Abstract:
The present invention relates to the technological field of electrical household appliance, and refers to a system comprising basically an compartment cooperating with a refrigerator appliance, but having external access and in which is possible defrost, keep cooled or freeze food products, totally unpublished before and versatile when compared to similar known on the prior art. Said system comprises also means for providing information about the total estimate time of defrosting, remaining processing time for finishing the process or about the process end, said means comprising at least one user interface cooperating with at least one controller board and at least one electronic device cooperating with the at least one user interface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to Application No. BR 10 2014 023977 4, filed in Brazil on Sep. 26, 2014, which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a convertible system for electrical household appliances, more specifically for refrigerator appliances, which comprise a cooperating compartment with a refrigerator appliance, have external access and in which it is possible to defrost, keep refrigerated or freeze food products. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    As is known from the state of the art, refrigerators are used to keep food products at a given temperature lower than the ambient temperature in a way to extend its durability. In several cases, certain products—such as meat—are frozen to be stored for a longer period of time. Several products are even commercialized in this way. 
         [0004]    Nevertheless, for the frozen products to be prepared for consumption they should be previously defrosted, which nowadays can be done by immersion of the product in water, maintaining the same to ambient temperature or inside a refrigerated compartment, or with the aid of “defrost” function of microwave ovens. It happens, however, that none of these techniques provides a suitable control of the temperature and of the defrosting time and, furthermore, these conditions may occur commitments in product quality—including its early deterioration—mainly due to two factors: the food to be defrosted is subjected to a temperature greater than the suitable (which can occur particularly when defrosting is done in microwave ovens where food ends up with some pre-baked parts, which makes it necessary immediate consumption), and/or having, during and after the process of defrosting, contact with the deicing fluids—which can cause bacterial contamination. It should be noted that the defrosting with water also leads to high risks of bacterial contamination. 
         [0005]    In order to minimize such drawbacks, document KR20060106968 discloses a compartment located inside the refrigerated chamber of a refrigerator appliance and that is intended to defrost food and keep them cooled by a particular time interval after defrosting. However, besides such compartment requires that the electrical household appliance door opens to be accessed, still requires that the product to be defrosted is inserted inside a plastic pack, so that food remains all the process in direct contact with the deicing fluids—which, as already mentioned, can cause contamination. Moreover, as such compartment has a fan installed on its upper surface for injecting hot air into the food, there is a “short circuit” in the airflow, as the cooling air which exchanged heat with the food returns to the upper compartment colliding, during this path, with the heated air coming from the fan, thus compromising system efficiency. 
         [0006]    Furthermore, document KR20080064551 discloses the possibility of the defrosting compartment be connectable to a mobile phone or similar to provide or receive operating instructions. However, it still has the same drawbacks related to the internal position to the refrigerator appliance and to the maintenance of food with deicing fluids, and does not provide the user any estimate of how long it will take to defrost the product, since often the information provided only report further information to complete the process. 
         [0007]    Document US20100071874 also describes an internal defrosting compartment to the appliance and which uses the refrigerated air for its other compartments to do the defrosting process, once is not provided of exclusive internal heater. Such compartment can be used also to freeze food, however always using for its processes the same air that circulates on the refrigerator or freezer from the appliance, consequently interfering on the main functioning of all compartment of the electrical household appliance. 
         [0008]    Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,578 also discloses a compartment located inside the refrigerated chamber of a refrigerator appliance to freeze or defrost food products, however also on this embodiment occurs short-circuit during air circulation surrounding the food and, furthermore, do not have an internal fan for improving the air circulation and optimizing thermal exchanges. 
         [0009]    It is clear, therefore, that the current state of the art lacks solutions to promote either automatically or upon user command, defrosting, cooling and/or freezing food products, and such solutions incorporated in refrigerating appliances, however with an operating and fully access independent internal refrigerated compartments are therefore provided with heating, ventilation and distribution systems of independent air and extremely efficient, capable of promoting a safe defrosting, fast and with nearly no risk of contamination. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    Therefore, an object of the present invention aims to solve the technical problem of devices disability to promote fast, convenient and healthy defrosting of various food products in refrigerators appliances without thereby causing any kind of physical or operational interference to already conventional internal compartments of refrigerating appliances. 
         [0011]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to reveal a convertible system for freezing and defrosting food products in household appliances which are cooperating with a conventional refrigerator appliance, but with direct access to its external region—i.e., independent access door of its internal environment. 
         [0012]    Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to reveal a convertible system that can be used both for freezing and for defrosting food products that operate with a heater, fan and unique diffuser, arranged to promote better efficiency possible heat exchange. 
         [0013]    Among other objects of the present invention is to reveal a defrosting system in which the process is done so that the food product is not in contact with the deicing fluid or staying outdoors, which minimizes the chances of contamination. Moreover, an object of the present invention is to provide a system that works with an independent temperature control that is employed for the freezer compartments and conventional refrigerating appliance. 
         [0014]    Another object of the invention is to combine said compartment with analysis means and interact with the consumer to enable automatically identify the mass of product to be processed and provide a preliminary estimate of defrosting time that will be needed, namely to provide accurate information to the user before the process starts. 
