Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
  • F24F13/08—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates
  • F24F13/10—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers
  • F24F13/14—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F11/00—Control or safety arrangements
  • F24F11/30—Control or safety arrangements for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
  • F24F11/41—Defrosting; Preventing freezing
  • F24F11/43—Defrosting; Preventing freezing of indoor units
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
  • F24F13/08—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates
  • F24F13/10—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers
  • F24F13/14—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre
  • F24F13/1426—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre characterised by actuating means
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
  • F24F13/08—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates
  • F24F13/10—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers
  • F24F13/14—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre
  • F24F13/1426—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre characterised by actuating means
  • F24F2013/148—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre characterised by actuating means with magnets
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D17/00—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces
  • F25D17/005—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces in cold rooms
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D21/00—Defrosting; Preventing frosting; Removing condensed or defrost water
  • F25D21/04—Preventing the formation of frost or condensate

Definitions

• the invention relates to a cooler and its wall which has an outlet opening provided with a shutter for closing the outlet opening.
• Shutters - textile cylindrical or cone-like tube parts, provided on the output of an air cooler in cooling rooms, are known in the art. While in use, such a shutter is inflated by the passing air flow. Meanwhile, icing is being generated on the evaporator of the cooler and it has to be removed once in a while. In the course of de-icing, the ventilator is switched off, a heating of the cooler is switched on and the shutter deflates and covers the output of the cooler, which accelerates the de-icing.
• Use of said textile tubular shutters is disadvantageous in that the shutters flutter due to the passing air when the cooler is in use.
• Chunks of ices, carried away by the air flow, are being entrapped in the shutters which makes the shutters heavier, which in turn restricts the airflow.
• the shutters tear apart in long time use.
• the aim of the invention is thus to find such a design of the shutter which would enable exit of the air from the ventilator/cooler while in use without damaging the shutter and at the same time enable the automatic covering of the ventilator outlet for de-icing.
• a wall of a cooler for cooling of spaces by means of a cooled air flow comprising:
• the shutter is swivellingly movable from a closed position, in which the shutter covers the outlet opening, to an open position, in which the shutter is arranged above a space, which is adjacent to the outlet opening, wherein the shutter is provided with a first retaining element for holding the shutter in the open position, the first retaining element being arranged spaced apart from axis of swivelling of the shutter, wherein a second retaining element is fixed or fixable above the space adjacent to the outlet opening, such that the first retaining element abuts the second retaining element when the shutter is in the open position, wherein at least one of the retaining elements is adapted to exert attractive magnetic force with respect to the other of the retaining elements for holding the shutter in the open position.
• the first retaining element is an electromagnet and the second retaining element is ferromagnetic metal member, or
• the first retaining element is a ferromagnetic metal member and the second retaining element is an electromagnet, or
• the first retaining element is a permanent magnet and the second retaining is a ferromagnetic metal member, or
• the first retaining element is a ferromagnetic metal member and the second retaining element is a permanent magnet, or
• said first retaining element is a permanent magnet and the second retaining element is a permanent magnet.
• the shutter comprises a base part, the shape of which corresponds to cross-section shape of the outlet opening, and side- walls, which extend from the base part along its whole circumference or along a part of its circumference, or along the whole circumference except the swivel joint of the shutter, or spaced from the swivel joint.
• the side-wall s do not extend along a region, which is opposite the region of the swivel joint.
• a socket which surrounds the outlet opening at the external side of the wall, wherein in the closed position, the side-walls of the shutter are preferably adjacent to the external side of the socket.
• the wall further comprises a third retaining element which is directly or indirectly fixed to the wall, wherein - to hold the shutter in the closed position - the first retaining element is adapted to exert magnetic force of attraction on the third retaining element and/or the third retaining element is adapted to exert magnetic force of attraction on the first retaining element.
