EP1508006A1 - Refrigeration device and ice preparation unit therefor - Google Patents

Refrigeration device and ice preparation unit therefor

Info

Publication number
EP1508006A1
EP1508006A1 EP03752666A EP03752666A EP1508006A1 EP 1508006 A1 EP1508006 A1 EP 1508006A1 EP 03752666 A EP03752666 A EP 03752666A EP 03752666 A EP03752666 A EP 03752666A EP 1508006 A1 EP1508006 A1 EP 1508006A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
heat exchanger
ice maker
ice
refrigerant
cooling zone
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP03752666A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1508006B1 (en
Inventor
Klaus Flinner
Georg Hausmann
Stefan Holzer
Jörg STELZER
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Original Assignee
BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH filed Critical BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Publication of EP1508006A1 publication Critical patent/EP1508006A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1508006B1 publication Critical patent/EP1508006B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • 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
    • F25D11/00—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
    • F25D11/02—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators with cooling compartments at different temperatures
    • F25D11/025—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators with cooling compartments at different temperatures using primary and secondary refrigeration systems
    • 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
    • F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
    • F25C1/00—Producing ice
    • F25C1/04—Producing ice by using stationary moulds
    • 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
    • F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
    • F25C1/00—Producing ice
    • F25C1/22—Construction of moulds; Filling devices for moulds
    • F25C1/24—Construction of moulds; Filling devices for moulds for refrigerators, e.g. freezing trays
    • 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
    • F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
    • F25C2400/00—Auxiliary features or devices for producing, working or handling ice
    • F25C2400/10—Refrigerator units

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an ice maker for use in a refrigerator and a refrigerator equipped with such an ice maker.
  • the simplest form of an ice maker for a refrigeration device is a bowl which can be filled with water and divided into a plurality of chambers and which can be placed in the freezer compartment of a refrigeration device in order to freeze the water therein.
  • the freezing process takes a long time, since cooling of the dish by contact with the evaporator of the freezer compartment is only possible at the bottom of the dish, provided that the evaporator itself forms the bottom of the freezer compartment.
  • the evaporator is generally arranged on the rear wall of the freezer compartment, so that the shell is cooled essentially only indirectly via air circulating in the freezer compartment and takes a long time.
  • An unforeseen need for ice cream cannot be met in the short term with this simple ice maker.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker for a refrigeration device or a refrigeration device equipped with such an ice maker, which enable rapid ice making and yet can be implemented inexpensively.
  • the object is achieved by an ice maker with the features of claim 1 or a refrigeration device with the features of claim 6.
  • An essential feature of the ice maker according to the invention is the separation of its refrigerant circuit from that of a refrigerator, to which the ice maker can be used.
  • the refrigerant circuit of the ice maker according to the invention is inherently concluded; it contains its own refrigerant, separate from that of the refrigerator. This considerably simplifies the installation of the ice maker in a refrigeration device, since with a conventional refrigeration device only minor adjustments to the refrigeration device are necessary in order to be able to install the ice maker and passages between the refrigerant circuits of the refrigeration device and ice maker are not required.
  • the ice maker can be cooled to produce ice simply by exchanging heat on the second heat exchanger, which can be placed in a cooling zone of the refrigerator that reaches temperatures below 0 ° C. It is thus possible to cool the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit of the ice maker to such an extent that it is able to freeze water in the ice container via the first heat exchanger without the ice maker having to have its own refrigeration machine. Therefore, the ice maker according to the invention can be manufactured inexpensively.
  • the refrigerant of the ice maker therefore does not have to be operated in a thermodynamic cycle process, it can advantageously be selected so that it remains liquid in the entire refrigerant circuit under normal operating conditions of the ice maker. With a comparatively low volume throughput of the refrigerant circuit, larger amounts of heat can be transported than with a gaseous refrigerant.
  • the second heat exchanger is preferably designed as a reservoir for the refrigerant, i.e. its volume is larger than would be necessary from the point of view of efficient heat exchange when the refrigerant flows through. This makes it possible to store a large amount of cold refrigerant in the second heat exchanger as long as the ice maker is not being used. On the other hand, when it is put into operation, a large amount of cooled refrigerant is immediately available.
  • the ice maker is preferably provided with a pump to circulate the refrigerant.
  • This can advantageously be associated with a time switching device for controlling the operation of the pump. After the ice maker has been started by a user, this enables the pump to be switched off automatically after a period of time which is likely to be sufficient for the filled water to freeze. This ensures that the cooling zone of the refrigerator, in which the second heat exchanger is is brought, is not constantly supplied via this heat when this is no longer required to freeze the water in the ice bucket.
  • switching off the pump enables the finished ice to thaw on the surface in the ice bucket, which simplifies its removal from the ice bucket.
  • the refrigerator according to the invention has at least a first and a second cooling zone, which can be kept at different temperatures, and the ice container is arranged in the first and the second heat exchanger in the second cooling zone.
  • the ice container or the first heat exchanger connected to it thus contribute to cooling the first cooling zone, while the second cooling zone is heated by the second heat exchanger. While the operation of the ice maker increases the need for cooling capacity in the second cooling zone, that in the first cooling zone decreases accordingly, so that the overall cooling output requirement of the refrigeration device is not significantly influenced by the operation of the ice maker.
  • a space-saving accommodation of the second heat exchanger is possible in particular on the ceiling or on the floor of the second cooling zone.
  • the second heat exchanger preferably extends essentially over the entire width and / or depth of the second cooling zone.
  • the ice maker of the refrigeration device can advantageously be installed and removed. This means that when the icemaker is not in use, the space it occupies can be used for other refrigerated goods.
