EP2674709A2 - Refrigerator and method for its production - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus (100) has side walls (106) latched at a housing body (104), where the apparatus is limited to a plastic engine room body (300) by the side walls. An electrically conductive ground tab is provided at the engine room body and in electrical contact with the side walls. The side walls comprise an electrically conductive contact portion, which is in electrical contact with the ground tab. The ground tab comprises a transformed terminal section, which is connected with a ground electrode of the ground. An independent claim is also included for a method for assembling a refrigerating apparatus.

Description

The invention relates to a refrigeration device which is delimited by at least one electrically contacted side wall and has a machine room body. Furthermore, the invention relates to a grounding tab and a machine room body for such a refrigeration device and a method for assembling such a refrigeration device.

Refrigeration appliances, in particular designed as household appliances refrigerators are known and are used to housekeeping in households or in the catering sector to store perishable food and / or drinks at certain temperatures.

For example, It is necessary to earth electrical side walls of the refrigeration appliance by forming a grounding connection in order to comply with legal regulations relating to the electrical safety of such refrigeration appliances.

From the DE 10 2010 02 043 A1 and the DE 20 2005 007 418 U1 it is known to form a ground terminal by a screw connection.

From the DE 198 09 224 A1 It is known to connect side walls of sheet steel with a arranged in the engine room of the household refrigerator mounting rail to ground them. For this purpose, the support rail has cut-free, prism-like contact elements, which engage in mounting the support rail in the machine room in recesses of the support rail.

It is the object underlying the invention to simplify the installation of such refrigerators.

These objects are achieved by the objects having the features according to the independent claims. Advantageous developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The present invention is based on the finding that a particularly simple assembly is possible if screw connections are dispensed with.

Forming a ground connection is possible especially when mounting side walls. It therefore turns away from the prior art, according to which the formation of a ground terminal is provided during the joining movement of a mounting rail.

According to a first aspect, the object of the invention is achieved by a refrigeration device, wherein the side wall is latched to the housing body. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that no fasteners such. Screws are required. This reduces the assembly effort and at the same time the logistics costs for the production, since neither such screws nor tools for mounting such screws must be maintained.

In a further advantageous embodiment, an electrically conductive grounding tab, which makes electrical contact with the side wall, is provided on the machine room body. Under a machine room body while a component is understood that limits a machine room for receiving components of a refrigerant circuit of the refrigerator at least partially. The engine room body can be designed in several parts or in one piece. Further, the engine room body may be a portion of a one-piece component inside the refrigerator, which partially limits the engine room. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that both additional steps for mounting as well as the availability of additional components such. Screws, omitted. Thus, the assembly costs, but also the logistics costs for the production, reduced. Furthermore, eliminates an additional fixation of the side walls and it is given a simple and safe ground before foaming.

A refrigeration device is understood in particular to be a household appliance, that is to say a refrigeration device which is used for housekeeping in households or in the gastronomy sector, and in particular serves to store food and / or drinks at specific temperatures, such as, for example, a refrigerator, a freezer, a refrigerator Fridge freezer, a freezer or a wine fridge.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the side wall has an electrically conductive contact section, which is connected to the electrically conductive grounding lug for electrical contacting. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that the side wall must be provided with no additional contact devices, which reduces the assembly costs, but also the logistics costs for the production, as both additional steps for mounting such contact devices as well as the availability of such contact devices omitted.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the machine room body has a receiving space for the grounding tab. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that the assembly is simplified again, because the fact that the engine room body has a receptacle for the grounding tab, eliminates a further assembly step for fixing the grounding tab. Thus, the logistics costs are reduced because no fasteners must be kept for fixing the grounding lug.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the machine room body is made of an electrically insulating material, in particular plastic. This achieves the technical advantage that the grounding tab is made of an electrically conductive material, such as e.g. Metal sheet can be made by punching and forming without an electrically insulating coating must be applied to the grounding tab or on a machine room body made of an electrically conductive material. This simplifies manufacturing even more.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the machine room body has a guide rib for guiding a contact section of the side wall during a joining movement for mounting the side wall. The guide rib may e.g. be designed as run-on slope. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that incorrect assembly, in which the contact portion after completion of the joining movement with the grounding tab is not in electrically conductive or only partially electrically conductive contact reliably avoided. When the machine room body is made of plastic, the guide rib may be made during the manufacturing process of the machine room body. In this case, the machine room body and the guide rib may be formed of the same material and / or in one piece. This eliminates a mounting step mounting the guide rib on the engine room carcass.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the machine room body has a cable guide leading to a grounding cable. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that the assembly is simplified again, because by the fact that the engine room body has a cable guide, eliminates a further assembly step for fixing the cable guide. Furthermore, the logistics costs are reduced, since no fasteners for Fixing the cable guide must be kept. If the machine room body is made of plastic, the manufacture of the cable guide can take place during the manufacturing process of the engine room carcass. In this case, the machine room body and the cable guide may be formed of the same material and / or in one piece. This eliminates a mounting step Installation of the cable guide on the engine room carcass.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the machine room body has a visual inspection window for optical monitoring of the grounding. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that a visual control is easily possible if the joining process was completed when desired to reach the end position or the grounding tab was not contacted in electrically conductive or limited electrically conductive. When the machine room body is made of plastic, the visual inspection window can be formed during the manufacturing process of the machine room body. Here by eliminates a step in which subsequently introduced such a window.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the grounding tab has a deformed claw. The claw may have two surface portions extending substantially parallel to one another, between which the contact portion is received. In this case, the claw before mounting on a first state in which the claw is not open. or the two surface portions have a smaller distance from each other than in the second state after assembly. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that the grounding strap itself is easy to manufacture.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the deformed claw is connected by adhesion, in particular clamping, with the contact portion. This gives us the technical advantage that, for the purpose of producing the electrical connection itself between the claw and the contact section, no connecting elements, such as e.g. Screws are required. This reduces the assembly effort and at the same time the logistics costs for the production, since neither such screws nor tools for mounting such screws must be maintained.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the holding force between the deformed claw and the contact portion applied by the adhesion is greater than the release force that must be applied in order to detach the side wall from the housing body. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that as a result of such dismantling a ground wire is deformed, but the electrically conductive connection remains intact. This simplifies repairs since re-connection is not required after the repair work has been completed. Furthermore, so the electrical safety is increased again, since the intact connection eliminates the possibility that a reconnection is inadvertently omitted with the result that no grounding is given.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the earthing strap has a shaped connection section, which is electrically conductively connected to a grounding cable of the earthing. Thus, prior to assembly, the grounding tab has an unshaped terminal portion which can be used to make an electrically conductive connection to one end of a grounding cable by means of a tool such as a tool. pliers, is reshaped to pinch the end of the ground wire. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that no fasteners, such. Screws, are required. This reduces the assembly effort and at the same time the logistics costs for the production, since neither such screws nor tools for mounting such screws must be maintained.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the side wall is locked on the housing body. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that no fasteners such. Screws are required. This reduces the assembly effort and at the same time the logistics costs for the production again, since neither such screws nor tools for mounting such screws must be maintained.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a grounding strap, in particular for such a refrigeration device, which has a claw deformable by the joining movement for mounting a side wall on the housing body.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a machine room body for such a refrigeration device, which has a receiving space for such a grounding tab.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a method of assembling such a refrigerator, in which a side wall defining the refrigerator is mounted, wherein during the assembly of the side wall, an electrically conductive connection between a grounding tab on a machine room body and the side wall is formed.

