OPENING DEVICE FOR A COOLING DEVICE
20220163254 · 2022-05-26
Inventors
Cpc classification
F25D23/028
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25D23/10
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
F25D23/10
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
An opening device, for a cooling device having a door assembly, includes a mounting base, which can be mounted on provided securing units for a door hinge of the cooling device, and a functional unit having an ejection element, which can be moved out in an electrically controlled manner. The mounting base has contacts and the functional unit has counter contacts. The contacts and the counter contacts contact one another when the functional unit is secured on the mounting base in order to supply the functional unit with current.
Claims
1-17. (canceled)
18. An opening device for a cooling device having a door assembly, the opening device comprising: a mounting base configured for mounting on securing units for a door hinge of the cooling device; and a functional unit having an ejection element that is extendible under electrical control, wherein the mounting base has contacts and the functional unit has mating contacts, wherein the contacts and the mating contacts contact each other when the functional unit is secured to the mounting base so as to supply power to the functional unit.
19. The opening device of claim 18, wherein the contacts of the mounting base are connected to a connecting cable comprising power supply lines.
20. The opening device of claim 18, wherein the mounting base and the functional unit include mutually engaging securing means for securing the functional unit to the mounting base.
21. The opening device of claim 20, wherein the securing means are configured for as tool-free securing of the functional unit to the mounting base.
22. The opening device of claim 21, wherein the securing means comprise latching means, guide webs, hooks, eyelets, or undercuts.
23. The opening device of claim 18, wherein the ejection element has a maximum stroke of 40 mm to 80 mm.
24. The opening device of claim 18, wherein the opening device has a depth between 38 and 47 mm.
25. The opening device of claim 18, wherein the ejection element is pivotally mounted on a base body and, in a non-pivoted position, the ejection element surrounds the base body in a hood-like manner on at least four sides.
26. The opening device of claim 25, further comprising: a pivoting element pivotally mounted on the base body and having at least one internal gear segment coupled to an electric motor via a drive gear and pivotable by the electric motor relative to the base body.
27. The opening device of claim 26 the pivoting element entrains the ejection element.
28. The opening device of claim 26, wherein the pivoting element entrains the ejection element via at least one roller eccentrically arranged on the pivoting element, the at least one roller arranged to move along a guide curve of the ejection element.
29. The opening device of claim 25, further comprising: an apron pivotally mounted on the base body or the ejection element and extending between the base body and the ejection element as a pinch protection.
30. The opening device of claim 29, wherein the apron is forcibly entrained by the pivoting element and/or the ejection element in at least one direction of movement.
31. The opening device of claim 26, wherein the electric motor is coupled to the drive gear via a worm gear.
32. The opening device of claim 26, wherein the electric motor is mounted in or on the base body in a vibration-damping manner.
33. The opening device of claim 19, wherein the mounting base has mounting holes configured to connect to the cooling device and a furniture body in which the cooling device is accommodated.
34. The opening device of claim 33, wherein the mounting base defines a minimum distance between the furniture body and the coding device for passing through the connection cable.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
[0020] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to figures, wherein:
[0021]
[0022]
[0023]
[0024]
[0025]
[0026]
[0027]
[0028]
[0029]
[0030]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031]
[0032] The cooling device 1 has a thermally insulated body, hereinafter referred to as insulating body 2, the interior of which and its front end face 3 are visible in the figures shown. Associated with the insulating body 2 is a thermally insulated door, hereinafter referred to as insulating door 4, which has a circumferential seal 5, usually a magnetic seal. When the insulating door 4 is closed, the seal 5 rests circumferentially on the front end face 3 of the insulating body 2 and thus hermetically seals the interior of the insulating body 2.
[0033] In the cooling device 1 shown, the insulating body 2 is installed in a furniture body 6, with which a body door 8 is associated, which in the closed state rests against a front end face 7 of the furniture body 6.
