Abstract:
A housing, preferably a hermetically sealing housing ( 1 ), a small-type refrigerating machine for receiving an electromotor and a piston-cylinder unit driven by the same for compressing a refrigerant guided via feed lines and discharge lines into the housing ( 1 ) and into the piston of the piston-cylinder unit, with the housing ( 1 ) being provided with at least one connecting element ( 6, 7, 8, 9, 15 ) for fastening to a support plate ( 5, 10, 14 ). It is provided in accordance with the invention that in a direction of view perpendicular to the support plate ( 5, 10, 14 ) the outermost dimensions of the housing ( 1 ) protrude beyond the outermost dimensions of the at least one connecting element ( 6, 7, 8, 9, 15 ), and the at least one connecting element ( 6, 7, 8, 9, 15 ) or its imaginary shortest connecting line along the surface of the housing ( 1 ) encloses a surface area of the housing ( 1 ) facing the support plate ( 5, 10, 14 ). The surface area of the housing ( 1 ) which is enclosed by the connecting element ( 6, 7, 8, 9, 15 ) faces the support plate ( 5, 10, 14 ) directly.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a housing, preferably a hermetically sealing housing, a small-type refrigerating machine for receiving an electromotor and a piston-cylinder unit driven by the same for compressing a refrigerant guided via feed lines and discharge lines into the housing and into the piston of the piston-cylinder unit, with the housing being provided with at least one connecting element for fastening to a support plate, in accordance with the preamble of claim  1 . 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    Housings for this type of small-type refrigerating machines are well known. Such a housing is mounted during installation on a base plate arranged on the refrigerating machine. For mounting on the base plate, a connecting element is usually used which enables the fastening of the housing to the base plate. 
         [0003]    Connecting elements consist of two fastening brackets for example, with the maker of the small-type refrigerating machine ensuring the mounting ability of the housing on a support plate or base plate of the refrigerating machine by providing a suitable configuration of the support element. Such a standardization concerning the fastening brackets relates especially to their outer distances and to the distances of the holes and hole diameters for receiving the fastening means such as screws. Four holes are usually provided for receiving the fastening means which have a distance of 170×70 mm from each other. With the help of the fastening brackets the small-type refrigerating machine is fastened to the support plate of the refrigerating machine. The fastening brackets of the small-type refrigerating machines are usually welded onto the housing. 
         [0004]    Support plates are usually not separately produced for small-type refrigerating machines of smaller dimensions, but also for small-type refrigerating machines of larger configurations. The support plates thus usually have dimensions which are much larger than actually necessary for securely fastening the small-type refrigerating machines. This represents an unnecessary additional expenditure of required material since one needs to consider that small-type refrigerating machines of this kind are made in high numbers and said additional expenditure of material can therefore be considerable. Moreover, a large number of mounting parts is necessary which cause additional mounting work and costs. 
         [0005]    Furthermore, there are sometimes difficulties in the operation of small-type refrigerating machines as a result of the occurring vibrations of the housing. Vibrations promote material fatigue and increased noise and reduce the bearing strength of the housing on the support plate. Although it is tried in accordance with the state of the art to prevent the transmission of vibrations onto the support plate with the help of vibration-damping elements in the holes for the fastening means, this measure however increases mounting work and the number of required components. Moreover, the currently used connecting elements have proven to be unfavorable concerning a reduction of the vibration transmission from housing to support plate and a reduction of the vibrations of the housing itself. 
         [0006]    A fastening apparatus for hermetic compressors is known from WO 00/46504, with connecting elements being provided which can be coupled with deep-drawn parts arranged on the floor side of the housing. The connecting elements comprise flanged sections which are provided with bores and with which the connecting elements plus housing are mounted on a support plate. 
         [0007]    A compressor housing is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,786 which is fastened to a support plate by means of a cup-shaped connecting element. The connecting element is integrally made of elastic material and pressed with a web-shaped wall into a ring-shaped groove on the floor of the compressor housing where it is fastened additionally with a layer of adhesive. The planar, disk-like floor of the connecting element is subsequently also fastened by a layer of adhesive on the base plate. 
