WO2013000981A2

WO2013000981A2 - A cooling device

Info

Publication number: WO2013000981A2
Application number: PCT/EP2012/062522
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ahmet Ziya Demir; Omer Alper MIRZA; Mehmet KESBIC; Ibrahim Yanik; Hasan Yuksel
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2011-06-27
Filing date: 2012-06-27
Publication date: 2013-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 2013-12-27
Also published as: WO2013000981A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling device (1) comprising a body (2) and a carrier (3) in form of a box with one face open, that is placed onto the body (2) so that the open face thereof faces the outer surface of the body (2), wherein components such as circuit board, etc. are placed.

Description

A COOLING DEVICE

The present invention relates to a cooling device comprising a carrier wherein components such as circuit board are placed.

In cooling devices, preferably in electronically-controlled refrigerators, components such circuit board, etc. are preserved in a box-shaped carrier. This carrier is generally disposed at the ceiling or the rear wall of the cooling device. For security reasons, the circuit board should not contact with water. For this reason, in the state of art, a sealing element preferably produced from sponge is placed between the carrier and the body wall. Thus, in case of water presence in the vicinity of the carrier, water is prevented from seeping into the carrier and water is prevented from contacting the circuit board. The sealing element is formed as a hollow frame in compliance with the structure of the carrier in form of a box with one face open. When the sealing element is cut out in frame form from the raw material used during the production of the sealing element, the middle part of the raw material used is discarded as junk. This situation increases the production cost of the sealing element.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooling device comprising a sealing element, the production method of which is facilitated and the production cost of which is reduced.

The cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof comprises a carrier in form of a box with one face open, wherein components such as circuit board, etc. are placed. The carrier is placed onto the body so that the open face thereof faces the body. A sealing element produced from an elastic material is placed between the carrier and the body. The sealing element is formed by cutting a rectangular sheet along a cutting line that passes through the center thereof and extends parallel to the sides thereof and by opening outwards the portions that remain at both sides of the cutting line of the sheet. During the process of opening outwards the portions that remain at both sides of the cutting line of the sheet, the sheet material is not deformed. In other words, the sheet is formed as a frame so that the perimeter of the sealing element is equal to the perimeter of the carrier. Thus, the whole sheet is used during the production of the sealing element, and any material is prevented from being discarded as junk. Consequently, the sealing element is produced with a cost-effective solution. By placing the sealing element between the body and the carrier, water is prevented from seeping into the carrier. Thus, safe working conditions are obtained by preventing the water from contacting the circuit board.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element is rectangular. One long side of the sheet is manually shaped so as to form one short side and one long side of the sealing element after the cutting-and-opening-outwards process. During this shaping, the sheet is not deformed elastically or in any kind. A single-piece sealing element is produced by producing the sealing element from a single-piece sheet with this method. No opening or joint is present on the sealing element. Thus, the waterproofing feature of the sealing element is improved.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device comprises more than one cut-out that are formed by cutting some specific portions of the sheet so as to correspond to the corners of the sealing element. By means of the cut-outs, a cornered sealing element is obtained, suitable for the cornered carrier.

In another embodiment of the present invention, at least one cut-out is arranged on each short side of the sheet. When the sheet is cut along the cutting line and when the portions that remain at both sides of the cutting line are opened outwards, the cut-outs form the two corners of the sealing element diagonally positioned to each other.

In a version of this embodiment, the cooling device comprises two cut-outs positioned in a staggered manner on the long sides of the sheet. These cut-outs form the corners of the sealing element. Thus, the sealing element is produced so as to be seated on the open upper surface of the carrier.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a flange is disposed on the side walls of the carrier. The flange extends outwards from the side walls of the carrier and a housing wherein the sealing element is seated is arranged on the flange. The housing is shaped as a channel in frame form. By means of the housing, the sealing element is more easily placed onto the carrier.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element is produced from an absorbing material. Thus, the sealing element is provided to absorb the water that may enter into the carrier, the water is prevented from entering into the carrier and from contacting the circuit board.

By means of the present invention, junk material formation is prevented during the production of the sealing element, thus providing cost advantage in production.

The cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 – is the perspective view of a cooling device.

Figure 2 – is the perspective view of a carrier and a sealing element.

Figure 3 – is the front cross-sectional view of a carrier and a sealing element.

Figure 4 – is the cross-sectional view of detail A in Figure 3.

Figure 5 – is the perspective view of a sheet and cut-outs.

Figure 6 – is the perspective view of a sealing element.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Cooling device
Body
Carrier
Sealing element
Cut-out
Flange
Housing

The cooling device (1) of the present invention comprises a body (2) and a carrier (3) in form of a box with one face open, that is placed onto the body (2) so that the open face thereof faces the outer surface of the body (2), wherein components such as circuit board, etc. are placed. The cooling device (1) furthermore comprises a sealing element (4) in frame form, placed between the body (2) and the carrier (3), that is obtained by cutting a rectangular sheet (T) of elastic material along a cutting line (C) with both ends closed, that is almost at the middle of the sheet (T) and that extends parallel to the long sides thereof and by stretching outwards the portions of the sheet (T) that remain at both sides of the cutting line (C).

