EP2078908A2 - Refrigerating appliance - Google Patents
Refrigerating appliance Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2078908A2 EP2078908A2 EP08171165A EP08171165A EP2078908A2 EP 2078908 A2 EP2078908 A2 EP 2078908A2 EP 08171165 A EP08171165 A EP 08171165A EP 08171165 A EP08171165 A EP 08171165A EP 2078908 A2 EP2078908 A2 EP 2078908A2
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- refrigerating appliance
- compartments
- compartment
- flow
- distribution duct
- 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.)
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Classifications
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- 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
- F25D17/04—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection
- F25D17/042—Air treating means within refrigerated spaces
- F25D17/045—Air flow control arrangements
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- 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
- F25D17/04—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection
- F25D17/06—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection by forced circulation
- F25D17/062—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection by forced circulation in household refrigerators
- F25D17/065—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection by forced circulation in household refrigerators with compartments at different temperatures
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- 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
- F25D23/00—General constructional features
- F25D23/06—Walls
- F25D23/069—Cooling space dividing partitions
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- 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
- F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F25B2700/00—Sensing or detecting of parameters; Sensors therefor
- F25B2700/02—Humidity
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- 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
- F25D2317/00—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
- F25D2317/06—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass with forced air circulation
- F25D2317/062—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass with forced air circulation along the inside of doors
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- 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
- F25D2317/00—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
- F25D2317/06—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass with forced air circulation
- F25D2317/065—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass with forced air circulation characterised by the air return
- F25D2317/0655—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass with forced air circulation characterised by the air return through the top
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- 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
- F25D2400/00—General features of, or devices for refrigerators, cold rooms, ice-boxes, or for cooling or freezing apparatus not covered by any other subclass
- F25D2400/02—Refrigerators including a heater
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- 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
- F25D2400/00—General features of, or devices for refrigerators, cold rooms, ice-boxes, or for cooling or freezing apparatus not covered by any other subclass
- F25D2400/16—Convertible refrigerators
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- 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
- F25D2700/00—Means for sensing or measuring; Sensors therefor
- F25D2700/12—Sensors measuring the inside temperature
- F25D2700/123—Sensors measuring the inside temperature more than one sensor measuring the inside temperature in a compartment
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a refrigerating appliance according to the preamble of the first claim, and typically applies to freezers and refrigerator-freezers, in particular to upright no-frost freezers, used for preserving and/or storing foodstuffs.
- the term “freezer” refers to refrigerating appliances operating at temperatures below 0 °C, preferably between -5 °C and -30 °C; furthermore, the term “no-frost” refers to refrigerating appliances wherein foodstuffs cooling is ensured by cold air conveyed into the refrigerating cell by a forced ventilation system; the circulating air is cooled by an evaporation-type exchanger, or evaporator, by thermal exchange with a colder refrigerating fluid.
- the section through which the user can reach inside the refrigerating cell is a vertical one.
- the freezer and its refrigerating circuit are nonetheless sized for the heaviest operating conditions, which implies that they are not sized appropriately for small loads in the refrigerated compartment.
- the refrigerating apparatus described therein comprises a compartment provided in its upper region with a cold air inlet duct and a removable insulating wall, which is inserted into the compartment in order to subdivide it into two distinct chambers; each chamber includes drawers located at a distance from one another and from the back wall of the compartment, so as to create interspaces for the circulation of the cold air flow coming from the upper lamellar pack.
- the insulating wall is inserted, the air flow within the refrigerating apparatus is stopped and only the upper chamber is cooled.
- a drawback of this solution is that when no drawers are placed in the apparatus it is not possible to obtain a proper air circulation in the chambers: in fact, if the chambers are empty, no air will be directed into the interspaces provided between the drawers, so that the air will follow a random path within the chamber without ensuring a homogeneous cooling effect.
- the present invention aims at improving this state of the art by providing a refrigerating appliance consisting of a freezer or a refrigerator-freezer characterized by features that allow to reduce the energy consumption when the load conditions of the appliance change, while at the same time also being flexible to use because it can be used without distinction in a configuration with drawers or in a configuration without drawers.
- the object of the present invention is a refrigerating appliance equipped with compartments cooled by cold air produced by an evaporator and conveyed into the compartments through a distribution duct communicating therewith and housing at least one flow regulator capable of intercepting the cold air flow in order to cool one or more compartments.
- a freezer 1 in particular an upright freezer, the inner space of which is subdivided into two compartments 2, 3 separated by a separator wall 4 made of insulating material, e.g. polystyrene, polyurethane foam or the like.
- insulating material e.g. polystyrene, polyurethane foam or the like.
- Separator wall 4 may appropriately consist of a fixed component of freezer 1; as an alternative, it may be a removable component of freezer 1, so that it can be cleaned more easily.
- a condensate collector (not shown because per se known) connected through a drain tube to a basin arranged above the compressor, for discharging any condensate that may form on the separator wall.
- Two compartments 2, 3 may be accessible to a user by means of either a single door 20 or two distinct doors.
- each compartment 2 and 3 houses drawers 5 of a per se known type, which are adapted to contain foodstuffs; compartments 2, 3 may however accommodate no drawers, but be fitted, for example, with shelves for supporting the foodstuffs, without any detriment to the operation of the refrigerating appliance according to the present invention, as will be explained below.
- Freezer 1 is of the no-frost type, in accordance with the meaning provided above: for this purpose, it comprises an evaporator 6 included in the refrigerating pack, which cools an air flow produced by a fan 8.
- a distribution duct 7 provided in the form of a walled canalization at the back wall of the cell.
- the distribution duct consists of an interspace adjacent to back wall 16 of the cell which is in fluid communication with compartments 2 and 3 through apertures 11 and 11A.