[0034] In the exemplary embodiment shown, the body door 8 and the insulating door 4 form a permanently connected unit. Alternatively, the body door 8 can also be connected to the insulating door as a so-called trailing door. The body door 8 projects outwards on all sides over the insulating door 4. The insulating door 4 is pivotably connected to the insulating body 2 of the cooling device 1 via door hinges 9. The actual hinge mechanism of the respective door hinge 9 is thereby arranged above or below the insulating door 4, so that it lies outside the insulated interior of the insulating body 2 when the cooling device 1 is dosed. The body door 8 is connected to the insulating door 4 to form a unit via a door connector which is not visible in
[0035] An opening device 10 is arranged in the upper left corner area of the insulating body 2, which is used for electrically driven pushing open of the door assembly, i.e., the unit consisting of body door 8 and insulating door 4.
[0036] The arrangement of the opening device 10 or the door hinge 9 in the upper area of the cooling device 1 is shown again in more detail in the cut-out enlargements in
[0037] For the door hinge 9, an installation space of a certain width, depth and height is available in the corner area of the insulating body 2. The width extends in a horizontal direction along the front end face 3, the height extends in a vertical direction along the end face 3 and the depth extends in a direction perpendicular to the end face 3 of the insulating body 2.
[0038] In particular, the depth is standard for the commonly used door hinges 9 and is about 42 mm. The depth indicates the distance between the end face 3 of the insulating body 2 and the surface of the body door 8 facing the insulating body 2. The door hinge 9 rests against the two surfaces mentioned, the front end face 3 and the inner surface of the body door 8, respectively, with contact surfaces and is fastened to these elements by securing units, usually screws. As a rule, the position of the securing units is also fixed as standard. In particular, in the insulating body 2 of the cooling device 1 there are prefabricated securing units, e.g., screwing facilities arranged so that the door hinge 9 can be screwed onto the end face 3 in the corner area. The securing units can be provided, for example, by inserted or pressed-in threaded bushes.
[0039] The cooling device 1 allows, as is usual for cooling devices, a left- or right-sided door hinge. For this purpose, the mentioned securing units for the door hinge(s) 9 are not only provided on the right side of the insulating body 2, but mirror-invertedly on the left side. The door hinge(s) 9 can thus also be screwed onto the left side of the cooling device in the upper left or lower left corner without any other structural changes. In the case of non-symmetrically constructed door hinges 9, these are exchanged crosswise when the door hinge is changed, i.e., the upper right door hinge 9 is inserted at the bottom left and the lower right door hinge 9 at the top left.
[0040] In the arrangement shown, the installation space that would be available for the upper door hinge 9 with the door hinged on the left is occupied by the opening device 10. Advantageously, the opening device 10 is not only positioned in this installation space, but also uses the prepared securing units for the door hinge 9. With the door hinged on the left, the door hinge 9 would correspondingly use these securing units on the left side, whereas the opening device 10 would use the securing units used by the upper door hinge 9 in the illustrated state in the upper right corner area of the insulating body 9.
[0041] It is noted in this connection that an open ng device 10 may be arranged not only in the upper but also in the lower region of the cooling device 1 or both in the upper and in the lower region. Thus, the opening device 10 could also use the securing units for the lower of the two door hinges 9 on correspondingly the side on which the door hinge is not installed. The securing units in the lower left corner area of the cooling device 1 are shown in
[0042] In
[0043] The opening device 10 is constructed in two parts with a mounting base 20 and a functional unit 30 that is removable from the mounting base 20.
[0044] To mount the opening device 10, the mounting base 20 is first attached to the cooling device 1 and the furniture body 6 in the corner area mentioned. For this purpose, (threaded) screws 12 are screwed into the threaded inserts 11 of the cooling device 1. As previously explained, the threaded inserts 11 are the attachment points for the door hinges already provided in the insulating body 2 of the cooling device 1, which are unused and available on the side opposite the inserted door hinges 9.
[0045] In the present example, the mounting base 20 is designed in the form of an L-shaped angle, which rests on the insulating body 2 with a longer leg. A shorter leg of the mounting base 20 is supported on the furniture body 6. It may be provided that a fastening hole 23 is also provided here in the mounting base 20, through which a self-tapping screw 12 can be screwed into the furniture body 6.
