WO2007074116A2

WO2007074116A2 - A cooling device

Info

Publication number: WO2007074116A2
Application number: PCT/EP2006/069955
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fatih Demiray; Soner Kahraman; Turgay Ercan; Emre Arisoy
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2005-12-29
Filing date: 2006-12-20
Publication date: 2007-07-05
Also published as: ES2323436T3; ATE428096T1; EP1966550B1; WO2007074116A3; EP1966550A2; DE602006006222D1

Abstract

By way of the present invention, the duration of the fast freezing process is reduced by delivering the cooled air directly to the foods that will be subjected to the fast freezing process by means of the special purpose freezer compartment (4).

Description

Description A COOLING DEVICE

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device comprising a compartment utilized in last freezing of food.

[0002] Cooling devices comprise a cooling compartment wherein food and beverages are stored and a freezing compartment that provides storing of food by freezing. When new foods are emplaced in the freezing compartment, these foods have to be frozen lastly and the temperature of the foods previously emplaced in the cooling compartment should be kept at the same level without oscillating much. Special purpose freezer compartments emplaced in the freezing compartment are utilized for the last freezing process.

[0003] Foods have to be suitably frozen in order to store them for a long period of time without losing their vitamin and mineral values. If the freezing process is slow, the water molecules crystallize such that the cell membranes are damaged and the food loses its nutritional value. In the special purpose freezer compartments the acceleration of the freezing process is maintained by various methods.

[0004] The object of the present invention is the realization of a cooling device comprising a special purpose freezer compartment that provides last freezing of the foods emplaced therein.

[0005] In the cooling device realized in order to fulfill the objectives of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and dependent claims thereof, the cooling and the freezer compartments and also a special purpose freezer compartment wherein last freezing process can be done, can all be cooled by utilizing only one evaporator and a Ian. The Ian utilized comprises two separate coaxial propellers arranged on the same shaft. While the special purpose freezer compartment is cooled by one of the propellers, the cooling and the freezer compartments are cooled by the other. In order not to cool the special purpose freezer compartment when not required, a shutter is used, regulating aspiration of air from the special purpose freezer compartment , situated at the outlet of the special purpose freezer compartment.

[0006] In an embodiment of the present invention, one of the propellers is emplaced in the special purpose freezer compartment. In this embodiment, when a second shutter situated at the inlet of the special purpose freezer compartment and the shutter situated at the outlet of the special purpose freezer compartment are closed at the same time, the special purpose freezer compartment is isolated from the inner volume of the cooling compartment. In this embodiment, by means of a heater disposed in the special purpose freezer compartment, the special purpose freezer compartment can also be used to thaw frozen food. By means of a separator situated inside the special purpose freezer compartment, the air blown by the propeller inside the special purpose freezer compartment can be circulated inside the compartment. By operating the heater simultaneously, the air can be heated and the frozen foods can be thawed.

[0007] In another embodiment of the present invention, the propellers are disposed outside the special purpose freezer compartment. In this embodiment, the propeller blowing air into the special purpose freezer compartment aspirates air over the entire surface of the evaporator whereas the propeller blowing air into the cooling and freezer compartments aspirate air from a portion of the evaporator. Accordingly in the last freezing process, the air blown into the special purpose freezer compartment is provided to be colder than the air blown into the cooling and freezer compartments.

[0008] The cooling device realized in order to fulfill the objectives of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0009] Figure 1 - is the schematic view of a cooling device.

[0010] Figure 2 - is the schematic view of a cooling device in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 3 - is the schematic view of a cooling device in yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Elements shown in figures are numbered as follows:

1. Cooling device

2. Cooling compartment

3. Freezer compartment

4. Special purpose freezer compartment

5. Compressor

6. Condenser

7. Evaporator

8. Fan

9. Fan motor

10. Shaft

11. First propeller

12. Second propeller

13. Air suction channel

14. First air distribution channel 15. Second air distribution channel

16. Opening

17. Shutter

18. Second shutter

19. Heater

20. Separator

[0013] The cooling device (1) comprises a cooling compartment (2) wherein food and beverages are stored, a freezer compartment (3) providing storing of food by freezing, and a special purpose freezer compartment (4) situated in the freezer compartment (3) that provides last freezing of the foods empkced therein.