  • a connector for the power supply of the pump is preferably arranged on an inner wall of a cooling zone.
  • the refrigerant circuit between the first and the second heat exchanger is at least partially formed by flexible hoses.
  • this makes it possible to position the ice cream container in the first cooling zone at changing locations that are not currently occupied by refrigerated goods; on the other hand, this is made possible by the Hoses achieved mobility of the ice bucket in relation to the second heat exchanger, to store the ice maker in a space-saving manner when removed.
  • FIG. 1 shows a refrigeration device according to the invention with two cold compartments of different temperature separated by a partition, shown without a door, in a schematic view from the front;
  • FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a first heat exchanger and an ice container of the ice maker according to the invention
  • Fig. 3 is a plan view of the second heat exchanger of the ice maker
  • Fig. 4 excerpts of the partition in the area near the door.
  • Fig. 1 shows a schematic front view of a refrigerator with an ice maker according to the present invention.
  • the refrigerator has two cooling zones, a refrigerator compartment or fresh cooler compartment 1 in the upper region of the appliance, which is kept at temperatures above 0 ° C. in normal operation of the refrigerator, and a freezer compartment 2 in the lower region, which is at temperatures below 0 in normal operation ° C is maintained.
  • the two compartments 1, 2 can be closed by a common door or preferably individually by separate doors, which are not shown in the figure.
  • An ice maker mounted in the refrigerator essentially comprises two assemblies 3, 4 which are arranged in the refrigerator compartment 1 and the freezer compartment 2, respectively.
  • the first assembly 3 comprises a first heat exchanger and an ice bucket and is shown in detail in FIG. 2; the second assembly comprises a pump and a second heat exchanger and is shown in detail in FIG. 3.
  • the two assemblies are connected to one another by refrigerant lines 5, 6.
  • the refrigerant lines 5, 6 can extend freely over the front edge of a horizontal partition 7 that separates the two compartments 1, 2 from each other demarcates. If every subject 1 and 2 is equipped with its own door, as shown in FIG.
  • a cutout 8 can be formed on the front edge of the partition 7, into which a closure body 9 can be inserted in such a way that complementary semi-cylindrical indentations 10 at the edges of the cutout 8 or the closure body 9 together limit passages for the refrigerant lines 5, 6, and at the same time the front edge 11 of the closure body 9 is flush with the partition 7.
  • Fig. 2 shows a possible embodiment of the first assembly 3 of the ice maker.
  • the first heat exchanger 12 of the assembly 3 is designed here as a hollow body made of metal or plastic, with two connecting pieces 13 for the refrigerant lines 5, 6 on a side wall of the heat exchanger and a plurality of compartments or depressions 14 on an upper side of the heat exchanger.
  • the front side wall of the first heat exchanger 12 is shown partially cut away to show partitions 15 which are arranged inside the heat exchanger and which force the heat transfer fluid flowing through it onto a meandering path which grazes the bottoms and side walls of all the depressions 14.
  • the entirety of the depressions 14 could already form the ice container.
  • a thin-walled shell 16 with a plurality of depressions 17 is provided as the ice container, which are dimensioned to engage positively in the depressions 14 of the first heat exchanger 12.
  • the ice container 16 can be removed after the freezing of water in its recesses 17 without having to remove the first heat exchanger 12 at the same time.
  • FIG 3 shows a top view of a possible configuration of the second heat exchanger 18 of the ice maker. This is constructed from two flat plastic half-shells which are welded to one another along their edges and along a plurality of lines 20 in order to define a meandering flow path for the refrigerant.
  • the volume of the second heat exchanger 18 is of a similar order of magnitude as that of the ice container 16. This makes it possible, at least at the beginning of an ice-making process, to cool the water in the ice container 16 with a considerably higher output than the output exchanged on the second heat exchanger 18.
  • An electrically driven pump 21 for the refrigerant is fastened to the second heat exchanger 18 and has two connecting pieces 22, 23, one 22 of which is provided for connecting to one of the refrigerant lines 5, 6 and the other 23 opens into the second heat exchanger 18.
  • Another connecting piece 24 for connecting to one of the refrigerant lines 5, 6 is arranged on the upper half-shell of the second heat exchanger 18.
  • An electrical supply cable 25 of the pump carries a plug 26.
  • a socket (not shown), which is complementary to the plug 26, for the power supply of the pump 21 is arranged on the inner wall of the freezer compartment 2.
  • a control circuit is attached to the pump 21. It is designed to supply the pump 21 with electricity for a period of time after a user has pressed a switch, the length of which is selected so that it is sufficient to freeze water filled in the ice container 16. After the time period, the control circuit turns off the pump 21.
  • the ice in the ice bucket now slowly begins to thaw, which is quite desirable since the pieces of ice formed in the individual depressions 17 of the ice bucket 16 are easier to remove when they are thawed on the surface.
  • control circuit intermittently supplies the pump 21 with current after the time period has elapsed, the duration of the switch-on phases of the pump in intermittent operation being selected such that thawing of the ice is avoided even over a long period of time ,
  • the edge lengths of the essentially rectangular second heat exchanger 18 correspond essentially to the width and depth of the freezer compartment 2, so that the second heat exchanger 18 is placed in a simple manner by placing on projections formed on the side walls of the freezer compartment or by engaging rails arranged on these walls can be.
  • the second heat exchanger 18 can be loosely placed on a tier 27, which is arranged at a short distance of a few centimeters from the ceiling of the freezer compartment 2. This variant is particularly useful if the ice maker can be assembled and disassembled by a user in the refrigerator, since the tiered stand 27, if it does not carry the second heat exchanger 18, then can be used as a carrier for cold packs or the like.
