WO2015003731A1

WO2015003731A1 - Refrigeration appliance having condenser positioning mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2015003731A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/064370
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mehmet Ercan KAYMAK; Fatih Demiray; Faik Emre Ozyuksel; Kadir Ridvan CELIK
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2013-07-08
Filing date: 2013-07-08
Publication date: 2015-01-15
Also published as: EP3019801B1; PL3019801T3; CN105917182A; CN105917182B; EP3019801A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigeration appliance (1) having a cabin (2) for preserving food items to be cooled, a condenser (3) extending along the rear wall of the appliance cabin (2), said condenser (3) having a parking position usable when the refrigeration appliance (1) is in a storage or shipping condition and an extended position usable during operation of the refrigeration appliance (1). The refrigeration appliance (1) further comprises a pair of stationary brackets (12) to which the condenser (3) is attachable in a non-displaceable manner and a pair of carrier brackets (6) to which the condenser (3) is attachable in a displaceable manner.

Description

REFRIGERATION APPLIANCE HAVING CONDENSER POSITIONINGMECHANISM

The present invention relates to a refrigeration appliance condenser positioning mechanism by means of which adequate amount of aeration effect by natural convention can be obtained.

In conventional refrigeration appliances, heat absorbed from the interior of the refrigeration appliance is discharged to the outer environment by means of the condenser. Condensers of the static type operate according to the natural heat convection principle. A refrigerant fluid is accordingly circulated between a condenser, a tube expander and the evaporator. While the refrigerant fluid undergoes a phase transition from the liquid phase to the gas phase by passing through the evaporator, its pressure is increased in the compressor and it is cooled and condensed by transferring its heat onto the condenser surface in the condenser.

The condenser typically extends along the rear wall of the appliance cabin. Air circulation can be satisfactory if sufficient space is provided around the condenser. In this regard, the condenser is positioned at a certain distance from the rear wall of the appliance. The distance between the condenser and an adjacent wall of the room in which the appliance is placed is accordingly also important.
A prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as WO2008148852 disclosing a refrigeration appliance with a condenser advantageously occupying less space during packaging and transportation but yet configured to increase heat transfer during usage. Amount of aeration is intended to be optimized by way of arranging the condenser unit in inclination with respect to the rear wall of the refrigeration appliance.

Although addressing a problem relevant to the disclosure of the present invention, WO2008148852 proposes a structurally more complex arrangement and therefore suggests a more expansive solution, namely because it incorporates a plurality of individual brackets and a condenser designed in separate units.

The present invention therefore proposes a solution to this technical problem, i.e. providing a refrigeration appliance condenser positioning mechanism by means of which adequate amount of aeration effect by natural convention as well as providing a refrigeration appliance occupying less space during packaging and transportation in a more convenient manner.

The present invention therefore provides a refrigeration appliance condenser positioning mechanism advantageously affording improved natural convection while reducing storage and shipping space requirements, such condenser positioning mechanism being defined by the characterizing features as given in Claim 1.

Primary object of the present invention is to provide a refrigeration appliance condenser positioning mechanism with improved natural convention as well as reduced space requirement.

The present invention proposes a condenser positioning mechanism having a carrier bracket and an associated orientation device. Each condenser positioning mechanism is in mechanical connection with the condenser such that the plane of the condenser is pivotally changed so that the upper part of the condenser is moved away from the refrigeration appliance to increase air circulation. The upper part is therefore rotated around an axis extending between two lower stationary brackets connecting the condenser to the appliance in a fixed manner. The lower stationary brackets therefore compensates the rotational movement of the condenser’s upper part by deforming and flexing to a certain extent.

Each orientation device displaces on an axis parallel with the surface normal of the rear wall of the refrigeration appliance while they are guided in between a parking position and an extended operational position. Guiding channels of the carrier brackets receive traction flanges of the orientation devices.

The extended operational position of said orientation device is maintained by a fixation protrusion of the orientation device such that a flexible stopping member of the carrier bracket retains the fixation protrusion in its locked position in a fixation slot of the carrier bracket. The fixation slot longitudinally extends in the displacement direction of the orientation device in the manner that the fixation protrusion is guidably moved inside the fixation slot.

