Refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having a magnetic refrigerator, having a cold heat exchanger for the refrigeration of the refrigerator space and/or freezer space of the unit as well as having control means, wherein the control means are made such that, in the refrigerating mode of the unit, the heat carrier medium refrigerated in the magnetic refrigerator is supplied to the cold heat exchanger, wherein the control means are furthermore made such that the magnetic refrigerator is switched off in the defrosting mode of the unit; or in that the heat carrier medium heated in the magnetic refrigerator is supplied to the cold heat exchanger.

1 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having a magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ), having a cold heat exchanger ( 20 ) for the refrigeration of the refrigerator space and/or freezer space of the unit as well as control means, wherein the control means are made such that, in the refrigerating mode of the unit, the heat carrier medium refrigerated in the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) is supplied to the cold heat exchanger ( 20 ), and the control means are furthermore made such that the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) is switched off in the defrosting mode of the unit; or in that the heat carrier medium heated in the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) is supplied to the cold heat exchanger ( 20 ). 
   
   
       2 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the control means include valves ( 30 ,  40 ) arranged downstream of the cold heat exchanger ( 20 ) and upstream of the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) in the flow direction of the heat carrier medium as well as a valve control. 
   
   
       3 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the unit furthermore has a hot heat exchanger ( 50 ); and one of the valves ( 30 ) is arranged between the hot heat exchanger ( 50 ) and the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ). 
   
   
       4 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) includes two or more than two heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ) which are made such that a heating and cooling of the heat carrier medium flowing through them takes place cyclically in them. 
   
   
       5 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ) is composed of a magnetocaloric material or contain such a material; and the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) furthermore has a magnet moved relative to the heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ). 
   
   
       6 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the control means are made such that the changeover from the refrigerating mode to the defrosting mode takes place by a time offset in the control of the valves ( 30 ,  40 ) or time offset of the operation of the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) or reversal of the conveying direction of the heat carrier medium. 
   
   
       7 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein said magnet is rotatable relative to the heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ). 
   
   
       8 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) includes two or more than two heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ) which are made such that a heating and cooling of the heat carrier medium flowing through them takes place cyclically in them. 
   
   
       9 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) includes two or more than two heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ) which are made such that a heating and cooling of the heat carrier medium flowing through them takes place cyclically in them. 
   
   
       10 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ) is composed of a magnetocaloric material or contain such a material; and the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) furthermore has a magnet moved relative to the heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ). 
   
   
       11 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ) is composed of a magnetocaloric material or contain such a material; and the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) furthermore has a magnet moved relative to the heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ). 
   
   
       12 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ) is composed of a magnetocaloric material or contain such a material; and the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) furthermore has a magnet moved relative to the heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ). 
   
   
       13 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ) is composed of a magnetocaloric material or contain such a material; and the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) furthermore has a magnet moved relative to the heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ). 
   
   
       14 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ) is composed of a magnetocaloric material or contain such a material; and the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) furthermore has a magnet moved relative to the heat exchanger units ( 12 ,  14 ). 
   
   
       15 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the control means are made such that the changeover from the refrigerating mode to the defrosting mode takes place by a time offset in the control of the valves ( 30 ,  40 ) or time offset of the operation of the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) or reversal of the conveying direction of the heat carrier medium. 
   
   
       16 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the control means are made such that the changeover from the refrigerating mode to the defrosting mode takes place by a time offset in the control of the valves ( 30 ,  40 ) or time offset of the operation of the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) or reversal of the conveying direction of the heat carrier medium. 
   
   
       17 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the control means are made such that the changeover from the refrigerating mode to the defrosting mode takes place by a time offset in the control of the valves ( 30 ,  40 ) or time offset of the operation of the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) or reversal of the conveying direction of the heat carrier medium. 
   
   
       18 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the control means are made such that the changeover from the refrigerating mode to the defrosting mode takes place by a time offset in the control of the valves ( 30 ,  40 ) or time offset of the operation of the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) or reversal of the conveying direction of the heat carrier medium. 
   
   
       19 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the control means are made such that the changeover from the refrigerating mode to the defrosting mode takes place by a time offset in the control of the valves ( 30 ,  40 ) or time offset of the operation of the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) or reversal of the conveying direction of the heat carrier medium. 
   
   
       20 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the control means are made such that the changeover from the refrigerating mode to the defrosting mode takes place by a time offset in the control of the valves ( 30 ,  40 ) or time offset of the operation of the magnetic refrigerator ( 10 ) or reversal of the conveying direction of the heat carrier medium.