Household refrigeration appliance with a door stop bar having a heating line thermally coupled thereto by a heat conducting transmission medium

Abstract

A household refrigeration appliance has a housing in which there is embodied a receiving space for foodstuffs, a first door and a second door separate therefrom. The doors closing a front-side receiving opening of the receiving space to the front. A door stop bar is disposed externally to the doors which is arranged in the receiving opening and is connected by a first end to a first boundary wall and by a second end to a second boundary wall. Wherein in the closed state the doors abut against the door stop bar on the front side, and have a frame heating which is arranged on the door stop bar for the purpose of heating the door stop bar. A heating line of the frame heating is arranged behind a front panel of the door stop bar and is thermally coupled to the front panel by the heat-conducting transmission medium.

Claims

1. A household refrigeration appliance, comprising: a housing defining a receiving space for foodstuffs and having a first boundary wall and a second boundary wall; doors including a first door and a second door separate from said first door, said doors closing a front-side receiving opening of said receiving space to a front; a door stop bar disposed externally to said doors and disposed in said receiving opening, said door stop bar having a first end connected to said first boundary wall delimiting said front-side receiving opening, and a second end connected to said second boundary wall delimiting said front-side receiving opening, wherein in a closed state said doors abut against said door stop bar on a front side, said door stop bar having a front panel and a heat-conducting transmission medium, said front panel having a C-shaped cross section with limbs; said door stop bar having a first bar member with a recess with a bottom, said recess receiving said front panel therein with said limbs bearing against said bottom of said recess; and a frame heater disposed on said door stop bar for heating said door stop bar, said frame heater having a heating line disposed behind said front panel of said door stop bar and being thermally coupled to said front panel by means of said heat-conducting transmission medium, said heat-conducting transmission medium being disposed on an inside face of said front panel between said front panel and said heating line, said heat-conducting medium and said bottom of said recess defining an air space therebetween, said heating line having a front side embedded in said heat-conducting transmission medium and having a rear side exposed to said air space.

2. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said heat-conducting transmission medium is a deformable medium.

3. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein: said front panel has a front plate; and said heating line is disposed embedded over at least half of a diameter of said heating line.

4. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said heat-conducting transmission medium is embodied as adhesive tape or as double-sided adhesive tape.

5. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said heat-conducting transmission medium contains butyl.

6. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a foil attached on a rear side of said heat-conducting transmission medium facing away from said front panel.

7. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, wherein said foil is a metal foil.

8. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said front panel is made of metal.

9. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said front panel has a cavity defined by said C-shaped cross section, and said heat-conducting transmission medium and said heating line are disposed in said cavity.

10. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 9, wherein said bottom of said recess delimits said cavity.

11. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 9, wherein said first bar member has a front surface delimiting said recess and said front panel is flush with said front surface.

12. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said door stop bar is embodied in multiple parts and in addition to said front panel has a thermal insulating body.

13. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein: said front panel is disposed at least in sections in an immersed manner in said recess.

14. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a partition plate being separate from said door stop bar and disposed in a depth direction of the household refrigeration appliance behind said door stop bar and at a same level as said door stop bar in a height direction of the household refrigeration appliance.

15. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said door stop bar extends in a depth direction of the household refrigeration appliance to a depth of less than or equal to 12 cm.

16. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said door stop bar extends in a depth direction of the household refrigeration appliance to a depth of less than or equal to 10 cm.

17. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said heating line is disposed in direct contact with said bottom of said recess.

18. A household refrigeration appliance, comprising: a housing defining a receiving space for foodstuffs and having a first boundary wall and a second boundary wall; doors including a first door and a second door separate from said first door, said doors closing a front-side receiving opening of said receiving space to a front; a door stop bar disposed externally to said doors and disposed in said receiving opening, said door stop bar having a first end connected to said first boundary wall delimiting said front-side receiving opening, and a second end connected to said second boundary wall delimiting said front-side receiving opening, wherein in a closed state said doors abut against said door stop bar on a front side, said door stop bar having a front panel and a heat-conducting transmission medium, said door stop bar having a first bar member with a recess with a bottom, said recess receiving said front panel therein, said door stop bar being embodied in multiple parts and in addition to said front panel having a thermal insulating body; and a frame heater disposed on said door stop bar for heating said door stop bar, said frame heater having a heating line disposed behind said front panel of said door stop bar and being thermally coupled to said front panel by means of said heat-conducting transmission medium, said heat-conducting transmission medium being disposed on an inside face of said front panel between said front panel and said heating line, said heat-conducting medium and said bottom of said recess defining an air space therebetween, said heating line having a front side embedded in said heat-conducting transmission medium and having a rear side exposed to said air space; said thermal insulating body having a second bar member, separate from said first bar member and connected to said first bar member and together with said first bar member delimiting a cavity in which thermally insulating material is introduced.

19. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 18, wherein said first and second bar members are made of plastic.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a household refrigeration appliance according to the invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the household refrigeration appliance according to FIG. 1 with doors removed from the housing so as to allow a view into the respective receiving spaces;

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a door stop bar of the household refrigeration appliance according to FIG. 1 with additionally illustrated frame heating for the purpose of heating the door stop bar;

(4) FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view through a subsection of the household refrigeration appliance according to FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 5 is a magnified sectional view in the region of the door stop bar; and

(6) FIG. 6 is a magnified sectional view of a part shown in FIG. 4.

(7) In the figures, like or functionally equivalent elements are labeled with the same reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a household refrigeration appliance 1, which may be embodied as a refrigerator or freezer, in an exemplary representation. In the exemplary embodiment, the household refrigeration appliance 1 is configured as a combined fridge-freezer and is embodied for the purpose of storing and conserving foodstuffs. The household refrigeration appliance 1 has a housing 2 having an outer housing 3, in which at least one inner container 4 (FIG. 2) is arranged. As can be seen in the illustration according to FIG. 2, in which doors (that are yet to be designated more precisely) of the household refrigeration appliance 1 are removed, the household refrigeration appliance 1 has a first receiving space 5 which is delimited by walls of the inner container 4. In the exemplary embodiment, the first receiving space 5 is a refrigerator compartment. The first receiving space 5 is delimited by two oppositely disposed boundary walls 6 and 7, which are vertical side walls. The receiving space 5 is additionally delimited by a top wall, a rear wall and a bottom wall, the bottom wall 8 being designated more precisely in this case.

(9) On the front side, the receiving space 5 has a loading or receiving opening 9 which typically is embodied contiguously, without interruption, so as to allow unrestricted access to the first receiving space 5 on the front side, and which therefore represents the entrance or the entrance plane.

(10) In the illustrated exemplary embodiment it is provided that a door-external, beam-like door stop bar 10 is arranged in the receiving opening 9, and therefore in the vertical plane of the receiving opening 9, which door stop bar 10 therefore extends in the width direction (x-direction) and is connected by a first end 10a to the boundary wall 6, and by a second end 10b to the boundary wall 7. The separate door stop bar 10 is arranged in a fixed position on the housing 2 and therefore is not coupled in moving relationship with doors that can be pivoted relative to the housing 2. The door stop bar 10 accordingly separates the receiving opening 9 into two partial receiving openings 9a and 9b. In the depth direction (z-direction), the door stop bar 10 extends over a depth of less than or equal to 12 cm. As already mentioned, it is a separate component from the inner container 4.

(11) In the exemplary embodiment, it is provided that a partition plate 11 that is separate from the inner container 4 and also from the door stop bar 10 is arranged behind the door stop bar 10, and therefore in the depth direction between the door stop bar 10 and a rear wall. In the height direction (y-direction), the partition plate 11 is arranged at the same level as the door stop bar 10 such that, when viewed from the front side, the partition plate 11 is hidden by the door stop bar 10. The partition plate 11 is arranged in a nondestructively removable manner and separates the volume of the receiving space 5 into two partial volumes 5a and 5b.

(12) This exemplary embodiment enables storage areas to be created in the two partial volumes 5a and 5b, in which storage areas different storage conditions can be realized. Thus, for example, the partial volume 5b may then be embodied as a keep-fresh zone in which a different humidity and/or a different temperature can be set independently of the other partial volume 5a of the receiving space 5.

