Domestic refrigeration appliance having an interior lighting apparatus and transparent compartment dividers

Abstract

A domestic refrigeration appliance includes an interior for receiving foodstuffs which is bounded by walls, a door for closing the interior, a lighting apparatus which is configured to illuminate the interior at least while the door is open and at least one plate-shaped compartment divider which is disposed in the interior and is made of a transparent material. The lighting apparatus has a plurality of light sources which are disposed in a top wall bounding the interior and are oriented in such a way that the interior has substantially uniform illumination above and below the compartment divider because of the emitted light of the light sources.

Claims

1. A domestic refrigeration appliance, comprising: an interior for accommodating foodstuffs; walls including a top wall bounding said interior; a door for closing said interior; at least one plate-shaped compartment divider disposed in said interior and formed of a light-permeable material, said at least one compartment divider including a rear region having a light injection region configured as a light guide, and said at least one compartment divider including a light output region; a lighting apparatus configured to illuminate said interior at least while said door is open, said lighting apparatus having a plurality of light sources disposed in said top wall, emitting light and being oriented to substantially uniformly illuminate said interior above and below said at least one compartment divider due to the emitted light from said light sources; and said plurality of light sources including first light sources emitting light striking said light injection region and being guided to said light output region of said at least one compartment divider.

2. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said at least one compartment divider has an upper face, a lower face and a rear edge, and said light injection region is formed by at least part of said rear edge having a surface enclosing an angle other than 90 with at least one of said upper or lower faces.

3. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 2, wherein said surface of at least part of said rear edge enclosing an angle other than 90 with at least one of said upper or lower faces, is a flat surface.

4. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 2, wherein said surface of at least part of said rear edge enclosing an angle other than 90 with at least one of said upper or lower faces, has a curved, convex or C-shaped surface in a longitudinal section.

5. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said walls bounding said interior include a rear wall having an inner face, and said light injection region is disposed at a distance from said inner face.

6. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said at least one compartment divider has a front edge and a side edge, and said light output region is formed by at least one of said front edge or said side edge.

7. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said walls bounding said interior include a vertical rear wall, and said first light sources have main radiation directions oriented obliquely forward relative to said vertical rear wall.

8. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 7, wherein said main radiation directions are oriented obliquely forward at an angle of between 5 and 30 relative to said vertical rear wall.

9. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein: said walls bounding said interior include a rear wall having an inner face; said at least one compartment divider includes at least two compartment dividers formed at least in part of a light-permeable material, said at least two compartment dividers include a higher and a lower compartment divider; said at least two compartment dividers are disposed at different heights in said interior and are each configured at least partially with a rear edge having a light injection region; and said rear edge of said higher compartment divider is disposed at a first distance from said inner face of said rear wall and said rear edge of said lower compartment divider is disposed at a second distance from said inner face of said rear wall being is shorter than said first distance.

10. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said top wall has a depth, and said first light sources are disposed in a rear quarter of said depth of said top wall.

11. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said top wall has a depth, and said lighting apparatus has at least two second light sources disposed in a front quarter of said depth of said top wall.

12. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said top wall has a depth, said first light sources are disposed in a rear quarter of said depth of said top wall, and said lighting apparatus has at least two second light sources disposed in a front quarter of said depth of said top wall.

13. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 11, wherein: said walls bounding said interior include a vertical rear wall; said interior has a depth-wise direction; said at least one compartment divider has a front edge; said second light sources at least in part extend forward over said front edge of said at least one compartment divider in said depth-wise direction; and said second light sources have main radiation directions oriented obliquely forward relative to said vertical rear wall.

14. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 11, wherein said interior has a depth-wise direction, said at least one compartment divider has a front edge, and said second light sources at least in part extend forward over said front edge of said at least one compartment divider in said depth-wise direction.

15. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 11, wherein said walls bounding said interior include a vertical rear wall, and said second light sources have main radiation directions oriented obliquely forward relative to said vertical rear wall.

16. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 15, wherein said main radiation directions are oriented obliquely forward at an angle of between 5 and 30 relative to said vertical rear wall.

17. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 11, which further comprises at least one pull-out box having an inside and being disposed below said at least one compartment divider, said second light sources having main radiation directions oriented into said inside of said at least one pull-out box when said at least one pull-out box is fully open.

18. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 11, wherein said interior has a depth-wise direction, said top wall has at least two downward steps in said depth-wise direction forming a rear first step plateau and a front further step plateau, said first light sources are disposed in said rear first step plateau and said second light sources are disposed in said front further step plateau being is higher than said first step plateau.

19. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said top wall defines a top wall plane, said lighting apparatus has at least two of said first light sources and at least two second light sources disposed on said top wall, and imaginary lines connecting each two respective adjacent light sources in a peripheral direction form a trapezoidal shape in said top wall plane.

20. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said walls bounding said interior include a rear wall, said trapezoidal shape has a shorter base side and a longer base side, and said shorter base side is closer to said rear wall than said longer base side.

21. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said walls bounding said interior include said top wall, a rear wall and side walls having inner faces facing said interior, and at least some of said walls are made of a metallic material or stainless steel at least on said inner faces facing said interior.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail in the following with reference to schematic drawings, in which:

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

(3) FIG. 2 shows a front view of a sub-region of the domestic refrigeration appliance shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective diagram of an enlarged sub-region of the domestic refrigeration appliance as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with a top wall;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional diagram of the domestic refrigeration appliance as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic sectional diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a light injection region of a compartment divider.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

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

(8) FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a domestic refrigeration appliance 1, which is configured as a refrigerator, for example a chiller cabinet or a wine storage cabinet.

(9) However the domestic refrigeration appliance 1 can also be configured as a combined refrigerator/freezer for example.

(10) The domestic refrigeration appliance 1 comprises an interior 2, which is configured to accommodate foodstuffs. The interior 2 is bounded by walls of an inner container 3, with a top wall 3, a rear wall 5, side walls 6 and 7 and a base 8 being configured for this purpose.

(11) In the exemplary embodiment provision is made for the top wall 4, the rear wall 5 and the side walls 6 and 7 to be made of a metallic material, in particular stainless steel, on their inner faces facing the interior 2. To this end the walls in question can be formed completely from the metallic material or have an appropriate metallic coating on said inner faces.

(12) In the exemplary embodiment the domestic refrigeration appliance comprises a plurality of compartment dividers 9, 10, 11 and 12, which are configured in the manner of plates and arranged horizontally as well as at a distance from and parallel to one another in the interior 2. These compartment dividers 9 to 12 extend over the entire width (x direction) of the interior 2. They are preferably made completely of a material that allows the passage of light in the spectral range that is visible to humans, for example plastic or glass.

(13) These plate-type compartment dividers 9 to 12 preferably have securing elements, which fasten them to the rear wall 4 for example.

(14) The compartment dividers 9 to 12 form and correspondingly bound sub-volumes of the interior 2 configured one above the other in a vertical direction (y direction) and thus in the heightwise direction of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1. The compartment dividers 9 to 12 therefore also represent a base for positioning foodstuffs in the form of food and beverages for the space or sub-volume configured above in each instance.

(15) In the exemplary embodiment a plurality of pull-out boxes 13, 14 and 15 are also configured in the interior 2. These pull-out boxes 13 to 15 are also configured to accommodate foodstuffs and can be pulled out and pushed back in again in a horizontal direction and therefore in the depthwise direction (z direction) of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1.

(16) As shown, the uppermost container in respect of height or the pull-out box 13 extends over a smaller depth than the pull-out boxes 14 and 15 arranged below. The further pull-out box 14, which is arranged directly below the topmost pull-out box 13, therefore extends further in the direction of a loading opening of the interior 2, so that a further plate 16 between the pull-out boxes 13 and 14 also forms a storage region in front of the pull-out box 13. This plate 16 is preferably made of a material that allows the passage of light in the spectral range visible to humans at least in the region that extends forward in relation to the pull-out box 13.

(17) As also shown, front faces or end faces of the pull-out boxes 13 to 15 are also configured to allow the passage of light in the spectral range visible to humans at least in parts.

(18) The domestic refrigeration appliance 1 also comprises a door 17, shown in the opened state in FIG. 1. The door 17 can be opaque but it can also be transparent so it is possible to look into the interior 2 and the foodstuffs therein can be identified even in the closed state. With a transparent embodiment in particular provision can preferably be made for a lighting apparatus 18 also to be active or activatable and to illuminate the interior 2 in a uniform manner.

