Refrigerator

Abstract

 The present invention relates to a refrigerator (10), comprising a cabinet (1) for cooled products, which has walls (2) and a roof (19), and a refrigeration module (5) including a refrigerating machine and a wall unit (6). The wall unit (6) of the refrigeration module (5) extends in parallel with and covers a wall section of one of the walls of the cabinet (1), such that the cabinet (1) is cooled by the refrigerating machine of the refrigeration module (5). The refrigeration module (5) is detachable from the cabinet (1).

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to refrigerators having a detachable refrigeration machine.

Background art

[0002] Refrigerators of many different kinds are employed in domestic environments, such as in peoples homes, as well as in commercial environments, such as in shops and stores. The different refrigerators have in common that they are used for storing products, which are susceptible to be harmed if exposed to the surrounding temperature, or the variation of the surrounding temperature, for a certain amount of time.

[0003] A refrigerator comprises a chamber for the cooled products and a refrigerating machine for cooling the chamber. In a traditional refrigerator, the chamber and the refrigerating machine are one integrated unit. A problem with such traditional refrigerators is that, if the refrigerating machine is found to be defect such that the desired temperature inside the chamber cannot be maintained, the entire refrigerator has to be put out of service. Since repairs often have to be performed in a workshop, the entire refrigerator has to be transported to the workshop. Therefore, it is necessary to empty the chamber of the stored products and put them in another refrigerator for continued cooling, which is laborious and time consuming work especially if the refrigerator is large. Furthermore, if a refrigerator with enough space to house the products of the defect refrigerator cannot be found, the products may have to be wasted. For a commercial shop keeper having several refrigerators, such waste can amount to a considerable loss.

[0004] US 5,417,081 discloses a refrigerator apparatus equipped with a compact refrigeration machine mounted in a refrigeration unit. The refrigeration unit is slidably arranged on rails in the bottom of the refrigeration apparatus. When it is necessary to transport the refrigeration unit to a workshop for service or repair, the refrigerating unit can be pulled out of the refrigerator apparatus and a replace unit can be pushed in while the camber with the cooled products is left unaffected.

[0005] DE 39 25 676 A1 discloses a compact refrigeration machine similar to the one disclosed in US 5,417,081. However, the refrigeration machine according to DE 39 25 676 A1 is located in the upper part of the refrigerator housing. The upper part of the refrigerator housing is disconnectable from the lower part of the refrigerator housing. Thus, the upper part of the refrigerator housing, which includes the refrigeration machine, can be lifted off and transported away for service and repair of the refrigeration machine.

[0006] A problem with such compact refrigeration machines is, that they are less effective than the integrated refrigeration machine of a traditional refrigerator.

[0007] Furthermore, although the refrigeration machine of the respective cited prior art can be separated from the refrigerator, the refrigeration machine is still bulky and heavy to handle after it has been removed.

Summary of the invention

[0008] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator which alleviates the above-mentioned problems.

[0009] According to the invention, this object is achieved by the refrigerator according to claim 1.

[0010] The refrigerator according to the invention comprises a cabinet for cooled products, which cabinet has walls and a roof. Furthermore, the refrigerator comprises a refrigeration module including a refrigerating machine and a wall unit. The wall unit of the refrigeration module extends in parallel with and covers a wall section of one of the walls of the cabinet, such that the cabinet is cooled by the refrigerating machine of the refrigeration module. The refrigeration module is detachable from the cabinet.

[0011] Due to the refrigerating machine being housed in a wall unit, the refrigerating machine does not need to be a compact machine. The space in the wall unit is large enough for housing larger heat absorbing parts and heat dissipating parts of the refrigerating machine, which increases the efficiency of the machine. At the same time, in case of a defect refrigerating machine, the refrigeration module can be detached and replaced by another module, such that the products inside of the cabinet are only to a minor amount effected by the break down. Furthermore, the detachable refrigeration module is easier accessible and easier to handle than the disconnectable refrigeration machines of the prior art.

[0012] In this application, the term "refrigerator" includes all kinds of cabinets cooled to temperatures above or below the freezing point for storing cooled product for domestic or commercial purposes. The refrigerator can be a cabinet having a front opening for accessing the cooled products inside of the cabinet, and can be provided with a door for closing the front opening. The refrigerator can include a wheeled carriage for carrying the cooled products or include fixed or movable shelves. The refrigerator can also include a vending unit for dispensing a cooled product after insertion of for example coins or a credit card.

[0013] In this application, the term "wall section" includes any combination of open and closed wall portions, from a fully open to a fully closed wall section.

