Cold appliance

• US 9,528,743 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2009
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
• Original Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
• Inventors: Andersson, Bernt, Andersson, Klas
• Primary Examiner(s): Jules, Frantz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tadesse, Martha
• Application Number:
  US12/992,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20110179817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,779 Days
• Field of Search: 622/79, 622/88, 624/54, 622/64, 622/46, 622/85, 622/55, 622/591
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 19/00 Arrangement or mounting of refrigeration units with respect to devices or objects to be refrigerated, e.g. infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/14 Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/006 for mounting refrigerating machinery components

Abstract

A cold appliance comprising a cooling module (102) and a cabinet (101) comprising a cold compartment (104). The cooling module comprises an air outlet (43) delivering cooled air to the cold compartment and an air inlet (44) receiving air from the cold compartment. The cooling module is arranged at the bottom of the cold appliance, and comprises a cold section (34), and a warm section (35), which is separated from the cold section by an insulating wall (105). An evaporator (33) is arranged in the cold section, and a compressor (36) and a condenser (32) is arranged in the warm section. The condenser comprises a condenser tube (32), which is arranged in windings on or integrated in a bottom plate (31) of the cooling module.

Claims

1. A cold appliance comprising a cooling module (102), and a cabinet (101), which comprises a cold compartment (104), wherein the cooling module comprises an air outlet (43) delivering cooled air to the cold compartment, and an air inlet (44) receiving air from the cold compartment, wherein the cooling module is arranged at the bottom of the cold appliance, and wherein the cooling module comprises a cold section (34), a warm section (35), which is separated from the cold section by an insulating wall (105), an evaporator (33) arranged in the cold section, and a compressor (36) and a condenser (32) arranged in the warm section, characterized in that the condenser comprises a condenser tube (32) including condenser tube windings integrated in a bottom plate (31) of the cooling module that extend horizontally,

wherein the cooling module further comprises an inlet opening (38), an outlet opening (41), a partition wall (40), and a fan (37) configured to draw air through the inlet opening (38) and over the bottom plate (31) and expel the air out of the outlet opening (41), wherein the partition wall (40) is arranged such that air passing from the inlet opening (38) to the outlet opening (41) travels from the inlet opening (38) in a first direction, around the partition wall (40), and then toward the outlet opening (41) in a second direction that is opposite the first direction, and

wherein the cooling module further comprises at least one curved fin arranged to guide air passing from the inlet opening (38) to the outlet opening (41) around the partition wall (40).

2. The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein the cooling module (102) comprises a drain water tray (46), which is arranged adjacent to the condenser tube (32), for receiving defrost water from the evaporator (33).

3. The appliance according to claim 2, wherein the drain water tray (46) is constituted by a portion of the bottom plate (31).

4. The cold appliance according to claim 2, wherein the drain water tray (46) is constituted by a separate tray mounted to be in direct contact with the top of the condenser tube (32).

5. The cold appliance according to claim 2, wherein the condenser tube (32) is arranged inside the drain water tray (46).

6. The cold appliance according to claim 2, wherein the cooling module (102) further comprises a defrost water collecting device (48) arranged below the evaporator (33), and a draining pipe (49) extending from the defrost water collecting plate to the drain water tray (46), and guiding the defrost water to the drain water tray.

7. The cold appliance according to claim 6, wherein the defrost water collecting device (48) comprises a plate or a tray on or in which the evaporator (33) is arranged.

8. The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein the cabinet (101) comprises two side wall panels (1) and a rear wall panel (4), and wherein at least one of the side wall panels, preferably the side wall panel which partly encloses the cold section (34) of the cooling module (102), is attached to the bottom plate (31).

9. The cold appliance according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the side wall panels (1) or the rear wall panel (4) comprises a pre-foamed panel, preferably made in a continuous double belt foaming process.

10. The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein the bottom plate (31) comprises a support means, such as feet and/or wheels, and preferably also leveling means.

11. The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein a condensation preventing device (160) comprising a heat carrier tube (28, 160) is arranged in thermal contact with the condenser tube (32).

12. The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein the bottom plate (31) comprises fastening means to securely fasten the compressor, and fastening means to securely fasten a fan and part of a door hinge.

17. The cold appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a pre-defroster plate (47) arranged above the evaporator (33) and in contact with the evaporator (33), configured for directing airflow from the air inlet (44) to the evaporator (33) and directing the airflow over and in contact with the pre-defroster plate (47).

