ES2243194T3 - REFRIGERATOR WITH COMPARTMENT FOR FAST FOOD COOLING. - Google Patents

Abstract

Refrigerator for domestic use comprising at least one freezer compartment (1) and at least one compartment (2; 2, 50) at a temperature higher than that of said freezer compartment (1), comprising a refrigeration circuit (8) with a condenser (12), a compressor (9), an evaporator (7) and a fan (14), at least one small compartment (16) that is rapidly cooled by an air circulation forced by said fan (14) through said evaporator (7) and into said said at least one small compartment (16) and said at least one compartment (2; 2, 50) at a temperature higher than that of said freezer compartment (1) through the appropriate inlet openings (81, 83-84; 81, 83; 81, 83-51) whose closing and opening operations are controlled by means of a valve (18, 20-21; 18, 20; 18, 20 -52) which is thermostatically controlled, characterized in that said at least one compartment of size Reduced (16) is provided with a first thermostat (26) that allows it to function as an air jet chiller and a fast freezer, and because it comprises a second thermostat (27) that controls a valve means (19) that controls the opening and closing an opening (82) of said at least one freezer compartment (1) for the circulation of air inside it, allowing said second thermostat (27) and said first thermostat (26) that said at least one compartment freezer (1) and said at least one small compartment (16) receive said air circulation alternately.

Description

Fridge with compartment for fast food cooling.

The present invention relates to a refrigerator with a compartment for fast food cooling, more particularly, to a refrigerator for domestic use.

Current refrigerators for home use normally comprise at least two compartments that are at different temperature, one at a higher temperature (typically, between +3 and + 6ºC) for fresh food and the other at a temperature lower (typically -18ºC) for frozen foods and deep-frozen Each of the two compartments is provided with a respective evaporator, or a respective part of the same evaporator, which is part of a refrigeration circuit ordinary with compressor and condenser.

Generally, these fridges are "no frost "; that is, they are equipped with appropriate means to avoid frost formation on the evaporator wall. By this reason, in the compartment with low temperature is provided an evaporator called "ventilated", which is subjected to a forced air circulation.

During the cooling stage of the food, all food, which has been previously cooked to a temperature higher than or equal to 90 ° C, begins to deteriorate irreversibly due to the rapid proliferation of bacteria present in the air and to the spores that have survived the cooking. The temperature range in which the Maximum bacterial development is between + 70ºC and + 3ºC. How much more time remains in this interval, the greater the alteration of the product, and this occurs when the food is allowed to cool to room temperature and / or in a normal refrigerator. In order to prevent that this happens, air jet chillers are used that allow to lower the temperature in the center of the food of + 70ºC to + 3ºC in 90 minutes. In this way, it is possible to slow down the product deterioration process, which can be preserved in the Fridge between 5 and 7 days.

Likewise, in order to ensure that the quality initial of the food to be frozen is not compromised in no time during the freezing stage, it is necessary that This is carried out quickly. In fact, with freezing fast food liquids become microcrystals  that do not damage the fabric structure of any product mode. For this purpose, fast freezers are used that allow to lower the temperature in the center of the food of + 90 ° C to -18 ° C in 240 minutes.

Both the air jet chillers and the Quick freezers are usually part of a single electric appliance, and this electric appliance is develops independently of household fridges.

In the document US-A-3,659,429 discloses a refrigerator according to the preamble of claim 1.

In view of the state of the art described, a objective of the present invention is to make a refrigerator for domestic use comprising at least one compartment for the fast cooling of food.

According to the present invention, said objective is reached through a refrigerator for domestic use like the one defined in claim 1.

In accordance with the present invention, it is possible make a refrigerator for domestic use that includes at least a compartment that can be used as a jet cooler air and / or fast freezer.

The characteristics and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of some embodiments thereof, which are illustrated as a non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows, in vertical section, a "no frost" type refrigerator with a compartment for rapid cooling of food stored inside a freezer, according to a first embodiment of the present  invention.

Figure 2 shows an electrical diagram of the refrigerator of figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a refrigerator similar to that of Figure 1, but with a compartment for rapid cooling of food stored inside a compartment of the refrigerator with a temperature higher than the freezer.

Figure 4 shows a refrigerator similar to that of Figure 1 but with a second compartment at a temperature higher than the freezer.

