Title of Invention	A REFRIGERATOR PROVIDED WITH A FOOD WARMING COMPARTMENT
Abstract	This invention provides a refrigerator provided with a food warming compartment comprising a compressor from which the compressed refrigerant is passed through a condenser, a capillary tube and a evaporator provided with refrigerated space characterised in that the refrigerant is passed through an auxiliary condenser in addition to the said first condenser and a warm compartment on which the auxiliary condenser is located to provide heat extracted from the compressed refrigerant to the warm compartment.

Title of Invention

A REFRIGERATOR PROVIDED WITH A FOOD WARMING COMPARTMENT

Abstract

This invention provides a refrigerator provided with a food warming compartment comprising a compressor from which the compressed refrigerant is passed through a condenser, a capillary tube and a evaporator provided with refrigerated space characterised in that the refrigerant is passed through an auxiliary condenser in addition to the said first condenser and a warm compartment on which the auxiliary condenser is located to provide heat extracted from the compressed refrigerant to the warm compartment.

Full Text	The invention relates to a refrigerator provided with a food warming compartment. The cooling circuit of a domestic refrigerator consists of four basic components namely compressor, condenser, capillary tube and an evaporator. The food items kept inside the refrigerator are frozen/cooled by the low pressure and low temperature refrigerant liquid flowing through the evaporator. This heat exchange converts the refrigerant liquid into vapour. The compressor increases the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant vapour coming from the evaporator, so that condensation of refrigerant can take place in the condenser. The condensation of the refrigerant takes place as the refrigerant vapour rejects heat to the ambient. Since condenser has to reject heat to the ambient, its temperature is always several degrees higher than the ambient. The capillary tube converts the high pressure refrigerant liquid from the condenser into a low pressure and low temperature liquid and sends it to the evaporator to complete the cycle. The present day refrigerators have the following disadvantages in use. 1) Bakery items such as bread, cakes etc. get dehydrated if stored in the refrigerator. 2) Crispy items such as chips, puffs etc. loose their crispiness when stored in the refrigerator. 3) Unless some external heat is supplied (e.g. by heating in a microwave oven), thawing of food items frozen in the freezer takes a long time. The abovementioned disadvantages can be overcome by providing a storage compartment that is insulated and kept warm by supplying heat. To be more useful to the customer, it is preferable to maintain a temperature in the range of 40°C to 55°C in the warm compartment under all ambient conditions. The proposed refrigerator with warm compartment consists of a warm chamber in addition to the regular freezer and fresh food compartments. The warm chamber is insulated with the standard insulating materials such as polyurethane foam and is kept warm by providing heat. Thus the invention provides a refrigerator provided with a food warming compartment comprising a compressor from which the compressed refrigerant is passed through a condenser, a capillary tube and an evaporator provided with refrigerated space characterised in that the refrigerant is passed through an auxiliary condenser in addition to the said first condenser and a warm compartment on which the auxiliary condenser is located to provide heat extracted from the compressed refrigerent to the warm compartment. With reference to the accompanying drawings : Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the conventional refrigerator. Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the refrigerator with a food warming compartment according to the invention. Fig. 3 shows a sectional view of the refrigerator with a food warming compartment according to the invention. Fig. 4 shows the details of the food warming compartment. Fig. 5 shows the prefered heating means used in the food warming compartment for obtaining the desired temperature. In a conventional refrigerator shown in fig.l the refrigerent is compressed by the compressor (1) passed through a condensor (2) and fed to an evaporator (4) through a capillary tube (3) as shown in fig. 1. The evaporator (4) is located such that the temperature of the cold compartment (6) is lowered. In the refrigerator according to the invention the compressed refrigerent is also passed through an auxiliary condensor (5) provided with a warm compartment (7). The warm compartment (7) and the cold compartment (6) are made integral with appropriate insulation and the heat from the compressed refrigerent is first passed through the auxiliary condensor (5) provided with the warm compartment (7), before it is passed through the conventional condensor (2), capillary (3) and evaporator (4) provided with the cold compartment (6). The heat distribution to this auxiliary condensor (5) can be by natural convection or by forced circulation by means of a fan. The warm compartment (7) is provided with an inner liner (8) and the auxiliary condensor (5) is provided with an inlet (9) and outlet (10) for passing the compressed refrigerent through the auxiliary condensor (5). In a prefered embodiment, the warm compartment (7) is provided with a plate heater (14) consisting of an auxiliary heater (13) and a thermo-stat (12) with an OH/OFF switch (11). Instead of plate heater (14), electric heating lamp can also be used as auxiliary heater in the warm compartment (7). The thermostat (12) along with the ON/OFF switch (11) keeps the warm compartment (7) at the desired temperature. The refrigerator according to the invention is very useful as a houseold appliance. The user requirement of cold compartment and warm compartment are provided integrally and in a cost effective manner. Various prefered embodiments can be made without deviating from the inventive features disclosed in this specification and they fall within the scope of this invention. WE CLAIM : 1. A refrigerator provided with a food warming compartment comprising a compressor (1) from which the compressed refrigerant is passed through a condenser (2), a capillary tube (3) and an evaporator (4) provided with refrigerated space (6) characterised in that the refrigerant is passed through an auxiliary condenser (5) in addition to the said first condenser (2) and a warm compartment (7) on which the auxiliary condenser (5) is located to provide heat extracted from the compressed refrigerent to the warm compartment (7). 2. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the warm compartment (7) is provided with a auxiliary heating means (13, 14) for maintaining the desired temperature in the warm compartment irrespective of the heat input from the auxilary condenser (5). 3. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the auxiliary heating means is an electric plate heater (13, 14) with a thermostat control (12) and OH/OFF switch (11). 4. A refrigerator provided with a food warming compartment, substantially as hereinabove described and illustrated with reference to figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