(19) The domestic refrigeration appliance 1 further comprises the lighting apparatus 18. This lighting apparatus 18 is formed to illuminate the interior 2. It is configured in such a manner that the interior 2 with its sub-volumes, which are bounded and formed by the compartment dividers 9 to 12, has a substantially uniform illumination, even in the regions of the pull-out boxes 13 to 15.

(20) To this end the lighting apparatus 18 comprises a plurality of light sources. In the exemplary embodiment two first light sources 19 and 20 are arranged on the top wall 4.

(21) These first light sources 19 and 20 are positioned in a rear quarter of the depth of the interior 2 when said interior 2 is viewed in a depthwise direction and thus in the z direction.

(22) The lighting apparatus 18 further comprises two second light sources 21 and 22, which are also arranged on the top wall 4. The second light sources 21 and 22 are arranged in a front quarter of the depth of the interior 2 when viewed in the depth wise direction of the interior 2.

(23) As shown in FIG. 2, the two second light sources 21 and 22 are positioned closer to the respective adjacent side walls 6 and 7 than the first light sources 19 and 20, which are arranged further back on the top wall 4. When viewed in the y direction and therefore perpendicular to the top wall 4 with a projection into the top plane said four light sources 19 to 22 are arranged in such a manner that connecting lines between the respectively adjacent light sources 19 to 22 bound a surface that is trapezoidal in shape in a peripheral direction, for example in the clockwise direction.

(24) As also shown, the front second light sources 21 and 22 are arranged higher, when viewed in a vertical direction, than the rear first light sources 19 and 20.

(25) The light sources 19 to 22 can each have at least one light-emitting diode.

(26) As shown in the diagram in FIG. 3, which shows an enlarged detail of the interior 2 in the region of the top wall 4 and the side wall 6, the top wall is not flat. In particular it is stepped or shaped as a step.

(27) Provision is made in this respect in the exemplary embodiment for the first light sources 19 and 20 to be arranged in a rear first deepest step plateau 23. Adjoining this first step plateau 23 to the front a rising wall 24 is formed. A further step plateau 25 is formed adjoining said rising wall 24 to the front. When viewed in a depthwise direction to the front again a further rising wall 26 is configured adjoining said second step plateau 25. A third step plateau 27 is formed adjoining said rising wall 26 again to the front. The two second light sources 21 and 22 are arranged in this third step plateau 27.

(28) The third step plateau 27 in particular is oriented at an oblique angle to a horizontal plane and therefore an x-z plane. When viewed in a depthwise direction this angled orientation is oriented down and to the rear. This should be seen as starting from a front edge 27a.

(29) To describe the functionality of the lighting apparatus 18 further, reference is now made to the schematic longitudinal sectional diagram (section in the y-z plane) in FIG. 4.

(30) The stepped shape of the top wall 4 is shown. The top wall 4 conceals an evaporator 28 of a refrigeration circuit of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1. The lighting apparatus 18 with the specifically located light sources 19 to 22 is configured in such a manner that the interior 2 is illuminated in a substantially uniform manner.

(31) The rear first light sources 19 and 20 are oriented in such a manner that the main radiation directions of their emitted light, one main radiation direction 19a of which is shown in FIG. 4, is arranged at an angle to the vertical and therefore also facing an inner face 5a of the rear wall 5. An angle between this main radiation direction 19a and the inner face 5a is preferably between 5 and 30.

(32) Provision is preferably also made for the second light sources 21, 22 also to be arranged in such a manner that main radiation directions, one main radiation direction 21a of which is shown in FIG. 4, are oriented at an angle to the vertical. This angle can also preferably be between 5 and 30.

(33) As also shown in FIG. 4, the second light sources 21 and 22 are arranged in such a manner that when viewed in a depthwise direction their dimensions extend in front of the compartment dividers 9 to 12 at least in parts.

(34) This specific positioning and orientation mean that a desired illumination of the interior 2 in front of the compartment dividers 9 to 12 is also achieved in particular by said second light sources 21 and 22. In particular a desired uniform illumination of an inside 14a of the pull-out box 14 is achieved in its pulled out state (shown by the dashed line in FIG. 4). Corresponding functionality and illumination are also achieved for the container not shown in FIG. 4 or the pull-out box 15. Illumination of the interior in the pulled out state is also achieved in respect of the pull-out box 13.

