Refrigeration device and air-distributor valve for said refrigeration device

Abstract

An air distributor valve, in particular for distributing cold air to various chambers of a refrigeration device, includes a housing having at least a first and a second inlet, at least a first and a second outlet and a control body. The control body can be rotated in the housing about an axis, between a first open position, in which the control body connects the first inlet of the housing to the first outlet and blocks off the second outlet from the second inlet, and a second open position, in which the control body blocks off the first outlet from the first inlet and connects the second inlet to the second outlet.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An air distributor valve, comprising:
 a housing having at least a first and a second inlet and at least a first and a second outlet; and   a control body having an axis defining an axial direction, said control body being divided into at least first and second sections in said axial direction and said control body being rotatable in said housing about said axis between:
 a first open position in which said first section connects said first inlet to said first outlet and said second section blocks off said second outlet from said second inlet, and 
 a second open position in which said first section blocks off said first outlet from said first inlet and said second section connects said second inlet to said second outlet. 
   
     
     
         17 . The air distributor valve according to  claim 16 , wherein said first and second inlets are aligned with each other in said axial direction. 
     
     
         18 . The air distributor valve according to  claim 16 , wherein said first section of said control body controls a passage of air between said first inlet and said first outlet, and said second section of said control body controls a passage of air between said second inlet and said second outlet. 
     
     
         19 . The air distributor valve according to  claim 16 , which further comprises:
 two walls each delimiting a respective one of said first inlet and said first outlet in a sectional plane running transverse to said axis; and   said control body having two walls continuously connecting one of said walls of said inlet and one of said walls of said outlet to one another in said first open position.   
     
     
         20 . The air distributor valve according to  claim 16 , wherein said control body has an intermediate position between said first open position and said second open position in which:
 said control body connects said first inlet to said first outlet with a passage cross-section between said first inlet and said first outlet being smaller than in said first open position, and   said control body connects said second inlet with said second outlet with a passage cross-section between said second inlet and said second outlet being smaller than in said second open position.   
     
     
         21 . The air distributor valve according to  claim 20 , wherein a sum of said passage cross-sections in said intermediate position is equal to a passage cross-section between said first inlet and said first outlet in said first open position and a passage cross-section between said second inlet and said second outlet in said second open position or lies between said passage cross-sections. 
     
     
         22 . The air distributor valve according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 said housing has a third inlet and a third outlet; and   said control body has a third open position in which said third inlet is connected to said third outlet and said first and second inlets and said first and second outlets are blocked off from one another.   
     
     
         23 . The air distributor valve according to  claim 22 , wherein said control body has an intermediate position between said first open position and said third open position in which:
 said control body connects said first inlet to said first outlet with a passage cross-section between said first inlet and said first outlet being smaller than in said first open position, and   said control body connects said third inlet to said third outlet with a passage cross-section between said third inlet and said third outlet being smaller than in said third open position.   
     
     
         24 . The air distributor valve according to  claim 22 , wherein said first, second and third inlets are aligned with one another in said axial direction, and at least one of said outlets is offset in a circumferential direction of said housing relative to others of said outlets. 
     
     
         25 . The air distributor valve according to  claim 16 , wherein the air distributor valve distributes cold air to various chambers of a refrigeration device. 
     
     
         26 . A refrigeration device, comprising:
 an air distributor valve according to  claim 16 ;   at least one first storage chamber into which said first outlet opens; and   a second storage chamber into which said second outlet opens.   
     
     
         27 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 26 , which further comprises:
 an evaporator chamber connected to said inlets of said air distributor valve; and   a bypass extended outside said air distributor valve from said evaporator chamber to one of said storage chambers.   
     
     
         28 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 26 , which further comprises a partition wall in which said air distributor valve is disposed, said at least one first storage chamber and said second storage chamber being disposed on different sides of said partition wall. 
     
     
         29 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 28 , wherein said first outlet is disposed on one side of said partition wall, and said inlets are disposed on the same one side of said partition wall as said first outlet. 
     
     
         30 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 26 , wherein:
 said housing has a third inlet and a third outlet;   said control body has a third open position in which said third inlet is connected to said third outlet and said first and second inlets and said first and second outlets are blocked off from one another;   said control body has an intermediate position between said first open position and said third open position in which:
 said control body connects said first inlet to said first outlet with a passage cross-section between said first inlet and said first outlet being smaller than in said first open position, 
 said control body connects said third inlet to said third outlet with a passage cross-section between said third inlet and said third outlet being smaller than in said third open position; and 
   a third storage chamber is connected to said third outlet.   
     
     
         31 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 26 , wherein:
 said housing has a third inlet and a third outlet;   said control body has a third open position in which said third inlet is connected to said third outlet and said first and second inlets and said first and second outlets are blocked off from one another;   said first, second and third inlets are aligned with one another in said axial direction, and at least one of said outlets is offset in a circumferential direction of said housing relative to others of said outlets; and   a third storage chamber is connected to said third outlet.   
     
     
         32 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 26 , wherein the refrigeration device is a household refrigeration device.