• a third retaining element which is directly or indirectly fixed to the wall, wherein - to hold the shutter in the closed position - the first retaining element is adapted to exert magnetic force of attraction on the third retaining element and/or the third retaining element is adapted to exert magnetic force of attraction on the first retaining element.
• the first retaining element is an electromagnet and the third retaining element is ferromagnetic metal member, or
• the first retaining element is a ferromagnetic metal member and the third retaining element is an electromagnet, or
• the first retaining element is a permanent magnet and the third retaining is a ferromagnetic metal member, or
• the first retaining element is a ferromagnetic metal member and the third retaining element is a permanent magnet, or
• said first retaining element is a permanent magnet and the third retaining element is a permanent magnet.
• the shutter may be provided with a supplementary retaining element, wherein the third retaining element is arranged such that - when the shutter is in the closed position - the third retaining element abuts the supplementary retaining element and retains the shutter in the closed position.
• the supplementary retaining element and the third retaining element are adapted such that at least one of them exerts attractive magnetic force on the other, preferred combinations of magnets / ferromagnetic materials are stated above.
• the shutter is made of textile material and advantageously the wall contains thermally insulating material extending in parallel with at least the base part of the shutter.
• the first retaining element and the second retaining element are arranged at the same distance from the swivel axis of the shutter.
• the wall further contains a grid, which covers the outlet opening and which is surrounded by the shutter in the closed position.
• the above aim is also achieve with a cooler for cooling of rooms by a cooled air flow, wherein its cover comprises the above described wall, wherein said cooler comprises a ventilator, to which the outlet opening of the cooler is adjacent.
• Fig. 1 shows a side view of the shutter in its open position
• Fig. 2 shows a side view of the shutter in its closed position
• Fig. 3 shows a front view of the shutter
• Fig. 4 shows a side view of the of a second exemplifying embodiment in its open position
• Fig. 5 shows a side view of the embodiment of Fig. 4 in its closed position
• Fig. 6 shows the front view of the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5.
• Fig. 7 shows a third exemplifying embodiment.
• the exemplifying embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings comprises a shutter 8, the upper portion of which is hinged to a socket 2, which is mounted on a grid 3, which in turn is fixed in an outlet opening of a ventilator of a cooler 1.
• the outlet opening of the cooler 1 is circular in the embodiment shown and the grid 3 thus has a lateral cylindrical portion, which is adjoined with a circular portion.
• the grid 3 is absent.
• the socket 2 is arranged adjacent the lateral portion of the grid 3 and can be made of a textile material, plastic, metal or a combination thereof. Alternatively, the socket 2 can make part of a cover of the cooler 1 or it may be absent.
• the shutter 8 comprises a base portion 20, which is preferably flat, and side-wall 21 which extends along a part of the circumference of the base portion 20 and the internal shape of which corresponds to the external shape of the socket 2.
• the sidewalls 21 are or are not arranged in the area, in which the shutter 8 is hinged.
• the side-walls 21 can be perpendicular to the base portion 20 or can be deflected from the base portion by 1 to 15° relative to the perpendicular direction, thus encompassing a space the cross-section of which widens from the base portion 20.
• the shutter 8 is made of a textile material and in the most preferred embodiment it contains an insulation material 100, e.g. a nonwoven polyester textile layer, namely the insulation is contained in the base part 20, in some case also in the side-walls 21.
• the base part 20 and/or the side-walls 21 can be formed such that they contain e.g. a pair of external woven textile layers, between which an insulation non-woven polyester textile layer is arranged.
• the textile material of the shutter 8 is preferably adapted so as to have a decreased flammability, namely by a modification of chemical structure of the fibers, by an addition of chemicals to the spunmelt or by an additional application of chemicals.
• the shutter 8 is hinged to the socket 2, e.g. sewn to the socket 2, with its upper edge such that it covers the grid 3 or rather the outlet opening of the ventilator of the cooler 1 in the closed position, and such that it is possible to tilt it upward to the open position.
