EP2655991B1

EP2655991B1 - A refrigerator

Info

Publication number: EP2655991B1
Application number: EP11791563.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kutay Edis; Mehmet Cemal Hacioglu; Soner Kahraman; Gokhan Ozseker
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2010-12-24
Filing date: 2011-12-06
Publication date: 2015-06-10
Anticipated expiration: 2031-12-06
Also published as: EP2655991A2; PL2655991T3; WO2012084498A3; WO2012084498A2

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator wherein the interior volume is illuminated effectively.
In refrigerators named as "French type", the doors used are utilized, that are arranged side-by-side, covering the opening on the body, that are mounted to the body so as to rotate around the vertical axis by one of them being hinged from its left side and the other from its right side. The doors disposed on the right and left cover a single compartment, for example the fresh food compartment, which is accessed into by means of the opening. In order to provide leak-proofing between the adjacent edges of the two doors, mullions are used, connected to one door and rotating around the axis from which it is connected to the door. When the door is open, the mullion bears against the side of the door whereto it is connected and while the door is being closed, the mullion forms a surface against which the other door bears by rotating 90 degrees in the bearing. Convenience of utilization is provided for the user since there aren't any fixed mullions on the opening when the two doors are open.
In state of the art French type refrigerators, the interior volume of the compartment is generally illuminated by means of light sources disposed on the rear wall or the side wall of the body. This not only causes insufficient illumination at the front side of the body but also the big sized items like pots etc placed inside the body can prevent the light from dispersing. A refrigerator according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from JP3105189 .
In the state of the art Patent Application No. US2001003408 , a refrigerator is defined, that comprises two doors arranged side by side, a fixed mullion disposed on the opening providing access into the body, forming a resting surface for the doors when the doors are closed and a light source disposed on the mullion.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a refrigerator the interior volume of which is illuminated effectively.
The refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention and explicated in the claims comprises two doors, a first door and a second door, covering the opening on the body, disposed side by side, mounted to the body by one of them being hinged from its left side, the other from its right side and a mullion mounted on the first door, providing leak-proofing between the doors when the doors are closed. The mullion is connected to the first door and makes approximately 90 degrees rotational movement with respect to the first door. The refrigerator furthermore comprises at least one light source, disposed on the mullion, that illuminates the shelves on the first door when the first door is open and the interior of the body when the second door is open. Thus, convenience of utilization is provided by illuminating the space utilized by the user.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the mullion is produced from a transparent material. The light source is disposed inside the mullion. Thus, the passage of light to the space desired to be illuminated is facilitated.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the surface of the mullion facing the inside of the body while the first door is closed is produced from transparent material. Consequently, illuminating the interior of the body is made effective when the second door is opened while the first door is closed.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a flange is provided on the first door, that extends outwards from the plane of the door. The shelves are connected to the inner surface of the flange and the mullion to the outer surface. The mullion bears against the flange when the first door is open. More than one hole that provides the light dispersed from the light source to pass to the shelves while the first door is open is arranged on the flange. The light emitted from the light source reaches the shelves by passing through the holes.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the width of the flange is greater than the width of the mullion. The mullion extends outwards from the side of the flange when the first door is open. Thus, the flange is prevented from forming obstruction in front of the light emitted from the light source and dispersing towards the shelves when the first door is open.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator comprises a protrusion disposed on the mullion, that extends towards the flange when the first door is open and a light disperser disposed on the protrusion. Thus, the illumination of the shelves on the first door are made effective when the first door is open.
By means of the present invention, a refrigerator is realized wherein the shelves on the first door are illuminated when the first door is open and the interior of the body is illuminated when the first door is closed by disposing the light source on the mullion, that moves with the opening/closing motion of the first door whereto it is connected.
A refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the perspective view of the refrigerator when both of the doors are open.
Figure 2 - is the partial exploded view of the mullion related to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 - is the perspective view of the first door related to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 - is the view of detail A in Figure 3.
Figure 5 - is the perspective view of the first door related to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 - is the view of detail B in Figure 5.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1.: Refrigerator
2.: Body
3.: Opening
4.: First door
5.: Second door
6.: Shelf
7.: Mullion
8.: Light source
9.: Flange
10.: Hole
11.: Protrusion
12.: Light disperser

