Door comprising a door frame and a recessed handle element, and a domestic refrigeration appliance comprising such a door

Abstract

A door for a domestic refrigeration appliance has a door inner panel and a door outer panel. The inner and outer panels are arranged on a single-piece, multiple-sided door frame. The door frame is open in the peripheral direction of the frame shape, and a separate recessed handle element is arranged in an open peripheral section of the door frame. There is also described a domestic refrigeration appliance with a door.

Claims

1. A door for a domestic refrigeration appliance, comprising: a multiple-sided door frame having at least three sides integrally formed of a single-piece profile defining a periphery of said door frame, said door frame being open in a peripheral direction of a frame shape with an open peripheral section where two opposite sides of said at least three sides do not contact one another; a door inner panel and a door outer panel mounted to said door frame; a separate recessed handle element arranged in said open peripheral section of said door frame, said recessed handle element extended over an entire width of said open peripheral section, as viewed in the peripheral direction, the width being smaller than a width of a side part of said door frame opposite said open peripheral section; and a thermally insulating material disposed in a space between said door outer panel and said door inner panel; said recessed handle element extending from said door outer panel to said door inner panel.

2. The door according to claim 1, wherein said recessed handle element has opposing ends as viewed in a peripheral direction of the frame shape; and said opposing ends of said recessed handle element are connected to said door frame.

3. The door according to claim 2, wherein said recessed handle element is bonded or welded to said door frame.

4. The door according to claim 2, wherein said recessed handle element is screwed to said door frame or connected to said door frame by way of a plug connection.

5. The door according to claim 1, wherein said recessed handle element is a trough-shaped element.

6. The door according to claim 1, wherein said recessed handle element is formed as a single piece.

7. The door according to claim 1, wherein said open peripheral section is formed at the top and the recessed handle element is disposed in the peripheral section as a top door end strip.

8. The door according to claim 1, wherein said open peripheral section is formed in a vertical side of said door frame and said recessed handle element is disposed in the peripheral section as a lateral door end strip.

9. The door according to claim 1, wherein at least some of said at least three sides include: tabs with an inside of said door outer panel arranged thereon, and tabs with an inside of said door inner panel arranged thereon.

10. The door according to claim 1, comprising a decorative panel, being separate from said door outer panel, disposed on an outside of said door outer panel facing away from said door frame.

11. A domestic refrigeration appliance, comprising a housing forming a chamber for holding food and a door according to claim 1 mounted to said housing and configured for closing said chamber.

12. The door according to claim 1, wherein said single profile is a profile selected from the group consisting of a bent profile, an extruded profile and a rolled profile.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below based on schematic drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an inventive domestic refrigeration appliance;

(3) FIG. 2a shows an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of an inventive door of the domestic refrigeration appliance according to FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 2b shows the door according to FIG. 2a in the assembled state;

(5) FIG. 3 shows a diagram of different assembly states of the door according to FIGS. 2a and 2b;

(6) FIG. 4a shows an exploded view of a further exemplary embodiment of an inventive door;

(7) FIG. 4b shows the door according to FIG. 4a in the assembled state;

(8) FIG. 5a shows a simplified schematic diagram of a further exemplary embodiment of an inventive door in subcomponents; and

(9) FIG. 5b shows a front view of a further exemplary embodiment of a domestic refrigeration appliance with a door, which comprises the components according to FIG. 5a.

(10) Identical elements or those of identical function are shown with identical reference characters in the figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a domestic refrigeration appliance 1, which can be for example a refrigerator or a freezer or a combined refrigerator/freezer appliance. The domestic refrigeration appliance 1 is configured to hold food and comprises a housing 2. Configured in the housing 2 is a chamber 3 for storing and conserving food, such as foodstuffs and beverages. The chamber 3 is delimited by walls of an inner container, which is arranged in the housing 2. The domestic refrigeration appliance 1 also comprises a door 4, which is arranged in a pivotable manner on the housing 2 and is configured to close the chamber 3.

(12) FIG. 2a shows an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the door 4. The door 4 is shown compressed in respect of its height and therefore in the heightwise direction (y-direction) compared with the view in FIG. 1.

(13) The door 4 comprises an inner door or a door inner panel 5 and a front panel or door outer panel 6, which is separate therefrom. The door 4 also comprises a door frame 7, which is configured as a single piece and with multiple sides. The door 4 here is configured as rectangular and with regard to the multiple-sided configuration of the door frame 7, this latter extends over three of these sides, in particular only over three of these sides, in the embodiment shown. Provision is also made for the door frame 7 to have a bottom side part 8 and vertical side parts 9 and 10 adjoining thereto on both sides. This configuration of the support frame 7 does not comprise a top horizontal, fourth side part. The door frame 7 is therefore configured as U-shaped in a plane spanned by the widthwise direction (x-direction) and the heightwise direction, in which the door 4 and therefore also the door frame 7 stretch or extend when the door 4 is in the closed state.

(14) As shown, each of the side parts 8 to 10 comprises a base panel, this being explained in more detail in the following to represent the other side parts based on the vertical side part 9. Such a base panel 9a is therefore configured there. A tab 9b or 9c is molded on respectively as a single piece at opposing ends and therefore edges when viewed in the depthwise direction and therefore in the z-direction. These are preferably configured at an angle of 90° to the orientation of the base panel 9a. Therefore the side part 9 is also U-shaped in a cross-section of the side part 9 oriented through the x-z plane. The same applies to the structure and configuration of the side parts 8 and 10.

