HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATION APPARATUS
20210318058 · 2021-10-14
Inventors
Cpc classification
F25D21/14
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25D23/066
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25C1/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25C2700/04
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25D2323/122
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25D2303/08
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25C5/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25C2400/10
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25C5/22
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25D23/061
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25D11/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25C2500/06
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
F25D23/06
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25C1/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25C5/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25D11/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
A household refrigeration apparatus includes an interior container with a first wall and with a second wall angled relative to the first wall. The interior container bounds a first receiving space of the household refrigeration apparatus for food. An ice maker includes a housing formed by a wall area of the first wall of the interior container and a wall area of the second wall of the interior container in certain areas. The housing bounds a receiving space of the ice maker. The household refrigeration apparatus has a depth direction. The interior container includes a rear wall with a base plate. A drain gutter for condensation water, which forms in the ice maker, is integrated in the rear wall and the drain gutter is disposed offset rearwardly relative to the base plate of the rear wall in the depth direction.
Claims
1. A household refrigeration apparatus, comprising: a depth direction of the household refrigeration apparatus; an interior container having a first wall and having a second wall disposed at an angle relative to said first wall, said interior container bounding a first receiving space of the household refrigeration apparatus for food; an ice maker including a housing formed by a wall area of said first wall of said interior container and a wall area of said second wall of said interior container in certain areas, said housing bounding a receiving space of said ice maker; and said interior container including a rear wall with a base plate and a drain gutter for condensation water being formed in said ice maker, said drain gutter being integrated in said rear wall, and said drain gutter being offset rearwardly relative to said base plate of said rear wall in said depth direction.
2. The household refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rear wall includes a pedestal formed integrally with said base plate and disposed offset rearwardly relative to said base plate in said depth direction, said drain gutter being formed in said pedestal and bulging out rearwardly relative to a rear end wall of said pedestal.
3. The household refrigeration apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said pedestal is a wall area of said housing of said ice maker bounding said receiving space of said ice maker.
4. The household refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing of said ice maker includes a wall element being a component separate from said interior container, said wall element having an L-shape in cross-section, said wall element including a first wall plate and a second wall plate together forming said L-shape, and said first wall plate including a rear web protruding into said drain gutter in said depth direction.
5. The household refrigeration apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said drain gutter includes a front gutter edge, said rear web is disposed above said front gutter edge in a contactless manner and said rear web extends across an entire thickness, measured in said depth direction, of said front gutter edge in said depth direction.
6. The household refrigeration apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said housing of said ice maker includes a wall element being a component separate from said interior container, said wall element has an L-shape in cross-section, said wall element includes a first wall plate and a second wall plate together forming said L-shape, said pedestal includes a lower pedestal base, and said wall element rests on said lower pedestal base.
7. The household refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wall area of said first wall includes a wall step with a protrusion, said protrusion protrudes into said receiving space of said ice maker, and said protrusion is formed as a condensation water drip bar.
8. The household refrigeration apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said protrusion includes a protrusion wall, said first wall has a further wall section downwardly adjoining said protrusion, and said protrusion wall and said further wall section enclose an angle of less than 90°.
9. The household refrigeration apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said protrusion extends across an entire length of said housing of said ice maker in said depth direction.
10. The household refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing of said ice maker includes a wall element being a component separate from said interior container, said wall element has an L-shape in cross-section, said wall element includes a first wall plate and a second wall plate together forming said L-shape, the household refrigeration apparatus has a height direction, and said wall element extends into a recess formed below said protrusion in said height direction.
11. The household refrigeration apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said first wall plate has an inner wall being rearwardly inclined at least in certain areas in said depth direction.
12. The household refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drain gutter includes an integrated drain stub.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0047] In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference characters.
[0048] With indications of “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “rear,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “depth direction,” “width direction,” “height direction,” etc., the positions and orientations given in intended use and intended configuration of the apparatus are specified.
[0049] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to
[0050] In the embodiment, the interior container 4 bounds a receiving space 6 with its walls, which is formed for receiving food. Here, the receiving space 6 is in particular formed as a refrigerating compartment.
