U.S. patent application number 15/672352 was filed with the patent office on 2018-02-15 for domestic refrigeration appliance with a cooling compartment and a freezing compartment and with a dispensing unit accessible through a hole in an additional component of a door.
The applicant listed for this patent is BSH HAUSGERAETE GMBH. Invention is credited to KARL-FRIEDRICH LAIBLE.
Application Number | 20180045451 15/672352 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 61018701 |
Filed Date | 2018-02-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180045451 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LAIBLE; KARL-FRIEDRICH |
February 15, 2018 |
DOMESTIC REFRIGERATION APPLIANCE WITH A COOLING COMPARTMENT AND A
FREEZING COMPARTMENT AND WITH A DISPENSING UNIT ACCESSIBLE THROUGH
A HOLE IN AN ADDITIONAL COMPONENT OF A DOOR
Abstract
A domestic refrigeration appliance has a housing in which a
cooling compartment is provided, which is closable by a first door
movably arranged on the housing, and in which a freezing
compartment separate therefrom is provided, which is closable by a
second door which is movably arranged on the housing. On a front
side of the first door, a first panel-like additional part separate
from the first door is arranged as a facing part and a hole is
formed in the additional part, through which an output unit of a
dispensing unit belonging to the domestic refrigeration appliance
which is configured for the output of liquid and/or molded ice
elements is accessible.
Inventors: |
LAIBLE; KARL-FRIEDRICH;
(LANGENAU, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BSH HAUSGERAETE GMBH |
MUENCHEN |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
61018701 |
Appl. No.: |
15/672352 |
Filed: |
August 9, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 17/065 20130101;
F25D 23/028 20130101; F25C 2400/14 20130101; F25D 23/126 20130101;
F25D 23/10 20130101; F25D 2323/0011 20130101; F25D 2323/021
20130101; F25D 2323/024 20130101; F25C 5/22 20180101 |
International
Class: |
F25D 11/02 20060101
F25D011/02; F25D 17/06 20060101 F25D017/06; F25B 5/00 20060101
F25B005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 10, 2016 |
DE |
102016214839.7 |
Claims
1. A domestic refrigeration appliance, comprising: a housing
defining a cooling compartment and a freezing compartment separate
from said cooling compartment; a first door movably disposed on
said housing and closing said cooling compartment, said first door
having a front side; a second door being movably disposed on said
housing for closing said freezing compartment; a dispensing unit
having an output unit configured for outputting of liquid and/or
molded ice elements; and a first panel-shaped additional part
disposed on said front side of said first door, said first
panel-shaped additional part being separate from said first door
and disposed as a facing part, said first panel-shaped additional
part having a hole formed therein through which said output unit of
said dispensing unit is accessible.
2. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1,
further comprising a third door disposed as seen in a width
direction of the domestic refrigeration appliance, beside said
first door, said cooling compartment is closable by said first door
and by said third door.
3. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1,
wherein said dispensing unit has an ice maker disposed in said
cooling compartment and spaced from said first door.
4. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1,
wherein said dispensing unit has an ice maker disposed on said
first door.
5. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1,
wherein said first panel-shaped additional part is a furniture
front panel.
6. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1,
further comprising a second panel-shaped additional part disposed
at a front side of said second door, said second panel-shaped
additional part being separate from said second door and disposed
as a facing part.
7. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 6,
wherein said second panel-shaped additional part is a furniture
front panel.
8. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1,
further comprising an adjusting device with which at least said
output unit of said dispensing unit is adjustable in at least two
spatial directions relative to said first door and/or relative to
said first panel-shaped additional part.
9. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 8,
wherein: said output unit contains an output housing having a rear
back wall region and a further back wall region with a niche formed
therein; and said adjusting device has at least one displaceable
adjusting element which is asymmetrical in shape and which is
disposed in said niche offset forwardly in a depth direction of the
domestic refrigeration appliance relative to said rear back wall
region of said output housing of said output unit, said niche being
delimited by said further back wall region of said housing disposed
further forward.
10. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 9,
wherein said adjusting element is a wedge.
11. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1,
further comprising a water-conducting assembly with which water is
conductable to said dispensing unit, said water-conducting assembly
having at least one valve which is disposed on said first door.
12. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 11,
wherein said valve is disposed on a lower edge of said first door
and is covered by means of said first panel-shaped additional part
on said front side of said first door.
13. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1,
wherein said dispensing unit has an ice maker, said output unit and
said ice maker are disposed on said first door; and further
comprising a multiple-joint hinge, said first door is disposed to
be pivotable on said housing via said at least one multiple-joint
hinge, said multiple-joint hinge is configured such that during a
pivot movement of said first door, said first door is displaced
with a linear movement component oriented in a width direction of
an overall rotation-linear movement of said first door in the width
direction.
14. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1,
wherein the domestic refrigeration appliance is a built-in
appliance for installation in an installation niche of a furniture
wall.
15. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1,
further comprising a separate pedestal on which said housing is
disposed.
16. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1,
further comprising: a pedestal adjusting device; and a separate
pedestal on which said housing is disposed, said pedestal is
adjustable via said pedestal adjusting device in a depth direction
of the domestic refrigeration appliance.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119, of German application DE 10 2016 214 839.7, filed Aug.
