GB2333585A

GB2333585A - A base for a refrigerator

Info

Publication number: GB2333585A
Application number: GB9901065A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mario Cappelletti; Luciano Lepri
Original assignee: Electrolux Zanussi Elettrodomestici SpA; Electrolux Zanussi SpA
Current assignee: Electrolux Zanussi Elettrodomestici SpA; Electrolux Zanussi SpA
Priority date: 1998-01-23
Filing date: 1999-01-18
Publication date: 1999-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 2019-01-18
Also published as: GB9901065D0; GB2333585B; DE29900414U1; IT245292Y1; ITPN980005U1

Abstract

A base (10) which accommodates a compressor and a condenser of a refrigerating appliance, is shaped to define first and second ducts (16,17) which are parallel to and spaced from each other for the fan-assisted intake and discharge of the air which provides for the dissipation of the heat from the above-mentioned functional components. The base (10) is joined to an extractable casing (25) to impart to the ducts a preferably Z-shaped configuration. The openings (16A,16B) of the ducts at the front surface of the base (10) are located to correspond to the lateral openings (32,33) of an arcuate front covering frame element (30). The frame element (30) is integrally provided with means (35) for latching the frame element (30) to the walls (20,21) of the ducts (16,17). The frame element (30) supports an apertured door member (36) for the intake opening (16B) of the air intake duct (16).

Description

REFRIGERATING APPLIANCE WITH AN IMPROVED HEAT DISSIPATION AIR FLOW GUIDE ELEMENT The present invention relates to a domestic refrigerating appliance (refrigerator, freezer or combined appliance) which requires suitable elements for guiding the flow of air for dissipating heat in order that it can be used near or fitted into the units of a fitted kitchen. In particular the invention relates to an appliance of the so-called 'totally integrated under a top' type, that is to say is installed standing on the floor of the kitchen beneath a worktop which is without any ventilation grills and is common to at least some of the adjacent units.

It is known that, to provide for dissipation of the heat removed from the items which are placed in the interior of a refrigerating appliance into the ambient atmosphere, it is necessary to provide for adequate forced ventilation of the condenser and the compressor. Since, in an appliance of the above mentioned type, those two parts of the refrigerating circuit are accommodated in the base, outside and below the compartments which are filled with the items involved, it is necessary to provide an electric motor-fan unit to maintain the flow of cooling air.

Italian utility model patent application No. PN96 U 000009 lodged on 7 February 1996 (of which the present applicants are now the proprietors) discloses a domestic refrigerating appliance of the 'totally integrated under a top' type which is provided with a base which, besides being an integral part of the structure of the appliance, comprises a first duct with an associated front opening, by means of which the cooling air is drawn in towards the compressor and the condenser and a second separate duct with an associated front opening, by way of which the air which is heated by flowing around the compressor and through the coils of the condenser is discharged into the ambient atmosphere. In addition, mounted on the intake opening is an ingenious movable device for signalling to the users any anomalies in the flow of air behind it.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a further improved refrigerating appliance which enjoys a high level of practicality of use and which can easily be the subject of maintenance on the part of the users in the course of its useful life.

,According to the present invention there is provided a refrigerating appliance in which a base positioned below at least one compartment for the preservation of foods comprises first and second substantially parallel ducts which are open at the front surface thereof, for the intake and discharge respectively of the air which, by means of a motor-fan unit provides for dissipation of the heat of a condenser and at least a compressor accommodated in the rear region of the base wherein both the openings of said ducts at the front surface of the base are set in frame-like relationship therewith in corresponding openings of an element which is integrally provided with means which provide for latching fixing thereof to walls of the ducts.

The invention will be further described by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a refrigerator of the so-called 'totally integrated under a top' type which is fitted into the furnishing of a kitchen; Figure 2 shows a front view ofjust the refrigerator shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows the base of the same refrigerator as a perspective view from the front; Figure 4 shows the base of Figure 3 as a perspective view from the rear; and Figure 5 shows an exploded view of the element for framing the openings of the air ducts which form part of the base of the refrigerator.

As shown in Figure 1 a typical refrigerating appliance 1 of the 'totally integrated under a top' type stands on the floor of the kitchen with feet 2 (see also Figure 2) which are adjustable in height, and is disposed between base units 3 and 4 of a fitted kitchen beneath a single continuous worktop 5. Both the feet 2 of the appliance and those of the base units 3 and 4 are concealed from view by a continuous vertical plinth 6 secured thereto by known means.

