DOMESTIC REFRIGERATION APPLIANCE WITH A COOLING COMPARTMENT AND A DOOR CLOSING THE COOLING COMPARTMENT, THE ROTATION AXIS OF WHICH IS DISPLACEABLE IN THE WIDTH DIRECTION

Abstract

A domestic refrigeration appliance having a housing in which a cooling compartment is provided, and is closable by a first door which is movably arranged on the housing. The appliance further having a dispensing unit having an output unit and an ice maker. The dispensing unit is configured for the output of liquid and/or molded ice elements and is arranged on the first door. A rear side of the first door facing toward the cooling compartment has a receptacle protruding toward the cooling compartment, in which receptacle the dispensing unit is arranged. The first door is pivotably arranged with at least one multiple-joint hinge on the housing. The multiple-joint hinge has a mechanism with which, during the pivoting movement of the first door, the first door is also displaced in the width direction.

Claims

1. A domestic refrigeration appliance, comprising: a housing defining a cooling compartment; a first door movably disposed on said housing for closing off said cooling compartment; a dispensing unit having an output unit and an ice maker, and configured for outputting of liquid and/or molded ice elements, said dispensing unit disposed on said first door, at least one multiple-joint hinge; said first door having a rear side facing toward said cooling compartment and a receptacle protruding toward said cooling compartment, in said receptacle said dispensing unit is disposed, said first door being pivotably disposed via said at least one multiple-joint hinge on said housing; and said at least one multiple-joint hinge having a mechanism with which, during a pivoting movement of said first door, said first door is also displaced in a width direction.

2. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said multiple-joint hinge is an at least 4-joint hinge and said mechanism has at least 4 pivot points.

3. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 2, wherein said multiple-joint hinge is a 7-joint hinge and said mechanism has 7 pivot points.

4. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said mechanism is configured such that a linear displacement component of a rotation-linear overall movement of said first door takes place in the width direction only in a pre-determined angular interval of the pivoting movement of said first door.

5. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined angular interval is between 85 and 120 starting from a closed position of said first door.

6. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said mechanism is configured such that said first door is displaced in the width direction and in a depth direction of the domestic refrigeration appliance, with a respective linear displacement component of a rotation-linear overall movement.

7. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a first panel-shaped additional part being separate from said first door and disposed on a front side of said first door, said first panel-shaped additional part is disposed as a facing part and having a hole formed therein, through said hole said output unit of said dispensing unit belonging to the domestic refrigeration appliance which is configured for an output of the liquid and/or the molded ice elements is accessible.

8. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, further comprising: a freezing compartment being separate from said cooling compartment; and a second door for closing off said freezing compartment and movably disposed on said housing, said second door is disposed in a plane in which said first and second doors extend, without overlap beside said first door.

9. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 8, further comprising a second panel shaped additional part disposed on a front side of said second door, said second panel-shaped additional part being separate from said second door.

10. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a third door, said cooling compartment is closable by said first door and by said third door, said third door disposed seen in the width direction of the domestic refrigeration appliance, beside said first door.

11. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 7, further comprising an adjusting device with which at least said output unit of said dispensing unit is adjustable in at least two spatial directions relative to said first door and/or relative to said first panel-shaped additional part disposed separately on said front side of said first door.

12. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 11, wherein: said output unit has an output housing with a rear back wall region and a further back wall region with a niche formed therein; and said adjusting device has at least one displaceable adjusting element which is asymmetrical in shape and which is disposed in said niche offset forwardly in a depth direction of the domestic refrigeration appliance relative to said rear back wall region of said output housing of said output unit, said niche being delimited by said further back wall region of said output housing disposed further forward.

13. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 7, further comprising a water-conducting assembly with which water is conductable to said dispensing unit, wherein said water-conducting assembly has at least one valve disposed on said first door, said valve is disposed at a lower edge of said first door and is hidden at said front side by means of said first panel-shaped additional part on said first door.

14. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein the domestic refrigeration appliance is a built-in appliance for installation in an installation niche of a furniture wall.

15. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined angular interval is between 90 and 115 starting from a closed position of said first door.

16. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 7, wherein said first panel-shaped additional part is a furniture front panel.

17. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 9, wherein said second panel shaped additional part is a furniture front panel.

18. The domestic refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein said adjusting element is a wedge.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0034] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, front view of a first exemplary embodiment of an inventive domestic refrigeration appliance;

[0035] FIG. 2 is a front view of a further exemplary embodiment of an inventive domestic refrigeration appliance;

[0036] FIG. 3 is a front view of the domestic refrigeration appliance of FIG. 2 with opened doors, which are configured for closing a cooling compartment;

[0037] FIG. 4 is an enlarged, simplified schematic representation of a door of the domestic refrigeration appliance, where valves of a water-conducting assembly are built in;

[0038] FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view through a subregion of a door for closing the cooling compartment of the domestic refrigeration appliance;

[0039] FIG. 6 is an enlarged representation of a subregion of FIG. 5;

[0040] FIG. 7 is a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the domestic refrigeration appliance, in which different positions of the door are shown; and

[0041] FIG. 8 is an enlarged representation of a partial portion of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0042] In the figures, the same or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference characters.

[0043] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown an exemplary embodiment of a domestic refrigeration appliance 1 in a front view, which has a housing 2 in which a cooling compartment 3 is arranged which is closable at the front by a first door 4. The domestic refrigeration appliance 1 also contains a freezing compartment 5 separate from the cooling compartment 3, which is closable by a second door 6. The doors 4 and 6 represent front external parts which in the movement with which the doors 4 and 6 spread out, are arranged mutually parallel and overlap-free.

[0044] It is also provided that the cooling compartment 3 is closable by the one door 4. The domestic refrigeration appliance 1 further contains a front-side panel-shaped additional part which is configured, in particular, as a furniture front panel and which is arranged on a front side of the door 4 and is configured covering it over the extent of the surface. The additional part 7 covers the front surface of the door 4 practically completely and has only one hole 8 through which a niche 9 of a dispensing unit 10 is accessible. The dispensing unit 10 is configured for the output of liquid and/or molded ice elements and is a component of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1.

[0045] Additionally, a further furniture front panel is provided as an additional part 11 which is arranged on the front side of the door 6 and covers this front side or front surface entirely. The two additional parts 7 and 11 are separate components.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a front view of a further exemplary embodiment of a domestic refrigeration appliance 1 in which, as distinct from the embodiment of FIG. 1, the cooling compartment 3 is closable by two separate doors 4a and 4b, each of which is pivotable about a pivot axis or rotation axis oriented in the height direction (y-direction). In this exemplary embodiment, it is provided that a plate-like additional part 7a covers the door 4a on the front side and a plate-like additional part 7b covers the door 4b on the front side. The additional part 7a is arranged on a front side 41a of the door 4a and the additional part 7b is arranged on a front side 41b of the door 4b.

[0047] The domestic refrigeration appliances 1 are configured, in particular, as built-in appliances and can thus be arranged in an installation niche of a furniture wall. A built-in appliance is also characterized, in particular and as is generally the case, in that it has a fastening device for a separate covering part such as a furniture front panel and/or fastening device for fastening the domestic refrigeration appliance to delimiting walls of an installation niche and/or side walls and/or a roof wall of the housing 2 are formed as panels made of paperboard. A proper arrangement of the built-in appliance requires, in particular, installation in an installation niche.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows the exemplary embodiment of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1 of FIG. 2 in an embodiment in which the dispensing unit 10 is arranged with an associated ice maker 12, not in the cooling compartment 3, but directly on the door 4a. The ice maker 12 contains a receptacle container 13 which is configured for receiving molded ice elements that are generated by the ice maker 12.