10, 2016; the prior application is herewith incorporated by
reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a domestic refrigeration appliance
with a housing in which a cooling compartment is provided, which is
closable by a first door movably arranged on the housing. The
domestic refrigeration appliance contains a freezing compartment
which is separate from the cooling compartment and is closable by a
second door movably arranged on the housing.
[0003] Domestic refrigeration appliances are known in which
receptacle compartments for food are provided and which are
configured, firstly, as a cooling compartment and, secondly, as a
freezing compartment. The food can thus be stored at different
temperatures.
[0004] Precisely when domestic refrigeration appliances are also to
be arranged in a furniture wall and in that context are also to be
usable as built-in appliances, the functionality is possibly also
restricted since a door can then be covered over, if needed, by an
additional part, in particular, in the form of a furniture front
panel.
[0005] It is also known that domestic refrigeration appliances can
contain a dispensing unit which is configured for the output of
liquid and/or molded ice elements. In this context, devices are
known in which the output unit of the dispensing unit is arranged
in a door, whereas the ice maker is arranged externally in a
receptacle chamber of the domestic refrigeration appliance and can
also be arranged in a cooling compartment.
[0006] Furthermore, embodiments are known in which the overall
dispensing unit is arranged with its output unit and with the ice
maker internally in the door. In these embodiments, however, the
rear-side space requirement of the door and thus the space
requirement on the region facing the cooling compartment in the
closed state of the door is relatively large. Such a rearward
protrusion leads in conventional devices thereto that, in the open
state of the door, this protrusion is undesirably in the way with
regard to accessibility to the cooling compartment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
domestic refrigeration appliance which is suitable with regard to
installation in a furniture wall and is nevertheless highly
functional.
[0008] A domestic refrigeration appliance according to the
invention contains a housing in which a cooling compartment is
provided. The cooling compartment is closable by means of a first
door movably arranged on the housing. The domestic refrigeration
appliance contains a freezing compartment which is separate from
the cooling compartment and is closable by a second door movably
arranged on the housing. The two doors are separate doors which can
be actuated independently of one another. In particular, the doors
are closing parts of the domestic refrigeration appliance at the
front side. The two doors are arranged, in particular, adjoining
one another and/or extending in a same plane and without overlap in
this plane. An important concept of the invention is to be found
therein that on a front side of the first door, a first additional
part separate from the first door is arranged as a facing or
covering part and a perforation and a hole is formed in this
additional part, through which an output unit of a dispensing unit
belonging to the domestic refrigeration appliance which is
configured for the output of liquid and/or molded ice elements is
accessible. By such an embodiment, a highly functional domestic
refrigeration appliance can be provided which in two different
compartments, specifically the cooling compartment and the freezing
compartment, can store food under different conditions, in
particular, different temperatures. Furthermore, the domestic
refrigeration appliance is entirely suitable as a built-in
appliance and can therefore be built into an installation niche of
a furniture wall. By the additional part, a covering is provided on
the front side which is adaptable, in particular, to the
environment of the furniture wall. Furthermore, it is also possible
with a domestic refrigeration appliance of this type, to provide a
dispensing unit which is then readily accessible through the
additional part.
[0009] It is provided, in particular, that the cooling compartment
is closable by the first door and by a third door arranged, seen in
the width direction of the domestic refrigeration appliance, beside
the first door. In an advantageous embodiment of this type,
therefore, two doors are provided which are configured as leaf
doors with which the cooling compartment is closable. By this
means, the cooling compartment can be configured larger or, on the
other hand, for the accessibility of the cooling compartment, the
opening of both doors must not necessarily take place, rather just
one door can be opened, so that an escape of refrigeration energy
is reduced and thus a more energy-efficient operation is possible.
Furthermore, not only a single very large door must be provided for
closing the cooling compartment, which would be heavy to actuate
and also would also need significantly larger dimensioned
hinges.
[0010] It is preferably provided that an ice maker of the
dispensing unit is arranged in the cooling compartment and is
spaced from the first door. Such a locally fixed installation of
the ice maker in the cooling compartment itself and thus externally
to the door enables a relatively small construction of the door
since only this one output unit of the dispensing unit must be
arranged on the door. An undesirably large protrusion of a rear
side of the first door is thereby prevented, so that in the open
state of the first door, such a large protrusion, since it is not
present, does not stand undesirably in the way with regard to
access to the cooling compartment.
[0011] In particular, it is provided that an ice maker of the
dispensing unit is arranged on the first door. In such embodiments,
the output unit and the ice maker are thus arranged in this first
door itself and are therefore positioned completely internally in
the door. The entire dispensing unit is therefore spatially fixed
to the door and is moved therewith. In an embodiment of this type,
additional components for connecting the ice maker and the output
unit, as in the embodiment described above in which the ice maker
is arranged in the cooling compartment, are therefore not required.
Interfaces between the ice maker and the output unit which with
permanent coupling and uncoupling must nevertheless be configured
lastingly sealing and enabling a continuous transfer are also not
required in this completely integrated embodiment of the dispensing
unit in the first door.
[0012] In particular, it is provided that the first additional part
is a furniture front panel. With this embodiment, the front
covering of the domestic refrigeration appliance can be
particularly advantageously adapted to the surroundings of the
installation niche in which the domestic refrigeration appliance
can be installed. In the closed state of the first door, the
domestic refrigeration appliance is then effectively no longer
recognizable as such in the region of the first door, but is
covered by the furniture front panel. A tidy and calm front-side
visual appearance of the furniture wall is thereby achieved.
