US20090158754A1

US20090158754A1 - Freezer and its control method

Info

Publication number: US20090158754A1
Application number: US11/960,387
Authority: US
Inventors: Biao Li; Jianlin Song; Deku Tian; Jingchun Wang; Yue Liu; Jianfang Zhao; Cheng Hu; Gang Li
Original assignee: Qingdao Haier Special Refrigerator Co Ltd; Haier Group Corp
Current assignee: Qingdao Haier Special Refrigerator Co Ltd; Haier Group Corp
Priority date: 2007-12-19
Filing date: 2007-12-19
Publication date: 2009-06-25

Abstract

This invention disclosed a freezer; and it's control method. The freezer includes the casing and the top board, on which a pad for placing wine cups and bottles and for easy wine pouring is equipped. There is a fast cooling chamber at the ventilation opening of the freezer, and a clapboard to adjust temperature is placed in the freezer, dividing the freezer into two chambers vertically. Air return openings are equipped above and beneath the clapboard. The said fast cooling chamber includes an air outlet pipe. The pipe is fixed on the wall of the freezer, just wrapping the ventilation opening. The said clapboard to adjust temperature includes a board, sealed with tapes at both front and back, making the front part joint the glass door and the back part joint the internal wall of the freezer. At the same time, the air return opening can be open or closed dependent on need to form different temperature control of the fast cooling chamber and the two chambers.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention disclosed a freezer, including a casing with a top board, an internal box, and a heat insulation case with heat insulation layer between the two. In the freezer, there is a freezer chamber sealed by a heat insulation door. The temperature of the freezing chamber is detected by a temperature sensor.
In particular, on the said top board, there is a pad for placing wine cups and bottles and easy wine pouring. In the said freezer, there are a clapboard to adjust temperature, fast cooling chamber, and the air return opening that can be open and closed. Temperatures in the upper and lower chambers, and the fast cooling chamber can be adjusted respectively to meet the different temperature needs.

PRIOR ART

According to the prior art, FIG. 1 shows a household freezer, equipped with a freezing chamber. Drawers are set vertically in the freezing chamber for frozen items. The heat insulation door is installed on the heat insulation case. The insulation case and the closed insulation door isolate the freezing chamber from the heat outside. The freezer does not have the function of fast temperature changing in addition to the inconvenience of temperature control during putting in and taking out the frozen items. Besides, the single freezing chamber can not meet the demands on different temperatures for the user to keep frozen items.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main purpose of this invention is to supply a freezer equipped with clapboard to adjust temperature, fast cooling chamber, and air return opening that can be open and closed.
Another purpose of this invention is to provide a control method to said freezer.
According to the present invention, A freezer equipped with clapboard to adjust temperature, fast cooling chamber, and air return opening that can be open and closed, including equipped with ventilation opening, a pad is set on the top board for placing wine cups and bottles and for easy wine pouring, a fast cooling chamber is set at the place of the ventilation opening of the internal box of the freezer, furthermore there are a clapboard to adjust temperature, and at least two air return openings that can be open and closed in the freezer.
A groove is made on the said top board, the said pad is placed in the groove, one side of the pad is the decorated surface, the other side is divided into two parts, one part is pressed into a step shaped groove and the other is flat, water guiding groove for storing water is made at the periphery of the flat board, integrated with the step shaped groove.
On the steps of the step shaped groove there is a holed-clapboard with many holes where wine cups can be put and spilled wine can flow into the step shaped groove through the holed-clapboard, the flat surface of the said pad is set with skid-proof raised dots, or skid-proof groove matching the shape of the items placed on.
Furthermore at least one handle slot for taking out the pad from the groove is set at one side of the said pad.
The fast cooling chamber is set at the location of ventilation opening the clapboard to adjust temperature is set in the freezer; and at least two air return openings are set in the freezer.
The said fast cooling chamber has an air outlet pipe. The pipe is fixed on the wall of the freezer, just wrapping the ventilation opening.
The said clapboard to adjust temperature includes the board, whose front and back are sealed with tapes, making the front side joint the glass door body and the back joint the internal wall of the chamber, isolating the upper and lower spaces, and keeping the temperature in both upper and lower temperature zones constant.
The air return opening is set on a grid plate, the said grid plate that can be open and closed consists of two pieces of grid plates, namely air return grid plates A and B, overlapping each other and sliding on each other to open or close the air return opening.
The freezer has a control panel, on which are temperature display screen and control keys. The control keys are temperature adjusting key, light switch key, and switch key of the fast cooling chamber. During usage, when a wine bottle is placed in the circular barrel in the pipe, close the upper door, click the power key of the fast cooling chamber. The internal fan is at work; the fast cooling chamber begins to refrigerate; and the low temperature air blows out from the air outlet to directly and fast cool the wine bottles.
At the same time, the PC board of the freezer starts to record the time. When time is up, the fan stops running and the refrigeration is ended. Then, the upper fan begins to start and stop with the temperature of the upper box changing. The temperature of the wine in the fast cooling chamber keeps lower than that inside the box, but the wine bottles would not be frozen to crack due to long time refrigeration.
It can control the open/close of the clapboard and the air return opening respectively or at the same time to meet the different temperature requirement of the fast cooling chamber and the upper and lower chambers, keeping the fast cooling chamber and the upper and lower chambers at different ideal temperatures.
The top of freezer has the function of a bar for placing wine cups, bottles, not needing the user take away the wine cup and bottle to pour wine in other place. One can open the door to take out the wine cups and bottles for necessary kinds and amount in one time. That results in reducing the times of opening the freezer door and saving energy.
Following is the detailed description of the specific implementation mode of this invention with the attached figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is the front view of the freezer of the existing technology. The freezer includes a heat insulation case and the door on it. The figure shows the freezer with the door opened;

