Cooling device having an air channel and a baffle

Abstract

A cooling device, particularly a domestic refrigerator, includes a storage space defined by a body and by a door. An air channel is formed within a space that is at least partially filled with insulating or isolation material between an inner wall of the storage space and an outer wall of the cooling device. At least one opening is provided in the inner wall and is open to the air channel. A baffle is positioned completely within the air channel.

Claims

1. A cooling device or domestic refrigerator, comprising: a body having an outer wall; a door; said body and said door defining a storage space therebetween having an inner wall; said inner wall of said storage space and said outer wall of said body defining an insulating space therebetween being at least partially filled with insulating material; an air channel formed within said insulating space, said air channel having a longitudinal extent; said inner wall of said storage space having a plurality of openings formed therein being open to said air channel; a bar separating two neighboring openings from each other and a baffle disposed completely within said air channel, said baffle including a connector fixing said baffle to said air channel, said baffle having a length being transverse to said longitudinal extent of said air channel, and said baffle having a flap guiding an air flow, said flap being transverse to said longitudinal extent; said air channel having a wall segment being a rear wall lying opposite the openings of the inner wall, and said baffle including a support element contacting said rear wall.

2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein said baffle is disposed outside said at least one opening.

3. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein said inner wall of said storage space has a rear surface, and said baffle includes a further support element facing said rear surface of said inner wall.

4. The cooling device according to claim 3, wherein said further support element is a support wall.

5. The cooling device according to claim 3, wherein said rear surface of said inner wall of said storage space has a surface section disposed on said bar, and said further support element faces said surface section.

6. The cooling device according to claim 3, wherein said baffle includes an adhesion face formed on said baffle and fixed to said rear surface of said inner wall of said storage space.

7. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein: said air channel has two ribs extending from said wall segment; said support element being sandwiched between said two ribs.

8. The cooling device according to claim 7, wherein said support element of said baffle and said ribs have lead-in chamfers.

9. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein: said air channel has a side wall and a connector formed on said side wall; said baffle has a connection wall; and said connector of said baffle is formed on said connection wall of said baffle and engages with said connector formed on said side wall of said air channel.

10. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein said baffle has a flap guiding an air flow.

11. The cooling device according to claim 10, wherein said baffle includes a reinforcing wall connected to said flap and intersecting said flap.

12. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein said inner wall of said storage space is made of metal.

13. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein said inner wall of said storage space is an inner wall of said door.

14. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein said baffle is a one piece construction.

15. A cooling device or domestic refrigerator, comprising: a body having an outer wall; a door; said body and said door defining a storage space therebetween having an inner wall; said inner wall of said storage space and said outer wall of said body defining an insulating space therebetween being at least partially filled with insulating material; an air channel formed within said insulating space; said inner wall of said storage space having a plurality of openings formed therein being open to said air channel; a bar separating two neighboring openings from each other and a baffle disposed completely within said air channel, said baffle having a length being transverse to a longitudinal extent of said air channel, and said baffle including a connector fixing said baffle to said air channel, said connector being a plurality of connectors and said baffle including opposing connection walls having respective baffle connectors and said air channel having opposing side walls, said respective baffle connectors each engaging a respective sidewall; said air channel having wall segment being a rear wall lying opposite the openings of the inner wall, and said baffle including a support element contacting said rear wall.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 is the lateral schematic cross sectional view of a domestic refrigerator where a representative embodiment of the subject matter baffle is adapted.

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a cooling device of a representative embodiment of the present invention where the door is open.

(3) FIG. 3 is the perspective view of a representative embodiment of the subject matter baffle.

(4) FIG. 4 is the front perspective assembly view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3.

(5) FIG. 5 is the rear perspective view of a section of a representative embodiment of the subject matter baffle, that is the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3.

(6) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along section VI-VI in FIG. 2 of an area of a cooling device according to a second representative embodiment of the invention.

(7) FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along section VII-VII in FIG. 2 of an area of a cooling device according to the second representative embodiment of the invention.

(8) FIG. 8 is a detail of a cooling device according to the second representative embodiment of the invention in a partly assembled state.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) In FIG. 1, a domestic refrigerator is illustrated. The heat insulated body 10 is structurally separated into pluralities of cooling chambers by means of departmentalization. A door 20 is covered in an openable manner onto the open face of the body 10. The storage space 30, obtained by means of departmentalization inside the body 10, is encircled by the inner walls 40. An air channel 41 is adjusted on the inner wall 40. The air channel 41 can extend from the evaporator to the storage space 30 or it can be provided on the door 20 for transferring the cool air cycle to different sections in the storage space 30. The air channel 41 can be formed in a pipe, or it can be embodied by covering the upper section of a housing formed directly on the inner wall 40.