A refrigerator is shown in Figures 1 and 3 provided with two compartments, respectively 1 and 2, with one lower temperature (freezer) and a higher temperature respectively, separated by a horizontal dividing wall 3 located inside a common closet 4. Such compartments they are closed by means of separate doors 5 and 6.

Against the back wall of the freezer 1 is arranged an evaporator 7 that is part of a circuit of cooling 8 comprising a compressor 9, a filter 11, a condenser 12 and flow mills 13.

A fan 14, which is cyclically operated by a suitable electric motor 15 and which is placed in the top of evaporator 7, allows air circulation inside the refrigerator.

As shown in figure 1, inside a smaller compartment 16 is housed in the freezer 1 than it is provided with a door 17, which, due to its size, allows the rapid cooling of food stored in your inside.

Compartments 16, 1 and 2 are provided with openings 81, 82, 83-84, which are controlled by two shutters 18, 19, 20-21, that allow the entry of cold air that circulates the fan 14, and two ducts 22, 23 and 24, for the flow of Compartment air outlet. Both ducts 23 and 24 are they communicate with a single conduit 25 provided in the back and top of cabinet 4 and that is in communication with the fan 14 and the evaporator 7.

The compartments mentioned above 16, 1 and 2 are provided with thermostats 26, 27, 28 suitable for control the opening and closing movement of the shutters 18, 19, 20-21, so that the temperature in the interior of the compartments is adjusted according to a temperature default

The correct operation of the refrigerator of the Figure 1 is guaranteed by a suitable electrical circuit shown in figure 2. This comprises a pair of terminals of supply 29 and 30, between which the motor 15 is interposed for fan operation 14. In addition, thermostat 28 which controls the closing and opening of shutters 20 and 21, a block indicated by reference 31 and compressor motor 9 they are connected to terminal 29. Such block 31 is composed of a switch 32 that is controlled manually, with two possible positions 34 and 35 that serve to establish an alternative connection and respectively with thermostat 26 or with thermostat 27 which control shutters 18 and 19 respectively. Thermostat 26 it is also provided with a sound alarm 100 that is activated when the temperature of compartment 16 reaches + 3 ° C and is provided in addition to a control that, when thermostat 26 closes the shutter 18 upon reaching compartment 16 the temperature of -18 ° C, causes switch 32 to move to position 35.

The refrigerator works as follows.

During normal operation of the refrigerator, when switch 32 is in position 35, thermostat 27 and thermostat 28 is in the closed position. So, the compressor 9 is running and allows evaporator 7 to remove heat of the environment in which it is located. The shutters 19, 20-21 open in such a way that the air that the fan 14 forces to circulate, after reaching the evaporator 7 and having cooled down, it can enter compartments 1 and 2 a through openings 82, 83-84, it can flow to out through separate conduits 23 and 24 and return to the evaporator through of conduit 25, as shown by the continuous arrows in the figure 1. Such air circulation prevents the formation of frost. He shutter 18 remains closed and therefore the compartment of Quick freeze 16 does not work.

In order for it to work, it is necessary to move the switch 32 to position 34. At this point, the shutter 19 closes while the thermostat 26 keeps the shutter 18 in the open position. The result is an air circulation as indicated by the dashed arrows of Figure 1. Due to the fan 14, cold air flows through the opening 81 into the compartment 16 and flows out of the same compartment through the duct 22. The opening 82 of the freezer remains closed by the shutter 19 and, therefore, all the air coming from the duct 22 and partially from the evaporator 7 flows through a vertical duct 33 and through the openings 83-84 flows into the inside the compartment 2. The air inside the compartment 2 flows to the evaporator 7 from the same compartment through the ducts 24 and 25. Such air circulation prevents the formation of
Frost.

When compartment 16 reaches a temperature of + 3 ° C, a 100 or other audible alarm notifies to the operator who can remove all food from the compartment 16, and in this case interrupt the flow of air inside the compartment moving switch 32 to position 35, or part of them and let the inside of the compartment reach a temperature of -18 ° C. Thus, compartment 16 works as much as air jet chiller as fast freezer.

Food extracted from compartment 16 a a temperature of + 3 ° C is placed in compartment 2, whose temperature has set thermostat 28 to + 3 ° C with this purpose.

At the moment when the indoor temperature of compartment 16 reaches -18 ° C, thermostat 26 closes the opening 81 with shutter 18 and proper control moves the switch 32 to position 35 in order to start the normal refrigerator operation.

