REFRIGERATOR AND / OR FREEZER

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a refrigerator and / or freezer with a device body having heat-insulating walls enclosing an interior space, and with a refrigerant circuit comprising a compressor, a condenser, a throttle and an evaporator as components.

[0002] It is common practice to arrange individual components of a refrigerator and / or freezer on a common support to simplify assembly and maintenance. It is also known to install components of the refrigerant circuit at the bottom of the appliance, as this results in better ergonomics for the customer and greater stability for the appliance. However, for reasons of natural convection in the interior of the appliance, whereby cold air sinks and warm air rises, the evaporator should be arranged near the top of the interior. Arranging the evaporator and the remaining components of the refrigerant circuit at the bottom would result in problems arising from counter-current natural convection. For example, warm, humid air would have to be prevented from flowing upwards and condensing on cold surfaces that are not defrosted.However, flaps and the like should be avoided if possible, as they are expensive and require a lot of maintenance.

[0003] DE 14 01 509 A1 relates generally to cooling technology and, in particular, to a system for a cooling container for cooling products to predetermined temperatures.

[0004] FR 2 855 871 A1 concerns an assembly carrier for a refrigeration unit.

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide an improved refrigerator and / or freezer which overcomes the above-mentioned problems of the prior art.

[0006] Against this background, the invention relates to a refrigerator and / or freezer with the features of independent claim 1.

[0007] The dependent claims relate to preferred embodiments of the refrigerator and / or freezer.

[0008] The evaporator is preferably arranged entirely in the evaporator chamber.

[0009] By arranging both the air inlet and outlet of the evaporator chamber below the level of the evaporator, supply and exhaust air are only connected from below, and a bell-shaped chamber is formed above the evaporator. Any insufficiently cooled and warm air remains trapped in the bell and can defrost the evaporator. This can support a defrost heater installed in the unit support and, if necessary, in the evaporator section of the unit support. It is also possible to forgo a defrost heater entirely. In either case, the defrost energy is used particularly efficiently.

[0010] In one embodiment, the device body is provided with full vacuum insulation, with the interior being surrounded by a one-piece, box-shaped vacuum insulation body. In this embodiment, the heat-insulating walls of the device body are sections of the vacuum insulation body. The vacuum insulation body may comprise a barrier film and a support material arranged in the core enclosed by the barrier film.

[0011] Furthermore, the device body can have a frame substructure that extends the entire height of the device and surrounds the interior space as well as forming a base area. The box-shaped vacuum insulation body can be inserted into this frame structure. The frame substructure can also serve to accommodate the unit support. It can also form the floor of the device body. It provides stability to the device body.

[0012] To protect the vacuum insulation body, it can be completely concealed. Firstly, a plastic inner container can be inserted into the box-shaped vacuum insulation body. Furthermore, the outer side of the frame substructure can be clad with wall panels and preferably wall sheets. The connection between the wall panels, the inner container, the vacuum insulation body, and the frame substructure can be achieved by gluing, screwing, locking, and preferably a combination thereof.

[0013] The invention provides that all components of the refrigerant circuit are installed together on an aggregate support, which can be separated from the device body and removed from the device, wherein the cold air duct is also formed in the aggregate support.

[0014] It is therefore intended that an assembly support with all components of the refrigerant circuit can be separated from the unit body. This also includes the piping and any other components of the refrigerant circuit such as dryers or receivers. This is particularly noteworthy because both components of the warm side of the refrigerant circuit, i.e. compressor and condenser, and components of the cold side of the refrigerant circuit, i.e. evaporator, are installed together on an assembly support that can be separated from the unit body and removed from the cooling unit. Accordingly, when assembling the unit, these components can also be installed in a single step by inserting the assembly support into the unit. This also simplifies the execution of any repair work that may be required.These simplifications go beyond the simplifications that can be achieved with the measures known from the state of the art.

[0015] The unit carrier, which is detachably connected to the device body, can be attached using screw connections, for example. It can also be provided that the unit carrier can be detached from the device body without the use of tools and is connected to it, for example, only using snap-in connections.

[0016] The invention provides for the unit support with the evaporator and evaporator duct to be installed in the lower area of ​​the unit body. Installing heavy components of the refrigerant circuit in the lower area or base of the unit results in high stability. Furthermore, a deep installation results in improved ergonomics for the customer, as higher-level compartments are more easily accessible and the less accessible area in the base of the unit is occupied by the unit support. Ultimately, any condensate can simply drain away downwards.

[0017] In one embodiment, one or more components selected from the group of a machine room fan, a cold room fan, a control unit, a condensate tray, and a power supply with cabling are further installed on the unit support. This further simplifies the assembly of the unit and simplifies the execution of any repair work.

[0018] The invention provides that the unit support comprises a machine section and an evaporator section connected thereto, wherein the compressor and the condenser are accommodated in the machine section and the evaporator and the cold air duct are accommodated in the evaporator section. In this embodiment, it is therefore provided that the components of the warm side of the refrigerant circuit and the components of the cold side of the refrigerant circuit are distributed across different sections within the one integral unit support. In the case of such a division, it can be provided that components such as a machine room fan, a control unit, a condensate tray, or a power supply with cabling are accommodated in the machine section and components such as a cold room fan are accommodated in the evaporator section.

