SYSTEM AND METHOD OF TEMPERATURE EQUALIZATION APPLIED TO THE DOOR OF ELECTRICAL HOME APPLIANCES
The present invention relates to a system and a method of temperature equalization applied to the door (12, 24, 30) of electrical home appliances by means of the circulation of air within the freezing compartment (23), the freezer compartment (11) or the refrigeration compartment (16), as may be the case, in order to eliminate regions wherein the air stands still. The said circulation comprises the forced moving of the air between at least one air inlet opening (34) and at least one air outlet opening (15, 25, 35, 36), the said forced moving being provided by the action of at least one ventilation fan (13, 26, 37), installed in the air inlet opening or in the air outlet opening. The said openings are positioned in regions of different temperatures within the compartment, and are interconnected by means for conducting the airflow (14, 27, 34), which means may be provided by means of ducts.
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The present invention relates to a System for equalization of temperature for application to the door of electrical home appliances, and more specifically, to refrigeration apparatuses, these latter possibly being of the “cycle defrost” type, when the defrosting is performed at each cycle of the compressor (technically known as CycleDefrost), automatic, when the defrosting is controlled autonomously by the refrigerator (technically known as NoFrost or FrostFree) or manual, when there is required the intervention of the user to perform the defrosting, such system being applicable irrespective of the product being provided with one, two or more doors.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONFrom the dawn of human existence there has existed the need of conserving food in order to allow the storage thereof. The first domestic refrigerator was produced in 1913 Fred W. Wolf Junior in the city of Chicago, and was called Domelre (Domestic Electric Refrigerator). Only in the year of 1925 were manufactured the first refrigerators comprising in one single unit the refrigeration box and the motor, the compressor and the condenser (a trio that formerly existed separately, located beside or below the refrigerator).
Between 1890 and 1929, the refrigerators used toxic gasses as refrigerants. Some examples included ammonia (NH3), methyl chloride (CH3CL) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). In 1928, an American engineer, Thomas Midgley, developed the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as substitutes for the toxic gasses, among which CFCs there should be pointed out the Freon (CCL2F2).
Tragically, only by 1973 the American chemical experts Frank Sherwood Rowland and Mario Molina became aware of the deleterious effect of the CFCs to the planet's ozone layer. The refrigeration gas directly used for the last 2 decades to substitute the gasses CFCs, R22 and R12 in domestic refrigerators is the R134a.
In addition to the evolution of the refrigeration systems, the domestic refrigerators aggregated quality with the development of temperature control systems, forced ventilation systems, automatic defrosting systems, application of new materials with better performance, design, ergonomics, beauty, practicality, etc.
During the decade of the nineteen nineties, there was a great concern over the power consumption of home appliances, particularly of refrigerators. This decade saw the implementation of the energy consumption classification tag, whereby the refrigerators are classed according to their energy consumption level. Thus, the present invention considers the growing concern towards reducing the level of energy consumption of domestic refrigerators, and is supposed to contribute to the continuous reduction of such levels.
ANALYSIS OF THE PRIOR ARTIn U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,437, which title is Refrigeration for Discharging Cool Air from a Door, there is described a refrigerator wherein the door of the refrigeration compartment comprises a duct embedded therein comprising a cold air suction opening located on the inner face of the door and several cold air diffusion openings, also located on the said inner face. In
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In light of what has been set forth above, the object of the present invention consists in the provision of a temperature equalization system for refrigerators that is more efficient than those currently known, such as those presented in the above cited reference.
One other object consists in the provision o a temperature equalization system able to be used in freezing compartments, freezer apparatuses and refrigeration compartments.
One other object of the invention consists in the provision of a system that does not require alterations in the refrigeration system.
One other object consists in the provision of a system that may be used in refrigerators irrespective of the latter being provided with one, two or more doors.