(35) As also shown in FIG. 4, the rear first light sources 19 and 20 are also arranged and oriented in such a manner that the emitted light is radiated to all the compartment dividers 9 to 12 configured as light guides.

(36) The compartment divider 9 configured as a light guide is configured with a rear light injection region 9a for this purpose. This light injection region 9a extends over the entire width of the compartment divider 9 and is formed by a configuration of the rear edge of said compartment divider 9 which is oriented obliquely to the rear and downward. This light injection region 9a thus allows a desired injection of a light component of the light emitted from the light sources 19 and 20, which is then guided and output into the compartment divider 9 by total reflection to light output regions 9b, which are formed by the front edge of the compartment divider 9, and lateral light output regions 9c, which are formed by the opposing side edges of the compartment divider 9. In a similar configuration the further compartment dividers 10 to 12 comprise light injection regions 10a, 11a and 12a, each formed by the obliquely chamfered rear edges. As shown, the three upper compartment dividers 9 to 11 are configured with identically oriented light injection regions 9a to 11a, which are angled obliquely downward to the rear. By way of example the optional configuration where said light injection region 12a can be oriented obliquely forward and downward is also shown for the compartment divider 12.

(37) These compartment dividers 10 to 12, which are configured as plate-type light guides, also have light output regions 10b, 11b and 12b through the front-face or front edges. Provision is also made here in particular for the opposing side edges each to form lateral light output regions 10c, 11c and 12c.

(38) As shown in the diagram in FIG. 4, said rear edges of the compartment dividers 9 to 12 and therefore also the light injection regions 9a to 12a in one exemplary embodiment are at different distances from an inner face 5a. To this end the upper most compartment divider 9 is arranged in such a manner that a distance a1 viewed in a depthwise direction is great than a distance a2 for the compartment divider 10 arranged directly below. A distance a3 between the light injection region 11a of the compartment divider 11 immediately below the compartment divider 10 is in turn shorter than the distance a2.

(39) Provision is also made for a distance a4 in turn to be shorter than the distance a3. This means that as the height of the compartment dividers 9 to 12 decreases, the distance between a rear edge and therefore a light injection region 9a to 12a of a compartment divider 9 to 12 and the inner face 5a decreases. Such a configuration allows the light emitted downward by the first light sources 19 and 20 from the top wall 4 to be distributed to each of the compartment dividers 9 to 12 in the desired proportion, allowing uniform light injection and therefore also correspondingly uniform light output. This also advantageously contributes to the overall uniform illumination of the interior 2.

(40) Provision can also be made in particular for a rear edge of the plate 16, which is also configured for light guidance, to be arranged at a further distance from the inner face 5a. Provision can be made for this distance to be shorter than the distance a4.

(41) In a further embodiment provision can preferably be made for the distances a1 to a4 to be identical. In particular the distance between the rear edge of the plate 16 and the inner face 5a can then be shorter than or equal to the other distances a1 to a4.

(42) In a further embodiment provision can be made for the distances a1 to a3 to be identical. This therefore relates to all the compartment dividers 9 to 11, below which a space or sub-volume of the interior 2 with unlimited access at the front face is configured. With this embodiment provision is also preferably made for the distance a4 then to be shorter than the identical distances a1 to a3. In particular the distance a4 to the compartment divider 12, below which a pull-out box 13 is directly arranged and with which the compartment divider 12 virtually forms a lid for said pull-out box 13, is therefore shorter.

(43) Provision can also be made for at least one compartment divider 9 to 12 to be able to be pulled out horizontally and therefore to be configured in the manner of a pull-out box for presenting the foodstuffs stored thereon in parts in front of the interior. With such an embodiment in particular the orientation of the light sources 21 and 22 is advantageous, as it allows illumination from above in front of the interior and therefore the pulled out sub-region of the compartment divider. This is preferred for compartment dividers positioned lower down, for example the compartment dividers 10 or 11. It is particularly preferred for the compartment divider 11 and/or 12, which are anyway horizontally shorter than the compartment dividers arranged above and can therefore be illuminated from above when they are pulled out at least partially and in front of the front edge of the compartment dividers arranged above, in particular the compartment dividers 9 and 10.

