EP1518081B1 - Refrigerator comprising a function display unit - Google Patents

Refrigerator comprising a function display unit Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1518081B1
EP1518081B1 EP03735545.0A EP03735545A EP1518081B1 EP 1518081 B1 EP1518081 B1 EP 1518081B1 EP 03735545 A EP03735545 A EP 03735545A EP 1518081 B1 EP1518081 B1 EP 1518081B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
display panel
electrodes
function display
refrigeration appliance
pigment
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP03735545.0A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP1518081A1 (en
Inventor
Klaus Flinner
Georg Hausmann
Stefan Holzer
Jörg STELZER
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
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BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
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Publication of EP1518081A1 publication Critical patent/EP1518081A1/en
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D29/00—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F9/00—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements
    • G09F9/30—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements
    • G09F9/37—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements being movable elements
    • G09F9/372—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements being movable elements the positions of the elements being controlled by the application of an electric field
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2400/00—General features of, or devices for refrigerators, cold rooms, ice-boxes, or for cooling or freezing apparatus not covered by any other subclass
    • F25D2400/08—Refrigerator tables
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2400/00—General features of, or devices for refrigerators, cold rooms, ice-boxes, or for cooling or freezing apparatus not covered by any other subclass
    • F25D2400/36—Visual displays
    • F25D2400/361—Interactive visual displays

Abstract

Disclosed is a refrigerator, on the housing of which a function display panel (4) indicating functional states and/or operational parameters of the refrigerator is disposed. Said function display panel (4) is provided with electrically charged pigment carriers (8, 9) which are movable under the influence of an electric field and a plurality of electrodes (11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17) which apply an electric field to the pigment carriers (8, 9, 14) and each of which is assigned to one display element of the function display panel (4).

Description

Die vorliegende Erfindung betrifft ein Kältegerät mit einem wärmeisolierenden Gehäuse und einem an dem Gehäuse angebrachten Funktionsanzeigefeld zum Anzeigen von Funktionszuständen und/oder Betriebsparametern des Kältegeräts.The present invention relates to a refrigeration device with a heat-insulating housing and a function display panel attached to the housing for displaying functional states and / or operating parameters of the refrigeration device.

Derartige Funktionsanzeigefelder enthalten herkömmlicherweise eine Mehrzahl von Leuchtelementen wie etwa Glühlämpchen, Leuchtdioden etc. oder eine Flüssigkristallanzeige.Such function display panels conventionally include a plurality of lighting elements such as incandescent lamps, light emitting diodes, etc., or a liquid crystal display.

Die Leuchtelemente müssen, um zu funktionieren, ständig mit Energie versorgt werden, was die Leistungsaufnahme des Kältegeräts erhöht. Die Leistungsaufnahme einer Flüssigkristallanzeige ist zwar wesentlich geringer als die einer Leuchtanzeige, doch ist bei ungünstigem Lichteinfall eine von außen beleuchtete Flüssigkristallanzeige häufig schwierig abzulesen, so dass zur Verbesserung ihrer Lesbarkeit derartige Anzeigen häufig mit eingebauten Lichtquellen versehen werden, was den Vorteil der geringeren Leistungsaufnahme zunichte macht. DE-A-4321 103 offenbart ein Kältegerät gemäß Oberbegriff des Anspruchs 1.The lighting elements must be constantly supplied with energy in order to function, which increases the power consumption of the refrigeration device. Although the power consumption of a liquid crystal display is much lower than that of a light display, in low light incidence an externally illuminated liquid crystal display is often difficult to read, so to improve their readability such displays are often provided with built-in light sources, which negates the advantage of lower power consumption , DE-A-4321 103 discloses a refrigerator according to the preamble of claim 1.

Aufgabe der vorliegenden Erfindung ist, ein Kältegerät mit einem energiesparenden Funktionsanzeigefeld zu schaffen.The object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator with an energy-saving function display panel.

Die Aufgabe wird gelöst durch ein Kältegerät mit den Merkmalen des Anspruchs 1.The object is achieved by a refrigeration device having the features of claim 1.