         [0015]    The above objects of the present invention are achieved through a convertible system for freezing and defrosting food products in electrical household appliances, specifically for refrigerators appliances including doors that allow access to internal compartments of cooling and/or freezing of food products. 
         [0016]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said system comprises at least one compartment with external access and cooperating with at least one door; said compartment comprising: at least one heat source cooperating with the lower region of the compartment; at least one panel cooperating with the at least one heat source, said panel comprising at least one return channel and at least one further projection in L that configures a surface; at least one fan cooperating with the surface; at least one diffuser cooperating with the at least one fan and with the surface; at least one structure cooperating with the at least one panel comprising at least one support element; at least one abutment surface cooperating with the at least one support element and at least one shutter cooperating with the refrigerator appliance and the compartment, wherein the at least one panel and the surface conforms at least one air circulation duct on the bottom rear region of the compartment, wherein the at least one heat source and at least one fan cooperating with at least one air circulation duct, wherein the at least one fan and at least one diffuser promote heating the food product by convection and air flow turbulence, wherein the operation of at least one shutter determines when the at least one compartment acts as a defroster, refrigerator or freezer. 
         [0017]    In a preferred embodiment, said structure comprises a drip tray or a drawer comprising a cutout cooperating with at least one diffuser. 
         [0018]    Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, said system comprises at least one mass metering device cooperating with the at least one panel and at least one temperature sensor cooperating with the at least one compartment. 
         [0019]    Also, in a preferred embodiment, said system cooperates with at least a controller board which cooperates with at least one user interface which, in turn, cooperates with an eletroelectronic device. 
         [0020]    Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the system of the present invention comprises means for providing information about the estimated defrosting time, remaining processing time for completion of the process or the end of the process, and these said means comprise at least one user interface cooperating with at least one controller board and at least one eletroelectronic device cooperating with the at least one user interface. 
         [0021]    The above objects of the present object can also achieved by a household appliance comprising a system for convertible freezing and defrosting food products as described above and which shall be better detailed below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic front view of a household appliance—in this case a refrigerator—comprising the convertible system to freeze and defrost food products in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of an embodiment in accordance with the present invention for the convertible system, comprising a grid and a catchment tray of deicing fluids; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  shows an exploded perspective view (that is, with its parts taken separately) of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0025]      FIGS. 4.1  and  4 . 2  show perspective views—one semi-sectioned—of an embodiment in accordance with the present invention, comprising a drawer which accommodates just above its base, a grid for positioning the food seeking so allow separation of deicing fluid; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  shows a front view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 4.1  and  4 . 2 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  shows a side sectional view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 4.1  and  4 . 2 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  shows an exploded perspective view (that is, with its parts taken separately) of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  shows a schematic side view of another embodiment of the convertible system of the present invention, which is provided with means for evaluating the mass of product to be processed; 
           [0030]      FIG. 9  shows an exploded perspective view (that is, with its parts taken separately) of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 ; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 10  shows a schematic flow diagram of an embodiment of the operation of the system of the present invention that allows interaction via electronic device with the user to provide information and/or various instructions. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0032]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, a convertible system to freeze and defrost food products in electrical household appliances, specifically for refrigerators appliances  100  comprises doors  101  that provide access to internal compartments of refrigerating and/or freezing. 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, one of the door  101  of the appliance  100  provides exclusive access to an isolated compartment  1  that operates with the convertible system for freezing and defrosting according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, which comprises a heat source  2  located in the first compartment basis  1 , on a panel  3  provided with channels  31  for air return, and said panel  3  comprises a L-posterior projection that configures a surface  32  for coupling a diffuser  4  which, in turn, is disposed in front of an axial fan  5 . 
         [0034]      FIGS. 2 and 3  shows that on the panel  3  is arranged a drip tray  7  provided with support elements  71  to support an abutment surface  8  on which the food A to be processed should be positioned so that fluids from defrost pass through the abutment surface  8  and is deposited at the bottom of the drip tray or container  7 , i.e., without contact with the processed food, thereby minimizing any risk of contamination of the same. 
         [0035]    The lateral section of  FIG. 6  shows that the panel  3  and the surface  32  creates an inner duct  6  for air movement in the lower and rear region of the compartment  1 , wherein due to the axial fan action  5  and diffuser  4 , the hot air flow (indicated by arrows) which passes through the heat source  2  is sucked and released inside the compartment  1 , thus being forced to pass over, around and below the food to be processed—which optimizes and standardizes the defrosting process—until enter again on the inner duct  6  through the panel  3  return channels  31  and to be heated again. 
         [0036]    It is important to note that the action of the fan  4  and diffuser  5  which have unique performance in compartment  1  and therefore on the system of the present invention causes the air flow to have a constant, cyclical and one-way path, that is, exiting from the system fan  5 +diffuser  4 , passing around the whole of the food surface to be processed and moving into the return channels  31  of the panel  3 , thereby preventing the occurrence of so-called “short-circuit” in which the air cooled by the food comes into contact with the air from the heat source  2 —an effect that reduces the defrosting efficiency. 
