DE102018206194A1 - Household refrigerating appliance with a freezer compartment and operating a domestic refrigerator having a freezer compartment - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a domestic refrigeration appliance (1) and a method for operating a household refrigerating appliance (1). The household refrigerating appliance (1) comprises a thermally insulated body (2) with an inner container (3a) delimiting a freezer compartment (4a) for storing food, and a refrigerating device (9) for cooling the freezer compartment (4a) to a predetermined or predefinable one Target freezing temperature well below 0 ° C. The method comprises the following method steps:
- due to switching on the household refrigerator (1), controlling the refrigeration device (9) so that it cools the freezer compartment (4a) at least approximately to the desired freezing temperature,
continuous or quasi-continuous determination of the actual temperature of the freezer compartment (4a), in particular by means of a temperature sensor (12),
Activating a temperature warning mode of the household refrigerating appliance (1) as soon as the actual temperature of the freezer compartment (4a) falls below an activation temperature less than or equal to a predetermined warning temperature and greater than the set freezing temperature, but at the latest after a predetermined switch-on period of the household refrigerating appliance (1), and
- during the activated temperature warning mode, generating a warning signal as soon as the actual temperature of the freezer compartment (4a) exceeds the warning temperature which is less than 0 ° C and greater than the target freezing temperature.

Description

The invention relates to a household refrigerator with a freezer compartment and a method for operating a household refrigerator, which has a freezer compartment.

Domestic refrigerators, which include a freezer compartment that is cooled to freezing temperatures well below 0 ° C during normal operation, may be configured to generate a warning signal as soon as the actual temperature of the freezer compartment rises above a warning temperature that is greater than the desired freezing temperature and less than 0 ° C. Due to the warning signal, the household refrigerating appliance shows e.g. a corresponding warning to inform an operator of the household refrigerator over that the temperature of the freezer room has risen above the warning temperature and therefore the foods stored in the freezer compartment are potentially spoiled. Since the first time the domestic refrigerator, the freezer compartment is initially warm, i. Usually has a temperature corresponding to the environment of the household refrigerator, the warning signal is generated immediately after switching. This may be annoying for the operator.

Object of the present invention is to provide a freezer compartment having household refrigeration appliance, which warns the operator improved as soon as the freezer compartment has an actual temperature greater than the warning temperature.

The object of the invention is achieved by a household refrigerating appliance, comprising a thermally insulated body with an inner container defining a freezer for storing food, a refrigeration device for cooling the freezer compartment to a predetermined or predetermined desired freezing temperature well below 0 ° C, a temperature sensor for determining the actual temperature of the freezer compartment, and an electronic control device which actuates the refrigeration device on the basis of the actual temperature and the desired freezing temperature and is adapted to generate a warning signal during a temperature warning mode as soon as the actual temperature of the freezer compartment exceeds a predetermined warning temperature , which is smaller than 0 ° C and greater than the target freezing temperature, and which is set up after turning on the household refrigerator, the temperature warning mode only to activate when the actual temperature, an activation temperature is less than or equal ch the warning temperature and greater than the target freezing temperature below, but at the latest after a predetermined switch-on of the household refrigeration appliance.

• - aufgrund eines Einschaltens des Haushaltskältegerätes, Ansteuern der Kältevorrichtung, sodass diese den Gefrierraum zumindest in etwa auf die Soll-Gefriertemperatur kühlt,
• - kontinuierliches oder quasi-kontinuierliches Ermitteln der Ist-Temperatur des Gefrierraums insbesondere mittels eines Temperatursensors,
• - Aktivieren eines Temperaturwarnmodus des Haushaltskältegerätes, sobald die Ist-Temperatur des Gefrierraums eine Aktivierungstemperatur kleiner oder gleich einer vorbestimmten Warntemperatur und größer als die Soll-Gefriertemperatur unterschreitet, spätestens aber nach Ablauf einer vorbestimmten Einschaltzeitdauer des Haushaltskältegerätes, und
• - während des aktivierten Temperaturwarnmodus, Erzeugen eines Warnsignals, sobald die Ist-Temperatur des Gefrierraums die Warntemperatur überschreitet, die kleiner als 0 °C und größer als die Soll-Gefriertemperatur ist.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating, in particular, the domestic refrigerator according to the invention, generally a domestic refrigerator, which defines a thermally insulated body with an inner container defining a freezer for storing food, and a refrigerating device for cooling the freezer to a predetermined or predetermined target Freezing temperature well below 0 ° C, comprising the following process steps:

