EP2464928B1 - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, in particular a household refrigerator with a door, on the inside of a built-in part is arranged. On the inside of such a door usually several fixtures such as refrigerated goods, a butter compartment or the like are usually mounted. These fixtures have a significant impact on the appearance of the fixture perceived by a user, not just a built-in fixture, where the internal surfaces of the fixture are the only surfaces of the fixture that the user normally perceives during operation, but also in standing fixtures visible outer surfaces.

If a manufacturer manufactures different series of refrigerators, it makes economic sense to use as many series-uniform components as possible to keep the manufacturing costs low, on the other hand, different series or models should also receive a recognizable for the user, individual character. In order to achieve this goal, it makes sense to produce device housings largely uniformly and to vary built-in parts model-specific or series-specific. If the built-in parts are substantially injection-molded in one piece, there is great freedom of design, but since expensive injection molds are required for each individual installation part, this approach is relatively expensive.

In the search for a cheaper solution, a modular approach has already been considered in which components of a door component such as a bottom plate and side walls are manufactured separately and assembled into the finished component. This allows the production of components with different dimensions by combining identical side cheeks with different length bottom plates. In order to give different refrigeration unit models an individual character, it may be sufficient to combine device-specific side walls with uniform base plates.

Although this approach is already more cost-effective, the potential for savings is limited by the fact that the sidewalls usually have a more complex shape than the components of a door component extending therebetween so that the individual molds needed to make them are still quite expensive.

DE 10 2005 022 516 A1 proposes a modular construction of a door compartment, in which a railing of a plate and two along the upper and lower edge of the plate extending profiles is composed. End walls of the door compartment are composed of an outer frame, an inner frame and a plate enclosed by both, which consists of the same material as the plate of the railing. By using panels of different materials, the appearance of the door compartment can be varied. It is not intended to vary the profiles or frames.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a door component for a refrigeration appliance, whose external appearance is fundamentally changeable with little effort.

The object is achieved by a door component having the features of claim 1 Since the decorative element plugged onto the side cheeks does not have to perform static functions, it can be realized in a thin-walled manner and, accordingly, inexpensively. Since the decorative element also does not contribute to the anchoring of the fixture to the door, its shape can be kept simple, so that simple and inexpensive tools can be used for its production. The side panels, on the other hand, can be used uniformly for different models or model series, so that they can be manufactured inexpensively in large quantities. By the inner edges converged by plugged on both side panels decorative parts converge forward and engages a dovetailed web of the plugged onto the railing decorative part between the flanks, the latter decorative part can be secured in a simple manner positively.

The decorative part of the side cheek should expediently cover their most conspicuous surfaces, namely a front side, an upper side and an outer side.

According to a first embodiment, the decorative element also covers an inner side of the side cheek. Such a decorative element is generally attachable from above the side wall.

In order to secure the decorative element to the side wall in a form-fitting manner, an inwardly projecting web is expediently formed on a lower edge of an edge of the decorative element covering the outside.

According to a second embodiment, the decorative element covers in addition to the front, top and outside also an underside of the side cheek. Such a decorative element is best plugged from the front on the side wall.

For form-fitting securing to the side cheek, a web extending onto the inside of the side cheek is preferably formed on a lower and / or an upper flank of the decorative element. This second embodiment is particularly suitable for the realization of a butter compartment, in which a closed ceiling can make attaching the decorative part from above af the side cheek impossible.

At a rear region of the outer sides usually anchoring contours for a positive engagement of the door assembly part are provided in a refrigerator door conventionally. This rear area is expediently recessed in the decorative element.

On an outside of the side cheek, a control element may be provided, which may be depressible, for example, to release an engagement between a support projection of the door assembly and a complementary recess of the door, thus enabling the release of the fitting from the door. Such an operating element can be completely hidden under the decorative part; then, when the control is to be operated, first the decorative element must be removed. Alternatively, in the decorative element, a tongue overlapping the operating element can be cut free, which can be pressed by a user in order to depress the operating element of the side cheek.