[0013] In particular, it is preferably provided that at a front
side of the second door, a second additional part separate from the
second door is arranged as a facing or covering part. The
advantages achievable in this regard have already been set out
above in the description of the first additional part on the first
door.
[0014] Here also, it can be provided that the second additional
part is a furniture front panel.
[0015] In particular, it is provided that the domestic
refrigeration appliance has an adjusting device with which at least
the output unit of the dispensing unit is adjustable relative to
the first door and/or relative to the first additional part in at
least two spatial directions. This is a further very advantageous
embodiment since effectively a plurality of separate components are
provided which must be built in exactly positioned to one another.
This concerns firstly the first door, secondly the first additional
part and further additionally, at least the output unit. Since, due
to manufacturing tolerances and other tolerances, positional
inaccuracies can arise, these can be counteracted by the adjusting
device.
[0016] In particular, it is provided that the adjusting device is
also configured to adjust the additional part relative to the door
and/or relative to the output unit and also this is enabled
particularly in at least two spatial directions. In this context,
it can be achieved in a particularly advantageous manner that
firstly, at least, one of the two components, specifically for
example, the output unit or the additional part is in the
foreground and, in this regard, firstly, an orientation to one of
the two other components takes place. Once this has taken place, by
means of the adjusting device, the other component, specifically
the output unit or the additional part can then be adjusted, so
that the interplay of these specified three components with regard
to the respective individual desired position of at least one of
the other components can be achieved as well as possible.
[0017] It is preferably provided that the adjusting device has at
least one displaceable adjusting element which is asymmetrical in
shape and which is arranged in a niche offset forwardly in the
depth direction of the domestic refrigeration appliance relative to
a rear back wall region of a housing of the output unit, the niche
being delimited by a further back wall region of the housing
arranged further forward. This is a very advantageous embodiment,
since thus precisely when the whole dispensing unit is built into
the first door, the space requirement in the depth direction must
be kept as small as possible rearwardly. In this protruding
receptacle on the rear side of the first door on which the whole
dispensing unit is also installed, in particular, additional
thermal insulating material is also provided by means of which a
sufficient thermal insulation effect is to be achieved in the
closed state of the door to the cooling compartment. Since the
thermal insulating material is to be configured with a certain
thickness in the depth direction in order to be able also to
achieve an energy-efficient insulating effect, a certain build-up
here in the depth direction is unavoidable. If this adjusting
element were to adjoin the rear back wall region of the housing,
seen in the depth direction, additional structural space would be
required here, which would again enlarge the protruding receptacle
on the rear side of the door. In that with the advantageous
embodiment of the invention, such a niche region is now explicitly
provided in the design of the back wall region of the housing, this
structural space extension in the depth direction is no longer
required. The niche can accommodate this adjusting element and, in
particular, the adjusting element then no longer protrudes
rearwardly, seen in the depth direction, beyond this rear back wall
region so that the component part lying furthest rearward in the
depth direction is already formed by the rear back wall region and
adjoining this in the depth direction, the thermal insulating
material can again be introduced at the desired thickness.
[0018] It is preferably provided that the adjusting element is a
wedge. With an embodiment of this type, a particularly precise and
finely adjusted and also continuous position setting can take
place.
[0019] It is preferably provided that the domestic refrigeration
appliance has a water-conducting assembly with which water, in
particular from a water network externally to the appliance is
conductable to the dispensing unit. The water-conducting assembly
has at least one valve which is arranged on the first door or on
the second door. The supply of the water to the output unit and/or
to the ice maker is dosed with the valve. With such an embodiment,
access to the valve is improved and a position is also provided in
which freezing-up of the valve is prevented. The position of the at
least one valve in this regard is also advantageous particularly in
the embodiments in which the overall dispensing unit is arranged in
the door. Since therefore both conduits, of which one leads to the
output unit and the other to the ice maker, are then also laid as
extensively as possible in the door itself, the mounting of the at
least one valve, particularly two valves if the supply of water is
provided, firstly, to the output unit for the output of a liquid
and, secondly, to supply the ice maker to generate molded ice
elements, is advantageous. In this regard, short conduit routes can
also be realized with as few interfaces as possible. A possible
leakage problem is also thereby minimized.
[0020] It is provided, in particular, that further components of
the water-conducting assembly are arranged in a machine space of
the domestic refrigeration appliance, wherein the machine space is
situated, in particular, in a lower rear region of the housing. In
order to conduct the water from the machine space to the dispensing
unit, conduits are also laid which extend through a hinge with
which the first door is pivotably arranged on the housing, and then
are further laid in the door. A particularly special advantage is
to be seen therein that with an embodiment in which both the output
unit and also the dispensing unit are arranged in the door and in
that respect, therefore, two separate valves are also required,
only a single feed conduit from the machine space via the door
hinge to the two valves on the door is required, since the further
distribution via two separate conduits from the respective valves,
firstly, to the output unit and, secondly, to the ice maker is
already provided in the door itself. By this means, the difficult
interface for carrying out a water-conducting connection from
outside the door via the hinge to the door can also be improved,
since now only a single conduit must be fed through this hinge.