(15) The door 4 also comprises a recessed handle element 11, which is also configured as a single piece. The recessed handle element 11 is shaped in the manner of a trough and configured as an elongated body. This recessed handle element 11 has an outwardly oriented recessed handle 12. As shown, the door frame 7 is open in the peripheral direction of the frame shape and this separate recessed handle element 11 is then positioned in an open peripheral section 13 of the door frame 7, as shown in the assembled state of the door 4 according to FIG. 2b. The recessed handle element 11 therefore completes the door frame 7 in respect of the closed nature of the composite component when viewed in the peripheral direction. In the embodiment according to FIGS. 2a and 2b, when viewed in this peripheral direction, the recessed handle element 11 is configured with dimensions which correspond to the dimensions of the opposing side part, specifically the side part 8.

(16) When viewed in the peripheral direction, the recessed handle element 11 is connected to the adjoining vertical side parts 9 and 10 at opposing ends 11a and 11b. This allows a wide range of connection types to be provided, for example bonding or welding or even a plug-type connection.

(17) Provision is made here for the recessed handle element 11 to have an engagement groove 14, in which the front tabs 9b, in other words those facing the door outer panel 6, and the corresponding tab of the side part 10 engage. The same provision can also be made on the opposing side of the recessed handle element 11, so that the tab 9c and the corresponding tab of the side part 10 can also engage here.

(18) Provision is additionally made for the door 4 also to have a decorative panel 15, which is arranged at the front in the depthwise direction and conceals the door outer panel 6 from view.

(19) Provision is preferably made for the door outer panel 6 to be bonded to the door frame 7, preferably also to the recessed handle element 11, it being possible for provision to be made here for bonding to the tabs 9b and the corresponding tabs of the further side parts 8 and 10 on their insides.

(20) FIG. 2b shows the assembled state of the door 4. The process for the assembly of this door 4 is explained below according to FIG. 3. First the door frame 7 is produced as a single piece component, which is then bent at correspondingly produced bending points 7a and 7b, configured for example by shaping, thereby producing the U-shaped door frame 7 from the top left image in FIG. 3.

(21) According to the third image in the top row in FIG. 3 the resulting separate recessed handle element 11 is then positioned and connected to the door frame.

(22) In a subsequent assembly step the door inner panel 5 and the door outer panel 6 are connected to the door frame 7 and the recessed handle element 11, as shown in the image on the far right in the top row in FIG. 3.

(23) The space 4a is then filled with the thermally insulating material, this being shown in the left-hand image in the bottom row in FIG. 3.

(24) As also shown in this left-hand image in the bottom row in FIG. 3, the door outer panel 6 and the door inner panel 5 (not shown) face the space 4a and are arranged as it were within the support frame 7, so that said tabs 9b and 9c and also the corresponding tabs of the other side parts 8 and 10 engage round the outside of the door outer panel 6 and the door inner panel 5.

(25) Then according to the diagram in FIG. 3 a bonding agent 16 is applied to the outsides of said tabs 9b and 9c facing away from the space 4a or of the other corresponding tabs of the side parts 8 and 10. The decorative panel 15 is then positioned thereon, as shown in the third image in the bottom row in FIG. 3. The assembled final state of the door 4, as also shown in FIG. 2b, is then reached in the right-hand image in the bottom row in FIG. 3.

(26) FIG. 4a shows an exploded view of a further exemplary embodiment of a door 4. With this door provision is made for the door frame 7 to be configured not only with three sides but with four sides. However provision is made here for one vertical side part 9 to be longer than an opposing further vertical side part 10. Therefore in this embodiment the open peripheral section 13 is shorter than the side part 9. In the embodiment in FIG. 4a this open peripheral section 13 therefore extends over a height that is shorter than the entire height of the vertical side part 9. In this embodiment the recessed handle element 11 is then not a top door end strip but a lateral door end strip, which is arranged at the side in this open peripheral section 13. A top horizontal side part 17 of the support frame 7 is also configured here.

(27) The assembly of the door 4 according to FIG. 4a and the assembled door 4 also shown in FIG. 4b is as set out in FIG. 3.

(28) FIG. 5a shows a schematic rotated view of a further exemplary embodiment of a door frame 7 of a door 4. In this embodiment, in contrast to the view in FIG. 4a, the shorter vertical side part 10 is also bent horizontally and then also has a horizontal section 10a. The recessed handle element 11 is then connected thereto. Also in contrast to the view in FIG. 4a the open peripheral section 13 opens out at the bottom horizontal side part 8, while in FIGS. 4a and 4b it opens out at the top horizontal side part 17.

(29) FIG. 5b shows a simplified front view of a further exemplary embodiment of a domestic refrigeration appliance 1. Provision is made here for two doors 4 to be arranged adjacent to one another, each being configured individually to close a separate chamber. Components of such a door 4, as shown in FIG. 5a, are implemented there. The recessed handle elements 11 are then configured to face one another and the component arrangement according to FIG. 5a is also displaced through 180° compared with the view in FIG. 5a in FIG. 5b. This means that the recessed handle element 11 opens out in the direction of the top edge of the door 4 and the shorter vertical side part 10 then as it were adjoins the bottom edge or the bottom side part 8.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(30) 1 Domestic refrigeration appliance 2 Housing 3 Chamber 4 Door 4a Space 5 Door inner panel 6 Door outer panel 7 Door frame 8 Bottom side part 9 Vertical side part 9a Base panel 9b Tab 9c Tab 10 Vertical side part 11 Recessed handle element 12 Recessed handle 13 Peripheral section 14 Engagement groove 15 Decorative panel 16 Bonding agent 17 Side part