A RETURN AIR DUCT ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN A COOLING DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a return air duct assembly for use in carrying the air, which exists in a cooled volume, to a cooling unit in a cooling device, comprising main air channels positioned mutually and through which air can be carried.

PRIOR ART

Cooling devices are electronic apparatus which provide keeping of foodstuff without spoiling for a while and which cool beverages and which have an at least partially closed chamber. Cooling devices operate by means of a cooling cycle. Heat of a chamber, which is desired to be cooled, is transferred to an evaporator for cooling the chamber by means of an air return duct in a cooling device. The cooling capacity (in other words, heat transfer speed) of a cooling unit changes depending on two parameters. These parameters are the air flow rate circulated in the system, and the interaction amount between air and evaporator ribs.

CN110762921A document relates to an air channel structure and a refrigerator with the air channel structure. The air channel structure comprises at least two branch air channels. Each branch air channel comprises an air inlet and at least two first air outlets. The air inlets communicate with an air source, and the first air outlets communicate with the exterior of an air channel. The first air outlets of each branch air channel are arranged in sequence in the flowing direction of the air in the branch air channel. According to the air channel structure and the refrigerator, at least two first outlets are formed in each branch air channel, and therefore the air can pass through the multiple first air outlets and flow to the exterior of the air channel, the exterior of the air channel can directly obtain the air provided by the air channel structure from multiple places, and the air supply uniformity of the exterior of the air channel is improved.

In the present art, there is a solution as improving heat transfer essentially by increasing air flow rate. This condition increases noise level of a cooling device and increases energy consumption. Therefore, a method for increasing the interaction area between air and evaporator ribs is preferred. In another solution, width of air return duct is increased. However, this solution may be helpful in a limited manner. Because after a specific width, air cannot be spread more in lateral direction, and flows of air, which pass through each rib passage, are not uniform or are not equal to each other.

As a result, because of the abovementioned problems, an improvement is required in the related technical field.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a return air duct assembly, for eliminating the abovementioned disadvantages and for bringing new advantages to the related technical field.

An object of the present invention is to develop a return air duct assembly for increasing the interaction area between a cooling unit (evaporator) and air.

Another object of the present invention is to develop a return air duct assembly for obtaining a homogenous air flow before the cooling unit.

Another object of the present invention is to develop a return air duct assembly for obtaining air flow which is approximately in equal amount in each air spreading rib passage.

In order to realize the abovementioned objects and the objects which are to be deducted from the detailed description below, the present invention is a return air duct assembly for use in carrying the air, which exists in a cooled volume, to a cooling unit in a cooling device, comprising main air channels positioned mutually and through which air can be carried. Accordingly, the improvement is the main air channels comprise at least one inlet zone extending in a substantially parallel manner to each other and at least one expansion zone for joining the main air channels to each other, wherein the inlet zone has at least one first air opening for providing air inlet to the main air channel, wherein the expansion zone has at least one second air opening for providing discharge of the air which exists in the main air channel, and at least one air spreading ribs are provided for guiding of the air carried in at least one of the main air channels towards the cooling unit and spreading the air in a longitudinal direction of the cooling unit. Thus, a uniform air flow is provided in the return air duct assembly. Also the air is split along the evaporator in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the cooling efficiency of the cooling system is improved. In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the expansion zone has a widening form which widens as the expansion zone diverges from the inlet zone in the main air channel. Thus, the air, carried at the expansion zone of the main air channel, widens laterally.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the air spreading ribs have a first air spreading rib which extends in the inlet zone and in the expansion zone, and wherein the air spreading ribs have one or more second air spreading ribs which extend in the expansion zone. Thus, noise problem is prevented by providing carrying of air with homogeneous distribution in the cooling device.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the first air spreading rib is configured to extend between the first air opening and second air opening. Thus, air is carried as from the first air opening to the second air opening at two separate parts.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the first air spreading rib comprises at least one first bended portion in the vicinity of the first air opening, and at least one second bended portion in the vicinity of the second air opening. Thus, air is guided in a predetermined manner at the input and output to the main air channel.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the second air spreading ribs are configured to be positioned at the two opposite sides of the first air spreading rib. Thus, lateral spread of the air, carried in the main air channel, is improved.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the second air spreading ribs are configured to be positioned in a manner diverging from the first air spreading rib as the second air spreading rib becomes closer to the second air opening in a compliant manner to the widening form of the expansion zone. Thus, lateral spread of the carried air at the expansion zone is improved.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, at least one cover zone is provided for at least partially covering the main air channel. Thus, sealed integrity is obtained as from the first air opening to the second air opening at the main air channel. In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the first air opening has a greater cross- sectional area than the main air channel. Thus, fluid input to the main air channel through the first air opening is facilitated.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the mutual main air channels are configured to form a substantially V form on the return air duct assembly. Thus, the air flows all over the cooling unit in the longitudinal direction.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device comprising the return air duct assembly. Thus, air circulation in the cooling system of the cooling device is improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In Figure 1 , a representative perspective view of the subject matter cooling device is given.

In Figure 2, a representative perspective view of the subject matter return air duct assembly is given.

In Figure 3, representative frontal view of the subject matter return air duct assembly is given.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In this detailed description, the subject matter is explained with references to examples without forming any restrictive effect only in order to make the subject more understandable.

