A cooling device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a cooling device (S). said cooling device (S) comprises at least one body with at least two opposite side walls (1) and at least one rear wall (2); at least one inner compartment (4) provided in the body; at least one door for controlling access into the inner compartment (4); at least one lower compartment (3) located at a lower section of the body, with at least one side thereof communicating into the external environment; at least one compressor (5); at least one condenser (6) connected to said compressor (5) and located on an outer face of the rear wall (2) in a manner spaced apart from the rear wall (2); at least one capillary tube; at least one evaporator (7) for cooling the inner compartment (4); at least one refrigerant circulated among the compressor (5), condenser (6), capillary tube, and evaporator (7); at least one heating element for heating the evaporator (7); at least one vacuum insulation panel (8) located inside the body, between the inner compartment (4) and the rear wall (2); at least one evaporation tray (10) located in the lower compartment (3); and at least one transmission line (9) with at least one side thereof connected to the inner compartment (4), wherein at least one portion of the transmission line (9) passes along one side of the vacuum insulation panel (8) and exits the body through the rear wall (2), wherein a part of the transmission line (9) outside the body is connected to the evaporation tray (10).

Description

[0001] A COOLING DEVICE

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a cooling device such as a refrigerator.

[0004] Background of the Invention

[0005] A cooling device such as a refrigerator comprises at least one body; at least one inner compartment provided in the body for placing the products to be cooled; at least one door for access into the inner compartment; and at least one cooling system for cooling the inner compartment. Especially in a household cooling device, said cooling system comprises at least one compressor; at least one condenser; at least one evaporator; at least one capillary tube; and at least one refrigerant. Here, the evaporator cools down while the condenser heats up due to the change in the pressure of the refrigerant by the compressor and capillary tube. In other words, the cooling process is carried out by transferring the heat energy at the location of the evaporator to the location of the condenser.

[0006] In order for the cooling process to take place in the cooling device, temperature of the evaporator must drop to extremely low levels. However, due to this low temperature, the moisture around the evaporator causes ice (or frost) to form on the evaporator. The ice thus formed on the evaporator reduces the rate of heat exchange between the evaporator and the environment in which it is located. Consequently, the cooling performance of the cooling device decreases. In order to prevent this undesirable situation, a defrosting process is carried out at specific intervals or under the control of sensors that detect the ice formed on the evaporator. Said defrosting process is achieved by stopping the operation of the cooling system and activating a heating element (for example, a resistance-type heater) provided around the evaporator. When the ice formed on the evaporator melts due to the heat provided by the heating element, the resulting liquid (water) needs to be discharged from the evaporator. For the discharge of the liquid, a transmission line such as a hose is typically used, one end of which opens into an evaporation tray. The liquid transmitted to the evaporation tray via the transmission line is evaporated there and discharged to the external environment. In such applications, said transmission line needs to pass through the body of the cooling device to reach the evaporation tray that is in communication with the external environment. However, since the transmission line pass along the body, it is not possible to use a vacuum insulation panel (VIP) to provide high insulation inside the body. Therefore, applications of the known art cannot utilize a cooling device that provides both high insulation and evaporation.

[0007] Brief Description of the Invention

[0008] The present invention discloses a cooling device. Said cooling device comprises: at least one body with at least two opposite side walls and at least one rear wall; at least one inner compartment provided in the body; at least one door for controlling access into the inner compartment; at least one lower compartment located at a lower section of the body, with at least one side thereof communicating into the external environment; at least one compressor; at least one condenser connected to said compressor and located on an outer face of the rear wall in a manner spaced apart from the rear wall; at least one capillary tube; at least one evaporator for cooling the inner compartment; at least one refrigerant circulated among the compressor, condenser, capillary tube, and evaporator; at least one heating element for heating the evaporator; at least one vacuum insulation panel located inside the body, between the inner compartment and the rear wall; at least one evaporation tray located in the lower compartment; and at least one transmission line with at least one side thereof connected to the inner compartment, wherein at least one portion of the transmission line passes along one side of the vacuum insulation panel and exits the body through the rear wall, wherein a part of the transmission line outside the body is connected to the evaporation tray.

[0009] In the cooling device according to the present invention, the liquid formed as a result of heating the evaporator to prevent icing on the evaporator is delivered to the evaporation tray via the transmission line. Here, since the transmission line passes along a side of the vacuum insulation panel and extends out of the body, damage to the vacuum insulation panel is prevented. Thus, high thermal insulation is achieved in the cooling device, and energy efficiency is increased. Object of the Invention

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a cooling device such as a refrigerator.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a cooling device that provides both high insulation and evaporation.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a durable and reliable cooling device.

[0013] Description of the Drawings

[0014] Exemplary embodiments of the cooling device according to the present invention are illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:

[0015] Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of the cooling device according to the invention.

[0016] Figure 2 is a rear sectional view of the cooling device according to the invention.

[0017] Figure 3 is a sectional view of a lower compartment of the cooling device according to the invention.