The sheet (T) is cut along the cutting line (C) passing through the center thereof and extending its long side, providing that both sides of the cutting line (C) remain closed. The middle of the sheet (T) becomes as a groove, with the sheet (T) cut along the cutting line (C). The sealing element (4) is formed by manually stretching the portions that remain at both sides of the cutting line (C) of the sheet (T) outwards and by shaping it into a frame. Thus the whole sheet (T) is used, no material is discarded as junk. Consequently, cost advantage is provided in the production of the sealing element (4).

The sealing element (4) is fixed between the body (2) and the carrier (3) by means of an adhesive such as double-sided tape, etc. By means of the sealing element (4), water is prevented from entering into the carrier (3), safe working conditions are attained.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element (4) is in rectangular form that is formed by stretching outwards the portion of the sheet (T) that remains at each side of the cutting line (C) so as to form a short side and a long side. After the sheet (T) is cut along the cutting line (C), the sealing element (4) is formed by manually shaping the sheet (T) into a rectangle. The length of the long side of the sheet (T) is almost equal to the total of one short side and one long side of the sealing element (4). By producing a single-piece, continuous sealing element (4) from a single-piece, rectangular sheet (T), the waterproofing feature of the sealing element (4) with respect to the carrier (3) is improved.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises more than one cut-out (5) that is formed by cutting some specific portions of the sheet (T) so as to correspond to the corners of the sealing element (4) when the sheet (T) is stretched. By means of the cut-outs (5), the positions of the corners of the sealing element (4) are defined and thus the sealing element (4) is more easily placed between the carrier (3) and the body (2). Moreover, by means of the cut-outs (5), the corners of the sealing element (4) are provided to be more properly shaped.

In another embodiment of the present invention, at least one cut-out (5) is arranged on each short side of the sheet (T). The positions of two corners of the sealing element (4) that is formed by cutting the sheet (T) along the cutting line (C) and opening outwards the portions remaining at both sides of the cutting line (C) from the opening in the middle, are defined by means of the cut-outs (5). The positions of the other two corners are defined depending on the lengths of the sides of the carrier (3).

In a version of this embodiment, the cut-outs (5) are positioned in a staggered manner on both long sides of the sheet (T). The distance between each two cut-outs (5) is equal to the length of one side of the carrier (3).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises a flange (6) that extends outwards so as to surround the side walls of the carrier (3) and a housing (7) arranged on the flange (6), wherein the sealing element (4) is seated. The housing (7) is shaped as a rectangular channel suitable for the form of the sealing element (4). By means of the housing (7), the sealing element (4) is more easily placed between the body (2) and the carrier (3).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the carrier (3) is placed to the ceiling of the body (2).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element (4) is produced from a porous material with water-absorbing feature. Thus, the water coming to the vicinity of the carrier (3) is provided to be held by the sealing element (4) and prevented from entering into the carrier (3).

In a version of this embodiment, the sealing element (4) is produced from sponge. Thus, the cost of the sealing element (4) is decreased.

The sealing element (4) used in the cooling device (1) of the present invention is produced as follows:

the sheet (T) is cut along a cutting line (C) with both ends closed, that is almost at the middle of the sheet (T) and that extends parallel to the long sides thereof,
the portions that remain at both sides of the cutting line (C) of the sheet (T) are stretched outwards.

By means of the present invention, the production of the sealing element (4) is realized without any other material loss, thus providing cost advantage.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to 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.

Claims

A cooling device (1) comprising a body (2) and a carrier (3) in form of a box with one face open, that is placed onto the body (2) so that the open face thereof faces the outer surface of the body (2), wherein components such as circuit board, etc. are placed, characterized by a sealing element (4) in frame form, placed between the body (2) and the carrier (3), that is obtained by cutting a rectangular sheet (T) of elastic material along a cutting line (C) with both ends closed, that is almost at the middle of the sheet (T) and that extends parallel to the long sides thereof and by stretching outwards the portions of the sheet (T) that remain at both sides of the cutting line (C).
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the sealing element (4) in rectangular form that is formed by stretching outwards the portion of the sheet (T) that remains at each side of the cutting line (C) so as to form a short side and a long side.
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by more than one cut-out (5) that is formed by cutting some specific portions of the sheet (T) so as to correspond to the corners of the sealing element (4) when the sheet (T) is stretched.
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 3, characterized by at least one cut-out (5) that is arranged on each short side of the sheet (T).
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 3, characterized by cut-outs (5) that are arranged in a staggered manner on each long sides of the sheet (T).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a flange (6) that extends outwards so as to surround the side walls of the carrier (3) and a housing (7) arranged on the flange (6), wherein the sealing element (4) is seated.
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the carrier (3) that is placed to the ceiling of the body (2).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the sealing element (4) that is produced from a porous material with water-absorbing feature.
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by a sealing element (4) that is produced from sponge.
A production method which comprises the following steps in order to obtain the sealing element (4) to be used in a cooling device (1) as in any one of the Claims 1 to 9:

- cutting the sheet (T) along a cutting line (C) with both ends closed, that is almost at the middle of the sheet (T) and that extends parallel to the long sides thereof,

- stretching outwards the portions that remain at both sides of the cutting line (C) of the sheet (T).