Home appliance device comprising a door and home appliance device

Abstract

For the purpose of improving a usability, a home appliance door, in particular a home chiller appliance door, is proposed: The home appliance door has an inner wall section; an outer wall section; a valve connecting the inner wall section and the outer wall section; and a cover element which is separate from and fixed to the valve and at least partly covers the inner wall section.

Claims

1. A home appliance door, comprising: an inner wall section; an outer wall section; a valve connecting the inner wall section and the outer wall section, the valve including an air duct extending at least mostly through an interior space defined between the outer wall section and the inner wall section; and a cover being releasably fixed to the air duct of the valve for being separable from the inner wall section, the cover at least partly covering the inner wall section.

2. The home appliance door according to claim 1, wherein the cover at least partly covers the valve.

3. The home appliance door according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall section includes an inner liner and a cover sheet which at least partly covers the inner liner.

4. The home appliance door according to claim 3, wherein the inner liner and the cover sheet delimit a side space inside which the valve and/or the cover are/is at least partly arranged.

5. A home appliance door comprising: an inner wall section; an outer wall section; a valve connecting the inner wall section and the outer wall section, the valve including an air duct extending at least mostly through an interior space defined between the outer wall section and the inner wall section; and a cover being separate from and being releasably fixed to the air duct of the valve for being separable from the inner wall section and said cover at least partly covering the inner wall section; a fixing unit having at least one first fixing element and at least one corresponding second fixing element cooperating with the first fixing element for fixing the cover to the valve at least in a form-fit manner.

6. The home appliance door according to claim 5, wherein the fixing unit is arranged at least partly inside the side space.

7. The home appliance door according to claim 5, wherein the valve at least partly embodying embodies the first fixing element.

8. The home appliance door according to claim 5, wherein the cover at least partly embodies the second fixing element.

9. The home appliance door according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall section is arranged, in a fixed state in which the cover is fixed to the valve, at least partly between the cover and the valve.

10. The home appliance door according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall section is, in a fixed state of the cover in which the cover is fixed to the valve, deformed by the cover and/or the valve.

11. The home appliance door according to claim 1, wherein the cover includes at least one air opening.

12. The home appliance door according to claim 11, wherein the at least one air opening is arranged concentrically with respect to at least one symmetry axis of the cover element.

13. A home appliance device comprising a home appliance door according to claim 1.

14. A home appliance comprising a home appliance device according to claim 13.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 a home appliance comprising a home appliance device, in a schematic perspective view,

(2) FIG. 2 a portion of the home appliance device comprising a home appliance door, in a cross-sectional view,

(3) FIG. 3 a portion of the home appliance device, comprising a fixing unit, in a cross-sectional view, and

(4) FIG. 4 an alternative home appliance device comprising a home appliance door, in a cross-sectional view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows a home appliance 36a comprising a home appliance device, in a schematic perspective view. The home appliance 36a is embodied as a refrigerator. The home appliance 36a could further be embodied as any other home appliance deemed advantageous by someone skilled in the art, e.g. a climate cabinet, an ice-box, a freezer, a wine-cooler and/or a refrigerator-freezer combination.

(6) The home appliance device comprises a housing 38a. The home appliance device comprises a home appliance door 10a. The housing 38a and the home appliance door 10a delimit a storage space 40a in a closed state of the home appliance door 10a.

(7) The home appliance door 10a comprises a door housing 42a. The door housing 42a comprises an inner wall section 12a. The inner wall section 12a is a wall section of the door housing 42a which faces towards the storage space 40a. In a closed state of the home appliance door 10a, the inner wall section 12a at least partly delimits the storage space 40a. In the closed state of the home appliance door 10a, an outer wall section 14a is a wall section of the door housing 42a which faces away from the storage space 40a. The outer wall section 14a at least partly embodies a front of the home appliance door 10a. The inner wall section 12a and the outer wall section 14a together delimit an interior space 44a of the door housing 42a. The interior space 44a is at least partly filled with an insulating means. The insulating means is a foam, preferably a polymer foam, advantageously a polyurethane foam.