[0049] The dispensing unit 10 also contains an output unit 15 which is also provided in the door 4a. By means of the output unit 15, the liquid and/or molded ice elements can be output into the niche 9 in which a receiving vessel can be placed.

[0050] The domestic refrigeration appliance 1, as described in the exemplary embodiments above, contains in a rear lower region 16, a machine space 17 in which a water-conducting assembly 18 (FIG. 4) is arranged. The water-conducting assembly 18 is responsible for passing water which is fed in externally to the appliance, for example, via a domestic water network, to the domestic refrigeration appliance 1, on to the dispensing unit 10. For this purpose, it is provided that components of this water-conducting assembly 18 are arranged externally to this machine space 17. In particular, it is provided here that a first valve 19 is arranged externally to the machine space 17, wherein this first valve 19 which belongs to the water-conducting assembly 18 is arranged on a door, in particular, the door 4a, as shown in FIG. 4 in this exemplary embodiment. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, this valve 19 would be arranged on the door 4.

[0051] By means of the first valve 19, water is conducted, in particular, to the output unit 15 in order to be able to output the relevant liquid there, for example as a drink or a mixed drink. For this purpose, a dedicated conduit 20 is provided which extends between the valve 19 and the output unit 15.

[0052] Particularly when the dispensing unit 10 is also configured for the output of molded ice elements and has the ice maker 12, a second valve 21 is provided which in the exemplary embodiment is preferably also arranged on the door 4a, in particular if the ice maker 12 is also arranged in the door 4a. It is provided, by means of a dedicated conduit 22 between the second valve 21 and the ice maker 12, that the relevant water supply takes place in a dosed manner.

[0053] It is advantageous in an embodiment of this type that a conduit 23 which extends between the components of the water-conducting assembly 18 in the machine space 17 and the valves 19 and 21 arranged on the door 4a is configured merely as a single feed conduit. This conduit 23 is laid from the machine space 17 via a hinge 24 (FIG. 3) to the valves 19 and 21. Due to the arrangement of both valves 19 and 21 in the door 4a, it is also not necessary to lay two separate conduits from the machine space 17 to the door 4a, so that space is saved specifically in the region of the passage at the hinge 24.

[0054] FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation in a partial portion with a view toward the door 4a seen from inside and thus toward a rear side 25 of the door 4a. It is provided in particular that at least one valve 19 and/or 21 is arranged on a lower edge 26 of the door 4a.

[0055] In the embodiment of FIG. 4, it is advantageously provided that the valves 19 and 21, in a front view of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1 and with the door 4, 4a closed, are hidden by the additional parts 7, 7a.

[0056] In FIG. 5, in a vertical sectional representation, a partial portion of the door 4 or also the door 4a is shown. The embodiment and the description apply for both exemplary embodiments of the domestic refrigeration appliance according to FIG. 1, as well as for the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0057] As shown here, the dispensing unit 10 extends at least with the output unit 15 and preferably also with the ice maker 12 in the door 4, 4a. By this means, there results a protruding receptacle 27 locally on the rear side 25, in which the dispensing unit 10 is arranged. Due to a required thermal insulating effect of the door 4, 4a, a suitable structure in the depth direction (z-direction) is needed and thermal insulating material 28 is required between the components of the dispensing unit 10 and a rearward delimiting wall region of the rear side 25. Precisely when, but not only when, the dispensing unit 10 is arranged both with the output unit 15 and also the ice maker 12 in the door 4, 4a, there therefore results a corresponding build-up in the depth direction.