[0021] In particular, it is provided that the at least one valve is
arranged at a lower region of a door and is covered by the
additional part on the front side of the door. With this
embodiment, the valve is also arranged protected but nevertheless
easily accessible. Furthermore, with this exposed mounting on the
lower edge of the door, the valve is not in the way of other
components and in this regard also then does not restrict access to
the cooling compartment or the freezing compartment.
[0022] In particular, the valve is arranged on a lower edge of the
first door which closes the cooling compartment.
[0023] It is preferably provided that the output unit and an ice
maker of the dispensing unit are arranged on the first door and the
door is arranged to be pivotable on the housing with a
multiple-joint hinge, wherein the multiple-joint hinge is
configured such that a rotation axis of the first door is
displaceable or displaced in the width direction during the
pivoting movement of the first door. This is a particularly
advantageous embodiment since thus, firstly, the entire dispensing
unit can be arranged in the first door itself and a larger
construction in the depth direction rearwardly resulting therefrom
and thus at the rear side of the first door nevertheless does not
lead thereto that in the open state of the door, access to the
cooling compartment is undesirably restricted. Due to this
displacement of the rotation axis in the width direction and
therewith an automatic spatial displacement of the rotation axis
when the pivot movement of the first door is carried out, this door
therefore becomes automatically displaced further outwardly so that
here also the access to the cooling compartment is improved.
[0024] A further independent aspect of the invention relates to a
domestic refrigeration appliance with a housing in which a cooling
compartment is provided, which is closable by a first door movably
arranged on the housing. The domestic refrigeration appliance
further contains an output unit and an ice maker which are
components of a dispensing unit. The dispensing unit is configured
for the output of liquid and/or molded ice elements. The overall
dispensing unit and thus the output unit and the ice maker are
arranged on the first door and are therefore arranged internally in
the door. A rear side of the first door facing toward the cooling
compartment has a receptacle which is oriented protruding toward
the cooling compartment, and in which the dispensing unit is
arranged. A significant concept of this further independent aspect
of the invention is to be found therein that the first door is
pivotably arranged on the housing with at least one multiple-joint
hinge, in particular at least two multiple-joint hinges, wherein
the multiple-joint hinge has a mechanism with which during the
pivoting movement of the first door, a rotation axis of the first
door is displaceable or is displaced in the width direction of the
domestic refrigeration appliance. Thus, particularly in embodiments
of the domestic refrigeration appliance wherein the entire
dispensing unit is arranged internally in the door and wherein
therefore an enlarged structure is arranged in the depth direction
on the rear side of the door in comparison with embodiments in
which the ice maker is not arranged in the door but in the cooling
compartment itself, it is nevertheless achieved that the access to
the cooling compartment with the first door open is improved.
[0025] In a particularly advantageous manner, it is provided that
the multiple-joint hinge is an at least 4-joint hinge and the
mechanism has at least four pivot points.
[0026] It is provided in particular that the multiple-joint hinge
is an at least 7-joint hinge and that the mechanism has seven pivot
points. In complex multiple-joint hinges of this type, the
individual joint arms can very advantageously be so coupled that
during the movement sequence and thus during the pivoting movement
of the door, minimal structural space is required and the linear
displacement of the rotation axis in the width direction is
nevertheless also precisely achieved. Since particularly with such
complex movement sequences which, beside the pivoting movement also
effectively enable a linear movement, at least vectorially
considered, and thus enable a displacement of the rotation axis, in
addition, particularly in domestic refrigeration appliances with
such relatively heavy doors, the mechanical robustness is an
essential aspect. This is enabled, in particular, with such
many-jointed hinges, wherein particularly when the hinge is
intrinsically mechanically stable and robust and enables the
complex movement sequences, even of the individual hinge arms
relative to one another precisely and lastingly. This is fulfilled
to a particular degree especially in a multiple-joint hinge which
is a 7-joint hinge.
[0027] It is provided in a particularly advantageous manner that
the mechanism of the multiple-joint hinge is configured such that
in particular, the complete displacement of the rotation axis in
the width direction takes place only in a pre-determined angular
interval of the overall pivot movement of the first door. The
mechanism that is formed by the number of hinge arms is
particularly preferably provided in this embodiment in such a way,
and the hinge arms are coupled such that effectively on a first
movement component wherein the door is opened from a closed
position, therefore only one pivot movement takes place about the
then still fixed rotation axis and only during a further movement
component which is then defined by the pre-determined angular
interval along the pivot movement from an achieved opening angle of
the door, in addition to the pivoting and therefore rotary
movement, a linear movement takes place in which the local
displacement of the rotation axis takes place. With such an
embodiment in which this displacement of the rotation axis in the
width direction takes place over a partial interval of the whole
movement travel during the pivoting movement of the first door, the
complexity of the structure of the multiple-joint hinge can be
reduced.
