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Title:
A REFRIGERATOR WHEREIN ICE IS OBTAINED QUICKLY
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/080095
Kind Code:
A2
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a refrigerator (1) comprising one or more freezing compartments (2) and an ice tray (4) placed in the freezing compartment (2) having more than one cell (3) providing ice to be obtained by freezing the water filled therein and a receptacle (6), whereon the ice tray (4) is disposed, having one or more cavities (5) shaped as hollow, closed boxes, extending inward from the upper side thereof, wherein the cells (3) are seated and which surrounds the walls of the cells (3) from the outside and which provides ice to be obtained quickly.

Inventors:
KODAZ TUGRUL (TR)
Application Number:
PCT/EP2010/069906
Publication Date:
July 07, 2011
Filing Date:
December 16, 2010
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
ARCELIK AS (TR)
KODAZ TUGRUL (TR)
International Classes:
F25C1/24
Foreign References:
GB2010461A1979-06-27
JP2007178041A2007-07-12
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Claims:
Claims

1. A refrigerator (1 ) comprising one or more freezing compartments (2) and an ice tray (4) placed in the freezing compartment (2), having more than one cell (3) providing ice to be obtained by freezing the water filled therein, characterized by a receptacle (6) whereon the ice tray (4) is disposed, having one or more cavities (5) shaped as hollow, closed boxes, wherein the cells (3) are seated and which surrounds all around the surfaces of the cells (3) except the surface wherein water is filled and ice comes out and wherein phase changing material (PCM) that changes phase at a temperature value below zero degree is filled so as to at least partially contact the bottom sides of the cavities (5).

2. A refrigerator (1 ) as in Claim 1 , characterized by the receptacle (6) that is filled with phase changing material (PCM) that changes phase at a temperature value between - 1 to - 20 degrees.

3. A refrigerator (1 ) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the receptacle (6) that comprises more than one compartment (7) that bears each cell (3) in the ice tray (4) separately, each one having a single cavity (5) and each one filled with phase changing material (PCM) and more than one channel (8) that separates the compartments (7) from each other.

4. A refrigerator (1 ) as in Claim 3, characterized by the receptacle (6) having

compartments (7) in cubical form.

5. A refrigerator (1 ) as in Claim 3, characterized by the receptacle (6) having

compartments (7) in frustoconical form.

6. A refrigerator (1 ) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the receptacle (6) shaped like a wide tray, and the base of which has almost the same length and width of the other body shelves used in the refrigerator (1 ) and wherein the phase changing material (PCM) is filled so that the base thereof is partially or entirely covered.

Description:
Description

A REFRIGERATOR WHEREIN ICE IS OBTAINED QUICKLY

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device comprising ice trays that are used in making ice.

[0002] In refrigerators, making ice is performed generally by filling water into the ice tray by the user and placing the ice tray in the freezing compartment. The cooling and freezing phases that start after water is filled into the ice tray are maintained entirely with the cooling provided by the refrigerator. In the cooling phase, heat is absorbed from water proportionally to the specific heat of water and in the freezing phase, heat is absorbed proportionally to the latent heat. The cooling phase of water is generally short but the freezing phase is comparatively longer. This situation makes it hard to make ice in the refrigerator in a short period of time.

[0003] In the Great Britain Patent Application No. GB 2010461 , an ice tray is

explained that keeps ice in a usable condition for extended periods of time.

[0004] In the Japanese Patent Application No. JP2007178041 , an ice making vessel is explained. The ice making vessel is composed of an internal vessel and an external vessel, a cold heat storage agent that can store low temperature for a long period of time is disposed between the internal vessel and the external vessel.

[0005] The aim of the present invention is the realization of a refrigerator wherein ice is provided to be made quickly in the ice tray placed in the freezing compartment.

[0006] The refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a receptacle whereon the ice tray is placed, having cavities shaped as hollow, closed boxes, and extending inward from the upper wall thereof, wherein the ice cells are seated and surrounding the cell walls from the outside. A phase changing material that changes phase at a temperature below zero is provided inside the receptacle so as to contact at least partially the underside of the cavities.

[0007] In an embodiment of the present invention, a phase changing material

(PCM) that changes phase between - 1 to - 20 degrees preferably around - 17 degrees is disposed inside the receptacle.

[0008] In another embodiment of the present invention, the receptacle is

composed of compartments in each of which a single cavity is disposed and into each of which phase changing material is placed. Channels are provided between the compartments that separate the compartments from each other. In this embodiment, the compartments are in cubical form or in frustoconical form similar to cell structure.

[0009] In another embodiment of the present invention, the receptacle is like a wide tray with the base area almost as much as the area of the other body shelves used in the refrigerator. In this embodiment, the phase changing material is placed in the receptacle so as to cover the base partially or entirely.