  • An alcohol or alcohol mixture or an alcohol-water mixture is particularly suitable as the refrigerant for the ice maker.
  • the pump and possibly its control circuit can of course also be contained in the first assembly.
  • freezer compartment 2 can also be arranged at the top of the refrigerator and the normal or fresh cooling compartment 1 below it; in this case there is space for the second heat exchanger at the bottom of the freezer compartment 2.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
  • Production, Working, Storing, Or Distribution Of Ice (AREA)
  • Thermotherapy And Cooling Therapy Devices (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to an ice preparation unit for a refrigeration device. Said unit comprises a refrigerant circuit and an ice container that is located in a subassembly (3) housed in a refrigeration compartment (1) of the refrigeration device, said container being in thermal contact with the refrigerant circuit by means of a first heat exchanger. A second sub-assembly (4) that is located in a freezer compartment (2) of the refrigeration device comprises a second heat exchanger of the refrigerant circuit. Water in the ice container is cooled by the dissipation of heat from the second heat exchanger to the freezer compartment (2).

Description

Kältegerät und Eisbereiter dafür Refrigerator and ice maker for it
Die vorliegende Erfindung betrifft einen Eisbereiter zur Verwendung in einem Kältegerät sowie ein mit einem solchen Eisbereiter ausgestattetes Kältegerät.The present invention relates to an ice maker for use in a refrigerator and a refrigerator equipped with such an ice maker.
Die einfachste Form eines Eisbereiters für ein Kältegerät ist eine mit Wasser befüllbare, in eine Mehrzahl von Kammern unterteilte Schale, die in das Gefrierfach eines Kältegeräts gestellt werden kann, um darin befindliches Wasser zu gefrieren.The simplest form of an ice maker for a refrigeration device is a bowl which can be filled with water and divided into a plurality of chambers and which can be placed in the freezer compartment of a refrigeration device in order to freeze the water therein.
Der Gefriervorgang nimmt lange Zeit in Anspruch, da eine Kühlung der Schale durch Kon- takt mit dem Verdampfer des Gefrierfachs nur am Boden der Schale möglich ist, sofern der Verdampfer selbst den Boden des Gefrierfachs bildet. Bei modernen Kältegeräten ist der Verdampfer im allgemeinen an der Rückwand des Gefrierfachs angeordnet, so dass die Kühlung der Schale im wesentlichen nur mittelbar über im Gefrierfach zirkulierende Luft erfolgt und noch längere Zeit in Anspruch nimmt. Ein unvorhergesehener Bedarf nach Eis kann mit diesem einfachen Eisbereiter nicht kurzfristig befriedigt werden.The freezing process takes a long time, since cooling of the dish by contact with the evaporator of the freezer compartment is only possible at the bottom of the dish, provided that the evaporator itself forms the bottom of the freezer compartment. In modern refrigeration devices, the evaporator is generally arranged on the rear wall of the freezer compartment, so that the shell is cooled essentially only indirectly via air circulating in the freezer compartment and takes a long time. An unforeseen need for ice cream cannot be met in the short term with this simple ice maker.
Um die Eisbereitung zu beschleunigen, sind Kältegeräte vorgeschlagen worden, bei denen ein Eisbereiter an den Kältemittelkreislauf des Kältegerätes angeschlossen und von diesem mit Kältemittel versorgt ist. Diese Lösung ist zwar sehr effizient, aber auch tech- nisch aufwendig und dementsprechend kostspielig, so dass sie sich eher für den kommerziellen als für den privaten Einsatz eignet.In order to accelerate the ice production, refrigeration devices have been proposed in which an ice maker is connected to the refrigerant circuit of the refrigeration device and is supplied with refrigerant by it. Although this solution is very efficient, it is also technically complex and accordingly expensive, so that it is more suitable for commercial than private use.
Aufgabe der vorliegenden Erfindung ist, einen Eisbereiter für ein Kältegerät bzw. ein mit einem solchen Eisbereiter ausgestattetes Kältegerät anzugeben, die eine schnelle Eisbe- reitung ermöglichen und dennoch preiswert realisierbar sind.The object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker for a refrigeration device or a refrigeration device equipped with such an ice maker, which enable rapid ice making and yet can be implemented inexpensively.
Die Aufgabe wird gelöst durch einen Eisbereiter mit den Merkmalen des Anspruchs 1 bzw. ein Kältegerät mit den Merkmalen des Anspruchs 6.The object is achieved by an ice maker with the features of claim 1 or a refrigeration device with the features of claim 6.
Ein wesentliches Merkmal des erfindungsgemäßen Eisbereiters ist die Trennung seines Kältemittelkreises von dem eines Kältegeräts, an dem der Eisbereiters anwendbar ist. Mit anderen Worten ist der Kältemittelkreis des erfindungsgemäßen Eisbereiters in sich ge- schlössen; er enthält sein eigenes, von dem des Kältegeräts getrenntes Kältemittel. Dies vereinfacht den Einbau des Eisbereiters in einem Kältegerät erheblich, da an einem herkömmlichen Kältegerät allenfalls geringe Anpassungen am Kältegerät erforderlich sind, um den Eisbereiter einbauen zu können und Durchgänge zwischen den Kältemittelkreisen von Kältegerät und Eisbereiter nicht benötigt werden.An essential feature of the ice maker according to the invention is the separation of its refrigerant circuit from that of a refrigerator, to which the ice maker can be used. In other words, the refrigerant circuit of the ice maker according to the invention is inherently concluded; it contains its own refrigerant, separate from that of the refrigerator. This considerably simplifies the installation of the ice maker in a refrigeration device, since with a conventional refrigeration device only minor adjustments to the refrigeration device are necessary in order to be able to install the ice maker and passages between the refrigerant circuits of the refrigeration device and ice maker are not required.
