ES2315996T3 - FAST MANUFACTURE UNIT OF ICE. - Google Patents

Abstract

A freezer compartment (1) with a rapid ice making unit (A); comprising at least one ice chamber (2) with insulated outer surfaces located in said freezer compartment (1), an ice container (3) placed in said chamber (2) and having a plurality of water compartments in the same; a thermoelectric element (7); which also comprises the aforementioned ice container (3) made of material with high thermal conductivity in order to cool water more rapidly therein by means of the cold air flow around it and provided with holes (9) in the areas that connect said water compartments to each other in order to cool a number of water compartments therein homogeneously, a separator (4) that is located slightly above the ice container (3) and divides the chamber (2 ) ice in two parts as lower and upper parts; a motor (6) that is located in a housing at the rear of the ice chamber (2), formed by the side walls of said chamber (2) and the separator (4), a fan (5) that it is rotated by said motor (6); said thermoelectric element (7) with multiple heat transfer fins (8, 8``) therein located on a wall of the ice chamber (2) so that it is oriented to the fan (5) and provide heat transfer between the compartment (1) and the chamber (2), ensuring the said thermoelectric element (7) the heat transfer fins (8) oriented inside the ice chamber (2) to reach a lower temperature compared to the ambient temperature inside the compartment (1), using the Peltier effect with the voltage applied to it; a rear passage (10) and a front passage (11) that are located on the front and rear sides of the separator (4) inside the ice chamber (2) and that connect the lower and upper parts of the separator (4); and said unit (A) operates on the basis that, in order to rapidly cool water in the ice container (3) and convert it to ice by means of the forced circulation of air therein, the air flow obtained by the rotation of the fan (5) located against the fins (8) is cooled in the fins (8) and forcedly passes through the rear passage (10), and is then transferred to the inside of the ice container (3) in the part bottom of the separator (4); the cooling air advances towards the upper side of the ice container (3) and the lower part of the separator (4), through said holes (9) and around the ice container (3) and through the front passage ( 11), and the air that advances inside the fan (5) over the separator (4) through the front passage (11) is cooled by the heat transfer fins (8) aided by the thermoelectric element (7) returning to forcefully direct the fan (4) and transfer it back into the ice container (3) at the bottom of the separator (4) by forcefully passing it through the rear passage (10).

Description

Rapid ice making unit.

Technical field

This invention relates to units of Quick ice making used to shorten the time of ice making in a freezer compartment in current refrigerators and chillers.

Prior art

The procedure for obtaining ice that is you want to execute filling an ice container with water in the freezer part of the refrigerators normally takes 30 60 minutes, depending on the capacity of the refrigerator. Is disadvantageous for users if this period requires time long.

The system described in the request for published patent US 2005076654 has a manufacturing option fast ice A fan and a compressor are used that They allow the option of quick ice making. Chilled air by the evaporator is transferred to the freezer with the help of a fan, which allows the ice container to cool. The heated air as a result of the heat transfer that is produced in the freezer section is extracted and cooled again, and It is then returned to the freezer section. However the homogenous cooling of the ice in the ice container is not You can get with this system.

The system described in the request for Published patent US 2005072166 has a control mechanism for Quick ice making. Water is filled in a container for semicircular ice and cooled with the help of an evaporator. A mixer is used to accelerate heat exchange between water and cold air inside the ice container. The icing is achieved by heat transfer that Produces with the help of the mixer. A container is provided for ice with a heater on its outer side to remove the ice of it.

In published patent application US 6 735 959 discloses that a device is provided for ice making to make ice in a compartment Fresh food from a refrigerator mounted on the bottom. The refrigerator comprises a freezer compartment comprising a freezer door, and a fresh food compartment located above the freezer compartment and comprising a Fresh food door. The door of fresh food It comprises an ice dispenser. A device for Ice making is located in the compartment of fresh food, and the device for ice making It comprises an ice mold and a thermoelectric device for remove heat from the ice mold. The mold is located so that the ice of the mold can be dispensed by the dispenser of Ice on the door of fresh food. The aforementioned system is specially used to easily access the container to Ice opening the door of fresh food. Therefore, I don't know It is related to the fast and efficient manufacture of ice.

