Patent Application
20110296641
The present invention relates to a cleaning brush device for condenser. More particularly, this invention relates to a cleaning brush device for condenser, which facilitates the efficiency of the condenser.
A cooling fin grid of condenser tends to collect dust bunny or greasy debris over its grid structure. Such dust bunny blocks part of the gaps of the grid and hinders heat exchange, resulting reducing the efficiency of condensing of the condenser.
Therefore, getting rid of the dust bunny from the grid structure of the condenser is desired.
Many solutions to these problems have been suggested, but with only a partial success.
Accordingly, a need for a cleaning brush device for condenser has been present for a long time considering the expansive demands in the everyday life. This invention is directed to solve these problems and satisfy the long-felt need.
The present invention contrives to solve the disadvantages of the prior art.
An object of the invention is to provide a cleaning brush device for condenser of a refrigerator.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning brush device for condenser of a refrigerator, which can facilitate the efficiency of the condenser.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning brush device for condenser of a refrigerator, which facilitates air flow through the condenser.
An aspect of the invention provides a cleaning brush device for condenser of a refrigerator.
A cleaning brush device for a condenser of refrigerator comprises a condenser and a cleaning brush.
The condenser comprises a cooling fin grid of a plurality of rows of horizontal fins and a plurality of columns of vertical fins.
The cleaning brush is configured to brush dust bunny off a surface of the cooling fin grid.
The cleaning brush sweeps horizontally and vertically over the cooling fin grid in a predetermined period of time and brushes off the dust bunny collected in the cooling fin grid.
The predetermined period of time is controlled according to amount of the dust bunny on the cooling fin grid.
The cleaning brush may sweep a first row horizontally in a first direction from a first side of the cooling fin grid to a second side of the cooling fin grid, move down and sweeps vertically to a second row at the second side of the first row, and then sweep the second row horizontally from the second side of the cooling fin grid to the first side of the cooling fin grid.
The cleaning brush may sweep the rows and columns of the cooling fin grid from a top row to a bottom row for a first sweeping cycle.
The cleaning brush may retrace the rows and columns of the cooling fin grid back from a bottom row to a top row for a second sweeping cycle, and the first and second sweeping cycles may be consecutive such that motion line of the cleaning brush is minimized.
A term between the first and second sweeping cycles may be equal to the predetermined period of time.
The cleaning brush may vibrate during sweeping.
The predetermined period of time may be adjusted by a performance of the condenser.
The condenser may comprise a performance detector, and the predetermined period of time may be adjusted according to an output of the performance detector.
The performance detector may comprise a first pressure sensor disposed at an input side of the condenser and a second pressure sensor disposed at out output side of the condenser.
The cleaning brush may be operated when the ratio of a reading of the second pressure sensor to a reading of the first pressure sensor is above a predetermined value.
The performance detector may further comprise a controller for processing outputs from the first and second pressure sensors and controlling operation of the cleaning brush.
The cleaning brush device may further comprise two vertical guide rails, a horizontal guide rail, and a slidable mount.
The two vertical guide rails may be installed along both outermost columns of the cooling fin grid.
The horizontal guide rail may have two end portions engaging the two vertical guide rails so as to slide vertically.
The slidable mount may be disposed on the horizontal guide rail for mounting the cleaning brush.
The vertical movement of the horizontal guide rail and the horizontal movement of the slidable mount may be controlled to sweep the cooling fin grid to brush the dust bunny off the cooling fin grid.
The slidable mount may comprise an electrical motor, and the horizontal guide rail may comprise an electrical motor.
The cleaning brush may comprise a rotary brush. The rotary brush may be translated along the horizontal guide rail and rotated by an electrical motor.
Alternatively, the cleaning brush may comprise a vibrating brush, and the vibrating brush may be translated along the horizontal guide rail and vibrated by an electrical motor.
The advantages of the present invention are: (1) the cleaning brush device for condenser facilitates the efficiency of the condenser; and (2) the cleaning brush device for condenser can facilitate air flow through the condenser.
Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fuller understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In a regular refrigerator, the fan 90 blows air to the condenser 10 to facilitate the heat exchange in the condenser 10.
A cleaning brush device 100 for a condenser of refrigerator comprises a condenser 10 and a cleaning brush 20.
The condenser 10 comprises a cooling fin grid 12 of a plurality of rows of horizontal fins 14 and a plurality of columns of vertical fins 16 as shown in
The cleaning brush 20 is configured to brush dust bunny 99 off a surface of the cooling fin grid 12.
