EP2010842B1 - Refrigerator comprising a dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator with a housing and a arranged on a front side of the housing output device for flowable or pourable refrigerated goods such as ice and chilled water in particular. Such refrigerators are enjoying increasing popularity among users.

There is also a demand for refrigerators that can be installed, that is, whose doors can be fitted with a prefabricated decorative panel whose design features are the same as those on the fronts of adjacent furniture or appliances. In order to align such a decorative plate exactly on the adjacent fronts, it is usually adjustable in relation to the door carrying them in several directions in space.

If an ice dispenser or water dispenser is installed in the door of a refrigeration appliance with a glazed decorative panel, the problem arises that the decorative panel must not block access to the dispenser. However, when a window is cut into the decorative panel for access to the dispenser, as the decorative panel is adjusted, the window also shifts with respect to the dispenser. If the output device is installed in a niche on the front side, as is often the case, the niche and windows may overlap incompletely, or between the edges of the niche and those of the window parts of the front side may become visible depending on the adjustment of different widths. Therefore, it is difficult to make a visually appealing transition between the door and the decorative panel in the area of the dispenser.

The DE 90 10 785 U1 discloses a cooling device, in particular built-in refrigerator, with a dispensing device for cooled drinks, the valve-controlled outlet is arranged in a trough-like molded part lined, externally accessible niche of his door, the door is veneered with an attached furniture front panel in Height of the niche cut out and provided with a recess covering the panel.

The WO 2007/062951 A2 discloses at the front of the housing of a refrigerator, an output device for flowable or pourable refrigerated goods. A sleeve, through which the dispensing device is accessible, is arranged projecting from the front side and surrounded by a circumferential, protruding from the sleeve frame. A known way of overcoming these problems is to place the dispenser in a non-door area of the front and to provide no decorative panel in this area. However, this solution is unsatisfactory because, as parts of the refrigeration appliance remain visible, it ultimately represents no real built-in appliance, and moreover, it leads to a poor space utilization in the refrigerator, because this can not be opened on its entire front.

Object of the present invention is to provide a refrigeration device with a arranged in a front niche of his housing output device, which is suitable to be equipped with a vorgeblendeten decorative plate, and thereby despite any adjustability of the decorative plate an attractive transition between the niche and the decorative plate create.

The object is achieved in that in a refrigerator with a housing and arranged in a front niche of the housing output device for flowing and / or pourable refrigerated goods, in which the front of the housing is at least partially blinded by an adjustable decorative plate, the niche an opening in the decorative panel is accessible and a sleeve for the output device and the opening of the decorative plate open towards the sleeve is adjustably mounted in the niche. By hiding the side walls of such a sleeve for the front of the device, the side walls of the niche and the position of the sleeve is adjustable to match the position of the decorative panel, an attractive appearance of the device can be ensured despite adjustability of the decorative plate.

According to the invention an adjustable attachment of the sleeve is achieved in the niche with the aid of screws, each passing through a slot formed in a wall of the sleeve and engage in a thread in a wall of the niche, said wall of the sleeve opposite. Such a slot allows an adjustment of the sleeve with respect to the niche in at least one spatial direction.

Preferably, the screws pass the slots playfully in two mutually orthogonal directions to make the sleeve adjustable in these two directions, preferably clamping the wall of the sleeve between said wall of the recess and a washer.

In order to be able to fix the sleeve also in different positions with respect to a direction perpendicular to the plane of the wall of the sleeve penetrated by the screw, the walls of the sleeve and the recess preferably extend at an acute angle to each other, and a wedge is clamped between the walls ,

To ensure that the wedge does not slip under the pressure of the screw, preferably at least one surface of the wedge and a surface of one of the walls contacted by it are toothed complementary to each other.

For reasons of stability, it is advantageous if the wedge has a bore which is penetrated by one of the screws. The hole can be open edge.

In order to be able to position the wedge comfortably, it is also expedient if it is rail-guided on one of the walls, preferably on the wall of the sleeve.

The sleeve should also have an opening through which the wedge is accessible for movement when the sleeve is placed in the niche.

The penetrated by the screw or threaded walls may be per se any walls of the sleeve and the niche, but preferably they are rear walls thereof, since then the sleeve fixing screws are more convenient to handle than about screws in the bottom walls of sleeve and niche , A screwing of bottom or side walls or ceilings of the niche and the sleeve is not necessary in particular when the sleeve is supported on the opening of the decorative plate.

An engagement of the sleeve in the opening of the decorative plate not only makes it possible to support the sleeve on the decorative plate, but also facilitates their adjustment to match the position of the decorative plate.

A between the edges of the opening of the decorative plate and the engaging portion of the sleeve in the region of the sleeve usually existing gap can be filled by an inserted frame.