[0058] The domestic refrigeration appliance 1 contains, in particular, an adjusting device 29 as shown symbolically in the enlarged illustration in FIG. 6 showing the extract VI in FIG. 5. The adjusting device 29 is configured such that the dispensing unit 10 in the door 4, 4a is adjustable in at least two spatial directions relative to the furniture front panel (not shown in FIGS. 5 and 6), which is configured in the form of the additional part 7, 7a. Furthermore, the adjusting device 29 is, in particular, also configured such that the dispensing unit 10 in the door 4, 4a is adjustable not only in at least these two spatial directions relative to the door 4, 4a, but in addition or instead, is also adjustable relative to this additional part 7, 7a in at least two spatial directions. In particular it is provided that this adjusting device 29 is also configured for adjusting the additional part 7, 7a relative to the door 4, 4a, so that here, in each case, a plurality of the three mentioned components, specifically the door 4, 4a, the additional part 7, 7a and the dispensing unit 10 can be aligned relative to one another. By this means, a highly precise and extremely positionally accurate arrangement of these three components to one another can be enabled. By this means, individual and finely adjusted positional displacements of the respectively mentioned components relative to one another, at least in pairs, are possible.

[0059] In particular, the adjusting device 29 contains at least one adjusting element 30, preferably a plurality of such adjusting elements 30, as shown symbolically in FIG. 6. The adjusting element 30 is displaceably arranged and is configured asymmetrically in form. In particular, the adjusting element 30 is configured as a wedge. In a particularly advantageous manner, it is provided that this adjusting element 30 is arranged offset in the depth direction and thus in the z-direction of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1 relative to a rear back wall region 31 of a housing 32 of the output unit 15 or the housing of the dispensing unit 10 seen in the depth direction, toward the front, and thus in a positive z-direction relative to this rear back wall region 31. In particular, the housing 32 contains a niche 33 for this purpose, which is delimited by a further back wall region 34 arranged further forward in the positive z-direction. The further back wall region 34 is therefore offset forwardly as compared with the rearmost or rear back wall region 31, so that this niche 33 is created in the lower region of the housing 32. This is a very advantageous embodiment since thereby no additional structure is required in the depth direction, which otherwise would be provided if the adjusting device 29, in particular the adjusting element 30 were arranged adjoining the rear back wall region 31 toward the rear and were to engage with this rear back wall region 31 for position adjustment. By means of this niche 33 as provided, the rearward structure with the insulating material 28 is therefore not to be enlarged again and in this region of the niche 33, there is already in effect a sufficient material thickness of the insulating material 28 present.

[0060] It can be provided that the adjusting device 29 contains at least two such adjusting elements 30 which are arranged at different sites and enable a very continuous and finely adjusted position displacement in at least two spatial directions. The adjusting device 29 can be configured, in particular, as a purely mechanical adjusting device.

[0061] FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1. The door 4, 4a is shown, firstly, in the closed state. For the sake of clarity, the additional part 7 is not shown in FIG. 7.

[0062] As indicated above, the door 4, 4a is arranged pivotable on the housing 2 by means, in particular, of two hinges 24. For this purpose, a vertical rotation axis A is provided which therefore extends in the height direction. The hinges 24 are configured, in particular, as at least 7-joint hinges and each have a mechanism 35 (FIG. 8) by which during the pivot movement of this door 4, 4a, this central rotation axis A of the door 4, 4a is automatically displaced in the width direction and thus in the x-direction of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1. This means that, during its pivot movement, the door 4, 4a undergoes not only such a rotary movement, but simultaneously also a linear displacement movement outwardly in the width direction. This means that the door 4, 4a is then displaced to a certain extent beside the housing 2.