         [0008]    It is the goal of the present invention to avoid the mentioned disadvantages and to ensure producing a connection between the housing and the support plate by means of a suitable configuration of the housing and the connecting element fastened to the same which reduces the need for material and the amount of mounting work and the number of components required for this purpose and thereby reducing the costs, and also allowing a technically simple reduction of the transmission of vibrations from the housing to the support plate and reduction of the vibrations of the housing. These objects are achieved by the characterizing features of claim  1 . 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    Claim  1  relates to a housing, preferably a hermetically sealing housing, a small-type refrigerating machine for receiving an electromotor and a piston-cylinder unit driven by the same for compressing a refrigerant guided via feed lines and discharge lines into the housing and into the piston of the piston-cylinder unit, with the housing being provided with at least one connecting element for fastening to a support plate. It is provided in accordance with the invention that in a direction of view perpendicular to the support plate the outermost dimensions of the housing protrude beyond the outermost dimensions of the at least one connecting element, and the connecting element or the imaginary shortest connecting line along the surface of the housing between the connecting elements in the case of several connecting elements encloses a surface area of the housing facing the support plate. The volume which is enclosed by the at least one connecting element and which receives the surface area of the housing facing the support plate is delimited by the support plate on its side opposite of the housing, which means that the surface area of the housing enclosed by the at least one connecting element faces directly to the support plate. The connecting element of a housing in accordance with the invention is provided with a considerably smaller configuration than the one according to the state of the art. Since also at least one connecting element or its imaginary connecting line encloses a surface area of the housing facing the support plate, it is also possible to follow an antinode line on the housing in the arrangement of the at least one connecting element in order to achieve advantageous vibration-damping effects, as will be explained below in closer detail. 
         [0010]    Claim  2  provides that in a direction of view oriented parallel to the support plate, the at least one connecting element protrudes beyond the surface section of the housing which faces and is enclosed by the support plate. This enables simpler fastening of the at least one connecting element to the support plate and also ensures that after mounting the housing does not touch the support plate. As a result, vibrations from the housing are carried off only via the connecting element. 
         [0011]    Claim  3  relates to a first embodiment, according to which precisely one connecting element is provided which is arranged as a support body in the shape of a cylinder or truncated cone and with a base surface in the shape of an annulus which encloses the surface area of the housing facing the support plate. 
         [0012]    Claim  4  relates to a further embodiment, according to which precisely one connecting element is provided which is arranged as a cuboid support frame which encloses the surface area of the housing facing the support plate. 
         [0013]    Claim  5  describes for both these embodiments a possibility for fastening the connecting element to the housing. In accordance with claim  5 , the at least one connecting element comprises at least one chamber with an opening facing the housing for receiving a holding element protruding from the housing. 
         [0014]    A solution in analogy to claim  5  can also be used for fastening the connecting element on the support plate, as is proposed in claim  6 . In accordance with claim  6 , the at least one connecting element comprises at least one chamber with an opening facing the support plate for receiving a holding element protruding from the support plate. 
         [0015]    One embodiment for the interaction between holding element and chamber as mentioned in claim  5  and  6  is proposed in claim  7 , according to which the opening of the at least one chamber forms a holding shoulder and the holding element comprises an undercut for latching into the holding shoulder. 
         [0016]    A further possibility for fastening the connecting element to the support plate is proposed in claim  8 , according to which the at least one connecting element comprises a laterally arranged slit for receiving the free end of a holding bracket protruding from the support plate. 
         [0017]    The arrangement of the housing in accordance with the invention also allows an alternative variant in accordance with claim  9 , according to which at least three connecting elements are provided which are arranged as support feet protruding axially from the housing, with the imaginary shortest connecting line between the support feet along the surface of the housing enclosing the surface area of the housing facing the support plate. At least three connecting elements are advantageous for the reason that a stable bearing of the housing on the connecting elements can be ensured with at least three connecting elements. The surface section of the housing facing the support plate can have the approximate shape of a spherical cap. According to claim  10 , two of the support feet can be arranged in the manner of pegs with a support plate each which can each be inserted into a breakthrough in the support plate, and the third support foot can be provided with a tab-like configuration which can be inserted into a further breakthrough in the support plate. 