- Flow regulator 9 is equipped with a shutter 10 which, in the example shown in Figs. 1 and 2 , consists of a bulkhead rotating about an axis perpendicular to duct 7, thereby intercepting the port of the duct so as to either stop the cold air flow or allow it to pass from upper section 71 to lower section 72 of distribution duct 7.
- flow regulator 9 consists of an electromechanical valve commonly known as "damper", i.e. a bulkhead that can rotate about an axis, as shown in Figs.
- a “damper” may be included in separator wall 4, said separator wall 4 being mechanically connected to distribution duct 7 in a manner such that the damper can act upon distribution duct 7 in order to open and/or close a section thereof.
- the "damper” is an advantageous example of an actuator which can be controlled electronically in a very simple manner.
- Separator wall 4 is illustrated in more detail in Fig. 13 , and may comprise at least one region also equipped with a flow regulator 90, similar for example to flow regulator 9 and adapted to allow cold air to flow along its return path 50 towards evaporator 6, which region will be described in more detail later on.
- a flow regulator 90 similar for example to flow regulator 9 and adapted to allow cold air to flow along its return path 50 towards evaporator 6, which region will be described in more detail later on.
- the cold air flow produced by fan 8 is conveyed into distribution duct 7, and from there it is distributed homogeneously into compartments 2 and 3 through apertures 11 and 11A, respectively.
- flow regulator 9 can also be actuated for closing the section of duct 7 only partially: by varying the degree of opening of flow regulator 9, the flow rate of the cold air conveyed into compartment 3 is changed accordingly, resulting in a temperature variation within that compartment.
- Flow regulator 90 arranged on wall 4 is controlled in the same manner as flow regulator 9 of distribution duct 7: when the latter closes duct 7, flow regulator 90 is also controlled for closing air return path 50, in order to insulate the two adjacent compartments thermally. Likewise, flow regulator 90 may also close or open the air passage section partially.
- control and actuation units may be either built in, e.g. when the flow regulator is actuated manually, or separate, e.g. when the shutter is actuated by a drive unit such as an electric motor, which is controlled by a control element such as a push-button or a lever that can be operated by a user.
- the air circulation in the freezer is illustrated through downward-pointing arrows in duct 7 and upward-pointing arrows (which designate a return path 50 in which flow regulator 90 of separator wall 4 is located) alongside door 20: the air, cooled by evaporator 6, is pushed by fan 8 into upper section 71 of duct 7, and then enters duct 2 through apertures 11; if flow regulator 9 is open, the remaining cold air flow is pushed downwards into second section 72 of duct 7 and enters lower compartment 3 through corresponding apertures 11A.
- return path 50 comprises an interspace obtained between separator wall 4 and the door's inner panel; in another embodiment which is more efficient from the energetic point of view, said interspace is kept to a minimum and return path 50 comprises a canalization obtained within separator wall 4 and adapted to put compartment 3 in communication with compartment 2.
- flow regulator 9 When only the upper compartment 2 must be cooled, flow regulator 9 is closed in order to stop the downward-directed cold air flow, and also flow regulator 90 is closed in order to prevent any thermal dispersion towards compartment 3, which requires no cooling.
- duct 7, which is distinct from compartments 2 and 3, is preferably arranged behind back wall 16 of said compartments, which is opposite to door 20, thus improving the compactness of freezer 1.
- Figs. 3 to 6 show some different types of flow regulators which are especially advantageous when housed in duct 7.
- a first type of regulator which is light, inexpensive and easy to install is the one illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 in its two operating conditions (closed and open), i.e. a grid-type flow regulator 9'.
- the latter is made up of two overlaid grids 10'A, 10'B which can translate parallel to each other, so as to open or close the air passage (for simplicity, the air flow is indicated by arrows in Figs. 3 and 4 ); in this case, the flow regulator may be actuated simply and effortlessly by a user's hand.
- FIG. 5 Another type of flow regulator 9" is illustrated by way of example in Fig. 5 : in this case, the flow regulator simply consists of a slide 10" that slides perpendicularly to the axis of duct 7, so as to interrupt the continuity thereof; in this case as well, the flow regulator can be manufactured easily and economically.
- flow regulator 9''' is a butterfly unit which comprises a shutter 10''' of the same size as duct 7 in which it is inserted, which can rotate about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the duct 7, and which, in the embodiment illustrated herein by way of example, is fitted with actuation units 15 such as, for example, a direct-current electric motor that can be controlled by a user through a push-button or the like; motor 15 shutter 10''' to rotate, thus opening or closing the port of duct 7.
- actuation units 15 such as, for example, a direct-current electric motor that can be controlled by a user through a push-button or the like; motor 15 shutter 10''' to rotate, thus opening or closing the port of duct 7.
- These types of flow regulators in particular the grid type 9', may also be used on wall 4 by arranging them along the air return path 50 to the evaporator 6, and therefore preferably in the front region of wall 4 near the door, as shown in Figs. 8 and 13 .
- FIGs. 1 and 2 show a freezer 1 having only two compartments 2 and 3, it is nonetheless possible to apply the teachings of the present invention more in general to a refrigerating apparatus comprising three or more compartments cooled by cold air conveyed thereto through a distribution duct in fluid communication therewith, which houses at least one flow regulator for intercepting the cold air flow in order to cool one or more compartments.
- FIG. 7 illustrates a no-frost refrigerating appliance 1' with three compartments 21, 22 and 23, in which a distribution duct 7 conveys into compartments 21, 22 and 23 the cold air produced by a heat exchanger and pushed by a fan; the compartments have different volumes, and while compartments 21 and 23 are provided with drawers 5, remaining compartment 22 has no drawer, without any detriment to the operation of the appliance: in fact, the cold air is supplied to compartments 21, 22 and 23 through apertures 11, 11A and 11B, respectively; compartments 21, 22 and 23 are separated by separator walls 4 and 40 similar to separator wall 4 described above.
