WO2018192757A1

WO2018192757A1 - Refrigeration appliance comprising an evaporator mounted on an inner wall and method for the assembly thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2018192757A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/057864
Authority: WO
Inventors: Markus Arbogast; Marcus WEHLAUCH
Original assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
Priority date: 2017-04-18
Filing date: 2018-03-28
Publication date: 2018-10-25
Also published as: EP3612777A1; CN110520684B; US20220235995A1; DE102017206517A1; CN110520684A

Abstract

The invention relates to a refrigeration appliance comprising an inner space (43), an evaporator unit extending over a wall (45) of the inner space (43), a holding element (1) comprising a base plate (2) extending between the wall (45) and the evaporator unit, and projections (6) projecting from the wall (45) on a first and a second edge (4) of the base plate (2). At least the projection (6) projecting on the first edge (4) comprises an elastic bracket (21) that can be deflected out of a position in which it engages with a first outer section (31) of the evaporator unit into a position in which it releases the outer section (31).

Description

Refrigerating appliance with mounted on an inner wall evaporator and

Method for its assembly

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, in particular a domestic refrigerator, with an interior and a mounted on a wall of the interior evaporator, and a method for its assembly.

During assembly of such a refrigerator, the evaporator must first be securely attached to the intended installation location in the interior, so that subsequently the integration into the refrigerant circuit can take place.

From US Pat. No. 8,047,017 B2, a refrigerator is known, in which a finned evaporator is mounted on a rear wall of the interior by means of a holder which comprises a base plate resting against the rear wall and elastic projections projecting from the base plate. At individual fins of the evaporator perforated tabs are angled, which are pressed during the assembly of the evaporator against the projections to lock the projections in the holes. When the evaporator is mounted, it obscures the protrusions so that it is difficult to bring them into coincidence with the holes of the flaps. At two edges of the base plate elongate projections are formed, which, by embracing the outer fins of the evaporator, restrict the freedom of movement of the tabs relative to the projections. While this may facilitate insertion of the protrusions into the holes, at the same time, a way is provided for air to flow past the outside of the evaporator.

The object of the invention is to provide a refrigeration device in which a quick and safe installation of the evaporator is possible, and to provide a corresponding assembly method.

The object is achieved, on the one hand, by providing, in a refrigeration appliance having an interior space, an evaporator subassembly extending on a wall of the interior, and a holder, a base plate extending between the wall and the evaporator subassembly and at a first and a second edge of the base plate of the Wall projecting protrusions, at least the projection protruding from the first edge comprises an elastic clip which can be deflected from a position encompassing a first outer section of the evaporator subassembly into a position releasing the outer section. Although the clip, like the projections known from US 8,047,017 B2, is resiliently deformed to allow the evaporator assembly to reach its installation position, it externally engages the evaporator assembly and remains visible during attachment, as well as allowing the clamp to temporarily deflect prevent the encompassing position, while in the conventional projections too much bending can prevent the engagement of a projection in the hole provided for him.

The protruding projection on the second edge may have a recess facing the first projection. In this recess, a second outer portion of the evaporator assembly can be inserted. By this insertion, a pivot axis can be determined, around which the evaporator assembly can be pivoted against the base plate, wherein the distance between the first and second projection should be matched to the length of the evaporator assembly, that in this pivoting the clip hits directly on the first outer portion she should embrace after the end of the pivoting movement. The recess may be formed a wall plate of the holder, at the edges of webs are angled in the direction of the first projection; but are also other forms of recess such as a hole in a wall plate of the holder, in which engages a projection of the evaporator assembly.

The evaporator assembly may comprise, in addition to an evaporator, at least one, preferably two, bypass blockers, i. Moldings that are attached to the flanks of the evaporator, and whose shape is adapted to the installation space available for the evaporator assembly, to fill gaps between the evaporator and the walls of the installation space and thus to prevent the air from flowing past the evaporator.