(13) On the front side, the first receiving space 5 can be closed by a number of separate doors, in the exemplary embodiment by three separate doors 12, 13, and 14. The doors 12, 13 and 14 are arranged relative to one another without overlapping and represent visible components to the front, in particular embodied in one plane relative to one another. In the exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the two doors 12 and 13 close the upper partial volume 5a on the front side, and the third door 14 closes the partial volume 5b embodied thereunder on the front side. The third door 14 is in particular a front plate of a drawer that can be withdrawn and inserted in the depth direction.

(14) In the exemplary embodiment, when viewed in the vertical direction, a second receiving space 15 that is separated from the first receiving space 5 and represents the freezer compartment is embodied under the first receiving space 5. The inner container 4 additionally has an integrated wall by which the first receiving space 5 is separated from the second receiving space 15. The wall is integrated in the inner container 4 and in particular is also embodied as double-walled, in which case a thermally insulating material, in particular insulating foam, is introduced between said wall parts of the double wall.

(15) The second receiving space 15 also is delimited by boundary walls, and a top wall 16 and a bottom wall 17 are provided in this case. Additionally provided in the exemplary embodiment shown here is a further door stop bar 18, which is embodied in the manner of a beam and extends vertically in a receiving opening 19 which represents a loading opening. The separate door-external door stop bar 18 is connected by a first end 18a to the upper boundary wall 16, and by a second end 18b to the lower boundary wall in the form of the base 17. The receiving opening 19 is separated into two partial receiving openings 19a and 19b by means of the further door stop bar 18. No additional partition plate, as is provided in the first receiving space 5, is arranged in this case behind the further door stop bar 18, such that the second receiving space 15 is embodied as contiguous and free of interruptions behind the door stop bar 18.

(16) The second receiving space 15 can likewise be closed on the front side by two separate doors 20 and 21 (FIG. 1), which can be arranged so as to be pivotable on the housing 2, as is also realized in the case of the doors 12 and 13. It can also be provided that at least one of the two doors 20 and/or 21 is a front plate of a withdrawable and insertable drawer.

(17) The household refrigeration appliance 1 additionally has a frame heating 22 (FIG. 3) by which it is possible to heat the front-side frame region against which the doors 12, 13, 14, 20 and 21 abut in the closed state. Unwanted condensation in the sealing region between the doors and the front-side frame or front-side flange is avoided as a result.

(18) The door stop bar 10 is also shown by way of example in FIG. 3. In this context, the frame heating 22 also extends along the door stop bar 10. The same then also applies analogously to the door stop bar 18.

(19) The frame heating 22 in the exemplary embodiment is not an electric heater, though this would also be possible, but contains at least one tubular heating line 23, in which a gaseous or liquid medium flows. In a particularly advantageous manner it is provided that the frame heating 22 is coupled to a refrigeration circuit of the household refrigeration appliance 1, such that heat accruing during the operation of the refrigeration circuit is supplied to the frame heating 22 and then the heat is utilized at the corresponding desired points of the household refrigeration appliance 1.

(20) FIG. 4 shows the household refrigeration appliance 1 according to FIG. 1 in the region of the intersection line IV-IV. In the closed state, a gap 24 is formed between the doors 13 and 14. The door stop bar 10 is also provided in order to avoid an unwanted introduction of heat into the receiving space 5 by way of the gap 24. In the exemplary embodiment, the door stop bar 10 is embodied as a multipart component and has a front panel 25 and a thermal insulating body 26 to which the front panel 25 is secured. As can be seen, in the closed state the doors 13 and 14 abut against a front side 27 of a front plate 28 of the front panel 25. The front panel 25 can be heated by the frame heating 22.

(21) FIG. 5 shows a magnified representation in the region of the door stop bar 10. It can be seen that the front panel 25, which is integrally formed from metal in a single piece, is embodied in this vertical section in the form of a trough or channel, and in this sectional view has a C shape. The heating line 23 is in this case arranged in a cavity 29 of the C shape. The heating line 23 is furthermore installed in non-contacting relationship to the insulating body 26. In particular, the front panel 25 is screwed to the insulating body 26, a screw 30 being provided in this case. The insulating body 26 is in turn preferably embodied from two separate bar members 31 and 32 which are connected to one another, there being formed between the two bar members 31 and 32 a cavity in which a thermally insulating material is introduced. When viewed in the depth direction, the insulating body 26 with its thermally insulating material is therefore embodied between the receiving space 5 and the heating line 23.