[0051] On the front side, the interior container 4 includes a loading opening, via which food can be taken into or be removed from the receiving space 6. In the embodiment, the receiving space 6 is closable by two separate doors 7 and 8. The two doors 7 and 8 are pivotably disposed at the housing 2. The two doors 7 and 8 are disposed in the same height position viewed in height direction (y-direction) of the household refrigeration apparatus 1. In width direction (x-direction) of the household refrigeration apparatus 1, they are disposed next to each other such that they collectively close the receiving space 6 on the front side in the closed state. In particular, these two doors 7 and 8 are disposed in a common plane in the closed state, which is spanned by the height direction and the width direction.
[0052] In
[0053] The household refrigeration apparatus 1 includes at least one further receiving space 9 for food. This further receiving space 9 is separated from the first receiving space 6. The further receiving space 9 can for example be a freezing compartment or a keep-fresh compartment or a further refrigerating compartment. Viewed in height direction, this further receiving space 9 is formed below the first receiving space 6. The further receiving space 9 is in particular bounded by further walls of an interior container, which can also be the interior container 4. Preferably, it is provided that the further receiving space 9 is bounded by a further door 10, which is shown in the closed state in
[0054] It can be provided that the household refrigeration apparatus 1 includes multiple, separate further receiving spaces 9, and further such explained drawers are preferably formed in this context. They can adjoin to the further receiving space 9 towards the bottom viewed in height direction. They are in particular also formed within the housing 2.
[0055] Further, the door 10, in particular this front plate, is disposed in the same plane as the doors 7 and 8 in the closed state of the doors 7, 8 and 10. In particular, the doors 7, 8 and 10 are front-side vision components of the household refrigeration apparatus 1. In particular, they are also, if they are closed, disposed without overlap with each other.
[0056] Moreover, the household refrigeration apparatus 1 includes an ice maker 11. The ice maker 11 occupies a partial area of the volume of the receiving space 6 and is thermally insulated from the remaining volume of the receiving space 6. The ice maker 11 is formed to produce ice from water, which is supplied to the household refrigeration apparatus 1 via an external water supply line. In this context, ice form elements such as ice cubes or crushed ice can be produced.
[0057] Further, the ice maker 11 is a constituent of the dispenser unit 12 of the household refrigeration apparatus 1. In this advantageous implementation, the dispenser unit 12 includes an output unit 13 in addition to the ice maker 11. This output unit 13 can preferably be formed at a door 7, 8. In the shown embodiment, the output unit 13 is disposed at the door 7. This is in particular advantageous because the ice maker 11 is disposed in the left upper corner area of the total volume of the receiving space 6 with front-side view of the household refrigeration apparatus 1. For outputting produced ice form elements, short paths are achieved by this local positioning. The output unit 13 is fixedly installed at the door 7. Moreover, the output unit 13 is separated from the ice maker 11 and also decoupled from it in this context. In the closed state of the door 7, ice form elements produced by the ice maker 11 can get into the output unit 13 and be output via a front side 14 of the door 7. Thereto, it is provided that a recess is formed on the front side 14, which faces away from the receiving space 6 in the closed state of the door 7. A vessel can be placed in this recess to be able to collect the output ice form elements.
[0058] Further, the dispenser unit 12 can also be formed for outputting liquid such as water or other drinks in addition to the output of ice form elements.
[0059] In
[0060] The interior container 4 includes multiple walls, which bound the receiving space 6. For example, the interior container 4 is formed with a first vertical side wall, which is a first wall 15 in the example, an opposing second vertical side wall 16, a rear wall 17, which is a third wall in the example, a bottom wall 18 and a ceiling wall, which is a second wall 19 in the example.
[0061] The first vertical side wall for example represents a first wall 15 of the interior container 4. In an embodiment, the ceiling wall represents a second wall 19 of the interior container 4, which is disposed angled, in particular at an angle of 90°, to the first wall 15.
[0062] The ice maker 11 includes a housing 20 (
[0063] Moreover, the receiving space 21 is bounded by a further wall area 24. This further wall area 24 is an integral constituent of the rear wall 17 of the interior container 4. The wall areas 22, 23 and 24 directly join to each other.