Derartige elektrisch geladene Pigmentträger sowie mit derartigen Pigmentträgern versehene Substrate werden von der Firma E-Ink Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA vertrieben.Such electrically charged pigment carriers and substrates provided with such pigment carriers are marketed by E-Ink Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

Um die Beweglichkeit der Pigmentträger zu gewährleisten, sind diese vorzugsweise in einer flüssigen Trägerschicht eingebettet.In order to ensure the mobility of the pigment carriers, they are preferably embedded in a liquid carrier layer.

Einer ersten Ausgestaltung zufolge enthält das Anzeigefeld zwei Typen von Pigmentträgern, die jeweils entgegengesetzte elektrische Ladung tragen und verschiedene Farben aufweisen. Unter dem Einfluss eines auf die Pigmentträger einwirkenden elektrischen Feldes bewegen sich die unterschiedlich geladenen Pigmentträger in verschiedene Richtungen, so dass ein Typ von Pigmentträgern sich an einer freien Oberfläche des Funktionsanzeigefeldes versammelt und so dessen für einen Benutzer sichtbare Farbe bestimmt, während der zweite Typ von Pigmentträgern sich in einer tieferen Schicht des Anzeigefeldes sammelt, wo er durch den ersten Typ von Pigmentträgern verdeckt und für den Betrachter nicht sichtbar ist.According to a first embodiment, the display panel includes two types of pigment carriers, each carrying opposite electric charge and having different colors. Under the influence of one on the pigment carrier In response to an applied electric field, the differently charged pigment carriers move in different directions so that one type of pigment carrier gathers on a free surface of the function display panel to determine its user visible color while the second type of pigment carrier occupies a lower layer of the display panel where it is obscured by the first type of pigment carrier and not visible to the viewer.

Einer zweiten Ausgestaltung zufolge enthält das Anzeigefeld einen Typ von Pigmentträgern, der ein elektrisches Dipolmoment aufweist und zwei verschiedene Pigmente enthält, von denen eines in der Nähe des elektrischen Pluspols und das andere in der Nähe des elektrischen Minuspols angeordnet ist. Ein solcher Pigmentträger neigt unter dem Einfluss eines elektrischen Feldes dazu, eine Drehbewegung durchzuführen, bei der sich die Dipolmomente jeweils in Feldrichtung ausrichten. Mit Hilfe von Elektroden, die von einer Oberflächennormalen des Funktionsanzeigefeldes abweichend orientierte Felder erzeugen, können bei dieser Ausgestaltung nicht nur die reinen Farben der zwei Pigmente, sondern auch Übergängstöne zur Anzeige gebracht werden.According to a second embodiment, the display panel contains one type of pigment carrier which has an electric dipole moment and contains two different pigments, one of which is located in the vicinity of the positive electrical pole and the other in the vicinity of the negative electrical pole. Under the influence of an electric field, such a pigment carrier tends to perform a rotational movement in which the dipole moments are aligned in the field direction. With the aid of electrodes which produce fields which are oriented differently from a surface normal of the function display field, not only the pure colors of the two pigments, but also transitional tones can be displayed in this embodiment.

Unter den Elektroden des Anzeigefeldes befinden sich zwangsläufig solche, die abwechselnd an eine positive und eine negative Versorgungsspannung anschließbar sind, um einen Farbwechsel eines der betreffenden Elektrode zugeordneten Anzeigeelements herbeizuführen. Bei dem erfindungsgemäßen Kältegerät können jedoch auch Elektroden vorhanden sein, die fest an eine positive bzw. eine negative Versorgungsspannung angeschlossen sind, so dass die Farbe des ihnen zugeordneten Anzeigefeldes unveränderlich ist. Dadurch ist es möglich, statische grafische Elemente wie etwa eine Herstellermarke oder eine Modell-Bezeichnung, die bei einem herkömmlichen Kältegerät nicht im Anzeigefeld realisiert sondern in der Umgebung des Anzeigefeldes am Gehäuse des Geräts aufgedruckt sind, in das Anzeigefeld einzubeziehen und ebenfalls mit Hilfe der Pigmente anzuzeigen. Auf unterschiedliche Aufdrucke der Anzeigefeldern bei verschiedenen Kältegerätemodellen kann daher völlig verzichtet werden; eine Individualisierung der verschiedenen Modelle erfolgt ausschließlich über das Muster der auf die Pigmentträger einwirkenden Elektroden.Underneath the electrodes of the display panel are inevitably those which can be connected alternately to a positive and a negative supply voltage in order to bring about a color change of a display element associated with the respective electrode. In the refrigerator according to the invention, however, electrodes can also be present, which are permanently connected to a positive or a negative supply voltage, so that the color of their associated display panel is fixed. This makes it possible static graphic elements such as a manufacturer's mark or a model designation that are not implemented in the display panel in a conventional refrigerator but printed in the vicinity of the display panel on the housing of the device in the display and also with the help of the pigments display. On different imprints of the display panels in different refrigeration models can therefore be completely dispensed with; individualization of the various models takes place exclusively via the pattern of the electrodes acting on the pigment carriers.