Fig. 1

eine auseinander gezogene Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Türeinbauteils;

Fig. 2

das Einbauteil der Fig. 1 im zusammengefügten Zustand;

Fig. 3

einen Schnitt durch eine Seitenwange des Einbauteils der Fig. 1;

Fig. 4

eine partielle Draufsicht auf das Einbauteil mit von einem Dekorelement verdeckter vorderer Wand;

Fig. 5

einen Schnitt durch die von dem Dekorelement verdeckte vordere Wand;

Fig. 6

eine auseinander gezogene Darstellung eines Türeinbauteils gemäß einer zweiten Ausgestaltung und;

Fig. 7

das Einbauteil der Fig. 6 im zusammengefügten Zustand.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:

Fig. 1

an exploded view of a door assembly according to the invention;

Fig. 2

the fitting of the Fig. 1 in the assembled state;

Fig. 3

a section through a side wall of the mounting part of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 4

a partial plan view of the fitting with concealed by a decorative element front wall;

Fig. 5

a section through the covered by the decorative element front wall;

Fig. 6

an exploded view of a door assembly according to a second embodiment and;

Fig. 7

the fitting of the Fig. 6 in the assembled state.

Fig. 1 shows a door rack in an exploded perspective view. A main body 1 of the door compartment has substantially the shape of an elongated, upwardly open box with a bottom plate 2, on the longitudinal sides of the bottom plate 2 extending front and rear walls 3 and 4 (in the context of the present specification "forward" the Direction away from a refrigerator door, not shown, on which the door racks or other built-in part is mounted, and "rear" denotes the direction towards the door). The rear wall 4 is in the mounted state on an inner surface of the refrigerator door or is at most spaced therefrom by a narrow gap and therefore serves only to stiffen or stabilize the base body 1, but not to secure refrigerated goods placed therein.

The bottom plate 2 and the walls 3, 4 extend between two side cheeks 5. The side cheeks 5 each comprise a front portion 6, which has substantially the shape of a hollow, downwardly open cuboid, and a rear portion 7, which is shaped to intervene between itself on an inside of the refrigerator door extending, known per se vertical struts and the downwardly open recesses 8, which are provided to be plugged onto support projections on mutually facing flanks of the vertical uprights and so support the door racks on the spars , The rear portion 7 is formed here as a thin, solid plate, projecting from the outside of ribs 9, which define the recess 8.

The side cheeks 5 may be injection molded integrally with the bottom plate and the walls 3, 4 made of plastic, or they may be injection molded separately from the bottom plate 2 and the walls 3, 4 and then joined together with the latter, preferably plug-connected. The bottom plate 2 and the walls 3, 4 may be designed in the latter case as a single contiguous extruded profile or be formed as each individual extruded profiles which are connected to each other directly or indirectly via the side walls 5.

In particular, the latter, multi-part design makes it possible to use for the side cheeks 5, a material that must meet static or processing requirements alone, but not requirements for appearance, since the side cheeks 5 do not appear on finished assembled door cabinets, but completely are concealed under top-mounted decorative elements 10.

The decorative elements 10 are thin-walled hollow body of colored or metallized plastic or metal, in particular aluminum, which are plugged from above on the side walls 5 and one outer side of the front portion 6 overlapping outer edge 11, an engaging in the base body 1 and the inside the side wall 5 overlapping inner edge 12, a flanks 11, 12 connecting upper side 13 and an adjacent to the upper side 13 and the outer edge 11 front edge 14 have. The front flank 14 and the inner flank 11 are separated by a slot 15 through which the front wall 3 of the Base body extends. On this front wall, another, not shown decorative element may be plugged to cover the front of the wall 3 completely or at least partially. The material or at least the surface of this second decorative element is expediently identical to that of the decorative element 10.