(22) As can also already be seen in addition in FIG. 5, the heating line 23 is not arranged directly adjacent to the front panel 25, but rather a thermal transmission medium 33 separate therefrom and made of a solid material is arranged between the heating line 23 and the front panel 25, in particular the front plate 28. FIG. 6 additionally shows a magnified representation of a subsection in FIG. 4. It can be seen here that the thermal transmission medium 33 is arranged on an inside face 34 of the front plate 28 and additionally surrounds the heating line 23 in sections. The thermal transmission medium 33 is preferably defined as deformable and may also be embodied as paste-like. In particular, the transmission medium 33 is embodied in sections from butyl and in particular is embodied in sections as adhesive tape, preferably as double-sided adhesive tape. In particular it is provided that the heating line 23 has a diameter d, where the depth to which the heating line 23 is pressed into the transmission medium 33 or is arranged embedded therein corresponds to half of the diameter d. It can be seen that the heating line 23 is not directly in contact with the front panel 25, but is thermally coupled to the front panel 25, in particular to the front plate 28, by way of the thermal transmission medium 33 that is separate therefrom. The heating line 23 is on the other hand embodied as exposed on the rear side facing toward the insulating body 26, such that only an air space is formed here between the heating line 23 and the bar member 31.

(23) As can also be seen in FIG. 6, the insulating body 26, in particular the first bar member 31, has a recess or indentation 35 in which the front panel 25 is arranged in an immersed manner. In particular, a flush arrangement between a front side 36 of the first bar member 31 and the front side 27 of the front plate 28 is realized in this case. A cavity is then created between the front plate 28 and the bar member 31 as a result of the specific channel shape of the front plate 28, which cavity is formed in particular by the region 29. The limbs of the C shape of the front panel 25 that are oriented in the depth direction bear on the bottom of the recess 35 of the first bar member 31, such that a certain supporting function is realized in this case too. The heating line 23 is also positioned securely as a result and an undesirable application of pressure on the bar member 31 is avoided. Furthermore, a compact configuration of the door stop bar 10 is also achieved, in particular in the depth direction, by this embodiment.

(24) It can be provided that a foil 37 is attached on a rear side of the transmission medium 33 facing away from the front plate 28 and facing toward the bar member 31, such that the foil 37, which in particular is a metal foil, preferably an aluminum foil, is arranged between the transmission medium 33 and the heating line 23. The positioning and assembly are simplified as a result.

(25) It can be provided that the transmission medium 33 is embodied as a coherent, continuous strip, although an arrangement of individual strip parts of the transmission medium 33, possibly arranged spaced apart from one another in the width direction, is also possible. This enables a corresponding heating of the front panel 25 to be achieved at defined local points also.

(26) A particularly large areal contact between the heating line 23 and the transmission medium 33 on the one hand, and between the transmission medium 33 and the front panel 25 on the other hand, can be achieved by means of the embodiments, as a result of which an improvement in heat transfer is realized in comparison with line contacts. By means of the present embodiment of a door stop bar 10, 18, a significantly improved and targeted emission of heat is produced, namely directed forward and facing away from the receiving space 5, 15, and on the other hand an improved thermal insulation toward the receiving space 5, 15 is achieved as a result of the positioning of the insulating body 26 then being accomplished therebehind in the depth direction.

(27) 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 Outer housing 4 Inner container 5 First receiving space 5a Partial volume 5b Partial volume 6 Boundary wall 7 Boundary wall 8 Bottom wall 9 Receiving opening 9a Partial receiving opening 9b Partial receiving opening 10 Door stop bar 10a First end 10b Second end 11 Partition plate 12 Door 13 Door 14 Door 15 Second receiving space 16 Top wall 17 Bottom wall 18 Door stop bar 18a First end 18b Second end 19 Receiving opening 19a Partial receiving opening 19b Partial receiving opening 20 Door 21 Door 22 Frame heating 23 Tubular heating lines 24 Gap 25 Front panel 26 Thermal insulating body 27 Front side 28 Front plate 29 Cavity 30 Screw 31 Bar member 32 Bar member 33 Transmission medium 35 Inside face 36 Recess 36 Front side 37 Foil d Diameter IV-IV Intersection line