Abstract
A household refrigeration appliance has a housing and an inner compartment configured in the housing with a cover, which extends along a rear wall of the inner compartment and divides the inner compartment into a storage compartment for chilled goods and a cold air distribution region with a cold air distribution system arranged therein and with a first visible surface formed by the cover and facing an access opening of the inner compartment. The cold air distribution system has a vertical cold air duct segment extending in the direction of a top wall, which is arranged parallel to the rear wall in the longitudinal direction and has a horizontal cold air duct segment branching from the vertical cold air duct segment and extending in the direction of a left or right side wall, which is arranged parallel to the rear wall in the longitudinal direction.
Claims
1. A household refrigeration appliance, comprising: a housing; an inner compartment disposed in said housing and having a rear wall, a top wall, a left-side wall, a right-side wall and an access opening; a cold air distribution system; a cover extending along said rear wall of said inner compartment and dividing said inner compartment into a storage compartment for chilled goods and a cold air distribution region with said cold air distribution system disposed therein, said cover having a first visible surface facing said access opening of said inner compartment, said cover having a non-central air outlet formed therein disposed in a corner of said rear wall and said top wall at said left-side wall or at said right-side wall; and said cold air distribution system containing a vertical cold air duct segment extending in a direction of said top wall, and is disposed generally parallel to said rear wall in a longitudinal direction, and at least one horizontal cold air duct segment branching from said vertical cold air duct segment and extending in a direction of said left-side wall or said right-side wall to said non-central air outlet, and is disposed generally parallel to said rear wall, said horizontal cold air duct segment and said vertical cold air duct segment are disposed with an offset in a depthwise direction of said inner compartment, at least part of a longitudinal extension of said vertical cold air duct segment being disposed behind said first visible surface and at least part of a longitudinal extension of said horizontal cold air duct segment being disposed in front of said first visible surface.
2. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein: at least a majority of the longitudinal extension of said horizontal cold air duct segment adjoins said top wall and opens into said non-central air outlet to said storage compartment.
3. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said cover covers said rear wall completely.
4. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein a main air flow in said vertical cold air duct segment can flow generally perpendicular to said top wall of said inner compartment and a partial air flow from said vertical cold air duct segment in said horizontal cold air duct segment can flow generally parallel to said top wall of said inner compartment.
5. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 4, further comprising a connecting segment disposed between said vertical cold air duct segment and said horizontal cold air duct segment, intersecting a first visible surface plane formed by said first visible surface and connecting said vertical cold air duct segment and said horizontal cold air duct segment.
6. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 5, wherein said cover having a second visible surface formed by a second cover segment and said first visible surface is formed by a first cover segment of said cover, said second cover segment being disposed closer to said access opening than said first cover segment.
7. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, wherein said second visible surface is disposed at an angle to said first cover segment.
8. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, wherein a majority of said horizontal cold air duct segment is disposed behind said second cover segment and in front of said first cover segment.
9. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, wherein said first cover segment and said second cover segment are configured as a single piece.
10. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, wherein the longitudinal extension of said horizontal cold air duct segment is disposed between said first visible surface plane and a second visible surface plane formed by said second visible surface.
11. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, wherein said second cover segment directly adjoins said top wall of said inner compartment.
12. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, wherein said cover has a central air outlet formed therein, said partial air flow includes a first partial air flow branching from said main air flow to flow out through said central air outlet into said storage compartment and a second partial air flow branching from the main air flow to flow out by way of said horizontal cold air duct segment through said non-central air outlet into said storage compartment.
13. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein said central air outlet and said non-central air outlet are disposed in said second visible surface.
14. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein said cold air distribution system having a divider disposed in a region of said connecting segment, said divider dividing a volume of the main air flow in said vertical cold air duct segment between said central air outlet and said non-central air outlet.
15. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, wherein said horizontal cold air duct segment is disposed completely behind said second cover segment and in front of said first cover segment.
16. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, wherein said second visible surface is disposed at an angle to said first cover segment that slopes away from said access opening in a downward direction.
17. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a first heat insulation segment disposed between said cover and said vertical cold air duct segment and a second heat insulation segment disposed between said cover and said horizontal cold air duct segment, said first heat insulation segment and said second heat insulation segment being connected to one another with a form fit connection.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
(1) FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, front view of a household refrigeration appliance according to the invention;
(2) FIG. 2 is a front view of a cover of the inventive household refrigeration appliance;
(3) FIG. 3 is a vertical cross section through the inventive household refrigeration appliance according to FIG. 1;
(4) FIG. 4 is a horizontal schematic cross section through the inventive household refrigeration appliance;
(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective rear view of a first embodiment of the cover of the inventive household refrigeration appliance; and
(6) FIG. 6 is a rear view of a second embodiment of the cover of the inventive household refrigeration appliance.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(7) Identical elements or those of identical function are shown with the same reference characters in the figures.
(8) Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a front view of an inventive household refrigeration appliance 1. The household refrigeration appliance 1 is formed by a housing 2, which forms an inner compartment 10. The inner compartment 10 has a cover 30, which separates a cold air distribution system 51 (not shown here) from a storage compartment 11 for stored goods to be chilled. The inner compartment 10 has a left 3 and right side wall 9, a top wall 4, a bottom wall 6 and a rear wall 5 (not shown in detail here). The cover 30 is arranged at a distance from the rear wall 5 and covers it essentially completely. The storage compartment 11 generally serves to cool chilled goods in a frost-free manner, preferably at temperatures between +4 and +8° C. The storage compartment 11 can however also be configured as a zero degrees compartment, in particular for keeping fruit or vegetables fresh, with a storage temperature of around 0°. The storage compartment 11 can however also be configured as a multifunction compartment, with storage temperatures below 0° C. and above 0° C. This allows a temperature range for example from −18° C. to +14° C. to be achieved in the storage compartment 11. The storage compartment 11 can however also be configured to freeze stored goods, preferably at a storage temperature from −18° C. to −14° C.
(9) Shelves 15 for storing stored goods are arranged in the storage compartment 11. The shelves 15 are preferably secured on the rear wall 5 of the inner compartment 10 or on the cover 30 by a corresponding holding apparatus. Drawers 16 are arranged in the lower region of the storage compartment 11 or the bottom region of the storage compartment 11, these being suitable for storing fruit and vegetables or meat and fish.
(10) The illustrated household refrigeration appliance has an air circulation system (not shown in detail here), which feeds cold air from an evaporator arranged in a freezer region by way of various air outlets 40, 41 into the storage compartment 11. The cold air is blown out by way of the various air outlets 40, 41 at the different levels both in a vertical and horizontal direction. It is blown out by what are referred to as cold air distribution systems 51, which have the corresponding air outlets 40, 41 and in some instances integrated control valves. The first air outlets 40 are located in a central region or proximity to the center axis M of the cover 30. The non-central air outlet 41 is located away from the center axis M in proximity to the right side wall 9. The cold air distribution system 51 is concealed behind the cover 30 and cannot be seen from the storage compartment. This gives the storage compartment 11 a pleasing appearance, as functional elements and irregularities for the most part cannot be seen from the storage compartment 11. A fan (not shown in detail here) is generally used to circulate the cold air from an evaporator to the storage compartment 11.
(11) Arranged in the inner compartment 10 are an icebox 25 for producing ice cubes and a water filter 26 for filtering water from a water distribution system. The water filter 26 and the icebox 25 are supplied with water from a water distribution system (not shown in detail here). A corresponding water tank 20 and water conduits 21 are concealed behind the cover 30 here and cannot be seen from the storage compartment 11.
(12) So that the customer can also access chilled goods stored in the storage compartment 11, an access opening 7 is configured, which can be closed with a heat-insulated and pivotably hinged door (not shown in detail here) when the household refrigeration appliance is not in use.