[0046] According to the application, contacts 22 are arranged on the mounting base 20, which is connected to a connecting cable 21 of the opening device 10, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the contacts 20 are arranged in a plug connector positioned in a corner region of the mounting base 20, which is formed in an angular shape. Generally, a gap remains between the insulating body 2 of the cooling device 1 and the side wall of the furniture body 6, through which the connection cable 21 can be passed in order to connect it to a mains supply in the rear region of the cooling device 1, which is not visible here, possibly via an interposed power supply unit. In addition to power supply lines, the connection cable 21 can also comprise signal lines in order to connect the opening device to a sensor arrangement. An example of a sensor arrangement via which a manually initiated opening of the door assembly of the cooling device 1 is detected in order to trigger the function of the opening device 10 is shown in
[0047] In the next step, the functional unit 30 is attached to the screwed-on mounting base 20. This fastening is advantageously carried out by means of a tool-free (latching) mechanism. When the functional unit 30 is attached, an electrical connection is established with the contacts 22 and thus the connecting cable 21 via mating contacts of the functional unit 30 that are not visible in
[0048] Due to the two-part design of the opening device 10 with mounting base 20 and functional unit 30, the functional unit 30 can be replaced so easily without having to disconnect or reconnect the wiring of the connection cable 21 or having to re-route the connection cable 21. Replacement of the functional unit 30 may be for repair, service and/or cleaning purposes, for example. The replacement may be performed by the user or an unskilled service technician.
[0049]
[0050] In addition to the contacts 22 as mentioned above, the mounting base 20 has mounting holes 23, which can be designed as slotted holes, in order to be able to move the mounting base 20 on the insulating body 2 and thus compensate for different gap dimensions between the cooling device 1 and the furniture body 6. Another possibility for compensating for different gap dimensions is provided by interposed spacer plates. Furthermore, securing means 24 are arranged on the mounting base 20, which serve to fasten the functional unit 30 to the mounting unit 20. These can be latching elements and/or guides, optionally with undercuts.
[0051]
[0052] The fastening of the functional unit 30 to the mounting base 20, as already mentioned in connection with
[0053] The movement sequence provided for fastening is shown by two movement arrows 13, 14. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, it is provided to first pace the functional unit 30 on the mounting base 20 and then to push it parallel to the longer leg of the mounting base 20 in the direction of the shorter leg, as shown by the movement arrow 14. In the process, sections of the functional unit 30 engage behind corresponding sections of the guide webs of the mounting base 20 and, at the same time, mating contacts 311 of the functional unit 30 contact the contacts 22 of the mounting base 20. At the end of the sliding movement, symbolized by the movement arrow 14, the functional unit 30 latches with its securing means 312 with the latching means of the mounting base 20, as a result of which the functional unit 30 is fixed in the pushed on position. Additional fixing elements such as screws or a spot pin may be provided.
[0054]
[0055] The functional unit 30 further comprises an ejection element 32 which swings open when the opening device 10 is functioning, in order to push open the door assembly (cf. insulating door 4 and body door 8 in
[0056]
[0057] In contrast to the previously described exemplary embodiment, the functional unit 30 is not attached to the mounting base 20 by placing it on and moving it, but by hooking it in and pivoting it in. The hooking in is symbolized by a movement arrow 16 and the pivoting in by a movement arrow 16. For hooking in, the functional unit 30 in this example has a rearwardly projecting projection as securing means 312 and the mounting base 20 has a receptacle as securing means 24, into which the projection is inserted. After insertion, the functional unit 30 is pivoted onto the mounting base 20 at its end opposite the projection and latches there with latching means, which are not visible in
[0058] Corresponding to the changed movement sequence, the contacts 22 (not visible here) and the mating contacts 311 are also arranged differently and, in particular, have a different mating direction than in the first exemplary embodiment, which is adapted to the pivoting in according to the movement arrow 16.
[0059]
[0060]
[0061] On the side of the base body 31 opposite the bearing pins 313, a semicircular pivoting element 34 is rotatably mounted on the base body 31. The pivoting element 34 is composed of two circular segments 341a, 341b, each of which is placed on the base body 31 from one side, wherein a rotating shaft 342 is rotatably mounted in a bearing bore 314. The assembled circle segments 341a, b are connected to each other in the rotating shaft 342 and in a connecting shaft 343 arranged eccentrically to this.