In addition, in the published patent application JP 2003269830, it is revealed that an ice making tray is arranged in the ice making chamber, and air is supplied cold at a temperature below 0 ° C to the bottom of the ice making tray to make ice in the tray ice making An opening is formed in one part, located above the ice making tray, and it Provide a lid to close the opening. The lid is formed with a flow part to allow the flow of cold air from the vegetable chamber, and with a fan to drive cold air from the vegetable chamber to the water surface of the tray of ice making that is arranged between the lid and The ice making tray. The cold air that comes from the vegetable chamber, that is, cold air at a temperature that exceeds 0 ° C, it is conducted in this way to the surface of the water of the ice making tray, which is a savings type of energy compared to how to get hot air using an electric heater. Therefore, it is not related to fast and efficient ice manufacturing. Be especially used for the circulation of cold air between the Vegetable chamber and ice making chamber.

In order to shorten manufacturing time of ice, you can use the rapid manufacturing units of ice of this invention. An ice container made of a material that has a high thermal conductivity is filled with water and placed on the ice making units of the invention provided with insulated outer surfaces, which are located in the freezer compartment. Flows of cold air with a high flow in the manufacturing units of ice of the invention equipped with thermoelectric cooler and / or cold air blower, whereby the water in the container for ice that has a high thermal conductivity, solidifies quickly

Object of the invention

The object of the invention is to provide ice making units equipped with a cooler thermoelectric and / or a cold air blower in order to cool quickly the water in the ice bin that has a high thermal conductivity, and transform it into ice using a forced air circulation in a freezer compartment. Another object of the invention is to allow these units to be use in refrigerators or chillers currently used

These objectives are achieved through a freezer compartment with a quick manufacturing unit of ice according to the claims

Description of the figures

The fast ice making units of The invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a unit Quick ice maker with a thermoelectric cooler.

Figure 2 is a side view of a unit fast ice maker in which a blower is used Cold air.

The pieces in the figures are numbered one in one and the corresponding expressions of these numbers are provided below.

Rapid ice making unit (A) with thermoelectric cooler

Rapid ice making unit (B) with cold air blower inlet.

Freezer compartment (1)

Ice Chamber (2)

Container (3) for ice

Separator (4)

Fan (5)

Motor (6)

Thermoelectric Element (7)

Heat transfer fins (8)

Hole (9)

Rear Passage (10)

Front Passage (11)

Ice Chamber (92)

Ice container (13)

Separator (14)

Fan (15)

Engine (16)

Cooling Element (17)

Insulation (18)

Blow Outs (19)

Entrance hole (20)

Front Passage (21)

Exit Hole (22)

Separator (23)

Hole (24)

Description of the invention

The invention are fast manufacturing units of ice in a freezer compartment that use a technique of cooling based on forcefully directing ambient air by means of a fan mechanism (15) - motor (16) located in the freezer compartment inside the compartment of a cooling element (17), such as an evaporator, and cooling this air when it passes over the cooling element (17) and return to transfer it into the freezer compartment (1) or to the ice chamber (2, 12) from the air blowers. These units of the invention are described as manufacturing unit (A) ice maker with thermoelectric cooler and unit (B) of Quick ice making with cold air blower inlet. Both units (A, B) have the ability to be used together or separately in a freezer compartment.

In Figure 1, a side view of a rapid ice making unit (A) with thermoelectric cooler is shown. This unit (A) comprises at least one ice chamber (2) with insulated outer surfaces located inside the freezer compartment (1) of a refrigerator, an ice container (3) made of a material with high thermal conductivity in said chamber (2) and in which one or more water compartments are located, a separator (4) that is slightly above the ice container (3) and that divides the ice chamber (2) into two parts, such as part upper and lower, a motor (6) that is located in a housing at the rear of the ice chamber (2), formed by the side walls of said chamber (2) together with the separator (4), a fan (5) which is rotated by the motor (6), and a thermoelectric element (7) with multiple heat transfer fins (8, 8 ') arranged therein, which is located within a chamber wall (2) of ice, so that it is oriented to the fan (5) and provides heat transfer in between the compartment (1) and the chamber (2). The ice chamber (2) is also provided with a rear passage (10) and a front passage (11) that are located on the front and rear sides of the separator (4) and that connect the lower and upper parts of the separator (4). The unit (A) can be used in all types of refrigerators, cooling or freezing systems that have a mechanism in their freezer compartments (1), with which the air is forced into the compartment (1) on a cooling element (17), preferably such as an evaporator, with the help of a fan (15) and a motor (16) which rotates the fan (15), and in which the air cooled in the cooling element (17) is transferred back into the compartment (1) through blow-out outlets (19). This unit (A) can also be used in all types of freezer compartments that can be cooled with a different procedure other than the cooling procedure that includes the use of a freezer compartment (1) with
evaporator.