Da die Pigmente in Abwesenheit elektrischer Felder ihre Position dauerhaft oder zumindest über lange Zeiträume unverändert beibehalten, ist es nicht notwendig, dass ständig eine Versorgungsspannung an den Elektroden anliegt. Um ein eventuelles Verblassen der Anzeige durch thermisch induzierte Bewegungen der Pigmentträger zu verhindern, ist eine Zeitschaltung vorgesehen sein, die den Hauptschalter in Zeitabständen von z.B. Tagen oder Wochen, je nach Stabilität der Anzeige, jeweils für eine kurze Zeit schließt.Since the pigments retain their position permanently or at least for long periods in the absence of electric fields, it is not necessary that constantly a supply voltage applied to the electrodes. In order to prevent a possible fading of the display by thermally induced movements of the pigment carrier, a timer is provided, which closes the main switch at intervals of eg days or weeks, depending on the stability of the display, each for a short time.

Weitere Merkmale und Vorteile der Erfindung ergeben sich aus der nachfolgenden Beschreibung eines Ausführungsbeispiels mit Bezug auf die beigefügten Figuren. Es zeigen:

Fig. 1
eine perspektivische Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Kältegerätes vor der erstmaligen Inbetriebnahme;
Fig. 2
einen schematischen Schnitt durch ein Funktionsanzeigefeld des Kältegeräts gemäß einer ersten Ausgestaltung der Erfindung;
Fig. 3
einen Schnitt durch ein Funktionsanzeigefeld gemäß einer zweiten Ausgestaltung; und
Fig. 4
eine Draufsicht auf eine Leiterplatte mit Elektroden zum Ansteuern des Anzeigefeldes.
Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:
Fig. 1
a perspective view of a refrigeration device according to the invention prior to initial startup;
Fig. 2
a schematic section through a function display panel of the refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 3
a section through a function display panel according to a second embodiment; and
Fig. 4
a plan view of a printed circuit board with electrodes for driving the display panel.

Fig. 1 ist eine perspektivische Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Kältegeräts. An ein wärmeisolierendes Gehäuse 1 des Kältegeräts ist eine Tür 2 angeschlagen. Oberhalb der Tür 2 ist eine hohle Blende 3 aus Kunststoff an das Gehäuse 1 angefügt. Die gesamte mit der Tür 2 bündige Vorderseite der Blende 3 ist von einem Anzeigefeld 4 ausgefüllt, dessen Struktur mit Bezug auf Fig. 2 und 3 genauer beschrieben wird. Im Inneren der hohlen Blende 3 befindet sich eine Steuerelektronik des Kältegerätes, die z.B. anhand von Erfassungsergebnissen eines im Inneren des Kältegeräts angebrachten Temperatursensors und einer von einem Benutzer vorgegebenen Solltemperatur den Betrieb eines Verdichters steuert. Eine Mehrzahl von Tasten 5 zum Steuern des Betriebs des Kältegeräts, z.B. zum Einstellen der Solltemperatur, erstrecken sich durch Bohrungen des Anzeigefeldes 4. Vor erstmaliger Inbetriebnahme ist das Anzeigefeld 4 leer. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to the invention. To a heat-insulating housing 1 of the refrigerator, a door 2 is struck. Above the door 2, a hollow panel 3 made of plastic is attached to the housing 1. The entire flush with the door 2 front of the panel 3 is filled by a display panel 4, whose structure with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3 will be described in more detail. Inside the hollow panel 3 is an electronic control unit of the refrigerator, which controls the operation of a compressor, for example, based on detection results of a mounted inside the refrigerator temperature sensor and a predetermined temperature by a user. A plurality of buttons 5 for controlling the operation of the refrigeration device, for example for setting the target temperature, extending through holes of the display panel 4. Before initial startup, the display panel 4 is empty.

