U.S. patent application number 15/517997 was filed with the patent office on 2017-10-26 for ice-and-water dispenser.
The applicant listed for this patent is BSH HAUSGERAETE GMBH. Invention is credited to HANS GERD KELLER, KARL-FRIEDRICH LAIBLE.
Application Number | 20170307274 15/517997 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54329503 |
Filed Date | 2017-10-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170307274 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LAIBLE; KARL-FRIEDRICH ; et
al. |
October 26, 2017 |
ICE-AND-WATER DISPENSER
Abstract
An ice-and-water dispenser to be integrated into a refrigeration
appliance includes a main subassembly having a dispenser bay, a
passage for ice, a water outlet and a switch to be actuated by an
object held in the dispenser bay. A decorative element which
contributes to or determines the appearance of the ice-and-water
dispenser in a mounted state, can be mounted on the main
subassembly in various models. A refrigeration appliance including
an ice-and-water dispenser is also provided.
Inventors: |
LAIBLE; KARL-FRIEDRICH;
(LANGENAU, DE) ; KELLER; HANS GERD; (GIENGEN,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BSH HAUSGERAETE GMBH |
MUENCHEN |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
54329503 |
Appl. No.: |
15/517997 |
Filed: |
September 29, 2015 |
PCT Filed: |
September 29, 2015 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2015/072447 |
371 Date: |
April 10, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25C 5/22 20180101; F25D
23/126 20130101; F25D 2327/001 20130101; F25C 5/182 20130101; F25D
2400/18 20130101; F25C 2400/14 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25C 5/00 20060101
F25C005/00; F25C 5/18 20060101 F25C005/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 8, 2014 |
DE |
102014 220360.0 |
Claims
1-9. (canceled)
10. An ice-and-water dispenser for integration into a refrigeration
appliance, the ice-and-water dispenser comprising: a main
subassembly including a dispenser bay, at least one of a passage
for ice or a water outlet, and a switch to be actuated by an object
held in said dispenser bay; and at least one decorative element
configured to be mounted on said main subassembly in different
models of the refrigeration appliance and contributing to an
appearance of the ice-and-water dispenser in a mounted state.
11. The ice-and-water dispenser according to claim 10, wherein said
at least one decorative element is detachably mounted on said main
subassembly.
12. The ice-and-water dispenser according to claim 10, wherein said
at least one decorative element is a drip tray or a drip tray
cover.
13. The ice-and-water dispenser according to claim 10, wherein said
at least one decorative element is an actuating paddle coupled to
said switch.
14. The ice-and-water dispenser according to claim 13, wherein said
switch includes an actuating extension engaging into said dispenser
bay, and said actuating paddle is joined to said actuating
extension.
15. The ice-and-water dispenser according to claim 10, wherein said
at least one decorative element is an outlet nozzle of said passage
for ice.
16. The ice-and-water dispenser according to claim 10, wherein said
at least one decorative element forms an interior wall surface of
said dispenser bay.
17. The ice-and-water dispenser according to claim 10, wherein said
dispenser bay has an inlet, and said at least one decorative
element is a lamp unit or a shade or a shutter to be mounted at
said inlet of said dispenser bay.
18. A refrigeration appliance, comprising an ice-and-water
dispenser according to claim 10.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an ice-and-water dispenser
to be integrated into a refrigeration appliance, in particular a
household refrigeration appliance.
[0002] Numerous designs are known of dispensers that are integrated
into a wall or door of a refrigeration appliance, in order to
dispense ice or chilled water stored or produced inside the
refrigeration appliance, without any need to open the door for
this. Since they are generally attached to the refrigeration device
in a prominent position, they determine the overall aesthetic
appearance of the refrigeration appliance to a significant extent.
If refrigeration appliances are to be manufactured in different
model lines which differ in their design features, these different
design features must also be reflected in the dispensers. If
however different models of dispensers have to be manufactured for
each of the said different model lines, the consequence is that
dispensers are deployed more rarely in low-cost model lines than in
high-cost model lines, such that manufacture in small series makes
the ice-and-water dispenser disproportionately expensive in
particular for low-cost model lines.
[0003] The object of the present invention is to remedy this
problem.
[0004] The object is achieved by an ice-and-water dispenser for
integration into a refrigeration appliance, having a main
subassembly that includes a dispenser bay, where appropriate a
passage for ice, a water outlet, and a switch that is to be
actuated by an object held in the dispenser bay, and at least one
decorative element which in different models can be mounted on the
main subassembly and in the mounted state contributes to the
appearance of the ice-and-water dispenser, either by itself being
visible to an observer or by affecting the conspicuousness of other
components by lighting. The main subassembly can be manufactured
uniformly in large volumes for multiple model lines, such that the
cost per unit is low; inexpensive adaptation to a specific model
line is then possible by means of the at least one decorative
element.