- distribution duct 7 is subdivided into three sections 71, 72 and 73, which communicate with compartments 21, 22 and 23, respectively, through apertures 11, 11A and 11B; along duct 7, between different sections 71, 72 and 73, there are two flow regulators 9 and 99 as described above; refrigerating apparatus 1' operates in the same way as well, with the only difference that by controlling flow regulators 9 and 99 a user can choose whether to cool all the compartments or only two of them, i.e. intermediate compartment 22 and upper compartment 21, or alternatively only upper compartment 21, depending on the quantity of foodstuffs stored therein.
- the separator walls are equipped with flow regulators 90, the latter will also close accordingly in order to insulate the cooled compartment(s) thermally from the uncooled compartment(s), or from those compartments which are cooled differently, as will be described below.
- flow regulator 90 may be omitted, with the only drawback of a slight thermal insulation loss when either one of two compartments 2, 3 is left uncooled, but to advantage in terms of production costs of the refrigerating appliance.
- the refrigerating appliance may even have no drawers, as shown in Fig. 8 ; for example, it may alternatively be fitted with shelves without any operational drawback.
- duct flow regulator 9 and/or wall flow regulator 90 are equipped with electric actuation units, it is conceivable to control them by using the information acquired by sensors 30 and 31, in particular by sensor 31 (preferably consisting of a temperature sensor) located in compartment 3, the cooling of which depends on the opening of distribution duct 7 by flow regulator 9, as a function of user-defined parameters (such parameters comprising, for example, a Boolean indicator attesting whether the user wants to use compartment 3 or not, or the desired temperature value within compartment 3, e.g. a simple two-position button).
- sensor 31 preferably consisting of a temperature sensor located in compartment 3
- the cooling of which depends on the opening of distribution duct 7 by flow regulator 9 as a function of user-defined parameters (such parameters comprising, for example, a Boolean indicator attesting whether the user wants to use compartment 3 or not, or the desired temperature value within compartment 3, e.g. a simple two-position button).
- the refrigerating apparatus comprises a control panel communicating with at least sensor 31 and the actuation units, and having a user interface through which it can set those parameters depending on which, once a certain temperature threshold has been detected by sensor 31, the actuation units either open or close distribution duct 7, or alternatively increase or decrease the air passage cross-section (as described above), so as to adjust the cold air flow rate and consequently the temperature in compartment 3.
- distribution duct 7 may be a simple canalization having any cross-section; for example, in Fig. 9 distribution duct 7' consists of an interspace behind wall 16 provided with an aperture 11C, in Fig.
- the duct 7" is a circular-section tube arranged behind back wall 16 and communicating with the compartments through outlets 11D
- duct 7''' is a trapezoidal-section tube arranged behind back wall 16 and communicating with the compartments through outlets 11E
- duct 7'''' is a circular-section tube arranged in front of back wall 16 (i.e. within the cell of the refrigerating appliance) and communicating with the compartments through outlets 11F
- duct 7"" may of course have a square, rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section).
- flow regulators 9 and/or 99 of the distribution duct are respectively secured to separator walls 4,40 on the side thereof that faces duct 7 in the assembled condition: in this case, duct 7 has a hole in which flow regulator 9 is inserted as shown in Fig. 14 , wherein the flow regulator is a grid-type flow regulator 9' integral with separator wall 4 and inserted in the hole of duct 7.
- grid-type regulator 9' is preferable because it is very easy to install and can be interfaced at best with non-circular ducts, as is the case when duct 7 is provided as an interspace or as any non-circular-section duct (as described above). Should control efficiency have to be privileged over installation simplicity, grid-type regulator 9' may advantageously be replaced with a "damper" of the above-described type.
- walls 4, 40 are movable, they shall be fitted with slide guides, e.g. shaped as simple fins projecting from the side walls of the inner compartment of the appliance; insulating wall 4, 40 is supported by and can slide over said fins, and may be provided with a gasket or equivalent sealing means on its side edges for thermal insulation purposes.
- slide guides e.g. shaped as simple fins projecting from the side walls of the inner compartment of the appliance; insulating wall 4, 40 is supported by and can slide over said fins, and may be provided with a gasket or equivalent sealing means on its side edges for thermal insulation purposes.
- Apertures 11 may be fitted with deflectors for conveying the cold air flow into the compartments in a predetermined direction.
- evaporator 6 or fan 8 which in the example provided herein are shown in the upper portion of refrigerating apparatus 1, may likewise be arranged in the lower portion thereof: in this latter case, the cold air pushed by the fan will first follow an upward-directed path within the distribution duct, and then it will flow down again towards the evaporator and back to the fan for a new cycle; of course, in this case it will be possible to stop the cooling of the upper compartment while maintaining the cooling of the lower compartment.
- the refrigerating appliance is an upright no-frost freezer 1", which is therefore suitable for keeping the whole inner space at a temperature substantially lower than 0°C, and an electric resistance 60 is installed in lower compartment 3 for warming said compartment to a temperature between 0°C and 10°C, as shown by way of example in Fig. 8 : with flow regulator 9 in the open condition, lower compartment 3 is cooled by cold air to a temperature between -5°C and -30°C, typically -18°C; should it be desirable to turn the lower compartment 3 into a refrigerator compartment (i.e. operating at a higher temperature between 0°C and 10°C, typically 5°C) or into a higher-temperature freezer compartment (e.g.
- -12°C which temperature is particularly appropriate for preserving foodstuffs to be taken within a short time from freezing or for optimally preserving particular types of foodstuffs, such as ice-cream, for which the traditional 18°C freezing temperature is not recommended), it will be sufficient to turn on the electric resistance, which will then generate heat, thus increasing the compartment temperature to the desired value (i.e. about -12°C or above 0°C, according to the user's preferences).
