Enclosure for refrigerating chambers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing refrigerating chamber enclosures face issues with frost formation on flexible sheets exposed to cold, leading to uneven sheet thickness and operational errors due to inadequate air distribution and heating in prior solutions.

Innovation Solution

The enclosure incorporates vertical posts with fans, deflector plates, and electrical resistors to direct heated air along the flexible sheet, ensuring frost prevention by arranging fans, reflectors, and hot air outlets at different heights to cover the entire sheet surface, and includes resistors within the motorized drum's protective cover to prevent ice or frost formation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the flexible sheet is exposed to cold from the refrigerating chamber, then the quick-opening door can effectively minimize temperature losses, but frost forms on the flexible sheet causing irregular thickness increase and operational errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature lossVSAvoiddoor operation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A heated air circulation system acts as an intermediary between the cold refrigerating chamber and the flexible sheet. The system introduces warm air from the outer portion through vertical posts and deflector plates to the lower areas of the flexible sheet, preventing frost formation while maintaining the door's thermal insulation function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The heating system applies heat locally to specific areas of the flexible sheet through strategically positioned outlets in the vertical posts. Deflector plates direct heated air to the lower areas where frost tends to form most, providing localized frost prevention without heating the entire door structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If air is projected into the space between flexible sheets to prevent frost, then some frost protection is achieved, but the air distribution is non-uniform and lower portions remain unfprotected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrost formationVSAvoidair distribution uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system is segmented into multiple independent outlets distributed along the vertical posts at different heights. Each outlet serves a specific zone of the flexible sheet, ensuring comprehensive and uniform heat distribution across the entire surface, particularly protecting the previously vulnerable lower areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from a single-point or single-plane air projection to a multi-dimensional distribution network. Vertical posts with outlets at various heights create a three-dimensional heating pattern that envelops the flexible sheet, ensuring uniform frost protection across all areas including the lower portions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If the motorised drum is placed on the outer portion, then the flexible sheet can be rolled efficiently, but frost forms in the rolling area causing ice accumulation and operational failures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor operation efficiencyVSAvoidice formation in rolling area
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Heated air serves as an intermediary substance introduced into the protective cover of the motorised drum. The system prevents ice formation in the rolling area by maintaining a positive temperature environment around the drum, ensuring smooth operation without frost-related failures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Shape

If frost forms on the flexible sheet, then the sheet thickness increases irregularly, but this causes the rolled sheet to form a thick roll that butts against the protective cover

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexible sheet thicknessVSAvoiddoor opening operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system applies preliminary anti-action by preventing frost formation before it can occur. By maintaining the flexible sheet temperature above freezing through continuous heated air circulation, the system eliminates the root cause of irregular thickness increase and subsequent rolling problems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution effectively prevents frost formation on the flexible sheet, ensuring coordinated movement and reducing operational errors by uniformly distributing heated air across the sheet, maintaining efficient door operation and minimizing frost-related thickness issues.

Implementation Method 1

underneath said deflector plate electrical resistors for heating the supplied air

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

projected air does not reach the entire surface of the flexible sheets in a uniform manner, mainly due to the fact that air at a higher temperature moves towards the upper area of the opening

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3564604B1Enclosure for refrigerating chambers
Publication Date: 2020.08.12 AMISERRU
  • EP3564604B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3564604B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3564604B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an enclosure for refrigerating chambers, suitable for closing an access (3) to a refrigerating chamber and comprising: -a sliding refrigerating door (1), and - a quick-opening door (2), both assembled on the same side of the chamber, comprising a frame with vertical posts (4), comprising: - on an outer face, at least one mouth (42) wherein a fan (6) is coupled which introduces air in the corresponding vertical post (4); - on the inside thereof, a deflector plate (61) which directs the air towards electrical resistors (7) for heating the air, situated underneath the deflector plate and,- on an inner face, an outlet (43) for supplying hot air on one of the surfaces, inner or outer, of the flexible sheet (21) exposed to the cold of the chamber and removing frost from said flexible sheet (21).