Heat transfer fins (8, 8 ') used in the unit (A) are placed in the thermoelectric element (7) in two groups, in a position such that the element thermoelectric (7) be located between them and are oriented to the freezer compartment (1) as well as the ice chamber (2). He said thermoelectric element (7) is a component operated by the Peltier effect.

In order to execute the manufacturing function fast ice with the unit (A), the heat of the cold air in the inside the freezer compartment (1) is transferred to the heat transfer fins (8 ') and to the thermoelectric element (7). When generating the effect of Peltier with a voltage applied on the thermoelectric element (7), the transfer fins (8) of heat oriented inside the ice chamber (2) are arranged to reach a temperature below room temperature in the compartment (1). The air flow that is obtained by rotation of the fan (5) located in opposition to the fins (8) of heat transfer with the help of an engine (6) is cooled in the heat transfer fins (8) and forcefully pass to through the rear passage (10), and then transferred to the inside the ice container (3) at the bottom of the separator (4). In order to cool water more quickly in the inside the ice container (3) by means of this flow of cold air obtained, the ice container (3) is made of a material with high thermal conductivity as mentioned previously. Among the cold air forcedly sent at surfaces of the ice container (3) and the water that is more hot than this air, heat transfer occurs fast and the water temperature decreases due to the high thermal conductivity of the ice container (3). With the purpose of homogeneously cool a number of water compartments located  in the ice container (3), there are holes (9) with which these compartments connect to each other. The cold air flows around of these and reaches the upper side of the ice container (3) and the lower part of the separator (4) from said holes (9), thereby advancing towards the front passage (11). Since the air temperature moving towards the front passage (11) is increases to some extent due to heat transfer between the ice container (3) and the water therein, the temperature of Water decreases as mentioned above.

The air that advances inside the fan (5) over the separator (4) through the front passage (11) is cooled in the heat transfer fins (8) aided by the thermoelectric element (7), forcibly redirecting the fan (4) and and is transferred back into the container (3) ice on the bottom of the separator (4) by passing it to through the rear passage (10). During these operations, it ensures air cooling inside the compartment freezer (1) by forcefully directing it towards the element cooler (17) by means of the motor mechanism (16) and fan (15) and the cooled air is redirected inside the compartment (1) with the help of the blower outlets (19). By means of forced air circulation provided in this way, the water inside the ice container (3) is cooled Quickly and turned to ice.

The walls of the ice chamber (2) are thermally insulated in order to prevent the transfer of heat between the freezer compartment (1) and the chamber (2) of ice, except in the fins (8, 8 ') of heat transfer and in the thermoelectric element (7). Similarly, the material of the separator (4) is thermally insulated as the walls of the ice chamber (2) in order to prevent heat transfer between the upper and lower surfaces of the separator (4).

A view of the unit is shown in Figure 2 Quick ice maker (B) with a blower inlet of cold air This unit (B) comprises at least one chamber (12) of ice with insulated outer surfaces located within the freezer compartment (1) of a refrigerator, a container (13) of ice made of a material with high thermal conductivity which is placed in said chamber (12) and on which have one or more water compartments, a separator (14) that it is located slightly above the ice container (13) and which divides the ice chamber (12) into two lower parts and upper, a front passage (21) that is located on the side front of the ice chamber (12) and connecting the lower and upper part of the separator (14), an outlet hole (22) which is located at the rear of the camera (12) of ice and connecting the upper part of the separator (14) to each other and the freezer compartment (1), and at least one inlet hole (20) which is located at the rear of the camera (12) of ice and that is used for the admission of cold air, and through the which cold air of a cooling element (17) preferably such as an evaporator, it is transferred by the blowing outlets (19) to the bottom of the ice chamber (12) where the ice container (13). Unit (B) can be used throughout type of refrigerators, cooling or freezing systems that have a mechanism in their freezer compartment (1) with which the air is forced to the compartment (1) with the help of a fan (15) and a motor (16) that rotates the fan (15), on a cooling element (17), and in which the air cooled in the cooling element (17) is transferred back to the inside the compartment (1) through blow-out outlets (19); and it can also be fixed to the systems currently in use equipped with the aforementioned mechanism.