(13) FIG. 2 shows a front view of the cover 30 of the inventive household refrigeration appliance. The cover 30 has the air outlets 40, which are arranged in a central or middle region or in proximity to a center axis M of the cover 30. The air outlets 40 are provided to allow an adequate cold air supply to different levels in the heightwise direction of the storage compartment 11. This ensures or achieves a homogeneous and regular temperature distribution or temperature stratification in the heightwise direction of the storage compartment 11. The cover 30 has a first visible surface 31 and a second visible surface 32. The first visible surface 31 forms the majority of the surface of the cover 30. The second visible surface 32 is formed on an early edge region of the cover 30, which adjoins a top wall 4 (not shown in detail here) of the inner compartment 10. Arranged in the first visible surface 31 in the region of a center axis of the cover 30 are the central air outlets 40, which release the air at different points in the heightwise direction of the storage compartment 11. The central air outlets 40 are also arranged in the second visible surface 32, to release cold air into the storage compartment 11 in proximity to the top wall 4 (not shown in detail here) of the inner compartment 10 in the region of the center axis M. The non-central air outlet 41 is arranged in a lateral region or non-central region of the center axis M of the cover 30 and in the second visible surface 32 of the cover 30. The non-central air outlet 41 is provided to supply the storage compartment 11 with cold air away from the central or center axis M of the cover 30 as well. It is therefore possible to achieve a homogeneous temperature distribution both in the heightwise direction and in the widthwise direction of the storage compartment 11.
(14) FIG. 3 shows a vertical cross section through the inventive household appliance 1. Unlike FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 3 also shows an installation space 80 with a water tank 20 and water conduits 21, which are arranged between the rear wall 5 of the inner compartment 10 and the cover 30. The water tank 20 is part of a water supply system, which supplies a water dispenser (not shown in detail here) in the door of the household refrigeration appliance 1 with cold water filtered by the water filter 26 and supplies the icebox 25 with water for producing ice cubes.
(15) FIG. 3 also shows the inner compartment 10, which is divided by the cover 30 into a cold air distribution region 50 and the storage compartment 11 or storage region for storing chilled goods. The cover 30 therefore forms a boundary between the storage compartment 11 available for storing chilled goods and a cold air distribution region 50 available for distributing the cold air. Arranged in the cold air distribution region 50 are a cold air distribution system 51 and functional parts, for example the water tank 20, the water conduits 21, electrical or refrigeration parts, of the household refrigeration appliance 1.
(16) FIG. 3 also shows the first visible surface 31 or first cover segment 33 of the cover 30 and a second visible surface 32 or second cover segment 34 of the cover 30, which are formed at an angle or in an angled manner to one another. The first visible surface 31 is arranged at a distance from the rear wall 5. Arranged in an installation space 80 between the first visible surface 31 and the rear wall 5 are water-conducting parts, for example as shown here the water tank 20 and the water conduits 21. A horizontal cold air duct segment 70 extends essentially perpendicular to a vertical cold air duct segment 60 (not shown in detail here) extending essentially in the heightwise direction of the inner compartment 10. The horizontal cold air duct segment 70 extends to the level of the second visible surface 32 of the cover 30 and adjoins the top wall 4 of the inner compartment 10.
(17) The longitudinal direction of the horizontal cold air duct segment 70 extends between a first visible surface plane 311 and a second visible surface plane 321. The horizontal cold air duct segment 70 is therefore located essentially completely in front of a plane formed by the first visible surface 31 of the cover 30 but behind a plane formed by the first visible surface 32, which is arranged at an angle to the first visible surface plane 311.
(18) The horizontal cold air duct segment 70 also runs along a corner region 8, which is arranged between the top wall 4 of the inner compartment 10 and the rear wall 5 of the inner compartment 10. The corner regions of the storage compartment 11 or generally the inner compartment 10 are not particularly suitable for the storage of chilled goods, as they cannot be accessed easily by a customer from the access opening 7. Such regions or corner regions 8 of the inner compartment 10 can therefore be used particularly effectively for the arrangement of functional components, such as air-conducting, electrical or water-conducting parts, of the household refrigeration appliance 1, without losing any significant amount of usable storage space in the storage compartment 11.