[0005] The decorative element is preferably detachably mounted, so
that it can be removed by the user subsequently. Such a possibility
of subsequent removal firstly makes it easier to keep the
ice-and-water dispenser clean, and secondly a selection of models
of the decorative element can also be supplied to the user in each
case with the refrigeration appliance, such that users can select
and mount one according to their personal taste.
[0006] One such decorative element that can be mounted in different
models is a drip tray, which usually is arranged on the floor of
the dispenser bay to catch drips from the water outlet or the
passage for ice. A replaceable drip tray cover can also be designed
for each specific model line.
[0007] Usually an ice-and-water dispenser has an actuating paddle,
against which a container to be filled which is held in the
dispenser bay can be pressed, in order to actuate the switch and
thereby to open the passage for ice or the water outlet. Since this
type of actuating paddle is not part of the main subassembly, it
can be mounted thereon subsequently, and, by providing different
models of the actuating paddle the appearance of the ice-and-water
dispenser can be varied.
[0008] Another possible decorative element is an outlet nozzle of
the passage for ice. While the passage for ice itself is generally
arranged directly on the ceiling of the dispenser bay such that it
is not visible to a user looking at the refrigeration appliance
from the front, the outlet nozzle can expediently protrude into the
dispenser bay so as to be readily visible, in order to make it
easier for the user to place a container in the correct position to
catch the ice being dispensed.
[0009] Another decorative element can be an interior wall surface
of the dispenser bay. Such an interior wall surface can be a
self-supporting wall plate or even an interior lining extending
over several sides of the bay, but it can also be a thin-wall
cladding of such a wall or a foil covering.
[0010] Possible variations specific to model lines also emerge from
different models of lamp units that can be mounted in the same main
subassembly or merely of shades that cover the lamps of the lamp
unit(s).
[0011] To enable decorative parts specific to model lines to be
mounted in the dispenser bay of the manufactured main subassembly,
the latter should be wide open at the front. An opening which is
larger than is necessary in operation can be reduced in size by a
shutter; this too can in each case be designed to be specific to a
model line.
[0012] Further features and advantages of the invention will emerge
from the description of exemplary embodiments provided below, with
reference to the attached figures, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-section through a main
subassembly;
[0014] FIG. 2 shows a first model of a lamp unit in a view from
below;
[0015] FIG. 3 shows a view of a second model of a lamp unit;
[0016] FIG. 4 shows the integration of the lamp unit into the main
subassembly;
[0017] FIG. 5 shows the integration of an interior lining in the
dispenser bay;
[0018] FIG. 6 shows the attachment of an actuation paddle;
[0019] FIG. 7 shows a section through a top part of the
ice-and-water dispenser with appended shutter; and
[0020] FIG. 8 shows a section through the bottom part of the
ice-and-water dispenser with inserted drip tray.
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-section of a main subassembly
1 of an inventive ice-and-water dispenser. An approximately
cuboidal one- or multi-part injection-molded housing 2 made of
plastic is open on a front side, in order to form a dispenser bay
14. The open front is bordered by a frame 3 which in each case
projects outward over a ceiling 4, a floor 5 and side walls 6 of
the housing 1. On the ceiling 4 a part of the frame 3 can, as
shown, also project downward over a part of the open front side of
the dispenser bay 14 so as to close it, in order to cover
components arranged on the ceiling 4. Said components here include
a passage for ice 7, a water line 8 with an outlet 9, a switch 10
and a plug-in connector 11. The switch 10 has a rod-shaped
actuation section 12 which can be deflected toward a rear wall 13
of the housing 1 in order to close the switch 10. The operating
mode of the ice-and-water dispenser can be adjusted in a manner
known per se on an operating panel not shown in the figures.
Depending on the operating mode set the switch controls a shutoff
valve (not shown) on the water line 8 or an ice conveyance
mechanism (not shown), possibly in connection with a crusher.
[0022] The shutoff valve can be attached to the housing 1;
preferably it is located directly at the outlet of a tank which is
accommodated in the interior of the refrigeration appliance or in a
heat-insulating wall of the refrigeration appliance.
[0023] The ice conveyance mechanism and if applicable the crusher
are components of an automatic ice-maker which is arranged in the
interior of the refrigeration appliance and is known per se, and so
is not illustrated in detail here.
[0024] FIG. 2 schematically shows a view from below of a lamp unit
15 which is provided for integration into the dispenser bay 14
delimited by the housing 1 in FIG. 1. A baseplate 16 of the lamp
unit 15 is here essentially rectangular with edge lengths which
correspond to the widths of the side walls and rear wall of the
housing 1. A cutout 17 in the baseplate 16 faces the rear wall 13
in the mounted state, in order to accommodate the switch 10, the
passage for ice 7 and the outlet 9 of the water line 8. Light
sources, in particular LEDs 18, can be distributed in different
arrangements on the baseplate 16. FIG. 2 shows five LEDs 18, but in
alternative embodiments possibly only two LEDs are present at the
front corners of the baseplate 16 or a single LED at the tip of the
cutout 17.