[0028] It is provided, in particular, that this angular interval
lies between 85.degree. and 120.degree., particularly between
90.degree. and 115.degree., of the entire angular interval over
which the door can move. This angular interval is dimensioned,
starting from the closed position in which the door is arranged at
0.degree., and thus the lower interval limit gives the opening
angle from which, along the further opening route, the linear
displacement then also takes place. The displacement of this
rotation axis in the width direction thus takes place only with a
relatively widely opened door and over a relatively small angular
interval compared with the overall movement possibility and
therefore relative to the whole angular interval over which the
door can move. This is also advantageous in that the movement
process of the door taking place up to this angular interval does
not change or is not impaired and only when the door is relatively
wide open and is practically oriented essentially with its front
side in the depth direction, then a further displacement takes
place outwardly, so that here particularly in this angular interval
and starting from the then already achieved position of the door,
the lateral displacement predominates as compared with the further
rotary movement.
[0029] A further independent aspect of the invention relates to a
domestic refrigeration appliance with a housing in which a cooling
compartment is provided, which is closable by a first door movably
arranged on the housing. The domestic refrigeration appliance
further contains a dispensing unit which is configured for the
output of liquid and/or molded ice elements. The dispensing unit
contains an output unit and an ice maker wherein both the output
unit and also the ice maker are arranged on the first door itself
and are therefore arranged internally in the door. Furthermore, the
domestic refrigeration appliance contains a water-conducting
assembly with which water is conductable to the dispensing unit.
The water-conducting assembly has at least one valve which is
configured, in particular, to pass the water which is fed to the
water-conducting assembly, in particular, externally to the
appliance, in dosed manner to the output unit and/or the ice maker.
This at least one valve is arranged on the first door itself and
thus represents a component internal to the door. In particular, it
is provided that the water-conducting assembly has two separate
valves wherein by means of one valve, the conduit route to the
output unit and by means of the other valve, the conduit route to
the ice maker is provided. Further components of the
water-conducting assembly are arranged, in particular, in a machine
space of the domestic refrigeration appliance. Between these
further components of the water-conducting assembly in the machine
space and the at least one valve, a feed conduit is provided which
is laid via a hinge with which the first door is pivotably arranged
on the housing of the domestic refrigeration appliance. Even if two
valves are provided, arranged internally to the first door, only a
single such common feed conduit is laid from the machine space via
the hinge of the door to the two valves. A separate connecting
conduit is then laid from each of the two valves between the valve
and the output unit, on one side, and the other valve and the ice
maker.
[0030] Advantageous embodiments of one independent aspect of the
invention are to be regarded as advantageous embodiments of a
further independent aspect of the invention.
[0031] The stipulations "above", "below", "in front", "behind",
"horizontal", "vertical", "depth direction", "width direction",
"height direction", etc., indicate positions and orientations on
proper use and proper arrangement of the appliance and with an
observer positioned in front of the device and looking in the
direction of the device.
[0032] Further features and embodiments of the invention are
disclosed in the claims, the drawings and the description of the
drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned in
the description above and the following features and combinations
of features in the description of the drawings and/or shown in the
drawings alone are usable not only in the respective combination
given, but also in other combinations without departing from the
scope of the invention. Embodiments of the invention which are not
explicitly shown in the figures and described, but which arise and
can be created through separate combinations of features from the
embodiments described can therefore also be considered to be
included and disclosed. Embodiments and combinations of features
can also be regarded as disclosed which therefore do not have all
the features of an originally formulated independent claim.
Furthermore, embodiments and combinations of features are to be
regarded as disclosed, in particular by the embodiments disclosed
above which go beyond or deviate from the combinations of features
represented by the references in the claims.
[0033] Other features which are considered as characteristic for
the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
[0034] Although the invention is illustrated and described herein
as embodied in a domestic refrigeration appliance with a cooling
compartment and a freezing compartment and with a dispensing unit
accessible through a hole in an additional component of a door, it
is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown,
since various modifications and structural changes may be made
therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and
within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
[0035] The construction and method of operation of the invention,
however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof
will be best understood from the following description of specific
embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0036] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, front view of a first exemplary
embodiment of an inventive domestic refrigeration appliance;
[0037] FIG. 2 is a front view of a further exemplary embodiment of
an inventive domestic refrigeration appliance;
[0038] FIG. 3 is a front view of the domestic refrigeration
appliance of FIG. 2 with opened doors, which are configured for
closing a cooling compartment;
[0039] FIG. 4 is a front view according to FIG. 3, wherein, as
distinct from the embodiment of FIG. 3, a dispensing unit is
completely installed on one of the two doors;
[0040] FIG. 5 is a simplified schematic representation of a door of
the domestic refrigeration appliance, where valves of a
water-conducting assembly are built in;
[0041] FIG. 6 is a schematic vertical sectional view through a sub
region of a door for closing the cooling compartment of the
domestic refrigeration appliance;
[0042] FIG. 7 is an enlarged representation of a sub region of FIG.
6;
[0043] FIG. 8 is a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the
domestic refrigeration appliance, in which different positions of
the door are shown; and
[0044] FIG. 9 is an enlarged representation of a partial portion of
FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0045] In the figures, the same or functionally identical elements
are provided with the same reference characters.
[0046] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and
first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown an exemplary
embodiment of a domestic refrigeration appliance 1 in a front view,
which has a housing 2 in which a cooling compartment 3 is arranged
which is closable at the front by a first door 4. The domestic
refrigeration appliance 1 also contains a freezing compartment 5
separate from the cooling compartment 3, which is closable by a
second door 6. The doors 4 and 6 represent front external parts
which in the movement with which the doors 4 and 6 spread out, are
arranged mutually parallel and overlap-free.