[0064] Moreover, the housing 20 includes a wall unit 25 (
[0065] In
[0066] In the shown embodiment, the wall unit 25 includes a wall element 26. The wall element 26 is formed with an L-shape in a vertical section (sectional plane spanned by the height direction and the width direction). Thereto, the wall element 26 includes a first wall plate 27. Here, the first wall plate 27 is oriented in horizontal direction. Moreover, the wall element 26 includes a vertical wall plate. This vertical wall plate is a second wall plate 28 of the wall element 26. The wall plates 27 and 28 are in particular oriented at an angle of 90° to each other. They extend in depth direction of the household refrigeration apparatus 1 in their plate shape or in their area shape.
[0067] The wall element 26 is formed as a thermal insulating body. This means that the wall element is formed of an outer wall element 29 (
[0068] Moreover, the wall unit 25 includes a positioning bracket 32 (
[0069] In the embodiment in
[0070] As is apparent in
[0071] The second bracket leg 35 joins to the second wall plate 28 with its free end and is there in particular non-destructively detachably fixed.
[0072] In this context, the positioning bracket 32 includes a first end 36, which is non-destructively detachably connected to the first wall plate 27. The positioning bracket 32 includes a second end 37, which is non-destructively detachably connected to the second wall plate 28.
[0073] Moreover, the wall element 26 includes a front edge 38. This front edge 38 can be formed by a front flange. In this context, the front flange represents a front-side end part. The front edge 38 can be formed integrally with the interior part 30.
[0074] A circumferentially closed frame is formed by the front edge 38 and the positioning bracket 32. Thereby, a front-side opening of the housing 20 is also bounded.
[0075] Further, the positioning bracket 32 includes at least one stiffening rib 39. This first stiffening rib 39 is formed on an inner side of the positioning bracket 32. Preferably, it is formed angled, in particular L-shaped.
[0076] A stiffening of the wall element 27 in particular in the front area 33 is also allowed by the positioning bracket 32. In particular, an additional separate assembly part is also provided by the positioning bracket 32, by which the wall unit 25 can be disposed at the interior container 4 in improved manner.
[0077] In
[0078] In this example, the positioning bracket 32 includes a plate area 40 at the second bracket leg 34. The plate area 40 extends across the length of the second bracket leg 35 in certain areas, wherein this is viewed in width direction of the household refrigeration apparatus 1. The plate area 40 is bounded by a bounding wall 41 such that a trough area arises here. Here, the bounding wall 41 is in particular also formed for reinforcement or stiffening. The bounding wall 41 is formed uninterrupted continuously up to the end 36 of the first bracket leg 34.
[0079] Moreover, it is also provided in
[0080] Moreover, the positioning bracket 32 includes a further stiffening rib 44. This stiffening rib 44 is formed offset rearward to the stiffening rib 42 viewed in depth direction and in particular oriented parallel to it. It is also formed uninterrupted. A receiving groove 45 is formed between these two stiffening ribs 42 and 44, which is formed for receiving a seal.
[0081] As is moreover apparent in
[0082] As is moreover apparent in
[0083] As is apparent in
[0084] As is moreover apparent in
[0085] Additionally or instead, it can be provided that the positioning bracket 32 also includes a positioning element. In particular, this positioning element is formed as a plug pin 52 (
[0086] The positioning element formed as the plug pin 52 is also formed integrally with the positioning bracket 32.
[0087] Further, it is provided that the second bracket leg 35 includes a hole 53. It is formed for passing a separate fixing element, for example a screw.
[0088] In addition to the pre-assembly position for the wall unit 25 at the interior container 4 achievable by the positioning elements, in particular the plug pins 50 and/or 52, it is allowed by this hole 53 that the wall unit 25 can be correspondingly screwed to the interior container 4 for final assembly.
[0089] In this context, it is in particular additionally or instead possible that the engagement area 47 includes a hole 54, through which a fixing element separate therefrom such as in particular a screw can also be passed. Thereby, the wall unit 25 can additionally be screwed to the first wall 15. The wall unit 25 can be screwed to the second wall 19 via the hole 53.