[0014] The cooling device (1) furthermore comprises a compressor (5) providing to carry out the cooling cycle, a condenser (6), an evaporator (7), and a Ian (8) that aspirates air over the evaporator (7) to cool the compartments (2,3 and 4).

[0015] The Ian (8) comprises a motor (9), a shaft (10) connected to the motor (9), a first propeller (11) situated on the shaft (10), by rotating together with the shaft (10) that provides the air that is cooled as it passes over the evaporator (7) to be directed to the cooling and freezer compartments (2 and 3), and a second propeller (12) situated on the shaft (10), by rotating together with the shaft (10) that provides the air cooled as it passes over the evaporator (7) to be directed to the special purpose freezer compartment (4).

[0016] The geometry of the propellers (11 and 12) are determined according to the cooling requirements of the compartments (2,3 and 4).

[0017] The cooling device (1) comprises an air suction channel (13) wherein the evaporator (7) is emplaced, a first air distribution channel (14) that provides to direct the air blown by the Ian (8) to the cooling and freezer compartments (2 and 3), a second air distribution channel (15) that provides to direct the air blown by the Ian (8) to the special purpose freezer compartment (4), an opening (16) through which the air blown by the second propeller (12) leaves the special purpose freezer compartment (4), and a shutter (17) that provides to direct the air blown by the Ian (8) to one of the air distribution channels (14 and 15) (Figure 1).

[0018] The air flowing from the opening (16) is delivered to the freezer compartment (3) or directly to the space wherein the evaporator (7) is situated.

[0019] In the cooling device (1) of the present invention, when the cooling process is started by actuating the compressor (5) and the Ian (8), if only the cooling and freezer compartments (2 and 3) will be cooled, the opening (16) is closed by the shutter (17). In this case, the air blown by the first propeller (11) reaches to the cooling and freezer compartments (2 and 3) passing through the first air distribution channel (14). When the shutter (17) closes the opening (16), suction cannot be made from the special purpose freezer compartment (4). Therefore, the special purpose freezer compartment (4) cannot be cooled since aspiration can't be made over the evaporator (7) by the second propeller (12).

[0020] In the cooling device (1) of the present invention, when the cooling process is started by actuating the compressor (5) and the Ian (8), if last freezing of the foods emplaced in the special purpose freezer compartment (4) is desired, the shutter (17) is changed to the open position, allowing air flow from the opening (16). In this case, the air blown by the first propeller (11) reaches the cooling and freezer compartments (2 and 3) passing through the first air distribution channel (14); the air blown by the second propeller (12) reaches the special purpose freezer compartment (4), passing through the second air distribution channel (15). Then, the air that is heated while cooling the foods in the compartments (2,3 and 4) is aspirated by the Ian (8) by way of the air suction channel (13) and passed over the evaporator (7). Passing the air over the entire surface of the evaporator (7) and circulating directly in the special purpose freezer compartment (4) by the second propeller (12) accelerates the cooling process.

[0021] In another embodiment of the present invention, the second propeller (12) is situated in the special purpose freezer compartment (4). In this embodiment, the cooling device (1) comprises a second shutter (18) situated in the second air distribution channel (15), a separator (20) disposed in the special purpose freezer compartment (4), providing to create an air circulation in the special purpose freezer compartment (4) while the second propeller (12) rotates, and a heater (19) situated in the special purpose freezer compartment (4) that provides to heat the frozen foods that are desired to be thawed (Figure 2). In this embodiment, the special purpose freezer compartment (4) can be utilized for last freezing or for thawing of frozen foods. The separator (20) preferably extends between two opposite walls of the special purpose freezer compartment (4). The air blown by the second propeller (12) flows over the separator (20) and makes a return from under the separator (20) by means of the gap between the separator (20) and the front and rear walls.

[0022] In this embodiment, if last freezing of the foods emplaced in the special purpose freezer compartment (4) is desired, then air flow is allowed from the opening (16) by changing the first shutter (17) to the open position, and air flow is allowed from the second air distribution channel (15) by changing the second shutter (18) to the open position. Accordingly, the air blown by the first propeller (11) reaches the cooling and freezer compartments (2 and 3) passing through the first air distribution channel (14); the air blown by the second propeller (12) reaches the special purpose freezer compartment (4), passing through the second air distribution channel (15). Then the air that is heated while cooling the foods in the compartments (2,3 and 4) is aspirated by the fan (8) by way of the air suction channel (13) and passed over the evaporator (7). Circulating the air passing over the entire surface of the evaporator (7) by the second propeller (12) directly in the special purpose freezer compartment (4) accelerates the cooling process.

