GB2133519A - Refrigerator evaporator system - Google Patents

Abstract

An evaporator system for a household refrigerator comprises several evaporator planes, arranged at a spacing one above the other and for association with individual compartments of a refrigerator, of pipe coils, which are arranged in rows and the turns of which are connected into shelves (11, 12) by heat-conducting elements (14) such as metal guide plates or the like. At least one loop of the evaporator coil (13) associated with the lowermost shelf (12) is bent away to point downwardly by its hairclip-like end (20). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Refrigeration equipment The present invention relates to refrigeration equipmentand has particular reference to an evaporator system in refrigerating furniture, especially a household refrigerator.

Evaporatorsystems must, in the interests of economical and energy-saving operation ofthe refrigerator, be so designed thatthe temperature most favourable forthe storage of the refrigerated stock is maintained as far as possible in all parts of the storage area of the refrigerator. This applies particularlyto refrigerators ofthe higher quality ciass, which are subjectto strict test regulations in respect of uniform maintenance of storage temperature.

In known evaporator systems, it istherefor usual to provide additional pipe coils which are arranged in those zones ofthe storage space of the refrigerator, in which thetemperature, dueto heat incidence or convection, is higherthan in the remaining regions of the storage space. The heat arising in those zones is rapidly removed by means ofthese additional pipe coils.

However, such additional pipe coils necessitiate additional welding and soldering, which cause increased costs in the production of refrigerators equipped with evaporator systems ofthat kind. The additional welding and soldering zones must be produced with great care, otherwise they can lead to leakage and thereby to increased repair work under guarantee.

It would therefor be desirable to avoid such additional soldering locations through appropriate construction ofthe pipe coils and thus, with simultaneous reduction in manufacturing costs, to increase operational reliability ofthe refrigerator.

According to the present invention there is provided refrigeration equipment comprising an evaporator system which comprises a plurality of rows of refrigerant pipe loops, the rows being disposed in planes spaced apart one above the other, and respective heat-conducting means connecting togetherthe loops in each rowtoform a respective shelf, at least one ofthe loops in the lowermost row being bent so that at least a part thereof extends downwardly from the respective shelf.

In a preferred embodiment, the evaporator system has several evaporator planes, arranged at a spacing one above the otherfor association with individual compartments of a refrigerator, of pipe coils, which are arranged in rows one againstthe other and the turns or loops of which are connected into shelves by heat-conducting elements, such as metal guide plates orthe like. One or more turns ofthe coil associated with the lowermost shelf are bent away to point downwardly by their hairclip-like end. It is thus, possible to provide additional heat exchanger elementsata place where a particularly high incidence of heatfrom the outside occurs due to the proximity of a compressor casing arranged at the bottom of the refrigerator cabinet.Furthermore, additional welding or soldering locations are avoided by virtue ofthe particular construction ofthe evaporator coil associated with the lower shelf and the operational reliability ofthe refrigerator is thereby increased.

The cabinet ofthe refrigerator may have an inwardly protruding step in its lower region, in which case the lower bent-awaytu rns of the evaporator coil can be matched in their shape to the shape of the step.

By virtue of the special construction ofthe evapor atorcoils, it is possible to match the numberand length of the turns to the cooling performance required in the lower region of the refrigerator and thereby achieve the optimum evaporator construction for the particular refrigerator.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with referencetotheaccompanying drawings, in which: Fig. lisa schematic perspective view of one evaporator system embodying the invention, with several evaporator planes, arranged at a spacing one above the other and associated with individual compartments of a refrigerator; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a lower shelf of a second evaporator system embodying the invention; Fig. 3 is a cross-section,to an enlarged scale, on the line Ill-Ill of Fig. 2, showing the interconnection of a pipe of the system to a metal plate ofthe shelf; and Fig.

4 is a partly sectioned perspective view ofthe lower part of a refrigerator cabinet, incorporating the shelf of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 an evaporator system 10fort refrigerator, the system comprising several evaporator planes arranged at a spacing one above the other and associated with individual compartments of the refrigerator. The evaporator planes are in the forum of identical shelves 11 and a lower shelf 12 differing in shape from the shelves 11. The shelves 11 and 12 are formed from tube coils 13, the loopsofwhich are connected by heat-conducting elements in the form of metal guide plates 14 into rigid, planar structures. The shelves 11 and 12, preferablyformedfrom a single continuous tube length, are continuously connected together by connecting tubes 15 and 16.A collector 17, connected into the connecting tube, is disposed underneath the upper shelf 11 in the upper region of the evaporator system 10.

The shelf 12 associated with the lower compartment ofthe refrigerator cabinet 18 (Fig. 4) has the loops of the coil 13 clamped by lugs 19 set out from the associated plate 14 and projecting downwardlytherefrom,the interconnected loops and plate forming a rigid planar structure. At the underside ofthe shelf 12, two rearwardly directed loops ofthe coil 13 are bent awayto point downwardly bytheir hairclip-like ends 20 in such a mannerthatthey are matched to the shape of a step 21 in the cabinet 18 of the refrigerator.

The illustrated and described evaporator system can be modified as desired within the scope of the appended claims. Thus, for example, it is feasible to bend the lower ends 20 again so that they extend to thefront along the bottom ofthe cabinet. Through appropriate prolongation or shortening of the individual loops, it is possible to match the evaporator system to the special requirements of a refrigerator.

Of course, corresponding elements can also be provided at each individual shelf in orderto take into accountthe special conditions of appropriately constructed refrigerating appliances and to achieve a uniform temperature distribution in the storage space ofthe appliance.

Departing from the illustrated and described examplesofembodiment, it can of course be provided that the bent away ends 20 are equipped entirely or partially with additional metal guide plates, which can be fastened according to the requirements either to one side orto both sides of the tube.

Evaporator systems constructed in the described and illustrated manner represent relatively rigid structures which can be pre-assembled as desired and stacked and transported until installed in a refrigerator.

Claims (6)

1. Refrigeration equipment comprising an evaporatorsystem which comprises a plurality of rows of refrigerant pipe loops, the rows being disposed in planes spaced apart one above the other, and respective heat-conducting means connecting together the loops in each row to form a respective shelf, at least one ofthe loops in the lowermost row being bent so that at least a partthereofextends downwardly from the respective shelf.

2. Refrigeration equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the evaporator system is housed in a cabinet having an inwardly protruding step below the lowermost one ofthe shelves, said part of the or each bent loop being disposed to overlie a face of the step.

3. Refrigeration equipment as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the number of bent loops and the length of said part thereof is so selected as to provide a predetermined cooling effect in the region below the lowermost shelf.

4. Refrigeration equipment as claimed in any one ofthe preceding claims, each heat-conducting means comprising a metal guide plate.

5. Refrigeration equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 ofthe accompanying drawings.

6. Refrigeration equipment substantially as herein before described with reference to Figs. 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.