-insulated chamber (3) by two adjacent air-feeding ducts (7), and each air-distribution conduit (20) forms an extension of a respective air-feeding duct (7).
Refrigerating machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermoregulator assembly (5) is connected to the thermal-insulated chamber (3) so as to form a closed circuit, via at least one air-extraction duct (8) that ends inside the thermal-insulated chamber (3), at or next to the upper wall (9) of said thermal-insulated chamber (3), far from said air-distribution conduits (20).
Refrigerating machine according to Claim 13, wherein the thermoregulator assembly (5) comprises: a recirculation conduit (11) that, on the side opposite to the thermal-insulated chamber (3), puts the mouth/mouths of the air-feeding duct/s (7) in direct communication with the mouth/ mouths of the air-extraction duct/s (8); at least one air-circulation pump (12) which is adapted to produce an airflow (f) that flows along the recirculation conduit (11), from the air-extraction duct/ducts (8) towards the air-feeding duct/ducts (7); and a heat-pump refrigeration circuit (13) which is adapted to selectively remove heat from the airflow (f) that flows along said recirculation conduit (11).
Refrigerating machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by additionally comprising an electronic control unit (6) which commands the thermoregulator assembly (5) based on the signals coming from one or more temperature- and/or humidity- sensors and/or probes that are placed inside the thermal-insulated chamber (3) .