- This solution allows to obtain a refrigerating apparatus which, while being equipped with a single evaporator of the type adapted to be installed in freezers, has a compartment that can alternatively be kept at ambient temperature or cooled like any traditional freezer compartment (i.e. substantially to -18°C), or else cooled like a higher-temperature freezer compartment (i.e. substantially to -12°C) or like a refrigerator compartment (i.e. substantially operating at temperatures higher than 0°C). It follows that this refrigerating appliance offers wide flexibility of use.
- lower compartment 3 may be converted into a variable-temperature compartment by providing that, within the refrigerating appliance architecture illustrated in Fig. 1 , flow regulator 9 has several degrees of opening, each of which corresponds to a predetermined refrigerating power level supplied to compartment 3.
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- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Cold Air Circulating Systems And Constructional Details In Refrigerators (AREA)
- Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a refrigerating appliance according to the preamble of the first claim, and typically applies to freezers and refrigerator-freezers, in particular to upright no-frost freezers, used for preserving and/or storing foodstuffs.
- It should be stated beforehand that, in the present description and in the following claims, the term "freezer" (as well as "refrigerator-freezer") refers to refrigerating appliances operating at temperatures below 0 °C, preferably between -5 °C and -30 °C; furthermore, the term "no-frost" refers to refrigerating appliances wherein foodstuffs cooling is ensured by cold air conveyed into the refrigerating cell by a forced ventilation system; the circulating air is cooled by an evaporation-type exchanger, or evaporator, by thermal exchange with a colder refrigerating fluid. In an upright freezer or refrigerator-freezer, the section through which the user can reach inside the refrigerating cell is a vertical one.
- An important aspect related to the operation of these appliances is the variability of the load placed therein; in fact, in normal household applications the quantity of foodstuffs preserved in the freezer may change considerably over one or more weeks: as a matter of fact, the freezer is usually full of foodstuffs immediately after shopping, and is then gradually emptied within 1-2 weeks, so that the operating conditions of the appliance may change significantly between the beginning and the end of this time interval.
- Of course, the freezer and its refrigerating circuit are nonetheless sized for the heaviest operating conditions, which implies that they are not sized appropriately for small loads in the refrigerated compartment.
- In fact, when the load occupies only a limited portion of the freezer compartment, the refrigerating system still operates as if the freezer compartment were completely filled with foodstuffs. This leads to a much higher energy consumption than would theoretically be required for preserving those foodstuffs properly.
- A solution to this problem is described in document
EP 320 574 - A drawback of this solution is that when no drawers are placed in the apparatus it is not possible to obtain a proper air circulation in the chambers: in fact, if the chambers are empty, no air will be directed into the interspaces provided between the drawers, so that the air will follow a random path within the chamber without ensuring a homogeneous cooling effect.
- The present invention aims at improving this state of the art by providing a refrigerating appliance consisting of a freezer or a refrigerator-freezer characterized by features that allow to reduce the energy consumption when the load conditions of the appliance change, while at the same time also being flexible to use because it can be used without distinction in a configuration with drawers or in a configuration without drawers.
- The object of the present invention is a refrigerating appliance equipped with compartments cooled by cold air produced by an evaporator and conveyed into the compartments through a distribution duct communicating therewith and housing at least one flow regulator capable of intercepting the cold air flow in order to cool one or more compartments.
- The features of the invention are set out specifically in the appended claims; said features and the advantages obtained therefrom will become more apparent from the following description concerning a non-limiting example of the invention.
- The example of the present invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein:
-
Fig. 1 is a sectional side view of a freezer according to the present invention in a first operating condition, wherein the whole inner space is cooled; -
Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of the freezer ofFig. 1 in a second operating condition, wherein the inner space in only partially cooled; -
Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of a grid-type flow regulator in the closed condition; -
Fig. 4 is a sectional side view of the flow regulator ofFig. 3 in the open condition; -
Fig. 5 is a sectional side view of a slide-type flow regulator; -
Fig. 6 is a sectional side view of a butterfly-type flow regulator; -
Fig. 7 is a sectional side view of a freezer according to the present invention with more than two compartments; -
Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the refrigerating apparatus ofFig. 1 without drawers and with an auxiliary evaporator; -
Fig. 9 shows an embodiment of a distribution duct provided in the form of an interspace of the back wall of the freezer compartment; -
Fig. 10 shows an embodiment of a distribution duct provided in the form of a circular-section tube arranged behind the back wall of the freezer compartment; -
Fig. 11 shows an embodiment of a distribution duct provided in the form of a trapezoidal-section tube arranged behind the back wall of the freezer compartment; -
Fig. 12 shows an embodiment of a distribution duct provided in the form of a circular-section tube arranged in front of the back wall of the freezer compartment; -
Fig. 13 shows an insulating separator wall fitted with a flow regulator; -
Fig.14 is a sectional view of a separator wall equipped with a flow regulator inserted in the distribution duct. - Referring to
Figs. 1 and 2 , there is shown afreezer 1, in particular an upright freezer, the inner space of which is subdivided into twocompartments separator wall 4 made of insulating material, e.g. polystyrene, polyurethane foam or the like. - Tests carried out have shown that for thermal insulation purposes the proper thickness of the separator wall lies between 40mm and 60mm, in particular 50mm.
-
Separator wall 4 may appropriately consist of a fixed component offreezer 1; as an alternative, it may be a removable component offreezer 1, so that it can be cleaned more easily. - On the underside of the separator wall there may be provided a condensate collector (not shown because per se known) connected through a drain tube to a basin arranged above the compressor, for discharging any condensate that may form on the separator wall.