(10) In particular, there exists an air channel 41a within the door 20 as well as an air channel 41b within the body 10. Each air channel 41a, 41b is formed within a space 43 which is at least partially filled with isolation material 44. The space 43 within the door 20, that is the space 43a, is formed between an inner wall 40, namely an inner wall 40a of the door 20, and an outer wall 44 of the cooling device 1, namely an outer wall 44a of the door 20. The space 43 within the body 10, that is the space 43b, is formed between an inner wall 40, namely an inner wall 40b of the body 10, and an outer wall 44 of the cooling device 1, namely an outer wall 44b of the body 10.

(11) FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a cooling device 1 of a representative embodiment of the present invention where the door 20 is open. For illustration purposes only an air channel 41 within the door 30, that is the air channel 41a, is depicted by dotted lines. This air channel 41a is positioned within the space 43a in the door; that is the air channel 41a is covered by the inner wall 40a when looking in a frontal view at the inner wall 40a. On the inner wall 41a are door bins 46 installed.

(12) There are several openings 42, 42a, 42b provided on the inner wall 40a. In particular there is one opening 42a located below the lowest door bin 46 which serves as air inlet opening of the air channel 41a. Above the highest door bin 46 are three openings 42b which serve as air outlet openings of the air channel 41a. All openings 42a, 42b are of rectangular shape, moreover all openings 42a, 42b are in form of slits. The openings 42a, 42b are produced by punching them into the inner wall 40a which is made of metal. The openings 42b are formed as a group of openings 42b, that is, neighboring openings 42b are distanced from each other by a bar 47 which has also a rectangular shape in a frontal view onto the openings 42b and the thickness of the bars 47 in that view corresponds essentially to the thickness of the openings 42b.

(13) In operation of the cooling device 1 air is blown or drawn through the air channel 41a by entering the air inlet opening 42a, flowing upwards through the air channel 41a and leaving the air outlet opening 42b. There is no fan within the air channel 42b.

(14) A baffle 50 which is not visible in FIG. 2 is located within the air channel 41a. In a frontal view onto the openings 42b, that is a view normal to a plane containing the openings 42b, the baffle 50 is located essentially completely behind a rectangular section of the inner wall 40a containing the openings 42b. The baffle 50 changes the direction of the air flow coming from the air channel 41a to the openings 42b and changes the flow direction of the air passing through the air channel 41a before the air passes through the openings 42b provided on the inner wall 40a.

(15) In FIG. 3, a baffle 50 is illustrated which is configured for being fixed inside an air channel 41, 41a, 41b of the cooling device according to FIGS. 1 and 2. The baffle 50 is in the form of a grid created by means of flat rods, which are spaced apart from each other and which are in a planar structure, from an outer wall thereof with respect to the position where the baffle 50 is placed to the air channel 41. A support element 53 in form of a support wall 51, having an adhesion face 52 which is in transversely or horizontally extending strip form, is joined by means of two connection walls 70 bent vertically onto the adhesion face 52 at both end sections of the support wall 51. In particular the baffle 50 has two support elements 53, both in form of support walls 51 and both having an adhesion face 52.

(16) In an assembled state of the cooling device 1, e.g. when the baffle 50 is positioned within the air channel 41a the adhesion faces 52 are fixed to a rear surface 73 (depicted in FIG. 4) of the inner wall 40a of the door 30. Thus, no protrusion is formed from the air channel 41a extending beyond the inner wall 40a.

(17) The connection wall 70 is a flat wall where the support wall 51 is bent in an orthogonal angled manner with respect to the adhesion face 52. Connection elements 71, which are in form of tabs 75, are provided on each of the connection walls 70. There are slits 72 extending from the sides of the connection elements 71 that is the slits 72 extend from edges 74 of the connection elements 71 into the connection element 71. In this way the connection elements 71, in particular the tabs 75, can be elastically deflected and provide means for a form fit connection between the baffle 50 and a wall of the air channel 41a.

(18) The connection elements 71, i.e. the tabs 75, extend essentially orthogonal out of an outwardly oriented surface 76 of the connection walls 70. Thus the connection elements 71 are suited to be connected to or engaged with corresponding connection elements on side walls of the air channel 41a.

(19) Thus, the baffle 50 is seated to corresponding sections at the air channel 41. The baffle 50 is supported inside the air channel 41 with the help of the connection walls 70 extending mutually only on the lateral sections. The connection wall 70 has no extension encircling at the top or at the bottom. Therefore, the bottom edge of the baffle 50 has an angled flap 60.

