EP2433064A2

EP2433064A2 - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: EP2433064A2
Application number: EP10720596A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Huake Wang; Shisheng Wang; Qiang Wu; Jiangwen Zhang
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2009-05-22
Filing date: 2010-05-18
Publication date: 2012-03-28
Also published as: WO2010133559A2; WO2010133559A3; CN101893361A; CN101893361B

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator. The refrigerator comprises a storage compartment (2), which includes a rear wall (3); a partition plate (4) held in the storage compartment (2), the storage compartment including a first storage zone (5) which is above the partition plate (4) and a second storage zone (6) which is under the partition plate (4) and fluidly communicates with the first storage zone (5), the partition plate (4) including a rear end edge (7) extending along the rear wall (3); at least an air inlet (8), through which cool air enters into the first storage zone (5) and then flows towards the second storage zone (6). According to the present invention, the partition plate (4) is provided such that air in the first storage zone (5) is not able to flow from the first storage zone (5) into the second storage zone (6) at least substantially between the rear end edge (7) of the partition plate (4) and the rear wall (3).

Description

REFRIGERATOR

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, more particularly to a commercial or house-hold refrigerator.

BACKGROUND

An evaporator of a frost free refrigerator is usually not exposed directly in a storage compartment of the refrigerator and is in fact arranged in an air duct behind the storage compartment. The air duct is fluidly communicated with the storage compartment via an air inlet and an air outlet, such that cooled air flows from the air inlet into the storage compartment via the air inlet and warmer air in the storage compartment flows back into the air duct via the air outlet so as to create a complete air circulation.

Furthermore, a conventional refrigerator comprises a plurality of thermally insulated storage compartments for storing items, for example comprises a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment which are at different temperature ranges. The storage compartments can be divided into a plurality of storage zones respectively. For example, shelves which are substantially horizontally supported in the refrigerating compartment can be used to place items thereon and at the same time can be used to divide the refrigerating compartment into different storage zones. Alternatively, an upper cover of a preservation drawer can be used to divide the storage compartment into storage zones in which humidities are different from each other.

In a well-known technology, the air inlet is provided in one storage zone. Then, cool air from the storage compartment providing with the air inlet flows towards other storage zones and cool them. There is in each case a larger distance left between a partition plate of a refrigerator and a door of the refrigerator and between the partition plate and a rear wall of the storage compartment. Cool air can enter into another storage zone via the gap between the partition plate and the door of the refrigerator and via the gap between the partition plate and the rear wall of the storage compartment. This kind of arrangement can easily cause the forward flowability of cool air to be gradually reduced after cool air enters into the storage compartment, such that the storage zones have an uneven temperature distribution in a depth direction. For example, the portion adjacent to the air inlet is at a lower temperature, and the portion (usually adjacent to the door of the refrigerator) far away from the air inlet is at a higher temperature.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an objective of the present invention to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems such that the temperature distribution in the storage compartment of the refrigerator is more even.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a refrigerator, comprising: a storage compartment which includes a rear wall; a partition plate held in the storage compartment, the storage compartment including a first storage zone which is above the partition plate and a second storage zone which is under the partition plate and fluidly communicates with the first storage zone, the partition plate including a rear end edge extending along the rear wall; and at least an air inlet, through which cool air enters into the first storage zone and then flows to the second storage zone; characterized in that the partition plate is provided such that air in the first storage zone is not able to flow from the first storage zone into the second storage zone at least substantially between the rear end edge of the partition plate and the rear wall.

Therefore, a possibility that cool air enters from the first storage zone into another storage zone through a gap between the partition plate and the rear wall is effectively reduced or avoided. Thus this can effectively reduce or avoid the possibility that an air pass short phenomenon occurs, such that cool air in the first storage zone can continue to flow forward into another storage zone and thus sufficient heat exchange occurs at a portion of the storage compartment which is far away from the air inlet.

Other individual technical features or their combinations which are considered as technical features having the characteristic of the present invention will be explained in the attached claims. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the rear end edge and the rear wall is less than 7 millimeter. The distance is most preferably no more than 5 millimeter. Such small distance can substantially avoid the air pass short phenomenon which is caused by cool air entering into the second storage zone along the rear end edge of the partition plate. On the other hand, a margin is left to facilitate mounting the partition plate.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rear end edge abuts at a full length thereof against the rear wall, such that the air pass short phenomenon which is caused by cool air entering into the second storage zone along the rear end edge of the partition plate is avoided.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the air inlet comprises a plurality of first air inlets which are opened towards a first direction to form a first air inlet area and a plurality of second air inlets which are opened towards a second direction angled relative to the first direction to form a second air inlet area. Therefore, cool air can enter into the storage compartment in different directions, such that cool air can more evenly distributes and flows in the storage compartment.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first air inlets are arranged in a first arrangement manner, and the second air inlets are arranged in a second arrangement manner which is different from the first arrangement manner.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first air inlets are comprised of arc segments which are at least substantially concentric.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second air inlet area surrounds the first air inlet area.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator further comprises a fan located adjacent to the air inlet and an air dispensing cover which surrounds the fan at one side of the storage compartment. The air inlet is arranged on the air dispensing cover.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the air dispensing cover comprises a first wall which is substantially parallel to the rear wall and separated from the rear wall by a predetermined distance, and a second wall which is bended from an edge of the first wall and then extends towards and connects to the rear wall, wherein the first wall and the second wall are each provided with the air inlet.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the partition plate is formed by a shelf.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the partition plate is provided with a plurality of through holes and a film, which film covers the through holes and preserves predetermined substance.

