US20100275639A1

US20100275639A1 - Refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit

Info

Publication number: US20100275639A1
Application number: US12/711,529
Authority: US
Inventors: Holger Jendrusch
Original assignee: Liebherr Hausgeraete Ochsenhausen GmbH
Current assignee: Liebherr Hausgeraete Ochsenhausen GmbH
Priority date: 2009-02-25
Filing date: 2010-02-24
Publication date: 2010-11-04
Also published as: EP2224194A2; DE202009006300U1; EP2224194A3; EP2224194B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having at least a first zone and a second zone in the inner space of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit, with a plurality of air circulation means being provided, with at least one air circulation means being associated with a zone in each case.

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having at least a first zone and a second zone in the inner space of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit.
Known refrigerator units have a fan and a plurality of air guidance passages for the refrigeration of zones located in the inner space and separated from one another and have flaps to set the temperature in the respective zones. It thereby becomes possible to obtain a plurality of temperature zones in the inner space of a refrigerator unit so that better account can be taken of the different refrigerating requirements of the refrigeration good to be stored in the unit. In this respect, the fan is usually located in the rear upper zone of a refrigerated air passage and blows the air coming from the inner space of the refrigerator unit over an evaporator so that this air is cooled again. The air cooled in this manner is then conducted via openings into the respective zones or compartments or temperature zones.
This kind of regulation of the temperature of the individual refrigerated zones in a refrigerator unit can, however, not prevent the occurrence of slight temperature fluctuations in the individual temperature zones. In particular a targeted and faster setting or regulation e.g. to a constant value of the temperature would therefore be desirable.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to further develop a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit of the initially named kind in an advantageous manner, in particular such that a very accurate and targeted temperature regulation per refrigerated zone is made possible.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having the features of claim 1. Provision is accordingly made that a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit has at least a first zone and a second zone in the inner space of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit. A plurality of air circulation means are furthermore provided, with at least one air circulation means being associated with one zone in each case. The advantage thereby results that, for example, the supply of refrigerated air to a zone can be accurately set, and thus also the temperature in this zone. This is in particular made possible by dynamic air circulation means which, for example, allow the refrigerated air flow to be supplied to the zone to be varied. The inner space is preferably the inner space of the refrigerator part of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit. It is generally conceivable that the unit additionally has a freezer part having an inner space separated from the inner space of the refrigerator part.
It is furthermore conceivable that the zone is a separate temperature zone and/or that the zones have temperatures different from one another. The first zone can thus, for example, have a temperature of approximately 4° C. and a second zone can have a temperature of approximately 8° C. It is advantageously conceivable that the zones have temperatures between −3° C. and +8° C. The respective temperatures in the individual zones can be identical or partly identical, but can also be selected to be completely different.
It is furthermore possible that the zones are arranged above one another and/or below one another and/or next to one another.
Provision can furthermore be made that a large first zone is provided which has a larger volume than the at least one further second zone. It is in particular conceivable in this respect that one zone is the main zone of the refrigerator part for the storage of refrigerated goods and the second zone is a pull-out compartment for the refrigeration e.g. of vegetables.
It is possible that the further zone and/or the further zones is/are arranged beneath the large first zone.
It is furthermore conceivable that at least one second zone is a 0° C. zone or a BioFresh zone. Such a second zone is preferably designed as a drawer or as a pull-out compartment. It is particularly advantageous if the pull-out compartment is made transparent. It is generally conceivable that all second zones are made as BioFresh compartments.
Provision can furthermore be made that at least one air guidance means is provided behind a wall of the zones and that the air circulation means are arranged in and/or at the wall of the inner space and are connected to the air guidance means for the air circulation. Air guidance means can, for example, be passages, shafts, flaps and/or other deflection means for air which either lead to the respective zone or lead out of the respective zone. It is generally conceivable that the zones have common, throughgoing walls, with the zones being separated from one another by partition bases.
It is furthermore possible that air can be blown out of the air guidance means by the air circulation means into the zone associated with the air circulation means.
Provision can furthermore advantageously be made that the air circulation means is a fan. It is conceivable in this connection that the control of the fans takes place via a control and/or regulation unit. It can in this respect be the unit controller of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit. The temperature can thus be regulated in a zone or compartment via the control of the speed of a fan, for example.
It is furthermore possible that the air guidance means includes a refrigerated air passage, a refrigerated air shaft and/or an air extraction passage or is made as such.
It is moreover conceivable that at least one evaporator, preferably one central evaporator, is arranged in the refrigerated air shaft. Such a central evaporator can in this respect extend almost over the total height of the inner space and can serve for the cooling of the air for all zones. It is particularly advantageous if a plurality of zones are arranged above one another and if the central evaporator extends over all zones. The advantage thereby results that the air guided past the central evaporator and cooled hereby can be blown into the respective zone or into the respective compartment directly without any great detours by means of the respective air circulation means.
It is of advantage if the zones are connected to an air extraction passage. It hereby becomes possible, for example, first to collect the warm air from the respective zones or temperature zones and then to cool it together, that is, to supply it, for example, to a central evaporator or past it and hereby to cool it.
Provision can furthermore be made that the zones are each connected via an air outlet opening to a common air extraction passage. This embodiment is space-saving and e.g. permits a utilization of the stack effect, and indeed in particular when the air extraction passage is arranged in a perpendicular manner.
It is furthermore conceivable that at least one refrigerated air shaft and one air extraction passage are provided, with both being arranged behind the rear wall of the zones. It is, for example, conceivable in this connection that the refrigerated air shaft and the air extraction passage are accommodated together in the shaft which is formed by the rear wall of the zones and by the rear inner side of the inner container of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit.
It is of advantage if the refrigerated air shaft and the air extraction passage are separated by a common separating wall, with air passing from the air extraction passage in the upper part of the separating wall via an opening into the refrigerated air passage.