Full Text

The invention relates to a refrigerator provided with a food warming compartment.
The cooling circuit of a domestic refrigerator consists of four basic components namely compressor, condenser, capillary tube and an evaporator. The food items kept inside the refrigerator are frozen/cooled by the low pressure and low temperature refrigerant liquid flowing through the evaporator. This heat exchange converts the refrigerant liquid into vapour. The compressor increases the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant vapour coming from the evaporator, so that condensation of refrigerant can take place in the condenser. The condensation of the refrigerant takes place as the refrigerant vapour rejects heat to the ambient. Since condenser has to reject heat to the ambient, its temperature is always several degrees higher than the ambient. The capillary tube converts the high pressure refrigerant liquid from the condenser into a low pressure and low temperature liquid and sends it to the evaporator to complete the cycle.
The present day refrigerators have the following disadvantages in use.
1) Bakery items such as bread, cakes etc. get dehydrated if stored in the refrigerator.

2) Crispy items such as chips, puffs etc. loose their
crispiness when stored in the refrigerator.
3) Unless some external heat is supplied (e.g. by heating
in a microwave oven), thawing of food items frozen in the freezer
takes a long time.
The abovementioned disadvantages can be overcome by providing a storage compartment that is insulated and kept warm by supplying heat. To be more useful to the customer, it is preferable to maintain a temperature in the range of 40°C to 55°C in the warm compartment under all ambient conditions.
The proposed refrigerator with warm compartment consists of a warm chamber in addition to the regular freezer and fresh food compartments. The warm chamber is insulated with the standard insulating materials such as polyurethane foam and is kept warm by providing heat.
Thus the invention provides a refrigerator provided with a food warming compartment comprising a compressor from which the compressed refrigerant is passed through a condenser, a capillary tube and an evaporator provided with refrigerated space characterised in that the refrigerant is passed through an auxiliary condenser in addition to the said first condenser and a warm compartment on which the auxiliary condenser is located to provide heat extracted from the compressed refrigerent to the warm compartment.