FIG. 2 is the structure sketch of the freezer of this invention;

FIG. 3 is the sketch of the pad of this invention;

FIG. 4 is the sketch of another implementation mode of the said pad of this invention;

FIG. 5 is the structure sketch of another status of the freezer of this invention;

FIG. 6 is the sketch of the clapboard to adjust temperature;

FIG. 7 is the sketch of the freezer that can be equipped with fast cooling chamber;

FIG. 8 is the sketch of the fast cooling chamber with two-way pipes;

FIG. 9 is the sketch of the grid plate of the air returning opening that can be open and closed.

Following are the names and marked corresponding relations of the figures of the existing technology and this invention:
freezer 101, heat insulation case 102, heat isolation door 103, freezing chamber 104, rack 105, freezer 1, casing 2, internal box 3, freezing chamber 5, rack 6, clapboard to adjust temperature 7, air return opening 8, temperature sensor 9, fast cooling chamber 10, fan 11, air outlet pipe 12, sealing tape 13, top board 14, pad 15, groove 16, step shaped groove 17, flat board 18, decorated surface 19, handle slot 20, holed-clapboard 21, water guiding groove 22, steps 23, grid plate of the air return opening A, grid plate of the air return opening B, air return opening 24, skid-proof groove 25, control panel 26, door 27

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, according to the present invention, the freezer 1 includes casing 2, top board 14, internal box 3, heat isolation door, freezing chamber 5, and rack 6. There is a pad 15 on the said top board 14 for placing wine cups and bottles and for easy wine pouring. The said freezer 1 is also equipped with ventilation opening where fast cooling chamber 10 is set. Clapboard to adjust temperature 7 and at least two air return openings 8 that can be open and closed are set in the freezer. Following are the embodiments of this present invention:

Embodiment 1

As shown in FIG. 2, groove 16 is set on the top board 14. The said pad 15 for placing wine cups and bottles and for easy wine pouring is set in groove 16. As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, one side of pad 15 is decorated surface 19 and the other side is divided into two parts. One part is pressed step shaped groove 17 and the other is flat plate 18. The surface of the said flat plate 18 is flat for easy taking out and putting in pad 15. At least one handle slot 20 is set at one side of said pad 15. The best position is the opposite side of step shaped groove 17 on flat plate 18. Water guiding groove 22 is set at the periphery of flat plate 18. (See FIG. 3).
As shown in FIG. 3, holed-clapboard 21 is set on the said step shaped groove 23, on which users can place wine cup and pour wine, with the spilled wine flowing into stepped groove 17 through the holes. Water guiding groove 22 at the periphery of the said flat plate 18, integrated with stepped groove 17. Wine spattered on flat plate 18 can flow into stepped groove 17 through water guiding groove 22.
There are several other embodiments for the pad 15 mentioned. FIG. 4 shows one of them. Skid-proof groove 25 matching the shape of the placed item is set on the surface of the said flat plate 18. In addition, in order to broaden item placing space, skid-proof raise dots also can be made on the surface of flat plate 18.

Embodiment 2

The structure of clapboard to adjust temperature 7 explained in this embodiment is shown in FIG. 6. The clapboard to adjust temperature 7 includes a board with front and back sealed with tape 13 (only front sealing tape is shown), making the front part joint glass door body 27 (see FIG. 2) and the back joint the internal wall of the chamber to separate the upper and lower spaces for constant temperatures in the two temperature zones (see FIG. 7). Clapboard 7 can be adjusted between the upper and lower ribs, realizing the changing of the upper and lower spaces. When different amounts of red wine and wine are kept, the spaces can be adjusted freely, realizing the division of different temperature zones. Air return openings are set in the upper and lower temperature zones, for one each, so the temperatures of the upper and lower spaces can be controlled independently, without interfering each other.