Since the shape of such a bypass blocker can be more easily adjusted than that of the evaporator to facilitate engagement by the spring, at least the first outer portion of the evaporator assembly should be formed by a bypass blocker. Preferably, the evaporator is a finned evaporator with laterally projecting tube loops. The bypass blocker may have recesses on an edge facing the evaporator, into which the tube loops frictionally or positively engage to hold the evaporator assembly together.

The bypass blocker preferably consists of a readily deformable material, in particular a foam such as expanded polystyrene. This deformability makes it easier on the one hand to fill the installation space tight despite manufacturing tolerances by the bypass blocker is deformed in contact with the walls of the installation space; on the other hand it facilitates the production of an effective frictional connection with the tube loops of the evaporator.

So that the bypass blocker on the one hand fill an installation space provided for him and can prevent flow around the evaporator and at the same time leaves room for a deflection of the clip, the bypass blocker can have a groove on a side remote from the evaporator flank, in which the elastic clip at least in their the edge encompassing position runs.

At an end of the groove facing the base plate, an insertion bevel may be formed, i. the depth of the groove may increase towards the base plate, so that the clip may initially engage the groove without being deformed or with little deformation and, subsequently, when the evaporator assembly is pressed against the base plate, gradually in contact with the bottom of the groove increasingly distracted. Also, the width of the groove may increase toward the base plate to allow the clamp to be engaged even if the evaporator assembly is not accurately positioned in the widthwise direction of the groove, and the position of the evaporator assembly gradually in that direction by the engagement of the clamp with the groove to correct.

In order to securely fix the evaporator assembly, the first projection may further comprise at least one rigid wall plate which bears against an edge of the bypass blocker facing away from the evaporator. As rigid in this sense, every wall plate can apply. In the interest of cost-effective production, the entire holder is preferably formed in one piece from flat material, in particular sheet metal.

In order not to hinder the deflection movement of the clip, the rigid wall of the elastic clip is preferably separated by a cut extending to the base plate.

To prevent slippage of the evaporator assembly in the direction of the first edge of the base plate, the projection may comprise at least one transverse to the first edge-oriented web.

In order to keep the structure of the holder simple, this web is preferably angled from one edge of the rigid wall plate.

Two such webs can fix the evaporator assembly in a form-fitting manner, in each case abutting against an upstream edge of the evaporator assembly upstream of the evaporator assembly in relation to the direction of flow of the air.

To attach the base plate to the wall, it is desirable to make do without openings of the wall, which could lead to leaks and penetration of insulation material in the interior or water from the interior into the insulation material. The base plate is therefore preferably secured by gluing to the wall; in particular by means of an adhesive tape bridging a third edge of the base plate to partially adhere to the base plate and partly to the wall.

At a fourth edge of the base plate, a condensate tray may be formed to collect and drain condensate draining from the evaporator during operation.

The condensate gutter can contribute to the anchoring of the holder in the interior by engaging in a channel formed in the wall.

In order to dissipate water collected in the condensation gutter, a drain should be formed on the wall. This procedure can also be used to anchor the bracket be by a plug penetrates a drain opening of the condensate channel and engages in the process.

In order to make the assembly of the refrigeration appliance more effective, an evaporator heater can be part of the evaporator assembly, so that it is inserted into the interior together with the evaporator.

On the other hand, the object is achieved by a method for mounting an evaporator assembly on a wall of an interior of a refrigerator, with the steps

a) attaching a bracket to the wall; wherein the holder comprises a base plate and protrusions protruding from the wall at a first and a second edge of the base plate;

b) placing the evaporator assembly at the second protrusion projecting from the second edge; and

c) pivoting the evaporator assembly about an axis adjacent to the second projection in the direction of the base plate to a position in which a resilient clip of the projection projecting on the first edge engages around a first outer portion of the evaporator assembly. In order for the evaporator assembly to be securely placed and pivoted on the second projection, steps b) and c) should be performed in a horizontal orientation of the refrigeration device in which the second projection carries the evaporator assembly in step b). The axis for the pivoting movement of step c) can then be defined in the simplest possible way by a point at which the second projection and the evaporator assembly touch, typically a point of horizontal wall plate of the second projection in the horizontal orientation of the refrigerator which rests the evaporator assembly.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it: 1 shows a holder for mounting an evaporator assembly in the interior of a refrigerator;

Figure 2 shows the holder with evaporator assembly inserted therein.