One other object consists in the provision of a temperature equalization system that might also be used in other type of electrical home appliances, maintaining the basic operating principle thereof, for example, in ovens and cooking apparatuses.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe above mentioned objects, as well as others, are achieved by the invention by means of the provision of means that cause the circulation of air within the freezing compartment, the freezer apparatus or the refrigerator, as may be the case, in order to eliminate the regions wherein the air stands still.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the said circulation comprises the displacement of air between regions with different temperatures, using one or more ventilation fans for such purpose.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the means used comprise a ventilation fan associated with an arrangement that comprises at least an air inlet and an air outlet located in different regions of the compartment, interconnected by means for conducting the air flow between the said inlet and the said outlet, the said arrangement being installed on the door of the compartment under consideration, in order to promote a forced circulation of the air, homogenizing the distribution of temperature within the said compartment.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the said different regions correspond to different levels of the compartment.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the presently proposed system may be used in cycle defrost type products, when the defrosting is effected at each cycle of the compressor (technically known as CycleDefrost), automatic type products, when the defrosting is autonomously controlled by the refrigerator (technically known as NoFrost or FrostFree) or manual type products, when there is required the intervention of the user to effect the defrosting, in products having either 1 (one), 2 (two) or more doors.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the proposed system may be used to equalize the temperature only in the freezing compartment or freezer, in the refrigerating compartment or in both compartments (freezer and refrigerator or freezing compartment and refrigerator).
According to another characteristic of the invention, the temperature equalization system is applied to the door of refrigeration apparatuses, thereby avoiding the need of alterations in the refrigeration system.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the proposed system promotes an orientation of the direction of the airflow in regions of interest
Similarly, the present invention works in the door of a cooking apparatus, homogenizing the temperature in the oven compartment.
The remaining characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood by means of the description of preferred exemplary embodiments thereof, given merely as examples and not in any limitative sense, and of the drawings to which such embodiments refer, wherein:
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The present invention provides a solution for improving the circulation of air in refrigeration systems, whereby this invention may be used in cycle defrost type products, in which the defrosting is effected at each cycle of the compressor (technically known as CycleDefrost), automatic type products, whereby the defrosting is controlled autonomously by the refrigerator (technically known as NoFrost or FrostFree) or manual type products, in which there is required an intervention from the part of the user to effect the defrosting, such including products having 1 (one), 2 (two) or more doors.
The present invention may be used in conventional refrigerators for distributing the air only within the freezing compartment, in the freezer or in the refrigeration compartment or both (freezer and refrigerator or freezing compartment and refrigerator). Furthermore, the presently proposed system will also be able to be used in horizontal-type freezers with one or two doors, as well as in vertical-type freezers. The invention consists in a ventilation fan, means for conducting the airflow, that may be provided by way of a ducting arrangement, either internal or external, air outlets or air inlets, such that, upon being applied to the door of a refrigeration system, the present invention promotes the forced circulation of the air, homogenizing the temperature within the compartment in question.
The ventilation fan may be installed inside the door or even at the external part thereof, since this does not change the objects of the present invention, as the purpose of the ventilation fan consists in driving the air in motion within the compartments (forced ventilation).
Variations whereby the ventilation fan either sucks or blows the air also do not change the objectives and results of the present invention. Variations in the shapes and positions of the air outlets or of the air inlets also do not affect the objectives and results of the present invention, since the specific function of the air outlets and air inlets consists in directing the airflow towards predetermined regions. The shape and disposition of the ducting arrangement, either internal or external, do not affect the general purposes of the invention.
Specific aspects of the invention are depicted in the figures of the attached drawings for a question of convenience, wherein each aspect may be combined with other aspects as might be needed, within the scope of the same inventive aspect. Thus,
Alternative embodiments will be understood as being possible by technicians skilled in the art, and should be included in the scope of the claims. Thus, for example, the sense or direction of circulation of the air within the compartments in which the system is applied might be different from that which is illustrated in the figures.
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In an optional alternative construction, there may be inserted blocks of thermally insulating or non-thermally insulating material between the inner faces of the walls that form the plenum, the said blocks having shapes and dispositions such that they form channels that direct the air flow between the inlet and outlet openings.