[0023] In this embodiment, if thawing of the frozen foods empkced in the special purpose freezer compartment (4) is desired, the first shutter (17) is changed to the closed position to prevent air flow from the opening (16), and the second shutter (18) is changed to the closed position to prevent air flow from the second air distribution channel (15). In this case, the second propeller (12) that starts to rotate when the fan (8) is actuated, will start to circulate the air inside the special purpose freezer compartment (4). The air circulated by the second propeller (12) is heated by the heater (19) providing to thaw the frozen foods in the special purpose freezer compartment (4). Since air flow is not allowed from the opening (16) by closing the first shutter (17), and from the second air distribution channel (15) by closing the second shutter (18), the air heated by the heater (19) is prevented from flowing into the cooling and freezer compartments (2 and 3).

[0024] In another embodiment of the present invention, the second propeller (12) is situated outside the special purpose freezer compartment (4). In this embodiment, the second propeller (12) aspirates air from the entire surface of the evaporator (7), and the first propeller (11) aspirates the air that passes from a portion of the evaporator (7) surface (Figure 3). In this embodiment, when only the cooling and freezer compartments (2 and 3) are desired to be cooled or when fast freezing process is desired to be carried out in the special purpose freezer compartment (4), the cooling device (1) is operated similar to the first embodiment. In this embodiment, while the special purpose freezer compartment (4) is being cooled, the air blown by the first propeller (11) reaches the cooling and freezer compartments (2 and 3) passing through the first air distribution channel (14); the air blown by the second propeller (12) reaches the special purpose freezer compartment (4), passing through the second air distribution channel (15). While the air blown by the first propeller (11) is passed over some portion of the evaporator (7) surface, the cooling process is further accelerated by passing the air blown by the second propeller (12) over the entire surface of the evaporator (7). By way of the special purpose freezer compartment (4), air is provided to be delivered directly to the foods that will be subjected to the last freezing process, and the duration of the last freezing process is reduced.

Claims

[0001] A cooling device (1) comprising a cooling compartment (2) wherein food and beverages are stored, a freezer compartment (3) providing storing of foods by freezing, and a special purpose freezer compartment (4) situated in the freezer compartment (3) that provides fast freezing of the foods emplaced therein, a compressor (5), a condenser (6), an evaporator (7) and a fan (8) that aspirates air over the evaporator (7) to cool the compartments (2,3 and 4) characterized by a fan (8) having a motor (9), a shaft (10) connected to the motor (9), a first propeller (11) situated on the shaft (10), rotating together with the shaft (10) that provides the air cooled as it passes over the evaporator (7) to be directed to the cooling and freezer compartments (2 and 3), and a second propeller (12) situated on the shaft (10), rotating together with the shaft (10) that provides the air cooled as it passes over the evaporator (7) to be directed to the special purpose freezer compartment (4).

[0002] A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by an air suction channel (13) wherein the evaporator (7) is emplaced, a first air distribution channel (14) that provides to direct the air blown by the fan (8) to the cooling and freezer compartments (2 and 3), a second air distribution channel (15) that provides to direct the air blown by the fan (8) to the special purpose freezer compartment (4), an opening (16) through which the air blown by the second propeller (12) leaves the special purpose freezer compartment (4), and a shutter (17) that provides to direct the air blown by the fan (8) to one of the air distribution channels (14 and 15).

[0003] A cooling device (1) as in Claim 2, characterized by the second propeller (12) situated in the special purpose freezer compartment (4), a second shutter (18) situated in the second air distribution channel (15), a separator (20) disposed in the special purpose freezer compartment (4), providing to create an air circulation in the special purpose freezer compartment (4) when the second propeller (12) is actuated and a heater (19) situated in the special purpose freezer compartment (4) that provides to heat the frozen foods desired to be thawed.

[0004] A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the second propeller (12) situated outside the special purpose freezer compartment (4) that aspirates air from the entire surface of the evaporator (7), and the first propeller (11) that aspirates air from a portion of the evaporator (7) surface.