Refrigerator and/or freezer device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having at least one dispensing unit for liquid and/or solid substances such as ice or water, wherein at least one actuation element is provided that is configured such that on its actuation, the dispensing unit is moved from a lowered position into a moved out position.

Claims

1. A refrigerating unit that is a refrigerator, a freezer, or a refrigerator-freezer combination, the refrigerating unit comprising a dispenser for ice or water, and an actuator configured to move the dispenser from a retracted position to an active position upon actuation wherein the actuator and the dispenser are both arranged at an accessible surface of the refrigerating unit; the actuator is positioned below the dispenser; the dispenser comprises a nozzle and a cover surface; the actuator comprises an actuation surface; and wherein the cover surface is flush with the accessible surface when the dispenser is in a retracted position and the actuation surface is flush with the accessible surface when not actuated; and the refrigerating unit is configured such that, upon actuation of the actuator, the actuation surface moves out of a plane formed by the accessible surface towards an inside of the refrigerating unit, while both the nozzle and the cover surface move out of the plane in a direction away from the refrigerating unit to assume the active position.

2. The refrigerating unit in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the dispenser and the actuator are configured such that the dispenser automatically returns to the retracted position after the actuation of the actuator has stopped.

3. The refrigerating unit in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that movement of the dispenser is effected by a separate drive unit responding to the actuation of the actuator.

4. The refrigerating unit in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the actuator and the dispenser are configured to move synchronously.

5. The refrigerating unit in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the actuator and the dispenser are configured such that a dispensing rate of the ice or water is proportional to a degree of the actuation of the actuator.

6. The refrigerating unit in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the actuator is configured such that upon actuation, the actuation surface moves out of the plane formed by the accessible surface towards the inside of the refrigerating unit by swivelling about an essentially horizontal axis.

7. The refrigerating unit in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the refrigerating unit is further configured such that a light, a temperature display, a display showing a measured value of a flowmeter, a display showing a number of actuator actuations, or any combinations thereof, are activated upon the actuation of the actuator.

8. The refrigerating unit in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the separate drive unit is an electric motor.

9. The refrigerating unit in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the dispenser is configured such that, when assuming the active position, both the nozzle and the cover surface move out of the plane in a direction away from the refrigerating unit by swiveling about an essentially horizontal axis.

10. The refrigerating unit in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that movement of the dispenser is effected directly by the actuator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) There are shown:

(2) FIG. 1: a first perspective view of the dispensing unit and of the actuation element in the lowered position; and

(3) FIG. 2: a second perspective view of the dispensing unit in the moved out position and of the actuation element in the pressed in position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) FIG. 1 shows by reference numeral 10 a component of a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit such as a part of the inside of the door or a part of the carcass of the unit.

(5) The dispensing unit is marked by the reference numeral 20 and the actuation element is marked by the reference numeral 30.

(6) The dispensing unit 20 has a plate 21 that is arranged flush with the sections of the unit adjacent to the plate 21 in the lowered state of the dispensing unit 20 in accordance with FIG. 1 so that a visually appealing impression of an integration of the dispensing unit 20 in the unit results.

(7) The same applies accordingly to the actuation element 30 that likewise has a plate 31 that is likewise arranged flush with the sections of the unit adjacent to the plate 31.

(8) The plates 21 and 31 are directly above one another and are adjacent to one another when the dispensing unit is in its lowered position in accordance with FIG. 1.

(9) In the lowered state in accordance with FIG. 1, the dispensing unit 20 is optimally protected from damage and contamination since it is closed to the outside.

(10) The dispensing unit pivots outward in the direction of the arrow B, as is shown in FIG. 2 that shows the dispensing unit in its outwardly pivoted position, by the pressing in of the actuation element in the form of the plate 31 in the direction of the arrow A.

(11) The dispensing of a product such as water or ice, etc. from the dispensing device 22 is made possible in this position. The dispensing takes place automatically as soon as the dispensing unit has reached a specific outwardly pivoted position. The dispensing can also take place in the inwardly pivoted state.

(12) It is furthermore conceivable that the user has to activate a further actuation means when the dispensing of the product should start.

(13) A lighting that illuminates the region of the dispensing device 22 can be simultaneously activated.

(14) After the release of the actuation plate 31, i.e. on the stopping of the pressing in, the dispensing automatically stops and the dispensing unit 20 and the actuation unit 30 synchronously pivot or travel back into the position shown in FIG. 1.

(15) The dispensing or the water pressure or the amount of ice can be regulated via the pressed in depth of the actuation element 31.

(16) It is also generally conceivable to regulate the travel path or the outward pivot angle of the dispensing unit via the pressed in depth or via the degree of actuation. It is thus possible, for example, to achieve a pivoting of the dispensing unit that is the greater, the stronger or further the actuation element is actuated.

(17) It is achieved by the present invention that the dispensing unit is only moved out when it is needed. It is otherwise in the well-protected position in accordance with FIG. 1 in which it is not accessible from the outside, but is rather arranged in a protected manner in a recess of the unit.