3 shows a section through a bypass blocker of the evaporator assembly.

Fig. 4 is a schematic section through a housing of an inventive

Refrigeration device before installing the evaporator assembly;

Fig. 5 is a section through the wall of the refrigerator and a mounted thereon

Mount for the evaporator assembly;

Fig. 6 is an analogous to FIG. 4 section during installation of the

Evaporator assembly;

Fig. 7 shows a further analogous to Fig. 4 section during installation of the

Evaporator assembly; and

Fig. 8 is an analogous to FIG. 4 section after installation of the

Evaporator assembly. Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a holder 1, which is provided for mounting an evaporator assembly in the interior of a refrigerator, in particular a household refrigerator such as a refrigerator or freezer. The holder 1 is integrally formed from a sheet metal blank. It has a rectangular base plate 2, which is provided to abut in the mounted state on a wall, in particular a rear wall of the interior. At two edges 3, 4 of the base plate 2, which are oriented vertically in the finished and in use position refrigeration device, the blank is bent to form protrusions 5, 6.

The projection 5 comprises a wall plate 7, which extends over a predominant part of the edge 3 and projects at right angles to the base plate 2. At an upper and lower edge and an edge facing away from the base plate 2, in turn, webs 8, 9, 10 are angled away from the wall plate 7 to form a flat recess 11 facing the other projection 6. In order to make the connection between the wall plate 7 and the base plate 2 as rigid as possible, 3 beads 12 are distributed along the edge, each extending into the base plate 2 and the wall plate 7 inside. The projection 6 is divided along the edge 4 by each extending to the base plate 2 cutouts 13 into three parts, two outer and one middle. The two outer parts 14, 15 each include as the projection 5 at a right angle from the base plate 2 protruding wall plate 16 and 17 and an outer edge of the wall plate 16, 17 to the projection 5 out angled web 18 and 19 respectively. From the base plate 2 facing away edge 20 of the wall panels 16, 17 is missing, however, unlike the projection 5, an opposite projection to the angled web. The connection between the wall panels 16, 17 is stiffened by the edge 4 crossing beads 12. The middle part of the projection 5 is formed as a clamp 21, with an arm 22 projecting from the base plate which, to be flexible, is narrower than the wall plates 16, 17 and connected to the base plate 2 via a portion of the rim 4 free of beads In order to achieve a uniform curvature of the arm 22 in the event of a sideways deflection of the barb 23, the width of the arm 22 from the edge 4 to the barb 23 decreases continuously off.

At a third, after installation of the holder 1 in the finished refrigerator lower edge of the base plate 2, a condensate tray 24 is formed. The condensation drainage channel 24 slopes down from its two ends at the edges 3, 4 to the middle and has a passage 25 at its lowest point. The angle between base plate 2 and condensate channel 24 is stiffened by further beads 12.

Fig. 2 shows the holder 1 with an evaporator assembly 26 mounted therein. A central portion of the evaporator assembly 26 is formed by an evaporator 27, here a finned evaporator. The evaporator 27 comprises, in a manner known per se, a plurality of lamellae 28 which are parallel to one another and a refrigerant pipe 29 which extends in meanders through openings of the lamellae 28, pipe loops of the refrigerant pipe 29 projecting beyond the outer lamellae 28. Still unconnected, to be inserted into a refrigerant circuit of the refrigerator end pieces 58 of the refrigerant pipe 29 extend above the block of the fins 28th Under the evaporator 27 extends an evaporator heater 59, here in the form of a hairpin-shaped bent, an electrical heating resistor containing tube. The tube is inserted into openings of two fins 28, which project beyond the block-shaped evaporator 27 down. The evaporator heater 59 is used in a conventional manner for defrosting precipitated in operation on the evaporator 27 Reif by radiation and rising warm air.

