EP2126491B1 - Refrigeration device comprising a door-opening aid - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigeration device with door opening aid, more particularly with two housing components, namely a body and a door defining an interior space, a seal which is attached to one of the housing components and sealingly contacts the other housing component when the door is closed, and a drive element , which is arranged to drive the door out of the closed position. Such a refrigeration device is off, for example DE 10 2004 012496 A1 known.

Hot air, which enters the interior of the device when the door is opened, cools down after it has been closed and leads to a negative pressure, which makes it difficult to re-open the door. By canceling the sealing contact between the other housing part and the seal, the drive element allows a pressure equalization, so that the same drive element or a user can open the door with little effort.

EP 10 77 354 A2 describes another refrigeration device of the type specified above. In order to control the operation of the drive element, in this refrigeration device, a switch on a door handle is provided, which must be actuated by a user to set the drive element in motion.

A disadvantage of this known refrigeration device is that it can be realized substantially only as a stand-alone unit without difficulty. In a stand-alone unit, the door and handle form a unit completely assembled by the manufacturer of the appliance. This is not the case with built-in appliances. Because these generally have a door without a handle, which is veneered when installing the device with a furniture panel, and on the furniture plate is generally attached a handle whose appearance is determined by mounted on adjacent furniture fronts handles. The manufacturer of the refrigeration device has no influence on the design of this handle. For this reason, built-in refrigerators have generally not yet a door opening help.

In DE 20 2005 006945 U1 an opening of the furniture front takes place by pressure or train on a furniture front, whereby a sensor is actuated, whereby a signal on one electronic control unit is passed, and from this a control signal to an electrical locking mechanism, in particular in the form of a solenoid is passed, so that the locking mechanism is unlocked and thus an energy storage can act unhindered on an ejection element and thus move this in the opening direction in the direction of the furniture front can, whereby the furniture front itself is lifted from the furniture body and opens with it.

The WO 2007/042933 A1 (in the prior art under Article 54 (3) EPC) describes a door-operating auxiliary device, for cabinets consisting of a thermally insulated chamber and a door covering said chamber, with a magnetic folding top which forms a flexible covering between the door and the chamber and ensuring that the door firmly adheres to the chamber. The door operating auxiliary device has at least one rear element which overcomes the magnetic adhesive force of the door and separates the door from the chamber, and continues in the opening direction of the door, and which has a drive element which is fixed to the rear element. The door operating auxiliary device is provided with at least one motion sensor on the cabinet, which responds when the door is pushed by the user in the closing direction and thereby the folding top is pressed at a predetermined distance, and it has a closing device which is triggered by the motion sensor and activates the drive element and thus ensures that the back element is conveyed in the closing direction of the door.

The DE 20 2004 007 168 U1 describes an electrically powered ejector on refrigerator doors. The local sensors are connected via lines with an electric drive unit designed as an electric motor, which moves via a gear sleeve and thus the parts arranged in it. By a manual, ie mechanical pressure exerted by a user on the furniture door, the parts are pressed in their closed end position against a switch in the sleeve, causing this triggers the electric drive unit, which via the transmission, the triggering of the ejection process by translational movement out of the sleeve and the causes arranged in her parts.

The DE 203 08 256 U1 describes an actuator that has a common actuator for both directions of movement, with the example. In a relatively short operation by means of a hand or other body part the movement in the first direction and in a longer and / or further actuation, the movement in the second direction is triggered, or in each case a separate actuating element for the first and second directions is provided.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a refrigerator with door opening help that can be implemented as a built-in appliance or that requires no adaptation of a door handle to the presence of the door opening help.

The object is achieved in that a sensor for detecting a movement of the door and a coupled to the sensor control circuit are provided for activating the drive element upon detection of movement of the door in a refrigerator of the type defined, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure in the interior is. When the user begins to move the door to open it, this is detected by the control circuit, even before the door opening has led to the release of the contact between the seal and the other housing component, and the drive element is set in motion, to move the door out of its closed position.

According to an intuitively easy to use embodiment, the seal is elastically extensible to allow movement of the door away from the body before the contact between the seal and the other housing member is removed, and the control circuit is adapted to drive the drive element upon detection of movement away from the body to activate the door. That when the user pulls on the door of the refrigerator as on a conventional refrigerator without door opening help, the resulting door movement is detected by the control circuit and the door opening help is activated.

