Patent Application
20060254303
The invention relates to a cooling appliance with circulated air cooling, comprising at least one cooling chamber for reception of stock to be cooled, at least one channel for cooling air and a coldness generator for generating cooling air, wherein the channel provides a fluid-conducting connection of the coldness generator with the cooling chamber and opens into the cooling chamber by an outlet opening.
In appliances with circulated air cooling the cooling air cooled by a central evaporator and conveyed by a fan is conducted by a so-called multi-flow system into the storage chamber to be cooled in order to even out the temperature distribution in the storage chamber and to ensure adequate cooling even in the event of a high degree of occupancy of the storage chamber.
Circulated air cooling appliances and circulated air freezing appliances are known, which have storage compartments supplied with cooling air by means of an air channel arranged at the foam side. The side of the metallic internal container of the circulated air cooling appliance or circulated air freezing appliance associated with the storage container in that case remains smooth at the outset and the metallic internal container has one or more openings along the air channel at the foam side so that cooling air can flow out of the channel into the internal space of the circulated air cooling appliance or circulated air freezing appliance. The air expulsion openings themselves are so selected with respect to their number and size that adequate cooling can be ensured for the respective appliance.
However, in the case of the known solutions the cooling air does not always reach all regions of the internal space of the circulated air cooling appliance or circulated air freezing appliance. For this reason in the known solutions the temperature of the cooling air flowing into the cooling chamber has to be selected to be colder than necessary for sufficient cooling of the stock to be cooled, in order to guarantee that all the stock to be cooled and disposed in the cooling chamber is stored below a predetermined maximum temperature. As a consequence, the circulated air cooling appliance or circulated air freezing appliance is not optimally operated from the aspect of efficient utilization of energy.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a cooling appliance with circulated air cooling which can be operated in the an energy-saving manner, whilst ensuring reliable cooling of the cooling stock to be cooled by the cooling appliance.
According to the invention this object is fulfilled by the cooling appliance indicated in the independent claim. Further advantageous refinements and developments, which in each instance can be used individually or combined with one another as desired, are the subject of the dependent claims.
The cooling appliance according to the invention with circulated air cooling comprises at least one cooling chamber for reception of stock to be cooled, at least one channel for cooling air and a coldness generator for generating cooling air, wherein the channel connects the coldness generator with the cooling chamber in fluid-conducting manner and opens into the cooling chamber by an outlet opening, wherein a jet forming means is provided and wherein the jet forming means is formed by a nozzle element and/or by a spacer—by which the stock to be cooled is kept at a spacing from the outlet opening—at the outlet opening.
By cooling appliance there is to be understood all cooling appliances with circulated air cooling, particularly also freezing appliances with circulated air cooling. In a modification of the invention there is also conceivable a transposition of the invention to circulated air ovens, wherein in correspondence with the conditions of a circulated air oven the cooling air is to be replaced by heating air, the stock to be cooled by oven stock, the cooling chamber by an oven chamber and the coldness generator by a heat generator.
Influencing of the cooling air flow issuing into the cooling chamber is made possible by the jet forming means. In particular, a cooling air flow is produced deep in the cooling chamber. Turbulence and eddies are thereby preferably avoided.
The cooling air flow is advantageously formed horizontally in the cooling chamber with the help of the jet forming means and runs, in particular, in a direction perpendicular to the cooling chamber inner surface within which the outlet opening is disposed.
The outlet opening can be disposed at the rear side of the cooling chamber, i.e. at the side opposite the door or flap of the cooling chamber. However, it can also be arranged at the side walls of the cooling chamber.
Advantageously, a plurality of outlet openings, particularly between 2 and 20, advantageously between 4 and 10, are provided in the inner surfaces of the cooling chamber in order to produce cooling of the stock, which is to be cooled, in the cooling chamber as uniformly as possible.
It is ensured with the help of a spacer that the stock to be cooled is kept at a spacing from the outlet opening so that closing off of the outlet opening is avoided. Dead spaces in the cooling chamber, which due to unfavorable positioning of the stock to be cooled in front of an outlet opening are inadequately supplied with cooling air, are avoided with the assistance of the spacer. A precise, uniform, rapid and reliable cooling of the stock to be cooled is also assisted by that.
Not only the nozzle element, but also the spacer contribute to evening out the temperature distribution in the cooling chamber, and reduction of the temperature of the cooling air in order to avoid exceeding a maximum temperature in a part area within the cooling chamber is no longer necessary. As a consequence, the cooling appliance can be operated in energy-saving manner. With the help of the invention it is possible to maintain very small temperature fluctuation tolerances even in the case of substantial changes in load, i.e. in the case of frequent opening of the cooling chamber door or in the case of a strongly variable quantity of stock to be cooled in the cooling chamber. Through the stronger temperature coupling, which is produced by the jet forming means, between stock to be cooled and coldness generator the actually required quantity of cold can be made available by the coldness generator more precisely.
In an embodiment the jet forming means is formed by a narrowing section in the outlet opening, by which a cross-section of the channel in the outlet opening is substantially smoothly reduced towards the cooling chamber, wherein, in particular, the cross-section of the channel is reduced by at least 20%, preferably by at least 30% and particularly preferably by at least 40%.
A nozzle effect enabling a particularly stable flow of the cooling air in the interior of the cooling chamber is achieved by the narrowing section. An injection of the cooling air which is favorable from the hydrodynamic aspect is possible through the substantially smooth reduction of the cross-section. Through the smooth—i.e. free as possible of steps and edges−reduction there is avoidance of eddies and turbulence which otherwise lead to instability of the flow and obstruct flow of the cooling air into deeper regions of the cooling chamber.
