DOMESTIC REFRIGERATOR AND METHOD FOR VENTILATING A REFRIGERATOR COMPARTMENT CONTAINER

Abstract

A domestic refrigerator has a refrigeration compartment and a container which can be accommodated in the refrigeration compartment and has a lower part for receiving products to be refrigerated and a cover that can cover the lower part. The container has an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening that is at a distance from the air inlet opening. The domestic refrigerator also has a controllable air flow adjustment device and is configured to vary a volume flow rate of an air flow, which enters the container from the refrigeration compartment through the air inlet opening, between at least two values by adjusting an adjustment parameter of the air flow adjustment device. Furthermore, a method ventilates the container which is accommodated in the refrigeration compartment and has the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A household refrigeration appliance), comprising: at least one refrigerator compartment; a container being accommodated in said at least one refrigerator compartment and having a lower part for receiving products to be refrigerated and a lid covering said lower part, said container having at least one air inlet opening formed therein and at least one air outlet opening formed therein that is at a distance from said at least one air inlet opening; and a controllable air flow adjustment device configured to vary a volume flow rate of an air flow, entering said container from said at least one refrigerator compartment through said at least one air inlet opening, between at least two values by adjusting at least one adjustment parameter of said controllable air flow adjustment device.

13. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein said controllable air flow adjustment device is fastened to said container.

14. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 13, wherein said controllable air flow adjustment device is fastened to said lid and said lid is fastened in said at least one refrigerator compartment.

15. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein said controllable air flow adjustment device is disposed outside said container such that, when said container is inserted, said controllable air flow adjustment device is positioned opposite said at least one air inlet opening.

16. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein said controllable air flow adjustment device has a motor and a variable-speed fan which is driven by said motor.

17. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, further comprising an evaporator of a heat pump and a variable-speed evaporator fan being assigned to said at least one refrigerator compartment for distributing air flowing over said evaporator in said at least one refrigerator compartment.

18. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 17, wherein: said at least one air inlet opening is disposed in an air flow region with a high air speed generated by said variable-speed evaporator fan; and said controllable air flow adjustment device has a movable cover element, the volume flow rate of the air flowing in through said at least one air inlet opening into said container being able to be adjusted thereby.

19. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein said controllable air flow adjustment device has at least two different volume flow rates which may be adjusted and at least one said volume flow rate ranges from 1 to 3 m.sup.3/h.

20. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein said controllable air flow adjustment device has at least two different volume flow rates which may be adjusted and at least one said volume flow rate is at least 8 m.sup.3/h.

21. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein the household refrigeration appliance is configured to adjust values of the at least one adjustment parameter in dependence on a mode.

22. A method for ventilating a container which is accommodated in a refrigerator compartment of a household refrigeration appliance, wherein the container has at least one air inlet opening and at least one air outlet opening, which comprises the steps of: adjusting a volume flow rate of an air flow which flows from the refrigerator compartment through the at least one air inlet opening into the container by varying an adjustment parameter of an air flow adjustment device.

Description

[0046] The above-described properties, features and advantages of this invention and the manner in which they are achieved become clearer and more clearly understood in connection with the following schematic description of an exemplary embodiment which is described in more detail in connection with the drawings.

[0047] FIG. 1 shows as a sectional drawing in side view a detail of a household refrigeration appliance with a container inserted in a refrigerator compartment according to a first exemplary embodiment;

[0048] FIG. 2 shows in plan view a lid of the container of FIG. 1;

[0049] FIG. 3 shows as a sectional drawing in side view a detail of a household refrigeration appliance with a container inserted into a refrigerator compartment according to a second exemplary embodiment;

[0050] FIG. 4 shows as a sectional drawing in side view a detail of a household refrigeration appliance with a container inserted into a refrigerator compartment according to a third exemplary embodiment; and

[0051] FIG. 5 shows as a sectional drawing in side view a detail of a household refrigeration appliance with a container inserted into a refrigerator compartment according to a third exemplary embodiment.