• - Due to a turning on the household refrigerator, driving the refrigeration device, so that it cools the freezer compartment at least approximately to the desired freezing temperature,
• continuous or quasi-continuous determination of the actual temperature of the freezer compartment, in particular by means of a temperature sensor,
• - Activate a temperature warning mode of the household refrigerator, as soon as the actual temperature of the freezer compartment below an activation temperature is less than or equal to a predetermined warning temperature and greater than the desired freezing temperature, but at the latest after a predetermined switch-on of the household refrigerator, and
• - during the activated temperature warning mode, generating a warning signal as soon as the actual temperature of the freezer compartment exceeds the warning temperature, which is lower than 0 ° C and higher than the set freezing temperature.

The household refrigerator, which is preferably a no-frost domestic refrigeration appliance, therefore comprises the heat-insulated body with the inner container.

The domestic refrigerator according to the invention may e.g. a household freezer or a freezer-refrigerator combination, which in addition to the freezer compartment a food storage compartment provided for food at temperatures greater than 0 ° C, for. at 10 ° C.

The freezer compartment is cooled by means of the refrigeration device. This is preferably designed as a refrigerant circuit known in principle to the person skilled in the art and is preferably designed such that it cools the freezer compartment at least approximately to the predetermined or predefinable set freezing temperature. The nominal freezing temperature is in particular between -24 ° C and -15 ° C. In particular, the set freezing temperature is -18 ° C.

The household refrigerating appliance comprises the electronic control device which, on the basis of the actual temperature determined with the temperature sensor and the set freezing temperature, the refrigerating device, in particular the compressor of the Refrigerant circuit in the expert in principle known manner controls or regulates. For the control, optionally the regulation of the temperature of the freezer compartment, in particular its actual temperature is determined continuously or quasi-continuously, ie periodically, for example, in discrete time intervals.

The household refrigerator according to the invention is set up to be operated in a temperature warning mode. If the temperature warning mode is activated, in particular the electronic control device generates the warning signal as soon as the actual temperature of the freezer compartment exceeds the warning temperature. The warning temperature is less than 0 ° C and greater than the target freezing temperature. Preferably, the warning temperature has a value between -10 ° C and -5 ° C. In particular, the warning temperature is -7 ° C. That is, if the actual temperature of the freezer room is too high, e.g. the refrigeration device is defective or due to a power failure of the supply network to which the domestic refrigerator according to the invention is connected, then the stored food in the freezer compartment can thaw and possibly spoil. Due to the warning signal, the customer is warned accordingly.

The domestic refrigerator according to the invention may e.g. comprise a display device and the electronic control device may be configured to control the display device on the basis of the warning signal so that it automatically displays a warning. The display device may e.g. comprise a display or consist of only one LED or several LEDs, e.g. blink to indicate the warning. The method according to the invention can thus comprise an automatic display of a warning on the basis of the warning signal, in particular by means of the display device.

The domestic refrigerator according to the invention may e.g. include a speaker and the electronic control device may be configured to control the speaker due to the warning signal, so that it automatically generates an audible warning. The method according to the invention can thus comprise an automatic generation of an acoustic warning on the basis of the warning signal.

The household refrigerating appliance according to the invention or its electronic control device can also be set up to automatically receive a message due to the warning signal, e.g. via the Internet to a terminal to send.

When the household refrigerator according to the invention is e.g. by the customer is first put into operation, that is turned on, then the freezer compartment is usually warm and in particular has a temperature corresponding to the environment of the household refrigerator, which is greater than the warning temperature. In order to prevent the warning signal from being generated in this case, the temperature warning mode is initially deactivated and is only activated when the actual temperature of the freezer compartment drops below the activation temperature. The activation temperature is less than or equal to the warning temperature, but greater than the target freezing temperature. Thus, when switching on the household refrigerator according to the invention the temperature warning mode remains deactivated until the freezer compartment is sufficiently cooled to prevent premature generation of the warning signal. The activation temperature is in particular equal to the warning temperature or in particular 1 ° C to 3 ° C less than the warning temperature.