Fig. 2 zeigt einen schematischen Schnitt durch das Anzeigefeld 4 gemäß einer ersten Ausgestaltung. Eine Schicht 7 aus einer viskosen Flüssigkeit ist zwischen einer festen Außenschicht 6 aus einem transparentem Kunststoff und einer Innenschicht 10 eingeschlossen, die aus einer Kunststofffolie oder einem beliebigen anderen für die Flüssigkeit der Schicht 7 undurchlässigen Material bestehen kann. Die Außenschicht 6 besteht vorzugsweise aus dem gleichen Kunststoffmaterial wie das Anzeigefeld 4 umgebende Teile der Blende 3 und ist einteilig mit ihnen ausgebildet. Fig. 2 shows a schematic section through the display panel 4 according to a first embodiment. A layer 7 of viscous liquid is sandwiched between a solid outer layer 6 of transparent plastic and an inner layer 10 which may be made of a plastic film or any other material impermeable to the liquid of the layer 7. The outer layer 6 is preferably made of the same plastic material as the display panel 4 surrounding parts of the diaphragm 3 and is integrally formed with them.

In der Flüssigkeitsschicht 7 schwimmen Pigmentträger 8 und 9, die z.B. schwarzes bzw. weißes Pigment und jeweils entgegengesetzte elektrische Ladung tragen.In the liquid layer 7, pigment carriers 8 and 9, e.g. black or white pigment and each carry opposite electrical charge.

Jenseits der Innenschicht 10 sind Elektroden 11, 12, 13 zum Anlegen eines elektrischen Feldes im wesentlichen normal zur Oberfläche zur Außenschicht 6 angeordnet. Eine (nicht dargestellte) transparente Masseelektrode liegt an der Außenschicht 6 den Elektroden 11, 12, 13 gegenüber.Beyond the inner layer 10, electrodes 11, 12, 13 for applying an electric field are arranged substantially normal to the surface to the outer layer 6. A (not shown) transparent ground electrode is located on the outer layer 6 of the electrodes 11, 12, 13 opposite.

Vor dem erstmaligen Anlegen eines elektrischen Potentials an eine der Elektroden befinden sich die Pigmentträger 8, 9 in einem ungeordneten Zustand, in dem sie aufgrund ihrer ungleichnamigen elektrischen Ladungen dazu neigen, sich gegenseitig anzuziehen. Dieser Zustand ist im linken Teil der Fig. 2 oberhalb einer Elektrode 11 gezeigt. In einem solchen Zustand befindet sich das Anzeigefeld des in Fig. 1 gezeigten Kältegerätes; vor erstmaliger Inbetriebnahme, d.h. vor erstmaligem Anlegen eines Potentials an die Elektroden des Anzeigefeldes, sind die Pigmentträger 8, 9 im Anzeigefeld 4 zufällig verteilt und das Anzeigefeld weist eine unbestimmte graue Farbe auf, in Fig. 1 symbolisiert durch schraffierte Bereiche.Before the initial application of an electrical potential to one of the electrodes, the pigment carriers 8, 9 are in a disordered state in which they tend to attract each other due to their unlike electrical charges. This condition is in the left part of the Fig. 2 shown above an electrode 11. In such a state is the display of the in Fig. 1 shown refrigeration device; before initial startup, ie before first applying a potential to the electrodes of the display panel, the pigment carriers 8, 9 are randomly distributed in the display panel 4 and the display panel has an indefinite gray color, in Fig. 1 symbolized by hatched areas.