[0062] The connecting shaft 343 projects outwardly beyond outer surfaces of the circular segments 341a, b, and rotatably mounted rollers 344 are mounted on the connecting shafts 343 in the projecting region. These rollers 344 engage with the aforementioned guide curves 322 of the ejection element 32. When the pivoting element 34 is pivoted, the milers 344 move along the guide curve 322 and pivot the ejection element 32 out. This will be described in further detail in connection with
[0063] To move the pivoting element 34 and thus to move the ejection element 32, a motor 315 is arranged in the base body 31, which acts on two drive gears 316 via gear unit (not visible here), which in turn interact with a gear segment 345 of each circular segment 341a, b. The gear unit may be a worm gear, for example. Preferably, the motor 315 may be resiliently mounted to provide as silent and vibration-free a drive as possible. Additionally, a weight piece may be attached to the motor 315 as a mass transducer to further reduce vibration amplitudes.
[0064] The gear segment 345 represents a section of an internal gear (also caned a ring gear). As the drive gears 316 rotate, the pivoting element 34 pivots about the rotating shaft 342.
[0065] In addition, there is also an apron 33 arranged between the base body 31 and the ejection element, which is pivotally mounted in the ejection element 32 in pivot bearing bores 323 by means of bearing pins 331. The pivot bearing 323 is adjacent to the pivot bearing 321 by means of which the ejection element 32 is mounted on the base body 31. The apron 33 has the function of a pinch protection, as will also be explained in connection with
[0066] In
[0067] The extension of the ejection element 32 is based on a rotation of the pivoting element 34, whose rotational movement is converted into a pivoting movement of the ejection element 32 via the rollers 344. The guide curve 322 thereby enables a larger pivoting angle of the ejection element 32 than would result from the rotary motion of the pivoting element 34 alone. The shaping of the guide curve 322 also influences the angular dependence of the movement of the ejection element 32 depending on the angle of rotation of the pivoting element 34. In this way, the most effective ejecting movement possible can be achieved, which has a large ejecting force at the beginning of the movement sequence, which is advantageous for overcoming magnetic locking forces of the door assembly of the cooling device 1. Afterwards, a pushing up with a higher speed takes place in order to be able to push the door assembly open far enough. Progressive motion kinematics are thus generated.
[0068] When the ejection element 32 pivots, the apron 33 also pivots, but by a smaller angle of deflection just so that a gap between the base body 31 and the ejection element 32 is dosed at all times to prevent a finger, for example, from becoming trapped when the ejection element 32 is retracted.
[0069] In order to suitably entrain the apron 33, at least one cam-like projection 346 is formed on the outside of the pivoting element 34 at the circular segments 341a, b, which presses on an upper or lower edge of the apron 33 and moves it along accordingly. The shaping of the projection 346 in conjunction with the shaping of the edges of the apron 33 determines the movement sequence that the apron 33 undergoes during the movement of the pivoting element 34. Alternatively, or additionally, a cam-like projection can also be formed on the ejection element 32 (in this case pointing inwards), which moves the apron 33 along with it.
[0070] A projection 346 may be provided for each direction of movement so that the apron 33 is constrained to move with it in both directions.
[0071] It is also conceivable to pretension the apron 33 in one direction by a spring and to make only one movement against the spring tension by a projection 346 on the side of the upper or lower edge of the apron 33. In that case, however, the apron 33 is not constrained in both directions.
[0072] In an alternative design, another coupling may be provided between the apron 33 and the pivoting element 34. For example, the apron 33 may include an inwardly facing phi that moves along a guide groove formed in the outer surface of the respective circular segment 341a, b.
[0073] The extension or retraction of the ejection element 32 may be effected by energizing the motor 315 in the appropriate polarity. At least one limit stop switch can be provided, which is arranged inside the base body 31 and is actuated, for example, by an inward-facing cam on one of the circuit segments 341a, b and stops the motor 315 in an end position. In principle, both end positions can thus be determined via switches.
[0074] It is also conceivable to determine only one end position via such a switch and to control the movement to the other end position by detecting an angle of rotation of the motor 315. To detect the angle of rotation of the motor 315, the motor 315 may be equipped with a rotary encoder, e.g., a Hall sensor. Alternatively, there may be electronic detection of current pulses generated when the motor 315 is commutated. From the current pulses, the motor rotation can be derived if the motor 315 is a mechanically commutated motor. If an electronically commutated motor is used as the motor 315, the commutation information is inherently present when the motor is controlled and can be used to determine the angle of rotation.