The appliance 1 substantially consists of a thermally insulated casing 7 which encloses at least one compartment 8 for preserving foods at low temperature and is closed at the front by a vertical door 9, the front face of which is decorated with a panelling conforming in design and decoration to the other units of the fitted kitchen. Disposed beneath the compartment 8 is a base 10 which forms an integral part of the casing 7, a slidable casing 25 and a framing element 30. The latter remains visible by virtue of a suitable aperture 6A in the plinth 6 after the appliance has been fitted in the fitted kitchen.

The base 10 which is produced in one piece of injection-moulded plastics material constitutes in the rear region Ii thereof the seat for housing the hot components of the refrigerating circuit of the appliance, that is to say the compressor 40 and the condenser 50. In an intermediate position between them, joined to the base 10 is a vertical transverse panel 12 which is preferably made from the same material as the base 10. Fixed to the panel 12 by means of a support 13 which is provided integrally with the base 10 is a motor-fan unit 60, the impeller fan member 61 of which is disposed within a corresponding aperture 14 in the panel 12 - see Figure 4.

It has been demonstrated by experiment that, by virtue of that assembly (known per se) it is possible to use a motor-fan unit 60 which, with an identical air delivery, operates at a speed which is less by about 25%, thus giving a reduction of about 4dB(A) in the amount of noise from the refrigerating appliance.

Disposed in the rear region 11 of the base 10 and more precisely just above the bottom 15 are the internal openings 1 6A and 1 7A of two ducts 16 and 17 whose top walls 18, 19 and side walls 20, 21 are provided in one piece in the base 10 - see Figure 3.

The bottom walls 26, 27 of the ducts 16 and 17 are produced in one piece directly in the above-mentioned lower casing 25 which is also produced from injectionmoulded plastics material. The casing 25 is slidable horizontally on suitable lateral guides 22 and 23 of the base latchingly fixed thereto by means of suitable bayonet-type elements which are also provided in an integral structure (they are not shown in the drawings but they are known per se in the art). - see Figure 3.

The function of the first duct 16 is that of carrying air drawn in by the impeller fan member 61 of the motor-fan unit 60 by way of the external opening 16B thereof on the front surface 24 of the base 10 into the rear region 11 thereof, in particular around the compressor 40 to dissipate the heat therefrom. The function of the second duct 17 is that of carrying the same air, after it has passed by way of the opening 14 in the panel 12 and has passed through the condenser 50, also dissipating the heat thereof, to its external opening 17B on the front surface 24 of the base 10 for discharge thereof to the exterior of the refrigerating appliance 1.

The base 10 is also designed in such a way as to form not only the bowl for collecting the condensation or defrosting water coming from the compartment 8 during the rest periods of the appliance but also for directing it to the bottom of the duct 17 to permit dissipation thereof by the hot air.

The ducts 16 and 17 (besides being disposed parallel but markedly separate from each other, in accordance with the teachings of the above-mentioned Italian patent application), in accordance with a further feature of the present invention, involve configuration which is not flat but in the form of a 'Z' - as shown in Figure 3 - from the moment that their external openings 1 6B and 1 7B are disposed at a higher level than the respective internal openings 1 6A and 1 7A, which promotes regularity in the flow of air in the rear region of the base 10.

Immediately below the compartment 8 for preserving foods, on the part of the refrigerating appliance 1 which is in view, there is an element 30 which is shown in greater detail in Figure 5 and which is also made from injection-moulded plastics material.

The element 30 whose visible surface 31 is of a configuration that is arcuate in a vertical direction (in order also aesthetically to characterise the appliance) comprises two lateral openings 32 and 33 of rectangular shape in such a way as to form a framing structure respectively for the external opening 16B of the air intake duct 16 and the external opening 17B ofthe air discharge duct 17 which are disposed on the front surface 24 ofthe base 10.

For that reason the element 30 is of substantially the same width as the refrigerating appliance 1 and, as already mentioned hereinbefore with reference to the Figure 1, projects from the plinth 6 immediately below the refrigerated compartment 8. As shown in Figure 5 the two openings 32 and 33 are separated by a central shaped region 34 which, in some designs, may be the seat for electrical components of the refrigerating appliance such as the thermostat, the quick-freeze switch, the indicator lights etc.