         [0037]    Alternatively, and as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 to 7 , tray or drip reservoir  7  may be replaced by a drawer  9  or similar container, also fitted to the bottom support elements  91  to the abutment surface  8 , wherein said tray  9  comprises a cut  92  in its rear wall for coupling the diffuser  4 . It should be emphasized that the design of said drawer  9  is designed to allow an air passage to create a heated air flow and with turbulence to surround the entire outer surface of the food and thereby accelerate the process of defrosting, since there is a considerable increase in capacity of thermal exchange. 
         [0038]    Tests already carried out have shown that with the system of the present invention, the defrosting time reduces significantly since the food A is heated by convection by the action of the fan  5  and a fully optimized way as a function of the turbulence provided by the diffuser action  4 —that, in addition to improving the air distribution also sets safety device to prevent eventual contact of the user&#39;s hands directly to the fan blades  5 . 
         [0039]    The system of the present invention is provided, also, of a damper or shutter  10  which allows the user to switch the function of the compartment  1  of the defrosting chamber for refrigeration chamber or the freezing, since the opening of said shutter  10  allows entry the air entry from the refrigerating system of the electrical household appliance inside compartment  1 , and the opening degree of the shutter  10  will determine if the compartment  1  will be used as a refrigerator for maintaining food A defrost to a specific temperature, or can be used to freeze again the previous defrosted food, or to promote the freezing of any other food products. 
         [0040]    Moreover, the deicing of the food A generate a moisture increase (steam formation) that needs to be removed from the compartment through the damper or shutter  10  at certain intervals of time, preferably launched against the evaporator to prevent generation of smell and condensation formation off the splash tray. 
         [0041]    Thus, with the embodiments described above, a system, unlike known in the current state of the art, can be readily convertible to perform freezing, refrigeration and/or defrosting of food products in household appliances, according to the situation and need. Furthermore, the system significantly reduces the defrosting time as it performs a heat exchange efficiently and rapidly, which acts around the whole food surface, in addition to performing the defrosting so that the whole deicing liquid remains distant from the product, this helps to minimize the risk of bacterial growth that could contaminate it. 
         [0042]    In another embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the system may cooperate also with a mass measurement device  20  to immediately identify the weight of the food A being processed. In this case, the system also cooperates with a temperature sensor  30  and a controller board  40 , which in turn cooperates with a user interface  35  that in addition to display and receive information to or from the user, can also interact via Wireless connection or any appropriate analogue system, various eletroelectronic appliances such as, for example, cellular handsets, to inform the user the estimated time of defrosting, to inform or adjust the defrosting temperature, the type of food to be processed, or even to eventually actuate additional preprogrammed measures. 
         [0043]    In this respect, it is important to note that the simple user information regarding, for example, which type of product to be processed, the system controller board automatically calculates the estimated time required for its defrosting at a given action temperature, displaying such information to the user, either by the appliance user interface or by sending information to a mobile device, for example. Above the estimated defrosting time, the user can be constantly informed of the processing time still remaining until the end of the operation, and when the defrosting process was completed—at which time the system automatically actuates the refrigerating function in order to maintain food under proper storage conditions and healthy until the effective removal and use by the user. 
         [0044]    Moreover, the user can adjust the system fan  4  speed, regulate the temperature of the heat source  2  and/or adjust the defrosting time according to need. The system can also be programmed with a security function, by using an indication door opening sensor or the constant weight reading, identifying whether the food has been removed or not from compartment after defrosting, so that even  48  hours of completion of the defrosting process the system identifies that the food was not removed from the compartment  1 , it automatically actuates the shutter  10  to promote the refreezing of the same, thus avoiding deterioration. 
         [0045]    As a result, the present invention also relates to a method for freezing and defrosting food products in household appliances, which comprises the following steps:
       inform to the device the type of product being processed;   place the food (A) inside the appliance;   actuate the device whose controller board through the pre-inserted information about the type of food (A) to be processed, automatically calculates the estimated time required for defrosting;   select between seeing the total defrosting time or other information that may be provided by the controller board, for example, part-time operation, or the remaining time until the end of defrosting.   on the end of the time needed for defrosting the product, actuate the system that keeps the compartment refrigeration, present information of defrosting complete and start timing resulting from the completion of the defrosting step;   monitor the appliance door opening to suggest that the processed product was accessed/removed from the inside.   if the door is opened before a predefined time interval, consider the food (A) was removed and restart the system;   if the door is not opened at any time during the predetermined time interval, the controller board interprets that food A has not yet been removed and, to prevent its deterioration, reactive the freezing system after the predetermined time interval, since the system considered that the food was not removed or forgotten by the user and to avoid deterioration, makes the refreezing of it.       
 
         [0054]    Thus, the present invention solves the disadvantages of the current state of the art in a completely novel, fast and efficient way as regards to defrosting problem solution of food products with the maximum health condition possible, and configures an isolated and versatile access system that can act as defroster, refrigerator, and freezer.