[0063] For this purpose, it is provided, in particular, that the mechanism 35 is configured such that the displacement of the door 4, 4a in the width direction takes place only in a pre-determined angular interval of the overall pivot movement of the door 4, 4a. In particular, it is provided that this angular interval is between 85 and 120, in particular between 90 and 115, wherein the lower interval limit of this angular interval represents an opening angle of the door 4, 4a which is measured starting from the closed position of the door 4, 4a as shown in FIG. 8. This also means that particularly on the movement path between the closed position of the door 4, 4a to this lower or smaller interval limit, exclusively a rotary movement is carried out and then at this angular interval between 0 and this lower interval limit value, no linear displacement in the width direction takes place. Furthermore, it is also provided that the hinges 24 with their mechanism 35 are configured so that the door 4, 4a also carries out a linear movement in the depth direction, wherein this takes place such that the door 4, 4a is linearly displaced during its pivot movement toward the housing in this depth direction. In particular it is provided that the door 4, 4a is displaced in the width direction (x-direction) in relation to a corner region 36 by a value x1 (FIG. 9). In particular it is also provided that the door 4, 4a is displaced during its pivot movement in the depth direction (z-direction) of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1 in relation to the corner region 36 by a value z1 (FIG. 9) in the direction of the housing 2. In relation to a rotation axis A of the door 4, 4a, this rotation axis A is displaced by a value x2 in the width direction and by a value z2 in the depth direction. The values x1 and x2 can be the same or different and/or the values z1 and z2 can be the same or different.

[0064] In FIG. 8, in this regard, an enlarged representation is shown in which the four positions of the door 4, 4a at 0, 90 and 115 are illustrated. As shown, for example, at the rear outer corner region 36 of the door 4, 4a, it moves outwardly, for example, along a displacement path with the value x1 in the width direction and thus away from the housing 2. In the depth direction, this corner region 36 moves along a displacement path with the value z1 rearwardly and thus in the direction of the housing 2, wherein this setting of the two paths is begun, in particular, only after reaching an opening angle of the door 4, 4a, in particular from 85, preferably from 90 and in particular until the angle of 115 is reached or completed. Similar applies to the routes with the values x2 and z2.

[0065] In all the exemplary embodiments, it can also be provided that a pedestal 37 is also present (FIGS. 1, 2). The housing 2 can be placed on this pedestal 37, so that the functioning as a built-in appliance is further improved. By means of the pedestal 37, the adaptation to existing situations in the furniture wall can be achieved and thus the individual height position of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1 in this furniture wall can be adapted. It can be provided that the domestic refrigeration appliance has an adjusting device with which the pedestal 37 is adjustable in the depth direction of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1.

[0066] The mechanism 35 of the multiple-joint hinge contains, in particular, seven separate joint arms which are joined to one another in articulated manner so that the hinge 24 has seven rotation points. The rotation axis A in question can relate in this regard to a central axis of the hinge 24 or can additionally or alternatively relate to a specific point of the door 4, 4a, for example, the corner point 36, wherein here also other points of the door 4, 4a can be used as reference points for this position change. By means of the hinge 24, therefore, not only a pivot movement alone, but also a pivot-displacement movement or a rotation-linear movement can be pre-determined as a coupled movement for the movement sequence of the door 4, 4a.

[0067] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention: [0068] 1 Domestic refrigeration appliance [0069] 2 Housing [0070] 3 Cooling compartment [0071] 4 Door [0072] 4a Door [0073] 4b Door [0074] 5 Freezing compartment [0075] 6 Door [0076] 7 Additional part [0077] 7a Additional part [0078] 8 Hole [0079] 9 Niche [0080] 10 Dispensing unit [0081] 11 Furniture front panel [0082] 12 Ice maker [0083] 13 Receptacle container [0084] 14 Internal container [0085] 15 Output unit [0086] 16 Lower region [0087] 17 Machine space [0088] 18 Water-conducting assembly [0089] 19 Valve [0090] 20 Conduit [0091] 21 Valve [0092] 22 Conduit [0093] 23 Conduit [0094] 24 Hinge [0095] 25 Rear side [0096] 26 Lower edge [0097] 27 Receptacle [0098] 28 Thermal insulating material [0099] 29 Adjusting device [0100] 30 Adjusting element [0101] 31 Rear back wall region [0102] 32 Housing [0103] 33 Niche [0104] 34 Back wall region [0105] 35 Mechanism [0106] 36 Corner region [0107] 37 Pedestal [0108] 41a Front side [0109] 41b Front side [0110] A Rotation axis [0111] Angle