The flexible stopping member also longitudinally extends into said fixation slot and the fixation protrusion flexes it away from the fixation slot while moving inside the fixation slot. The flexible stopping member takes its original orientation into said fixation slot back after the fixation protrusion is locked in its fully extended position.

Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying a refrigeration appliance with a condenser positioning mechanism whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained in brief hereinafter.

The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in said claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.

Fig. 1 demonstrates a general perspective view of a refrigeration appliance having a condenser positioning mechanism according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 demonstrates a front view of the condenser positioning mechanism according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 demonstrates a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the condenser positioning mechanism when the mechanism is in shipping/storage position according to the present invention.

Fig. 4 demonstrates a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the condenser positioning mechanism when the mechanism is in extended position according to the present invention.

Fig. 5 demonstrates a lateral perspective view of the orientation device according to the present invention.

Fig. 6 demonstrates a lateral perspective view of the carrier bracket according to the present invention.

Fig. 7 demonstrates a lateral perspective view of the condenser positioning mechanism when the mechanism is in fully extended position according to the present invention.

Fig. 8 demonstrates a lateral perspective view of the condenser positioning mechanism as seen while being extended according to the present invention.

Fig. 9 demonstrates a lateral perspective view of the condenser positioning mechanism in its parking position according to the present invention.

The following numerals are used in this detailed description:

Refrigeration appliance
Cabin
Condenser
Wire
Condenser positioning mechanism
Carrier bracket
Orientation device
Traction flange
Guiding channel
Fixation protrusion
Flexible stopping member
Stationary bracket
Fixation slot

The present invention provides a refrigeration appliance (1) having a cabin (2) for preserving food items to be cooled, a condenser (3) extending along the rear wall of the appliance’s (1) cabin (2), said condenser (3) having a parking position usable when the refrigeration appliance (1) is in a storage or shipping condition and an extended position usable during operation of the refrigeration appliance (1). The condenser (3) is typically provided to be of a wire-on-tube type, comprising a flow tube in the form of a continuous circulation conduit by winding in a serpentine form with wires (4) arranged vertically on the horizontally extending portions of the tube.

The refrigeration appliance (1) of the present invention further comprises a pair of stationary brackets (12) to which the condenser (3) is attachable in a non-displaceable manner and a pair of carrier brackets (6) to which the condenser (3) is attachable in a displaceable manner. A condenser positioning mechanism (5) is provided by each carrier bracket (6) and an associated orientation device (7), each condenser positioning mechanism (5) establishing a mechanical connection with the condenser (3) such that the plane along which the condenser (3) extends is pivotally modifiable around an axis that is extending between points at which the condenser (3) is attached to said stationary brackets (12) in a non-displaceable manner. In this regard, the axis between the two stationary brackets (12) constitutes the axis of rotation of the condenser (3) in order for increasing its distance to the rear wall of the refrigeration appliance (1), therefore increasing space between the condenser (3) and the appliance (1).

Said axis extending between the two lower stationary brackets (12) is substantially parallel with a line extending between the two upper condenser positioning mechanisms (5), therefore providing a balanced rotation and displacement of the condenser (3) at both sides of the rear wall of the refrigeration appliance (1). The stationary brackets (12) are preferably positioned in equal distance to the base plane of the refrigeration appliance (1).

Each orientation device (7) according to the present invention is movable into and out of an associated carrier bracket (6) on an axis substantially parallel with the surface normal of the rear wall of the refrigeration appliance (1). In this regard, each orientation device (7) is guided in between a parking position and an extended operational position by means of guiding channels (9) of said carrier bracket (6) within which traction flanges (8) of the orientation device (7) are positioned.