(19) FIG. 4 shows a horizontal schematic cross section through the inventive household refrigeration appliance 1. Unlike the preceding figures FIG. 4 shows the vertical cold air duct segment 60, which supplies the horizontal cold air duct segment 70 with cold air, which comes from an evaporator (not shown here) and is released by way of the non-central air outlet 41 into the storage compartment 11. The horizontal cold air duct segment 70 is arranged with an offset relative to the vertical cold air duct segment 60 in the depthwise direction T of the inner compartment 10. The horizontal cold air duct segment 70 is therefore further away from the rear wall 5 than the vertical cold air duct segment 60 or it projects further into the storage compartment 11 than the vertical cold air duct segment 60. So that the horizontal cold air duct segment cannot be seen from the storage compartment 11, the second visible surface 32 or the second cover segment 34 covers the horizontal cold air duct segment 70. Located between the horizontal cold air duct segment 70 and the vertical cold air duct segment 60 is a connecting segment 90, which connects the two cold air duct segments to one another for flow purposes. A partial air flow 48 branching from the main air flow 46 in the vertical cold air duct segment 60 intersects a first visible surface plane 311 (not shown here) and is deflected by the connecting segment 90 to run horizontally in the widthwise direction B or in the direction of the left 3 or right side wall 9 of the inner compartment 10. So that the main air flow flowing in the vertical cold air duct segment 60 is divided between the air outlets 40, 41, there is a divider 65 present in proximity to the connecting segment 90. The divider 65 is preferably formed from a projection formed in the heat insulation layer 62, which projects into the vertical cold air duct segment 60.
(20) FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of the installation space 80, in which the water tank 20 and water conduits 21 are arranged, between the horizontal cold air duct segment 70 and the rear wall 5 in more detail. This allows water conduits 21 or the water tank 20 to cross as they run along the rear wall 5. As frost damage can result from thermal influences of the horizontal cold air duct segment 70 on the water conduits, there has to be a sufficient distance or a heat insulation layer 62 between the cold air duct segment 70 and the water-conducting components 20, 21 arranged in the installation space 80. As the horizontal cold air duct segment 70 is arranged with an offset relative to the vertical cold air duct segment 60 in the depthwise direction of the inner compartment 10 or is at a greater distance from the rear wall 5 of the inner compartment 10 than the vertical cold air duct segment 60, it is possible to locate the water-conducting parts 20, 21 and the cold air-conducting parts 60, 70 on the rear wall 5. It is even possible for these to cross on the rear wall 5 or in the cold air distribution region 50 without the risk of frost damage. This means that an even temperature distribution can be achieved in the storage compartment 11 and water-conducting parts 20, 21 can be arranged in a cold air distribution region 50 covered by the cover 30.
(21) FIG. 5 shows a rear view of a first embodiment of the cover 30 of the inventive household refrigeration appliance 1. Unlike the preceding FIGS. 1-4 this embodiment shows a main air flow 46 flowing in the vertical cold air duct segment 60, which is divided by the divider 65 into a first partial air flow 47 and a second partial air flow 48. The first partial air flow 47 is released into the storage compartment 11 through the central air outlet 40. To this end the first partial air flow 47 is switched from a vertical alignment to a horizontal alignment and released into the storage compartment 11 in the direction of the access opening 7. The second partial air flow 48 is deflected by the connecting segment 90 with an alignment that is initially in a horizontal direction toward the access opening 7 and, once the second partial air flow 48 has intersected a plane 311 defined by the first visible surface 31, the connecting segment 90 deflects the second partial air flow 48 into the horizontal cold air duct segment 70 in the direction of the right side wall 9 (not shown here) of the inner compartment. It is of course also possible for the second partial air flow 48 to be deflected in the direction of the left side wall 3 (not shown here) by the connecting segment 90. It is also possible for partial air flows 48 to be deflected by the connecting segment 90 respectively in the direction of the left side wall 3 and the right side wall 9 of the inner compartment 10. The partial air flow 48 in the horizontal cold air duct segment 70 can be blown out into the storage compartment 11 through the non-central air outlet 41. A plurality of air outlets 40 and the non-central air outlet 41 are configured as openings in the region of the second visible surface 32, with the non-central air outlet 41 arranged in an edge region of the cover 30 in proximity to one of the side walls 3 and the air outlets 40 arranged in a more central or middle region of the cover 30.
