REFRIGERATION AND/OR FREEZER DEVICE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigeration and/or freezer device comprising a cooled interior and comprising a heat sink, in particular comprising a vaporizer, for cooling the interior, wherein a bracket which consists of metal or comprises metal is arranged in or on a wall of the interior, which bracket is suitable and intended for holding a storage base in the cooled interior, wherein the bracket is surrounded in part or entirely by an isolation element, such that the heat transfer from the bracket to the wall is reduced or prevented by the insulation element.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a refrigeration and/or freezer device comprising a cooled interior and comprising a heat sink, in particular comprising a vaporizer and/or cold air channel, for cooling the interior, wherein a bracket which consists of metal or comprises metal is arranged in or on a wall of the interior, which bracket is suitable and intended for holding a storage base in the cooled interior.

A perspective view of a device of this kind, as well as a detailed view in the region of the bracket, are visible in FIG. 6.

The bracket 10 is located in a central region on the rear wall R of the inner container, and carries glass bases G which engage in recesses of the bracket 10 by means of hooks or the like.

A disadvantage of this arrangement is that the bracket is arranged directly on the rear wall, behind which the vaporizer or a cold air channel of the device is typically located. As a result, the bracket 10, consisting entirely or in part of metal, attains a very low temperature, and sometimes forms the coldest point of the cooled interior. Moisture thus preferably condenses on the bracket, and water droplets occur on the bracket or on the glass bases, which is undesirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is therefore that of developing a refrigeration and/or freezer device of the type mentioned at the outset, such that the likelihood of the formation of condensate on the bracket is reduced.

This object is achieved by a refrigeration and/or freezer device having the features herein. According thereto, it is provided that the bracket is surrounded in part or entirely by an isolation element, such that the heat transfer from the bracket to the wall is reduced or prevented by the insulation element. The present invention is thus based on the concept of keeping the contact surface between the wall and the bracket as small as possible, such that direct heat conduction from the bracket into the wall is kept as small as possible or is even entirely prevented.

The insulation element can be designed such that it surrounds the bracket entirely, apart from the front side of the bracket.

The insulation element can be designed in the manner of a housing.

The wall of the refrigeration and/or freezer device can be the rear wall of the cooled interior or a preferably vertical partition wall which is located in the cold interior and for example separates a vaporizer space from the useful space. In the first case, the wall is thus the rear wall of the inner container. In principle, other walls, such as the side walls of the inner container, are also covered by the invention.

The mentioned partition wall preferably extends in the vertical direction and in parallel with the rear wall of the inner container.

In order to hold the storage base at different heights, the bracket can comprise a plurality of fastening means that are spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction. These may be recesses or projections, which interact with corresponding complementary fastening means of the storage base, such that the base is fixed to the bracket preferably in a manner extending in the horizontal direction.

For the purpose of fixing the insulation element, the wall can comprise a recess or depression, wherein in the insulation element is arranged in part or entirely in the recess or in the depression.

The bracket can comprise a plurality of fastening means that are spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction and are intended for holding the storage base at different heights.

The bracket can be arranged, in the lateral direction, not in an edge region of the wall, but rather centrally in or on the wall in the lateral direction.

It can likewise be arranged in the lateral direction, i.e. offset with respect to the center. This leads to low assembly costs and allows for precise mountability.

In principle, the insulation element can be fixed in or on the wall by means of a force and/or form fit, and/or by screwing.

In order to keep the heat transfer from the bracket to the cold wall as small as possible, the insulation element can be designed such that it spaces the bracket apart from the wall, entirely or in part. In the first case, there is thus no direct contact between the wall and the bracket.

In a further embodiment, the insulation part, together with the wall, forms a cavity which serves for further heat insulation. This is achieved by a trough-shaped region of the insulation part.

In addition to the mentioned insulation part, a further insulation element can be located on the wall. Said further insulation element can be located in front of and/or behind the wall, from the view of an observer looking into the device. It can for example also be arranged on the foam side or be formed by the foaming of the device carcass. It is preferably located only locally in the region of the bracket.