         [0018]    As a result of these different embodiments in accordance with the invention, an especially simple reduction of vibrations of the housing and their transmission from housing to support plate is achieved, such that in accordance with claim  11  the at least one connecting element is made at least partly of an elastomeric material or according to claim  12  the contact surface of the at least one connecting element with the housing is arranged in the region of antinodes of the overall system consisting of housing and connecting body, which antinodes correspond to usual operating states. 
         [0019]    In accordance with claim  13 , the at least one connecting element can be formed on the housing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    The invention is now explained in closer detail by reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  shows a view of a housing for a small-type refrigerating machine with connecting elements in the form of two fastening brackets in accordance with the state of the art; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  shows a sectional view of a part of the configuration according to  FIG. 1  along the cutting plane A; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a connecting element in accordance with the invention with housing and support plate; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  shows the configuration according to  FIG. 3  from below without the support plate; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  shows a sectional view of a part of the configuration according to  FIG. 3  along the cutting plane B; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of a connecting element in accordance with the invention with a housing and a support plate as seen from below; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  shows a front view of the configuration according to  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the further embodiment of a connecting element according to  FIG. 6  in accordance with the invention without the support plate; 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of a connecting element in accordance with the invention with a housing without support plate as seen from below; 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  shows a perspective view of the further embodiment of a connecting element in accordance with the invention according to  FIG. 9  as seen from above and with support plate; 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  shows a front view of the configuration according to  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 12  shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of a connecting element in accordance with the invention with a housing and support plate; 
           [0033]      FIG. 13  shows a sectional view of a part of the configuration according to  FIG. 12  along the cutting plane C; 
           [0034]      FIG. 14  shows the configuration of  FIG. 12  from a different view; 
           [0035]      FIG. 15  shows a view of the further embodiment of a connecting element in accordance with the invention according to  FIG. 12  with a housing and support plate seen from below; 
           [0036]      FIG. 16  shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of a connecting element in accordance with the invention with a housing and support plate, and 
           [0037]      FIG. 17  shows a sectional view of a part of the configuration according to  FIG. 16  along the cutting plane D. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0038]      FIG. 1  shows a view of a housing  1  for a small-type refrigerating machine with connecting elements in the form of two fastening brackets  3  according to the state of the art ( FIG. 1  only shows one of the fastening brackets  3 ). The fastening brackets  3  are fastened to flange-like noses  4  of housing  1  by means of a welded connection for example, as is shown especially in  FIG. 2 . Two vibration-damping support elements  2  are arranged on the two fastening brackets  3 , which support elements are finally fastened to the support plate or base plate of the refrigerating machine. The support plate is now shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . It is clearly visible that several components are necessary for mounting the small-type refrigerating machine on the support plate or base plate of the refrigerating machine, thus leading to additional mounting work, need for material and mounting time. It can further be seen that the vibration damping of the oscillating housing  1  on the support or base plate of the refrigerating machine is not satisfactory, which promotes material fatigue and additional noise development. These disadvantages are to be avoided by an optimal mounting solution. 
         [0039]      FIGS. 3 to 5  show an embodiment of making an improved connection between housing  1  and a support plate  5  which subsequently is fastened to the base plate of the refrigerating machine. The connection is made with the help of a connecting element which is arranged in this embodiment as a cylindrical support body  6  with an annular base. The support body  6  is fastened to the surface of housing  1  facing the support plate  5  and encloses a surface section of housing  1  facing the support plate. As is shown especially in  FIG. 5 , the height of the cylindrical support body  6  is chosen in such a way that the lowermost point P of the housing  1  is slightly spaced from the support plate  4 , approximately 1 to 5 mm. An elastomeric material is preferably used for the support body  6  which has vibration-damping properties. The type of fastening of the support body  6  to housing  1  and the support plate  5  will be explained below in closer detail.  FIGS. 3 to 5  show especially that the outermost dimensions of the housing  1  protrude beyond the outermost dimensions of the support body  6  in a direction of view oriented perpendicularly to the support plate  5 . The support body  6  can therefore be provided with a comparatively small configuration. The volume which is enclosed by the support body  6  and which receives the surface area of housing  1  facing the support plate  5  is delimited by the support plate  5  on its side opposite of housing  1 , so that the surface area of housing  1  enclosed by the support body  6  faces directly towards the support plate  5 . The overall height of the support body  6  is thus kept low. 
