Cold storage device

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cold storage device, such as a refrigerator or freezer, comprising a doorframe and a door adapted to rest against the doorframe in its closed position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In cold storage devices such as freezers there is a risk that the door freezes to the doorframe, making it difficult to access the freezer. It can also cause damage to the door and/or doorframe if the door is opened by force. A common solution to this problem is to install a dedicated heating element in the doorframe, such as a heating wire, to avoid the door getting stuck. However, a drawback with this solution is that operating the heating elements requires extra energy.

Another solution is disclosed in the document JP5060459, wherein light from a light source is led via a long light guide into a channel in the doorframe where the light is converted to heat. However, a drawback with this solution is that providing the light guide and the channel in the doorframe is both unwieldy and expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome this problem, and to provide an improved cold storage device with anti-door freezes functionality.

This and other objects that will be apparent from the following description are achieved by means of a cold storage device, such as a refrigerator or freezer, comprising a doorframe and a door adapted to rest against the doorframe in its closed position, characterized by at least one light emitting diode (LED) mounted to the doorframe such that heat generated by the LED(s) during operation of the LED(s) is conducted to the doorframe to prevent the door from freezing to the doorframe.

The invention is based on the understanding that instead of just being lost or otherwise deflected, heat generated by the LEDs can be used for heating the doorframe to prevent the door from freezing to the doorframe. Preferably, the LEDs are adapted to

illuminate the interior of the refrigerator or freezer. Thus, no dedicated heating elements are required, which decreases the power consumption. Also, mounting the LEDs to the doorframe is a simple procedure.

Further, for effective heat transfer, the doorframe should be made of a heat conducting material, such as aluminum.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This aspect of the present invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to the appended drawings showing a currently preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a partial cross-sectional top view of a freezer according to an embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the freezer of fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a cold storage device 10, such as a refrigerator or freezer, according to an embodiment of the invention. The cold storage device 10 comprises a central doorframe 12 (sometimes referred to as a mullion) and two doors 14. Each door 14 is adapted to rest against the front 16 of the doorframe 12 when the door 14 is closed. In figs. 1 and 2, the door to the left is opened and the door to the right is closed. Optionally, a gasket (not shown) may be provided between each door 14 and doorframe 12.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the cold storage device 10 further comprises a plurality of LEDs 18 mounted to the doorframe 12. The LEDs 18 are adapted to illuminate the interior 20 of the cold storage device 10. To this end, reflectors or mirrors 22 may be mounted at the back of the frame 12 to direct the light in desired directions, as indicated by exemplary ray traces 24.

Further, heat generated by the LEDs 16 is conducted to the front of the doorframe or mullion 12, away from the interior 20 of the cold storage device 10, as indicated by arrows 26. To this end, the doorframe 12 comprises a heat conducting material, such as aluminum, for efficient heat transfer. Thus, the doorframe 12 functions as a cooling surface for the LEDs 16, to keep the LEDs from overheating during operation.

The excessive heat transferred from the LEDs 16 to the doorframe 12 further causes the doorframe 12 to be heated, thereby preventing the doors 14 from freezing fast in the doorframe 12.

Thus, the LEDs 16 not only illuminate the cold storage device 10, but the heat generated by the LEDs 16 during illumination is also used to heat the doorframe 12 so that the doors 14 can be opened without difficulty.

The anti-door freeze functionality according to the invention may be used alone, or in combination with for example a known heating wire installed in the doorframe.

The person skilled in the art realizes that the present invention by no means is limited to the preferred embodiments described above. On the contrary, many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. For example, LEDs could as a complement or an alternative be placed on other parts of a circumferential doorframe of a freezer (i.e. not (only) on the mullion), such that heat generated by the LED(s) during operation of the LED(s) is conducted to these other parts of the doorframe to prevent the door from getting stuck to the doorframe due to freezing.