The extended operational position of said orientation device (7) is locked by a fixation protrusion (10) of the orientation device (7) engagingly cooperating with a flexible stopping member (11) of the carrier bracket (6) such that the flexible stopping member (11) prevents said fixation protrusion (10) from returning to the parking position of the orientation device (7). The fixation protrusion (10) is retained in locked position in a fixation slot (13) of the carrier bracket (6) by the flexible stopping member (11) in the extended operational position of the orientation device (7). The fixation slot (13) of the carrier bracket (6) extends longitudinally in the displacement direction of the orientation device (7) whereby the fixation protrusion (10) of the orientation device (7) is guided within said fixation slot (13).

The flexible stopping member (11) according to the present invention extends longitudinally into the fixation slot (13) such that it flexes away from the fixation slot (13) while the fixation protrusion (10) is advanced through the fixation slot (13). It returns back to its original orientation only to lock the fixation protrusion (10) in its fully extended position.

The present invention ensures that air circulation between the refrigeration appliance (1) and the condenser (3) is increased by way of moving the condenser (3) a certain amount away from the cabin (2) of the appliance (1) so that it takes a planar orientation that is inclined in a certain angle with respect to the rear wall of the appliance (1).

The present invention further ensures that the refrigeration appliance (1) occupies less space while stored or during shipment but it also ensures that the refrigeration appliance (1) can be made ready for operation without using any special installation instrument or without even requiring presence of installation, maintenance or repair technicians as the condenser positioning mechanism (5) of the invention allows easy and convenient installation by way of simply pulling the condenser (3) out from its parking position into inclined position for efficient air circulation between the condenser (3) and the rear wall of the refrigeration appliance (1). Further, when in its extended operational position, the condenser (3) is locked as such and there is no risk of unlocking the condenser (3) by way of pushing the appliance (1) against an adjacent room wall.

Claims

A refrigeration appliance (1) having a cabin (2) for preserving food items to be cooled, a condenser (3) extending along rear wall of the appliance cabin (2), said condenser (3) having a parking position usable when the refrigeration appliance (1) is in a storage or shipping condition and an extended position usable during operation of the refrigeration appliance (1), the refrigeration appliance (1) further comprising a pair of stationary brackets (12) to which the condenser (3) is attachable in a non-displaceable manner and a pair of carrier brackets (6) to which the condenser (3) is attachable in a displaceable manner, characterized in that

a condenser positioning mechanism (5) is provided by each carrier bracket (6) and an associated orientation device (7), each condenser positioning mechanism (5) establishing a mechanical connection with the condenser (3) such that plane along which the condenser (3) extends is pivotally modifiable around an axis that is extending between points at which the condenser (3) is attached to said stationary brackets (12) in a non-displaceable manner.
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that axis extending between the stationary brackets (12) is substantially parallel with a line extending between said condenser positioning mechanisms (5).
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the stationary brackets (12) are positioned in equal distance to base plane of the refrigeration appliance (1).
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that each orientation device (7) is movable into and out of an associated carrier bracket (6) on an axis substantially parallel with surface normal of the rear wall of the refrigeration appliance (1).
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 1 or 4, characterized in that said orientation device (7) is guided in between a parking position and an extended operational position by means of guiding channels (9) of the carrier bracket (6) within which traction flanges (8) of the orientation device (7) are positioned.
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 1 or 5, characterized in that the extended operational position of the orientation device (7) is locked by a fixation protrusion (10) of the orientation device (7) engagingly cooperating with a flexible stopping member (11) of the carrier bracket (6) such that the flexible stopping member (11) prevents the fixation protrusion (10) from returning to the parking position of the orientation device (7).
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 6, characterized in that the fixation protrusion (10) is retained in locked position in a fixation slot (13) of the carrier bracket (6) by the flexible stopping member (11) in the extended operational position of the orientation device (7).
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 7, characterized in that the fixation slot (13) of the carrier bracket (6) extends longitudinally in the displacement direction of the orientation device (7) whereby the fixation protrusion (10) of the orientation device (7) is guided within the fixation slot (13).
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that said flexible stopping member (11) longitudinally extends into the fixation slot (13) such that it flexes away from the fixation slot (13) while the fixation protrusion (10) is advanced through the fixation slot (13) and it returns back to its original orientation to lock the fixation protrusion (10) in the fully extended position of the same.