To ensure that the temperature warning mode e.g. is also activated in a defective household refrigeration appliance, the Temperarturwarnmodus is activated at the latest after the expiration of the predetermined switch-on. The value of the predetermined on-time is preferably selected to be greater than the time required for the domestic refrigeration appliance to cool the freezer from the uncooled condition to the desired freezer. The time required for the domestic refrigeration appliance to cool down the freezer compartment from the uncooled condition to the desired freezing temperature has been described e.g. previously determined empirically for a series of certain household refrigerators according to the invention and is e.g. eight hours. The predetermined switch-on period is e.g. four hours longer than the time required for the domestic refrigeration appliance to cool the freezer compartment from the uncooled condition to the desired freezer temperature.

In particular, the turn-on period is an accumulated time during which the household refrigerator is turned on since it was first turned on. The duty cycle is therefore the operating time of the household refrigerator and thus does not start each time you turn on the new.

The domestic refrigerator according to the invention preferably comprises a non-volatile memory, in which the electronic control device continuously or quasi-continuously stores information about the past on the current time duty cycle. It is thus preferably continuously or quasi-continuously stored information about the past to the current time duty cycle in a non-volatile memory of the household refrigerator. In order to achieve this, the domestic refrigerator according to the invention comprises, for example, a timer connected to the electronic control device. If the temperature warning mode is still deactivated, then the Count timer on power up. The value of the timer, ie its counter reading, is "zero" when the household refrigerating appliance is switched on for the first time. The household refrigerator or its electronic control device is preferably set up to write continuously or quasi-continuously an information of the current count of the timer in the non-volatile memory and read when switching on the domestic refrigeration unit currently stored in the non-volatile memory last count and in the timer as the current initial value to load. Thus, the current counter reading of the timer gives the current operating time or switch-on period during which the household refrigerating appliance has been switched on since its first switching on.

The household refrigerator according to the invention may comprise an interior lighting. The interior lighting can e.g. be provided to illuminate the freezer compartment at least partially. In this case, the domestic refrigerator according to the invention may comprise a door provided for opening and closing the freezer compartment door, wherein preferably the interior lighting is switched on only when the door leaf is open. In the case of a freeze-refrigeration combination, the interior lighting may be provided for at least partially illuminating the cold room. In this case, the household refrigerating appliance according to the invention may comprise a further door leaf provided for opening and closing the cooling space, wherein preferably the interior lighting is switched on only when the other door leaf is open. In the case of the freezer-refrigeration combination, interior lighting for the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment can also be provided.

The household refrigerating appliance according to the present invention may have an exhibition mode during which the indoor lighting is activated in accordance with normal operation but the refrigerating device is permanently turned off, and the electronic control device automatically deactivates the temperature warning mode and resets the nonvolatile memory after exiting the exhibition mode. The method according to the invention can thus have an intended operation of an interior lighting of the household refrigerating appliance during an exhibition mode with the refrigeration device permanently switched off, and an automatic deactivation of the temperature warning mode and a reset of the non-volatile memory after the termination of the exhibition mode. During the exhibition mode, the warning activation mode in particular is deactivated.

Depending on the embodiment of the household refrigerator according to the invention or the method according to the invention, it is provided in particular that the temperature warning mode is deactivated ex works. Only after first falling below a defined minimum temperature, the activation temperature, or a minimum operating time, ie the predetermined switch-on time, the temperature warning mode is activated. Thus, the alarm or the warning appears at the earliest after the end of the predetermined switch-on time, in particular after several hours, and only if the freezer could not actually reach the set temperature or can no longer reach. Thus, a temperature alarm is only signaled when an error actually exists. Too high a temperature during installation, i. the commissioning of the household refrigerator is no longer rated as a fault.

