Cooling And/Or Freezing Device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling and/or a freezing device comprising a cooled inner chamber ( 100 ) and a thermoelectric element ( 20 ), particularly a Peltier element ( 20 ), which is arranged such that the inner chamber ( 100 ) is cooled by means of the thermoelectric element ( 20 ), means ( 4, 20, 40 ) for evaporating the condensed water being provided comprising a heat exchanger ( 40 ) located outside of the cooled inner chamber ( 100 ).

1 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having a refrigerated inner space and having a thermoelectric element, in particular having a Peltier element, that is arranged such that the inner space is refrigerated by means of the thermoelectric element, characterized in that means for evaporating condensed water are present that have a heat exchanger located outside the refrigerated inner space. 
     
     
         2 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that the heat exchanger is formed by the hot side of a thermoelectric element or is connected to the hot side of a thermoelectric element. 
     
     
         3 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 2 , characterized in that the thermoelectric element is arranged such that it cools the inner space of the unit by its cold side or by a heat exchanger connected to the cold side. 
     
     
         4 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that means are provided by which it can be determined whether condensed water is present; and in that a control or regulation unit connected to these means is provided that increases the performance of the means for evaporating condensed water when the presence of condensed water is determined. 
     
     
         5 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that a condensate surface is present in the refrigerated inner space whose temperature is below the temperature of other surfaces in the refrigerated inner space so that condensate is formed at the condensate surface, with provision preferably being made that the condensate surface is formed by a thermoelectric element; and/or in that a control or regulation unit is provided by which the condensate surface is cyclically cooled. 
     
     
         6 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 5 , characterized in that a detection means for detecting the opening of the closing element of the unit is present; and in that the control or regulation unit is configured such that it carries out the cyclic cooling in dependence on the detected opening. 
     
     
         7 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that a fan is present that is arranged such that it circulates the air located in the refrigerated inner space. 
     
     
         8 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 5 , characterized in that the condensate surface is formed by a thermoelectric element that is arranged such that it emits the waste heat into the refrigerated inner space. 
     
     
         9 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that an outflow element is provided through which condensed water is transported to the means for evaporation. 
     
     
         10 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 9 , characterized in that the outflow element is dimensioned such that the transport of the condensed water takes place by capillary forces. 
     
     
         11 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having a refrigerated inner space and having a thermoelectric element introduced thereto, characterized in that a control or regulation unit is provided which controls the thermoelectric element such that it forms a condensate surface.