Further details and advantages of the invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.

There are shown:

FIG. 1: a schematic representation of the arrangement of the components of a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit;

FIG. 2: a representation of the section B-B of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3: a representation of the section A-A of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 shows, in a schematic representation from the front, a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit 10 having four zones 20, 22, 24, 26 which are arranged in the inner space 12 of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit 10, are disposed above one another and each represent a separate temperature zone 20, 22, 24, 26. In this respect, the zone 20 arranged at the top in the inner space 12 has a substantially larger inner space volume than the other zones 22, 24, 26.
Provision is preferably made that the three lower zones 22, 24, 26 are 0° C. zones or BioFresh zones. In this respect, the zones 22, 24, 26 can be made as compartments or as pull-out compartments. It is, for example, conceivable with an embodiment having pull-out compartments that transparent drawers can be pushed into and out of the zones 22, 24, 26.
The zones 20, 22, 24, 26 can generally each have mutually different temperatures, but also identical temperatures. Provision can thus be made that the temperature in the first zone 20 is approximately 4° C., while the temperature in the zones 22, 24, 27 is approximately 0° C. in each case. Provision can generally likewise be made that the temperature in the zones 22, 24, 26 is higher or also lower than 0° C.
The zones 20, 22, 24, 26 are separated from one another by throughgoing partition bases 14 for the formation of a separate temperature zone. Additional insulation layers, which are, however, not shown in any more detail in the Figures, can be worked into these partition bases.
An air circulation means 30 designed as a fan 30 and an air extraction opening 120, 122, 124, 126 are in each case associated with each zone 20, 22, 24, 26. A very accurate temperature regulation is hereby achieved in the respective refrigerated zone 20, 22, 24, 26.
The fans 30 blow refrigerated air L into the respective zones 20, 22, 24, 26 from the refrigerated air shaft 30, which is located behind the common rear wall 16 (cf. FIGS. 2 and 3) of the zones 20, 22, 24, 26. The air L then flows through the respective zone 20, 22, 24, 26 and exits it through the air outlet opening 120, 122, 124, 126 associated with the zone 20, 22, 24, 26 into the stack-like air passage 50 for the leading away of the heated air L.
The refrigerated air shaft 30 and the stack-like air passage 50 are both located behind the rear wall 16 of the zones 20, 22, 24, 26 and are separated from one another by the separating wall 62 and are connected to one another by the opening 60 arranged at the head side. Both the refrigerated air shaft 30 and the stack-like air passage 50 are made as throughgoing over their total height and are not divided by the partition bases 14. The partition bases 14 end at the common rear wall 16 of the zones 20, 22, 24, 26.
The heated air led off from the zones 20, 22, 24, 26 rises upwardly in the air passage 50 and enters into the refrigerated air shaft 30 via the opening 60. The air L there flows along the central evaporator 70 and is hereby cooled. The air is then again blown into the respective zones 20, 22, 24, 26 by the fans 30.
The fan 30, which is associated with the topmost zone 20, is located centrally in the lower part of the rear wall 16 of the zone 20 and is fastened in the wall 16. The air outlet opening 120 associated with the zone 20 is located opposite in the upper part of the rear wall 16 of the zone 20. The fans 30 of the lower zones 22, 24, 26 are likewise orientated base-wise, whereas the respective air outlet opening is orientated to the head side.
FIG. 2 shows the section B-B through the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit shown in FIG. 1. The guidance of the air L is again made clear from this sectional drawing. The air L is in each case blown by the fans 30 out of the refrigerated air shaft 40 having the central evaporator 70 in each case at the base side into the zones or compartments 20, 22, 24, 26 or into the temperature zones 20, 22, 24, 26. The air L being heated in the zone 20 or in the compartments 22, 24, 26 rises upwardly and exits the zone 20 or the compartments 22, 24, 26 via the respectively associated air outlet openings 120, 122, 124, 126 into the air passage 50.
FIG. 3 shows the section A-A with a direction of gaze from to the top to the bottom through the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this sectional view, the arrangement of the refrigerated air shaft 40 having the central evaporator 70 arranged therein and having the stack-like air passage 50 for the guiding off of heated air L behind the rear wall 16 is shown.
Provision can generally be made that the temperature is preset and regulated individually in each compartment via a unit controller and regulator which is not shown in any more detail. It is not absolutely necessary in this respect that the fans are controlled and operated synchronously. It is advantageously possible to control the fans as required and independently of one another, e.g. with respect to speed, and hereby to regulate the temperature in the respective zone or compartment 20, 22, 24, 26. Provision can furthermore be made via flaps, not shown in any more detail, to decouple the zone 20 or one or more of the compartments 22, 24, 26, for example, from the circulation circuit of the air L at times. Such flaps are associated with the fan 30 and also the air outlet openings 120, 122, 124, 126 in such an embodiment of a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit 10 and can likewise preferably be controlled via the unit controller and/or regulator.