[0014] The refrigerator according to the invention can have a rectangular cross section and four walls. The refrigerator can also have a curved cross section, for example a circular or oval, and only one surrounding curved wall. The areas of the cabinet that are not covered by the refrigeration module, will normally be isolated, while the covered parts can be insulated as well as uninsulated, where the latter is advantageous for some reasons as will be explained below.

[0015] According to the invention, the wall section can be a whole wall or only a part of a wall of the cabinet, for example a section located transversally over the wall spaced from the top and bottom ends thereof. It is possible that the wall section is located extending vertically over at least a substantial portion of the height of the cabinet, such as for example from the bottom to the top of the wall, and over a width thereof.

[0016] According to the invention, the refrigerator module is detachable from the cabinet. Thus, the refrigerator module including the refrigerating machine can be removed from the refrigerator and transported off as a separate unit. According to the invention, the refrigerator module can be loosely arranged side by side with the associated wall of the cabinet, wherein the relevant wall of the wall unit necessarily need not touch the wall section, although this normally enhances the cooling efficiency. The cooling efficiency is even more enhanced if the wall section is uninsulated. If the wall section is a fully open portion of a cabinet wall, the wall unit will close the opening when placed at the cabinet for cooling thereof.

[0017] According to the invention, the refrigeration module can be detachably fastened to the cabinet or another part of the refrigerator by any suitable means, such as screws, hooks, clasps or any other locking devices. According to the invention, the refrigeration module need not be attached to a part of the refrigerator at all, it can be arranged leaning against the cabinet or another suitable part, or it can be a free standing unit. However, the detachable fastening is preferred.

[0018] In an embodiment of the refrigerator according to the invention, the refrigeration module is provided with wheels. The wheels carry the refrigeration module, such that it is easily movable when it has been detached from the cabinet. If the refrigerating machine of the refrigeration module has been found to be defect, an operator can detach the refrigeration module from the cabinet and easily pull it away for repairs at a suitable location. According to one embodiment of the invention, the wheels are retractable.

[0019] In an embodiment of the refrigerator according to the invention, the wall unit of the refrigeration module covers essentially entirely one of the walls of the cabinet.

[0020] In one embodiment of refrigerator according to the invention, the refrigerating machine includes a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator, which are interconnected by piping for circulating a refrigerant.

[0021] In one embodiment of refrigerator according to the invention, the evaporator includes piping located over an area of a cabinet facing wall of the wall unit. Due to the increased size of the wall unit of the refrigeration module, the heat-absorption quality of the refrigerator according to the invention is thereby considerably increased compared with the compact refrigerating machines of the prior art.

[0022] In one embodiment of refrigerator according to the invention, the condenser includes piping located over an area of an outer wall of the wall unit. Due to the increased size of the available area of the wall unit of the refrigeration module, the heat dissipation of the refrigerator according to the invention is thereby considerably increasable compared with the compact refrigerating machines of the prior art.

[0023] In embodiments of refrigerator according to the invention, the refrigeration module includes a top unit arranged at and covering a ceiling section of a ceiling or covering a roof of the cabinet.

[0024] According to an embodiment, the top unit covers essentially entirely the ceiling of the cabinet.

[0025] In one embodiment of refrigerator according to the invention, parts of the refrigerating machine are housed in the top unit.

[0026] In one embodiment of the refrigerator according to the invention, a wall of the cabinet is equipped with an air duct that is connected to the inside of the cabinet, and a circulating fan is arranged for circulating the air in the cabinet. The air is cooled by piping of the evaporator, which protrudes into the air duct, from the outside of the cabinet.

[0027] In one embodiment of the refrigerator the wall unit includes an air duct having a cold air outlet connected to the inner of the cabinet at a bottom portion thereof and a warm air inlet connected to the inner of the cabinet at a top portion thereof, the refrigeration module includes a circulating fan for circulating air through the air duct and the cabinet, and the evaporator includes piping located over an area in the air duct for cooling air in the air duct.

Brief description of the drawings

[0028] In the following an embodiment of the refrigerator according to the invention will be described in detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is perspective view from behind of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the invention including a refrigeration module in place for cooling;

Fig. 2 is perspective view from behind of the refrigerator according to Fig. 1, with the refrigeration module detached, wherein the refrigeration module is being pulled away by an operator;

Fig. 3 is a cut-away view of the cabinet of the refrigerator of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cut-away view of the refrigeration module of the refrigerator of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view from behind of another embodiment of the refrigerator according the present invention, with the refrigeration module detached, wherein the refrigeration module is being pulled away by an operator;

Fig. 6 is a cut-away view of the refrigeration module of the refrigerator of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view showing a perspective view of a removed cover and a cut-away view of the refrigeration module of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the refrigeration module of Fig. 6, showing the air circulation.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

[0029] Referring to Figs. 1-4 one embodiment a refrigerator according to the invention is shown. The refrigerator 10 includes a cabinet 1 for storing cooled products. The cabinet 1 has two isolated side walls 2, a front opening closed by a front door 3, and a roof 19. At the rear side thereof, the refrigerator 10 is provided with a refrigeration module 5 according to the invention.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 2, the refrigeration module 5 is releasable from the cabinet and is easily movable since there are two fixed wheels 23 at the bottom thereof and two foldable wheels 24 at a lower end thereof. By means of the wheels 23, 24 the refrigeration module 5 can be pushed around like a carriage.