Embodiment

This embodiment is a kind of fast cooling chamber of freezer.
The freezer mentioned in this invention is a air cooling one, on which normally has one ventilation opening. Fan 11 is set as shown in FIG. 7. Air return opening 8 is placed at a proper position in the freezer. Cold air is blown out by fan 11 from air return opening 8 and enters freezing zone through air return opening 8. Air contacts the evaporator in the freezing zone to have the circulating air temperature decreased.
Fast cooling chamber 10 mentioned in this invention is set optimally on the top of the freezer according to the common place of the ventilation opening.
The said fast cooling chamber 10 includes air outlet pipe 12. Pipe 12 is fixed on the wall of the freezer, just wrapping the air outlet as shown in the figures. The rear end of outlet pipe 12 in U shape for obtaining enough strength is fixed on the rear wall of the freezer, with the upper side fixed on the upper part inside the freezer, bearing the corresponding weight of the items such as wine bottles, kept in the freezer.
The inside of pipe 12 is of a circular barrel whose diameter is just accommodating that of common wine bottles.
This freezer has a control panel 26 (see FIG. 2), on which are temperature display screen and control keys, including temperature adjusting key, light switch key, and fast cooling switch key. When a wine bottle is put in the circular barrel of pipe 12, the door 27 is closed, and the switch key of fast cooling is clicked, the fan inside is at work, the fast cooler begins to refrigerate, and low temperature air is blown out of the ventilation opening, directly and fast cooling the bottles to meet the requirement timely.
At the same time, the freezer PC board begins to record the time. Normally, the PC board default set time is 20 minutes. When the set time is up, the fan stops and the fast cooling is finished. Then, the fan of the upper box begins to open or closed with the temperature changing. The temperature of the wine in the fast cooling chamber keeps lower than that in the box all the time, but the wine bottles would not be frozen to crack due to long time refrigeration.
The switch key of the fast cooling chamber: the initial status of switch key of the fast cooling chamber is OFF. Press and hold it for 3 seconds to have the fan of the upper box run normally; the compressor and the solenoid of the upper box starts; and light switch on. Within 25 minutes, switch the key again, either hold or not, the fan, compressor, and solenoid are in normal control mode, but light switch is off. If it is not pressed within 25 minutes, the fan, compressor, and solenoid are converted automatically into normal control mode, but the light switch is off 25 minutes later.
If fast cooling two bottles continuously and the interval of the non fast cooling mode is shorter than 30 minutes, when fast cooling the third bottle of wine the freezer should be controlled normally for more than 30 minutes. It will not be considered as one time of fast cooling if the fast cooling is turned off within 3 minutes after starting.

Embodiment 4

Others are the same with embodiment 3 except that the inside of air outlet pipe 12 of the fast cooling chamber 10 are two circular barrels joint together, with diameters just accommodating that of common bottles. Thus, more than one wine bottle can be placed to fast cool (see FIG. 8).

Embodiment 5

Considering that the air cooling freezer mentioned in this invention may use or not use clapboard to adjust temperature 7, the placement of air return opening 8 mentioned in this invention is different from that of the normal air cooling freezer.
In this invention, at least one air return opening 8 is set, which is placed above the highest position that can be plugging in of clapboard to adjust temperature 7. Thus, air circulation still can be formed when using clapboard to adjust temperature 7.
However, if the freezer is used with clapboard to adjust temperature 7 plugged in, another air return opening 8 should be set near the bottom of the lower part of the freezer.
Optimally, air return opening 8 is a kind of grid plate of the air returning opening that can be open and closed as shown in FIG. 9. The said grid plate of the air return opening consists of two pieces of grid plates, namely grid plates of the air return openings A and B. The two grid plates can slide over each other when overlapped to each other. Air return opening 24 are set on the said grid plates of the air return opening A and B. When air return opening 24 of grid plates of the air return opening A and B are also overlapped, air can go through without any obstacles. When the drive mechanism drives one of them to move, air return opening 24 are blocked completely, thus air can not pass.
The drive mechanism mentioned here can be a motor drive, or an electromagnet drive mechanism.

Embodiment 6

This embodiment explains a signal plug. For uniform dispatching by the control system of the freezer when clapboard to adjust temperature 7 is used, a plug or socket can be set at the side or back of clapboard to adjust temperature 7 to match that at the corresponding position inside the freezer. (not shown in the figure).
The signal plug mentioned in this embodiment includes power supply line and digital transmission line to power the drive mechanism, and transmit the signal of clapboard to adjust temperature 7 to the control system of the freezer.