An attached to the sleeve - by plugging in the gap or otherwise - fixed frame can cover a surrounding the opening edge region of the decorative plate, so that the gap is not visible from the outside.

In order to allow adaptation to decorative panels of different thicknesses, the frame can be composed of several successive rings in the depth direction of the niche.

Operating elements of the dispensing device are expediently integrated into the sleeve. The position of the controls is thereby variable with respect to the output device, but this is particularly difficult when the controls generate electrical signals to drive the output device.

Fig. 1

eine auseinandergezogene perspektivische Ansicht eines Kältegeräts mit Ausgabevorrichtung, einer Hülse und einer Dekorplatte gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Fig. 2

einen schematischen Schnitt durch die Tür des Kältegeräts der Fig. 1 in vertikaler Richtung im zusammengebauten und justierten Zustand;

Fig. 3

eine fragmentarische perspektivische Ansicht der Nische und der Hülse des Kältegeräts im zusammengebauten Zustand;

Fig. 4

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Keils, der zum Einklemmen zwischen Nische und Hülse in Fig. 3 vorgesehen ist;

Fig. 5

einen vergrößerten Schnitt durch den Keil und dessen Umgebung;

Fig. 6

einen zur Fig. 2 analogen Schnitt gemäß einer zweiten Ausgestaltung der Erfindung;

Fig. 7

einen zur Fig. 2 analogen Schnitt gemäß einer dritten Ausgestaltung der Erfindung;

Fig. 8

ein vergrößertes Detail gemäß einer vierten Ausgestaltung der Erfindung; und

Fig. 9

dasselbe vergrößerte Detail gemäß einer fünften Ausgestaltung der Erfindung.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:

Fig. 1

an exploded perspective view of a refrigerator with dispenser, a sleeve and a decorative plate according to the present invention;

Fig. 2

a schematic section through the door of the refrigerator of Fig. 1 in the vertical direction in the assembled and adjusted state;

Fig. 3

a fragmentary perspective view of the niche and the sleeve of the refrigerator in the assembled state;

Fig. 4

a perspective view of a wedge, which is to pinch between niche and sleeve in Fig. 3 is provided;

Fig. 5

an enlarged section through the wedge and its surroundings;

Fig. 6

one to Fig. 2 analog section according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 7

one to Fig. 2 analog section according to a third embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8

an enlarged detail according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 9

the same enlarged detail according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a refrigerator such as a refrigerator, a freezer or a fridge-freezer combination with a body 1 and hinged to the body 1 door, which forms the entire front of the device. Inside the unit there is an automatic icemaker and a water tank which, as known per se, are not described here. An icemaker ice dispenser and water from the tank are located at the ceiling of a niche 3 formed centrally in the door 2. In Fig. 1 the dispenser is not visible.

The door 2 is provided to be faced with a decorative plate 5. The decorative panel 5 is provided at its in the Fig. Not visible back with fittings for vertical and in the width and depth direction of the body 1 adjustable suspension of the decorative panel 5 on the door 2. Since the skilled person suitable fittings are known, their structure is not discussed here.

The edge lengths of the decorative panel 5 are slightly larger than that of the door 2. The excess of the decorative panel 5 is selected depending on the adjustment movement freedom of the decorative panel 5 in the vertical direction and in the width direction so that the door 2 in any possible position of the decorative panel 5 completely from this is hidden.

The decorative plate 5 is provided with a central cutout 6 which lies in front of the niche 3 when the decorative plate 5 is mounted on the door 2. The edge lengths of the rectangular section 6 correspond approximately to the dimensions of the niche 3 in the height and width directions.

An adapter part 7, which may for example be integrally formed from plastic, comprises a sleeve 8 of rectangular cross-section whose edge lengths are each smaller by the adjustment freedom in height and width direction of the decorative plate 5 with respect to the door 2 than the corresponding dimensions of the cutout 6th or the niche 3.

From the outer sides of the sleeve 8 is a circumferential ridge 9 from which is provided to serve as a stop for the fixation of the adapter part 7, as will be explained in more detail later.

The sleeve 8 is closed by a rear wall 10 and is provided to place therein a container 11 to be filled with water or ice. In the top and the rear wall 10 of the sleeve 8, a cutout 12 is formed through which the dispenser can fill the container 11.

Fig. 2 shows a partial section through the door 2 and the decorative plate 5 in the vicinity of the niche 3. In the ceiling of the niche is an outlet port of the dispenser 4 can be seen through the water and ice in the (in Fig. 2 not shown) placed in the sleeve 8 container 11 can be filled. The position of the adapter part 7 with respect to the niche 3 is determined by the fact that the web 9 rests against the back of the decorative plate 5 and engages over the web 9 projecting forward portion of the sleeve 8 in the cutout 6 of the decorative plate. In this position, the adapter part 7 is fixed by means of four screws 13, each passing through a slot in each corner of the rear wall 10 and a wedge 14 and engage in a thread in the rear wall of the niche 3.