Two bypass blockers 30, 31 forming outer portions of the evaporator assembly 26 are attached to the evaporator 27 abutting the outer fins 28 on both sides. The protruding tube loops of the evaporator engage in recesses of the bypass blockers 30, 31 and are therefore not visible in FIG. The bypass blockers 30, 31 are moldings of a closed-cell plastic foam, typically of expanded polystyrene.

The bypass blocker 30 engages in the recess 1 1 of the projection 5 and is immovably held by contact with the opposing webs 8, 10 or with the web 9 and the base plate 2 in the direction of the edge 3 and in the direction perpendicular to the base plate 2 direction. A portion of the Bypassblockers 30 extends upward beyond the web 8 and forms a laterally outwardly beyond the wall plate 7 protruding rib 32. Between the web 9 and the evaporator 27 jumps another rib 60 forward, in the direction of the viewer , in front.

The bypass blocker 31 has on its side facing away from the evaporator 27 outside a groove 33 which receives the bracket 21. The groove 33 is flanked at the top and bottom by ribs 34 which project laterally outwards through the cutouts 13, past the wall plates 16, 17. The front edges 20 of the wall panels 16, 17 are concealed behind ridges 61 of the bypass blocker 31 projecting forwardly beyond the wall panels 16, 17.

3 shows a cross section through the bypass blocker 31 along a plane passing through the groove 33 and perpendicular to its flank 35 facing the evaporator 27. The groove 33 extends along an edge 36 remote from the evaporator 27 from a rear side 37 resting against the base plate 2 to a front side 38 of the bypass blocker 31 facing away from the base plate 2. The depth of the groove 33 decreases along an open towards the rear 37 insertion bevel 39, starting from the back 37 gradually to a minimum 40 down from. The minimum 40 is here elongated along the flank 35 and extends to just before the front side 38.

The arm 22 of the bracket 21 is just long enough so that when the evaporator assembly 26 is pressed against the base 2, the barbs 23 pass the minimum 40 and, as shown in FIG. 3, into a lower portion of the groove 33, between the minimum 40 and the front 38 can engage, so that the clamp 21 engages around an edge of the evaporator assembly 26. On one of the edge 35 opposite, the evaporator 27 facing edge 36 of the bypass blocker 31 recesses 41 are formed by approximately halbkreisscheibenförmiger shape, which are provided to receive the above-mentioned pipe loops of the refrigerant pipe 29. Corresponding recesses are also provided on the bypass blocker 30. The width of the recesses 41 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the refrigerant pipe 29 to ensure by frictional or positive fit such a tight fit of the bypass blocker 30, 31 on the evaporator 27 that evaporator 27 and bypass blocker 30, 31 before their installation in the interior of the Refrigeration device to the evaporator assembly 26 can be assembled and this evaporator assembly 26 securely holds together during their installation.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic section through the rear part of a housing 42 of a still unfinished refrigerator along a plane which extends horizontally when the device in the position of use. A part of an interior space 43 and of side walls 44 and a rear wall 45 of the housing 42 can be seen. The holder 1 is mounted in the interior space 43 with the base plate 2 resting against the rear wall 45. The width of the holder 1 is smaller than that of the inner space 43, so that between the projections 5, 6 and the side walls 44 each column 46 remain open. The width of the column 46 varies depending on the width of the housing 42. Fig. 5 shows a section through the refrigerator along a plane perpendicular to the sectional plane of Fig. 4, in the use position of the finished refrigeration device vertical plane. The plane is designated VV in FIG. 4 and extends through the passage 25 of the condensation water channel 24 and an upper edge 47 of the base plate 2. The rear wall 45 comprises an insulating material layer 48 and an inner container 49, which the