According to a variation of the embodiment described above, compartment 16 is located in the inside the refrigerator compartment 2, as can be seen in Figure 3. It also provides the use of a single opening 83, which is closed by a shutter 20, for the flow coming of conduit 33 and a second conduit 40 for the outflow of the  air from inside compartment 2 to the duct 25. A suitable shutter 41 controls the opening or closing of the duct 40 depending on the temperature of + 6ºC or + 3ºC that set respectively. In compartment 2 you can insert a grid 10 in order to separate the lower part 42 of the compartment, where the temperature is cooler, of the part higher 43, where the temperature is higher. Such bottom serves to preserve food from compartment 16 when the latter works as an air jet chiller.

The correct operation of the refrigerator of the Figure 3 is guaranteed by a suitable electrical circuit similar to the electrical circuit represented in figure 2, but in which thermostat 28 controls the opening and closing of the shutters 20 and 41.

For the refrigerator of Figure 3 they must also take into account the two alternative modes of operation of the compartment 16, with an air flow as indicated by the dashed arrows in figure 3, and the operation alternative of freezer 1 with an air flow as indicated with the continuous arrows in figure 3.

A second variation of the refrigerator of the Figure 1 provides the use of a second compartment 50 interposed between the freezer 1 and the compartment 2 which is provided with a suitable opening 51, and its respective shutter 52, for the flow of air inside the same compartment, and of a conduit 53 for the air outlet flow that is directed towards the conduit 25, as seen in figure 4. In addition, the compartment 50 is provided with a thermostat 54 suitable for set the inside temperature to + 3 ° C and one door independent 55. The compartment 50 essentially has the function of preserving previously cooled food in the compartment 16 when the latter is used as a chiller by air jet Inside compartment 2 is provided a single opening 83 with a shutter 20 for air flow which is heading inland from this.

The correct operation of the refrigerator represented in figure 4 is guaranteed by a circuit suitable electrical similar to the circuit of figure 2, but in the that thermostat 28 controls only the opening and closing of the shutter 20 while thermostat 54 controls the opening and the shutter closure 52.

For the refrigerator of Figure 4 they must also take into account the two alternative modes of operation of the compartment 16 with an air flow as indicated with the dashed arrows in figure 4, and the operation alternative of freezer 1 with an air flow as indicated with the continuous arrows in figure 4.

To know more accurately the temperature of food stored inside compartment 16 is you can use a thermometer equipped with rod probes that It will position in the center of the food.

Claims (6)

1. Refrigerator for domestic use comprising at least one freezer compartment (1) and at least one compartment (2; 2, 50) at a temperature higher than that of said freezer compartment (1), comprising a refrigeration circuit (8 ) with a condenser (12), a compressor (9), an evaporator (7) and a fan (14), at least one small compartment (16) that is rapidly cooled by an air circulation forced by said fan ( 14) through said evaporator (7) and into said at least one compartment of reduced size (16) and said at least one compartment (2; 2, 50) at a temperature higher than that of said freezer compartment ( 1) through the appropriate inlet openings (81, 83-84; 81, 83; 81, 83-51) whose closing and opening operations are controlled by means of a valve (18, 20-21; 18, 20; 18 , 20-52) which is controlled thermostatically, characterized in that said at least one compartment of the size or reduced (16) is provided with a first thermostat (26) that allows it to function as an air jet chiller and a fast freezer, and because it comprises a second thermostat (27) that controls a valve means (19) that controls opening and closing an opening (82) of said at least one freezer compartment (1) for the circulation of air inside it, allowing said second thermostat (27) and said first thermostat (26) that said at least a freezer compartment (1) and said at least one small compartment (16) receive said air circulation alternately. 2. Refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that it makes it possible for at least a part (10) of said compartment (2) that is at a temperature higher than that of the freezer (1) to reach a temperature of + 3 ° C. 3. Refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that it provides a second compartment (50) that is at a temperature higher than that of the freezer which is controlled to operate at a temperature of + 3 ° C. 4. Refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one small compartment (16) is housed inside said at least one freezer compartment (1). 5. Refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one small compartment (16) is housed inside said at least one compartment (2) which is at a temperature higher than that of the freezer (1). 6. Refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that outlet ducts (22, 23, 24; 22, 23, 24, 40; 22, 23, 24, 53) are provided for the air outflow of said compartments ( 1, 2, 16; 1, 2, 16, 50) and at least one duct (25) that carries the air to said evaporator (7) in order to facilitate defrosting once said compressor (9) has stopped.