(8) The inner wall section 12a comprises at least one air opening 46a. The outer wall section 14a comprises at least one further air opening 48a. The air openings 46a, 48a allow an air flow through the interior space 44a and preferably at least between the storage space 40a and an exterior of the home appliance device.

(9) The inner wall section 12a comprises an inner liner 20a. The inner liner 20a is preferably at least partly made of plastic, in particular a thermoplastic. The inner wall section 12a comprises a cover sheet 22a. The cover sheet 22at is at least partly made of metal. The cover sheet 22a is made of sheet metal. The cover sheet 22a at least partly covers the inner liner 20a, in particular viewed in a direction that is at least substantially perpendicular to a main extension of the inner wall section 12a. The cover sheet 22a is in contact with and/or covers most of a surface area of the inner liner 20a. The cover element 22a covers the inner wall section 12a in a vicinity of the air opening 46a of the inner wall section 12a, in particular viewed in a direction that is at least substantially perpendicular to a main extension of the inner wall section 12a. The inner liner 20a and the cover sheet 22a delimit a side space 24a. The inner liner 20a and the cover sheet 22a delimit the side space 24a in a vicinity of the air opening 42a of the inner wall section 12a. The side space 24a is separated from the storage space 40a and/or the interior space 44a at least by the inner wall section 12a. The inner liner 20a comprises a bulge, which delimits the side space 24a. The bulge is arranged in a vicinity of the air opening 46a of the inner wall section 12a. Alternatively or additionally the cover sheet 22a may comprise a bulge which at least partly delimits the side space 24a.

(10) The home appliance door 10a comprises a valve 16a. The valve 16a is embodied as a check valve. The valve 16a is configured to reduce a door opening force against an external pressure and/or preferably for drainage of condensation water. The valve 16a connects the inner wall section 12a and the outer wall section 14a. The valve 16a is at least partly arranged inside the side space 24a. The valve 16a comprises an air duct 50a. The air duct 50a is adjacent to the air openings 46a, 48a. The air duct 50a extends at least mostly through the interior space 44a.

(11) The valve 16a comprises a sealing unit 52a. The sealing unit 52a seals the valve 16a with the inner wall section 12a. The sealing unit 52a prevents the insulation means which the interior space 44a is filled with from flowing into the valve 16a. The sealing unit 52a is at least partly embodied by the air duct 50a. The valve 16a comprises a further sealing unit 54a. The further sealing unit 54a seals the valve 16a with the outer wall section 14a. The further sealing unit 54a prevents foam which the interior space 44a is filled with from floating into the valve 16a. The valve 16a comprises a shell 56a. The shell 56a at least partly embodies the further sealing unit 54a. For sealing of the valve 16a, the air duct 50a is at least partly inserted into the shell 56a.

(12) The valve 16a comprises a seal (not shown) which depending on a pressure ratio between the storage space 40a and an environment allows an air flow through the valve 16a. The seal is at least partly arranged inside the air duct 50a.

(13) The home appliance door 10a comprises a cover element 18a. The cover element 18a comprises at least one air opening 32a. The cover element 18a is separate from the valve 16a. The cover element 18a at least partly covers the inner wall section 12a, preferably the cover sheet 22a of the inner wall section 12a, in particular viewed in a direction that is at least substantially perpendicular to a main extension of the inner wall section 12a.

