Refrigerating apparatus with at least one compartment at even temperature and high relative humidity

Abstract

 Refrigerating apparatus provided with a compartment (5) at even temperature and high relative humidity. Blowing means (23) are housed in a channel (10), which substantially surrounds said compartment (5) and is separate therefrom, to provide along it a closed-­loop air flow (A) in heat-exchange relationship with the evaporator (9) of the apparatus.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a refri­garating apparatus, particularly a domestic refrigera­ting apparatus, provided with at least one compartment which is kept at a substantially even temperature and under high relative humidity conditions.

[0002] Usually, as it is known, refrigerating apparatuses are advantageously provided with a venti­lated evaporator whose defrost phases are controlled by timing means (e.g., as described in Italian utili­ty model application No. 34059 B/87, filed on 23rd Oc­tober 1987 in the name of the same Applicant) when the apparatuses are used to freeze foodstuffs, or to sto­re frozen foodstuffs, these latters being subject to an air flow which is refrigerated by the evaporator and circulated in a closed-loop inside the relevant freezing compartment, that in this case is normally called "No-Frost" compartment.

[0003] Otherwise, when the refrigerating appara­tus is used for commonly storing foodstuffs at a tem­perature higher than 0°C, or in case it is also provi­ded with a storage compartment for storing foodstuffs at a temperature higher than 0°C, it is usually prefe­rable to refrigerate the storage compartment by means of an evaporator of the so-called"static" type, that is to say non-ventilated, in order to advantageously keep a high relative humidity degree inside the stora­ge compartment itself. A refrigerating apparatus of this kind, including a freezing compartment with a ven­tilated evaporator and a storage compartment with a static evaporator, is disclosed, for instance, by Ita­lian patent application No. 45732 A/87, filed on 9th July 1987 in the name of the same Applicant.

[0004] With such a solution the relative humidi­ty inside the storage compartment is kept at a substan­tially high value, but not as much as it is desirable for a very good storage of some foodstuffs.

[0005] At any rate, it is known that a thermal stratification occurs in a storage compartment provi­ded with a static evaporator, with the consequence that the same storage compartment undesirably cannot be utilized evenly. In fact, different areas of the storage compartment have different temperatures, so that the various items, in order to be stored correct­ly, should be positioned accordingly inside it.

[0006] Of course, this is an inconvenient opera­tion and can hardly be performed by the user. Therefo­re, it is the main scope of the present invention to provide a simple and reliable refrigerating apparatus provided with at least one compartment in which remark­ably high relative humidity and even temperature con­ditions are obtained.

[0007] It is another scope of the invention to provide a refrigerating apparatus of the type mentio­ned above, in which the said compartment is kept at a substantially constant and even temperature.

[0008] These scopes are obtained in a refrigera­ting apparatus with at least a first compartment at even temperature and high relative humidity, compris­ing a refrigerating circuit provided with at least one evaporator associated with blowing means. Accord­ing to the present invention, the refrigerating appa­ratus is characterized in that the said blowing means are housed in a channel, which substantially surrounds said compartment and is separate therefrom, along which they are capable of circulating a closed-loop air flow in heat-exchange relationship with the evaporator.

[0009] Preferably, also the evaporator is at least partially housed in said channel and arranged in said air flow.

[0010] The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 diagrammatically shows a sectio­nal view of a preferred embodiment of the refrigerat­ing apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 2 diagrammatically shows a perspec­tive front view of the refrigerating apparatus as in Fig. 1, a number of components being omitted for bet­ter evidencing the air flows inside the apparatus;

Figure 3 diagrammatically shows an enlar­ged perspective view of a particular of the refrigera­ting apparatus as in Fig. 1.

[0011] With reference in particular to Fig. 1, in the example which is described the refrigerating ap­paratus includes a thermally insulated cabinet 4 pro­vided with two separate compartments 5 and 6, which are accessible through relevant, separate doors 7 and 8, for instance.

[0012] As it will become more apparent later on, compartments 5 and 6 are preferably a food storage com­partment and a freezing compartment, respectively.

[0013] Accordingly, the refrigerating apparatus comprises at least one evaporator 9, which preferably is of the finned coil type but may also be made as de­scribed in the afore-mentioned Italian utility model application No. 34059 B/87.

[0014] The evaporator 9 is connected in a refri­gerating circuit, not shown for simplicity sake, which is for instance of the compressor type disclosed by the afore-mentioned Italian patent application No. 45732 A/87.

[0015] The storage compartment 5 is substantial­ly surrounded (except in correspondence of its access door 7) by a channel, or hollow space, 10 which is de­fined by the walls 11 of the storage compartment 5 it­self and by the walls of the cabinet 4.

[0016] With reference also to Fig. 2, in which the walls 11 of the storage compartment 5 are not shown, the channel 10 is provided, in correspondence of its rear and side walls, with a set of preferential air flow paths 12. For example, such air flow paths 12 (preferably shaped as shown in Fig. 2) are defined by ribs, or the like, which are generally indicated with reference numeral 13 in Fig. 2 and are provided on the cabinet 4 or on the walls 11.