- Two
compartments single door 20 or two distinct doors. - In the illustrated example, each
compartment houses drawers 5 of a per se known type, which are adapted to contain foodstuffs;compartments - Freezer 1 is of the no-frost type, in accordance with the meaning provided above: for this purpose, it comprises an
evaporator 6 included in the refrigerating pack, which cools an air flow produced by afan 8. - In
Figs. 1 and 2 there is adistribution duct 7 provided in the form of a walled canalization at the back wall of the cell. - In the embodiment shown in
Figs. 1, 2 ,7 and 8 , the distribution duct consists of an interspace adjacent toback wall 16 of the cell which is in fluid communication withcompartments apertures - Along
distribution duct 7 there is aflow regulator 9, as shown in the enlarged details inFigs. 1 and 2 . -
Flow regulator 9 is equipped with ashutter 10 which, in the example shown inFigs. 1 and 2 , consists of a bulkhead rotating about an axis perpendicular toduct 7, thereby intercepting the port of the duct so as to either stop the cold air flow or allow it to pass fromupper section 71 tolower section 72 ofdistribution duct 7. According to a possible embodiment of the present invention,flow regulator 9 consists of an electromechanical valve commonly known as "damper", i.e. a bulkhead that can rotate about an axis, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2 and as known to those skilled in the art of household refrigeration; such a "damper" may be included inseparator wall 4, saidseparator wall 4 being mechanically connected todistribution duct 7 in a manner such that the damper can act upondistribution duct 7 in order to open and/or close a section thereof. The "damper" is an advantageous example of an actuator which can be controlled electronically in a very simple manner. -
Separator wall 4 is illustrated in more detail inFig. 13 , and may comprise at least one region also equipped with aflow regulator 90, similar for example toflow regulator 9 and adapted to allow cold air to flow along itsreturn path 50 towardsevaporator 6, which region will be described in more detail later on. - The cold air flow produced by
fan 8 is conveyed intodistribution duct 7, and from there it is distributed homogeneously intocompartments apertures -
Upper section 71 ofduct 7 communicates withupper compartment 2, whereaslower section 72 ofduct 7 communicates withlower compartment 3; thus, when in the first operating condition shown inFig. 1 , with theflow regulator 9 open, bothcompartments Fig. 2 , withflow regulator 9 closed, onlyfirst compartment 2 is cooled. - It should be mentioned that
flow regulator 9 can also be actuated for closing the section ofduct 7 only partially: by varying the degree of opening offlow regulator 9, the flow rate of the cold air conveyed intocompartment 3 is changed accordingly, resulting in a temperature variation within that compartment. - In the refrigerating apparatus according to the present invention there is thus a compartment (
upper compartment 2 in the illustrated example) which is always cooled by the cold air coming fromevaporator 6, whereas the other compartment(s) may be left uncooled or be cooled to different temperatures. -
Flow regulator 90 arranged onwall 4 is controlled in the same manner asflow regulator 9 of distribution duct 7: when the latter closesduct 7,flow regulator 90 is also controlled for closingair return path 50, in order to insulate the two adjacent compartments thermally. Likewise,flow regulator 90 may also close or open the air passage section partially. - For simplicity's sake, the flow regulators are shown in a simplified form which is useful for understanding their operation, but they are actually fitted with all the control and actuation units required for switching them from closed to open; said control and actuation units may be either built in, e.g. when the flow regulator is actuated manually, or separate, e.g. when the shutter is actuated by a drive unit such as an electric motor, which is controlled by a control element such as a push-button or a lever that can be operated by a user.
- The air circulation in the freezer is illustrated through downward-pointing arrows in
duct 7 and upward-pointing arrows (which designate areturn path 50 in whichflow regulator 90 ofseparator wall 4 is located) alongside door 20: the air, cooled byevaporator 6, is pushed byfan 8 intoupper section 71 ofduct 7, and then entersduct 2 throughapertures 11; ifflow regulator 9 is open, the remaining cold air flow is pushed downwards intosecond section 72 ofduct 7 and enterslower compartment 3 throughcorresponding apertures 11A. - After the air has exchanged heat with the foodstuffs, its temperature increases slightly and it flows back up within the compartments towards
evaporator 6, ready for a new cycle; to this end, the forced circulation generated byfan 8 pushes the air along areturn path 50 toevaporator 6. In a simpler embodiment of the present invention,return path 50 comprises an interspace obtained betweenseparator wall 4 and the door's inner panel; in another embodiment which is more efficient from the energetic point of view, said interspace is kept to a minimum andreturn path 50 comprises a canalization obtained withinseparator wall 4 and adapted to putcompartment 3 in communication withcompartment 2. - When both
compartments flow regulator 90 of the separator wall is open, and therefore the air inlower compartment 3 goes up beyondseparator wall 4 and returns toevaporator 6. - When only the
upper compartment 2 must be cooled,flow regulator 9 is closed in order to stop the downward-directed cold air flow, and alsoflow regulator 90 is closed in order to prevent any thermal dispersion towardscompartment 3, which requires no cooling. - It should be pointed out that
duct 7, which is distinct fromcompartments back wall 16 of said compartments, which is opposite todoor 20, thus improving the compactness offreezer 1. - As can be easily understood, the choice of the type of
flow regulator - By way of example,
Figs. 3 to 6 show some different types of flow regulators which are especially advantageous when housed induct 7. - In particular, a first type of regulator which is light, inexpensive and easy to install is the one illustrated in
Figs. 3 and 4 in its two operating conditions (closed and open), i.e. a grid-type flow regulator 9'. - The latter is made up of two overlaid grids 10'A, 10'B which can translate parallel to each other, so as to open or close the air passage (for simplicity, the air flow is indicated by arrows in
Figs. 3 and 4 ); in this case, the flow regulator may be actuated simply and effortlessly by a user's hand. - Another type of
flow regulator 9" is illustrated by way of example inFig. 5 : in this case, the flow regulator simply consists of aslide 10" that slides perpendicularly to the axis ofduct 7, so as to interrupt the continuity thereof; in this case as well, the flow regulator can be manufactured easily and economically. - A different type of flow regulator 9''' is shown in
Fig. 6 : in this case, flow regulator 9''' is a butterfly unit which comprises a shutter 10''' of the same size asduct 7 in which it is inserted, which can rotate about an axis perpendicular to the axis of theduct 7, and which, in the embodiment illustrated herein by way of example, is fitted withactuation units 15 such as, for example, a direct-current electric motor that can be controlled by a user through a push-button or the like;motor 15 shutter 10''' to rotate, thus opening or closing the port ofduct 7. - These types of flow regulators, in particular the grid type 9', may also be used on
wall 4 by arranging them along theair return path 50 to theevaporator 6, and therefore preferably in the front region ofwall 4 near the door, as shown inFigs. 8 and13 . - Of course, other equivalent solutions may be employed in the place of the aforementioned types of flow regulators without departing from the teachings and protection scope of the present invention.