With reference to the accompanying drawings :
Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the conventional refrigerator.
Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the refrigerator with a food warming compartment according to the invention.
Fig. 3 shows a sectional view of the refrigerator with a food warming compartment according to the invention.
Fig. 4 shows the details of the food warming compartment.
Fig. 5 shows the prefered heating means used in the food warming compartment for obtaining the desired temperature.
In a conventional refrigerator shown in fig.l the refrigerent is compressed by the compressor (1) passed through a condensor (2) and fed to an evaporator (4) through a capillary tube (3) as shown in fig. 1. The evaporator (4) is located such that the temperature of the cold compartment (6) is lowered. In the refrigerator according to the invention the compressed refrigerent is also passed through an auxiliary condensor (5) provided with a warm compartment (7). The warm compartment (7) and the cold compartment (6) are made integral with appropriate

insulation and the heat from the compressed refrigerent is first passed through the auxiliary condensor (5) provided with the warm compartment (7), before it is passed through the conventional condensor (2), capillary (3) and evaporator (4) provided with the cold compartment (6). The heat distribution to this auxiliary condensor (5) can be by natural convection or by forced circulation by means of a fan. The warm compartment (7) is provided with an inner liner (8) and the auxiliary condensor (5) is provided with an inlet (9) and outlet (10) for passing the compressed refrigerent through the auxiliary condensor (5).
In a prefered embodiment, the warm compartment (7) is provided with a plate heater (14) consisting of an auxiliary heater (13) and a thermo-stat (12) with an OH/OFF switch (11). Instead of plate heater (14), electric heating lamp can also be used as auxiliary heater in the warm compartment (7). The thermostat (12) along with the ON/OFF switch (11) keeps the warm compartment (7) at the desired temperature.
The refrigerator according to the invention is very useful as a houseold appliance. The user requirement of cold compartment and warm compartment are provided integrally and in a cost effective manner.
Various prefered embodiments can be made without deviating from the inventive features disclosed in this specification and they fall within the scope of this invention.

WE CLAIM :
1. A refrigerator provided with a food warming compartment
comprising a compressor (1) from which the compressed refrigerant
is passed through a condenser (2), a capillary tube (3) and an
evaporator (4) provided with refrigerated space (6) characterised
in that the refrigerant is passed through an auxiliary condenser
(5) in addition to the said first condenser (2) and a warm
compartment (7) on which the auxiliary condenser (5) is located
to provide heat extracted from the compressed refrigerent to the
warm compartment (7).
2. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the warm
compartment (7) is provided with a auxiliary heating means (13,
14) for maintaining the desired temperature in the warm
compartment irrespective of the heat input from the auxilary
condenser (5).
3. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the auxiliary heating means is an electric plate heater (13, 14) with a thermostat control (12) and OH/OFF switch (11).
4. A refrigerator provided with a food warming compartment, substantially as hereinabove described and illustrated with reference to figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

1379-mas-1998 abstract duplicate.pdf

1379-mas-1998 abstract.pdf

1379-mas-1998 claims duplicate.pdf

1379-mas-1998 claims.pdf

1379-mas-1998 correspondence-others.pdf

1379-mas-1998 correspondence-po.pdf

1379-mas-1998 description (complete) duplicate.pdf

1379-mas-1998 description (complete).pdf

1379-mas-1998 drawings duplicate.pdf

1379-mas-1998 drawings.pdf

1379-mas-1998 form-1.pdf

1379-mas-1998 form-19.pdf

1379-mas-1998 form-26.pdf

1379-mas-1998 form-6.pdf

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Patent Number

198236

Indian Patent Application Number

1379/MAS/1998

PG Journal Number

30/2009

Publication Date

24-Jul-2009

Grant Date

Date of Filing

22-Jun-1998

Name of Patentee

BPL REFRIGERATION LTD.,

Applicant Address

1A & D KADUGODI SADARAMANGALA INDUSTRIAL ESTATEE, WHITEFILED ROAD, WHITEFILED, BANGALORE 560066

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	LAKKINENI VENKAT RAMPRASAD	NO.59/1, SWAROOP NIVAS, MICHAEL PALYA, INDIRANAGAR (PO), BANGALORE 560038,

PCT International Classification Number

F25D23/12

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1			NA