The insulation or spacing of the bracket, according to the invention, makes it possible for said bracket to now be arranged at the height of the heat sink, i.e. in particular at the height of the vaporizer, i.e. in this embodiment the heat sink is arranged behind the wall in or on which the bracket is located.

The bracket(s) and/or the insulation element(s) can be located on any wall of the inner container. For example the rear wall, a partition wall, one or both side walls, etc. are possible.

The (in particular laterally arranged) insulation element(s) can have the further function of fixing the partition wall or another element. The partition wall or the other element can for example be hooked onto or into the insulation element, such that an additional function of the insulation elements is the holding of a preferably vertical partition wall in the horizontal direction.

If a flow connection is located between the rear face of the wall, i.e. for example the vaporizer space, and the region in which the bracket is located, said flow connection is preferably designed as a labyrinthine flow guide, in order to keep the passage of air through said flow connection as small as possible.

Preferably, such a flow connection could not occur, but on account of the tolerances it is possible that it still forms. The geometry between the insulation element, the bracket and the wall preferably forms a labyrinth, in order to minimize the flow connection, as far as possible, during reshaping.

At this point, it should be noted that the terms “a” and “an” do not necessarily refer to exactly one of the elements, even if this is a possible embodiment, but rather can also denote a plurality of the elements. Likewise, the use of the plural also includes the presence of the element in question in the singular, and, vice versa, the singular also includes a plurality of the elements in question.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings,

in which:

FIG. 1: is a perspective view of the rear wall of the inner container, showing the insulation part and bracket as an exploded view,

FIG. 2: is a perspective sectional view through the arrangement according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3: is a longitudinal sectional view through the arrangement according to FIG. 1, perpendicularly to the rear wall,

FIG. 4: is a perspective view of a vertical partition wall comprising an insulation part and bracket,

FIG. 5: is a perspective view of a vertical partition wall comprising an insulation part and bracket, showing the air guide, and

FIG. 6: is a perspective view of a known device, as well as a detailed view in the region of the bracket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A partial view of the rear wall R of an inner container can be seen in FIG. 1. The bracket 10, consisting of metal, is located in the central region thereof (in the lateral direction). Said bracket comprises a plurality of openings which are spaced apart in the vertical direction and in which a glass base or another base can be suspended.

The vaporizer or a cold air channel, i.e. a heat sink, is located behind the rear wall R.

In order to keep the direct contact between the bracket and the rear wall R as small as possible, or to prevent it entirely, the insulation part 20 is provided. This is located between the rear wall R and the bracket 10. Reference sign 40 denotes an optional additional insulation layer or plate, which is arranged between the insulation part 20 and the rear wall R.

The insulation part 20 is designed in a trough-shaped manner on the rear face thereof, which follows in particular from FIG. 2 (cf. trough-shaped portion W). Other than the trough-shaped portion W which is located between the bracket 10 and the rear wall R, the insulation part 20 comprises a peripheral housing portion G which surrounds the bracket 10 in the peripheral direction, i.e. laterally, as well as at the top and bottom. The cold air, originating from the vaporizer, which flows along behind the rear wall R is denoted by arrows in FIG. 2.

The trough-shaped portion W thus forms a part of the rear face of the insulation part 20, and the housing portion G forms a frame-like region around the bracket 10.

FIG. 3 shows a depression V in the inner container or in the rear wall R thereof, into which the insulation part 20 engages by means of a protrusion. The insulation part 20 and the bracket 10 are screwed to the rear wall R.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show details of a vertical partition wall T, which separates the vaporizer space from the useful space of the cooled interior.