[0090] In
[0091] Further, it is also allowed by the plug pins 50 and/or 52 that in addition to the simple adjustment of a pre-assembly position of the wall unit 25, centering of this wall unit 25 relative to the interior container 4 is also allowed. Non-destructively detachable positioning of the wall unit 25 at the interior container 4 is allowed by the plug pins 50 and 52. The pre-assembly position of the wall unit 25 at the interior container 4 is self-adherent. This means that an assembler does no longer retain himself the wall unit 25 when he produces the screw connections to produce the assembled final position of the wall unit 25.
[0092] In
[0093] In
[0094] In
[0095] In
[0096] In advantageous implementation, it is provided that the positioning bracket 32 includes at least one plug element 60, here preferably two separate and spaced plug elements 60 and 61, at the second end 37. These plug elements 60, 61 are formed integrally with the positioning bracket 32. Upon assembly of the positioning bracket 32 to the wall element 26, these plug elements 60 and 61 are plugged into corresponding receptacles, one receptacle 62 of which is apparent in
[0097] In
[0098] As is apparent, the plate area 40 includes a depression 63. The hole 53 is formed in this depression 63. The hole 53 is in particular formed as an elongated hole. Preferably, the hole 54 is also formed as an elongated hole.
[0099] As is apparent in
[0100] In
[0101] The washer 66 is in particular formed corresponding to the washer 64 and correspondingly plunges into the hole 54. Her too, a certain positioning with backlash is thus allowed such that a tolerance compensation is allowed. The wall unit 25 can be screwed to a screw boss 71, which is integrally formed in the wall area 22, by the screw 67 such that a screw connection is formed at this place.
[0102] In
[0103] In
[0104] In
[0105] In
[0106] This locking element 70 can lock in a corresponding receptacle formed in the wall area 22. Moreover, in contrast to
[0107] In
[0108] As is also apparent in
[0109] Further, it is provided that in an embodiment, which can be provided independently of the previous explanations with regard to the configuration of the wall unit 25, a wall step 74 is formed at the first wall 15 and there in the wall area 22, which bounds the receiving space 21 of the ice maker 11 and is associated with the housing 20.
[0110] In
[0111] The wall step 74 includes a protrusion 75. The protrusion 75 protrudes into the receiving space 21 of the ice maker 11 viewed in width direction of the household refrigeration apparatus 1. This protrusion 75 is formed as a condensation water drip bar 76.
[0112] A recess 77 is formed below the protrusion 75 in height direction. The wall element 26 plunges into this recess 77 viewed in width direction. In particular, this plunging is such that the web 49 is completely disposed in this recess 77. In particular, the protrusion 75 further protrudes into the receiving space 21 than the groove 49 is wide in this width direction. Thereby, the dripping of condensation water from the condensation water drip bar 76 is allowed such that water cannot get laterally past the groove 49 and thus into the recess 77. The condensation water drips from the condensation water drip bar 76 directly onto that area of the inner wall element 30, which inwardly adjoins to the web 49.
[0113] In
[0114] In
[0115] The drain gutter 80 includes a drain stub 81. A drain line 90, as it is shown in
[0116] The drain gutter 80 includes a front gutter edge 82 viewed in depth direction. This front gutter edge 82 can also serve as a rest for a web of the first wall plate 27.
[0117] In addition or instead, it can be provided that a pedestal base 83 formed spaced from and independently of the front gutter edge 82 is integrally formed in the interior container 4. This pedestal base 83 can serve as a rest for the first horizontal wall plate 27. As it is moreover apparent in
[0118] In
[0119] Here, it is apparent that a pedestal 86 is integrally formed at the rear wall 17 in an advantageous implementation. This pedestal 86 is formed offset rearward with respect to a base plate 87 of the rear wall 17 viewed in depth direction. Thus, the pedestal 86 is formed backpack-like at the base plate 87. As is apparent in
[0120] Moreover, it is also apparent in
[0121] In
[0122] In
[0123] In
[0124] In
[0125] Thereby, it is also allowed that the drain of the condensation water from the first wall plate 27 is securely effected into the drain gutter 80 on the one hand. On the other hand and independently thereof, it is thereby then also allowed that the first wall plate 27 is positionally securely and mechanically stably retained and virtually rests on this front gutter edge 82. Thereby, it is in particular also allowed that a pre-assembly position of the wall unit 25 is now also securely achieved at this location in addition to the previously mentioned examples with the positioning elements or instead thereof.