According to a second embodiment, the seal is elastically compressible, and the control circuit is adapted to activate the drive element upon detection of a movement of the door towards the body. Such a configuration is particularly user-friendly, as it allows a user to open the door, even if he has both hands full, by simply pressing briefly against the door, and then the drive element makes the door burst open. Of course, the control circuit may also be designed to respond to both pull and pressure on the door. For detecting such a door opening request of a user indicating movement of the door, there are various possibilities. According to the embodiment of the invention, a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure in the interior is provided as a sensor. If the seal sealingly contacts the other housing component, both pulling on the

Door as well as pressing the door against the body to a pressure change in the interior, which is detected by the pressure sensor.

Pressure changes can also occur in the interior when it slowly warms up in a phase of the stoppage of a refrigerator of the refrigerator or when it slowly cools down after restarting the refrigerator. However, such pressure fluctuations occur on a time scale of several minutes, while the user-induced pressure fluctuations occur within a few seconds. In order to suppress a response to slow pressure fluctuations, the sensor may be coupled to the control circuit via a high pass filter.

Other principles of motion sensing that are not in accordance with the present invention operate with a two-piece sensor wherein one of the two cooperating parts of the sensor is movably connected to the body and the other to the door.

In particular, one part may be fixedly mounted with respect to the body and the other with respect to the door. However, it may also be expedient that the one part is arranged on one housing component and the other in a region of the seal that is movable by the elasticity of the seal against the one housing component. Another possibility is that one part of the sensor is attached to a plunger movably guided on the one housing component and the other is attached to the one housing component itself.

The plunger can also be part of the drive element.

As said two parts of the sensor, a coil and a core of ferromagnetic material may be provided. A movement of the core affects the inductance of the coil and thus enables the detection of a movement of the door.

The core can also be permanently magnetic, so that a voltage induced by its movement in the coil can be detected as an indication of a movement of the door.

It may be provided as the two parts of the sensor, a Hall probe and a magnet.

Another possibility is to use a capacitor as a sensor, wherein the two parts of the sensor are formed by its two electrodes.

In order to achieve a large expansion of the electrodes and thus a high capacity, it is expedient if one of the electrodes is a conductor extending through a cavity of the seal.

Further, as the two parts of the sensor, an optical distance sensor and a reflector surface for reflecting a light beam emitted from the distance sensor come into consideration.

• Fig. 1 einen schematischen Schnitt durch ein erfindungsgemäßes Kältegerät;
• Fig. 2 einen detaillierten Schnitt durch den unteren Rand der Tür des Kältegeräts aus Fig. 1 im geschlossenen Zustand der Tür;
• Fig. 3 einen der Fig. 2 entsprechenden Schnitt in einer ersten Phase des Betriebs der Türöffnungshilfe;
• Fig. 4 einen der Fig. 2 entsprechenden Schnitt in einer zweiten Phase des Betriebs der Türöffnungshilfe;
• Fig. 5 einen zu Fig. 2 analogen Schnitt gemäß einer zweiten Ausgestaltung; diese Ausgestaltung ist nicht erfindungsgemäß; 35
• Fig. 6 einen stark schematisierten Schnitt durch den unteren Rand der Tür und eine daran anschließende Bodenwand des Korpus gemäß einer dritten und Ausgestaltung; auch diese Ausgestaltung ist nicht erfindungsgemäß; und
• Fig. 7 einen zu Fig. 6 analogen Schnitt gemäß einer vierten Ausgestaltung, die auch nicht erfindungsgemäß ist.

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

• Fig. 1 a schematic section through an inventive refrigerator;
• Fig. 2 a detailed section through the bottom edge of the door of the refrigerator Fig. 1 in the closed state of the door;
• Fig. 3 one of the Fig. 2 corresponding section in a first phase of the operation of the door opening aid;
• Fig. 4 one of the Fig. 2 corresponding section in a second phase of the operation of the door opening aid;
• Fig. 5 one too Fig. 2 analog section according to a second embodiment; this embodiment is not according to the invention; 35
• Fig. 6 a highly schematic section through the lower edge of the door and an adjoining bottom wall of the body according to a third and embodiment; This embodiment is not according to the invention; and
• Fig. 7 one too Fig. 6 analogous section according to a fourth embodiment, which is also not according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a highly schematic of an inventive refrigeration device with a body 1 and an articulated thereto door 2, which together define an interior space 3. A magnetic seal 4 is peripherally attached to the inside of the door 2 and adheres by magnetic force substantially airtight on the front of the body 1, so that in the interior 3, a negative pressure can form when after the penetration of warm air into the interior 3 the Door 2 is closed and the air in the interior 3 cools.