(44) The arrangement and orientation of the first light sources 19 and 20 means that the illumination in the rear region and radiation to the individual light injection regions 9a to 12a are not undesirably impaired even when there is a large quantity of foodstuffs in the interior 2. The orientation of the light sources 19 and 20 with their main radiation directions 19a angled obliquely forward also prevents too much light on the inner face 5a, causing undesirably significant local reflection and brightness regions to form.

(45) With the configuration of the light injection region 9a provision is made in FIG. 4 for it to be configured by a surface of a part of the rear narrow edge of the compartment divider 9, which connects an upper face and a lower face of the compartment divider 9, or preferably the surface of the entire edge at an angle other than 90 to an upper face and a lower face of the compartment divider 9. Such an angling of said rear edge produces a particularly advantageous light injection region 9a, which allows extensive light injection, so a particularly large quantity of light passes into the compartment divider 9 and can be radiated out again at the light output region 9b, 9c, thereby achieving improved illumination by the lighting apparatus 18 here too.

(46) Precisely such angling of the rear edge causes optical surfaces to be formed, which allow improved injection and also, depending on orientation, a high reflection coefficient of light already injected into the compartment divider 9 in the desired direction to the light output region 9b, 9c. This angled orientation of the rear edge can thus be oriented both obliquely downward and to the rear from the upper face as well as in the counter direction and therefore obliquely downward and forward from the upper face, as is the case with compartment divider 12.

(47) Said surface of said part of the rear edge or the surface of the entire edge, which is configured at an angle other than 90 to an upper face of the compartment divider 9, is preferably configured as a flat surface. Thus in a longitudinal section or vertical section through the compartment divider 9 shown in FIG. 4 said compartment divider 9 is configured as wedge-shaped or as pointed or tapering to the rear in the rear region. In this sectional view therefore two straight lines, those of the lower face and the flat surface of the rear edge, meet at an angle smaller than 90. With this embodiment as a flat surface maximizing light injection appropriate for each situation is achieved as a function of the angle. Details relating to the compartment divider 9 also apply to the compartment dividers 10 and 11 and inversely for the compartment divider 12 with regard to the orientation of the light injection region 12a.

(48) Provision is particularly preferably made for said surface of said part of the rear edge or the surface of the entire edge, which is configured at an angle other than 90 to an upper face of the compartment divider 9, to be configured as a curved surface, as shown in the exemplary longitudinal sectional diagram in FIG. 5. Said surface is preferably curved in a convex manner at least in parts, in particular being curved in a convex manner, in particular being curved in a uniformly convex manner, over its entire extension between an upper face and a lower face of the compartment divider 9. As a result in a longitudinal section or vertical section through the compartment divider 9, said compartment divider 9 is configured with a bulge, in particular a C-shaped bulge, in the rear region in the depthwise direction of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1 and therefore in the z direction. This embodiment is particularly advantageous in that it is simple to configure and produce and in that it minimizes reflection and maximizes light component injection. Uniform illumination of the interior 2 is thus achieved to a particular degree. Details relating to the alternative embodiment of the compartment divider 9 also apply to the compartment dividers 10 to 12.

(49) TABLE-US-00001 List of reference characters 1 Domestic refrigeration appliance 2 Interior 3 Inner container 4 Top wall 5 Rear wall 5a Inner face 6 Side wall 7 Side wall 8 Base 9 Compartment divider 9a Light injection region 9b Light output regions 9c Lateral light output regions 10 Compartment divider 10a Light injection region 10b Light output region 10c Lateral light output regions 11 Compartment divider 11a Light injection region 11b Light output region 11c Lateral light output regions 12 Compartment divider 12a Light injection region 12b Light output region 12c Lateral light output regions 13 Pull-out box 14 Pull-out box 14a Inside 15 Pull-out box 16 Plate 17 Door 18 Lighting apparatus 19 First light source 19a Main radiation direction 20 First light source 21 Second light source 21a Main radiation direction 22 Second light source 23 Step plateau 24 Rising wall 25 Step plateau 26 Rising wall 27 Step plateau 27a Front edge 28 Evaporator a1 Distance a2 Distance a3 Distance a4 Distance Angle Angle