Durch Anlegen eines ausreichend starken elektrischen Potentials, z.B. eines positiven Potentials an die Elektrode 12 bzw. eines negativen an die Elektrode 13 in Fig. 2, werden die Pigmentträger 8, 9 voneinander getrennt, und die negativ geladenen weißen Pigmentträger 8 wandern zur positiven Elektrode 12 bzw. der von der negativen Elektrode 13 abgewandten Seite der Flüssigkeitsschicht 7, und die positiv geladenen schwarzen Pigmentträger 9 sammeln sich an der negativen Elektrode 13 bzw. der von der positiven Elektrode 12 abgewandten Seite der Schicht 7. So zeichnen sich die Flächen der Elektroden 12 und 13 schwarz bzw. weiß auf dem Anzeigefeld 4 ab.By applying a sufficiently strong electrical potential, for example, a positive potential to the electrode 12 and a negative to the electrode 13 in Fig. 2 , the pigment carriers 8, 9 are separated from each other, and the negatively charged white pigment carriers 8 migrate to the positive electrode 12 and the side of the liquid layer 7 facing away from the negative electrode 13, respectively, and the positively charged black pigment carriers 9 accumulate on the negative electrode 13 or the side facing away from the positive electrode 12 of the layer 7. Thus, the surfaces of the electrodes 12 and 13 are black or white on the display panel 4 from.

Ein ähnlicher Effekt wird mit dem in Fig. 3 im schematischen Schnitt gezeigten Anzeigefeld erreicht. Der Aufbau des Anzeigefeldes ist im wesentlichen der gleiche wie mit Bezug auf Fig. 2 beschrieben; lediglich die Pigmentträger 14 sind elektrische Dipole und enthalten jeweils in der Nähe ihrer elektrischen Pole verschiedenfarbige Pigmente. Im hier betrachteten Fall befindet sich schwarzes Pigment am Pluspol und weißes am Minuspol. Durch Anlegen eines elektrischen Potentials an die Elektroden 12, 13 werden die ursprünglich, wie über der Elektrode 11 gezeigt, zufällig orientierten Pigmentträger 14 ausgerichtet, so dass sie oberhalb der positiven Elektrode 12 den schwarzen Pluspol der Außenschicht 6 zuwenden und oberhalb der negativen Elektrode 13 den weißen Minuspol.A similar effect is achieved with the in Fig. 3 reached in the schematic section shown display field. The structure of the display panel is substantially the same as with reference to FIG Fig. 2 described; only the pigment carriers 14 are electric dipoles and each contain different colored pigments in the vicinity of their electric poles. In the case considered here, black pigment is at the positive pole and white at the negative pole. By applying an electrical potential to the electrodes 12, 13, the originally randomly oriented pigment carriers 14 as shown above the electrode 11 are aligned so that they face above the positive electrode 12 the black plus pole of the outer layer 6 and above the negative electrode 13 white negative pole.

Fig. 4 zeigt eine Draufsicht auf eine innerhalb der Blende 3 hinter der Innenschicht 10 angeordnete Leiterplatte mit der Innenschicht 10 zugewandten Elektroden. Es gibt drei Typen von Elektroden, eine Elektrode 15, in der Fig. weiß dargestellt, die den überwiegenden Teil der Oberfläche der Leiterplatte einnimmt und, sofern die Elektroden mit Spannung versorgt sind, fest mit einem negativen Potential verbunden ist, Elektroden 16, in der Fig. durch eine schräg aufwärts gerichtete Schraffur gekennzeichnet, die bei Spannungsversorgung fest mit einem positiven Potential verbunden sind und Elektroden 17, schräg abwärts schraffiert dargestellt, die über eine Steuerschaltung 18 sowohl mit positivem als auch mit negativem Potential beaufschlagbar sind. Die Elektroden 16 sind hier in Form von Buchstaben ausgebildet, um eine Hersteller- oder Modellbezeichnung oder andere unveränderliche grafische Elemente zur Anzeige zu bringen. Da unterschiedliche Modelle von Kältegeräten zumeist über unterschiedliche Steuerschaltungen verfügen, ist für diese ohnehin eine spezifisch gefertigte Leiterplatte erforderlich. Der Fertigungs-Mehraufwand, der mit dem Strukturieren der Elektroden 16 auf einer solchen Leiterplatte verbunden ist, ist gering. Es entfällt aber die Notwendigkeit, hersteller- oder modellspezifische Aufdrucke an der Blende anzubringen, so dass völlig gleiche Blenden für verschiedene Modelle von Kältegeräten eingesetzt und so Kosten gespart werden können. Fig. 4 shows a plan view of a disposed within the panel 3 behind the inner layer 10 printed circuit board with the inner layer 10 facing electrodes. There are three types of electrodes, an electrode 15, white in the figure, which occupies most of the surface of the circuit board and, if the electrodes are powered, is fixedly connected to a negative potential, electrodes 16 in which Fig. Characterized by an obliquely upward hatching, which are permanently connected to voltage supply to a positive potential and electrodes 17, shown obliquely downwardly hatched, which can be acted upon by a control circuit 18 with both positive and negative potential. The electrodes 16 are here in the form of letters to indicate a manufacturer or model designation or other immutable graphical elements. Since different models of refrigerators usually have different control circuits, a specifically manufactured circuit board is required anyway for this. The manufacturing overhead associated with patterning the electrodes 16 on such a circuit board is low. However, it eliminates the need to attach manufacturer or model-specific imprints on the panel, so that completely identical panels used for different models of refrigerators and costs can be saved.