Fig. 2 shows the door rack in assembled state. There remain only the voltage applied to the vertical door pillars outer sides of the rear portion 7 of the side walls 5 and the undersides of the decorative elements 10 uncovered. The exposed undersides are generally not perceived by a user, as a door rack as in Fig. 1 and 2 shown, is generally mounted below eye level.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic section through the downwardly open side cheek 5 and the decorative element placed over it 10. At the bottom of the outer edge 11, a narrow web 16 is bent inwardly, which bears against the lower edge of the outer wall of the side cheek 5. The web 16 secures the decorative element 10 positively on the side cheek 5. at the same time the thin outer edge 11 but so flexible that the web evades with a moderate train upwards to the outside and the decorative element 10 releases.

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of a front corner of the door compartment, and Fig. 5 shows a section along the line VV Fig. 4 , The front wall 3 of the main body 1 is hidden behind an attached decorative element 37 in the form of an extruded profile. The decorative element 37 is made of the same material or has the same surface coating as the decorative element 10. It is in cross section, as in Fig. 5 shown substantially C-shaped with a the outside of the wall 3 covering center piece 38 and from its upper and lower edge to the rear angled webs 39, 40th

The side cheeks 5 and the decorative body 10 attached thereto are mirror-symmetrical to one another and have, as seen Fig. 4 shows, forward converging sides facing each other. The webs 39, 40 are widened in the dovetail shape in plan view to the rear, so that they form fit between the Decor parts 10 engage. To assemble the door racks, first the decorative body 37 must be pushed onto the wall 3 from the front. By then the decorative body 10 are attached to the cheeks 5, the decorative body 37 is locked to the wall 3.

Fig. 6 shows one too Fig. 1 analogous exploded view of a door compartment according to a second embodiment of the invention. The main body 1 can be completely identical to the one in FIG Fig. 1 be shown. Decorative elements 17 are provided to be pushed in the depth direction on the side walls 5. They lack the inner edge 12 of the decorative elements 10, instead, they have a bottom 18, the underside of the side cheeks 5 completely covered in the attached state, and at inner edges of the top 13 and the bottom 18 narrow webs 19 are formed, the attack on the inner surfaces of the side walls 5. The webs 19 do not extend to the front edge 14 of the decorative elements 17 in order to leave room for the front wall. 3

This second embodiment is particularly useful in the case of a refrigerated goods carrier, which is mounted at about the eye level of a middle-sized user, so that the probability is greater that a user sees the bottom of the door compartment 7 than that he looks in from so high that he the uncovered inner surfaces of the side walls 5 can see.

Claims (8)

1. Built-in door part for a refrigerator, in particular a household refrigerator, which is equipped with a base plate (2), a rail (3) and side walls (5) connected by the base plate (2) and the rail (3), wherein at least one of the side walls (5) is covered by a mounted decorative element (10, 17, 23), characterised in that facing faces of decorative parts (10) mounted on both side walls (5) converge toward the front and a decorative part (37) mounted on the rail (3) has a dovetailed web (39) that engages with a form fit between the inner faces.
2. Built-in door part according to claim 1, characterised in that a flap (21) is suspended in a pivotable manner between the side walls (5).
3. Built-in door part according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least a front face, an upper face and an outer face of the at least one side wall (5) is covered by the decorative element (10, 17, 23).
4. Built-in door part according to claim 3, characterised in that the decorative element (10) also comprises an inner flank (12), which covers an inner face of the side wall (5).
5. Built-in door part according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that a web (16) that projects inwards is moulded on a lower edge of a flank (11) of the decorative element (10) covering the outer face.
6. Built-in door part according to claim 3, characterised in that the decorative element (17, 23) also covers a lower face of the side wall (5).
7. Built-in door part according to claim 3 or 6, characterised in that a web (19) that engages with the inner face of the side wall (5) is moulded on a lower and/or upper flank (13, 18) of the decorative element (17, 23).
8. Built-in door part according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterised in that a rear region (7) of the outer faces features anchoring contours (8; 24) for a form-fit engagement in a refrigerator door and the rear region (7) is cut out of the decorative element (10, 17, 23).

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