• 1 in einer perspektivischen Darstellung eines Haushaltskältegerätes,
• 2 eine elektronische Steuervorrichtung des Haushaltskältegerätes und mit der elektronischen Steuervorrichtung kommunizierende Komponenten des Haushaltskältegerätes, und
• 3 ein den Betrieb des Haushaltskältegerätes veranschaulichendes Flussdiagramm.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying schematic drawings. Show it:

• 1 in a perspective view of a household refrigerator,
• 2 an electronic control device of the household refrigerator and communicating with the electronic control device components of the household refrigerator, and
• 3 a flowchart illustrating the operation of the household refrigerator.

The 1 shows a perspective view of a household refrigerator 1 which in the case of the present embodiment is designed as a freeze-cooling combination.

The household refrigerator 1 includes a thermally insulated body 2 with an inner container 3a and one below the inner container 3a arranged further inner container 3b , The inner container 3a limits a space provided for storing food, not shown food 3a and the other inner container 3b limits a space provided for storing not shown food refrigerator 4b ,

The household refrigerator 1 further comprises a door leaf 5a which in particular with respect to a vertically extending axis pivotally mounted on the body 2 is stored. With the door open 5a is the freezer room 4a accessible.

The household refrigerator 1 includes another door leaf 5b which in particular with respect to a vertically extending axis pivotally mounted on the body 2 is stored. When the other door leaf is open 5b is the fridge 4b accessible.

At the towards refrigerator 4a directed side of the further door leaf 5b are in the case of present embodiment, several door racks 6 arranged for storing food. In the freezer room 4a is in particular a shelf 7a and in the fridge 4b are in particular several shelves 7b arranged for storing food and in the lower area of the refrigerator 4b is in particular a drawer 8th arranged, in which also food can be stored.

The household refrigerator 1 comprises a refrigeration device known in principle to the person skilled in the art 9 preferably in the form of a refrigerant circuit for cooling the freezer compartment 4a and the refrigerator 4b ,

The household refrigerator 1 comprises in the case of the present embodiment, in the 2 shown electronic control device 10 that the refrigeration device 9 in particular to control the compressor of the refrigerant circuit in a manner well-known to those skilled in the art in such a way that the cooling space 4a and the freezer room 4a at least approximately by means of an input / display device 11 predeterminable temperatures of eg 10 ° C or from eg -18 ° C have. The electronic control device 10 is preferably adapted to the temperatures of the refrigerator 4b and the freezer compartment 4b regulate. In order to obtain the actual temperatures, where appropriate, the household refrigerator 1 at least one with the electronic control device 10 connected temperature sensor 12 exhibit.

In the case of the present embodiment, the household refrigerator 1 one with the electronic control device 10 connected speakers 13 and / or one with the electronic control device 10 connected interface 14 include, over which the household refrigerator 1 to send a message to a terminal, not shown. the interface 14 Eg is a WLAN interface, so that the message can be sent to the terminal via the Internet. The terminal is eg a smartphone.

In the case of the present embodiment, the household refrigerator includes 1 a non-volatile memory 15 into which the electronic control device 10 Write information and from which the electronic control device 10 Can read information. The non-volatile memory 15 can be part of the electronic control device 10 be.

The household refrigerator 1 or its electronic control device 10 is set up to generate a warning signal in a temperature warning mode as soon as the actual temperature of the freezer compartment 4a a predetermined warning temperature of eg -7 ° C over rides.

Due to the warning signal and controlled by the electronic control device 10 In the case of the present embodiment, a corresponding warning is automatically sent to the input / display device 11 displayed, an audible warning with the speaker 13 generated and / or via the interface 14 sent a message to the terminal.

In the case of the present embodiment, the household refrigerator is 1 or its electronic control device 10 established that the temperature warning mode is initially disabled and after switching on the household refrigerator 1 is activated as follows. This is one in the 3 illustrated flowchart illustrates.

In the case of the present embodiment, the household refrigerator is 1 or its electronic control device 10 set up after switching on the household refrigerator 1 Step A of the flowchart to check if the temperature warning mode is already activated. After production of the household refrigerator 1 the temperature warning mode is disabled by default.