18. The cold appliance according to claim 17, wherein the pre-defroster plate (47) is inclined such that water that collects on the plate will flow down onto a defrost water collecting device (48) arranged below the evaporator (33).

13. A cold appliance comprising a cooling module (102), and a cabinet (101), which comprises a cold compartment (104), wherein the cooling module comprises an air outlet (43) delivering cooled air to the cold compartment, and an air inlet (44) receiving air from the cold compartment, wherein the cooling module is arranged at the bottom of the cold appliance, and wherein the cooling module comprises a cold section (34), a warm section (35), which is separated from the cold section by an insulating wall (105), an evaporator (33) arranged in the cold section, and a compressor (36) and a condenser (32) arranged in the warm section, characterized in that the condenser comprises a condenser tube (32) including condenser tube windings integrated into a bottom plate (31) of the cooling module that extend horizontally, wherein the direct contact or integration between the windings and the bottom plate facilitates heat transfer between the windings and the bottom plate,

wherein the cooling module further comprises an inlet opening (38), an outlet opening (41), a partition wall (40), and a fan (37) configured to draw air through the inlet opening (38) and over the bottom plate (31) and expel the air out of the outlet opening (41), wherein the partition wall (40) is arranged such that air passing from the inlet opening (38) to the outlet opening (41) travels from the inlet opening (38) in a first direction, around the partition wall (40), and then toward the outlet opening (41) in a second direction that is opposite the first direction, and

wherein the cooling module further comprises at least one curved fin arranged to guide air passing from the inlet opening (38) to the outlet opening (41) around the partition wall (40).

14. The cold appliance according to claim 13, wherein the cooling module (102) comprises a drain water tray (46) for receiving defrost water from the evaporator (33), wherein the drain water tray is in direct contact with the condenser tube (32).

15. The appliance according to claim 14, wherein the drain water tray (46) is constituted by a portion of the bottom plate (31).

16. A cold appliance comprising a cooling module (102), and a cabinet (101), which comprises a cold compartment (104), wherein the cooling module comprises an air outlet (43) delivering cooled air to the cold compartment, and an air inlet (44) receiving air from the cold compartment, wherein the cooling module is arranged at the bottom of the cold appliance, and wherein the cooling module comprises a cold section (34), a warm section (35), which is separated from the cold section by an insulating wall (105), an evaporator (33) arranged in the cold section, and a compressor (36) and a condenser (32) including condenser tube windings on or integrated into a bottom plate (31) of the cooling module, wherein a drain water tray (46) is configured to receive defrost water from the evaporator,

wherein the condenser tube windings extend horizontally across a majority area of a horizontal cross-section of the cooling module (102),

wherein the cooling module further comprises an inlet opening (38), an outlet opening (41), a partition wall (40), and a fan (37) configured to draw air through the inlet opening (38) and over the bottom plate (31) and expel the air out of the outlet opening (41), wherein the partition wall (40) is arranged such that air passing from the inlet opening (38) to the outlet opening (41) travels from the inlet opening (38) in a first direction, around the partition wall (40), and then toward the outlet opening (41) in a second direction that is opposite the first direction, and

wherein the cooling module further comprises at least one curved fin arranged to guide air passing from the inlet opening (38) to the outlet opening (41) around the partition wall (40).

19. The cold appliance according to claim 16, wherein the inlet opening (38) and outlet opening (41) are arranged side by side.

20. The cold appliance according to claim 16, further comprising a plurality of curved fins arranged to guide air passing from the inlet opening (38) to the outlet opening (41) around the partition wall (40).

21. The cold appliance according to claim 16, wherein the at least one curved fin is arranged to guide air passing from the inlet opening (38) to the outlet opening (41) in a direction toward the outlet opening (41).

22. The cold appliance according to claim 20, wherein air enters the plurality of curved fins in a direction transverse to the first and second directions and air exits the plurality of curved fins in the second direction.

23. The cold appliance according to claim 20, wherein air enters the plurality of curved fins in a direction perpendicular to the first and second directions and air exits the plurality of curved fins in the second direction.

24. The cold appliance according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of curved fins extend substantially parallel to each other.

25. The cold appliance according to claim 16, wherein the cooling module comprises and front wall and a rear wall and the partition wall extends rearward from the front wall a distance but does not extend completely to the rear wall.