The jet forming means can have a convexity along which the cooling air is conducted into the cooling chamber. The convexity can be formed at only one side or at several sides of the outlet opening, wherein advantageously the convexity is arranged at the upper side of the outlet opening.
The inner side of the jet forming means facing the outlet opening can be formed in such a manner that it describes an as large as possible radius at the side of the inflowing air. The cooling air flowing in the channel seeks to follow this convexity in correspondence with the laws of flow mechanics and issue from the outlet opening. It is thus not necessary to introduce a barrier stage for raising a velocity head and turbulence is avoided, whereby there is less disruption of the flow conditions in the entire system and the efficiency of the cooling appliance is improved.
Advantageously the radius of the convexity amounts to at least 5 millimeters, particularly at least 10 millimeters, preferably at least 20 millimeters, particularly preferably at least 30 millimeters, and/or is less than 200 millimeters, particularly less than 100 millimeters, preferably less than 50 millimeters. The flow conditions in the cooling chamber are advantageously influenced by formation of the jet forming means in that manner.
In a special form of embodiment of the invention the jet forming means extends into the cooling chamber by an overhang of at least 10 millimeters, particularly at least 15 millimeters, preferably at least 20 millimeters. Changing of the outlet opening by stock to be cooled is largely avoided by this overhang and the cooling air can flow in through the intermediate space between an inner wall of the cooling chamber and the stock to be cooled without creation of an excessive flow resistance by the stock to be cooled. Thus, even in this region of the cooling chamber a sufficiently large flow of cooling air is provided and there is avoidance of an inadequately cooled part space.
A combination of the cooling air injection with the spacer is particularly advantageous, since the constructional depth required for a greatest possible radius of the convexity can be utilized for the purpose of employing the jet forming means not only for producing a particularly deep volume flow, but also for ensuring a cooling air flow.
Advantageously, the jet forming means is formed by a spacer edge which is arranged above with respect to the outlet opening and which protrudes beyond an outlet edge, which is below with respect to the outlet opening, of the outlet opening. Thus, a minimum expulsion cross-section remains even when storage stock is pushed directly against the outlet opening.
The jet forming means can be provided at an inner side of the cooling chamber. However, it can also be integrated in a wall of the cooling chamber, wherein it can protrude partly beyond the inner side of the cooling chamber.
Advantageously the jet forming means is arranged substantially above the outlet opening. A protrusion is advantageous as overhang, since penetration of condensation water or dirt into the channel is thereby avoided.
The jet forming means can be wider than the width of the channel and/or its height somewhat larger than the outlet opening of the channel. In a special embodiment of the invention the jet forming means extends over at least ⅓ of the internal area of the cooling chamber, particularly over at least half the internal width of the cooling chamber, or over the entire width of the cooling chamber. Advantageously an intermediate space between stock to be cooled and inner wall of the cooling chamber is thereby created even when the entire internal width of the cooling chamber is cluttered by stock to be cooled.
It is of advantage if the jet forming means can be placed on at an inner side of the cooling chamber. Through, in particular, the capability of being placed on it is possible to retrofit known cooling appliances, whereby the cooling efficiency thereof or cooling characteristics of these appliances as well can be improved.
The jet forming means advantageously comprises adhesive surfaces and/or detent elements by which it is fastened to the inner side of the cooling chamber. Detent lugs or detent projections can be used as detent elements. They can advantageously be capable of being clipped on.
In a special embodiment of the invention the channel is led along a side of the cooling chamber and opens angularly into the cooling chamber. This embodiment is advantageous particularly when the coldness generator is disposed entirely at the bottom or entirely at the top of the cooling appliance and the channel therefrom has to be led along a side of the cooling chamber.
The jet forming means is advantageously formed by injection molding.
Particular details and further advantages are explained in more detail by reference to the following drawings, which are to illustrate the invention not restrictively, but merely by way of example, wherein there is shown schematically in:
With the jet-concentrating characteristic or jet-focusing characteristic of the jet forming means a flow of the cooling air deep into the cooling chamber is produced even when stock to be cooled is disposed at a certain distance, since due to the jet concentration a comparatively good reflection or deflection of the flow by the stock to be cooled is made possible, so that the cooling air reaches even regions in the cooling chamber 2 disposed at a greater distance. Advantageously the speed of the cooling air at a spacing of 20 centimeters from the outlet opening reduces by less than 50%, especially less than 30%, preferably less than 15%, of the speed at which the cooling air 5 issues from the outlet opening 6.
The jet forming means 7 is advantageously fastened to the inner side 13 of the cooling chamber 2 with the help of detent elements 17, wherein additional adhesive surfaces 16 ensure further retention. The detent elements 17 can be constructed as detent lugs which can be clipped into corresponding receptacles (not illustrated) at the inner side 13. The channel 4 runs at a rear side 19 of the cooling chamber 2 and the cooling air 5 is conducted into the cooling chamber 2 by way of a plurality of outlet openings 6. The convexity 11 forms a tapering section 8 which represents a nozzle element 18.
The invention relates to a cooling appliance 1 with circulated air cooling, comprising at least one cooling chamber 2 for reception of stock 3 to be cooled, at least one channel 4 for cooling air 5 and a coldness generator 12 for producing cooling air 5, wherein the channel 4 connects the coldness generator 12 with the cooling chamber 2 in fluid-conducting manner and opens into the cooling chamber 2 by an outlet opening, wherein a jet forming means 7 is provided and wherein the jet forming means 7 is formed by a nozzle element 18 and/or by a spacer 10 at the outlet opening 6, through which the stock 3 to be cooled is kept at a spacing from the outlet opening 6. A uniform, precise and energy-saving temperature-conditioning of the stock 3, which is to be cooled, in the cooling chamber 2, is made possible by the invention.
