Refrigerator with additional cooling step

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and a method for operating said refrigerator with a cooling chamber ( 2 ) for accommodating the objects to be cooled and a first cooling means ( 3 ) in form of an absorption cooling means whose evaporator ( 5 ) for cooling said cooling chamber is arranged in or on said cooling chamber ( 2 ), wherein on or in said cooling chamber ( 2 ) a second cooling means ( 4 ) operable independently from in particular said first cooling means ( 3 ), which alternatively and/or additionally cools said cooling chamber ( 2 ).

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A refrigerator having a cooling chamber ( 2 ) for accommodating the objects to be cooled and a first cooling means ( 3 ) in form of an absorption cooling means whose evaporator ( 5 ) is arranged in or on said cooling chamber ( 2 ) for cooling said cooling chamber, 
 WHEREIN on or in said cooling chamber a second cooling means ( 4 ) operable independently from said first cooling means ( 3 ) in particular, which cools said cooling chamber ( 2 ) alternatively and/or additionally.    
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator as defined in  claim 1 , 
 WHEREIN said second cooling means ( 4 ) has a more rapid cooling characteristic than said first cooling means ( 3 ), for achieving a more rapid cooling down when said refrigerator ( 1 ) is started.    
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator as defined in  claim 1  or  2 , 
 WHEREIN said second cooling means ( 4 ) is an absorption cooling means with a working agent-solvent pair of ammonia/salt solution.  
 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator as defined in  claim 1  or  2 , 
 WHEREIN said second cooling means ( 5 ) is an adsorption cooling means, in form of a zeolite refrigerator in particular, comprising an adsorber reservoir ( 8 ) for accommodating the adsorber, zeolite in particular, and an evaporator-condenser reservoir ( 6 ) arranged in or on said cooling chamber ( 2 ), for alternating condensation and evaporation of the working medium and whose working medium adsorbing to said zeolite and evaporating preferably is water.  
 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator as defined in  claim 4 , 
 WHEREIN said second cooling means ( 4 ) includes a connecting line ( 11 ) from said adsorber reservoir ( 8 ) to said evaporator-condenser reservoir ( 6 ), which at least partly, in particular outside of said cooling chamber, is arranged in a heat exchanger ( 10 ) for in particular cooling down the working medium expelled from said adsorber.    
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator as defined in  claim 4  or  5 , 
 WHEREIN said adsorber reservoir ( 8 ), said evaporator-condenser reservoir ( 6 ) and/or said connecting line ( 11 ) from said adsorber reservoir ( 8 ) to said evaporator-condenser reservoir ( 6 ) comprise blocking means ( 12 ).  
 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator as defined in  claims 4  to  6 , 
 WHEREIN said evaporator-condenser reservoir ( 6 ) is arranged such that it can be moved in or on said cooling chamber ( 2 ) and be removed therefrom again, in particular in correspondence with the operating mode of said adsorption cooling means.  
 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator as defined in one of the preceding claims, 
 WHEREIN said refrigerator comprises a control for controlling the operation of said first and/or second cooling means.    
     
     
         9 . A method for operating a refrigerator as defined in one of the preceding claims, 
 WHEREIN when said refrigerator is switched and/or the temperature in said cooling chamber ( 2 ) exceeds a given threshold value, said first and second cooling means ( 3 ,  5 ) are operated in cooling mode in parallel, whereas upon drop of the temperature in said cooling chamber ( 2 ) below said given threshold value said second cooling means ( 4 ) is switched off and/or is regenerated.    
     
     
         10 . The method as defined in  claim 9   WHEREIN when said refrigerator ( 1 ) is switched on, simultaneously said first cooling means ( 3 ) (absorption cooling means) and said second cooling means ( 4 ) (adsorption cooling means) are started, wherein in particular in said adsorption cooling means it is rendered possible for the working medium contained in said evaporator-condenser reservoir ( 6 ) to reach the adsorber reservoir ( 8 ) and to adsorb on said adsorber material.