The presently introduced innovation is not limited to the representations commented or illustrated herein, and should be understood in terms of its fullest broad scope. Many modifications and other representations of the invention will come to mind of those skilled in the art to which such innovation pertains, having the benefit of the teaching presented in the previous descriptions and in the attached drawings. Consequently, it should be understood that the innovation in question is not limited to the form thereof having been specifically disclosed herein, and that modifications and other forms are understood as included in the scope of the claims attached to the instant document. Among the possible constructive variants there should be pointed out those relative to vertical freezers, as well as to horizontal freezers of one or two doors, where in such case the aspiration and in-blowing regions might be located at the same level.
Although specific terms are employed herein, such terms are used merely in a generic and descriptive form and without any limitative purpose.
Therefore, the preceding description should be understood as illustrative rather than limitative with regard to the scope of protection of the invention and all obvious alterations and modifications are comprised in the scope of protection defined by the claims attached hereto.
Claims
1. A temperature equalization system applied to the door of electrical home appliances, which door might correspond to the freezer compartment (1 1), to the freezing compartment (23) to the refrigeration compartment (17, 21), to a cooking compartment or yet to a horizontal-type or vertical-type freezer, constituted by at least one ventilation fan (13, 26, 37), means for conduction of the flow of air (14, 27, 34) interconnecting at least one air inlet opening (34) with at least one air outlet opening (15, 25, 35, 36), characterized in that said at least one air inlet opening is located substantially in a first region of the said compartment in which the temperature is different from the temperature present in a second region of that same compartment, wherein is located at least one air outlet opening, wherein one of the said openings is associated with the said ventilation fan.
2. A system, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the said first region corresponds to a position of lower air temperature within the said compartment, with the said second region corresponding to a position of higher air temperature.
3. A system, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the said first region corresponds to a position of higher air temperature within the said compartment and the said second region corresponds to a position of lower air temperature.
4. A system, as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the air inlet opening is located in the said first region.
5. A system, as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the air inlet opening is located in the said second region.
6. A system, as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the ventilation fan (26, 37) is located in the said air inlet opening (34).
7. A system, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the ventilation fan is located in an air outlet opening.
8. A system, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two or more air outlet openings (25, 35, 36), all of these being located substantially at the same level.
9. A system, as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the said means for conducting the flow of air are provided by ducts (14, 27) positioned internally with relation to the door (12, 24) where the system is installed.
10. A system, as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the said airflow conducting means are provided by ducts positioned externally with relation to the door where the system is installed.
11. A system, as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the said means for conducting the flow of air are provided by a plenum (34) associated with the door (30) where the system is installed.
12. A system, as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that it is applied to the door (24, 31) of the freezing compartment (23).
13. A system, as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that it is applied to the door (12) of the freezer compartment (11).
14. A system, as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that it is applied to the door (17) of the refrigeration compartment (16).
15. A system, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by including insufflating air in a specific internal accessory.
16. A system, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by including exhausting air in a specific internal accessory.
17. A system, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it is applied to cooking apparatuses.
18. A method for equalization of temperature applied to the door of electrical home appliances, characterized by providing the circulation of air within one or more compartments (11, 16, 23) by aspirating or drawing air through an aperture associated to the said door (12, 24, 31) located in a first region of the said one or more compartment(s) and insufflating air through at least one opening (15, 25, 35, 36) located in a second region of the same compartment.
19. A method, as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the said first region corresponds to a position of lower air temperature within the said compartment, and the said second region corresponds to a position of higher air temperature therein.
20. A method, as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the said first region corresponds to a position of higher air temperature within the said compartment, and the said second region corresponds to a position of lower air temperature therein.
21. A method, as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the aspiration of the air is provided by means of a ventilation fan (13, 26, 37).
22. A method, as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the air is insufflated by means of a ventilation fan.
23. A method, as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the said first region corresponds to a first level of the said one or more compartment(s), and the said second region corresponds to a second level of the said one or more compartment(s).
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 3, 2011
Publication Date: Mar 14, 2013
Applicant: ELECTROLUX DO BRASIL S. A. (Curitiba)
Inventors: Hugo Flavio Benassi Zanqueta (Curitiba), Reginaldo Rafael Vieira Correa (Curitiba), Eduardo Cantieri (Curitiba), Eduardo Alves Cardoso (Curitiba)
Application Number: 13/582,491
International Classification: F24F 7/00 (20060101);