HOUSEHOLD COOLING APPLIANCE INCLUDING A DISPENSING UNIT FOR LIQUIDS AND/OR FREE FLOW REFRIGERATED GOODS WITH A SPECIFICALLY FORMED INSERTION SLOT FOR AN ELECTRONIC MODULE AND HOUSEHOLD COOLING APPLIANCE SYSTEM

Abstract

A household cooling appliance includes a dispensing unit for dispensing a liquid and/or free flow refrigerated goods. The dispensing unit includes an insert having walls bounding a recess in which a receiving container can be inserted for receiving the liquid and/or free flow refrigerated goods to be dispensed. A receptacle for an electronic module is formed as a slot having a slot opening bounded by bounding walls. At least one depth stop for the electronic module is formed on at least one of the bounding walls and delimits an installation depth for the electronic module in the direction of a slot axis. A household cooling appliance system is also provided.

Claims

1. A household cooling appliance, comprising: a dispensing unit for dispensing at least one of a liquid or free flow refrigerated goods, said dispensing unit including an insert; said insert having walls bounding a recess in which a receiving container can be inserted for receiving the at least one of liquid or free flow refrigerated goods to be dispensed; and a receptacle for an electronic module, said receptacle being formed as a slot having bounding walls and a slot axis, said bounding walls bounding a slot opening, and said receptacle having at least one depth stop formed on at least one of said bounding walls for delimiting an installation depth of the electronic module in a direction of said slot axis.

2. The household cooling appliance according to claim 1, wherein said at least one depth stop has one side facing said slot opening in said direction of said slot axis, said one side ending in a set back towards an inside relative to said slot opening.

3. The household cooling appliance according to claim 2, wherein said set back is equal to a depth dimension of the electronic module.

4. The household cooling appliance according to claim 1, wherein said at least one depth stop is formed as a straight bar oriented in said direction of said slot axis.

5. The household cooling appliance according to claim 1, wherein one of said bounding walls in which said at least one depth stop ends is a first bounding wall oriented in said direction of said slot axis.

6. The household cooling appliance according to claim 5, wherein another of said bounding walls is a second bounding wall ending in said first bounding wall, said second bounding wall being oriented at an angle relative to said slot axis.

7. The household cooling appliance according to claim 6, wherein said angle is 90.

8. The household cooling appliance according to claim 6, wherein said second bounding wall delimits a reduced width of said slot as compared to a width of said slot delimited by said first bounding wall.

9. The household cooling appliance according to claim 6, wherein said second bounding wall ends in said at least one depth stop.

10. The household cooling appliance according to claim 1, wherein one of said bounding walls bounds a horizontal longitudinal side of said slot, and said at least one first depth stop includes at least four or six depth stops formed on said one bounding wall.

11. The household cooling appliance according to claim 1, wherein one of said bounding walls bounds a vertical longitudinal side of said slot, and said receptacle has at least one second depth stop or two second depth stops being formed on said one bounding wall.

12. A household cooling appliance system, comprising: a first household cooling appliance including: a first dispensing unit for dispensing at least one of a liquid or free flow refrigerated goods, said first dispensing unit including a first insert having walls bounding a first recess in which a receiving container can be inserted for receiving the at least one of liquid or free flow refrigerated goods to be dispensed; a first receptacle being formed as a first slot having first bounding walls and a first slot axis, said bounding walls bounding a first slot opening, and said first receptacle having at least one first depth stop formed on at least one of said first bounding walls; and a first electronic module having a first depth, being disposed in said first slot and having a rear side contacting said at least one first depth stop for determining an installation depth of said first electronic module in said first slot in a direction of said first slot axis; and at least one second household cooling appliance including: a second dispensing unit for dispensing at least one of a liquid or free flow refrigerated goods, said second dispensing unit including a second insert having walls bounding a second recess in which a receiving container can be inserted for receiving the at least one of liquid or free flow refrigerated goods to be dispensed; a second receptacle being formed as a second slot having second bounding walls and a second slot axis, said second bounding walls bounding a second slot opening; and a second electronic module having a second depth being larger than said first depth, being disposed in said second slot and having a rear side contacting one of said second bounding walls of said second slot forming a second depth stop, reducing a width of said second slot and determined an installation depth of said second electronic module in said second slot in a direction of said second slot axis.