         [0040]    Moreover, the positioning of the support body  6  is advantageously chosen in such a way that it is arranged on housing  1  in the region of antinodes of the overall system consisting of housing  1  and connecting body  6 , which antinodes correspond to usual operating states. 
         [0041]    As an alternative to this, the support body  6  could also be arranged in the shape of a truncated cone and with an annular base surface. It is further possible that the support body  6  is not provided with an integral configuration, but is composed of mutually spaced annular segments which are arranged along a circumferential line of one of the surface sections of housing  1  facing the support plate  5 . In this case, an imaginary, very short connecting line can be drawn along the surface of housing  1  between the individual segments which enclose a surface area of housing  1  facing the support plate  5 . Such an embodiment would lead to additional material savings concerning the support body  6 . 
         [0042]    A further embodiment for a connecting element in accordance with the invention is shown in  FIGS. 6 to 8 . As has already been indicated above, the connecting element is provided with multi-part configuration, namely in the form of three support feet  7 ,  8 ,  9  which protrude axially from the housing  1  and which are subsequently fastened to a support plate  10 . The support feet  7 ,  8 ,  9  are situated within the outermost dimensions of the housing  1  in a direction of view oriented perpendicularly to the bearing plate  10 , with the imaginary shortest connecting line between the support feet  7 ,  8 ,  9  along the surface of the housing  1  enclosing a surface area of housing  1  facing the support plate  10  (see  FIG. 8 ). The arrangement of said support feet can vary. In  FIGS. 6 to 8  it is proposed that two of said support feet  8 ,  9  are provided with a peg-like configuration and are provided with a preferably square support plate  11  which can be inserted into a respective breakthrough  12  of the support plate  10 . The third support foot  7  is provided with a tab-like configuration and engages in a further breakthrough  13  of the support plate  10 . In the course of mounting housing  1  on support plate  10 , the square support plates  11  are inserted into the breakthroughs  12  and tightly clamped with the help of the support foot  7  engaging in the breakthrough  13 . The support feet  7 ,  8 ,  9  can be formed or welded onto housing  1 . The support feet  7 ,  8 ,  9  can comprise sections for vibration damping which are made of an elastic material. As is shown especially in  FIG. 7 , the height of the support feet  7 ,  8 ,  9  is chosen in such a way that the lowest point P of housing  1  is slightly spaced from the support plate  10  in the mounted state, e.g. 1 to 5 mm. 
         [0043]      FIGS. 9 to 11  show a further embodiment of an improved connection between housing  1  and a support plate  14 , which subsequently will be fastened to the base plate of the refrigerating machine. The connection is made by means of a connection element which in this embodiment is arranged as a cuboid support frame  15 . The support frame  15  is fastened to the surface of housing  1  facing the support plate  14  and encloses a surface section of housing  1  facing the support plate  14 . As is shown especially in  FIG. 11 , the height of the support frame  15  is chosen in such a way that the lowermost point P of housing  1  is slightly spaced from the support plate  14 , approximately 1 to 5 mm. An elastomer is preferably used for the support frame  15 , which elastomer has vibration-damping properties.  FIGS. 9 to 11  also show that in a direction of view perpendicular to the support plate  14  the outermost dimensions of the housing  1  protrude beyond the support frame  15 , as a result of which the support frame  15  can be provided with a comparatively small configuration. Moreover, the positioning of the support frame  15  is advantageously chosen in such a way that it is arranged on the housing  1  in the region of antinodes of the entire system which consists of housing  1  and support frame  15 , which antinodes correspond to the usual operating states. 
