Refrigerating device for a recreational vehicle

Abstract

A refrigerating device having a refrigerating chamber, which is defined by side walls, an upper wall and a lower wall and a front opening. The refrigerating device further comprises a door which is configured to allow sealing of the front opening and to allow accessing the refrigerating chamber via the front opening, an input panel comprising a display, an input knob and a processing unit. The display depicts a plurality of items which correspond to a plurality of executable input methods to be triggered by a user via actuation of the input knob.

Claims

1. A refrigerating device, comprising: a housing having an upper wall, a lower wall, a first sidewall, and a parallel second side wall, both extending between said upper wall and said lower wall; a first chamber having a first front opening and a second chamber having a second front opening, said first and second openings arranged vertically within said housing; a first door configured to seal the first chamber and allow access to said first chamber; a second door configured to seal the second chamber and allow access to said second chamber; an input panel is horizontally disposed between said first chamber and said second chamber on said housing; and, a display and an input knob disposed on said input panel, wherein said display depicts a plurality of items which correspond to a plurality of executable input methods to be triggered by a user via rotation and pressing of the input knob.

2. The refrigerating device according to claim 1, wherein the first door and the second door of the refrigerating device are each hinged at a left and right side of the first and second chambers and each said first door and said second door comprises at least one handle to access the first and second chambers, respectively.

3. The refrigerating device according to claim 1, wherein each item of the plurality of items depicted on the display corresponds to a specific executable input method selected from a list, including one of or a plurality of setting a refrigeration temperature, preparing crushed ice or ice cubes, setting a source of energy, defrosting the first chamber or the second chamber, setting an alarm, controlling ventilation of the first or the second chamber, setting light settings or adjusting audible volume.

4. The refrigerating device according to claim 1, further comprising the display being operably connected with the input knob such that triggering an input method is achieved by said rotation the input knob to select at least one of the depicted items corresponding to the input method and by said pressing the input knob to execute the desired input method corresponding to the selected depicted item.

5. The refrigerating device according to claim 1, wherein the input panel is fixedly mounted to the housing of the refrigerating device between the first door and the second door.

6. The refrigerating device according to claim 1, wherein the input panel is at the same height as a space between the first door and the second door of the refrigerating device.

7. The refrigerating device according to claim 1, wherein the input panel further comprises a cover panel with a transparent section.

8. The refrigerating device according to claim 1, wherein the input panel constitutes an integral part of the refrigerating device.

9. The refrigerating device according to claim 1, wherein the input panel forms a flat surface and the input knob is the only protruding component on the input panel.

10. The refrigerating device according to claim 1, wherein the input knob is the only controlling device on the input panel.

11. The refrigerating device according to claim 1, wherein the first chamber is a freezer and the second chamber is a refrigerator.

12. The refrigerating device according to claim 1, wherein the second chamber is an oven chamber.

13. The refrigerating device according to claim 12, wherein each item of the plurality of items depicted on the display corresponds to a specific executable input method, whereas the plurality of executable input methods for specifically controlling the oven chamber includes one or more methods selected from a list consisting of turning gas on and off, setting a heating temperature, setting a heating mode, various time settings, controlling ventilation of the oven chamber, setting light settings or adjusting audible volume.

14. The refrigerating device according to claim 12, wherein the oven chamber is a top chamber of the first and second chambers of the refrigerating device.

15. The refrigerating device according to claim 13, wherein the heating mode comprises top heat, bottom heat, circulating air, rotisserie grill or combinations thereof.

16. The refrigerating device according to claim 13, wherein the various time settings comprise a starting time and a duration for the heating, and setting an alarm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the figures showing a preferable embodiment, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a prospective view of the refrigerating device according to a first embodiment of the invention comprising a first refrigerating chamber and a second refrigerating chamber;

(3) FIG. 2 is a prospective view of an isolated input panel according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a front view of an isolated input panel according to the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is section of a refrigerating device according to a first embodiment of invention in a front view showing the input panel;

(6) FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the input panel according to the invention;

(7) FIG. 6 is a prospective sectional view of a refrigerating device according to a first embodiment of the invention; and

(8) FIG. 7 is a front view showing several embodiments of a refrigerating device 1 for a recreational vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) In this particular embodiment of FIG. 1 the refrigerating device 1 comprises a first refrigerating chamber 2, e.g. a freezing compartment, and a second refrigerating chamber 3, e.g. a cooling compartment. Accordingly, the first refrigerating chamber has a first door 4 and a second refrigerating chamber 3 has a second door 5. In between the first door 4 and the second door 5 on the front side of the refrigerating device 1 is provided an input panel 6 with an input knob 7 and a display 8. Each of the first door 4 and the second door 5 comprises a left handle 9 and a right handle 10 for individually and selectively opening the first door 4 and/or the second door 5 to either the left or the right side. Thereby, the input panel 6 remains stationary attached to the refrigerating device 1. The input panel is further shaped such that it follows the encompassing surface of the refrigerating device without forming protrusions or recesses. The input panel 6 is further provided in a height that corresponds with the lower wall of the first refrigerating chamber 2 and the upper wall of the second refrigerating chamber 3 in order to make use of the dead space in between the first refrigerating chamber 2 and the second refrigerating chamber 3.

(10) In FIG. 2, the input panel is shown in more detail. It is shown that the input knob has a circular shape and is provided on the right side next to a rectangular display 8 showing a plurality of items 11 which correspond to specific executable input methods and operating modes that may be selected by rotating the input knob 7 and which may be executed by pressing the input knob 7 when the desired item 11 is selected.

(11) FIG. 3 shows a front w of the isolated input panel 6 and FIG. 4 the input panel 6 as shown in FIG. 3 in combination with the refrigerating device 1. Here it is shown a plurality of items 11 consisting of symbols representing temperature, battery, power source, defrosting, volume control, ventilation and the like.

(12) The individual components of the panel 6 are further shown in FIG. 5. The input panel 6 mainly consists of an input panel core 12, housing the processing unit (not shown), and the display 8, the input knob 7, consisting of a circumferential plate 14 and a ring 15 as well as a cover panel 16. The ring 15 is placed in between the cover panel 16 and the circumferential plate 14. The input panel 6 further comprises a transparent section 17 which aligns with the display 8 that is provided in the input panel core 12 in position and dimension. Thus, the display 8 may conveniently be observed in a mounted condition of the input panel 6, whilst being protected through the cover panel 16.

(13) FIG. 6 shows a prospective sectional view of a refrigerating device 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention. It can be seen that the input panel 6 is located adjacent to the first door 4 of the first refrigerating chamber 2 and the second door 5 of the second refrigerating chamber 3. Furthermore, each of the first door 4 of the first refrigerating chamber 2 and the second door 5 of the second refrigerating chamber 3 have vertical left and right handles 9, 10 to open the doors 4, 5 individually and selectively either to the right side or to the left side.

(14) FIG. 7 depicts a variety of further embodiments of a refrigerating device 1 according to the invention. Accordingly, the refrigerating device 1 may either have only one refrigerating chamber, or a first refrigerating chamber 2 and a second refrigerating chamber 3. In either embodiment, the input panel 6 is fixedly provided on the front of the refrigerating device 1 above and/or below a door of the refrigerating chamber of the refrigerating device. The latter is specifically useful, since normally, this dead space would be covered by the doors or an additional blind. Here, the usually unused space is turned into a conveniently reachable space for housing the input panel 6.