13. A household cooling appliance system, comprising: a first household cooling appliance including: a first dispensing unit for dispensing at least one of a liquid or free flow refrigerated goods, said first dispensing unit including a first insert having a front side and having walls bounding a first recess in which a receiving container can be inserted for receiving the at least one of liquid or free flow refrigerated goods to be dispensed; a first receptacle being formed as a first slot having first bounding walls and a first slot axis, said bounding walls bounding a first slot opening, and said first receptacle having at least one first depth stop formed on at least one of said first bounding walls; a first electronic module being disposed in said first slot, having a front side and having a rear side contacting said at least one first depth stop for determining an installation depth of said first electronic module in said first slot in a direction of said first slot axis; and a first cover having a first thickness at least partly covering said front side of the insert, said first cover having a front side being flush with said front side of said electronic module; and at least one second household cooling appliance including: a second dispensing unit for dispensing at least one of a liquid or free flow refrigerated goods, said second dispensing unit including a second insert having a front side and having walls bounding a second recess in which a receiving container can be inserted for receiving the at least one of liquid or free flow refrigerated goods to be dispensed; a second receptacle being formed as a second slot having second bounding walls and a second slot axis, said second bounding walls bounding a second slot opening; a second electronic module being disposed in said second slot, having a front side and having a rear side contacting one of said second bounding walls of said second slot forming a second depth stop, reducing a width of said second slot and determining an installation depth of said second electronic module in said second slot in a direction of said second slot axis; and a second cover having a second thickness at least partly covering said front side of said second insert, said second cover having a front side being flush with said front side of said second electronic module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0031] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, exploded, perspective view of an example of an embodiment of a household cooling appliance according to the invention;

[0032] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an insert of a first dispensing unit;

[0033] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an insert of a dispensing unit of a second household cooling appliance;

[0034] FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of the embodiment of the insert according to FIG. 2;

[0035] FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of the insert according to FIG. 3;

[0036] FIG. 6 is a vertical-sectional view of parts of a first household cooling appliance of a household cooling appliance system; and

[0037] FIG. 7 is a vertical-sectional view of parts of a second household cooling appliance of the household cooling appliance system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawings, in which the same elements and elements having the same function are equipped with the same reference signs, and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a diagrammatic view of a household cooling appliance 1 which, for example, can be a cooling appliance, a freezer or a refrigerator-freezer combination device. In particular, the household cooling appliance 1 is a rack-mounted-model. The household cooling appliance 1 includes a housing 2, in which at least one receiving space for food items is provided. This receiving space can be closed from the front by a door 3, which in FIG. 1 is shown in closed state and which is disposed pivotably at the housing 2. The household cooling appliance 1 includes a dispensing unit which is only shown in an exemplarily manner, which is provided with reference sign 4 in FIG. 1 and in which individual components are only partially shown. The dispensing unit 4 is configured for dispensing a liquid and/or free flow refrigerated goods. For this purpose, in the illustrated embodiment, the door 3 includes a recess 5, in which the dispensing unit 4 is inserted, so that in a closed state of the door 3 the dispensing unit 4 is accessible from the front, in order to be able to dispense the liquid and/or the free flow refrigerated goods.

[0039] The dispensing unit 4 includes an insert 6, which in particular is formed in one piece from plastic material. The insert 6 includes several walls 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 (FIG. 2), which bound a niche 12. The recess or the niche 12 is configured for receiving or for inserting a receiving container so that the liquid and/or the free flow refrigerated goods to be dispensed can then be inserted in the receiving container.

[0040] The insert 6 further includes a receptacle 13, which is configured as slot 14 (FIG. 2). An electronic module 15, which is shown symbolically and in a simplified manner in FIG. 1, can be inserted in the receptacle 13.

[0041] Furthermore, FIG. 1 also shows a decorative plate 16, which is preferably provided separately from the door 3 and which can be a furniture front panel. This decorative plate 16 can preferably be mounted to the door 3 and covers it from the front. This decorative plate 16 also includes a recess 17 through which the dispensing unit 4 is accessible from the front. In particular, the dispensing unit 4, especially the insert 6, is disposed on the decorative plate 16, in particular mounted thereto.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows the insert 6 in a perspective view. It can be seen that the slot 14 includes a front slot opening 18, which is bounded by bounding walls.

[0043] In the illustrated embodiment first bounding walls 19 are provided, which extend in the direction of a slot axis A and thereby also determine the slot depth which is measured in the direction of this slot axis A. In the illustrated embodiment second bounding walls 20 are further provided, which end in the first bounding walls 19, but are disposed at an angle relative thereto, in particular at an angle of 90 relative thereto. The second bounding walls 20 are therefore in a vertical position relative to the slot axis A and thereby reduce the width of the slot 14. This means that as compared to the front slot opening 18, the width of the slot in the configuration of the second bounding walls 20, which is set backwards, is larger.

[0044] It is further envisaged that a plurality of depth stops 21 is provided in the insert 6 according to FIG. 2. In the embodiment example the depth stops 21 are formed in one piece with the first bounding walls 19 and the second bounding walls 20. The depth stop 21 determines the installation depth for the electronic module 15 which is measured in the direction of the slot axis A and thereby delimits this installation depth.