[0031] As is evident from Figs. 1 and 2, the topmost roof 4 of the refrigerator 10 constitutes the roof of the refrigeration module 5, while the roof 19 of the very cabinet 1 is lowered in relation to the upper edges of the walls 2 and a front panel 28. The cabinet 1 has a wall section in form of an insulated rear wall 18 connected to the roof 19, which rear wall 18 is covered by the refrigeration module 5 when locked to the cabinet 1. The rear wall 18 of the cabinet 1 is provided with an opening 20, about in the middle thereof. The opening 20 is a recess in that it extends through a rear wall plate 39 of the rear wall 18 and into a space between that rear wall plate 39 and a front wall plate 38 of the rear wall 18, but not through that front wall plate 38. The space between the front and rear wall plates 38, 39 of the rear wall 18 is filled with an isolating material, except for an air duct 31 extending vertically internal of the rear wall 18, and passing the opening 20. The air duct 31 connects an upper space 32 of the cabinet 1 with an air outlet 37 arranged on the front wall plate 38 in a lower portion of the inner of the cabinet 1. The upper space 32 is defined by the cabinet roof 19 and a cover plate 33, which covers a circulating fan 34 attached to the underside of the roof 19. The cover plate 33 is provided with apertures enabling air passage. Thus, as illustrated with arrows in Fig. 3, driven by the fan 34, the air flows down through the cooled inner space of the cabinet 1, and is sucked through the outlet 37, and through the air duct 31 up to the upper space 32, where it is again blown down into the cabinet 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the refrigeration module 5 includes an evaporator 14, which is received in the recess 20. Thereby, the air flowing through the air duct 31 passes the evaporator 14, which cools the air.

[0032] The refrigerator module further comprises a wall unit 6 and a top unit 7, attached to the wall unit 6. A refrigerating machine, which comprises a compressor 8, a top and a main condenser 9, 11 and the evaporator 14, which are interconnected by piping for circulating a refrigerant, is housed in the refrigeration module 5. The compressor 8 and the top condenser 9 are located in the top unit 7. Over a major part of the outward facing side 53 of the wall unit 6, the main condenser 11 of the refrigerating machine is arranged in loops for providing a large area for heat dissipation. In order to improve the heat dissipation of the refrigerating machine even more, the top condenser 9 is provided with a condenser fan 10.

[0033] Referring to Figs. 5-8, anther embodiment of the refrigerator is shown. The same reference characters are used for parts similar to those of the above-described embodiment. In this embodiment the cabinet 1 has a wall section in form of an uninsulated rear wall plate 43, a roof 49 and a ceiling including a ceiling section in form of an uninsulated ceiling plate 44. The ceiling 44 is spaced from the roof 49. The rear wall plate 43 is provided with an air outlet opening 45 and the ceiling plate 44 is provided with an air intake opening 47.

[0034] The refrigeration module 42 includes the same basic refrigerating machine parts, i.e. condenser, compressor, etc. as the previously described embodiment. However the air circulation equipment is also arranged in the refrigeration module, rather than in the cabinet 41.

[0035] Thus, the refrigeration module 42 is provided with an air duct 12 having a horizontal portion 12a and a vertical portion 12b. The vertical portion 12b of the air duct 12 is limited by the rear wall 52 of the wall unit 6 and a cover plate 13 engaged with the rear wall 52 at a front, or inward facing, side 54 thereof. The evaporator 74 is arranged over a large area of the inward facing side 54 of the rear wall 52 of the wall unit 6. The horizontal portion of the air duct is limited by a double bottom, comprising a lower bottom plate 26 and an upper bottom plate 27 vertically spaced from the lower bottom plate 26, of the top unit 7. A circulating fan 22 is arranged in the top unit 7 between the upper and lower bottom plates 26, 27. The cover plate 13 is provided with an air outlet 15.

[0036] Below the evaporator 74 and the main condenser 11, a drip tray 17 is arranged, which is provided with a heat tube (not shown) in the part below the main condenser 11. Defrost water from the evaporator 74 is lead through the rear wall 24 of the wall unit 6 and evaporated by the heat tube under the main condenser 11.