Die zum Erzeugen von Eis erforderliche Kühlung des Eisbereiters kann einfach durch Wärmeaustausch am zweiten Wärmetauscher erfolgen, der in einer Kühlzone des Kältegeräts platziert werden kann, die Temperaturen unter 0°C erreicht. So ist es möglich, das im Kältemittelkreis des Eisbereiters zirkulierende Kältemittel so weit abzukühlen, dass es in der Lage ist, über den ersten Wärmetauscher Wasser im Eisbehälter zu gefrieren, ohne dass der Eisbereiter über eine eigene Kältemaschine verfügen muss. Daher kann der erfindungsgemäße Eisbereiter preiswert hergestellt werden.The ice maker can be cooled to produce ice simply by exchanging heat on the second heat exchanger, which can be placed in a cooling zone of the refrigerator that reaches temperatures below 0 ° C. It is thus possible to cool the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit of the ice maker to such an extent that it is able to freeze water in the ice container via the first heat exchanger without the ice maker having to have its own refrigeration machine. Therefore, the ice maker according to the invention can be manufactured inexpensively.
Da somit das Kältemittel des Eisbereiters nicht in einem thermodynamischen Kreispro- zess betrieben werden muss, kann es vorteilhafterweise so ausgewählt werden, dass es unter normalen Betriebsbedingungen des Eisbereiters im gesamten Kältemittelkreis flüssig bleibt. So können bei vergleichsweise geringem Volumendurchsatz des Kältemittelkreises größere Wärmemengen als mit einem gasförmigen Kältemittel transportiert werden.Since the refrigerant of the ice maker therefore does not have to be operated in a thermodynamic cycle process, it can advantageously be selected so that it remains liquid in the entire refrigerant circuit under normal operating conditions of the ice maker. With a comparatively low volume throughput of the refrigerant circuit, larger amounts of heat can be transported than with a gaseous refrigerant.
Der zweite Wärmetauscher ist vorzugsweise als Reservoir für das Kältemittel ausgelegt, d.h. sein Volumen ist größer, als unter dem Gesichtspunkt eines effizienten Wärmeaus- tauschs bei Durchfluss des Kältemittels erforderlich wäre. Dadurch ist es möglich, eine große Menge an kaltem Kältemittel in dem zweiten Wärmetauscher zu bevorraten, solan- ge der Eisbereiter nicht genutzt wird. Wenn er in Betrieb genommen wird, steht hingegen sofort eine große Menge an abgekühltem Kältemittel zur Verfügung.The second heat exchanger is preferably designed as a reservoir for the refrigerant, i.e. its volume is larger than would be necessary from the point of view of efficient heat exchange when the refrigerant flows through. This makes it possible to store a large amount of cold refrigerant in the second heat exchanger as long as the ice maker is not being used. On the other hand, when it is put into operation, a large amount of cooled refrigerant is immediately available.
Zum Umwälzen des Kältemittels ist der Eisbereiter vorzugsweise mit einer Pumpe versehen. Dieser kann vorteilhafterweise eine Zeitschaltvorrichtung zum Steuern des Betriebs der Pumpe zugeordnet sein. Diese ermöglicht, nachdem der Eisbereiter von einem Benutzer in Gang gesetzt worden ist, nach einer voraussichtlich zum Gefrieren des eingefüllten Wassers ausreichenden Zeitspanne ein automatisches Ausschalten der Pumpe. So ist sichergestellt, dass der Kühlzone des Kältegeräts, in der der zweite Wärmetauscher un- tergebracht ist, nicht ständig über diesen Wärme zugeführt wird, wenn dies zum Gefrieren des Wassers im Eisbehälter nicht mehr erforderlich ist. Außerdem ermöglicht das Abschalten der Pumpe ein oberflächliches Antauen des fertigen Eises im Eisbehälter, was seine Entnahme aus dem Eisbehälter vereinfacht.The ice maker is preferably provided with a pump to circulate the refrigerant. This can advantageously be associated with a time switching device for controlling the operation of the pump. After the ice maker has been started by a user, this enables the pump to be switched off automatically after a period of time which is likely to be sufficient for the filled water to freeze. This ensures that the cooling zone of the refrigerator, in which the second heat exchanger is is brought, is not constantly supplied via this heat when this is no longer required to freeze the water in the ice bucket. In addition, switching off the pump enables the finished ice to thaw on the surface in the ice bucket, which simplifies its removal from the ice bucket.
Das erfindungsgemäße Kältegerät hat wenigstens eine erste und eine zweite Kühlzone, die auf verschiedenen Temperaturen haltbar sind, und der Eisbehälter ist in der ersten und der zweite Wärmetauscher in der zweiten Kühlzone angeordnet. Wenn der Eisbereiter betrieben wird, tragen so der Eisbehälter bzw. der mit ihm verbundene erste Wärmetauscher zur Kühlung der ersten Kühlzone bei, während die zweite Kühlzone durch den zweiten Wärmetauscher erwärmt wird. Während durch den Betrieb des Eisbereiters der Bedarf der zweiten Kühlzone an Kühlleistung zunimmt, nimmt der der ersten Kühlzone entsprechend ab, so dass der Gesamtkühlleistungsbedarf des Kältegeräts durch den Betrieb des Eisbereiters nicht nennenswert beeinflusst wird.The refrigerator according to the invention has at least a first and a second cooling zone, which can be kept at different temperatures, and the ice container is arranged in the first and the second heat exchanger in the second cooling zone. When the ice maker is operated, the ice container or the first heat exchanger connected to it thus contribute to cooling the first cooling zone, while the second cooling zone is heated by the second heat exchanger. While the operation of the ice maker increases the need for cooling capacity in the second cooling zone, that in the first cooling zone decreases accordingly, so that the overall cooling output requirement of the refrigeration device is not significantly influenced by the operation of the ice maker.