The insulation part 20 extends from the rear face as far as the front face of the partition wall T, such that there is in principle the possibility for cold air passage from the cold air channel towards the bracket 10, as follows from FIG. 5 and is denoted by the solid arrows. In order to keep this as small as possible, and to keep the air in the cold air channel denoted by the flow arrows, the flow path S is designed in a labyrinthine manner. In this way, the flow resistance for the cold air towards the bracket 10 is of such a magnitude that a large portion of the air remains in the cold air channel (efficiency improvement) and does not flow forwards to the bracket 10.

The present invention not only reduces the likelihood of the appearance of condensate on the bracket, but rather also prevents or at least slows its corrosion by condensate.

Claims

1. Refrigeration and/or freezer device, comprising a cooled interior and comprising a heat sink, in particular comprising a vaporizer, for cooling the interior, wherein a bracket which consists of metal or comprises metal is arranged in or on a wall of the interior, which bracket is suitable and intended for holding a storage base in the cooled interior, andthe bracket is surrounded in part or entirely by an isolation element, such that the heat transfer from the bracket to the wall is reduced or prevented by the insulation element.

2. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 1, wherein the wall is the rear wall of the cooled interior, and/or the insulation element is a plastics part.

3. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 1, wherein the wall is a partition wall which separates the vaporizer from the useful space of the interior.

4. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 1, wherein the bracket comprises a plurality of fastening means which are spaced apart from one another and are intended for holding the storage base at different heights, and/or the bracket is arranged, in the lateral direction, not in an edge region of the wall, but rather centrally in or on the wall in the lateral direction, and/or the bracket is arranged in the lateral direction, i.e., offset with respect to the center.

5. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 1, wherein the wall comprises a recess, and in that the insulation element is arranged in part or entirely in the recess.

6. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 1, wherein the insulation element is fixed to the wall by a force and/or form fit, and/or preferably by screwing.

7. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 1, wherein the insulation element is designed such that it spaces the bracket apart from and/or separates it from the wall, entirely or in part.

8. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 1, wherein the insulation part comprises a bulge on the side of the insulation part facing the wall, such that a cavity results, at least in regions, between the insulation part and the wall.

9. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 1, wherein an additional insulation is provided between the insulation part and the wall, and/or an insulation is provided behind the wall.

10. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 1, wherein the heat sink is located at the height of the bracket.

11. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 1, wherein a flow connection comprising a labyrinthine flow guide is located between the rear face of the wall and the region in which the bracket is located.

12. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 2, wherein the wall is a partition wall which separates the vaporizer from the useful space of the interior.

13. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 12, wherein the bracket comprises a plurality of fastening means which are spaced apart from one another and are intended for holding the storage base at different heights, and/or the bracket is arranged, in the lateral direction, not in an edge region of the wall, but rather centrally in or on the wall in the lateral direction, and/or the bracket is arranged in the lateral direction, i.e., offset with respect to the center.

14. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 3, wherein the bracket comprises a plurality of fastening means which are spaced apart from one another and are intended for holding the storage base at different heights, and/or the bracket is arranged, in the lateral direction, not in an edge region of the wall, but rather centrally in or on the wall in the lateral direction, and/or the bracket is arranged in the lateral direction, i.e., offset with respect to the center.

15. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 2, wherein the bracket comprises a plurality of fastening means which are spaced apart from one another and are intended for holding the storage base at different heights, and/or the bracket is arranged, in the lateral direction, not in an edge region of the wall, but rather centrally in or on the wall in the lateral direction, and/or the bracket is arranged in the lateral direction, i.e., offset with respect to the center.

16. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 15, wherein the wall comprises a recess, and the insulation element is arranged in part or entirely in the recess.

17. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 14, wherein the wall comprises a recess, and the insulation element is arranged in part or entirely in the recess.

18. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 13, wherein the wall comprises a recess, and the insulation element is arranged in part or entirely in the recess.

19. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 12, wherein the wall comprises a recess, and the insulation element is arranged in part or entirely in the recess.

20. Refrigeration and/or freezer device according to claim 4, wherein the wall comprises a recess, and the insulation element is arranged in part or entirely in the recess.