[0018] Figure 4 is a perspective view of an evaporation tray of the cooling device according to the invention.

[0019] Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of the cooling device according to the invention, in a semi-assembled state.

[0020] Figure 6 is another rear perspective view of the cooling device according to the invention, in another semi-assembled state.

[0021] All the parts illustrated in figures are individually assigned a reference numeral and the corresponding terms of these numbers are listed below:

[0022] Cooling device (S)

[0023] Side wall (1)

[0024] Rear wall (2)

[0025] Lower compartment (3)

[0026] Inner compartment (4) Compressor (5)

[0027] Condenser (6)

[0028] Evaporator (7)

[0029] Vacuum insulation panel (8)

[0030] Transmission line (9)

[0031] First section (9a)

[0032] Second section (9b)

[0033] Third section (9c)

[0034] Fourth section (9d)

[0035] Fifth section (9e)

[0036] Evaporation tray (10)

[0037] Tray body (10a)

[0038] Connecting protrusion (10b)

[0039] First connection element (11)

[0040] Second connection element (12)

[0041] Description of the Invention

[0042] In cooling devices such as refrigerators, evaporators are used to cool at least one inner compartment. When the temperature of the evaporator reaches significantly low values, the moisture in the air around the evaporator causes ice to form on the evaporator. Since this condition reduces the heat transfer rate of the evaporator, the operating efficiency of the cooling device also decreases. To prevent this, the ice formed on the evaporator is melted using heat. In this case, the liquid formed by melting must be discharged from the evaporator. For this reason, the present invention provides a cooling device in which the liquid formed as a result of the melting of the ice on the evaporator is removed from the evaporator.

[0043] The cooling device (S) according to the present invention, as illustrated in figures 1-6, comprises at least one body with at least two opposite side walls (1) and at least one rear wall (2); at least one inner compartment (4) provided in the body; at least one door for controlling access into the inner compartment (4); at least one lower compartment (3) located at a lower section of the body, with at least one side thereof (the rear side of the body) communicating into the external environment; at least one compressor (5); at least one condenser (6) connected to said compressor (5) and located on an outer face of the rear wall (2) in a manner spaced apart from the rear wall (2); at least one capillary tube; at least one evaporator (7) for cooling the inner compartment (4); at least one refrigerant circulated among the compressor (5), condenser (6), capillary tube, and evaporator (7); at least one heating element for heating the evaporator (7) (e.g., for melting the ice formed on the evaporator (7)); at least one vacuum insulation panel (8) located inside the body, between the inner compartment (4) and the rear wall (2); at least one evaporation tray (10) located in the lower compartment (3); and at least one transmission line (9) with at least one side thereof connected to the inner compartment (4) (to a section of the inner compartment (4) closer to the evaporator (7)), wherein at least one portion of the transmission line (9) passes along one side of the vacuum insulation panel (8) and exits the body through the rear wall (2), wherein a part of the transmission line (9) outside the body is connected to the evaporation tray (10).

[0044] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, said cooling device (S) is provided as a refrigerator for storing food items. Here, the inner compartment (4), which may be configured as a refrigerator compartment or a freezer compartment, is cooled via a cooling system consisting of the compressor (5), condenser (6), capillary tube, evaporator (7), and refrigerant. In order to reduce heat transmission between the inner compartment (4) and the external environment and to prevent the inner compartment (4) from being affected by external heat, at least one vacuum insulation panel (8) (VIP) is used inside the body between the rear wall (2) and the inner compartment (4). During operation of the cooling device (S), icing may occur on the evaporator (7). To remove this icing, the evaporator (7) is heated via the heating element. Here, the liquid formed as a result of the melting of the ice is transferred to the evaporation tray (10) via the transmission line (9), which may be in the form of a pipe or hose. In the evaporation tray (10), said liquid is converted into vapor and released into the external environment. By routing the transmission line (9) inside the body alongside the vacuum insulation panel (8), damage to the vacuum insulation panel (8) is prevented. Thus, the thermal insulation of the cooling device (S) is enhanced.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said transmission line (9) comprises: at least a first section (9a) connected to the inner compartment (4) at a middle portion thereof; at least a second section (9b) extending from the first section (9a) toward a side wall (1); at least a third section (9c) connected to the second section (9b), configured in a bent form, and passing along one side of the vacuum insulation panel (8) to extend out of the body through the rear wall (2); at least a fourth section (9d) extending from the third section (9c) toward a middle portion of the rear wall (2); and at least a fifth section (9e) extending from the fourth section (9d) toward the evaporation tray (10). Here, said fourth section (9d) and fifth section (9e) are preferably provided between the condenser (6) and the rear wall (2). Thus, by allowing the liquid inside the transmission line (9) to absorb the heat of the condenser (6), both the condenser (6) is more efficiently cooled, and the temperature of the liquid delivered to the evaporation tray (10) is increased, thereby speeding up the evaporation process. In a preferred embodiment, the cooling device (S) comprises at least a first connection element (11) for connecting the second section (9b) to at least one inner compartment (4). Here, the first connection element (11) preferably comprises a thermally insulating material. In an exemplary embodiment, the first connection element (11) is provided as a styrofoam. Since the first connection element (11) has thermal insulation properties, it prevents the relatively high-temperature liquid flowing through the transmission line (9) from heating the inner compartment (4). In another preferred embodiment, the cooling device (S) comprises at least a second connection element (12) for connecting the fifth section (9e) to the body (for example, to a section of the rear wall (2)). Thanks to the second connection element (12), which is preferably in the form of a clamp, the transmission line (9) is securely attached to the body.