[0025] Even if only a single model of baseplate 16 is to be used,
there are nevertheless opportunities for varying the appearance of
the lamp unit 15, by using different types of shade 19 (see FIG.
3). Different models of shades 19 can differ in the materials used,
their coloring, their external contour and the arrangement of
refractive surfaces and the consequent light distribution in the
dispenser bay 14.
[0026] Depending on the design the lamp units 15 can be fixed in
the housing 1 in different ways. FIG. 4 shows purely by way of
example a configuration in which a rear edge of the baseplate 16
abuts a fin 20 projecting from the rear wall 13 and a front part of
the baseplate 16 carries contact pins 21 which, if the baseplate 16
is pressed from below onto the plug-in connector 11, engages in its
bushings and thus anchors the baseplate 16 in a friction-fit
manner.
[0027] FIG. 5 shows the main subassembly with a premounted lamp
unit 15 and a bay cladding 22 which is inserted into the housing 1
via the open front side, but has not yet reached its final
position. In the premounted state the bay cladding 22 covers the
rear wall 13 and the side walls of the housing 1 as far as the fin
20 and the floor 5. In the embodiment shown here the bay cladding
22 comprises four plates essentially oriented at right-angles to
one another, a floor 23, a rear wall 24 and side walls 25; other
models of the bay cladding 22 can differ from the one shown here by
another characteristic of the walls, for example a semicylindrical
rear wall instead of a flat one, a greater or lesser inclination of
the rear wall, etc. The choice of the material for the bay cladding
22 can differ for each model line; when the bay cladding 22 is
manufactured using injection molding, plastics in different colors
can be used depending on the model line or different surface
textures can be molded. However, it is also conceivable for the bay
cladding, in particular for a high-grade model line, to be
manufactured from stainless steel sheet. With a bay cladding 22
made of plastic all or individual walls can furthermore be covered
with a metal foil or a foil made of metalized plastic, in order to
give the bay cladding 22 a metallic look-and-feel.
[0028] The bay cladding 22 is here anchored in a form-fit manner,
in that spring tabs 26 distributed along the front edges of floor
23 and side walls 25 are latched into cutouts 27 on the floor 5 and
the side walls 23 of the housing 1.
[0029] FIG. 6 further shows in section an actuating paddle 28,
which is provided for plugging onto the actuating section 12 of the
switch 10. The actuating paddle 28 can be a different shape
depending on the model line; different materials, in particular in
each case the same materials as for the bay cladding 22, can also
in each case be used for the actuating paddle 28.
[0030] The passage for ice 7 is provided with a threaded section 29
on its rear end, in order to screw a tubular, downward tapering
nozzle 30 thereon, which serves to guide pieces of ice dispensed
via the passage for ice 7 on their way into a container placed in
the bay and to prevent the liquid contents of the container from
splashing. Whereas the threaded section 29 is concealed out of
sight of the user behind the frame 3, the nozzle 30 can be long
enough to become visible. To impart a different character to
different model lines, it is hence also useful to provide different
models of the nozzle 30, which can differ in the choice of material
and color or in the external design.
[0031] In FIG. 7 a shutter 31 is added as a further decorative
element, extending over the whole width of the open front, from one
side wall of the housing 1 to the opposite one. The shutter 31 is
here plugged onto the lower edge of a limb of the frame 3 which
covers the front edge of the lamp unit 15. The shutter 31 can also
be manufactured from different materials or be colored differently,
depending on the model line in which it is used. A milky
transparent material can also be considered here, which allows the
shutter 31 to be illuminated when the LEDs 18 of the lamp unit 15
are switched on.
[0032] A drip tray 32 should be present on the floor 23 of the bay
cladding 22, to ensure that drips from the passage for ice 7 or the
water line 8 do not flow out of the dispenser bay and that
nevertheless a container can be placed dry in the dispenser bay.
The drip tray 32 and its cover 33 can in turn consist of different
materials or be differently colored, depending on the model
line.
REFERENCE CHARACTERS
[0033] 1 Main subassembly [0034] 2 Housing [0035] 3 Frame [0036] 4
Ceiling [0037] 5 Floor [0038] 6 Side wall [0039] 7 Passage for ice
[0040] 8 Water line [0041] 9 Outlet [0042] 10 Switch [0043] 11
Plug-in connector [0044] 12 Actuation section [0045] 13 Rear wall
[0046] 14 Dispenser bay [0047] 15 Lamp unit [0048] 16 Baseplate
[0049] 17 Cutout [0050] 18 LED [0051] 19 Shade [0052] 20 Fin [0053]
21 Contact pin [0054] 22 Bay cladding [0055] 23 Floor [0056] 24
Rear wall [0057] 25 Side wall [0058] 26 Spring tab [0059] 27
Actuating paddle [0060] 28 Actuating paddle [0061] 29 Threaded
section [0062] 30 Nozzle [0063] 31 Shutter [0064] 32 Drip tray
[0065] 33 Cover
* * * * *