In the unit (B) that is incorporated into the freezer compartment (1), at least one blow outlet (19) it is oriented at least one inlet hole (20). The cold air of cooling element (17) is transferred to the interior of the ice chamber (12) through the blowing outlets (19) and the inlet hole (20) from the bottom of the separator (14). The cold air that advances here reaches the lower parts and top of the ice container (13) by diffusion from the bottom and the upper part of a second separator (23). With the purpose of cool water inside the ice container (13) more quickly through this flow of cold air obtained, the Ice container (13) is made of a material with high thermal conductivity as previously mentioned. Enter the cold air forcedly sent to the surfaces of the container (13) of ice and water hotter than this air, is Produces a rapid heat transfer and water temperature decreases due to the high thermal conductivity of the container (13) of ice.

In order to cool a number homogeneously of water compartments located in the ice container (13), there are holes (24) with which these compartments connect each. Cold air circulates around these compartments and reaches the upper side of the ice container (13) and the part bottom of the separator (14) from said holes (24), with which advances towards the front passage (21). Since the air temperature moving towards the front passage (21) is increases to some extent due to heat transfer between the ice container (13) and the water therein, the temperature of water decreases as mentioned above.

The air that advances towards the exit orifice (22) on the separator (14) through the front passage (21) is directed inside the freezer compartment (1). This way, the motor mechanism (16) and fan (15) returns to direct the ambient air forcefully to the cooling element (17), thereby ensuring that the air is cooled and the air cooled is redirects to both compartment (1) and chamber (12) of ice from the entrance hole (20) with the help of the outlets blowing (19). Through forced air circulation provided in this way, the water inside the container (13) Ice is quickly cooled and turned into ice.

The walls of the ice chamber (12) are thermally insulated in order to prevent the transfer of heat between the freezer compartment (1) and the chamber (12) of ice, except in the entry and exit holes (20, 22). From similarly, the separator material (14) is insulated thermally like the walls of the ice chamber (12) in order to prevent heat transfer between the upper surfaces and bottom of the separator (14).

In order to protect the compartments freezers (1), which accommodate the units (A, B) of the invention and containing a cooling element (17) such as an evaporator, against heat losses and provide a few work units (A, B) more efficient, preferably thermal insulation (18) can be performed between them and the cooling element (17).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, both units (A, B) can be used together in the same freezer compartment (1) in order to shorten the time of ice making.

Claims (6)