Eine platzsparende Unterbringung des zweiten Wärmetauschers ist insbesondere an der Decke oder am Boden der zweiten Kühlzone möglich.A space-saving accommodation of the second heat exchanger is possible in particular on the ceiling or on the floor of the second cooling zone.
Um eine große Wärmeaustauschoberfläche zu erreichen, erstreckt sich der zweite Wärmetauscher vorzugsweise im wesentlichen über die gesamte Breite und/oder Tiefe der zweiten Kühlzone.In order to achieve a large heat exchange surface, the second heat exchanger preferably extends essentially over the entire width and / or depth of the second cooling zone.
Vorteilhafterweise ist der Eisbereiter des Kältegerätes ein- und ausbaubar. So kann bei Nichtgebrauch des Eisbereiters ansonsten von ihm belegter Platz für andere Kühlgüter nutzbar gemacht werden.The ice maker of the refrigeration device can advantageously be installed and removed. This means that when the icemaker is not in use, the space it occupies can be used for other refrigerated goods.
Um den Ein- und Ausbau zu erleichtern, ist vorzugsweise an einer Innenwand einer Kühlzone ein Steckverbinder für die Stromversorgung der Pumpe angeordnet.In order to facilitate installation and removal, a connector for the power supply of the pump is preferably arranged on an inner wall of a cooling zone.
Sinnvoll ist auch, dass der Kältemittelkreis zwischen dem ersten und dem zweiten Wär- metauscher wenigstens teilweise durch flexible Schläuche gebildet ist. Dies macht es zum einen möglich, den Eisbehälter in der ersten Kühlzone an wechselnden Stellen zu positionieren, die gerade nicht von Kühlgut belegt sind; zum anderen ermöglicht die durch die Schläuche erreichte Beweglichkeit des Eisbehälters in Bezug auf den zweiten Wärmetauscher, den Eisbereiter in ausgebautem Zustand platzsparend zu lagern.It also makes sense that the refrigerant circuit between the first and the second heat exchanger is at least partially formed by flexible hoses. On the one hand, this makes it possible to position the ice cream container in the first cooling zone at changing locations that are not currently occupied by refrigerated goods; on the other hand, this is made possible by the Hoses achieved mobility of the ice bucket in relation to the second heat exchanger, to store the ice maker in a space-saving manner when removed.
Weitere Merkmale und Vorteile der Erfindung ergeben sich aus der nachfolgenden Beschreibung eines Ausführungsbeispiels mit Bezug auf die beigefügten Figuren. Es zeigen:Further features and advantages of the invention result from the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the attached figures. Show it:
Fig. 1 ein erfindungsgemäßes Kältegerät mit zwei durch eine Trennwand voneinander getrennten Kältefächern unterschiedlicher Temperatur, dargestellt ohne Tür, in schematischer Ansicht von vorne;1 shows a refrigeration device according to the invention with two cold compartments of different temperature separated by a partition, shown without a door, in a schematic view from the front;
Fig. 2 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines ersten Wärmetauschers und eines Eisbehälters des erfindungsgemäßen Eisbereiters;2 shows a perspective view of a first heat exchanger and an ice container of the ice maker according to the invention;
Fig. 3 eine Draufsicht auf den zweiten Wärmetauscher des Eisbereiters undFig. 3 is a plan view of the second heat exchanger of the ice maker and
Fig. 4 ausschnittsweise die Trennwand in ihrem türnahen Bereich.Fig. 4 excerpts of the partition in the area near the door.
Fig. 1 zeigt eine schematisierte Vorderansicht eines Kältegeräts mit einem Eisbereiter gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung. Das Kältegerät weist zwei Kühlzonen, ein Kühlfach oder Frischkühlfach 1 im oberen Bereich des Geräts, das im Normalbetrieb des Kältege- räts auf Temperaturen oberhalb von 0°C gehalten wird, und ein Gefrierfach 2 im unteren Bereich auf, das im Normalbetrieb auf Temperaturen unterhalb 0°C gehalten wird. Die zwei Fächer 1, 2 sind durch eine gemeinsame oder vorzugsweise jeweils einzeln durch getrennte Türen verschließbar, die in der Fig. nicht dargestellt sind.Fig. 1 shows a schematic front view of a refrigerator with an ice maker according to the present invention. The refrigerator has two cooling zones, a refrigerator compartment or fresh cooler compartment 1 in the upper region of the appliance, which is kept at temperatures above 0 ° C. in normal operation of the refrigerator, and a freezer compartment 2 in the lower region, which is at temperatures below 0 in normal operation ° C is maintained. The two compartments 1, 2 can be closed by a common door or preferably individually by separate doors, which are not shown in the figure.