[0046] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the evaporation tray (10) comprises at least one tray body (10a), which is provided as an open-top container; and at least one connecting protrusion (10b) located at the bottom of the tray body (10a) and suitable for connection with the transmission line (9). Said connecting protrusion (10b) is preferably a protrusion with a cross-section in the form of a “+” (plus sign), suitable for insertion into the transmission line (9). Here, thanks to said “+” form, a tight fit of the connecting protrusion (10b) into the transmission line (9) is ensured, and the liquid from the transmission line (9) can be directed into the tray body (10a).

[0047] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the compressor (5) is located in the inner compartment (4), preferably below the evaporation tray (10). In this embodiment, the heat generated during operation of the compressor (5) ensures that the liquid in the evaporation tray (10) is heated and evaporated. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one portion of the condenser (6) is located inside the evaporation tray (10). Thus, the liquid in the evaporation tray (10) is heated further and evaporated more quickly.

[0048] In the cooling device (S) according to the present invention, the liquid formed as a result of heating the evaporator (7) to prevent icing on the evaporator (7) is delivered to the evaporation tray (10) via the transmission line (9). Here, since the transmission line (9) passes along a side of the vacuum insulation panel (8) and extends out of the body, damage to the vacuum insulation panel (8) is prevented. Thus, high thermal insulation is achieved in the cooling device (S), and energy efficiency is increased.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A cooling device (S) comprising at least one body with at least two opposite side walls (1) and at least one rear wall (2); at least one inner compartment (4) provided in the body; at least one door for controlling access into the inner compartment (4); at least one lower compartment (3) located at a lower section of the body, with at least one side thereof communicating into the external environment; at least one compressor (5); at least one condenser (6) connected to said compressor (5) and located on an outer face of the rear wall (2) in a manner spaced apart from the rear wall (2); at least one capillary tube; at least one evaporator (7) for cooling the inner compartment (4); at least one refrigerant circulated among the compressor (5), condenser (6), capillary tube, and evaporator (7); at least one heating element for heating the evaporator (7), characterized by comprising: at least one vacuum insulation panel (8) located inside the body, between the inner compartment (4) and the rear wall (2); at least one evaporation tray (10) located in the lower compartment (3); and at least one transmission line (9) with at least one side thereof connected to the inner compartment (4), wherein at least one portion of the transmission line (9) passes along one side of the vacuum insulation panel (8) and exits the body through the rear wall (2), wherein a part of the transmission line (9) outside the body is connected to the evaporation tray (10).

2. A cooling device (S) according to claim 1, characterized in that said transmission line (9) comprises at least a first section (9a) connected to the inner compartment (4) at a middle portion thereof; at least a second section (9b) extending from the first section (9a) toward a side wall (1); at least a third section (9c) connected to the second section (9b), configured in a bent form, and passing along one side of the vacuum insulation panel (8) to extend out of the body through the rear wall (2); at least a fourth section (9d) extending from the third section (9c) toward a middle portion of the rear wall (2); and at least a fifth section (9e) extending from the fourth section (9d) toward the evaporation tray (10).

3. A cooling device (S) according to claim 2, characterized in that said fourth section (9d) and fifth section (9e) are provided between the condenser (6) and the rear wall (2).

4. A cooling device (S) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the cooling device comprises at least a first connection element (11) for connecting the second section (9b) to at least one inner compartment (4).

5. A cooling device (S) according to claim 4, characterized in that the first connection element (11) comprises a thermally insulating material.

6. A cooling device (S) according to any of the claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the cooling device (S) comprises at least a second connection element (12) for connecting the fifth section (9e) to the body.

7. A cooling device (S) according to claim 6, characterized in that the second connection element (12) is in the form of a clamp.

8. A cooling device (S) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaporation tray (10) comprises at least one tray body (10a), which is provided as an open-top container; and at least one connecting protrusion (10b) located at the bottom of the tray body (10a) and suitable for connection with the transmission line (9).

9. A cooling device (S) according to claim 8, characterized in that said connecting protrusion (10b) is a protrusion with a cross-section in the form of a “+”, suitable for insertion into the transmission line (9).

10. A cooling device (S) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressor (5) is located in the inner compartment (4).

11. A cooling device (S) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressor (5) is located below the evaporation tray (10).

2. A cooling device (S) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one portion of the condenser (6) is located inside the evaporation tray (10).

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