[0019] It is also conceivable that a thermal insulation layer belonging to the device body is arranged in a free space adjacent to the connection between the machine section and the evaporator section. The thermal insulation layer can be a section of the full vacuum insulation. The connection can be formed, for example, by a web running in the front area of ​​the device that belongs to the machine section or the evaporator section, or by a separate intermediate piece.

[0020] In this case, the floor of the cooled interior, or the section of the vacuum insulation body and the inner container forming the interior floor, can be slightly recessed from the opening level of the interior. The thermal insulation layer is part of the unit body and fills a gap in the unit support between the machine section and the evaporator section and next to the connecting element. The connection itself can also include insulating material to prevent the formation of a thermal bridge in this area as well.

[0021] The invention provides that the machine section of the unit support is housed in a base space of the appliance body, and the evaporator section of the unit support is housed in the lowest area of ​​the interior. In this case, the machine section is located below the evaporator section.

[0022] Preferably, the machine section is dimensioned to completely fill the base space of the appliance body, and the evaporator section is dimensioned to completely occupy the lowest area of ​​the thermally insulated interior, so that the floor and the lowest sections of the rear wall and, if applicable, also the side walls of the interior are completely covered by the evaporator section. Preferably, the base space, like the interior, is open at the front so that the unit support can be pulled out of the appliance body during disassembly and, conversely, pushed into the appliance body from the front during assembly.

[0023] It is preferable for the evaporator chamber to be inclined relative to the horizontal and to increase in height in the direction of air flow. The evaporator can follow this contour of the evaporator chamber and be installed in the unit support at a corresponding incline relative to the horizontal. This can further enhance the described effect of efficient use of defrost energy.

[0024] In a further embodiment, no electrically operated flaps, and preferably no flaps at all, are installed in the cold air duct. Eliminating flaps results in cost savings and reduced susceptibility to failure. The possibility of eliminating flaps without loss of functionality arises particularly with the bell-shaped design of the evaporator chamber described above.

[0025] It should be noted here that the terms "a" and "an" do not necessarily refer to exactly one of the elements, although this is a possible interpretation, but can also refer to a plurality of the elements. Likewise, the use of the plural also includes the presence of the element in question in the singular, and conversely, the singular also encompasses several of the elements in question.

[0026] Further details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following exemplary embodiment illustrated with reference to the figures. The figures show: Figure 1: lateral sectional views of the lower region of a device body of a refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention and of an assembly support intended for insertion into this region; and Figure 2: a partial lateral sectional view through the lower region of the refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention obtained by inserting the assembly support.

[0027] The right image of the Figure 1 shows an assembly support of a refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention, which is generally designated by the reference numeral 100. The left illustration of the Figure 1 shows a device body of a refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention, which is generally designated by the reference numeral 200. The Figure 2 shows a sectional view through the lower area of ​​a refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention, in which the unit carrier 100 is inserted into the device body 200. In the Figure 2 are some in the Figure 1 For reasons of clarity, recognizable details are not shown.

[0028] The device body 200 comprises a frame substructure, which in the lowest region forms a base space 210 with the device floor, and in which a box-shaped vacuum insulation body is accommodated in the area above, defining an interior space 220. The vacuum insulation body serves as thermal insulation for the interior space 220 and comprises a barrier film and a support material arranged in the core enclosed by the barrier film. It is laminated all around to protect the barrier film. A plastic inner container is inserted into the interior opening of the vacuum insulation body. On the outside, the frame substructure is laminated with a ceiling plate, a rear wall plate, and two side wall plates. The section of the vacuum insulation body and the inner container forming the interior floor 221 are slightly recessed from the opening plane of the interior space.

[0029] The unit support 100 comprises a machine section 110 and an evaporator section 120 connected thereto. The machine section 110 forms the lower part of the unit support 100 and is dimensioned such that it can be inserted from the front into the base space 210 of the device body 200 and completely occupies it. The evaporator section 120 is mounted on the machine section 110 and is dimensioned such that it can be inserted from the front into the lowermost region of the thermally insulated interior 220 of the device body 200 and completely occupies it, so that the floor 221 and the lowermost sections of the side walls and the rear wall 222 of the interior 220 are completely covered by the evaporator section 120. The machine section 110 and the evaporator section 120 are connected only by a connecting web 130, which is located in the front area of ​​the unit carrier 100.Behind the connecting web 130, a recess 140 is provided in the unit carrier 100 between the machine section 110 and the evaporator section 120, in which recess the vacuum-insulated base 221 of the device body 200 can be accommodated when the unit carrier 100 is pushed into the device body 200 from the front in such a way that the machine section 110 is pushed into the base space 210 and the evaporator section 120 is pushed into the interior 220 of the device body 200.