[0052] FIG. 1 shows as a sectional drawing in side view a detail of a household refrigeration appliance in the form of a refrigerator 1 with a container 3 inserted into a refrigerator compartment 2 (for example, for vegetables). The container 3 comprises a drawer-shaped lower part 4 and a lid 5. The refrigerator 1 may have further refrigerator compartments 6, 7 which are separated from the refrigerator compartment by one respective thermally insulated dividing wall 8. The container 3 is able to be pulled out of the refrigerator compartment 2 after opening a door 9 on the front face. Instead of the door 9, a covering wall (not shown) which is connected fixedly to the lower part 4 may be present there, said covering wall having, for example, a handle shell.

[0053] An evaporator 10 of a heat pump of the refrigerator 1 and a variable-speed evaporator fan 11 are present on a rear face of the refrigerator compartment. When the evaporator fan 11 is operated, this blows cooling compartment air FL (indicated in dashed lines) onto the evaporator 10, wherein the thus cooled compartment air FL is distributed in the refrigerator compartment 2 and at the same time passes around the container 2 on the outer face. Thus the walls of the container 2, and thus also the interior thereof, are cooled.

[0054] In the present case, by way of example it should be assumed that the compartment temperature of the refrigerator compartment 2 is permanently adjusted, for example regulated, to 5° C. A temperature sensor which is optionally used therefor is not illustrated. However, the relative air humidity in the refrigerator compartment 2 may be adjusted, and namely after adjusting the temperature of the evaporator 10 and the speed of the evaporator fan 11. The lower the relative air humidity is intended to be, the cooler the evaporator 10 is adjusted and the lower the speed of the evaporator fan 11 is adjusted. The adjustment of the relative air humidity may be, for example, program-controlled or directly adjusted by a user.

[0055] As FIG. 2 also shows, an air inlet opening 12, in which an air flow adjustment device in the form of a container fan 13 is inserted, is located in the lid 5 of the container 3, as well as an air outlet opening 14 that is at a distance from the air inlet opening. While here a circular air inlet opening 12 and a slotted air inlet opening 14 are shown, in principle the spacing, number and shape of the openings 12, 14 may be selected in any manner. Additionally, the container fan 13 may be positioned from the outside or from the inside onto the at least one air inlet opening 12.

[0056] The speed of the container fan 13 is able to be adjusted by means of a control device (not shown) of the refrigerator 1. When the container fan 13 is operated, it blows compartment air FL through the air inlet opening 12 into the container 3, said compartment air exiting through the air inlet opening 14 back into the refrigerator compartment 2. As a result, an airflow LS is generated in the container 3 (as indicated by the thick arrows), the flow volume or volume flow rate thereof being able to be adjusted via the speed of the container fan 13. The container fan 13 in the present case may be configured such that it may generate a volume flow rate of the air flow LS of up to 8 m.sup.3/h or even more.

[0057] The container fan 13 may be operated, for example, in at least two modes which may be selected, for example, by the user or in a program-controlled manner, for example from the group comprising a “normal mode” or “equilibrium mode”, a “dehumidification mode”, a “defrosting mode”, a “rapid cooling mode” and a “humidity mode”.

[0058] In normal mode, the volume flow rate is adjusted to a value of between 1 and 3 m.sup.3/h, whereby fruit and vegetables introduced into the container 3 maintain their moisture and thus are neither dehumidified nor humidified.

[0059] In dehumidification mode, the volume flow rate is adjusted to 8 m.sup.3/h or more, whereby fruit introduced into the container 3 is dehumidified or dried.

[0060] In defrosting mode, the volume flow rate is adjusted for a limited time period of 8 m.sup.3/h or more, wherein frozen products introduced into the container 3 are defrosted more rapidly. The defrosting mode may be activated by the user or may be automatically activated, for example when it is identified that a compartment temperature has significantly dropped.