1. A freezer compartment (1) with a rapid ice making unit (A); which comprises at least an ice chamber (2) with insulated outer surfaces located in said freezer compartment (1), a container (3) for ice placed in said chamber (2) and having a plurality of water compartments in it; a thermoelectric element (7); which also includes said ice container (3) made of material with high thermal conductivity in order to cool water more quickly in it through the flow of cold air around it and provided with holes (9) in the areas that connect said water compartments to each other in order to homogeneously cool a number of water compartments in the same, a separator (4) that is located slightly by on top of the ice container (3) and dividing the chamber (2) of ice in two parts as lower and upper parts; a motor (6) which is located in an accommodation at the back of the ice chamber (2), formed by the side walls of said chamber (2) and the separator (4), a fan (5) that is rotated by said motor (6); said thermoelectric element (7) with multiple heat transfer fins (8, 8 ') in the same as It is located on a wall of the ice chamber (2) of so that it is oriented to the fan (5) and provides transfer of heat between the compartment (1) and the chamber (2), ensuring the cited thermoelectric element (7) transfer fins (8) of heat oriented inside the ice chamber (2) so that reach a lower temperature compared to the temperature environment inside the compartment (1), using the Peltier effect with the voltage applied to it; a ticket rear (10) and a front passage (11) that are located on the front and rear sides of the separator (4) inside of the ice chamber (2) and connecting the parts to each other bottom and top of the separator (4); and said unit (A) operates based on that, in order to quickly cool water in the container (3) of ice and turn it into ice by means of the forced air circulation in it, the air flow obtained by the rotation of the fan (5) located against the fins (8) it is cooled in the fins (8) and forcedly pass through the passage rear (10), and then transferred to the interior of the ice container (3) at the bottom of the separator (4); he cooling air advances to the upper side of the container (3) ice and the bottom of the separator (4), through the said holes (9) and around the ice container (3) and a through the front passage (11), and the air that advances within the fan (5) over the separator (4) through the front passage (11) is cooled by heat transfer fins (8) assisted by the thermoelectric element (7) redirecting necessarily the fan (4) and transferring it back to the inside the ice container (3) at the bottom of the separator (4) by forcing it through the rear passage (10) 2. A freezer compartment (1) with a rapid ice making unit (A) according to the claim 1, which is provided to all types of refrigerators, cooling or freezing systems that have a mechanism in their freezer compartment (1) that forcefully directs the air in the compartment (1) on a cooling element (17), such as a evaporator, with the help of the fan (15) and a motor (16) that rotates said fan (15), and in which the cooled air in the cooling element (17) it is transferred back to the inside the compartment (1) through the blow holes (19) 3. A freezer compartment (1) with a rapid ice making unit (A) according to the claim 1, wherein the transfer fins (8, 8 ') of heat are located on the thermoelectric element (7) in two groups in a position such that the thermoelectric element (7) is is located between the mentioned fins (8, 8 ') oriented towards the freezer compartment (1) as well as the chamber (2) of ice. 4. A freezer compartment (1) with a rapid ice making unit (A) according to the claim 1, wherein the separator (4) is made of a thermally insulated material in order to prevent transfer of heat between the upper and lower surfaces of the separator (4). 5. A freezer compartment (1) with a rapid ice making unit (B); which comprises at least an ice chamber (12) with insulated outer surfaces arranged in the freezer compartment (1); a container (13) of ice located in said chamber (12) and having a plurality of water compartments in it; a separator (14) that is located slightly above the ice container (13) and that divide the ice chamber (12) into two parts as lower parts and higher; a front passage (21) that connects the parts to each other bottom and top of the separator (14), at least one hole of input (20) that is located at the rear of the camera (12) of ice and that is used for the admission of cold air and through of which cold air from a cooling element (17), such as an evaporator, it is transferred by the blowing outlets (19) to the lower part of the ice chamber (12), which also comprises said ice container (13) made of a material with a high thermal conductivity in order to cool water in it more quickly through the flow of cold air around it and provided with holes (24) in the areas that connect the water compartments with each other in order to cool homogeneously a number of water compartments in it; he cited front passage (21) that is located in the front of the ice chamber (12); an outlet (22) that is located at the rear of the ice chamber (12) and connecting with each other the upper part of the separator (14) and the compartment freezer (1), and a second separator (23) that directs cold air which moves under the separator (14) towards the lower parts and top of the ice container (13) and operates on the basis that, in order to quickly cool the water in the container (13) of ice and turn it into ice through the forced circulation of air there, cold air circulates around the compartments in the inside of the ice container (13) and reaches the upper side of the ice container (13) and the bottom of the separator (14) from the aforementioned holes (24), thereby moving towards the passage front (21), the air that advances towards the exit orifice (22) over the separator (14) through the front passage (21) is directed into the freezer compartment (1) thereof, a motor mechanism (16) and fan (15) forcefully directs the ambient air to the evaporator (17) again, thereby ensuring that the air is cooled again, and the cooled air is redirected towards both compartment (1) and ice chamber (12) from the inlet hole (20) with the help of the blowing outlets (19). 6. A freezer compartment (1) with a fast ice making unit (B) according to the claim (5), wherein the separator (14) is made of thermally insulated material in order to prevent transfer of heat between the upper and lower surfaces of the separator (14).