WO2018167759A2

WO2018167759A2 - Pressurizing system for producing an air curtain for energy saving

Info

Publication number: WO2018167759A2
Application number: PCT/IB2018/054894
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gabriel Torres; Marushka BEITIA; Víctor MARTÍNEZ; Rita MORICE; Ronald BARAZARTE
Original assignee: Elektra Noreste, S.A.
Priority date: 2018-06-26
Filing date: 2018-07-02
Publication date: 2018-09-20
Also published as: WO2018167759A3

Abstract

Pressurizing system for producing an air curtain for energy saving. It comprises a mechanism arranged between a door and an inner wall of a cooling chamber or refrigerator, and it comprises a fixed element, a moving element attached to the door and a compressing element between the fixed element and the moving element. The system is provided with orientable holes arranged in the frame of the refrigerator opening connected to the mechanism, such that, when the door opens the air curtain is produced with the air that has been compressed using the mechanism and that comes out through the orientable holes, thus preventing the cool air from the cooling chamber or refrigerator from being lost.

Description

PRESSURIZING SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING AN AIR CURTAIN FOR

ENERGY SAVING

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is included within the technical field of the systems intended for energy saving.

More particularly, it refers to a pressurizing system for producing an air curtain at the door of a cooling chamber or refrigerator. With this system the energy losses are minimized by cold dissipation when opening the door to that refrigerated space or refrigerator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the state of the art some solutions are known being intended to use the door or window opening and closing movement for air or other fluids compression. After that, the air being compressed may be stored and/or used in other applications. Generally, the air or fluid being compressed during a door opening process is used for controlling the door speed during the closing movement.

For example, document ES2610786 is known to describe a door actuation having at least a mounting plate onto which the structure of the door actuator is arranged. The structure is modular and comprises a connecting module, an actuating module and a primary module, which are blocked in the mounting plate by associated blocking means. The primary module comprises a system support wherein there is at least one energy supplying unit and at least a control unit.

Document US8225458 describes a device being designed for storing energy during a door opening process by means of an air compression element which subsequently is used during the door closing process, so as to provide for a controlled closure.

Document US20150330131 describes a pressurizing mechanism which is located between a fixed portion and a moving portion of a moving barrier. In this case the mechanism is provided with a compression element which compresses a fluid so as to provide a strength being opposite to the moving barrier movement. Likewise, document US8793837 describes a pneumatic mechanism for closing the doors, having a cylinder-plunger. A volume displacer located inside the cylinder adjusts the cylinder volume for better controlling the closing process of the door wherein it is installed. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention describes a pressurizing system for producing an air curtain for energy saving. This system allows avoiding the cold air inside the refrigerated space, cooling chamber, refrigerator, or similar from being dissipated, upon opening the door, for example for taking a product from inside.

Considering the increasing concern about environmental care it is necessary to develop energy saving systems.

In this case, by avoiding the loss of cold air, the energy consumption associated to keeping the desired temperature inside the refrigerator is reduced. Reducing the energy saving in this sense allows, on the one hand, collaborating with the environmental care and, on the other, this is associated to an economic saving. Additionally, the disclosed system features manual actuation, so use thereof is not associated to extra energy consumption. That is, an integral saving is achieved. On the other side, the system is designed for operation thereof with the natural opening and closing movement of the door of a cooling chamber or refrigerator. This opening/closing movement of the door is that being done by the user when they intend to have access inside thereof. The pressurizing system for producing air curtains for energy saving comprises a mechanism by means of which air is pressurized by the opening/closing movement of a door. The system is configured for being installed between the cooling chamber door or refrigerator and one of the inner walls thereof. Thus, the system is installed in the very refrigerator wherein it is to be used.

The mechanism comprises at least one fixed element, attached to the inner wall of the refrigerator and a moving element being attached to the door between which a compressing element is found. When the door is closed, the movement thereof causes the moving element movement, compressing the air inside the compressing element. Said compressing element may be, for example, a bellows or a cylinder-plunger.

The system is intended for creating an air curtain with the air that has been compressed, using the mechanism being described. It comprises a frame being arranged at the perimeter of the cooling chamber or refrigerator opening, facing the door. There are several orientable holes in said frame.

While the refrigerator is kept closed, the compressed air is stored, waiting for use thereof to be required. When the refrigerator door is opened, the compressed air is released through the orientable holes of the frame. Thus, an air curtain is created right at the cooling chamber opening which avoids the cold air from inside to come out.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To implement the present description being made and in order to provide a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred practical embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is attached as part of this description, with an illustrative but not limitative purpose, which represents the following:

Figure 1 .- It shows the pressurizing system for producing an air curtain for energy saving installed in a refrigerator. Figure 2.- It shows a front of the pressurizing mechanism in an embodiment wherein the compressing element is a bellows.