Insulation material layer 48 separates from the interior space 43. At a lower edge of the

Rear wall 45 is formed in the inner container 49, a groove 50, in which the condensate tray 24 of the holder 1 is inserted. The holder 1 is fixed in the position shown by means of an adhesive tape 51, typically an aluminum adhesive tape, the upper edge 47 of the base plate 2 bridging, partly adhered to the base plate 2 and partly on the inner container 49, and with the aid of a plug 52nd The plug 52 has a pin portion 53 which passes through the opening 25 and engages a formed on the inner container 49, extending through the insulation material layer 48 through the outside extending drain 54, and a head 55 whose diameter is greater than that of the passage 25. By having the pin portion 53 in the drain 54, e.g. is held by frictional engagement or locking, and the condensate channel 24 is fixed in the channel 50. In order not to block the drainage of the condensate, the plug 52 must not fill the cross section of the drain 54. The pin portion 53 therefore has here a U-shaped cross-section with a groove 56 which extends over the entire length of the pin portion 53 and merges at its upper end into one or more grooves 57 on the underside of the head 55.

In order to install the evaporator module 26 in the refrigerator shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the housing 42 is placed on the side so that the projection 5 of the holder 1 comes to lie lowermost. Subsequently, as shown in Fig. 6, the evaporator assembly 26 is inserted in an oblique position in the inner space 43 and set their Bypassblocker 30 in the recess 1 1 of the projection 5.

Subsequently, the evaporator assembly 26 is pivoted about the fixed by the engagement of the bypass block 30 in the recess 1 1 axis against the rear wall 45. As a result, the barb 23 of the clamp 21 comes to rest at the entrance of the groove 33 of the bypass blocker 31.

Upon further pivoting of the barb 23 engages in the groove 33 and is by contact with its bottom in the region of the lead-in 39 increasingly upward, ie to the lying in the horizontal position upper side wall 44 of the housing 42, deflected (Fig. 7) until he finally passes the minimum 40 and between this and the front 38 again deeper into the groove 33 engages and as shown in Fig. 8, the bypass blocker 31 surrounds. Simultaneously with the penetration of the clip 21 into the groove 33, the ribs 34 (not shown in FIGS. 6-8) also enter the cutouts 13. Your lateral projection can be sized so that they fill the gap 46 between the wall plates 16, 17 and the upper side wall 44 after the engagement of the clip 21 in the groove 33. Accordingly, the rib 32 of the bypass blocker 30 is sized to bridge the gap 46 between the wall plate 7 and the lower side wall 44. If bypass blockers 30, 31 are provided in different shapes, each with height adapted to the width of the housing 42 of the ribs 32, 34, a same model of evaporator 27 and holder 1 in housings 42 of different widths can be used. Alternatively, it is possible to use a single model of bypass blocker 30, 31, in which the height of the ribs 32, 34 can each be adapted to the width of the narrowest housing to be used, and gaps that arise when using this bypass blocker 30, 31 in a wider housing 42 result to fill with complementary moldings.

The evaporator assembly 26 is now held sufficiently firmly in the housing 42 to solder the end pieces 58 of the refrigerant pipe 29 to already installed parts of the refrigerant circuit and to connect the evaporator heater 59 to a power supply. When this work is done, a partition wall 62 can be inserted, which abuts against the ribs 60, 61 of the bypass blockers 30, 31 and subdivides the inner space 43 into a storage compartment for refrigerated goods and an evaporator chamber 26 accommodating the evaporator chamber. REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 bracket