[0017] On the contrary, in correspondence of the top (indicated with 27 in Fig. 2) and of the bottom of the storage compartment 5, the hollow space 10 preferably does not include any of such ribs.

[0018] More particularly, in correspondence of the bottom of the storage compartment 5, the hollow space 10 extends, through relevant aper­tures 14, 15 provided in a partition wall 16 which separates compartment 5 and 6 from one another, with a channel branch 17 housing a portion 91 of the evaporator 9 (fig. 3).

[0019] With reference also to Fig. 3, the channel branch 17 is housed inside the freezing com­partment 6, wherein relevant evaporator por­tions 92 and 93 extend laterally from re­spective sides of the branch 17, outside it.

[0020] The channel branch 17 and evaporator 9 are preferably supported by a wall 18 which is shaped as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

[0021] The shaped wall 18 extends over the whole width of the compartment 6 and is provided with front inlet apertures 19 (Figs. 2 and 3), as well as with outlet apertures 20 (Figs. 1 and 3) near which is arranged a motor-driven fan, preferably a propeller fan, 21.

[0022] The channel 10 is provided, on the parti­tion wall 16 and preferably adjacent to the aperture 15, with a transverse partition member 22; as it will be apparent afterwards, the partition 22 has the task of defining a closed-loop flow path along the channel 10 itself.

[0023] Inside the hollow space 10 it is further housed a motor-driven fan 23, which preferably is a cen­trifugal fan and is arranged near aperture 15.

[0024] Obviuosly, the refrigerating apparatus is also provided with sensing and control means, known per sè and not shown for simplicity sake, capable of control ling the operation of the refrigerating circuit and of the fans 21, 23.

[0025] For example, the fans 21, 23 may be opera­ted concurrently only during the ON-phases of the com­pressor of the refrigerating circuit; furthermore, this latter may be provided with conventional timing means able to perform cyclical defrost phases of the evapora­tor 9. As already stated, the sensing and control means associated with the fans 21 ,23 and with the refrigera­ting circuit may be of whatever proper kind and do not form part of the present invention; for instance, they may be of the kind described in the afore-mentioned Ita­lian patent application No. 45732 A/87 and/or of the kind described in European patent application No. 0 250 909.

[0026] Preferably, the fan 23 may be operated in­dipendently of the refrigerating circuit; for example, the electric motor 24 (Fig. 2) driving the fan 23 may be controlled by a thermostatic device 25 capable of detecting the temperature inside the storage compart­ment 5 and operating motor 24 only when such a tempera­ ture is higher than a predetermined value (e.g., +5°C).

[0027] On the other hand, the operation of the refrigerating circuit and the fan 21 may be controlled by a thermostatic device (diagrammatically shown as 26 in Fig. 1) able to detect the temperature inside the freezing compartment 6 and to actuate the refrigerating circuit and the fan 21 only when such a temperature is higher than a predetermined value (e.g., -18°C).

[0028] Anyway, it is apparent for a man skilled in the art that the said sensing and control means may undergo many modifications, as the case may be.

[0029] When the refrigerating circuit and the fans 21 ,23 are in operation, the fan 23 produces along the hollow space, or channel, 10 a closed-loop forced air flow which in Figs. 2 and 3 is represented by arrow A.

[0030] More particularly, such a forced air flows upwards along paths 12 at the rear wall of the storage compartment 5, is diverted - in correspondence of the top of the storage compartment - towards the side walls thereof, whereat it flows downwards along paths 12, then it is conveyed - at the bottom of the storage com­partment - towards the evaporator 9 in the channel branch 17 and finally flows back to the fan 23 through the aperture 15.

[0031] As a result, the whole channel 10 is scoured by an air flow which is refrigerated by evapo­rator 9 and in turn refrigerates, though the walls 11, the environment inside the storage compartment 5.

[0032] It should be pointed out, in this connec­tion, that in the refrigerating apparatus according to the invention the operating element which refrigerates the storage compartment 5 does not consist of a conven­tional evaporator, but rather consists of the chilled walls 11 of the storage compartment itself.

[0033] As a consequence, the following advanta­ges are obtained:
- the walls 11 (chilled by the air flow A) have a sub­stantially even temperature, so that no thermal stratification occurs inside the storage compartment 5, as it is an aim of the invention;
- in comparison with the conventional solutions, the refrigerating walls 11 have a much larger surface, and then (in case of equal thermal performances) they also have an average temperature which is high­er and, therefore, more constant in the long run;
- thanks to the higher average temperature of the chil­ling walls 11, and thanks also to the fact that the air flow A along channel 10 is completely separate with respect to the storage compartment 5, this lat­ter is kept under high relative humidity conditions, as it is another aim of the invention, which enables the stored goods to be less dehydrated;
- thanks to the storage compartment 5 being substan­tially surrounded by the hollow space 10 along which the air flow A occurs, the environment inside the storage compartment advantageously has a reduced heat-exchange relationship with the environment out­side cabinet 4. In fact, heat possibly penetrating through the cabinet 4 from the surrounding environ­ment is intercepted by the air flow A and cut off through the evaporator 9.