[0126] In addition or instead, it can be provided that the first wall plate 27 rests on the pedestal base 83, as it is shown in
[0127] In
[0128] Further, in the embodiment, but which is not to be conclusively understood, four screw connections are provided, by which the wall unit 25 is fixed to the interior container 4. This relates to the screw connection with the screw 67, the screw connection with the screw 65 and the screw connections with screws 89 at the screw domes 84 and 85. More or less screw connections can also be provided.
[0129] In a method for assembling the housing 20 of the ice maker 11, the interior container 4 is produced and provided integrally with the first wall 15 and with the second wall 19 disposed angled thereto. Furthermore, a wall unit 25 separate from the interior container 4 is provided, wherein the wall unit 25 includes at least one positioning element, which is formed integrally with the wall unit 25. The positioning elements are produced as plug pins 50 and/or 52 and/or as a locking element 70. This wall unit 25 is introduced into the receiving space 6 of the interior container 4. In particular, the web 88 is first placed on the pedestal base 83. At the same time or subsequently, the plug pin 50 is introduced into the receptacle 51 and/or the plug pin 52 is introduced into the receptacle 68 in the embodiment. Since the plug pins 50 and 52 are oriented in different spatial directions, namely in width direction and in height direction, a pre-assembly position in height direction and in width direction, in particular in the front area 33, can be autonomously retained by this implementation. The same is achieved with the locking element 70 if it is formed instead of the plug pin 50. The plug pin 52 can for example also be replaced with a locking element. By the rest of the web 88 on the pedestal base 83 in the rear area of the housing 20, the pre-assembly position is securely and autonomously retained there too.
[0130] In this pre-assembly position, the subsequent screwing of the screws, which are provided for producing the screw connections, and by which the final position of the wall unit 25 at the interior container 4 is produced, can be effected without retaining the wall unit 25 by an assembler. The assembler then has both hands free to produce the screw connections.
[0131] Generally and independently of the explained embodiments, individual advantageous developments of an ice maker, in particular the housing of the ice maker, of the household refrigeration apparatus can be provided.
[0132] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention.
TABLE-US-00001 List of reference characters: 1 Household refrigeration apparatus 2 housing 3 exterior housing 4 interior container 5 clearance 6 receiving space 7 door 8 door 9 receiving space 10 door 11 ice maker 12 dispenser unit 13 output unit 14 front side 15 side wall 16 side wall 17 rear wall 18 bottom wall 19 ceiling wall 20 housing 21 receiving space 22 wall area 23 wall area 24 wall area 25 wall unit 26 wall element 27 wall plate 28 wall plate 29 outer wall element 30 inner wall element 31 thermally insulating material 32 positioning bracket 33 front area 34 bracket leg 35 bracket leg 36 first end 37 second end 38 front edge 39 stiffening rib 40 plate area 41 bounding wall 42 stiffening rib 43 outer side 44 stiffening rib 45 receiving groove 46 aperture 47 engagement area 48 coupling flap 49 web 50 plug pin 51 receptacle 52 positioning element 53 hole 54 hole 55 seal 56 seal 57 screw boss 58 retaining element 59 retaining element 60 plug element 61 plug element 62 receptacle 63 depression 64 washer 65 screw 66 washer 67 screw 68 receptacle 69 seal 70 locking element 71 screw boss 72 locking element 73 locking element 74 wall step 75 protrusion 76 condensation water drip bar 77 recess 78 wall section 79 protrusion wall 80 drain gutter 81 drain stub 82 gutter edge 83 pedestal base 84 screw boss 85 screw boss 86 pedestal 87 base plate 88 web 89 screw 90 drain line A angle