(22) FIG. 5 also shows the heat insulation layer 62, which is arranged between the cover 30 and the rear wall 5 (not shown here) of the inner compartment 10. The heat insulation layer 62 forms the cold air distribution system 51, which is formed from the vertical cold air duct segment 60 and the cold air duct segment 70 running horizontally parallel to the rear wall 5 (not shown here). The heat insulation layer 62 has a first heat insulation segment 621 and a second heat insulation segment 622. The vertical cold air duct segment 60 is configured in the first heat insulation segment 621 and the cold air duct segment 70 running horizontally parallel to a rear wall 5 (not shown in detail here) is configured in the second heat insulation segment 622. The first heat insulation segment 621 and the second heat insulation segment 622 are connected to one another with a form fit. The form-fit connection can be achieved with simple and economical means, for example using a plug-type connection, latching connection or generally by contours that can be connected to one another with a form fit on the edge regions of the first heat insulation segment 621 and the second heat insulation segment 622.
(23) The cover 30 is formed by the first visible surface 31, which is arranged essentially parallel to the rear wall 5 (not shown here) of the inner compartment 10, and by the second visible surface 32, which is arranged at an angle to the first visible surface 31 or the rear wall 5 (not shown here). The angle of the second visible surface 32 gives the cover 30 covering the rear wall 5 an esthetically pleasing appearance. Characteristic gaps or edges, which encourage the accumulation of dirt, are therefore not formed in the cover 30 or, if they are, they are out of the direct view of a user looking at the storage compartment 11 from the access opening 7. The angled second visible surface 32 means that the horizontal cold air duct segment 70 also takes up less storage space in the storage compartment 11. The angled configuration of the second visible surface 32 relative to the first visible surface 31 also means the partial air flow 47 has to be deflected less, thereby minimizing the flow resistance in the cold air distribution system 51.
(24) In FIG. 5 the connecting segment 90 is also arranged between the vertical cold air duct segment 60 and the horizontal cold air duct segment 70. The connecting segment 90 deflects the partial air flow 48 branching from the main air flow from the vertical cold air duct segment 60 into the horizontal cold air duct segment 70. A correspondingly arched contour of the connecting segment 90 allows flow resistance to be minimized. The connecting segment 90 conducts the partial air flow 48 branching from the main air flow 46 from a region behind the visible surface 31 or between the rear wall 5 (not shown here) and the first visible surface 31 into a region in front of the first visible surface 31 or between the storage compartment 11 and the first visible surface 31. The horizontal cold air duct segment 70 is therefore arranged in front of the first visible surface 31 or between the first visible surface 31 and the storage compartment 11 and the vertical cold air duct segment 60 is arranged between the rear wall 5 (not shown here) of the inner compartment 10 and the first visible surface 31 or behind the first visible surface 31.
(25) FIG. 6 shows a rear view of a second embodiment of the cover of the inventive household refrigeration appliance 1. In this embodiment the horizontal cold air duct segment 70 is configured as an integral part of the cover 30. The horizontal cold air duct segment 70 is therefore formed by walls molded to the cover 30, which define a horizontal cold air duct segment 70. All this requires is a first wall protruding in a perpendicular manner from the cover 30 or the first visible surface 31 of the cover 30 with a second wall perpendicular to the first wall adjoining it. The first wall and second wall molded to the cover 30 enclose a space, through which a partial air flow 48 branching from a main air flow 46 can flow to the non-central air outlet 41 arranged away from the central region of the cover 30.
(26) The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention: 1 Household refrigeration appliance 2 Housing 3 Left side wall 4 Top wall 5 Rear wall 6 Bottom wall 7 Access opening 8 Corner region 9 Right side wall 10 Inner compartment 11 Storage compartment 15 Shelves 16 Drawers 20 Water tank 21 Water conduits 25 Icebox 26 Water tank 30 Cover 31 First visible surface 311 First visible surface plane 32 Second visible surface 321 Second visible surface plane 33 First cover segment 34 Second cover segment 40 Central air outlet 41 Non-central air outlet 46 Main air flow 47 First partial air flow 48 Second partial air flow 50 Cold air distribution region 51 Cold air distribution system 60 Vertical cold air duct segment 62 Heat insulation layer 621 First heat insulation segment 622 Second heat insulation segment 623 Plug-type connection 65 Divider 70 Horizontal cold air duct segment 80 Installation space 90 Connecting segment M Center axis T Depthwise direction B Widthwise direction H Heightwise direction