The construction of the present invention and other objectives and beneficial effects of the present invention will be well understood by the description of preferred embodiments in accompany with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

As a part of the description and in order to provide further explanation of the present invent, the drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description are used to explain the principle of the present invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a schematic partial sectional view of a refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a schematic structural view of the refrigerator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an air dispensing cover according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Please refer to Figures 1 and 2. A refrigerator 1 comprises a thermally insulated housing 15, which thermally insulated housing 15 is comprised of thermally insulated material (not shown) located between an outer wall 16 and an inner liner 17 delimiting a storage compartment or storage compartments. In the present embodiment, the refrigerator 1 comprises a refrigerating compartment (not shown), and a temperature adjustable compartment 2 and a freezing compartment (not shown), which compartments are integrally formed from above to below and thermally insulated from each other. The storage compartments each have a front opening which can be selectively opened or closed by a corresponding door 20.

It should be understood that the technical solution of the present invention is not limited by a specific arrangement form of the storage compartments of the refrigerator. In fact, the technical solution of the present invention can be implemented in a different form of a refrigerator, such as a side-by-side refrigerator and so on.

A passage 18 is formed between the outside of the rear wall 3 of the temperature adjustable compartment 2 and the inner liner 17. An evaporator 19 is provided in the passage 19. As a part of a refrigeration system, the evaporator 19 absorbs heat from its surrounding environment and thus lowers air surrounding the evaporator 19. The embodiment of the present invention can adopt a refrigeration system which is well known in the prior art. Therefore, the refrigeration system will not be explained below.

In the illustrated embodiment, the temperature adjustable compartment 2 can be adjusted in a temperature range between -2 degree Celsius and 14 degree Celsius. A partition plate 4 which is parallel to the horizontal plane is provided in the temperature adjustable compartment 2. Relative to the partition plate 4, the temperature adjustable compartment 2 is divided into a first storage zone 5 above the partition plate 4 and a second storage zone 6 under the partition plate 4. The partition plate 4 is removably held in the temperature adjustable compartment 2.

The second storage zone 6 is provided with a drawer 22. The partition plate 4 is configured as an upper cover of the drawer 22. The upper opening of the drawer 22 is tightly abutted against the lower surface of the partition plate 4, such that air circulation between the interior of the drawer 22 and the exterior of the drawer along the edge of the opening of the drawer can be reduced. In the illustrated embodiment, the partition plate 4 is provided with a plurality of through holes 26 thereon, which through holes are covered by a moisture retention film (not shown). Air having higher temperature in the drawer 22 can heat exchange with gas in the first storage zone 5 by means of the through holes 26 covered by the film. However, since convection can not be occurred at the substantially enclosed rest portion of the drawer 22, cool air flowing into the first storage zone 5 from an air inlet 8 is substantially not influenced by the through holes 26 and in fact flows towards the door 20.

Of course, the partition plate 4 can be formed by any possible device which can be used to divide the temperature adjustable compartment 2 into a plurality of storage compartments, such as a conventional shelf used to support items thereon. Furthermore, the technical solution of the present invention can be adapted for other storage compartments such as the refrigerating compartment and/or the freezing compartment of the refrigerator.

The partition plate 4 comprises a front end edge 21 adjacent to the door 20, a rear end edge 7 which is at least substantially parallel to the front end edge 21 and two side edges 23 connecting the front end edge 21 and the rear end edge 7. The side edges 23 are supported on side walls of the temperature adjustable compartment 2 respectively. The front end edge 21 is separated from an inner side of the door 20 by a distance (for example, the distance is more than 2 millimeter). Thus an air flowing passage 24 is formed between the front end edge and the inner side of the door.

The rear end edge 7 extends along the rear wall 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the rear end edge 7 abuts at its whole length against the rear wall 3.

At a site corresponding to the first storage zone 5, the rear wall 3 is provided with a plurality of air inlets 8 which are used to implement fluid communication between the passage 18 and the first storage zone 5. A fan 9 located above the evaporator 19 is provided adjacent to the air inlets 8, such that air cooled by the evaporator 19 is driven by the fan 19 through the air inlets 8 into the first storage compartment 5.

At a site corresponding to the second storage zone 6, the rear wall 3 is provided with an air outlet 25 which is used to implement fluid communication between the passage 18 and the second storage zone 6. The air outlet 25 is arranged adjacent to a lower wall of the second storage zone 6. In the illustrated embodiment, the air outlet 25 is formed by a continuous elongate opening. The air outlet 25 preferably opens downwards.

