Cooling device

Abstract

 The invention relates to a cooling device comprising a frame, a top of CORIAN® arranged on the frame, with a cooling element under at least a part of the top and comprising a coolant line through which a coolant can flow. The coolant line is herein fixed by metal foil arranged thereover against the top. The cooling element can comprise at least one layer of metal foil between the coolant line and the top.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a cooling device such as for instance a cooling buffet counter, which comprises an at least partly cooled top. Perishable food products can for instance be arranged on the top so that they are cooled and can thus be kept longer.

[0002] Such cooling devices are generally known. The cooled surface of the top then usually takes the form of a metal plate under which a cooling element is arranged.

[0003] The invention has for its object to provide such a cooling device with a top of CORIAN®, so that the cooling device can have a well-finished and exclusive appearance.

[0004] CORIAN® is a trademark of Dupont de Nemours and is used for plate material made commercially available by this company which consists of a plastic with a mineral filler such as aluminium oxide. The invention has for its object to provide a cooling device wherein at least a part of the top of CORIAN® is itself cooled.

[0005] According to the invention this object is achieved in that under at least a part of the top is arranged a cooling element comprising a coolant line through which a coolant can flow, wherein the coolant line is fixed by metal foil arranged thereover against the top. A good transfer of heat to the cooling element is hereby obtained and material stresses due to excessive temperature differences are moreover prevented. With the cooling device according to the invention the material stresses in the CORIAN® top remain within acceptable limits, so that the top will not be damaged by cracks or the like.

[0006] A favourable further development is characterized in claim 2. Due to the layer of metal foil between the coolant line and the top a further improvement in temperature distribution is achieved, so that a stronger cooling effect becomes possible.

[0007] It has been found that the step of claim 3 results in a very uniform temperature of the surface of the top.

[0008] A very favourable further development is characterized in claim 4. Because the metal foil is self-adhesive, a very good contact is achieved with the coolant line on the one hand and the top on the other.

[0009] It has been found herein that when a material is chosen as adhesive layer which provides an adhesive force of at least 5 N/cm², a good construction with a long lifespan can be obtained.

[0010] The metal of the metal foil preferably has good heat conduction. The step of claim 6 is preferably applied.

[0011] A sufficient strength coupled to good processability and heat conduction is obtained when aluminium foil is chosen with a thickness in the order of magnitude of 0.4 mm.

[0012] The step of claim 8 is preferably applied. The temperature sensor, which is for instance a pressostat, thereby picks up well the temperature for adjusting.

[0013] The invention is further elucidated in the following description with reference to the annexed figure.

Figure 1

shows an embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention.

Figure 2

shows on larger scale a cross-section along section II-II in fig. 1.

Figure 3

shows substantially schematically the cooling system applied in the device of fig. 1.

[0014] Fig. 1 shows a cooling buffet 1 as embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention.

[0015] The cooling buffet 1 comprises a cabinet 2 on which is arranged a top 3 of CORIAN®. A part 4 of the surface of the top is embodied as cooling surface in that cooling elements are arranged thereunder. The top 3 is one continuous whole. The cooled part is indicated visually by a differently coloured edge 5 which is inlaid in a groove milled in the top 3.

[0016] The cooling buffet 1 is particularly intended for displaying of food thereon, for instance in the breakfast room of a hotel. Perishable foods such as meat products and the like are then placed on the cooling surface 4.

[0017] Fig. 2 shows more particularly the construction of the cooling element 10 arranged under the cooling surface 4.

[0018] Two layers of aluminium foil 12, 13 are arranged directly against the underside of the continuous CORIAN® top 3. In this preferred embodiment this aluminium foil is self-adhesive so that a very good contact is obtained between the layers of foil and the CORIAN® top 3.

[0019] Placed against the second layer of aluminium foil 13 is a coolant line 11. This is preferably a copper conduit which, as fig. 3 shows in more detail, is wound in a spiral shape. The parts of coolant line 11 extending mutually adjacently in the spiral are arranged at a distance such that the centre-to-centre distance of the parts amounts substantially to 2.5 times the diameter of the line.

[0020] As fig. 2 clearly shows, the coolant line 11 is fixed by a layer of aluminium foil 14 arranged thereover to the second layer of aluminium foil 13 and thereby to the top 3. The layer of aluminium foil 14 is also self-adhesive so that a good contact is obtained with coolant line 11 and also with the top. Due to the adhesive force of the aluminium foil the line 11 is held in good contact with the top. The adhesive force is at least 5 N/cm² and preferably in the order of magnitude of 6.6 N/cm². The fracture elasticity of the aluminium foil applied in the embodiment is 5% and the tensile strength 44 N/cm². A material with properties in this order of magnitude is deemed the most suitable for use in the invention.

[0021] Herein the thickness of the applied metal foil is preferably about 0.4 mm. This value ensures sufficient strength and heat conduction on the one hand and sufficient deformability to ensure a good contact of the line with the top on the other.

[0022] The layers of aluminium foil and the designated mutual distance of the coolant line parts result in a very uniform low temperature in the upper surface of the CORIAN® top.

[0023] It should be noted herein that because it contains a matrix of plastic CORIAN® is at best a moderate heat conductor. Nevertheless, a very efficient cooling surface is obtained with the invention.

[0024] As stated above, the coolant line 11 is preferably wound in the shape of a spiral. In order to adapt to the rectangular shape of the cooling surface 4 of the buffet 1 in fig. 1, the cooling element 10 comprises two evaporators 15 each having a coolant line 11 which is spirally wound in substantially square shape. The evaporators 15 are included in an otherwise typical circuit of a cooling system comprising a compressor, a condenser 17 cooled by a fan 18 and a storage reservoir for coolant 19. The evaporators 15 are connected with their inlet side to the high pressure liquid line by means of an expansion valve 20.

[0025] The expansion valves 20 are controlled using temperature sensors 21 which are arranged against metal foil lying against the top, between two parallel parts of the spirally wound coolant line 11. The temperature sensors 21 hereby acquire the temperature of the cooling element 10 very well.

[0026] Although not shown in the figures, a layer of insulating material is arranged in practice on the underside against the cooling element in order to prevent undesired downward loss of cooling capacity. In the preferred embodiment as shown in figure 1 the other components of the cooling system are accommodated in cabinet 2.

Claims

1. Cooling device comprising a frame, a top of CORIAN® arranged on the frame, with a cooling element under at least a part of the top and comprising a coolant line through which a coolant can flow, wherein the coolant line is fixed by metal foil arranged thereover against the top.

2. Cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling element comprises at least one layer of metal foil between the coolant line and the top.

3. Cooling device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the line comprises parts extending mutually parallel at a centre-to-centre distance of substantially 2.5 times the line diameter.

4. Cooling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the metal foil is self-adhesive metal foil with an adhesive layer on one side.

5. Cooling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the adhesive force of the adhesive layer amounts to at least 5 N/cm².

6. Cooling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the metal foil is aluminium foil.

7. Cooling device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the aluminium foil has a thickness in the order of magnitude of 0.4 mm.

8. Cooling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein a temperature sensor is arranged against metal foil lying against the top.

Drawing