[0061] In rapid cooling mode, the volume flow rate is adjusted for a limited time period to 8 m.sup.3/h or more, whereby warm products introduced into the container 3 are cooled more rapidly. The defrosting mode may be activated by the user or may be automatically activated, for example when it is identified that a compartment temperature has significantly risen.

[0062] The refrigerator 1 may also be designed to adjust automatically the air flow adjustment device after identifying a door opening process, such that a higher volume flow rate of the compartment air FL is generated for a limited time period in the container 2.

[0063] FIG. 3 shows as a sectional drawing in side view a detail of a household refrigeration appliance in the form of a refrigerator 15 with the container 17 inserted in the refrigerator compartment 16. The refrigerator 15 is constructed in a similar manner to the refrigerator 1, wherein however now the lid 5 is fixedly arranged via fastening elements 18 in the refrigerator compartment 16. When the container 17 is pulled out, in this case only the lower part 4 is pulled out, while the lid 5 remains in the refrigerator compartment 16. This facilitates an electrical connection of the container fan 13.

[0064] FIG. 4 shows as a sectional drawing in side view a detail of a household refrigeration appliance in the form of a refrigerator 19 with a container inserted into a refrigerator compartment 20. The refrigerator 19 is constructed in a similar manner to the refrigerator 1, wherein however the at least one air inlet opening 12 is incorporated in a rear wall of the lower part 22 of the container 20 and a cover element 23 is used as an air flow adjustment device. The lid 24 has only the air outlet opening 14.

[0065] Here the evaporator fan 11 is designed such that it blows compartment air FL at a high volume flow rate or high air speed onto the air inlet opening 12. The air inlet opening 12 is able to be covered to different degrees by the cover element 23, such that an effective flow cross section for the compartment air FL may be adjusted by means of the cover element 23. As a result, the size of the volume flow rate which flows through the container 21 may be adjusted, in particular also by taking into consideration the speed of the evaporator fan 11.

[0066] The cover element 23 may be a slider or a flap, for example as indicated by the double arrow. The position thereof may be adjusted by means of an actuator (not shown). The cover element 23 may be attached to the lower part 22 of the container 20 or arranged in a stationary manner in the refrigerator compartment 20.

[0067] FIG. 5 shows as a sectional drawing in side view a detail of a household refrigeration appliance in the form of a refrigerator 25 with a container 27 inserted into a refrigerator compartment 26. The refrigerator 25 is constructed in a similar manner to the refrigerator 19, wherein however a container fan 13 is now used as the air flow adjustment device. The container fan 13 covers from the outside at least one air inlet opening 12 incorporated in a rear wall of the lower part 28 of the container 27. The air inlet opening 12 and the container fan 13 are advantageously arranged on a region of the refrigerator compartment 26 with a small air flow of the compartment air FL, since in this manner an influence of the speed of the evaporator fan 11 on the volume flow rate of the air flow LS inside the container 27 may be kept low.

[0068] The container fan 13 may be attached to the lower part 28 of the container 20 or arranged in a stationary manner in the refrigerator compartment 20.

[0069] Generally, “one”, “a” etc. may be understood to mean a singular or a plurality thereof, in particular in the sense of “at least one” or “one or more”, etc. provided this is not explicitly excluded, for example, by the expression “exactly one”, etc.

TABLE-US-00001 List of reference characters 1 Refrigerator 2 Refrigerator compartment 3 Container 4 Lower part of container 5 Lid of container 6 Refrigerator compartment 7 Refrigerator compartment 8 Dividing wall 9 Door 10 Evaporator 11 Evaporator fan 12 Air inlet opening 13 Container fan 14 Air outlet opening 15 Refrigerator 16 Refrigerator compartment 17 Container 18 Fastening element 19 Refrigerator 20 Refrigerator compartment 21 Container 22 Lower part 23 Cover element 24 Lid 25 Refrigerator 26 Refrigerator compartment 27 Container 28 Lower part FL Compartment air LS Air flow