Elektroden 17, in Fig. 4 exemplarisch dargestellt als Elektroden einer Siebensegmentanzeige, sind über durch die Steuerschaltung 18 gesteuerte Schalter 19 wahlweise mit einer positiven oder einer negativen Versorgungsspannung verbindbar, um die Farbe der den Elektroden 17 entsprechenden Elemente des Anzeigefeldes 4 umschalten zu können. Ein Hauptschalter 20 ist vorgesehen, um sämtliche Elektroden 15, 16, 17 sowie die Steuerschaltung 18 von ihrer Versorgungsspannung abtrennen und so den Leistungsverbrauch des Anzeigefeldes 4 auf Null reduzieren zu können. Der Hauptschalter 20 wird lediglich dann geschlossen, um das Anzeigefeld 4 zu aktivieren, wenn die Steuerelektronik 21 des Kältegeräts meldet, dass ein auf dem Anzeigefeld 4 anzuzeigender Parameter wie etwa die Innentemperatur oder ein Betriebszustand seinen Wert geändert hat und deshalb die Farbe eines Anzeigeelementes des Feldes 4 geändert werden muss. Da zu einem solchen Zeitpunkt auch an die auf festem Potential liegenden Elektroden 15, 16 Spannung angelegt wird, werden auch die diesen Elektroden zugeordneten Anzeigefelder von Zeit zu Zeit aufgefrischt, und ein Kontrastverlust wird auch an diesen Anzeigefeldern vermieden.Electrodes 17, in Fig. 4 illustrated by way of example as electrodes of a seven-segment display, switches 19, which are controlled by the control circuit 18, can optionally be connected to a positive or a negative supply voltage in order to to change the color of the electrodes 17 corresponding elements of the display panel 4 can. A main switch 20 is provided to disconnect all electrodes 15, 16, 17 and the control circuit 18 from its supply voltage and thus to reduce the power consumption of the display panel 4 to zero. The main switch 20 is closed only to activate the display panel 4 when the control electronics 21 of the refrigerator indicates that a parameter to be displayed on the display panel 4, such as the internal temperature or an operating condition, has changed its value and therefore the color of a display element of the panel 4 must be changed. Since voltage is also applied to the electrodes 15, 16 at fixed potential at such a time, the display fields assigned to these electrodes are also refreshed from time to time, and a loss of contrast is also avoided in these display fields.

Claims (6)

  1. Refrigeration appliance having a thermally insulating housing (1) and a function display panel (4) attached to the housing to display functional states and/or operating parameters of the refrigeration appliance, characterised in that the function display panel (4) comprises electrically charged pigment carriers (8, 9; 14) that can be moved under the influence of an electric field and a plurality of electrodes (11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17) that are each assigned to a display element of the function display panel (4) to apply an electric field to the pigment carriers (8, 9; 14), a main switch (20) is provided to isolate all the electrodes (15, 16, 17) from their supply voltages and a timer circuit is provided to close the main switch (20) for a short time at time intervals depending on the stability of the function display panel (4), to prevent the function display panel (4) fading due to thermally induced movement of the pigment carriers (8, 9, 14).
  2. Refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterised in that the pigment carriers (8, 9; 14) are embedded in a fluid carrier layer (7).
  3. Refrigeration appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the display panel contains two types of pigment carriers (8, 9), which each carry opposing electric charges and have different colours.
  4. Refrigeration appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the display panel contains a type of pigment carrier (14) that has an electrical dipole moment and contains two different pigments, one of which is disposed in the vicinity of the electrical plus pole of the dipole and the other of which is disposed in the vicinity of the electrical minus pole.
  5. Refrigeration appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the electrodes (15, 16, 17) include electrodes (16) connected in a fixed manner to a positive supply voltage and electrodes (15) connected in a fixed manner to a negative supply voltage.
  6. Refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterised by an activation circuit (21), which closes the main switch (20) to change the colour of one of the display elements.
EP03735545.0A 2002-06-18 2003-06-04 Refrigerator comprising a function display unit Expired - Lifetime EP1518081B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2002127132 DE10227132A1 (en) 2002-06-18 2002-06-18 Refrigeration device with function display
DE10227132 2002-06-18
PCT/EP2003/005865 WO2003106905A1 (en) 2002-06-18 2003-06-04 Refrigerator comprising a function display unit