The first start-up of the household refrigerator 1 takes place in the case of the present embodiment at the end of production during a test, the second startup at the customer, ie the household refrigerator 1 is turned on for the first time for the test.

If the temperature warning mode is still deactivated, then starts with the electronic control device 10 connected timer 16 of the household refrigerator 1 to count, step B of the flowchart. The timer 16 can also be part of the electronic control device 10 be.

The value of the timer 16 , ie its count, is the first time you turn on the household refrigerator 1 "Zero". Furthermore, the household refrigerator 1 or its electronic control device 10 set up, continuously or quasi-continuously an information of the current counter reading of the timer 16 in the non-volatile memory 15 to write and when switching on the household refrigerator 1 currently in non-volatile memory 15 stored last count and read in the timer 16 to load as the current initial value. Thus, the current counter reading of the timer results 16 the current operating time or switch-on period during which the household refrigerator 1 has been switched on since its first switching on.

Subsequently, the household refrigerator monitors 1 or its electronic control device 10 during a waiting time or a predetermined switch-on time continuously or quasi-continuously the actual temperature of the freezer compartment 4a , Step C of the flowchart.

As soon as the actual temperature falls below an activation temperature which is lower than or equal to the warning temperature and greater than the set freezing temperature, but at the latest after the predetermined switch-on time has elapsed, the temperature warning mode is automatically activated, step D of the flow chart, so that the household refrigerating appliance 1 or its electronic control device 10 the freezer room 4a to monitor for exceeding the actual temperature above the warning temperature, step E of the flowchart. The activation temperature is preferably equal to the warning temperature.

Once the temperature warning mode has been activated, it remains permanently activated, even if the household refrigerating appliance is switched on and off again, eg due to a power failure of the electrical network to which the domestic refrigerating appliance is connected 1 connected.

The test of the household refrigerator 1 after its first switching on is normally so short that the freezer compartment 4a is not cooled to temperatures below the activation temperature, so that the temperature warning mode is not automatically activated during the test, but usually only after the second turn on, ie when commissioning at the customer.

The waiting time or the predetermined switch-on time for the safe activation of the temperature warning mode is longer than the time required for the test plus the time required for a first cooling of the freezer compartment 4a below the activation temperature is needed. This period of time depends on the device type, eg 30 minutes test time + 8 hours for the first cooling of the freezer compartment 4a , In this case, the predetermined switch-on time can be set, for example, to 720 min.

By the continuous or quasi-continuous, in particular periodic storage of the counter reading of the timer 16 in non-volatile memory 15 is ensured that the household refrigerator 1 the temperature warning mode activated at the latest after the lapse of the waiting time or the predetermined switch-on, if the power supply to the household refrigerator 1 during this first phase is interrupted (power outages, network fluctuations).

In the case of the present embodiment, it is provided that the household refrigerator 1 can be operated in a demo mode or an exhibition mode. During the exhibition mode, the refrigeration device is 9 permanently off, but one with the electronic control device 10 connected interior lighting 17 of the household refrigerator 1 , which is provided, for example, the refrigerator 4b with another open door leaf 5b at least partially illuminated, activated.

The household refrigerator 1 or its electronic control device 10 is in particular configured such that after completion of the exhibition mode, the household refrigerator 1 automatically reset to factory settings, ie in non-volatile memory 15 stored counter reading is reset to "zero" and the temperature warning mode is deactivated. During the exhibition mode, the warning activation mode in particular is deactivated.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Household refrigerator

2

thermally insulated body

3a

inner container

3b

further inner container

4a

freezer

4b

refrigerator

5a

door leaf

5b

another door leaf

6

door racks

7a

Fold bottom

7b

shelves

8th

drawer

9

A refrigeration system

10

electronic control device

11

Input / display device

12

temperature sensor

13

speaker

14

interface

15

non-volatile memory

16

timer

17

Interior lighting

A-E

steps

Claims (10)