• the angle between the shutter 8 in the closed position and the shutter 8 in the open position is 90° ⁇ 10°, preferably 90° ⁇ 5°.
• the shape of the socket 2, and thus of the side- walls 21 of the shutter 8 as well, is adjusted to the shape of the outlet opening of the cooler 1.
• the outlet opening of the cooler 1 is circular and the socket 2 and the side-walls 21 are thus essentially cylindrical. Nevertheless, it is possible to use another shape of the outlet opening of the cooler 1, e.g. an oval, a rectangle, a polygon etc., wherein the socket 2 and the side- walls 21 of the shutter 8 go along the corresponding circumferential line, always with an overlap.
• the side- walls 21 and the edge of the shutter 8 are planar in the area of the hinged fastening of the shutter 8, while outside of this area, the side- walls 21 have a shape of a part of a lateral surface of a cylinder.
• the side-walls 21 are dimensioned so that they encompass, with a clearance, the socket 2 (or the grid 3) or the outlet from the cooler 1 in general.
• the shutter 8 is provided with a first retaining element 5 on the side opposite to the area of the hinged fastening.
• the first retaining element 5 can be e.g. sewn into an openable or non-openable pocket on the side-wall 21 of the shutter 8.
• the first retaining element 5 is firmly fastened in a sleeve on the side-wall 21 of the shutter 8, the sleeve extending perpendicularly to the plane of the base part 20 of the shutter 8 and being open at both of its ends so that the ends of the first retaining element 5 protrude out of it or at least match the sleeve ends.
• the first retaining element 5 is provided with a groove for a loop, the groove enabling a firm fastening to the side-wall 21 of the shutter 8 by means of a rigid or flexible loop fixed to the side-wall 21.
• a carrier 7 of a second retaining element 4 is fixed to the socket 2, the carrier 7 having an L-shape in the present embodiment, wherein its first part vertically extends above the level of the upper portion of the shutter 8 and its second part extends horizontally above the space adjacent to the grid 3 on the external side, thus above the space, in which the shutter 8 moves during the swivel movement.
• the second retaining element 4 is fixed to the carrier 7 so that after opening the shutter 8 (after swivelling the shutter up to be above the area of the air output from the cooler 1) the first retaining element 5 abuts the second retaining element 4 either directly or through the textile, by means of which the retaining element 5 is fixed to the shutter 8.
• the distance of the lower end of the second retaining element 4 to the axis of the tilting movement of the shutter 8 is identical to the distance of the lower end of the first retaining element 5 (in the open position) to said axis.
• the first retaining element 5 is a part made of a ferromagnetic material, while the second retaining element 4 is an electromagnet, which is preferably connected to a control unit of the cooler 1.
• the first retaining element 5 can be a permanent magnet and the second retaining element 4 can thus be made of any material, on which the first retaining element 5 exerts a sufficient force of attraction.
• the carrier 7 needs not to be connected to the socket, but it can be fixed directly to the cooler 1, or eventually, it needs not to be connected to any part of the device.
• the second retaining element 4 is fixed e.g. to a separate structure hung from a ceiling of the cooling room, or it can be fixed directly to the ceiling or another structure making part of the cooling room (as further described with regard to the second embodiment).
• a third retaining element 6 is fixed, said third element 6 being arranged in the same distance from the swivel axis of the shutter 8 as the first retaining element 5, whereas after the shutter 8 is tilted downwards, thus closing the outlet opening of the cooler 1, the first retaining element 5 is adjacent to the third retaining element 6 directly or through the textile, by means of which the first retaining element 5 is fastened to the shutter 8.
• the third retaining element 6 is a permanent magnet. In an alternative embodiment, an electromagnet can be used as well. In general terms, the first and the third retaining element 5 and 6 are selected so that at least one of them can exert magnetic force of attraction on the other.