- Likewise, it is necessary to comprehend that, though
Figs. 1 and 2 show afreezer 1 having only twocompartments - An example of such a situation is shown
Fig. 7 , which illustrates a no-frost refrigerating appliance 1' with threecompartments distribution duct 7 conveys intocompartments compartments drawers 5, remainingcompartment 22 has no drawer, without any detriment to the operation of the appliance: in fact, the cold air is supplied tocompartments apertures compartments separator walls separator wall 4 described above. - In this variant of the invention,
distribution duct 7 is subdivided into threesections compartments apertures duct 7, betweendifferent sections flow regulators flow regulators 9 and 99 a user can choose whether to cool all the compartments or only two of them, i.e.intermediate compartment 22 andupper compartment 21, or alternatively onlyupper compartment 21, depending on the quantity of foodstuffs stored therein. - Likewise, in the case where the separator walls are equipped with
flow regulators 90, the latter will also close accordingly in order to insulate the cooled compartment(s) thermally from the uncooled compartment(s), or from those compartments which are cooled differently, as will be described below. - It should be mentioned that, by keeping the distance between the separator wall and the inner side of
door 20 sufficiently short,flow regulator 90 may be omitted, with the only drawback of a slight thermal insulation loss when either one of twocompartments - The refrigerating appliance may even have no drawers, as shown in
Fig. 8 ; for example, it may alternatively be fitted with shelves without any operational drawback. - It is also appropriate to fit a temperature and/or
humidity sensor - If
duct flow regulator 9 and/orwall flow regulator 90 are equipped with electric actuation units, it is conceivable to control them by using the information acquired bysensors compartment 3, the cooling of which depends on the opening ofdistribution duct 7 byflow regulator 9, as a function of user-defined parameters (such parameters comprising, for example, a Boolean indicator attesting whether the user wants to usecompartment 3 or not, or the desired temperature value withincompartment 3, e.g. a simple two-position button). - In this regard, it is conceivable that the refrigerating apparatus comprises a control panel communicating with at least
sensor 31 and the actuation units, and having a user interface through which it can set those parameters depending on which, once a certain temperature threshold has been detected bysensor 31, the actuation units either open orclose distribution duct 7, or alternatively increase or decrease the air passage cross-section (as described above), so as to adjust the cold air flow rate and consequently the temperature incompartment 3. As shown inFigs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 ,distribution duct 7 may be a simple canalization having any cross-section; for example, inFig. 9 distribution duct 7' consists of an interspace behindwall 16 provided with anaperture 11C, inFig. 10 theduct 7" is a circular-section tube arranged behindback wall 16 and communicating with the compartments throughoutlets 11D, inFig. 11 duct 7''' is a trapezoidal-section tube arranged behindback wall 16 and communicating with the compartments throughoutlets 11E, whereas inFig. 12 duct 7'''' is a circular-section tube arranged in front of back wall 16 (i.e. within the cell of the refrigerating appliance) and communicating with the compartments throughoutlets 11F (duct 7"" may of course have a square, rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section). - According to an extremely advantageous feature, flow
regulators 9 and/or 99 of the distribution duct are respectively secured toseparator walls duct 7 in the assembled condition: in this case,duct 7 has a hole in which flowregulator 9 is inserted as shown inFig. 14 , wherein the flow regulator is a grid-type flow regulator 9' integral withseparator wall 4 and inserted in the hole ofduct 7. Of course, different flow regulator types may alternatively be used, but grid-type regulator 9' is preferable because it is very easy to install and can be interfaced at best with non-circular ducts, as is the case whenduct 7 is provided as an interspace or as any non-circular-section duct (as described above). Should control efficiency have to be privileged over installation simplicity, grid-type regulator 9' may advantageously be replaced with a "damper" of the above-described type. - If
walls Figs. 1 and 2 , the upper compartment takes up about 60% of the total inner volume, while the lower compartment takes up the remaining 40% of the total inner volume. - If
walls wall - In such a case, it is also conceivable to provide means for moving
flow regulators 9 withinduct 7, e.g. a slide guide that allows the shutter to translate to different positions alongduct 7. -
Apertures 11 may be fitted with deflectors for conveying the cold air flow into the compartments in a predetermined direction. - Furthermore,
evaporator 6 orfan 8, which in the example provided herein are shown in the upper portion of refrigeratingapparatus 1, may likewise be arranged in the lower portion thereof: in this latter case, the cold air pushed by the fan will first follow an upward-directed path within the distribution duct, and then it will flow down again towards the evaporator and back to the fan for a new cycle; of course, in this case it will be possible to stop the cooling of the upper compartment while maintaining the cooling of the lower compartment. - According to an extremely advantageous variant, the refrigerating appliance is an upright no-frost freezer 1", which is therefore suitable for keeping the whole inner space at a temperature substantially lower than 0°C, and an electric resistance 60 is installed in lower compartment 3 for warming said compartment to a temperature between 0°C and 10°C, as shown by way of example in
Fig. 8 : with flow regulator 9 in the open condition, lower compartment 3 is cooled by cold air to a temperature between -5°C and -30°C, typically -18°C; should it be desirable to turn the lower compartment 3 into a refrigerator compartment (i.e. operating at a higher temperature between 0°C and 10°C, typically 5°C) or into a higher-temperature freezer compartment (e.g. -12°C, which temperature is particularly appropriate for preserving foodstuffs to be taken within a short time from freezing or for optimally preserving particular types of foodstuffs, such as ice-cream, for which the traditional 18°C freezing temperature is not recommended), it will be sufficient to turn on the electric resistance, which will then generate heat, thus increasing the compartment temperature to the desired value (i.e. about -12°C or above 0°C, according to the user's preferences). - This solution allows to obtain a refrigerating apparatus which, while being equipped with a single evaporator of the type adapted to be installed in freezers, has a compartment that can alternatively be kept at ambient temperature or cooled like any traditional freezer compartment (i.e. substantially to -18°C), or else cooled like a higher-temperature freezer compartment (i.e. substantially to -12°C) or like a refrigerator compartment (i.e. substantially operating at temperatures higher than 0°C). It follows that this refrigerating appliance offers wide flexibility of use.