Domestic refrigerating appliance, comprising a heat-insulated body (2) with an inner container (3a) for storing food limited freezing space (4a), a cooling device (9) for cooling the freezer compartment (4a) to a predetermined or predetermined desired freezing temperature well below 0 ° C, a temperature sensor (12) for determining the actual temperature of the freezer compartment (4a), and an electronic control device (10) which activates the refrigeration device (9) on the basis of the actual temperature and the set freezing temperature and which is set up to generate a warning signal during a temperature warning mode as soon as the actual temperature of the freezer compartment (4a) reaches a predefined or predefinable one Warning temperature exceeds, which is smaller than 0 ° C and greater than the target freezing temperature, and is set up after turning on the household refrigerator (1) the temperature warning mode only when the actual temperature is an activation temperature less than or equal to the warning temperature and greater than the target freezing temperature falls below, but at the latest after expiry of a vorb determined on-time of household refrigerating appliance (1). Household refrigerator after Claim 1 , characterized in that the switch-on period is an accumulated period of time during which the domestic refrigerating appliance (1) is switched on since its first switching on. Household refrigerator after Claim 2 , characterized by a non-volatile memory (15), in which the electronic control device (10) continuously or quasi-continuously stores information about the past on the current time duty cycle. Household refrigerator after Claim 3 characterized by an interior lighting (17) and an exhibition mode during which the interior lighting (17) is activated in accordance with an intended operation, but the refrigeration device (9) is permanently switched off, and the electronic control device (10) automatically after exiting the exhibition mode Deactivates the temperature warning mode and resets the non-volatile memory (15). Household refrigeration appliance according to one of Claims 1 to 4 , characterized in that the target freezing temperature has a value between -15 ° C and -24 ° C, and / or the warning temperature has a value between -10 ° C and -5 ° C, and / or the predetermined switch-on time a value greater than the time required for the domestic refrigerator (1) to cool the freezer compartment (4a) from the uncooled condition to the desired freezing temperature, and / or the electronic control apparatus (1) is automatically set due to the warning signal to display a warning with a display device (11) of the household refrigerator (1), and / or automatically generate an audible warning with a speaker of the household refrigerator and / or automatically send a message to a terminal. A method of operating a household refrigerating appliance comprising a thermally insulated body (2) with an inner container (3a) defining a freezer compartment (4a) for storing food, and a refrigeration apparatus (9) for cooling the freezer compartment (4a) to a predetermined or predetermined target freezing temperature well below 0 ° C, comprising the following process steps: - Due to a turning on the household refrigerator (1), driving the cooling device (9), so that it cools the freezer compartment (4a) at least approximately to the desired freezing temperature, continuous or quasi-continuous determination of the actual temperature of the freezer compartment (4a), in particular by means of a temperature sensor (12), Activating a temperature warning mode of the household refrigerating appliance (1) as soon as the actual temperature of the freezer compartment (4a) falls below an activation temperature less than or equal to a predetermined warning temperature and greater than the set freezing temperature, but at the latest after a predetermined switch-on period of the household refrigerating appliance (1), and - during the activated temperature warning mode, generating a warning signal as soon as the actual temperature of the freezer compartment (4a) exceeds the warning temperature that is less than 0 ° C and greater than the set freezing temperature. Method according to Claim 6 in which the turn-on period is an accumulated time during which the household refrigerator (1) is turned on since it was first turned on. Method according to Claim 7 , comprising continuous or quasi-continuous storage of information about the past on the current time duty cycle in a non-volatile memory (15) of the household refrigerator (1). Method according to Claim 8 comprising operating indoor lighting (17) of the household refrigerating appliance (1) as intended during an exhibition mode with the refrigeration device (9) permanently switched off, and automatically deactivating the temperature warning mode and resetting the non-volatile memory (15) after exiting the exhibition mode. Method according to one of Claims 6 to 10 in which the desired freezing temperature has a value between -15 ° C and -24 ° C, and / or the warning temperature has a value between -10 ° C and -5 ° C, and / or the on-time has a value that is greater than the time that the household refrigerator (1) needed to the Freezing space (4a) to cool from the uncooled state to the desired freezing temperature, and / or due to the warning signal, automatically displaying a warning with a display device (11) of the household refrigerator (1), and / or automatically generating an audible warning with a loudspeaker (13 ) of the household refrigerator (1) and / or automatically sending a message to a terminal.

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