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1518081A1 EP1518081A1 (en) 2005-03-30
EP1518081B1 true EP1518081B1 (en) 2013-11-20

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EP03735545.0A Expired - Lifetime EP1518081B1 (en) 2002-06-18 2003-06-04 Refrigerator comprising a function display unit

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EP (1) EP1518081B1 (en)
AU (1) AU2003236688A1 (en)
DE (1) DE10227132A1 (en)
ES (1) ES2437495T3 (en)
WO (1) WO2003106905A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (11)

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US7856555B2 (en) 2005-01-20 2010-12-21 The Invention Science Fund I, Llc Write accessibility for electronic paper
US7865734B2 (en) 2005-05-12 2011-01-04 The Invention Science Fund I, Llc Write accessibility for electronic paper
US7669245B2 (en) 2005-06-08 2010-02-23 Searete, Llc User accessibility to electronic paper
US8640259B2 (en) 2005-01-20 2014-01-28 The Invention Science Fund I, Llc Notarizable electronic paper
US8063878B2 (en) * 2005-01-20 2011-11-22 The Invention Science Fund I, Llc Permanent electronic paper
US7774606B2 (en) 2005-01-20 2010-08-10 The Invention Science Fund I, Inc Write accessibility for electronic paper
US7739510B2 (en) 2005-05-12 2010-06-15 The Invention Science Fund I, Inc Alert options for electronic-paper verification
US8281142B2 (en) 2005-01-20 2012-10-02 The Invention Science Fund I, Llc Notarizable electronic paper
FR2881819B1 (en) * 2005-02-09 2012-11-23 Saint Gobain GLASS OPENING WINDOW FOR A REFRIGERATED INSTALLATION SUCH AS A REFRIGERATOR AND REFRIGERATED INSTALLATION EQUIPPED WITH SUCH A WINDOW
US20140168201A1 (en) * 2005-05-12 2014-06-19 Searete Llc Alert options for electronic-paper verification
CN102914121A (en) 2011-08-06 2013-02-06 博西华电器（江苏）有限公司 Refrigeration equipment

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DE2906652A1 (en) * 1979-02-02 1980-08-14 Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN ELECTROPHORETIC DISPLAY WITH WAX-COVERED PIGMENT PARTICLES
JPH01282589A (en) * 1988-05-10 1989-11-14 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd Manufacture of rotary particles for display for particle rotation type display
DE4321103A1 (en) * 1993-06-25 1995-01-05 Miele & Cie Domestic appliance having an electronic display
US6118426A (en) * 1995-07-20 2000-09-12 E Ink Corporation Transducers and indicators having printed displays
US6120588A (en) * 1996-07-19 2000-09-19 E Ink Corporation Electronically addressable microencapsulated ink and display thereof
US6323989B1 (en) * 1996-07-19 2001-11-27 E Ink Corporation Electrophoretic displays using nanoparticles
US6177921B1 (en) * 1997-08-28 2001-01-23 E Ink Corporation Printable electrode structures for displays
US6348908B1 (en) * 1998-09-15 2002-02-19 Xerox Corporation Ambient energy powered display
CN1165011C (en) * 2000-06-19 2004-09-01 Lg电子株式会社 System and method for controlling refrigerater with information display device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1518081A1 (en) 2005-03-30
WO2003106905A1 (en) 2003-12-24
DE10227132A1 (en) 2004-01-08
ES2437495T3 (en) 2014-01-10
AU2003236688A1 (en) 2003-12-31

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