[0037] The refrigeration module 42 is arranged such that the cover plate 13 of the wall unit 6 covers and extends in parallel with the rear plate 43 of the cabinet 41, and the top unit 7 is arranged in the space between the ceiling plate 44 and the roof 49 covering and extending in parallel with the ceiling plate 44. The circulating fan 22 of the refrigeration module 42 is aligned with the air outlet opening 47 of the cabinet and the air intake 46 of the cover plate 13 is aligned with the air outlet opening 46 of the cabinet 1.

[0038] The air in front of the evaporator 14 in the air duct 12 will be cooled. Due to the circulating fan 22, the cooled air will be blown into the cabinet 1 through the air opening 47. Air will be extracted by the circulating fan 22 through the openings 45 and 46 at the bottom portion of the cabinet 41, and will be forced by the circulating fan 22 through the vertical and horizontal portions 12a, 12b of the air duct 12, to be recirculated passed the evaporator 14 in the air duct 12. In addition, the products inside the cabinet 41, will be cooled by heat exchange directly through the rear wall plate 43.

[0039] In both embodiments, the refrigeration module is provided with two handles 16, and the wheels 23, 24. Thereby it is easy to remove the refrigeration module from and pull the refrigeration module against the cabinet. When the refrigeration module is placed against the cabinet it is fastened by any suitable releasable fastening means (not shown). The refrigerating machine is connected with a power source.

[0040] If the desired temperature in the cabinet cannot be maintained due to a mal function of the refrigerating machine, an operator easily disconnects the refrigeration module from the cabinet. Thereafter, the refrigerator module is easily pulled away from the cabinet by means of the handles 16. The foldable wheels 24 will then unfold. The operator can then easily push the refrigerator module on the wheels 23, 24 and perform the necessary repairs at a suitable location.

[0041] Above, one embodiment of the refrigerator according to the present invention has been described. This should be seen as merely a non-limiting example. As understood by a skilled person, many modifications and alternative embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention. A few examples will be given in the following.

[0042] As an alternative the cover plate of the wall unit can be discarded. Then the air duct can be obtained by means of narrow side walls protruding from the rear wall of the wall unit and engaging the rear of the cabinet.

[0043] The wall plate of the cabinet can be discarded. Then the cover plate of the wall unit constitutes the rear wall of the cabinet.

[0044] The air duct can be obtained in many other ways as well, including other structures of the horizontal portion.

[0045] The parts of the refrigerating machine can be relocated as appropriate for different applications, while maintaining the idea of the detachable refrigeration module having a wall unit.

[0046] It is to be noted, that for the purposes of this application, and in particular with regard to the appended claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, that the word "a" or "an", does not exclude a plurality, which per se will be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising
a cabinet for cooled products, which has walls and a roof, and
a refrigeration module including a refrigerating machine and a wall unit, wherein
the wall unit of the refrigeration module extends in parallel with and covers a wall section of one of the walls of the cabinet, such that the cabinet is cooled by the refrigerating machine of the refrigeration module, and wherein
the refrigeration module is detachable from the cabinet.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the refrigeration module includes wheels such that the refrigeration module is movable on the wheels when detached from the cabinet.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the wall section of the cabinet extends vertically along at least a substantial portion of the height of the cabinet and over a width of one of the walls.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the wall section of the cabinet constitutes at least a portion of a rear wall of the cabinet.

5. The refrigerator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall section is an uninsulated plate.

6. The refrigerator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the refrigeration module includes a top unit connected with and protruding from the wall unit.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the top unit is arranged at the roof of the cabinet.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the cabinet further comprises a ceiling spaced from the roof, and wherein the top unit is arranged in the space between the ceiling and the roof of the cabinet and covers a ceiling section of the ceiling.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the roof is lowered relative to upper edges of the walls, and wherein the top unit is arranged on top of the roof.

10. The refrigerator according to any one of claim 1 - 9, wherein the refrigerating machine includes a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator, which are interconnected by piping for circulating a refrigerant.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the evaporator includes piping located over an area of a cabinet facing wall of the wall unit for enhancing the heat-absorption quality.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the cabinet comprises a circulating fan arranged at a top portion thereof, and an air outlet arranged at a bottom portion thereof, wherein one of the walls of the cabinet has an internal vertical air duct connected to the air outlet at a lower end thereof and leading to the circulating fan, wherein the circulating fan and the air outlet are connected to the inner of the cabinet, wherein the circulation fan is arranged for circulating air through the inner of the cabinet and through the air duct, and wherein the evaporator piping extends into the air duct.

13. The refrigerator according to claims 7 and 12, wherein the top unit houses the compressor and the circulating fan.

14. The refrigerator according to any one of the claims 10 - 13, wherein the condenser includes piping located over an area of an outer wall of the wall unit for enhancing heat dissipation.

Drawing