2 base plate

3 edge

4 edge

5 lead

6 lead

7 wall plate

8 footbridge

9 footbridge

10 footbridge

recess

12 beads

13 section

14 outer part

15 outer part

16 wall plate

17 wall plate

18 footbridge

19 footbridge

20 edge

21 clip

22 arm

23 barbs

24 condensation gutter

25 passage

26 evaporator assembly

27 evaporator

28 lamella

29 refrigerant pipe

30 bypass blockers

31 bypass blocker 32 rib

33 groove

34 rib

35 flank

36 flank

37 back side

38 front side

39 insertion bevel

40 minimum

41 recesses

42 housing

43 interior

44 side wall

45 rear wall

46 gap

47 edge

48 insulating material layer

49 inner container

50 gutter

51 tape

52 plug

53 pen section

54 expiration

55 head

56 groove

57 groove

58 tail

59 evaporator heating

60 rib

61 rib

62 partition wall

Claims

Refrigerating appliance with an interior (43), one on a wall (45) of the

Interior (43) extending evaporator assembly (26) and a support (1) having a between the wall (45) and the evaporator assembly (26) extending base plate (2) and at a first and a second edge (3, 4) of Base plate (2) of the wall (45) protruding projections (5, 6), characterized in that at least the first edge (4) protruding projection (6) comprises a resilient clip (21), which consists of a first outer portion the evaporator assembly (26) encompassing position in a position releasing the outer portion is deflectable.

Refrigerating appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the second edge (3) protruding projection (5) has a first projection (6) facing recess (1 1), in which a second

Outer portion of the evaporator assembly (26) can be inserted.

Refrigerating appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the

Evaporator assembly (26) an evaporator (27) and at least one

Bypass blocker (30, 31) and that at least the first outer portion of the evaporator assembly (26) by the bypass blocker (31) is formed.

Refrigerating appliance according to claim 3, characterized in that the evaporator (27) is a finned evaporator with laterally projecting tube loops, the

Bypass blocker (31) on one of the evaporator (27) facing edge (35) has recesses (41), and the evaporator assembly (26) by a frictional or positive engagement of the tube loops in the recesses (41) is held together.

Refrigerating appliance according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the

Bypass blocker (31) on a side facing away from the evaporator flank (36) has a groove (33) and that the elastic clip (21) extends in the embracing the outer portion position in the groove (33).

6. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that at one of

Base plate (2) facing the end of the groove (33) has an insertion bevel (39) is formed.

7. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 4, 5 or 6, characterized in that the first projection (6) comprises at least one rigid wall plate (16, 17) which faces away from the evaporator (27) flank (36) of the bypass blocker (31) is applied.

8. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that the rigid wall plate (16, 17) of the elastic clip (21) by a to the base plate (2) extending cutout (13) is separated.

9. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the projection (6) comprises at least one transverse to the first edge (4) oriented web (18, 19). 10. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 8, characterized in that the web (18, 19) of an edge of the rigid wall plate (16, 17) is angled.

1 1. Refrigerating appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base plate (2) is glued to the wall (45), in particular by means of a third edge (47) of the base plate (2) bridging adhesive tape

(51).

12. Refrigerating appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at a fourth edge of the base plate (2) a condensate tray (24) is formed.

13. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 12, characterized in that a plug (52) passes through a drain opening (25) of the condensate water channel (24) and engages in a wall (45) shaped drain (54).

14. Refrigerating appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaporator assembly (26) comprises an evaporator heater (59).

15. A method for mounting an evaporator assembly (26) on a wall (45) of an interior (43) of a refrigeration device, comprising the steps

a) attaching a holder (1) on the wall (45); the holder (1) a base plate (2) and at a first and a second edge (3, 4) of the base plate (2) of the wall (45) protruding projections (5, 6) comprises;

b) placing the evaporator assembly (26) at the second projection (5) projecting from the second edge (3); and

c) pivoting the evaporator assembly (26) one to the second

Projection (5) adjacent axis in the direction of the base plate (2) to a position in which an elastic clip (21) of the first edge (4)

protruding projection (6) has a first outer portion of the

Evaporator assembly (26) engages around.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that the steps b) and c) are carried out in a horizontal orientation of the refrigeration device in which in step b) the second projection (5) carries the evaporator assembly (26).

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the axis passes through a point at which the second projection (5) and the

Touch evaporator assembly (26).