(14) The home appliance door 10a comprises a fixing unit 26a. By means of the fixing unit 26a the cover element 18a is fixed to the valve 16a. The fixing unit 26a is embodied as a quick mount. In the present case the fixing unit 26a is embodied as a snap mount. Alternatively or additionally the fixing unit 26a may be embodied as a bayonet mount. The fixing unit 26a comprises at least one first fixing element 28a. The fixing unit 26a comprises at least one corresponding second fixing element 30a. The second fixing element 30a cooperates with the first fixing element 28a for fixing the cover element 22a to the valve 16a at least in a form-fit manner. Further the second fixing element 30a cooperates with the first fixing element 28a for fixing the cover element 22a to the valve 16a at least in a force-fit manner. The first fixing element 28a and/or the second fixing element 30a are/is deformable. The first fixing element 28a is embodied as snap nose. The second fixing element 30a is in particular embodied as a snap hook. When the cover element 18a is fixed to the valve 16a, the second fixing element 30a snaps into the first fixing element 28a. Alternatively or additionally the second fixing element 30a may be embodied as a snap-receiver which receives the entire first fixing element 28a. It is also conceivable that the first fixing element 28a and the second fixing element 30a may be both embodied as corresponding snap hooks which snap into each other.

(15) The fixing unit 26a is arranged at least partly inside the side space 24a. In particular, the first fixing element 28a and the second fixing element 30a are arranged inside the side space 24a. The valve 16a at least partly embodies the first fixing element 28a. The first fixing element 28a extends at least partly, preferably at least mostly and advantageously entirely around a circumference of the valve 16a. The valve 16a, in particular the air duct 50a of the valve 16a, comprises a first protrusion which embodies the first fixing element 28a. The cover element 18a at least partly embodies the second fixing element 30a. The second fixing element 30a extends at least partly, preferably at least mostly and advantageously entirely around a circumference of the cover element 18a. Further the cover element 18a comprises a protrusion which embodies the second fixing element 30a.

(16) The inner wall section 12a is, in a fixed state in which the cover element 18a is fixed to the valve 16a, arranged at least partly between the cover element 18a and the valve 16a. The cover element 18a and the valve 16a apply a fixing force onto the cover sheet 22a and the inner liner 20a from two, preferably antiparallel, directions. The inner wall section 12a is, in a fixed state in which the cover element 18 is fixed to the valve 16a, at least partly deformed by the cover element 18a and/or the valve 16a. In a vicinity of the air opening 46a of the inner wall section 12a, the cover sheet 22a is bent by the applied fixing force.

(17) FIG. 4 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment of the invention. The following description is substantially limited to the differences between the exemplary embodiments, wherein regarding structural elements, features and functions that remain the same the description of the other exemplary embodiment, in particular of FIGS. 1 to 3, may be referred to. For distinguishing the exemplary embodiments, the letter a of the reference numerals in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 has been substituted by the letter b in the reference numerals of the exemplary embodiments of FIG. 4. Regarding structural elements having the same denomination, in particular regarding structural elements having the same reference numerals, principally the drawing and/or the description of the other exemplary embodiment, in particular of FIGS. 1 to 3, may be referred to.

(18) FIG. 4 shows a portion of an alternative home appliance device comprising a home appliance door 10b, in a cross-sectional view. The exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4 differs from the preceding exemplary embodiment at least substantially by the implementation of a cover element 18b of the home appliance door 10b. In the present case the cover element 18b at least partly covers a valve 16b of the home appliance door 10b.

(19) The cover element 18b comprises a plurality of air openings 32b. The air openings 32b of the cover element 18b are arranged least partly concentrically with respect to at least one symmetry axis 34b of the cover element 18b. Furthermore, the air openings 32b are arranged concentrically with respect to each other.

(20) The home appliance door 10b comprises a fixing unit 26b. The fixing unit 26b comprises a first fixing element 28b. The fixing unit 26b comprises a second fixing element 30b. In the present case the second fixing element 30b is embodied as a snap-receiver. The second fixing element 30b receives the entire first fixing element 28b of the fixing unit 30b.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(21) 10 Home appliance door 12 Inner wall section 14 Outer wall section 16 Valve 18 Cover element 20 Inner liner 22 Cover sheet 24 Side space 26 Fixing unit 28 First fixing element 30 Second fixing element 32 Air opening 34 Symmetry axis 36 Home appliance 38 housing 40 Storage space 42 Door housing 44 Interior space 46 Air opening 48 Further air opening 50 Air duct 52 Sealing unit 54 Further sealing unit 56 Shell