- The above description has clearly illustrated the several advantages of the present invention, which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art by providing a refrigerating appliance which is extremely flexible because it can be used alternatively with or without drawers and at full or half load, and which, according to an extremely advantageous variant, can convert a portion of its inner volume alternatively into an uncooled compartment, a compartment cooled to temperatures between 0°C and 10°C (i.e. a refrigerator compartment), or a compartment cooled to temperatures between -5°C and -30°C (i.e. a freezer compartment). It should also be underlined that the present invention is prearranged for being subjected to modifications which may easily be conceived by a man skilled in the art of household refrigeration: by way of non-limiting example of such modifications, it should be pointed out that
lower compartment 3 may be converted into a variable-temperature compartment by providing that, within the refrigerating appliance architecture illustrated inFig. 1 , flowregulator 9 has several degrees of opening, each of which corresponds to a predetermined refrigerating power level supplied tocompartment 3. - Although the example illustrated and described herein relates to an upright freezer, the teaching of the present invention is also applicable without requiring any further inventive effort to a so-called "sink" (horizontal) freezer.
Claims (15)
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') comprising a cell for storing foodstuffs to be preserved or the like subdivided into a plurality of compartments (2,3,21,22,23), a distribution duct (7) for conveying a cold air flow, which is in fluid communication with the compartments (2,3,21,22,23) for conveying cold air thereinto, characterized in that the distribution duct (7) houses at least one flow regulator (9,99) adapted to intercept the cold air flow so as to convey it towards one or more compartments (2,3,21,22,23).
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') according to claim 1, wherein the distribution duct (7) is subdivided by the flow regulators (9,99) into a number of sections (71,72,73) which is equal to the number of compartments (2,3,21,22,23).
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') according to claim 1, wherein the compartments (2,3,21,22,23) are obtained by subdividing the cell of the refrigerating appliance by means of thermoinsulating separator walls (4,40).
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') according to claim 3, wherein the separator wall (4,40) comprises at least one flow regulator (90) adapted to intercept the cold air flow along an air return path (50) towards an evaporator (6).
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') according to claim 3, wherein the flow regulators (9,99) of the distribution duct are arranged in the distribution duct (7) substantially at the same height as the separator walls (4,40).
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') according to the preceding claim, wherein the flow regulators (9,99) of the distribution duct are associated with said separator wall (4,40) on the side thereof facing the distribution duct (7), and wherein the distribution duct (7) has at least one aperture at the separator wall (4,40), so as to allow said flow regulators (9,99) to be inserted thereinto.
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') according to claim 4, wherein the flow regulators (9,99) of the distribution duct and/or the flow regulators (90) of the separator wall (4,40) comprise at least one shutter (10,10'A,10'B,10'',10''') which can be switched between a closed position, in which it stops the cold air flow, and an open position, in which it allows the cold air to flow through, wherein the flow regulators (9,99,90) further comprise shutter actuation units (15) and shutter control units.
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') according to the preceding claim, wherein the actuation units and control units are built in a control lever, when the flow regulator is a manual one.
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') according to the preceding claim, wherein the actuation units (15) comprise a direct-current electric motor and the control units comprise a control push-button or lever which can be operated by a user.
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') according to claim 3, wherein the separator walls (4,40) can be moved inside the freezer in order to obtain variable-volume compartments.
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the distribution duct (7') is provided in the form of an interspace located behind a wall of the cell of the refrigerating appliance.
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') according to one or more of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one temperature and/or humidity sensor (30,31) for detecting the temperature and/or humidity values of each compartment (2,3,21,22,23).
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') according to the preceding claim, wherein the flow regulators (9,90,99) are opened or closed according to a threshold temperature and/or humidity value detected by at least one sensor.
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') according to one or more of the preceding claims, further comprising an electric resistance (60) installed in one compartment for warming said compartment.