[0045] In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, it is therefore possible to install an electronic module 15 which has a lower module depth and due to the depth stops 21 can therefore be positioned accordingly towards a front side 22 of the insert 6.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of an insert 6 in which, in contrast to the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the depth stops 21 are not provided, but which otherwise is in particular provided in structural conformity with the insert 6.

[0047] Therefore, reference may be made to FIG. 2 with respect to the respective reference signs. The reference signs are not provided again in FIG. 3 for reasons of clarity.

[0048] In the insert 6, in contrast to the insert 6, a second electronic module which has a larger module depth than the electronic module 15 which is installed in the insert 6 according to FIG. 2, can therefore be installed in the slot 14. In the embodiment of the insert 6 the second bounding wall 20 then serves as a depth stop so that in the mounted final position when viewing from the front, the respective electronic modules are disposed in the same position towards the front sides 22, although they have different module depths and therefore reach into the respective slots 14 to different extents.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of the insert 6 in the region of the slot 14. The respective depth stops 21 can be seen in more detail therein.

[0050] In FIG. 4 it can also be seen that a front side 23 of a depth stop 21, which faces the slot opening 18 and thus the opening of the slot 14, as viewed in the direction of the slot axis A, ends in a set back towards the inside relative to the slot opening 18. In particular, it is set back by a depth dimension of the respective electronic module 15 to be inserted.

[0051] In contrast thereto, FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of the insert 6 in the region of the slot 14. It can be seen in this case that the depth stops 21 are not provided.

[0052] As can also be seen in FIG. 4, several depth stops 21 are disposed at different respective sides, whereby in this case for example on a longitudinal side 24, which is oriented horizontally, six such depth stops 21 are disposed as an example, and on a vertical longitudinal side 25 two such depth stops 21 are disposed, although in this case only one of these two depth stops can be seen on the longitudinal side 25 in FIG. 4.

[0053] It can then also be seen in the embodiments that in the second bounding walls 20 passages 26 are formed, only some of which are equipped with corresponding reference signs. Connecting elements of the respective electronic module can be led through these passages 26, in order to be able to mount or fix the respective electronic module.

[0054] Furthermore, FIGS. 4 and 5 show an embodiment of a household cooling appliance system 27, in which only the different inserts 6 and 6 of the different household cooling appliances 1 and 28 are partly shown. The household cooling appliance system 27 includes a first household cooling appliance 1 with the insert 6 in which a first electronic module 15 could be inserted with a first depth of the module and which is disposed in the slot 14 and which contacts the at least one depth stop 21 with a rear side and which is thereby determined regarding its installation depth in the slot 14.

[0055] The household cooling appliance system 27 includes at least one second household cooling appliance 28 with a dispensing unit 4 according to the first household cooling appliance 1, but without depth stops 21. The dispensing unit 4 receives a second electronic module with a second depth of the module that is larger than the depth of the module of the first electronic module 15 and which is disposed in the slot 14 of the dispensing unit 4 of the second household cooling appliance 28 and with a rear side contacts a second bounding wall 20 of the slot 14 forming a depth stop and reducing a width of the slot 14 and which is thereby determined regarding its installation depth in the slot 14.

[0056] In another embodiment preferably the household cooling appliance 1 includes a cover 29 as a part which is separate from the insert 6. The cover 29 at least partly covers the front side of the insert 6, especially in the region of the slot 14. As can be seen in FIG. 6, which is a sectional view of parts of the first household cooling appliance 1, the cover 29 has a thickness 30. Preferably, a front side 31 of the electronic module 15 is flush with a front side 32 of the cover 29. This is achieved because of the at least one depth stop 21.

[0057] A preferred embodiment a cover 29 is provided in FIG. 7, which is a sectional view of parts of the second household cooling appliance 28. The difference as compared to the cover 29 is that the thickness 30 of the second cover 29 is less than the thickness 30 of the first cover 29. The same electronic modules 15 are mounted with this embodiment of the household cooling appliance system 27 in both household cooling appliances 1 and 28 and therefore electronic modules 15 with the same depth are mounted. Due to the smaller thickness 30 it is not necessary to have depth stops 21 in the slot 14 of the insert 6 to achieve a flush position of the front sides 32 and 31.

[0058] The embodiments with different depths of the electronic modules 15 on one side and with different thicknesses 30, 30 of the covers 29, 29 on the other side could be combined, so that preferably front sides 31 of the electronic modules 15 and front sides 32, 32 of the covers 29, 29 are flush in both household cooling appliances 1 and 28 of the household cooling appliance system 27.

[0059] Preferably, covers are disposed in the embodiments described with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, too. It is possible for the covers to be equal for both household cooling appliances 1 and 28 or for the covers to be different, especially regarding their thicknesses.