In a bottom wall of the body 1 forming heat-insulating wall 5, a door opening auxiliary mechanism 6 is inserted, the internal structure will be explained later. From the door opening assistance mechanism 6 shown here in the inactive state, there is a tip of a setting body 7, which is located at a short distance from the inside of the door 2. The door opening assist mechanism 6 could also be mounted in any other wall of the body 1 at a distance from a pivot axis of the door 2; however, a substantially central placement in the bottom wall 5, as shown, or in a ceiling 8 of the body to assure that the door opening assist mechanism 6 is equally effective regardless of which side of the body 1 the door 2 is struck, is equally effective ,

An in Fig. 1 Control circuit not specifically shown, which may be integrated, for example, in a housing of the door opening assist mechanism 6, is connected to a pressure sensor 9 placed in the interior space 3. The control circuit is designed to detect short-term pressure fluctuations in the interior 3, if necessary with the aid of a high-pass filter inserted between itself and the pressure sensor 9, and to respond to this by activating the door opening assistance mechanism 6. Such a pressure fluctuation may be a pressure drop resulting when a user pulls on the door 2 and thereby the sealing profile 16 is stretched; but it may also be a pressure increase, which occurs when the sealing profile 16 is compressed by pressure of a user against the door 2.

Construction and operation of an exemplary embodiment of the door opening assist mechanism 6 will be more apparent from the following FIGS. 2 to 4 . each showing the lower edge region of the door 2 in an enlarged section. The door 2 is constructed here from an outer wall 10 formed from a sheet metal blank and an inner wall 11 which is deep-drawn from plastic and which are connected to one another at their vertical edges and enclose a cavity 12 filled with insulating material. The cavity 12 is closed at the top and bottom by profiles 13 made of plastic. A socket 14 for receiving a pivot pin of a door hinge is formed in the profiles 13.

In an edge region of the inner wall 11, a frame-shaped encircling, undercut groove 15 is formed, in which a barbed head portion of a magnetic sealing profile 16 is engaged. The magnetic sealing profile has a plurality of elongated chambers which give it flexibility and one of which, denoted by 17, is filled with magnetic material which holds a sealing surface of the sealing profile 16 pressed against the sheet steel front side of the body 1. The designated here by 18 tip of the actuating body 7 is located opposite an inner edge of the profile 13 with a small distance.

Fig. 3 shows a first phase of the operation of the recessed in the body 1 door opening assist mechanism 6. The actuator body 7 is extended so far out of the body 1, that a shoulder 19 which in the inactive state of Fig. 2 is flush with the front edge of the body 1 or slightly springs back behind it, protrudes beyond this front edge and the chamber 17 filled with the magnetic material of the sealing profile 16 from the body 1 continues. By so each side of the actuator body 7 resulting gap between the body 1 and sealing profile 16, air can flow into the interior 3 of the refrigerator, resulting in a pressure balance between inside and outside and to open the door 2 only between the sealing profile 16 and the body. 1 acting magnetic force must be overcome. In this phase, the tip 18 still exerts no significant force on the profile 13.

In the in Fig. 4 shown second phase of the operation of the door opening assist mechanism 6, the adjusting body 7 is further extended out of the body 1, and by pressure of the tip 18 against the profile 13, the sealing profile 16 is lifted from the body 1. The door 2 can now be opened completely free. If the actuator body 7 is driven strong enough, he can also accelerate the door 2 so strong that it after loss of Contact with the push-off element 18 automatically over in Fig. 4 shown position opens.

Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a refrigerator not according to the invention with reference to a Fig. 2 analog section. One of the chambers of the magnetic sealing profile 16 is here filled by a wire 20 which extends over the entire length of the magnetic sealing profile 16 and forms a plate of a capacitor, of which a second plate is formed by a metal strip 21, which is frame-shaped along one of the Magnetic sealing profile 16 touched area of the front of the body 1 extends. At the in Fig. 5 As shown embodiment, the metal strip 21 is also the magnetic material in the chamber 17 of the sealing profile 16 opposite, so that the metal strip 21 is advantageously ferromagnetic and the magnetic force that keeps the door 2 closed, between the magnetic material and the metal strip 21 acts. Otherwise, the front of the body 1 may be formed of non-conductive and non-magnetic plastic.

The capacitance of a capacitor formed by wire 20 and steel strip 21 determines the frequency of a resonant circuit (not shown) of which the capacitor is a part. This capacity increases when the door 2 is pressed against the body 1 and thereby the magnetic sealing profile 16 is compressed; it decreases when pulled on the door 2 and thereby the magnetic sealing profile 16 is stretched. The control circuit monitors the oscillation frequency and responds to changes thereof by operating the door opening assist mechanism 6.