When the fan 9 is running, air emerging from the air inlets 8 flows forward towards the door 2 and flows through air flowing passage 24 into the second storage zone 6. Thereafter, air flows towards the rear wall 3 in the second storage zone 6, and flows through the air outlet 25 and thus enters from the second storage zone 6 into the passage 18. In this way, a cool air circulation is established so as to lower the temperature in the temperature adjustable compartment 2.

Since between the rear end edge 7 of the partition plate 4 and the rear wall 3 is sealed such that a cool air short pass phenomenon (i.e. cool air enters into the second storage zone 6 directly through the gap between the rear end edge 7 of the partition plate 4 and the rear wall 3) is effectively avoided, cool air is more evenly circulated in the temperature adjustable compartment 2.

In an alternative embodiment, the distance between the rear end edge 7 and the rear wall 3 can be less than 7 millimeter. This distance is preferably no more than 5 millimeter, for example is 5 millimeter. On one hand, such small distance may avoid the cool air short pass phenomenon. On the other hand, it can be achieved by such small distance that when the partition plate 4 is assembled in the temperature adjustable compartment 2, the partition plate 4 has a mounting margin to facilitate the assembly of the partition plate 4.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the refrigerator 1 comprises an air dispensing cover 10 which encloses the fan 9 at one side of the temperature adjustable compartment 2. The air inlets 8 are arranged on the air dispensing cover 10. By optimal designing of the air inlets 8, cool air can be more evenly distributed in the first storage zone 5, such that the temperature distribution in the first storage zone 5 can be more even.

The air dispensing cover 10 comprises a first wall 11 which is substantially parallel to the rear wall 3 and is separated from the rear wall by a predetermined distance, and a second wall 12 which is bended from an edge of the first wall 11 and then extends towards and connects to the rear wall 3. When the air dispensing cover 10 is connected to the rear wall 3, air does not substantially emit from the air dispensing cover 10 along the edge thereof.

The first wall 11 and the second wall 12 are each provided with the air inlets 8 such that the air inlets 8 includes a plurality of first air inlets 8a which are provided on the first wall 11 and provided towards the door 20 and a plurality of second air inlets 8b which are opened towards the surrounding of the air dispensing cover 10. In the present embodiment, the second air inlets 8b are located at a bending and folding portion connecting the second wall 12 with the first wall 11.

A first air inlet area 13 and a second air inlet area 14 are formed by these first air inlets 8a and these second air inlets 8b respectively. The second air inlet area 14 surrounds the first air inlet area 13. As shown in Figure 3, the air inlets 8a and 8b of the first air inlet area 13 and the second air inlet area 14 are arranged in different ways. In the present embodiment, the first air inlets 8a are comprised of arc segments which are at least substantially concentric, and the second air inlets 8b extend from the first wall 11 to the second wall 12 in a divergent manner.

Claims

1. A refrigerator (1), comprising: a storage compartment (2), which storage compartment includes a rear wall (3); a partition plate (4) held in the storage compartment (2), the storage compartment (2) comprising a first storage zone (5) which is above the partition plate (4) and a second storage zone (6) which is under the partition plate (4) and fluidly communicates with the first storage zone (5), the partition plate (4) including a rear end edge (7) which extends along the rear wall (3); at least an air inlet (8) through which cool air enters into the first storage zone (5) and then flows towards the second storage zone (6); characterized in that the partition plate (4) is provided such that air in the first storage zone (5) is not able to flow into the second storage zone (6) from the first storage zone (5) at least substantially between the rear end edge (7) of the partition plate (4) and the rear wall (3).

2. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance between the rear end edge (7) and the rear wall (3) is less than 7 millimeter.

3. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear end edge (7) abuts at a full length thereof against the rear wall (3).

4. The refrigerator (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the air inlet (8) comprises a plurality of first air inlets (8a) which are opened towards a first direction to form a first air inlet area (13), and a plurality of second air inlets (8b) which are opened towards a second direction angled relative to the first direction to form a second air inlet area (14).

5. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the first air inlets (8a) are arranged in a first arrangement manner, and the second air inlets (8b) are arranged in a second arrangement manner which is different from the first arrangement manner.

6. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the first air inlets (8a) are comprised of arc segments which are at least substantially concentric.

7. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 4 or 5 or 6, characterized in that the second air inlet area (14) surrounds the first air inlet area (13).

8. The refrigerator (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the refrigerator further comprises a fan (9) adjacent to the air inlet (8) and an air dispensing cover (10) which surrounds the fan (9) at one side of the storage compartment (2), and the air inlet (8) is arranged on the air dispensing cover (10).

9. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the air dispensing cover (10) comprises a first wall (11) which is substantially parallel to the rear wall (3) and separates from the rear wall (3) by a predetermined distance, and a second wall (12) which is bended from an edge of the first wall (11) and extends towards and connects to the rear wall (3), wherein the first wall (11) and the second wall (12) are each provided with the air inlet (8).

10. The refrigerator (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the partition plate (4) is formed by a shelf.

11. The refrigerator (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the partition plate (4) is provided with a plurality of through holes (26) and a film, which film covers the through holes (26) and preserves predefined substance.