The manner of attachment of the adapter part 7 in the niche 3 is clearer from Fig. 3 which shows a fragmentary perspective view of the adapter part 7 and the niche 3 accommodating the adapter part. As can be seen in this illustration, the rear wall 15 of the niche 3 is bulged in a horizontal section and has a center section 16 parallel to the rear wall 10 of the adapter part 7 and two side sections 17 facing away from the rear wall 10 to the sides each a grooved surface with a plurality of vertical grooves.

Of the already mentioned four screws 13 is in Fig. 3 one shown, which passes through a slot 18 in the lower right corner of the rear wall 10. A corresponding slot 18 is in the lower left corner of the rear wall 10 and in the in the Fig. 3 not shown upper corners of the rear wall 10 is formed. The vertical and horizontal dimensions of the slots 18 correspond approximately to the Justierbewegungsfreiheit the Decorative panel 5 with respect to the door 2 and are considerably larger than the heads of the screws 13. To prevent the screws pass through the slots 18, they are each provided with an elongated washer 19, whose width is large enough so that in each possible position of the screws 13 in their slots both ends of the washers 19 abut the rear wall 10. Thus, the screws 13 and the elongated holes 18 allow the adapter 7 to be positioned variably in the height and width direction of the body 1 in the niche 3.

Between the rear wall 10 of the adapter part 7 and the side portions 16 of the rear wall of the niche 3, a wedge 14 is placed at the level of each slot 18. Fig. 4 shows one of these wedges in perspective view. The wedge has a flat front side 20 facing the rear wall 10 and a rear side 21 which is corrugated in a complementary manner to the side sections 16, so that in each case a projection of the rear side 21 of the wedge 14 can engage in a recess of the side section 16. Thus, the wedge 14 is fixed in the lateral direction when it is clamped between the rear walls 10 of the adapter part 7 and 15 of the niche 3 by a screw 13.

The dimension of the oblong hole 22 in the horizontal direction is greater than that of the oblong hole 14, on the one hand not to affect the adjustability of the adapter part 7 in the lateral direction and on the other hand a displaceability of the wedge 14 in the lateral direction with respect to both the adapter part 7 and the niche 3.

At the top and bottom of the wedge 14 two narrow webs 23 are formed, which are separated by a notch 24 from each other. As in the sectional view of Fig. 5 to recognize, engage these webs 23 in mutually facing grooves on the back of the rear wall 10 a. In order to form these grooves limiting angle profiles 25 in a simple manner integrally with the rest of the rear wall 10, each narrow horizontal slots 26 are formed in the rear wall in height of the angle sections 25, by the projection of a molding tool through the wall 10 during injection of the adapter part 7 reach through. However, the slots 26 not only facilitate the formation of the adapter part 7, but they also provide the ability to position the wedges 14 between the rear walls 10, 15 in the width direction when the adapter part. 7 already introduced into the niche 3. For this purpose, it is sufficient to introduce a sharp tool such as a screwdriver through one of the slots 26 into the notch 24 of the underlying wedge 14. The displacement of the wedges causes an adjustment of the adapter part 7 in the depth direction of the body. 1

Fig. 6 shows one to Fig. 2 analog section according to a second embodiment of the invention. The manner of fixing the adapter part 7 in the niche 3 is the same as in the embodiment of Fig. 1 to 5 and will not be described again. The difference between the two embodiments is that in the embodiment of Fig. 6 the section 6 of the decorative plate 6 in the vertical direction is significantly larger than in Fig. 2 and that on the adapter part 7 above the sleeve 8, a plate 27 flush with the front of the decorative plate 5 is formed, on the operating and display elements such as buttons 28 for triggering the dispensing of water or lights for displaying the Functioning of ice and / or water dispensers are appropriate. An electronics module 29 mounted behind the plate 27, which generates the display signals and converts user inputs into control signals for the ice maker or the water dispenser, is connected to the ice maker or the water dispenser via a flexible cable 30, which controls an adjustment movement of the decorative plate 5 or the water dispenser Adapter part 7 with respect to the door 2 easy to follow.

A again modified embodiment is in Fig. 7 in one too Fig. 2 analog section shown. Again, the suspension of the adapter part 7 in the niche 3 is the same as in the embodiments described above. The surrounding the sleeve 8 web 9 is omitted in this embodiment; instead, the sleeve 8 is surrounded by an attached frame 31, whose four sides are each formed by in section L-shaped profiles. The frame 31 frictionally engages around the adapter part 7, and a gap 32 between the edges of the cutout 6 of the decorative panel 5 and the legs of the frame 31 engaging in the cutout 6 is directed outwardly through the other leg of the frame 31 resting against the outside of the decorative panel 5 covered. This embodiment makes it possible to compensate for manufacturing tolerances in the dimensions of the section 6. In addition, it can be used with decorative panels 5 of different thickness.