The refrigerator (1) comprises a body (2), an opening (3) disposed on the body (2), two doors (4, 5) supported from one of their sides to the side walls of the body (2) so as to cover the opening (3) and to stand side by side when closed.
The refrigerator (1) furthermore comprises more than one shelf (6) mounted onto the door (4, 5) and a mullion (7) disposed on the first door (4), that makes rotational movement around the axis whereby it is connected to the first door (4) during the opening/closing motion of the first door (4) and that closes between the doors (4, 5) air-proofingly when the two doors (4, 5) are closed.
The mullion (7) is mounted on the first door (4) so as to make rotational movement with respect to the first door (4). The mullion (7) forms a surface whereon the second door (5) can bear against when closed by rotating approximately 90 degrees around the axis whereto it is connected while the first door (4) closes. When the two doors (4, 5) are closed, the mullion (7) covers all along the region between the doors (4, 5).
The refrigerator (1) of the present invention comprises at least one light source (8), disposed on the mullion (7), that provides at least the shelves (6) on the first door (4) to be illuminated when the first door (4) is open and provides at least the interior of the body (2) to be illuminated when the second door (5) is open and the first door (4) is closed. When the user opens the first door (4), the light source (8) provides the shelves (6) on the first door (4) to be illuminated by rotating together with the mullion (7). Thus, the operation of loading/unloading foodstuffs on the shelf (6) by the user is facilitated. When the user closes the first door (4), the mullion (7) rotates around the axis whereby it is connected to the first door (4) and forms a surface against which the second door (5) bears. The light source (8) rotates together with the mullion (7) and faces the inside of the body (2) while the first door (4) closes. The light source (8) illuminates the interior of the body (2) only when the second door (5) is open and provides convenience of utilization for the user. Thus, the interior of the body (2) is provided to be illuminated from the front side and the big sized objects like pots etc inside the body (2) are prevented from forming an obstruction in front of the light source (8). Furthermore, a more esthetic appearance is obtained by illuminating the shelves (6) when the first door (4) is open and illuminating the interior of the body (2) when the second door (5) is open. In an embodiment of the present invention, the mullion (7) is produced from transparent material. The light source (8) is disposed inside the mullion (7). Thus, the light emitted from the light source (8) is provided to be dispersed around better.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the surface of the mullion (7) facing the inside of the body (2) when the first door (4) is closed is produced from transparent material. Thus, the illumination effectiveness of the interior of the body (2) by the light source (8) is improved since the transparent surface of the mullion (7) faces the inside of the body (2) when the first door (4) is closed and the second door (5) is open.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises a flange (9) disposed on the first door (4), to the inner surface of which the shelves (6) are connected and to the outer surface of which the mullion (7) is connected and at least one hole (10) disposed on the flange (9) that provides the light emitted from the light source (8) to pass towards the shelves (6). The mullion (7) bears against the outer surface of the flange (9) when the first door (4) is open. The light dispersed from the light source (8) reaches the shelves (6) by passing through the holes (10) and illuminates the shelves (6) when the first door (4) is open. Thus, the light source (8) disposed on the mullion (7) is provided to illuminate the shelves (6) on the first door (4) effectively when the first door (4) is open.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the width of the mullion (7) is greater than the width of the flange (9). When the first door (4) is open, at least some portion of the mullion (7) extends outwards from the side of the flange (9). Thus, the dispersal of the light emitted from the light source (8) to the shelves (6) on the first door (4) is made effective while the first door (4) is open.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises a protrusion (11) disposed on the mullion (7) that extends towards the flange (9) when the first door (4) is open. By means of the protrusion (11), illumination of the shelves (6) on the first door (4) is facilitated when the first door (4) is open.
In a version of this embodiment, the refrigerator (1) comprises a light disperser (12) disposed on the protrusion (11) that provides the light emitted from the light source (8) to be dispersed. The light disperser (12) provides the light emitted from the light source (8) disposed on the mullion (7) to disperse around.
In the refrigerator (1) of the present invention, illumination of the shelves (6) on the first door (4) is provided when the first door (4) is open and the interior of the body (2) when the first door (4) is closed by means of the light source (8) disposed on the mullion (7).
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed above and a person skilled in the art can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

A refrigerator (1) comprising
- a body (2),

- at least one opening (3) disposed on the body (2),

- two doors (4, 5) supported from one of their sides to the side walls of the body (2) so as to cover the opening (3) and to stand side by side when closed,

- more than one shelf (6) mounted onto the door (4, 5) and

- a mullion (7) disposed on the first door (4), that makes rotational movement around the axis whereby it is connected to the first door (4) during the opening/closing motion of the first door (4) and that closes between the doors (4, 5) air-proofingly when the two doors (4, 5) are closed,
characterized by

- at least one light source (8), disposed on the mullion (7), that provides at least the shelves (6) on the first door (4) to be illuminated when the first door (4) is open and provides at least the interior of the body (2) to be illuminated when the second door (5) is open and the first door (4) is closed.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the mullion (7) produced from transparent material and the light source (8) disposed inside the mullion (7).
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the Claims 1 or 2, characterized by the mullion (7), the surface facing the inside of the body (2) of which is produced from transparent material when the first door (4) is closed.
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by a flange (9) disposed on the first door (4), to the inner surface of which the shelves (6) are connected and to the outer surface of which the mullion (7) is connected and at least one hole (10) disposed on the flange (9) that provides the light emitted from the light source (8) to pass towards the shelves (6) while the first door (4) is open.
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the mullion (7), the width of which is greater than the width of the flange (9).
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 4; characterized by a protrusion (11) disposed on the mullion (7), extending towards the flange (9) while the first door (4) is open.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 6; characterized by a light disperser (12) disposed on the protrusion (11) that provides the light emitted from the light source (8) to be dispersed.