- Refrigerating appliance (1,1',1'') according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said refrigerating appliance is an upright freezer of the so-called "no-frost" type.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP10154175.3A EP2182310A3 (en) | 2008-01-11 | 2008-12-10 | Refrigerating appliance |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
ITTO20080024 ITTO20080024A1 (en) | 2008-01-11 | 2008-01-11 | REFRIGERATION APPLIANCE |
Related Child Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP10154175.3A Division EP2182310A3 (en) | 2008-01-11 | 2008-12-10 | Refrigerating appliance |
EP10154175.3 Division-Into | 2010-02-19 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP2078908A2 true EP2078908A2 (en) | 2009-07-15 |
EP2078908A3 EP2078908A3 (en) | 2013-04-17 |
Family
ID=40290380
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP10154175.3A Withdrawn EP2182310A3 (en) | 2008-01-11 | 2008-12-10 | Refrigerating appliance |
EP08171165.7A Withdrawn EP2078908A3 (en) | 2008-01-11 | 2008-12-10 | Refrigerating appliance |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP10154175.3A Withdrawn EP2182310A3 (en) | 2008-01-11 | 2008-12-10 | Refrigerating appliance |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (2) | EP2182310A3 (en) |
IT (1) | ITTO20080024A1 (en) |
RU (1) | RU2498169C2 (en) |
Cited By (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN106802048A (en) * | 2016-12-09 | 2017-06-06 | 青岛海尔股份有限公司 | Refrigerator |
EP3231705A1 (en) * | 2016-04-13 | 2017-10-18 | The Boeing Company | Convertible chilled stowage compartment in an aircraft |
US10207807B2 (en) | 2016-04-13 | 2019-02-19 | The Boeing Company | Condensate removal system of an aircraft cooling system |
CN110345685A (en) * | 2019-06-27 | 2019-10-18 | 浙江优纳特科学仪器有限公司 | Refrigerator |
JP2019219126A (en) * | 2018-06-21 | 2019-12-26 | 東芝ライフスタイル株式会社 | refrigerator |
CN111426118A (en) * | 2019-01-10 | 2020-07-17 | Lg电子株式会社 | Refrigerator with a door |
US11397048B2 (en) | 2019-01-10 | 2022-07-26 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Refrigerator |
US11480382B2 (en) | 2019-01-10 | 2022-10-25 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Refrigerator |
US11692770B2 (en) | 2019-01-10 | 2023-07-04 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Refrigerator |
Families Citing this family (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
ITTO20100303A1 (en) | 2010-04-14 | 2011-10-15 | Indesit Co Spa | REFRIGERATION APPARATUS |
DE102011002646A1 (en) * | 2011-01-13 | 2012-07-19 | BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH | Refrigerator has cooling chamber and evaporator unit arranged on wall of cooling chamber, where partition plate is provided in cooling chamber and has air-stream-proof end with wall |
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EP0320574A2 (en) | 1987-12-14 | 1989-06-21 | Liebherr-Hausgeräte Gmbh | Freezer |
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US3866437A (en) * | 1973-09-10 | 1975-02-18 | Westinghouse Electric Corp | Adjustable damper control mechanism |
US5398599A (en) * | 1992-08-19 | 1995-03-21 | Goldstar Co., Ltd. | Apparatus for controlling seasoning of kimchi in refrigerator |
KR0129496B1 (en) * | 1993-12-08 | 1998-04-08 | 김광호 | Variable volume type refrigerator |
CN1120342C (en) * | 1994-11-11 | 2003-09-03 | 三星电子株式会社 | Refrigerator and control method thereof |
KR100203984B1 (en) * | 1995-06-16 | 1999-06-15 | 전주범 | Cool air dispension device of refrigerator |
KR100203986B1 (en) * | 1995-07-20 | 1999-06-15 | 전주범 | Coolair supply duct of refrigerator |
US5722252A (en) * | 1995-10-13 | 1998-03-03 | Lg Electronics, Inc. | Cooling air distribution apparatus for refrigerator |
JP2000046456A (en) * | 1998-07-29 | 2000-02-18 | Sankyo Seiki Mfg Co Ltd | Refrigerator |
-
2008
- 2008-01-11 IT ITTO20080024 patent/ITTO20080024A1/en unknown
- 2008-12-10 EP EP10154175.3A patent/EP2182310A3/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2008-12-10 EP EP08171165.7A patent/EP2078908A3/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2008-12-26 RU RU2008151972/13A patent/RU2498169C2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Patent Citations (1)
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EP0320574A2 (en) | 1987-12-14 | 1989-06-21 | Liebherr-Hausgeräte Gmbh | Freezer |
Cited By (12)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP3231705A1 (en) * | 2016-04-13 | 2017-10-18 | The Boeing Company | Convertible chilled stowage compartment in an aircraft |
US10207807B2 (en) | 2016-04-13 | 2019-02-19 | The Boeing Company | Condensate removal system of an aircraft cooling system |
US10287017B2 (en) * | 2016-04-13 | 2019-05-14 | The Boeing Company | Convertible chilled stowage compartment in an aircraft |
CN106802048A (en) * | 2016-12-09 | 2017-06-06 | 青岛海尔股份有限公司 | Refrigerator |
JP2019219126A (en) * | 2018-06-21 | 2019-12-26 | 東芝ライフスタイル株式会社 | refrigerator |
CN111426118A (en) * | 2019-01-10 | 2020-07-17 | Lg电子株式会社 | Refrigerator with a door |
US11397048B2 (en) | 2019-01-10 | 2022-07-26 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Refrigerator |
US11480382B2 (en) | 2019-01-10 | 2022-10-25 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Refrigerator |
US11592228B2 (en) | 2019-01-10 | 2023-02-28 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Refrigerator |
US11692770B2 (en) | 2019-01-10 | 2023-07-04 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Refrigerator |
CN110345685A (en) * | 2019-06-27 | 2019-10-18 | 浙江优纳特科学仪器有限公司 | Refrigerator |
CN110345685B (en) * | 2019-06-27 | 2021-11-12 | 浙江优纳特科学仪器有限公司 | Refrigerator |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
RU2008151972A (en) | 2010-07-10 |
EP2182310A3 (en) | 2014-10-15 |
ITTO20080024A1 (en) | 2009-07-12 |
EP2182310A2 (en) | 2010-05-05 |
RU2498169C2 (en) | 2013-11-10 |
EP2078908A3 (en) | 2013-04-17 |
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