A third embodiment is in Fig. 8 explained with reference to an enlarged partial section. Shown is a section through an edge region of the cutout 6 and engaging in the cutout 6 sleeve 8 of the adapter part 7. Also according to this embodiment, no web 9 is provided so that the sleeve 8 in the depth direction substantially freely placeable in relation to the decorative plate 5 is. Again, the sleeve 8 is surrounded on all four sides by a frame 33, which, however, not here on the front of the decorative panel 5 extends, but only the gap 32 between the edge of the decorative panel 5 and the sleeve 8 fills.

A well-suited for use with decorative panels 5 of widely differing thickness is in Fig. 9 in one too Fig. 8 shown analogue section. Here, the problem arises that if the adapter piece 7 does not engage deeply enough in the recess 3, it may become impossible to fill a container because the dispenser 4 no longer hits it, but on the other hand, it is desirable to open the edges of the aperture 6 of the decorative panel 5 to be able to cover. As in the case of Fig. 7 Here is a frame 34 frictionally fitted to the sleeve 8, and an outer frame piece 35 of the frame 34 is integrally formed or assembled from the section L-shaped profiles, each one externally applied to the decorative panel 5 and the gap 32 concealing outer leg 36th and an engaging in the cutout 6 inner leg 37. The inner leg 37 carries here at its inner end a spring 38 which engages positively and frictionally engaged in a groove of an extension ring 39. A corresponding spring 38 is formed at the opposite end of the extension ring 39, so that if necessary, another, not shown here identical extension ring could be infected to the extension ring 39. There are 5 so many extension rings 39 attached to the frame piece 35, as required to produce a continuous connection between the decorative plate 5 and the sleeve 8 according to the thickness of the decorative plate.

Claims (15)

1. Refrigerator with a housing (1, 2) and a dispensing device (4) arranged in a front-side recess (3) of the housing (1, 2) for flowable and/or pourable chilled items, wherein the front side (2) of the housing (1, 2) is at least partially covered by an adjustable decorative panel (5) and the recess (3) is accessible through an opening (6) in the decorative panel (5) and that a case (8) which is open towards the dispensing device (4) and the opening (6) of the decorative panel is fastened adjustably in the recess (3), characterised in that the case (8) is fastened in the recess (3) by means of screws (13) which are each inserted in a slot (18) formed in a wall (10) of the case (8) and engage in a thread in a wall (15, 17) of the recess (3) which lies opposite said wall (10) of the case (8).
2. Refrigerator according to claim 1, characterised in that the screws (13) are inserted in the slots (18) with play in two directions which are orthogonal to each other and clamp the wall (10) of the case (8) between said wall (15, 17) of the recess (3) and a washer (19).
3. Refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the walls (10, 17) of the case (8) and the recess (3) run towards each other at an acute angle and a wedge (14) is clamped between the walls (10, 17).
4. Refrigerator according to claim 3, characterised in that at least one surface (21) of the wedge (14) and a surface touched by it of one of the walls (17) are complementarily toothed.
5. Refrigerator according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the wedge (14) has a drilled hole (22) into which one of the screws (13) is inserted.
6. Refrigerator according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the wedge (14) is rail-guided on one of the walls (10).
7. Refrigerator according to claim 6, characterised in that the wall on which the wedge (14) is rail-guided is the wall (10) of the case (8).
8. Refrigerator according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterised in that the wall (10) of the case (8) has an opening (26) through which the wedge (14) is accessible so that it can be moved.
9. Refrigerator according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the walls (10, 17) are rear walls of the recess (3) and of the case (8) in each case.
10. Refrigerator according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the case (8) engages in the opening (6) of the decorative panel (5).
11. Refrigerator according to claim 10, characterised in that the case (8) is supported on the opening (6) of the decorative panel (5).
12. Refrigerator according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that a gap between edges of the opening (6) of the decorative panel (5) and the area of the case (8) engaging in the opening (6) is filled by an inserted frame (31; 33; 34).
13. Refrigerator according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a frame (31, 34) is fastened on the case (8) and covers an edge area of the decorative panel (5) surrounding the opening (6).
14. Refrigerator according to claim 12 or 13, characterised in that the frame (34) is composed of several rings (35, 39) arranged consecutively in the depth direction of the recess (3).
15. Refrigerator according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the control elements (28) of the dispensing device (4) are integrated in the case (8).

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