[0047] It is also provided that the cooling compartment 3 is
closable by the one door 4. The domestic refrigeration appliance 1
further contains a front-side panel-shaped additional part which is
configured, in particular, as a furniture front panel and which is
arranged on a front side of the door 4 and is configured covering
it over the extent of the surface. The additional part 7 covers
this front surface of the door 4 practically completely and has
only one hole 8 through which a niche 9 of a dispensing unit 10 is
accessible. The dispensing unit 10 is configured for the output of
liquid and/or molded ice elements and is a component of the
domestic refrigeration appliance 1.
[0048] Additionally, a further furniture front panel is provided as
an additional part 11 which is arranged on the front side of the
door 6 and covers this front side or front surface entirely. The
two additional parts 7 and 11 are separate components.
[0049] FIG. 2 shows a front view of a further exemplary embodiment
of a domestic refrigeration appliance 1 in which, as distinct from
the embodiment of FIG. 1, the cooling compartment 3 is closable by
two separate doors 4a and 4b, each of which is pivotable about a
pivot axis or rotation axis oriented in the height direction
(y-direction). In this exemplary embodiment, it is provided that a
plate-like additional part 7a covers the door 4a on the front side
and a plate-like additional part 7b covers the door 4b on the front
side. The additional part 7a is arranged on a front side 41a of the
door 4a and the additional part 7b is arranged on a front side 41b
of the door 4b.
[0050] The domestic refrigeration appliances 1 are configured, in
particular, as built-in appliances and can thus be arranged in an
installation niche of a furniture wall. A built-in appliance is
also characterized, in particular and as is generally the case, in
that it has fastening devices for a separate covering part such as
a furniture front panel and/or fastening devices for fastening the
domestic refrigeration appliance to delimiting walls of an
installation niche and/or side walls and/or a roof wall of the
housing 2 are formed as panels made of paperboard. A proper
arrangement of the built-in appliance requires, in particular,
installation in an installation niche.
[0051] FIG. 3 shows the exemplary embodiment of the domestic
refrigeration appliance 1 of FIG. 2 in an embodiment in which the
dispensing unit 10 is arranged with an associated ice maker 12 in
the cooling compartment 3. This means that the ice maker 12 is
accessible only via the front-side loading opening of the
receptacle chamber or the cooling compartment 3. With regard to the
arrangement in the cooling compartment 3, the ice maker 12 is
positioned so that a wall region, in particular a front-side wall
region, of a receptacle container 13 of the ice maker 12 directly
represents a delimiting wall of the cooling compartment 3.
Otherwise, the ice maker 12 is installed in a trough-like
installation region which is formed in an inner container 14 by the
walls of which the cooling compartment 3 is delimited. The
receptacle container 13 is configured for receiving molded ice
elements that are generated by the ice maker 12.
[0052] The dispensing unit 10 further contains an output unit 15
which is provided in the door 4a. By means of the output unit 15,
the liquid and/or molded ice elements can be output into the niche
9 in which a receiving vessel can be placed.
[0053] FIG. 4 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a domestic
refrigeration appliance 1, which is based upon the embodiment of
FIG. 2 and is an alternative to the embodiment of FIG. 3. In this
embodiment, the entire dispensing unit 10 is arranged in the door
4a, which means that both the output unit 15 and also the ice maker
12 are arranged therein. The domestic refrigeration appliance 1, as
described in the exemplary embodiments above, contains in a rear
lower region 16, a machine space 17 in which a water-conducting
assembly 18 (FIG. 5) is arranged. This water-conducting assembly 18
is responsible for passing water which is fed in externally to the
appliance, for example, via a domestic water network, to the
domestic refrigeration appliance 1, on to the dispensing unit 10.
For this purpose, it is provided that components of this
water-conducting assembly 18 are arranged externally to this
machine space 17. In particular, it is provided here that a first
valve 19 is arranged externally to the machine space 17, wherein
this first valve 19 which belongs to the water-conducting assembly
18 is arranged on a door, in particular, the door 4a, as shown in
FIG. 5 in this exemplary embodiment. In the embodiment of FIG. 1,
this valve 19 would be arranged on the door 4.
[0054] By means of a first valve 19, water is conducted, in
particular, to the output unit 15 in order to be able to output the
relevant liquid there, for example as a drink or a mixed drink. For
this purpose, a dedicated conduit 20 is provided which extends
between the valve 19 and the output unit 15.'
[0055] Particularly when the dispensing unit 10 is also configured
for the output of molded ice elements and has the ice maker 12, a
second valve 21 is provided which in the exemplary embodiment is
preferably also arranged on the door 4a, in particular if the ice
maker 12 is also arranged in the door 4a. The same applies if the
whole dispensing unit 10 is arranged with the ice maker 12 and the
output unit 15 in the door 4 of the exemplary embodiment according
to FIG. 1. It is herein then also provided that, by means of a
dedicated conduit 22 between the second valve 21 and the ice maker
12, the relevant water supply takes place in a dosed manner.