On the rear surface which is not visible the element 30 is integrally provided with two pairs of pins 35 (of which only one is shown in Figure 5) which, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, are capable of being latchingly fixed in corresponding holes or slots provided (not shown in Figure 3 for the sake of simplicity) in the vertical walls 20 and 21 ofthe ducts 16 and 17.

In accordance with a further feature ofthe invention the opening 32 ofthe element 30 which frames the external opening 16B ofthe air intake duct 16 is closable by a door member 36 made from injection-moulded plastics material. Integrally provided on the back of the bottom edge of the door member 36 are a pair of hinges 37 (of which just one is shown in Figure 5) which are capable of engaging on to corresponding pins 38 integrally provided on the element 32. Adjacent the upper edge ofthe door member 36 and on the visible surface thereof there is integrally provided a catch device 39 comprising a handle capable of coming into latching engagement in a corresponding female seat 32A integrally provided on the element 30. The door member 36 is of a shape which reproduces the arcuate configuration of the visible surface 31 of the element 30 and, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, it is provided with a plurality of small holes passing therethrough for the purposes of filtering, even if coarsely, the air which is drawn into the duct 16 by the motor-fan unit 60 which is disposed in the base 10.

The advantages of the invention can be summarised as follows: - the flow of air in the base 10 for dissipation of the heat from the compressor 40 and the condenser 50 takes place in a uniform, efficient and silent fashion; - the condensation or defrosting water coming from the food-preservation compartment disposed above the base 10 is collected therein and is dispersed by evaporation; - the casing 25 is latching fixed to the base 10 whereby it can be extracted from the front without the need to remove the appliance from the fitted kitchen in the event of maintenance operations (cleaning) on the part of the user; - the element 30 is also fixed by latching engagement to the front ofthe base whereby it can also be extracted from the front either at the same time as or separately from the casing 25; - the user is not faced with any problem in regard to opening the door member 36, by disengaging the catch device 39 from the seat 32A, in order therein to insert the nozzle of a suction cleaner and effect one of the normal cleaning operations.

Even if the foregoing description referred to the 'totally integrated under a top' type it will be appreciated that the present invention can be applied to other types of refrigerating appliances. Thus it will be appreciated that the men skilled in the art may adopt other different configurations of the individual structural details without thereby departing from the scope of protection defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A refrigerating appliance in which a base positioned below at least one compartment for the preservation of foods comprises first and second substantially parallel ducts which are open at the front surface thereof, for the intake and discharge respectively of the air which, by means of a motor-fan unit provides for dissipation of the heat of a condenser and at least a compressor accommodated in the rear region of the base wherein both the openings of said ducts at the front surface of the base are set in frame-like relationship therewith in corresponding openings of an element which is integrally provided with means which provide for latching fixing thereof to walls of the ducts.
2. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein said framing element is of substantially the same width as the appliance and projects from the front plinth in a position immediately below the food-preservation compartment.
3. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the region of said element which is between the openings constitutes the seat for electrical components of the appliance such as thermostats, switches, indicator lights and the like.
4. A refrigerating appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said openings of the air ducts and the corresponding openings of said element are disposed at a higher level than the opposite openings of the air ducts whereby said air ducts are of a configuration which is not flat.
5. A refrigerating applicance according to claim 4, wherein the configuration of the ducts is a Z-shaped configuration.
6. A refrigerating appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein on one of its horizontal edges said framing element is integrally provided with portions co-operating with corresponding portions for hingedly mounting a door member which constitutes or incorporates a filter element for the air which is drawn in by the first duct.
7. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 5 or 6, wherein on the edge opposite to said horizontal hinged mounting edge said framing element is integrally provided with means for latchingly holding the door member in the closed position.
8. A refrigerating appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the visible surface of said framing element is of a configuration which is arcuate in a vertical direction.
9. A refrigerating appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein horizontally displaceable on the base is a casing which defines the bottom side of both said air ducts and said casing is integrally provided with latching fixing elements whereby it can be extracted from the front.
10. A refrigerating appliance according to any one ofthe preceding claims, wherein the impeller fan member of said motor-fan unit is disposed in a corresponding opening in a panel which is joined to the base in the rear region thereof
11. A refrigerating appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base constitutes the bowl for collection of the condensation or defrosting water coming from the compartment for preserving foods, which is directed into said second duct to be dissipated by the hot air issuing from the appliance.
12. A refrigerating applicance according to any one of the preceding claims and which is adapted to be installed totally integrated under a top.
13. A refrigerating appliance substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.