(20) In order to prevent deflection of the extended support walls 51 in the intermediate section, a vertical reinforcing wall 62 intersects with support walls 51 which extend transversely. The reinforcing wall 62 is positioned in a manner reducing resistance in air flow direction such that the thin section of the reinforcing wall 62 is orthogonal with respect to the flap 60 plane.

(21) The reinforcing wall 62 comprises further connection elements 71, again in form of tabs 75. These connection elements 71 can engage with corresponding connection elements formed on e.g. a rear wall of the air channel 41a.

(22) The reinforcing wall 62 as well as the two connection walls 70 act as support elements 77, that is these elements contact in the assembled state wall segments of the air channel 41a. This leads to a robust support of the baffle 50, in particular this further prevents any undesired deformation of the inner wall 40a in an area surrounding the openings 42b, since the inner wall 40a is first of all supported by the baffle 50 and the baffle 50 in turn is supported by the wall segments of the air channel 41a.

(23) As can be seen in FIG. 5, the support wall 51 is bent in a V-like structure with wide angle, and thus, the flaps 60 are formed. The opening between the support walls 51 is hidden when viewed frontally, and the direction of the entering air is changed at an amount equal to the bending angle (a).

(24) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along section VI-VI in FIG. 2 of an area of a cooling device according to a second representative embodiment of the invention.

(25) In difference to the embodiment according to the FIGS. 3-5 the baffle 50 comprises flaps 60 which are orthogonally oriented with respect to the support wall 51. Furthermore, rather than having three air outlet openings 42b there exist four air outlet openings 42b. Consequently, there are three bars 47 formed by the inner wall 40a and separating the openings 42b.

(26) The baffle 50 comprises support element 77 formed by the reinforcing wall 62 contacting a wall segment, namely a rear wall 78, of the air channel 41a.

(27) As shown in FIG. 7, a connection element 71 is embodied by a wall segment 79 of the baffle 50, in particular said wall segment 79 corresponds in this embodiment to the reinforcing wall 62. The wall segment 79 is sandwiched between two ribs 80 extending from a wall segment of the air channel 41a, in particular from the rear wall 78. The wall segment 79 together with the ribs 80 form a press-fit connection and a form-fit connection between the baffle 50 and the wall segment of the air channel 41a. The wall segment 79 further contains two locking tabs 81, protruding from side surfaces and engaging locking recesses 82 formed on the ribs 80.

(28) On both connection walls 70 are further connection elements 71 in form of flexible tabs which engage with connection elements 83, namely recesses, of side walls 84 of the air channel 41a.

(29) As depicted in FIGS. 6 and 8 the wall segment 79 of the baffle 50 and the two ribs 80 comprise lead-in chamfers 85a and 85b, which enable a simplified assembly of the baffle 50 and ensure a correct position of the assembled baffle 50.

(30) FIG. 8 is a detail of a cooling device according to the second representative embodiment of the invention in a partly assembled state. In particular, the baffle 50 has not yet been fixed to the air channel 41a. Rather, the baffle 50 needs to be pushed, e.g. by hand, along direction X into the air channel 50 such that the lead-in chamfers 85a and 85b engage with each other and correctly align the baffle 50. As soon as the baffle 50 is correctly aligned and further pushed along direction X the connection elements 71 of the connection walls 70 engage with the connection elements 83 of the side wall 84 and furthermore the wall segment 79 of the baffle 50 will be sandwiched between the two ribs 80 which also leads to the locking tabs 81 to enter the locking recesses 82.

(31) Once the baffle 50 has been fixed to the air channel 41a, the inner wall 40a can be attached, e.g. by adhesive means. At this stage the hollow space 43a can be filled with isolation material.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

(32) 1. Cooling device 10. Body 20. Door 30. Storage space 40. Inner wall 40a Inner wall (door) 40b Inner wall (body) 41. Air channel 41a Air channel (in door) 41b Air channel (in body) 42. Opening 42a Opening 42b Opening 43. Space 43a Space (in door) 43b Space (in body) 44. Outer wall 44a outer wall (door) 44b outer wall (body) 45. Isolation material 46. Door bin 47. Bar 50. Baffle 51. Support wall 52. Adhesion face 53. Support element 60. Flap 61. Front face 62. Reinforcing wall 70. Connection wall 71. Connection element 72. Slit 73. Rear surface 74. Edge 75. Tab 76. Surface 77. Support element 78. Rear wall 79. Wall segment 80. Rib 81. Locking tab 82. Locking recess 83. Connection element 84. Side wall 85a Lead-in chamfer 85b Lead-in chamfer a. Angle