Ein in dem Kältegerät montierter Eisbereiter umfasst im wesentlichen zwei Baugruppen 3, 4 die im Kühlfach 1 bzw. dem Gefrierfach 2 angeordnet sind. Die erste Baugruppe 3 umfasst einen ersten Wärmetauscher und einen Eisbehälter und ist in Fig. 2 im Detail dargestellt; die zweite Baugruppe umfasst eine Pumpe und einen zweiten Wärmetauscher und ist in Fig. 3 im Detail dargestellt. Die zwei Baugruppen sind durch Kältemittelleitungen 5, 6 miteinander verbunden. Bei einem Kältegerät mit einer einzigen Tür für beide Fächer 1 , 2, bei dem die Fächer nicht notwendigerweise luftdicht voneinander abgegrenzt sind, können die Kältemittelleitungen 5, 6 sich frei über die Vorderkante einer horizontalen Trennwand 7 erstrecken, die die beiden Fächer 1 , 2 gegeneinander abgrenzt. Wenn jedes Fach 1 und 2 mit einer eigenen Tür ausgestattet ist, kann, wie in Fig. 4 dargestellt, an der Vorderkante der Trennwand 7 ein Ausschnitt 8 gebildet sein, in den ein Verschlusskörper 9 derart einsteckbar ist, dass komplementäre halbzylindrische Einbuchtungen 10 an den Rändern des Ausschnitts 8 bzw. des Verschlusskörpers 9 zusammen Durchgänge für die Kältemittelleitungen 5, 6 begrenzen, und gleichzeitig der vordere Rand 11 des Ver- Schlusskörpers 9 mit dem der Trennwand 7 bündig abschließt.An ice maker mounted in the refrigerator essentially comprises two assemblies 3, 4 which are arranged in the refrigerator compartment 1 and the freezer compartment 2, respectively. The first assembly 3 comprises a first heat exchanger and an ice bucket and is shown in detail in FIG. 2; the second assembly comprises a pump and a second heat exchanger and is shown in detail in FIG. 3. The two assemblies are connected to one another by refrigerant lines 5, 6. In a refrigerator with a single door for both compartments 1, 2, in which the compartments are not necessarily airtight, the refrigerant lines 5, 6 can extend freely over the front edge of a horizontal partition 7 that separates the two compartments 1, 2 from each other demarcates. If every subject 1 and 2 is equipped with its own door, as shown in FIG. 4, a cutout 8 can be formed on the front edge of the partition 7, into which a closure body 9 can be inserted in such a way that complementary semi-cylindrical indentations 10 at the edges of the cutout 8 or the closure body 9 together limit passages for the refrigerant lines 5, 6, and at the same time the front edge 11 of the closure body 9 is flush with the partition 7.
Fig. 2 zeigt eine mögliche Ausgestaltung der ersten Baugruppe 3 des Eisbereiters. Der erste Wärmetauscher 12 der Baugruppe 3 ist hier als Hohlkörper aus Metall oder Kunststoff ausgebildet, mit zwei Anschlussstutzen 13 für die Kältemittelleitungen 5, 6 an einer Seitenwand des Wärmetauschers und einer Vielzahl von Fächern oder Vertiefungen 14 an einer Oberseite des Wärmetauschers. Die vordere Seitenwand des ersten Wärmetauschers 12 ist teilweise aufgeschnitten dargestellt, um Trennwände 15 zu zeigen, die im Inneren des Wärmetauschers angeordnet sind und die diesen durchströmende Wärmeträgerflüssigkeit auf eine mäanderförmige Bahn zwingen, die die Böden und Seitenwände aller Vertiefungen 14 streift.Fig. 2 shows a possible embodiment of the first assembly 3 of the ice maker. The first heat exchanger 12 of the assembly 3 is designed here as a hollow body made of metal or plastic, with two connecting pieces 13 for the refrigerant lines 5, 6 on a side wall of the heat exchanger and a plurality of compartments or depressions 14 on an upper side of the heat exchanger. The front side wall of the first heat exchanger 12 is shown partially cut away to show partitions 15 which are arranged inside the heat exchanger and which force the heat transfer fluid flowing through it onto a meandering path which grazes the bottoms and side walls of all the depressions 14.
Bei einer einfachen Ausgestaltung könnte bereits die Gesamtheit der Vertiefungen 14 den Eisbehälter bilden. Bei der hier betrachteten Ausgestaltung ist als Eisbehälter jedoch eine dünnwandige Schale 16 mit einer Vielzahl von Vertiefungen 17 vorgesehen, die bemes- sen sind, um formschlüssig in die Vertiefungen 14 des ersten Wärmetauschers 12 einzugreifen. So kann der Eisbehälter 16 nach dem Gefrieren von Wasser in seinen Vertiefungen 17 entnommen werden, ohne dass gleichzeitig der erste Wärmetauscher 12 entfernt werden muss.In a simple configuration, the entirety of the depressions 14 could already form the ice container. In the embodiment considered here, however, a thin-walled shell 16 with a plurality of depressions 17 is provided as the ice container, which are dimensioned to engage positively in the depressions 14 of the first heat exchanger 12. Thus, the ice container 16 can be removed after the freezing of water in its recesses 17 without having to remove the first heat exchanger 12 at the same time.
Fig. 3 zeigt eine Draufsicht auf eine mögliche Ausgestaltung des zweiten Wärmetauschers 18 des Eisbereiters. Dieser ist aufgebaut aus zwei flachen Kunststoffhalbschalen, die entlang ihrer Ränder sowie entlang einer Mehrzahl von Linien 20 miteinander verschweißt sind, um einen mäanderartigen Strömungsweg für das Kältemittel zu definieren.3 shows a top view of a possible configuration of the second heat exchanger 18 of the ice maker. This is constructed from two flat plastic half-shells which are welded to one another along their edges and along a plurality of lines 20 in order to define a meandering flow path for the refrigerant.