[0030] A compressor 111 and a condenser 112 are arranged in the machine section 110, with the compressor 111 located in the rear area and the condenser 112 in the front area of ​​the machine section 110. Furthermore, a condensate tray 113 is arranged in the front area of ​​the machine section 110 in thermal contact with the condenser 112. The compressor 111 is installed in the rear area of ​​the machine section 110 with a spring-loaded suspension 114. At the front of the machine section 110 there is an opening 115 for cooling air, which is covered with air guiding elements, and several webs in the machine section 110 form a cooling air duct through which cooling air can flow from the opening 115 via the condenser 112 with the associated condensate tray 113 and the compressor 111 back to the opening 115. The rear side 211 of the base space 210 is closed by the wall section 211.Also located in machine section 110 are a cooling air fan and a control unit, but for reasons of clarity, these are not shown separately in the figure. Electrical cabling with a power supply unit located in machine section 110, which can be connected to a power supply through the boundary of the base space 210 of the device body 200, is also not shown in detail in the figure.

[0031] A cold air duct 121 is formed in the evaporator section 120, which extends from an intake opening 122 to an outlet opening 123. The intake opening 122 is located at the front end of the evaporator section 120 and, when the unit support 100 is installed, borders the inside of a unit door 300 hinged to the unit body 200. The outlet opening 123 is located at the rear end of the evaporator section 120 and, when the unit support 100 is installed, borders the rear wall 222 of the unit body 200. In the area near the outlet opening 123, the cold air duct 121 is widened and forms a fan chamber 124 in which an evaporator fan 125 is arranged.The rear end piece of the upper panel 126 of the fan chamber 124 points vertically upwards and does not quite reach the rear end of the evaporator section, so that in the installed state of the unit support 100, a vertical channel section is formed between the rear end piece of the upper panel 126 of the fan chamber 124 and the rear wall 222 of the device body 200, which opens into a vertical air duct 223 in the higher area of ​​the rear wall of the 222.

[0032] Between the intake opening 122 and the fan chamber 124, a section of the cold air duct 121 of the evaporator section 120 is expanded into a bell-shaped evaporator chamber 127, in which an evaporator 128 is arranged. The evaporator chamber 127 is slightly inclined within the evaporator section 120 and increases in height in the direction of air flow. The evaporator 128 follows this course of the evaporator chamber 127 and is installed at a correspondingly slight angle within the evaporator section 120. The cold air duct 121 is shaped such that both the air inlet opening 127a and the air outlet opening 127b of the evaporator chamber 127 are below the level of the evaporator.The cold air duct 121 is thus shaped such that, during operation of the refrigerator and / or freezer, the air, starting from the intake opening 122, descends to the air inlet opening 127a to below the level of the evaporator 128, then slowly rises in the evaporator chamber 127, passing the evaporator 128, and then descends again below the level of the evaporator 128 before reaching the fan chamber 125.

[0033] For reasons of clarity, a condensate line also installed in the evaporator section 120 is not shown in detail in the figure. The evaporator fan 125 is connected to the control unit and the power supply in the machine section 110 via cabling (also not shown). The evaporator 128 is connected to the remaining components of the refrigerant circuit located in the machine section 110 via refrigerant lines (not shown in detail). The corresponding cabling and refrigerant lines run through the connecting web 130.

Claims

1. Refrigeration and / or freezer device with a device body (200) having thermally insulating walls that enclose an interior (220), and having a refrigerant circuit that comprises as components a compressor (111), a condenser (112), a throttle and an evaporator (128), wherein the evaporator (128) and the remaining components of the refrigerant circuit are arranged in the lower region of the refrigeration and / or freezer device, wherein the device has a cold air duct (121), which is extended in one section to form an evaporator chamber (127), wherein the evaporator (128) is arranged in this evaporator chamber (127), wherein the air inlet opening (127a) and the air outlet opening (127b) of the evaporator chamber (127) are located below the level of the evaporator (128), wherein the evaporator chamber (127) has a bell-shaped design, characterised in that all components of the refrigerant circuit are installed together on a unit carrier (100), which can be separated from the device body (200) and removed from the device, wherein the cold air duct (121) is also formed in the unit carrier (100) and the unit carrier (100) comprises a machine portion (110) and an evaporator portion (120) connected thereto, wherein the compressor (111) and the condenser (112) are accommodated in the machine portion (110) and the evaporator (128) and the cold air duct (121) are accommodated in the evaporator portion (120), wherein the machine portion (110) is accommodated in a base space of the device body (200) and the evaporator portion (120) is accommodated in the lowermost region of the interior space (220).

2. Refrigeration and / or freezer device according to claim 1, characterised in that the device body has a full vacuum insulation, wherein the interior space is surrounded by a continuous, box-shaped vacuum insulation body.

3. Refrigeration and / or freezer device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the evaporator chamber (127) is inclined relative to the horizontal and gains height in the direction of air flow.

4. Refrigeration and / or freezer device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that one or more components are further selected from the group consisting of a machine space fan, a cooling space fan, a control unit, a condensate tray (113) and a power supply unit with cabling are installed on the unit carrier (100).

5. Refrigeration and / or freezer device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a thermal insulation layer belonging to the device body (200) is arranged in a free space located next to the connection between the machine portion (110) and the evaporator portion (120).

6. Refrigeration and / or freezer device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that no electrically operated dampers and preferably no dampers at all are installed in the cold air duct (121).