SELF-SUPPORTING COOLING MODULE
A self-supporting cooling module, comprising a self-supporting cooling module body which is made of foamed resin material, a reference plane being defined in said cooling module body, wherein components are located in said cooling module body in a first operating position with respect to the reference plane in which all components operably interact, and a plurality of components to be cooled or executing a cooling action, said components executing a cooling action include at least one heat exchanger, characterized in that said components are introduced into said cooling module body such that they operably interact also in a second operating position which, with respect to said first operating position, is rotated by 180° around an axis lying in said reference plane.
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The invention relates to a self-supporting cooling module, comprising a self-supporting cooling module body which is made of foamed resin material, a reference plane being defined in said cooling module body, wherein components are located in said cooling module body in a first operating position with respect to the reference plane in which all components operably interact, and comprising a plurality of components to be cooled or executing a cooling action, said components executing a cooling action including at least one heat exchanger.
Such a self-supporting cooling module is known from DE 10 2004 032 920 A1. Expanding polypropylene (EPP) is proposed as a foamed resin material which comprises excellent strength characteristics so that it can reliably hold the components. The cooling module body consists of two cooperating shells between which the components are arranged, wherein the shells fixes them in a desired functional position. It is further provided to form a drain pan in the lower one of the two shells in which humidity may accumulate which precipitates possibly at several components of the cooling module.
A similar cooling module is described in EP 0 547 211 B2 which also uses a double-shell cooling module body made of expanded polypropylene. This cooling module is to be used in an optical device or in a device for analytic chemistry, for example liquid chromatographs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is the object of the present invention to provide a self-supporting cooling module which may be flexibly used in different mounting situations and which displays its full functionality. In particular, it should operate reliably even under harsh operating conditions.
This object is solved, according to the invention, by a self-supporting cooling module of the type mentioned in the introductory that the components are introduced into the cooling module body such that they operably the interact also in a second operating position which, with respect to said first operating position, is rotated by 180° around an axis lying in said reference plane.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cooling module body is formed as a double-shell wherein the interface between the two shells is parallel to or within said reference plane.
Preferably, said heat exchanger comprises a condensate drain discharging condensate in a first direction in said first operating position and discharging condensate in a second direction in said second operating position. Therefore, if the cooling module is to be installed in its operating position rotated by 180°, only the respective condensate drain must be closed, so that the device is again functioning and operates failure safe.
Advantageously, the condensate drain is a two-way-drain which may in particular be configured as being valve-controlled.
It is appropriate to provide control means which drive those components executing a cooling action in response to signals which are issued to the control means by a least one temperature sensor and/or at least one humidity sensor.
If such control means are provided, it is further reasonable to provide a position sensor, said control means controlling the valve of the two-way-drain in response to the signals received from the position sensor to discharge the condensate corresponding to the detected position of the cooling module body in the first direction or in the second direction.
As a resin material for the cooling module according to the invention, expanded polypropylene should be used.
It is also advantageous to snap the shells of the cooling module body into another in the mounted position, so that no additional fixing devices, such as for example retaining belts are necessary.
The invention will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is shown in:
Arrangement of the components within cooling module body 102, 104 may be recognized from the perspective explosion view according to
Thereby, a cooling module is provided which may be utilized in different mounting situations without any modification, a probably existing display should, however, be mounted according to the first or second operating position for better readability.
The features disclosed in the foregoing description, in the claims and/or in the accompanying drawings may, both separately and in any combination thereof, be material for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.
Claims
1. A self-supporting cooling module, comprising:
- a self-supporting cooling module body which is made of foamed resin material, a reference plane being defined in said cooling module body, wherein components are located in said cooling module body in a first operating position with respect to the reference plane in which all components operably interact, and
- a plurality of components to be cooled or executing a cooling action, said components executing a cooling action include at least one heat exchanger,
- wherein said components are introduced into said cooling module body such that they operably interact also in a second operating position which, with respect to said first operating position, is rotated by 180° around an axis lying in said reference plane.
2. The self-supporting cooling module of claim 1, wherein said cooling module body is formed as a double-shell, wherein the interface between the two shells is parallel to or within said reference plane.
3. The self-supporting cooling module of claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger comprises a condensate drain discharging condensate in a first direction in said first operating position and discharging condensate in a second direction in said second operating position.
4. The self-supporting cooling module of claim 3, wherein said condensate drain is configured as a two-way-drain.
5. The self-supporting cooling module of claim 4, wherein said condensate drain is configured as a valve-controlled two-way-drain.
6. The self-supporting cooling module of claim 1, wherein control means are provided driving said components executing a cooling action in response to signals issued to said control means by at least one temperature sensor and/or by at least one humidity sensor.
7. The self-supporting cooling module of claim 3, wherein a position sensor is provided wherein said control means controls the valve of the two-way-drain in response to signals received from said position sensor to discharge the condensate in the first direction or in the second direction, depending on the detected position of said cooling module body.
8. The self-supporting cooling module of claim 4, wherein a position sensor is provided wherein said control means controls the valve of the two-way-drain in response to signals received from said position sensor to discharge the condensate in the first direction or in the second direction, depending on the detected position of said cooling module body.
9. The self-supporting cooling module of claim 5, wherein a position sensor is provided wherein said control means controls the valve of the two-way-drain in response to signals received from said position sensor to discharge the condensate in the first direction or in the second direction, depending on the detected position of said cooling module body.
10. The self-supporting cooling module of claim 1, wherein said resin material is expanded polypropylene.
11. The self-supporting cooling module of claim 2, wherein the shells of said cooling module body snap into another in a mounted position.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 28, 2012
Publication Date: Oct 4, 2012
Applicant: RITTAL GMBH & CO. KG (Herborn)
Inventors: Joerg Christian Knetsch (Ehringshausen), Giovanni Marangoni (Vigasio), Sebastiano Bonetti (San Vito di Negrar)
Application Number: 13/432,076
International Classification: F28F 9/00 (20060101);