• the second retaining element 4 is not arranged on the carrier 7 which is absent in this embodiment, but on a bracket 101, fixed to the ceiling of the room. Alternatively, it can be fixed directly to the ceiling.
• the form of the shutter 8 with regard to the embodiment of Fig. 1-3 is modified so that its side-wall 21 is discontinuous or contains a cut-out in the area located the farthest from the tilt axis of the shutter 8, so that when the shutter is opened, there can be no air gusts in a part of the side-wall 21 which would be arranged perpendicularly to the air flow direction.
• Textile insulation material 100 can be sewn onto or into the shutter 8 in parallel with the base part 20.
• the insulation material can be sewn into the side- walls 21 as well, eventually sewn onto the side-wall s 21.
• the shutter 8 is further provided with a first retaining element 5, which is fixed to the base part 20 of the shutter 8 in this case and is adjacent to the second retaining element 4, when the shutter 8 is opened.
• the side-walls 21 of the shutter 8 are provided with additional retaining elements 5b, which are adjacent to the third retaining elements 6, when the shutter 8 is closed, the retaining elements 6 being arranged on the socket 2.
• additional retaining element 5b is used along with one third retaining element 6 opposite to it.
• the third retaining element 6 can have the form of an elongated magnetic strip fixed about the socket 2, while the additional retaining element 5b has the form of a ferromagnetic metal part, or the additional retaining element 5b can be in the form of an elongated magnetic strip extending along the internal side of the side-wall 2, whereas the third retaining element 6 has the form of a ferromagnetic metal part.
• the shutter 8 is further provided with a heating element 102, preferably in the form of a metal wire sewn into the sleeve, the metal wire extending in or along the base part 20 of the shutter 8 and being connectable to a power source.
• the heating element 102 significantly increases the effectivity of the de-icing and preferably is releasable from the shutter 8.
• the device of Figs. 1 through 3 operates as follows: At the start, the shutter 8 is tilted downwards, thus closing the outlet opening of the cooler 1. After activation, the cooler 1 cools the air fed into it and forces the cooled air to flow out through the outlet opening by means of the ventilator. Simultaneously, the electromagnet is switched on, which serves as the second retaining element 4. The air flow generated by the ventilator swivels the shutter 8 upward. Subsequently, the effect of the magnetic force of attraction between the electromagnet in the form of the second retaining element 4 and the ferromagnetic metal part in the form of the first retaining element 5 holds the shutter 8 in the open position, essentially above the air flow exiting the cooler 1.
• the cooling and the ventilator of the cooler 1 are switched off, whereas the heating is switched on and the electromagnet in the form of the second retaining element 4 is switched off as well.
• the shutter 8 tilts downward by effect of its own weight and the first retaining element 5 thus comes within the range of the force of attraction of the third retaining element 6 and is attracted by said element so that a tight closing of the outlet opening of the cooler 1 by the shutter 8 is ensured.
• the side-walls 21 are adjacent with a clearance to the socket 2, thus sealing the closure of the cooler 1, which significantly increases the effectivity of the de-icing.
• the electromagnet in the form of the second retaining element 4 is again switched on, the heating is switched off, the cooling and the ventilator of the cooler 1 is switched on and the air flow thus again swivels the shutter 8 upwards, bringing the first retaining element 5 within the range of the force of attraction of the electromagnet, and the shutter 8 is secured in the open position.
• both the second retaining element 4 and the third retaining element 6 are electromagnets, it is possible to activate these retaining elements 4 and 6 such that after activation of the second retaining element 4, the third retaining element 6 is switched off and vice versa.
• first retaining element 5 is an electromagnet
• second retaining element 4 and the third retaining element 6 are ferromagnetic metal parts
• a short-time deactivation of the electromagnet is sufficient when the ventilator is being switched on and off.
• the force of attraction of the first retaining element 5 is momentarily interrupted, and the shutter can thus move to the desired position (open or closed) and can be fixed in it.