Alternatively, the capacitor can also be powered by two in Fig. 5 dashed metal bands 22, 23 may be formed, one of which extends parallel to the magnetic sealing profile 16 on the foam side of the inner wall 11 and the other 23 extends along the front of the body 1. Again, the capacitor plates move against each other when pressed against the door 2 or pulled at her.

According to a further modification, the wire 20 and the steel strip 21 or the two metal strips 22, 23 may each be structured as coils with one or more windings, wherein one of these coils is acted upon by alternating current and the other coil is coupled to the control circuit, so that detects this one induced in the other coil by the AC voltage. The amplitude of the induced voltage is also dependent on the distance of the two coils from each other, so that both act as an inductive sensor for detecting a movement of the door 2.

Fig. 6 illustrates a further embodiment of a refrigeration device not according to the invention with reference to a greatly simplified section through the lower edge of the door 2 and the adjoining front edge of the bottom wall 5. In the door 2 facing the front edge 24 of the bottom wall 5, a recess 25 is formed to the around a coil 26 extends. In the closed position of the door 2 engages a connected to the door 2 plunger 27 in the recess 25, which carries a permanent magnet 28 at its tip. Again, caused by pressing or pulling on the door 2 movement of the magnet 28 for inducing a voltage in the coil 26, which is detected by the control circuit and causes them to feed an excitation current in the coil 26 in this one to the magnetic field the magnet 28 generates an antiparallel magnetic field. The resulting force drives the door 2 from the body 1, so that the door 2 is pushed open.

It is also possible to separate the functions of the movement detection and the drive of the door from each other, for example by using the above as based on the induced voltage in the coil 26 door movement is used to drive another, not shown, actuator to open the door, or by providing, adjacent to the motion sensing magnet 28, a Hall probe 29 or an optical detector 30 whose emitted light beam is reflected by the plunger 27. The optical detector 30 may employ, for example, interferometric measuring techniques, or it may simply detect the variable intensity of the light beam which is variable depending on the position of the plunger 27.

Instead of the magnet 28, a ferromagnetic body without its own magnetic moment can be arranged at the tip of the plunger 27. In this case, the coil 26 allows the detection of a door movement based on their variable depending on the position of the ferromagnetic body inductance. A drive means for opening the door 2 is then provided separately from the sensor formed by the coil 26 and the ferromagnetic body.

Fig. 7 shows a non-inventive modification of the non-inventive embodiment Fig. 6 in which the plunger 27 is not attached to the door 2, but guided in the recess 25 with close tolerances and is acted upon by a spring 31 against a projection 32 of the door 2. The freedom of movement of the plunger 27 is limited by a cooperating with shoulders of the recess 25 pin 33. The physical separation of the plunger 27 from the door 2 makes its closely tolerated guidance possible, thus improving the accuracy with which the plunger 27 moves - according to any of the above, for example Fig. 6 described technique - can be detected; by being pressed by the spring 31 against the projection 32, the plunger 27 is still coupled to the door 2 in terms of movement.

Claims (7)

1. Refrigeration device with two housing components (1,2), namely a carcass (1) and a door (2), which delimit an interior (3), a seal (4), which is attached to one of the housing components (1,2) and, when the door is closed (2) touches the other housing component (2, 1) to form a seal with it, and a drive element (6; 26, 28) which is arranged to drive the door (2) out of the closed position, and with a sensor (9; 20, 21; 22, 23; 26, 28; 29, 28; 30, 28) for detecting a movement of the door (2) and a control circuit coupled to the sensor for activating the drive element (6; 26, 28) on detection of a movement of the door (2), characterised in that the sensor is a pressure sensor (9) for detecting the pressure in the interior (3).
2. Refrigeration device according to claim 1, characterised in that the seal (16) is elastically expandable and the control circuit is configured to activate the drive element (6; 26, 28) on detection of a movement of the door (2) directed away from the carcass (1).
3. Refrigeration device according to claim 2, characterised in that the control circuit is designed to detect short-term fluctuations in pressure in the interior (3) and, if there is a fall in pressure, to react to this with an activation of the drive element (6; 26, 28).
4. Refrigeration device according to claim 1, characterised in that the seal (16) is elastically compressible and the control circuit is configured to activate the drive element (6; 26, 28) on detection of a movement of the door (2) directed towards the carcass (1).
5. Refrigeration device according to claim 4, characterised in that the control circuit is designed to detect short-term fluctuations in pressure in the interior (3) and, if there is a rise in pressure, to react to this with an activation of the drive element (6; 26, 28).
6. Refrigeration device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the sensor (9) is coupled to the control circuit via a highpass filter.
7. Refrigeration device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the control circuit is integrated into a housing of a door-opening aid mechanism (6) and is connected to the pressure sensor (9) placed in the interior (3).

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