With reference to Figure 1, the present invention relates to a return air duct assembly (1) for use in a cooling device (40). The cooling device (40) cools the elements, placed at the inner volume of the cooling device (40), by means of a cooling cycle. There is a cooling unit (not shown) provided in a cooling cycle on the cooling device (40). Any kind of evaporator, particularly an evaporator having a fin structure is the part of the cooling unit. In more details, evaporator is the part in the cooling unit where the cooling fluid enters as liquid and where the cooling fluid exits as gas after vaporization. Thanks to this, the air which exists in the cooling device (40) is cooled. The return air duct assembly (1) provides carrying of air between the cooling unit and the cooling device (40) cabinet. In Figure 2, a representative perspective view of the subject matter return air duct assembly (1) is given. Accordingly, the return air duct assembly (1) has at least one body

(10). There is at least one main air channel (11) on the body (10). Air is carried through the main air channel (11). For providing this, the main air channel (11) can be in the form of a groove on the body (10). The main air channel (11) provides carrying of air to the cooling unit in the inner volume of the cooling device (40). Thus, the main air channel (11) has at least one first air opening (12) and at least one second air opening (13). The first air opening (12) is the part where the return air duct assembly (1) is associated with the inner volume of the cooling device (40). The first air opening (12) has a greater cross-sectional area than the main air channel (11). Thanks to this, input of the carried air to the main air channel (11) is facilitated. The second air opening (13) is the part where the return air duct assembly (1) is associated with the cooling unit.

There is at least one inlet zone (14) and at least one expansion zone (15) on the main air channel (11). The inlet zone (14) is positioned at the side of the main air channel (11) which faces the first air opening (12). The expansion zone (15) is positioned at the side of the main air channel (11) which faces the second air opening (13). The inlet zone (14) regulates the big air vortexes which enter through the first air opening (12). The expansion zone (15) has a widening form (E) and provides lateral spreading of the air flow from the cooling unit. The widening form (E) is defined as increase of the cross-sectional area as the main air channel (11) approaches the second air opening (13) at the expansion zone (15).

Two main air channels (11) exist on the return air duct assembly (1). The main air channels

(11) are positioned at the mutual sides of the body (10). The inlet zones (14) of the main air channels (11) are positioned in a parallel manner to each other. The expansion zones (15) of the main air channels (11) are joined with each other. Thanks to this, a substantially V form (V) is obtained on the main air channels (11). In other words, the mutual main air channels (11) are configured to form a substantially V form (V) on the return air duct assembly (1). The substantially V form (V) enables collection of the air, which exists in the cooling device (40), in a homogenous manner. The first air openings (12) which exist at the return air duct assembly (1) can be connected to only one chamber or two different chambers of the cooling device (40) in order for the cooling device (40) to transfer its air to the cooling unit (evaporator). There is at least one air spreading rib (20) for guiding the air flow on the main air channel (11) towards the cooling unit and spreading the air in a longitudinal direction (L) of the cooling unit. Here, the longitudinal direction (L) is being the width direction of the cooling unit, return air duct assembly (1) and the cooling device (40). The air spreading rib (20) extends along at least one part of the main air channel (11). The air spreading rib (20) is formed in the form of a protrusion which extends inwards the main air channel (11). The air spreading rib (20) can have two different forms, namely, at least one first air spreading rib (21) and at least one second air spreading rib (22). The first air spreading rib (21) extends both along the inlet zone (14) and along the expansion zone (15) on the main air channel (11). In alternative embodiments, the first air spreading rib (21) can extend at a part of the inlet zone (14) and the expansion zone (15) on the main air channel (11).

The first air spreading rib (21) comprises at least one first bended portion (211) and at least one second bended portion (212). The first bended portion (211) is preferably positioned in the vicinity of the first air opening (12). The second bended portion (212) is positioned in the vicinity of the second air opening (13). The first bended portion (211) and the second bended portion (212) guide the input and output of the air to the main air channel (11). The second air spreading rib (22) extends at the expansion zone (15) of the main air channel (11). Two second air spreading ribs (22) are provided at the expansion zone (15). The second air spreading ribs (22) are preferably positioned at the mutual sides of the first air spreading rib (21). The second air spreading ribs (22) are preferably at the side of the expansion zone (15) which faces the second air opening (13). The second air spreading ribs (22) diverge from the first air spreading rib (21) as the second air spreading rib (22) approaches the second air opening (13) in a compliant form to the widening form (E) of the expansion zone (15). Additionally, one of the second air spreading ribs (22) is longer than the other one so as to be compliant to the V form (V). The second air spreading rib (22) is formed in a similar manner to the second bended portion (212). Thanks to this, the air widens in the expansion zone (15) and is carried in a uniform manner.

In Figure 3, representative frontal view of the subject matter return air duct assembly (1) is given. Accordingly, the return air duct assembly (1) is associated with at least one cover zone (30). The cover zone (30) covers at least one part of the return air duct assembly (1). The cover zone (30) eliminates the impact of the air flows coming from the main air channel (11) and facilitates lateral spreading of air flow and provides air sealing.

The return air duct assembly (1) can be made of plastic derivative material, metal derivative material or composite material derivative material. The return air duct assembly (1) can be made in a one-part or modular manner. Additionally, the parts provided on the return air duct assembly (1) can be made of different type of materials. For this reason, the return air duct assembly (1) and the parts thereof can be produced by means of molding method or extrusion method. The first air spreading rib (21) and the second air spreading rib (22) provide resistance to the body (10) and moreover provide guiding of air.

Thanks to the return air duct assembly (1); air is carried inside the cooling device (40) in a uniform manner. Noise problem in the cooling device (40) depending on carrying of air is prevented. Additionally, cooling efficiency of the cooling device (40) is increased.

REFERENCE LIST

I . Return air duct assembly

10. Body

I I . Main air channel

12. First air opening

13. Second air opening

14. Inlet zone

15. Expansion zone

20. Air spreading rib

21. First air spreading rib

211 . First bended portion

212. Second bended portion

22. Second air spreading rib

30. Cover zone

40. Cooling device

V. V form

E. Widening form

L. Longitudinal direction