• the cooler 1 can comprise a covering, in which the ventilator is arranged, while the ventilator is adjacent to an evaporator or eventually to a cooling piping for cooling of the air flow fed to the cooler 1 on one side and to the outlet opening of the cooler 1 through which the cooled air is carried outside through the grid 3.
• the shutter 8 is provided with the side- walls 21 and the first retaining element 5 is fixed to the side-wall 21.
• the side- walls 21 may not be used at all and the shutter 21 can include only the base part 20 for covering of the outlet opening of the cooler 1. Whether the side-walls 21 are present or not, the first retaining element 5 can be fastened to the base part 20 of the shutter 8 with a distance from the tilt axis of the shutter 8.
• first or the second retaining element 4 or 5 is a permanent magnet, it is preferable to design it such that its force of attraction can hold the shutter 8 in the open position while the ventilator is in use (when the open position of the shutter 8 is supported by the air flow exiting the ventilator), but it is low enough for the shutter 8 to overcome the force of attraction of the second retaining element 4 by the force of its own weight and tilt automatically to the closed position after the ventilator is switched off.
• the invention according to the second embodiment operates similarly to the first. After switching off the ventilator the electromagnet in the form of the first retaining element 5 is switched off, so that the shutter 8 tilts downwards by force of its own weight. If the grid 3 is made of a ferromagnetic material, the first retaining element can be switched on again, thus being attracted to the grid 3 by the magnetic force. The additional retaining elements 5b are attracted to the third retaining elements 6.
• the side-walls 21 are thus adjacent to the socket 2, thus sealing the closure of the cooler 1. Subsequently, the heating is switched on and - if a heating element 102 is present in the shutter 8, the heating element 102 (enhancing the de-icing effect) is switched on.
• the socket 2 is preferably made of a textile material.
• the position of the textile socket 2 slipped over the grid 3 or over the walls of the opening of the cooler 1 is preferably secured by means of a tightening belt, which is led through the socket or slipped over the socket and tightened.
• Fig. 8 shows an embodiment of the holder 9 of the shutter 8.
• the holder 9 is made up by a wire, which is bent such that it forms a pair of supporting regions 92, wherein each of the supporting regions is continued by a leg 90, the legs 90 being mutually connected by a straight suspension region 91.
• each of the supporting regions 92 of the holder 9 is L-shaped.
• the legs 90 and the straight suspension region 91 of the holder 9 are arranged on a plane perpendicular to the plane (surface), along which the supporting regions 92 extend.
• fasteners 94 in the form of Velcro strips are arranged on the socket 2.
• An additional Velcro strip (not shown) is fastenable to the fasteners 94 in order to fix the position of the holder on the socket 2.
• the holder 9 can be fixed directly to the wall of the cooler 1 or to the walls of the outlet opening of the cooler 1.
• the holder 9 is preferably fastened to the socket 2 or to the cooler 1 releasably.
• the shutter 8 is preferably provided with a openable sleeve, which extends along the straight part of the edge of the shutter 8 or along the straight part of the side- walls 21, the length of said sleeve being equal or smaller than the straight suspension region 91 of the holder 9.
• the openable sleeve is preferably openable along its entire length and can be closed e.g., by means of a snap fastener system or a Velcro fastener or a zipper. This is preferably located on the internal side of the side-wall 21.
• the holder is thus fastened to the socket 2 or directly to the cooler 1 and the shutter is fastened to the holder by its (in the closed position) upper side so that the straight suspension region 91 is arranged in the openable sleeve on the shutter 8, thus making up the swivel axis of the shutter 8.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Cooling Or The Like Of Electrical Apparatus (AREA)
• Air-Flow Control Members (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2020
  • 2020-12-01 CZ CZ2020644A patent/CZ309110B6/cs not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2021
  • 2021-12-01 WO PCT/CZ2021/050145 patent/WO2022117132A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (6)

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