[0034] In conclusion, the refrigerating appara­ tus according to the invention is provided with a sto­rage compartment 5 which can store foodstuffs under excellent conditions; for example, it was also experi­mentally found that the reduction in weight of food­stuffs stored in the storage compartment 5 is about 80% lower compared with conventional solutions.

[0035] The temperature evenness is further im­proved thanks to the fact that no rib 13 is provided in the channel 10 in correspondence of the top 27 and the bottom of the storage compartment 5, as already stated, so that the corresponding areas of the hollow space 10 act as relevant pressure compensation cham­bers and enable the air flow along the various paths 12 to have an even speed.

[0036] With regard to the freezing compartment 6, which is separate from the storage compartment 5, the fan 21 is able to produce a closed-loop circula­tion of air impinging on portions 92 and 93 of the eva­porator 9. Such an air circulation is per sè known and is represented in Figs. 2 and 3 by arrows B. In parti­cular, the air flow B circulates through the apertures 19 of the support wall 18, is refrigerated by the por­tions 92 and 93 of the evaporator and then goes back into the freezing compartment 6.

[0037] Thus, the refrigerating apparatus accord­ing to the invention uses one single evaporator 9 for advantageously refrigerating two separate air flows A and B, of which one indirectly chills the storage com­partment 5 and the other one directly refrigerates the freezing compartment 6; hence, the simple construc­tion of the apparatus is also apparent.

[0038] However, it is obvious for those skilled in the art that the branch 17 of the channel 10 may be in communication with the compartment 6, in­stead of being separate therefrom, for instance downstream of the evaporator 9. According to this embodiment, which is not shown for simplicity sa­ke, the air flows A and B are mixed inside the freezing compartment 6. In a further embodiment, one single air flow may be circulated along the channel 10 and through compartment 6 in case the portions 92 and 93 of evaporator 9 are not provided and the chan­nel branch 17 communicates with the freezing compart­ment 6.

[0039] Of course, the refrigerating apparatus de­scribed above may undergo many further modifications without departing from the scopes of the invention.

[0040] For example, the flow paths 12 may be omitted or shaped with a different configuration and the fans 21, 23 may be of a different kind.

[0041] Moreover, the apparatus may comprise only one or more storage compartments 5; in this case it is unnecessary to provide for the portions 92,93 of the evaporator, the fan 21 and the shaped wall 18.

[0042] The channel branch 17 of the hollow spa­ce 10 may be shaped in a different way and the evapo­rator may be arranged outside the channel 10, of cour­se in heat-exchange relationship therewith.

[0043] In any case, it is preferable that the heat-exchange between the evaporator 9 and the channel 10 occurs at a location which is relatively spaced apart from the walls 11 of the storage compartment 5, in order to prevent formation of remarkably cold areas on the same walls 11.

Claims

1. Refrigerating apparatus with at least a first com­partment at even temperature and high relative humidi­ty, comprising a refrigerating circuit provided with at least one evaporator associated with blowing means, characterized in that the said blowing means (23) are housed in a channel (10), which substantially surro­unds said compartment (5) and is separate therefrom, along which they are capable of circulating a closed-­loop air flow (A) in heat-exchange relationship with the evaporator (9).

2. Refrigerating apparatus according to claim 1, cha­racterized in that the evaporator (9) is at least par­tially housed in said channel (10) and arranged in said air flow (A).

3. Refrigerating apparatus according to claim 2, cha­racterized in that the evaporator (9) is at least par­tially housed in a branch (17) of said channel (10) extending in an area which is relatively spaced apart from said first compartment (5).

4. Refrigerating apparatus according to claim 3, com­prising also at least a further compartment which is separate from the first one by means of a partition wall, characterized in that said channel branch (17) extends, through said partition wall (16), into the further compartment (6).

5. Refrigerating apparatus according to claim 4, cha­racterized in that said channel branch (17) communica­tes with the further compartment (6).

6. Refrigerating apparatus according to claim 4, cha­racterized in that said channel branch (17) is separa­te from the further compartment (6), in which at least a portion (92,93) of the evaporator (9) extends outsi­de the channel branch and is arranged in a further clo­sed-loop air flow (B) which can be circulated inside the further compartment (6) by further blowing means (21).

7. Refrigerating apparatus according to claim 1, charac­terized in that said channel (10) comprises a plurali­ty of shaped flow paths (12) for said air flow (A).

8. Refrigerating apparatus according to claim 7, cha­racterized in that said channel (10) includes at least a pressure compensation chamber (27) communicating with the said shaped flow paths (12).

Drawing