         [0044]    It is also possible that the support frame  15  is not provided with an integral configuration but is composed of mutually spaced cuboid segments. In this case, an imaginary shortest connecting line can be drawn along the surface of the housing  1  between the individual segments which encloses a surface area of the housing  1  facing the support plate  14 . Such a configuration would lead to additional savings in material concerning the support frame  15 . 
         [0045]    The type of fastening of the support frame  15  to housing  1  and to support plate  14  can be made in such a way that two tabs  16  are punched out of the support plate  14  and are bent up perpendicular to the support plate  14 , the free end section  17  of which is then bent horizontal to the support plate  14  (see  FIG. 10 ; merely one of the two tabs  16  is shown). Two holding brackets  27  are thus formed. The two tabs  16  extend parallel with respect to each other and correspond in respect of their distance to an outer dimension of the support frame  15 . The support frame  15  can therefore be inserted between the two tabs  16 . It comprises lateral slits  18  in which the horizontal end sections  17  of the tabs  16  engage. The housing  1  is thus already fixed in two spatial directions. In order to fix the housing  1  in the spatial direction parallel to the tabs  16 , a further tab  19  can be punched from the support plate  14  and can be bent up perpendicular to the support plate  14  which is oriented perpendicular to the tab  16  and rest tightly on the support frame  15  in the bent-up position. The housing  1  can thus be mounted in a simple and cost-effective manner on support plate  14 . 
         [0046]    A similar procedure can also be chosen with such embodiments in which the connecting element is arranged as a cylindrical support body  6  according to  FIGS. 3 to 5 . This will be explained below by reference to  FIGS. 12 to 15 . 
         [0047]    The type of fastening of the support body  6  to housing  1  and the support plate  5  can occur in an analogous manner in such a way that two tabs  20  are punched out of the support plate  5  and are bent up perpendicular to the support plate  5 , the free end section  21  of which is then bent horizontally to the support plate  5  (see  FIG. 12  and  FIG. 13 ). Two holding brackets  28  are thus formed. The two holding brackets  28  are arranged in such a way that they can come into engagement with the lateral slits  22  of the support body  6 . The support body  6  can therefore be pushed in the direction of the two holding brackets  28 , with the horizontal end sections  21  of the holding brackets  28  engaging in the slits  22 . In order to further fix the housing  1  to support plate  5 , a further tab  23  can be punched out of the support plate  5  and can be bent up perpendicular to the support plate  5  which in the bent-up position rests snugly on support body  6 . Said tab  23  is positioned relative to the holding brackets  28  in such a way that a movement of the support body  6  relative to the holding brackets  28  is suppressed. Housing  1  can thus be mounted in a very simple and cost-effective manner on the support plate  5 . 
         [0048]      FIGS. 16 and 17  explain a further possibility of fastening the housing  1  or the connecting element  6  to the support plate  5 . As is shown especially in  FIG. 17 , the support body  6  comprises a chamber  24  with an opening facing the support plate  5 . The support plate  5  is provided on its part with a holding element  25  which is received by chamber  24 . Preferably, the opening of chamber  24  forms a holding shoulder, so that an undercut  26  of the holding element  25  can latch into the chamber  24 . 
         [0049]    One possibility for mounting the support body  6  or the support frame  15  on housing  1  is shown in  FIG. 13 . The support body  6  or the support frame  15  comprises a chamber  29  with an opening facing the housing  1 . Housing  1  is provided on its part with a holding element  30  which protrudes in the axial direction and is received by chamber  29 . Preferably, the opening of chamber  29  forms a holding shoulder, so that an undercut  31  of the holding element  30  can latch into the chamber  29 . The holding element  30  can be formed on the housing  1  or welded onto the same. 
         [0050]    The embodiment of the housing or the connecting element fastened to the same in accordance with the invention enables producing a connection between the housing and the support plate which reduces the amount of material and mounting work and the number of components required for this purpose, thus reducing the costs and also enabling a technically simple reduction of the transmission of vibrations from the housing to the support plate and a reduction of the vibrations of the housing.