Das Volumen des zweiten Wärmetauschers 18 liegt in einer ähnlichen Größenordnung wie das des Eisbehälters 16. Dadurch ist es zumindest zu Beginn eines Eisbereitungsvorgangs möglich, das Wasser im Eisbehälter 16 mit einer erheblich höheren Leistung als der am zweiten Wärmetauscher 18 ausgetauschten Leistung zu kühlen. Eine elektrisch angetriebene Pumpe 21 für das Kältemittel ist an dem zweiten Wärmetauscher 18 befestigt und hat zwei Anschlussstutzen 22, 23, von denen einer 22 zum Verbinden mit einer der Kältemittelleitungen 5, 6 vorgesehen ist und der andere 23 in den zweiten Wärmetauscher 18 mündet. Ein weiterer Anschlussstutzen 24 zum Verbinden mit ei- ner der Kältemittelleitungen 5, 6 ist an der oberen Halbschale des zweiten Wärmetauschers 18 angeordnet. Ein elektrisches Versorgungskabel 25 der Pumpe trägt einen Stecker 26. Eine nicht gezeigte, zu dem Stecker 26 komplementäre Buchse für die Stromversorgung der Pumpe 21 ist an der Innenwand des Gefrierfachs 2 angeordnet.The volume of the second heat exchanger 18 is of a similar order of magnitude as that of the ice container 16. This makes it possible, at least at the beginning of an ice-making process, to cool the water in the ice container 16 with a considerably higher output than the output exchanged on the second heat exchanger 18. An electrically driven pump 21 for the refrigerant is fastened to the second heat exchanger 18 and has two connecting pieces 22, 23, one 22 of which is provided for connecting to one of the refrigerant lines 5, 6 and the other 23 opens into the second heat exchanger 18. Another connecting piece 24 for connecting to one of the refrigerant lines 5, 6 is arranged on the upper half-shell of the second heat exchanger 18. An electrical supply cable 25 of the pump carries a plug 26. A socket (not shown), which is complementary to the plug 26, for the power supply of the pump 21 is arranged on the inner wall of the freezer compartment 2.
Eine in der Fig. nicht dargestellte Steuerschaltung ist an der Pumpe 21 angebracht. Sie ist ausgelegt, um nach Drücken eines Schalters durch einen Benutzer die Pumpe 21 für eine Zeitspanne mit Strom zu versorgen, deren Länge so gewählt ist, dass sie zum Gefrieren von in den Eisbehälter 16 eingefülltem Wasser ausreicht. Nach Ablauf der Zeitspanne stellt die Steuerschaltung die Pumpe 21 aus. Das Eis im Eisbehälter beginnt nun langsam zu tauen, was durchaus erwünscht ist, da die in den einzelnen Vertiefungen 17 des Eisbehälters 16 gebildeten Eisstücke leichter zu entnehmen sind, wenn sie oberflächlich getaut sind.A control circuit, not shown in the figure, is attached to the pump 21. It is designed to supply the pump 21 with electricity for a period of time after a user has pressed a switch, the length of which is selected so that it is sufficient to freeze water filled in the ice container 16. After the time period, the control circuit turns off the pump 21. The ice in the ice bucket now slowly begins to thaw, which is quite desirable since the pieces of ice formed in the individual depressions 17 of the ice bucket 16 are easier to remove when they are thawed on the surface.
Es kann auch vorgesehen werden, dass die Steuerschaltung nach Verstreichen der Zeit- spanne die Pumpe 21 intermittierend mit Strom versorgt, wobei die Dauer der Einschaltphasen der Pumpe im intermittierenden Betrieb so gewählt ist, dass ein Auftauen des Eises auch über einen langen Zeitraum hinweg vermieden wird.It can also be provided that the control circuit intermittently supplies the pump 21 with current after the time period has elapsed, the duration of the switch-on phases of the pump in intermittent operation being selected such that thawing of the ice is avoided even over a long period of time ,
Die Kantenlängen des im wesentlichen rechteckigen zweiten Wärmetauschers 18 ent- sprechen im wesentlichen der Breite und Tiefe des Gefrierfachs 2, so dass der zweite Wärmetauscher 18 in einfacher Weise durch Auflegen auf an den Seitenwänden des Gefrierfachs gebildete Vorsprünge oder Eingreifen in an diesen Wänden angeordnete Schienen platziert werden kann.The edge lengths of the essentially rectangular second heat exchanger 18 correspond essentially to the width and depth of the freezer compartment 2, so that the second heat exchanger 18 is placed in a simple manner by placing on projections formed on the side walls of the freezer compartment or by engaging rails arranged on these walls can be.
Alternativ ist aμch möglich, den zweiten Wärmetauscher 18 lose auf eine Etagere 27 aufzulegen, die in einem geringen Abstand von wenigen Zentimetern von der Decke des Gefrierfachs 2 angeordnet ist. Diese Variante ist insbesondere zweckmäßig, wenn der Eisbereiter durch einen Benutzer im Kältegerät montierbar und demontierbar ist, da die Etagere 27, wenn sie nicht den zweiten Wärmetauscher 18 trägt, dann als Träger für Kühlakkus oder dergleichen nutzbar ist.Alternatively, it is also possible to loosely place the second heat exchanger 18 on a tier 27, which is arranged at a short distance of a few centimeters from the ceiling of the freezer compartment 2. This variant is particularly useful if the ice maker can be assembled and disassembled by a user in the refrigerator, since the tiered stand 27, if it does not carry the second heat exchanger 18, then can be used as a carrier for cold packs or the like.
Als Kältemittel für den Eisbereiter kommt insbesondere ein Alkohol oder Alkoholgemisch oder ein Alkohol-Wasser-Gemisch in Betracht.An alcohol or alcohol mixture or an alcohol-water mixture is particularly suitable as the refrigerant for the ice maker.