Embodiment 7

This embodiment explains a control method when clapboard to adjust temperature 7 is not plugged in. When clapboard to adjust temperature 7 is not plugged in, the cool air is blown out of fast cooling chamber 10 by fan 11, and flown back through the two upper and lower air return openings 8. The temperature of the returning air is further cooled down through the evaporator.
See the explanation of air return opening 8 in Embodiment 5.
Optimally, this embodiment uses grid plate of air return opening. When there is no clapboard to adjust temperature 7, air return opening 8 is automatically closed, letting air flow from top to bottom, and form a circulation to control the temperature of the whole space.

Embodiment 8

This embodiment explains a control method when clapboard to adjust temperature 7 is plugged in. When clapboard to adjust temperature 7 is plugged in, the signal plug of clapboard to adjust temperature 7 is connected to the corresponding socket of the freezer, advising of the signal of clapboard to adjust temperature 7 to the central control system of the freezer and getting power supply.
Two temperature sensors 9 are set respectively near the two upper and lower air return openings 8 of the freezer.
The cool air is blown out of fast cooling chamber 10 by fan 11, and flown back through the two upper and lower air return openings 8. The temperature of the returning air is further cooled down through the evaporator.
See the explanation of air returning opening 8 in Embodiment 5.
Optimally, this embodiment uses grid plate of air return opening that can be open and closed. Thus, the freezer's central control system controls the two upper and lower grid plates of air return opening that can be open and closed at the same time according to the commend or preset program.

Claims

1. A freezer, including the casing, top board, internal box, heat insulation door, freezing chamber, and rack, the said freezer is also equipped with ventilation opening, whereas a pad is set on the top board for placing wine cups and bottles and for easy wine pouring, a fast cooling chamber is set at the place of the ventilation opening of the internal box of the freezer, furthermore there are a clapboard to adjust temperature, and at least two air return openings that can be open and closed in the freezer.

2. The freezer of claim 1 wherein a groove made on the said top board, the said pad is placed in the groove, one side of the pad is the decorated surface, the other side is divided into two parts, one part is pressed into a step shaped groove and the other is flat, water guiding groove for storing water is made at the periphery of the flat board, integrated with the step shaped groove.

3. The freezer of claim 2 wherein, on the steps of the step shaped groove there is a holed-clapboard with many holes where wine cups can be put and spilled wine can flow into the step shaped groove through the holed-clapboard, the flat surface of the said pad is set with skid-proof raised dots, or skid-proof groove matching the shape of the items placed on.

4. The freezer of claim 1 wherein, the said fast cooling chamber includes an air outlet pipe, and the pipe is fixed on the wall of the freezer, just wrapping the ventilation opening.

5. The freezer of claim 1 wherein, the said clapboard to adjust temperature includes a board, sealed with tapes at both front and back, making the front part joint the glass door and the back part joint the internal wall of the freezer, it isolates the upper and lower spaces to keep the temperature constant in both upper and lower chambers.

6. The freezer of claim 1 wherein, the said air outlet pipe is a circular barrel or two joint circular barrels, the air outlet and the pipe are set in the upper space of the freezer, furthermore there are at least one the air return openings above and beneath the said clapboard respectively, temperature sensors are set near the air return openings respectively, one for each.

7. The control method of the freezer of claim 1 the said freezer has a control panel, on which are temperature display screen and control keys, including temperature adjusting key, light switch key, and fast switch power key, wherein when a wine bottle is put in the circular barrel of the pipe, the heat insulation door is closed, and the switch key of fast cooling is clicked, the internal fan is at work, the fast cooler begins, and low temperature air is blown out of the ventilation opening, directly and fast cooling the bottle.

8. The control of claim 7 wherein, when the item enters fast cooler, you can select to close the opening of the clapboard if the lower chamber below the clapboard does not need temperature lowering.

9. The control of claim 7 wherein, when fast cooling a item, if the lower chamber below the clapboard needs temperature lowering, you can select to open the opening of the clapboard, while partially or fully opening the lower air return opening and opening the upper air return opening to form a circulation of the air.

10. The control of claim 8 wherein, when no items are put in the fast cooling chamber, you can adjust the upper and lower chambers at the same temperature through opening or closing the opening of the clapboard, the upper and lower air return openings

11. The freezer of claim 4 wherein, the said air outlet pipe is a circular barrel or two joint circular barrels, the air outlet and the pipe are set in the upper space of the freezer, furthermore there are at least one the air return openings above and beneath the said clapboard respectively, temperature sensors are set near the air return openings respectively, one for each.