Arrangement for the forced air circulation in refrigerators and freezers

Abstract

An arrangement for the forced air circulation in refrigerators and freezers, whose cabinet ( 10 ) defines at least one compartment ( 20, 30 ), a respective door ( 21, 31 ), and an air-cooling chamber ( 11 ) lodging an evaporator ( 12 ) and from which the compartment is supplied with a forced cooling air-flow. The arrangement comprises: at least one suction duct ( 40 ), incorporated to the door ( 21, 31 ) and which is provided with air inlets ( 41 ), opened to the interior of the respective compartment ( 20, 30 ), and with at least one air outlet ( 42 ) turned to the interior of the cabinet ( 10 ). A return fan ( 50 ) is mounted so as to draw the air from different levels of the front part of the compartment, and to form inside the suction duct ( 40 ) a return airflow that is directed to the air outlet ( 42 ) of the suction duct ( 40 ).

1 . An arrangement for the forced air circulation in refrigerators and freezers of the type comprising a cabinet ( 10 ) defining at least one compartment ( 20 ,  30 ) frontally closed by a respective door ( 21 ,  31 ), and an air-cooling chamber ( 11 ) lodging an evaporator ( 12 ), said compartment being supplied with a forced cooling airflow coming from the air-cooling chamber ( 11 ) and provided with an air return duct ( 22 ,  33 ) directed to the air-cooling chamber, characterized in that it comprises: 
 at least one suction duct ( 40 ) incorporated to the door ( 21 ,  31 ), extending along at least part of the height of the latter and being provided, along the extension thereof, with a plurality of air inlets ( 41 ) opened to the interior of the respective compartment ( 20 ,  30 ), and with at least one air outlet ( 42 ) turned to the interior of the cabinet ( 10 ); and    a return fan ( 50 ) mounted to the suction duct ( 40 ), in order to draw the air from different levels of the front part of the compartment ( 20 ,  30 ) in a closed door condition, through the air inlets ( 41 ) of the suction duct ( 40 ), and to form inside the latter a return airflow directed to the air outlet ( 42 ) of the suction duct ( 40 ).    
   
   
       2 . The arrangement as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the air outlet ( 42 ) of the suction duct ( 40 ) is arranged so that, with the closing of the door ( 21 ,  31 ), at least part of the return airflow is directed to the inside of the air return duct ( 23 ,  33 ) of the compartment ( 20 , 30 ).  
   
   
       3 . The arrangement as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the return fan ( 50 ) is mounted close to the air outlet ( 42 ) of the suction duct ( 40 ).  
   
   
       4 . The arrangement as set forth in  claim 3 , characterized in that the return fan ( 50 ) presents a shell ( 55 ) having an end coupled to the air outlet ( 42 ) of the suction duct ( 40 ) and an opposite end opened to the inside of the respective compartment ( 20 ,  30 ).  
   
   
       5 . The arrangement as set forth in  claim 4 , characterized in that the return fan ( 50 ) and the air outlet ( 42 ) of the suction duct ( 40 ) have the same axis, which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the suction duct ( 40 ).  
   
   
       6 . The arrangement as set forth in  claim 3 , characterized in that the return fan ( 50 ) and the air outlet ( 42 ) have the same axis, which is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the suction duct ( 40 ).  
   
   
       7 . The arrangement as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that it further comprises a directional duct ( 60 ), mounted to at least one of the parts defined by the door ( 21 ,  31 ) and the cabinet ( 10 ) and which presents an inlet nozzle ( 61 ) receiving the return airflow from the suction duct ( 40 ) and an outlet nozzle ( 62 ), which upon the closing of the door ( 21 ,  31 ) directs at least part of the return airflow to the inside of the air return duct ( 23 ,  33 ) of the respective compartment ( 20 ,  30 ).  
   
   
       8 . The arrangement as set forth in  claim 7 , characterized in that the inlet nozzle ( 61 ) and the outlet nozzle ( 62 ) of the directional duct ( 60 ) have their axes lying in distinct directions, the inlet nozzle ( 61 ) having the axis coinciding with that of the return fan ( 50 ) and of the air outlet ( 42 ) of the suction duct ( 40 ).  
   
   
       9 . The arrangement as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the suction duct ( 40 ) is located in the median region of the door ( 21 ,  31 ) and provided with air inlets ( 41 ) along the width and length thereof.  
   
   
       10 . The arrangement as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the suction duct ( 40 ) has its depth partially embedded in the thickness of the door ( 21 ,  31 ), in order to have a front face projecting outwardly from the internal face ( 21   a ,  31   a ) of the door ( 21 ,  31 ).  
   
   
       11 . The arrangement as set forth in  claim 1  and which is applied to a combined refrigerator provided with a refrigeration compartment ( 20 ) and a freezer compartment ( 30 ) which are superposed and separated from each other by a dividing wall ( 16 ), characterized in that the suction duct ( 40 ), which is provided in any of the doors ( 21 ,  31 ) of the two compartments, has the air outlet ( 41 ) positioned at an end portion ( 43 ) turned to said dividing wall ( 16 ).  
   
   
       12 . The arrangement as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the air outlet ( 42 ) of the suction duct ( 40 ) is defined at an end portion ( 43 ) of the latter, presenting a widened depth.