[0056] It is advantageous in an embodiment of this type that a
conduit 23 which extends between the components of the
water-conducting assembly 18 in the machine space 17 and the valves
19 and 21 arranged on the door 4a is configured merely as a single
feed conduit. The conduit 23 is laid from the machine space 17 via
a hinge 24 (FIG. 4) to the valves 19 and 21. Due to the arrangement
of both valves 19 and 21 in the door 4a, it is also not necessary
to lay two separate conduits from the machine space 17 to the door
4a, so that space is saved specifically in the region of the
passage at the hinge 24.
[0057] FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation in a partial portion
with a view toward the door 4a seen from inside and thus toward a
rear side 25 of the door 4a. It is provided in particular that at
least one valve 19 and/or 21 is arranged on a lower edge 26 of the
door 4a.
[0058] In the embodiment of FIG. 5, it is advantageously provided
that the valves 19 and 21, in a front view of the domestic
refrigeration appliance 1 and with the door 4, 4a closed, are
hidden by the additional parts 7, 7a.
[0059] In FIG. 6, in a vertical sectional representation, a partial
portion of the door 4 or also the door 4a is shown. The embodiment
and the description apply for both exemplary embodiments of the
domestic refrigeration appliance according to FIG. 1, as well as
for the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 2 to 4.
[0060] As shown here, the dispensing unit 10 extends at least with
the output unit 15 and preferably also with the ice maker 12 in the
door 4, 4a. By this means, there results a protruding receptacle 27
locally on the rear side 25, in which the dispensing unit 10 is
arranged. Due to a required thermal insulating effect of the door
4, 4a, a suitable structure in the depth direction (z-direction) is
needed and thermal insulating material 28 is required between the
components of the dispensing unit 10 and a rearward delimiting wall
region of the rear side 25. Precisely when, but not only when, the
dispensing unit 10 is arranged both with the output unit 15 and
also the ice maker 13 in the door 4, 4a, there therefore results a
corresponding build-up in the depth direction.
[0061] The domestic refrigeration appliance 1 contains, in
particular, an adjusting device 29 as shown symbolically in the
enlarged illustration in FIG. 7 showing the detail I shown in FIG.
6. The adjusting device 29 is configured such that the dispensing
unit 10 in the door 4, 4a is adjustable in at least two spatial
directions relative to the furniture front panel (not shown in
FIGS. 6 and 7), which is configured in the form of the additional
part 7, 7a. Furthermore, the adjusting device 29 is, in particular,
also configured such that the dispensing unit 10 in the door 4, 4a
is adjustable not only in at least these two spatial directions
relative to the door 4, 4a, but in addition or instead, is also
adjustable relative to this additional part 7, 7a in at least two
spatial directions. In particular it is provided that this
adjusting device 29 is also configured for adjusting the additional
part 7, 7a relative to the door 4, 4a, so that here, in each case,
a plurality of the three mentioned components, specifically the
door 4, 4a, the additional part 7, 7a and the dispensing unit 10
can be aligned relative to one another. By this means, a highly
precise and extremely positionally accurate arrangement of these
three components to one another can be enabled. By this means,
individual and finely adjusted positional displacements of the
respectively mentioned components relative to one another, at least
in pairs, are possible.
[0062] In particular, the adjusting device 29 contains at least one
adjusting element 30, preferably a plurality of such adjusting
elements 30, as shown symbolically in FIG. 7. The adjusting element
30 is displaceably arranged and is configured asymmetrically in
form. In particular, the adjusting element 30 is configured as a
wedge. In a particularly advantageous manner, it is provided that
this adjusting element 30 is arranged offset in the depth direction
and thus in the z-direction of the domestic refrigeration appliance
1 relative to a rear back wall region 31 of a housing 32 of the
output unit 15 or the housing of the dispensing unit 10 seen in the
depth direction, toward the front, and thus in a positive
z-direction relative to this rear back wall region 31. In
particular, the housing 32 contains a niche 33 for this purpose,
which is delimited by a further back wall region 34 arranged
further forward in the positive z-direction. This further back wall
region 34 is therefore offset forwardly as compared with the
rearmost or rear back wall region 31, so that this niche 33 is
created in the lower region of the housing 32. This is a very
advantageous embodiment since thereby no additional structure is
required in the depth direction, which otherwise would be provided
if the adjusting device 29, in particular the adjusting element 30
were arranged adjoining the rear back wall region 31 toward the
rear and were to engage with this rear back wall region 31 for
position adjustment. By means of this niche 33 as provided, the
rearward structure with the insulating material 28 is therefore not
to be enlarged again and in this region of the niche 33, there is
already in effect a sufficient material thickness of the insulating
material 28 present.
[0063] It can be provided that the adjusting device 29 contains at
least two such adjusting elements 30 which are arranged at
different sites and enable a very continuous and finely adjusted
position displacement in at least two spatial directions. The
adjusting device 29 can be configured, in particular, as a purely
mechanical adjusting device.
[0064] FIG. 8 shows a plan view of the domestic refrigeration
appliance 1. The door 4, 4a is shown, firstly, in the closed state.
For the sake of clarity, the additional part 7 is not shown in FIG.
8.
[0065] As indicated above, the door 4, 4a is arranged pivotable on
the housing 2 by means, in particular, of two hinges 24. For this
purpose, a vertical rotation axis A is provided which therefore
extends in the height direction. The hinges 24 are configured, in
particular, as at least 7-joint hinges and each have a mechanism 35
(FIG. 9) by means of which during the pivot movement of this door
4, 4a, this central rotation axis A of the door 4, 4a is
automatically displaced in the width direction and thus in the
x-direction of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1. This means
that, during its pivot movement, the door 4, 4a undergoes not only
such a rotary movement, but simultaneously also a linear
displacement movement outwardly in the width direction. This means
that the door 4, 4a is then displaced to a certain extent beside
the housing 2.