Figure 3.- It shows a front pressurizing mechanism in an embodiment wherein the compressing element is a cylinder-plunger.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The following is a description, with the help of the figures 1 to 3, of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As figure 1 shows, the pressurizing system for producing an air curtain for energy saving is especially intended to be installed in a cooling chamber or refrigerator (1 ). The system allows reducing the loss of refrigerated air inside the cooling chamber or refrigerator when the door is opened.

The system comprises a mechanism (3. a) configured for generating a pressurized air flow and which is intended for being installed between a door (2) of the refrigerator (1 ), and an inner wall thereof. The pressurized air is conveyed through connecting ducts (3.b) to the inner area of the refrigerator inner walls. Likewise, it comprises a plurality of orientable holes (5) in a frame (4) in the refrigerator opening (1 ). The orientable holes (5) may be open or closed so as to allow or not to allow the pressurized air which is in the inner walls of the refrigerator (1 ) to come out or not. When they are open, because the refrigerator door (1 ) is open, the pressurized air generates, when coming out, an air curtain (6) at the door area which prevents cool air to come out from the refrigerator, resulting in energy saving by reducing the loss of refrigerated air.

The orientable holes (5) may have several shapes. These may be slots, orifices, nozzles, etc.

Figures 2 to 3 show two different exemplary embodiments of the mechanism (3. a). More particularly, figure 2 shows a mechanism (3. a) comprising a bellows acting as an air compressing element (9). Figure 3 shows a mechanism (3. a) comprising a cylinder-plunger as a compressing element (9).

The mechanism (3. a) comprises a fixed element (7) with an orifice for the air to come out towards an outlet duct (12) through which the compressed air travels up to the connecting ducts (3.b), through which it reaches the inner walls of the refrigerator (1 ). Likewise, it comprises a moving element (8) attached to the door (2) by means of at least one follower (10) configured so that, when the door (2) moves, the moving element (8) is displaced with respect to the fixed element (1 ). Between the fixed element (7) and the moving element (8) there is a compressing element (9). In an exemplary embodiment, the follower (10) may consist of two wheels attached to each other, one of them in turn being attached to the door and the other attached to the moving element of the mechanism.

The bellows (9) or cylinder-plunger is connected via the fixed element (7) to an air inlet duct, where there is a unidirectional suction valve (1 1 . a), and to an air outlet duct (12), where there is a unidirectional expulsion valve (1 1 .b).

During suction, the unidirectional suction valve (1 1 .a) allows suctioning air upon closing the door. During discharge, the unidirectional expulsion valve (1 1 .b) allows extracting the compressed air.

The opening or closing movement of the door (2) is used to displace the flower (10) element, for example by means of a wheel (13) mounted on said door, and this in turn displaces the moving element (8) thus compressing the air.

Claims

C L A I M S

1 . - Pressurizing system for producing an air curtain for energy saving characterized in that it comprises:

-a mechanism configured for generating a pressurized air flow, for being arranged between a door and an inner wall of a cooling chamber or refrigerator and comprising:

- a fixed element being attached to the inner wall of the cooling chamber or refrigerator and comprising an orifice for the air to come out towards an outlet duct connected to connecting ducts, and an air inlet orifice connected to an air inlet duct;

- a moving element attached to the door, such that when the door moves the moving element is displaced with respect to the fixed element;

- a compressing element being arranged between the fixed element and the moving element;

- an unidirectional suction valve arranged in the air inlet duct and a unidirectional expulsion valve arranged in the air outlet duct;

- a plurality of orientable holes arranged in a frame at the refrigerator opening, where the connecting ducts are connected to the inner walls of the refrigerator and to said frame, such that, when the door closes, the moving element is displaced towards the fixed element thus compressing the air of the compressing element which is conveyed through the pipe to the frame, such that when the door opens the air from the frame comes out through the orientable holes producing the air curtain.

2. - Pressurizing system for producing an air curtain, according to claim 1 characterized in that the moving element is attached to the door by means of a follower.

3. - Pressurizing system for producing an air curtain, according to claim 2 characterized in that the follower comprises two wheels, attached to each other, one of them being attached to the door and the other attached to the moving element of the mechanism.

4. - Pressurizing system for producing an air curtain, according to claim 1 , characterized in that the compressing element is a bellows.

5. - Pressurizing system for producing an air curtain, according to claim 1 , characterized in that the compressing element is a cylinder-plunger.

6.- Pressurizing system for producing an air curtain, according to claim 1 , characterized in that the orientable holes have a shape selected from slot, orifice and nozzle.