The cleaning brush 20 sweeps horizontally and vertically over the cooling fin grid 12 in a predetermined period of time and brushes off the dust bunny 99 collected in the cooling fin grid 12.
In
The predetermined period of time is controlled according to amount of the dust bunny 99 collected on the cooling fin grid 12. If the refrigerator is operated in a dirty environment, then the predetermined period of time may be reduced to be short, operating as frequently as necessary. In a clean environment, it might be lengthened accordingly.
The cleaning brush 20 may sweep a first row horizontally in a first (higher) direction from a first (left) side of the cooling fin grid 12 to a second (right) side of the cooling fin grid 12, moves down and sweeps vertically to a second (next lower) row at the second (right) side of the first row, and then sweep the second row horizontally from the second (right) side of the cooling fin grid 12 to the first (left) side of the cooling fin grid 12, for example, in
The cleaning brush 20 may sweep the rows and columns of the cooling fin grid 12 from a top row to a bottom row for a first sweeping cycle as shown in
The cleaning brush 20 may retrace the rows and columns of the cooling fin grid 12 back from a bottom row to a top row for a second sweeping cycle as shown in
A term between the first and second sweeping cycles may be equal to the predetermined period of time.
The cleaning brush 20 may vibrate during sweeping in order to facilitate dusting off of the dust bunny 99.
The predetermined period of time may be adjusted by a performance of the condenser 10. The performance of the condenser 10 may depend on the amount of the dust bunny 99 accumulated on the cooling fin grid 12.
The condenser 10 may comprise a performance detector 18, and the predetermined period of time may be adjusted according to an output of the performance detector 18.
The performance detector 18 may comprise a first pressure sensor 18a disposed at an input side of the condenser 10 and a second pressure sensor 18b disposed at out output side of the condenser 10 as shown in
The cleaning brush 20 may be operated when the ratio of a reading of the second pressure sensor 18b to a reading of the first pressure sensor 18a is above a predetermined value. When the condenser 10 is in a normal operation, the ratio can be measured and then used as a reference value to estimate the efficiency of the condenser 10 afterward. If the condenser 10 is clogged by the dust bunny 99, the ratio may decrease below the reference value.
The performance detector 18 may further comprise a controller 18c for processing outputs from the first and second pressure sensors 18a, 18b and controlling operation of the cleaning brush 20 as shown in
In certain embodiments of the invention, the controller 18c may monitor other operational parameters to estimate the efficiency of the condenser 10 and decide when to start or stop the operation.
The cleaning brush device 100 may further comprise two vertical guide rails 30, 32, a horizontal guide rail 40, and slidable mounts 50, 52, 54. The slidable mounts 50, 52, 54 are disposed between the cleaning brush 20 and the horizontal guide rail 40 and between the horizontal guide rail 40 and the two vertical guide rails 30, 32 as shown in
The two vertical guide rails 30, 32 may be installed along both outermost columns of the cooling fin grid 12.
The horizontal guide rail 40 may have two end portions engaging the two vertical guide rails 30, 32 so as to slide vertically.
The slidable mount 50 may be disposed on the horizontal guide rail 40 for mounting the cleaning brush 20.
The vertical movement of the horizontal guide rail 40 and the horizontal movement of the slidable mount 50 may be controlled to sweep the cooling fin grid 12 to brush the dust bunny off the cooling fin grid 12.
The slidable mount 50 may comprise an electrical motor 60 for translating the cleaning brush 20 horizontally, and the horizontal guide rail 40 may comprise an electrical motor 62 for translating the horizontal guide rail 40 over the two vertical guide rails 30, 32 vertically. The horizontal guide rail 40 may further comprise another electrical motor 64 and the two electrical motors 62, 64 may be installed between the horizontal guide rail 40 and the two vertical guide rails 30, 32 as shown in
In certain embodiment of the invention, the horizontal guide rail 40 may be anchored to and driven by a separate device other than the two vertical guide rails.
The cleaning brush 20 may comprise a rotary brush. The rotary brush may be translated along the horizontal guide rail 40 and rotated by a separate electrical motor.
Alternatively, the cleaning brush 20 may comprise a vibrating brush, and the vibrating brush may be translated along the horizontal guide rail 40 and vibrated by an electrical motor, for example, the electrical motor 60.
While the invention has been shown and described with reference to different embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.