[0075] Likewise, it is possible for a circuit driving the motor 315 to monitor the current draw of the motor 315 and detect a mechanical end stop due to the increased current draw and then stop the motor 315.
[0076] An electronic circuit for controlling the motor 315 and/or evaluating limit switches is preferably arranged in the functional unit 30, e.g., in the base body 31.
[0077] For triggering the opening device, a sensor can be arranged on the cooling device 1 or on the furniture body 6, which detects a manually initiated opening process of the door assembly, whereupon the ejection process of the opening device 10 is started.
[0078]
[0079] The sensor arrangement 40 comprises a pressure-dependent resistor 42 embedded in an elastic sheath 41. On the back of the sheath there is preferably an adhesive foil which allows easy mounting. Alternatively, or additionally, a screw fastening may be provided. The sheath 41 has an actuator 43 at a suitable location, which slightly protrudes. Instead of the elastic sheath 41, a fixed housing can also be provided in which the pressure-dependent resistor 42 is arranged and from which a movable actuator 43 protrudes.
[0080] The pressure-dependent resistor 42 (FSR—force sensitive resistor) changes its resistance value when force is applied. The sensor arrangement 40 is positioned so that the closed body door 8 presses on the pressure-dependent resistor 42 via the actuator 43. If this pressure is removed when the body door 8 is moved, the resistance value of the pressure-dependent resistor 42 changes, which is detected by a corresponding monitoring circuit.
[0081] Instead of the pressure-dependent resistor 42, a detection of the movement of the body door 8 can also be carried out via a mechanical pushbutton, a reflex light barrier, a strain gauge, a piezo element, or a magnetic sensor in connection with a permanent magnet arranged in the body door 8.
[0082] For triggering the opening device, other alternative sensors known in the art can also be used, which are positioned on the furniture body 6 or on the insulating body or on one of the doors 4, 8. Alternatively or in addition to a sensor, the triggering of the opening device can also be triggered by a control device of the refrigerator 1, e.g., a touch screen, or via a network-capable or a SmartHome-capable device, e.g. a smartphone or a voice input device.
[0083] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by way of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the examples disclosed, and other variations can be derived from these by the person skilled in the art without leaving the scope of the invention. It is therefore clear that there is a plurality of possible variations. It is also clear that embodiments stated by way of example are only really examples that are not to be seen as limiting the scope, application possibilities or configuration of the invention in any way. In fact, the preceding description and the description of the figures enable the person skilled in the art to implement the exemplary embodiments in concrete manner, wherein, with the knowledge of the disclosed inventive concept, the person skilled in the art is able to undertake various changes, for example, with regard to the functioning or arrangement of individual elements stated in an exemplary embodiment without leaving the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as further explanations in the description.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0084] 1 Cooling device [0085] 2 Insulating body [0086] 3 Front end face (of the insulating body) [0087] 4 insulating door [0088] 5 (Magnetic) seal [0089] 6 Furniture body [0090] 7 Front end face (of the furniture body) [0091] 8 Body door [0092] 9 Door hinge [0093] 10 Opening device [0094] 11 Threaded insert [0095] 12 Screw [0096] 13 Movement arrow (placing) [0097] 14 Movement arrow (pushing) [0098] 15 Movement arrow (hooking in) [0099] 16 Movement arrow (pivoting) [0100] 20 Mounting base [0101] 21 Connection cable [0102] 22 Contact [0103] 23 Mounting hole [0104] 24 Securing means [0105] 25 Intermediate layer [0106] 26 Receptacle [0107] 30 Functional unit [0108] 31 Base body [0109] 311 Mating contact [0110] 312 Securing means [0111] 313 Bearing in [0112] 314 Bearing bore [0113] 315 Motor [0114] 316 Drive gear [0115] 32 Ejection element [0116] 321 Pivot bearing bore [0117] 322 Guide curve [0118] 323 Pivot bearing bore [0119] 33 Apron [0120] 331 Bearing pin [0121] 34 Pivoting element [0122] 341a, b Circle segment [0123] 342 Rotating shaft [0124] 343 Connecting shaft [0125] 344 Roller [0126] 345 Gear segment [0127] 346 Projection [0128] 40 Sensor arrangement [0129] 41 Sheath [0130] 42 Pressure-dependent resistance [0131] 43 Actuator