Alternativ zu den oben beschriebenen Ausführungsbeispielen kann die Pumpe und gegebenenfalls ihre Steuerschaltung selbstverständlich auch in der ersten Baugruppe enthalten sein.As an alternative to the exemplary embodiments described above, the pump and possibly its control circuit can of course also be contained in the first assembly.
Selbstverständlich kann das Gefrierfach 2 auch oben im Kältegerät und das Normal- oder Frischkühlfach 1 darunter angeordnet sein; in diesem Fall ist Einbauraum für den zweiten Wärmetauscher am Boden des Gefrierfachs 2 vorgesehen. Of course, the freezer compartment 2 can also be arranged at the top of the refrigerator and the normal or fresh cooling compartment 1 below it; in this case there is space for the second heat exchanger at the bottom of the freezer compartment 2.

Claims

Patentansprüche claims
1. Eisbereiter für ein Kältegerät, mit einem Kaltemittelkreis, der ein Kältemittel enthält, und einem Eisbehälter (16), der mit dem Kältemittelkreis über einen ersten Wärmetauscher (12) in thermischem Kontakt steht, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Kältemittelkreis von einem Kältemittelkreis eines Kältegeräts, an dem der Eisbereiter angebracht sein kann, getrennt ist und einen in einer Kühlzone (2) des Kältegeräts platzierbaren zweiten Wärmetauscher (18) umfasst.1. Ice maker for a refrigeration device, with a refrigerant circuit that contains a refrigerant, and an ice container (16) that is in thermal contact with the refrigerant circuit via a first heat exchanger (12), characterized in that the refrigerant circuit from a refrigerant circuit of a refrigeration device , to which the ice maker can be attached, is separated and comprises a second heat exchanger (18) which can be placed in a cooling zone (2) of the refrigeration device.
2. Eisbereiter nach Anspruch 1 , dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der zweite Wärmetauscher (18) als Reservoir für ein Kältemittel ausgelegt ist.2. Ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that the second heat exchanger (18) is designed as a reservoir for a refrigerant.
3. Eisbereiter nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, gekennzeichnet durch eine Pumpe (21) zum Umwälzen des Kältemittels und eine Zeitschaltvorrichtung zum Steuern des Betriebs der Pumpe.3. Ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a pump (21) for circulating the refrigerant and a timing device for controlling the operation of the pump.
4. Eisbereiter nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Kältemittel im gesamten Kältemittelkreis unter normalen Betriebsbedingungen des Eisbereiters flüssig ist.4. Ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the refrigerant is liquid in the entire refrigerant circuit under normal operating conditions of the ice maker.
5. Eisbereiter nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der zweite Wärmetauscher während des Betriebs des Eisbereiters Wärme an die Kühlzone abgibt.5. Ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second heat exchanger emits heat to the cooling zone during the operation of the ice maker.
6. Kältegerät mit einem Eisbereiter nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es wenigstens eine erste und eine zweite Kühlzone (1 , 2) aufweist, die auf verschiedenen Temperaturen haltbar sind, und dass der Eisbehälter (16) in der ersten Kühlzone (1 ) und der zweite Wärmetauscher (18) in der zweiten Kühlzone (2) angeordnet ist. 6. Refrigerating appliance with an ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has at least a first and a second cooling zone (1, 2) which can be kept at different temperatures, and that the ice container (16) in the first cooling zone ( 1) and the second heat exchanger (18) is arranged in the second cooling zone (2).
7. Kältegerät nach Anspruch 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der zweite Wärmetauscher (18) an der Decke oder am Boden der zweiten Kühlzone (2) angeordnet ist.7. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that the second heat exchanger (18) is arranged on the ceiling or on the bottom of the second cooling zone (2).
8. Kältegerät nach Anspruch 6 oder 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der zweite Wärmetauscher (18) sich im wesentlichen über die gesamte Breite und/oder Tiefe der zweiten Kühlzone (2) erstreckt.8. Refrigerating appliance according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the second heat exchanger (18) extends substantially over the entire width and / or depth of the second cooling zone (2).
9. Kältegerät nach einem der Ansprüche 6 bis 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Eisbereiter ein- und ausbaubar ist.9. Refrigerating appliance according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the ice maker can be installed and removed.
10. Kältegerät nach einem der Ansprüche 6 bis 9, soweit auf Anspruch 4 rückbezogen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass an einer Innenwand einer Kühlzone (2) ein Steckverbinder für die Stromversorgung der Pumpe (21 ) angeordnet ist.10. Refrigerating appliance according to one of claims 6 to 9, as far as related to claim 4, characterized in that a connector for the power supply of the pump (21) is arranged on an inner wall of a cooling zone (2).
11. Kältegerät nach einem der Ansprüche 6 bis 10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Kältemittelkreis zwischen dem ersten und dem zweiten Wärmetauscher (12, 18) Kältemittelleitungen (5, 6) aufweist, die wenigstens teilweise durch flexible Schläuche gebildet ist. 11. Refrigerating appliance according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the refrigerant circuit between the first and the second heat exchanger (12, 18) has refrigerant lines (5, 6) which is at least partially formed by flexible hoses.
EP03752666A 2002-05-16 2003-05-13 Refrigeration device and ice preparation unit therefor Expired - Lifetime EP1508006B1 (en)

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US20050061009A1 (en) 2005-03-24
CN1653306A (en) 2005-08-10
US7216499B2 (en) 2007-05-15
EP1508006B1 (en) 2011-07-13
CN100353131C (en) 2007-12-05
ES2366948T3 (en) 2011-10-26
ATE516471T1 (en) 2011-07-15
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DE10221897B4 (en) 2005-03-10
AU2003232765A1 (en) 2003-12-02

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