[0010] The receptacle used in the refrigerator of the present invention provides ice to be obtained quickly in the ice tray by means of the phase changing material placed therein. The receptacle also preserves the low

temperature environment in the refrigerator when the refrigerator does not operate due to a reason like power outage.

[001 1] The refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0012] Figure 1 - is the perspective view of a refrigerator.

[0013] Figure 2 - is the perspective view of an ice tray and a receptacle.

[0014] Figure 3 - is the perspective view of an ice receptacle having a

compartmental configuration.

[0015] Figure 4 - is the schematic view of an ice cell and a compartment in

cubical form.

[0016] Figure 5 - is the schematic view of an ice cell and a compartment in

frustoconical form.

[0017] Figure 6 - is the perspective view of a drawer type receptacle.

[0018] Figure 7 - is the perspective view of a drawer type receptacle and an ice tray in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Refrigerator

2. Freezing compartment 3. Cell

4. Ice tray

5. Cavity

6. Receptacle

7. Compartment

8. Channel

[0020] The refrigerator (1 ) comprises one or more freezing compartments (2) and an ice tray (4) placed in the freezing compartment (2) having more than one cell (3) providing ice to be obtained by freezing the water filled therein.

[0021] The refrigerator (1 ) of the present invention comprises a receptacle (6) whereon the ice tray (4) is disposed, having one or more cavities (5) shaped as hollow, closed boxes, wherein the cells (3) are seated and which surrounds all around the surfaces of the cells (3) except the surface wherein water is filled and ice comes out and wherein phase changing material (PCM) that changes phase at a temperature value below zero degree is filled so as to at least partially contact the bottom sides of the cavities (5).

[0022] In an embodiment of the present invention, the phase changing material (PCM) that changes phase at a temperature value between - 1 to - 20 degrees is filled into the receptacle (6). Since the set temperature of the freezing compartment (2) is around - 18 degrees, the phase changing material (PCM) that changes phase preferably at a temperature value slightly higher than this value, for example at - 17 degrees, is filled into the receptacle (6).

[0023] The receptacle (6) whereon the ice tray (4) is disposed, speeds up the freezing phase of water with the aid of the phase changing material (PCM) filled therein and provides ice to be obtained in a short period of time. Phase changing material (PCM) that changes phase at a temperature value lower than zero degree whereat water freezes, preferably at a temperature value between - 1 to - 20 0 C is filled into the receptacle (6). For example if the phase changing material (PCM) that changes phase at - 17 degrees is used, the phase changing material (PCM) stays in liquid state in environments having a temperature higher than - 17 degrees and stays in solid state in environments having a temperature lower than - 17 degrees. When the receptacle (6) containing phase changing material (PCM) that changes phase at - 17 degrees therein is disposed into the freezing compartment (2), since the preferred freezing compartment (2) constant temperature is around - 18 degrees, the phase changing material (PCM) stays in solid state continuously in the freezing compartment (2) environment.

[0024] When production of ice is needed, water is filled by the user or

automatically into the cells (3) in the ice tray (4) and the ice tray (4) is placed into the receptacle (6) situated in the freezing compartment (2). The phase changing material (PCM) in the receptacle (6) starts to change phase with the temperature effect of water and quickly absorbs heat from water in the cells (3) by the latent heat absorption energy stored thereby provides the water to freeze in a short period of time.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present invention, the receptacle (6) comprises more than one compartment (7) that bears each cell (3) in the ice tray (4) separately, each one having a single cavity (5) and each one filled with the phase changing material (PCM) and more than one channel (8) that separates the compartments (7) from each other (Figure 3).

[0026] In a version of the above embodiment, the compartments (7) are in cubical form (Figure 4).

[0027] In another version of the above embodiment, the compartments (7) are in frustoconical form (Figure 5).

[0028] In the above embodiment, the structure consisting of compartments (7) and channels (8) makes the receptacle (6) flexible and provides the ice tray (4) to be dislodged from the receptacle (6) more easily particularly after the ice formation phase.

[0029] In another embodiment of the present invention, the receptacle (6) is

shaped like a wide tray and the base thereof has the same length and width of the other body shelves used in the refrigerator (1 ). In this embodiment, the phase changing material (PCM) is filled into the receptacle (6) such that the base thereof is partially or entirely covered (Figure 6, Figure 7). [0030] In this embodiment, the receptacle (6) provides cooling to continue in the refrigerator (1 ) for a long time period in the case of power outage by means of the latent heat absorption energy stored in the large amount of phase changing material (PCM) contained therein.

[0031] The receptacle (6) used in the refrigerator (1 ) of the present invention provides ice to be obtained quickly in the ice tray (4) disposed thereon by means of the phase changing material (PCM) placed therein. The receptacle (6) furthermore conserves the low temperature environment in the refrigerator (1) for a long period of time when the refrigerator (1 ) does not operate due to power outage or another reason by means of the large amount of latent heat absorption energy stored.

[0032] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited by the

embodiments disclosed above and a person skilled in the art can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.