Claims

1. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) having at feast a first (20) and a second zone (22, 24, 26) in the inner space (12) of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit (10), wherein a plurality of air circulation means (30) are provided, with at least one air circulation means (30) being associated with a zone (20, 22, 24, 26) in each case.

2. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the zone (20, 22, 24, 26) is a separate temperature zone (20, 22, 24, 26); and/or at least two zones (20, 22, 24, 26) have temperatures different from one another.

3. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the zones (20, 22, 24, 26) are arranged above one another and/or below one another and/or next to one another.

4. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein a large first zone (20) is provided which has a larger volume than the at least one further second zone (22, 24, 26).

5. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 4, wherein the second zone and/or the further second zones (22, 24, 26) are arranged below the large first zone (20).

6. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 4, wherein at least one second region (22, 24, 26) is a 0° C. zone (22, 24, 26) or a BioFresh zone (22, 24, 26).

7. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one air guidance means (40, 50) is provided behind a wall (16) of the zones (20, 22, 24, 26); and the air circulation means (30) are arranged in and/or at the wall (16) of the zones (20, 22, 24, 26) and are connected to the air guidance means (40, 50) for the air circulation.

8. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 7, wherein air (L) can be blown out of the air guidance means (40) by the air circulation means (30) into the zone (20, 22, 24, 26) associated with the air circulation means (30).

9. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air circulation means (30) is a fan (30).

10. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air guidance means (40, 50) includes or is made as a refrigerated air passage, a refrigerated air shaft (40) and/or an air extraction passage (50).

11. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 10, wherein at least one evaporator (70), preferably a central evaporator (70), is arranged in the refrigerated air shaft (40).

12. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 10, wherein the zones (20, 22, 24, 26) are connected to an air extraction passage (50).

13. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 12, wherein the zones (20, 22, 24, 26) are each connected to a common air extraction passage (50) via an air outlet opening (120, 122, 124, 126).

14. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 10, wherein at least one refrigerated air shaft (40) and one air extraction passage (50) are provided, with both being arranged behind the rear wall (16) of the zones (20, 22, 24, 26).

15. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 14, wherein the refrigerated air shaft (40) and the air extraction shaft (50) are separated by a common separating wall (62), with air (L) passing from the air extraction passage (50) into the refrigerated air shaft (40) in the upper part of the separating wall (62) via an opening (60).

16. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 2, wherein the zones (20, 22, 24, 26) are arranged above one another and/or below one another and/or next to one another.

17. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 16, wherein a large first zone (20) is provided which has a larger volume than the at least one further second zone (22, 24, 26).

18. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 3, wherein a large first zone (20) is provided which has a larger volume than the at least one further second zone (22, 24, 26).

19. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 2, wherein a large first zone (20) is provided which has a larger volume than the at least one further second zone (22, 24, 26).

20. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 17, wherein the second zone and/or the further second zones (22, 24, 26) are arranged below the large first zone (20).