[0066] For this purpose, it is provided, in particular, that the
mechanism 35 is configured such that the displacement of the door
4, 4a in the width direction takes place only in a pre-determined
angular interval of the overall pivot movement of the door 4, 4a.
In particular, it is provided that this angular interval is between
85.degree. and 120.degree., in particular between 90.degree. and
115.degree., wherein the lower interval limit of this angular
interval represents an opening angle of the door 4, 4a which is
measured starting from the closed position of the door 4, 4a as
shown in FIG. 8. This also means that particularly on the movement
path between the closed position of the door 4, 4a to this lower or
smaller interval limit, exclusively a rotary movement is carried
out and then at this angular interval between 0.degree. and this
lower interval limit value, no linear displacement in the width
direction takes place. Furthermore, it is also provided that the
hinges 24 with their mechanism 35 are configured so that the door
4, 4a also carries out a linear movement in the depth direction,
wherein this takes place such that the door 4, 4a is linearly
displaced during its pivot movement toward the housing in this
depth direction. In particular it is provided that the door 4, 4a
is displaced in the width direction (x-direction) in relation to a
corner region 36 by a value x1 (FIG. 9). In particular it is also
provided that the door 4, 4a is displaced during its pivot movement
in the depth direction (z-direction) of the domestic refrigeration
appliance 1 in relation to the corner region 36 by a value z1 (FIG.
9) in the direction of the housing 2. In relation to a rotation
axis A of the door 4, 4a, this rotation axis A is displaced by a
value x2 in the width direction and by a value z2 in the depth
direction. The values x1 and x2 can be the same or different and/or
the values z1 and z2 can be the same or different.
[0067] In FIG. 9, in this regard, an enlarged representation is
shown in which the four positions of the door 4, 4a at 0.degree.,
90.degree. and 115.degree. are illustrated. As shown, for example,
at the rear outer corner region 36 of the door 4, 4a, it moves
outwardly, for example, along a displacement path with the value x1
in the width direction and thus away from the housing 2. In the
depth direction, this corner region 36 moves along a displacement
path with the value z1 rearwardly and thus in the direction of the
housing 2, wherein this setting of the two paths is begun, in
particular, only after reaching an opening angle of the door 4, 4a,
in particular from 85.degree., preferably from 90.degree. and in
particular until the angle of 115.degree. is reached or completed.
Similar applies to the routes with the values x2 and z2.
[0068] In all the exemplary embodiments, it can also be provided
that a pedestal 37 is also present (FIGS. 1, 2). The housing 2 can
be placed on this pedestal 37, so that the functioning as a
built-in appliance is further improved. By means of the pedestal
37, the adaptation to existing situations in the furniture wall can
be achieved and thus the individual height position of the domestic
refrigeration appliance 1 in this furniture wall can be adapted. It
can be provided that the domestic refrigeration appliance has an
adjusting device with which the pedestal 37 is adjustable in the
depth direction of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1.
[0069] The mechanism 35 of the multiple-joint hinge contains, in
particular, seven separate joint arms which are joined to one
another in articulate manner so that the hinge 24 has seven
rotation points. The rotation axis A in question can relate in this
regard to a central axis of the hinge 24 or can additionally or
alternatively relate to a specific point of the door 4, 4a, for
example, the corner point 36, wherein here also other points of the
door 4, 4a can be used as reference points for this position
change. By means of the hinge 24, therefore, not only a pivot
movement alone, but also a pivot-displacement movement or a
rotation-linear movement can be pre-determined as a coupled
movement for the movement sequence of the door 4, 4a.
[0070] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and
the corresponding structure used in the above description of the
invention: [0071] 1 Domestic refrigeration appliance [0072] 2
Housing [0073] 3 Cooling compartment [0074] 4 Door [0075] 4a Door
[0076] 4b Door [0077] 5 Freezing compartment [0078] 6 Door [0079] 7
Additional part [0080] 7a Additional part [0081] 8 Hole [0082] 9
Niche [0083] 10 Dispensing unit [0084] 11 Furniture front panel
[0085] 12 Ice maker [0086] 13 Receptacle container [0087] 14
Internal container [0088] 15 Output unit [0089] 16 Lower region
[0090] 17 Machine space [0091] 18 Water-conducting assembly [0092]
19 Valve [0093] 20 Conduit [0094] 21 Valve [0095] 22 Conduit [0096]
23 Conduit [0097] 24 Hinge [0098] 25 Rear side [0099] 26 Lower edge
[0100] 27 Receptacle [0101] 28 Thermal insulating material [0102]
29 Adjusting device [0103] 30 Adjusting element [0104] 31 Rear back
wall region [0105] 32 Housing [0106] 33 Niche [0107] 34 Back wall
region [0108] 35 Mechanism [0109] 36 Corner region [0110] 37
Pedestal [0111] 41a Front side [0112] 41b Front side [0113] A
Rotation axis [0114] .alpha. Angle
* * * * *