With the invention, a refrigeration device is provided, which allows a particularly simple formation of a grounding connection of side walls, because it eliminates both additional assembly steps as well as the availability of additional components such. Screws. Thus, the assembly costs, but also the logistics costs for production is reduced.

• Fig. 1 eine Rückansicht eines Kältegerätes,
• Fig. 2 eine Teilansicht des Kältegerätes gemäß Fig. 1,
• Fig. 3 eine weitere Teilansicht des Kältegerätes gemäß Fig. 1,
• Fig. 4 eine Frontansicht eines Kältegerätes,
• Fig. 5 eine Teilansicht eines Maschinenraumkorpus mit einer Erdungslasche,
• Fig. 6 eine Teilansicht eines Maschinenraumkorpus mit einer Kabelführung.
• Fig. 7 eine weitere Teilansicht eines Maschinenraumkorpus mit einer Erdungslasche in Explosionszeichnung, und
• Fig. 8 eine weitere Teilansicht eines Maschinenraumkorpus mit einer Erdungslasche,

Further embodiments will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

• Fig. 1 a rear view of a refrigerator,
• Fig. 2 a partial view of the refrigerator according to Fig. 1 .
• Fig. 3 a further partial view of the refrigerator according to Fig. 1 .
• Fig. 4 a front view of a refrigerator,
• Fig. 5 a partial view of a machine room body with a grounding tab,
• Fig. 6 a partial view of a machine room body with a cable guide.
• Fig. 7 a further partial view of a machine room body with a grounding tab in exploded view, and
• Fig. 8 a further partial view of a machine room body with a grounding tab,

Fig. 1 shows a refrigerator as an exemplary embodiment of a refrigeration device 100 with a machine room 102 and an inner container 110. The refrigerator is used, for example, for cooling stored in the inner container 110 foods and includes a refrigerant circuit with an evaporator (not shown), a compressor (not shown) , a condenser (not shown) and a throttle body (not shown). Of these components of the coolant circuit, at least the compressor is arranged in the engine room 102.

The evaporator is designed as a heat exchanger in which, after expansion, the liquid refrigerant is absorbed by heat from the medium to be cooled, i. Air inside the refrigerator, is evaporated.

The compressor is a mechanically driven component that draws refrigerant vapor from the evaporator and expels it at a higher pressure to the condenser.

The condenser is designed as a heat exchanger in which, after compression, the evaporated refrigerant is released by heat to an external cooling medium, i. the ambient air is liquefied.

The throttle body is a device for the continuous reduction of the pressure by reduction in cross section.

The refrigerant is a fluid used for heat transfer in the cryogenic system which absorbs heat at low temperatures and low pressure of the fluid and releases heat at higher temperature and higher pressure of the fluid, usually including changes in state of the fluid.

Both the machine room 102 and the inner container 110 are partially surrounded by a housing body 104, which in the present embodiment comprises two side walls 106 and a device cover 114. The side walls 106 in the present embodiment are made of an electrically conductive material, such as e.g. Metal sheet, manufactured and extend on the sides of the refrigerator 100 in refrigeration device upright Z of the device cover 114 to the floor 116 formed as a floor and thus disguise both the inner container 110 and the engine room 102nd

The machine room 102 is partially bounded by a machine room body 300, which is made in the present embodiment of an electrically non-conductive plastic. The engine room body 300 defines the engine room 102 at the front side in the refrigerator depth direction X, in both directions along the refrigerator width direction Y, and at the upper side in the refrigerator speed Z direction.

The engine room body 300 has on each side in refrigeration device width direction Y depending on a bottom-side receptacle 312, of which the Fig. 2 only a bottom-side recording 312 shows. The bottom-side receptacle 312 serves to receive a bottom-side, bent portion 126a of the side wall 106. The bottom-side receptacle 312 are assigned in the present embodiment, three machine room body latching elements 310, which engage in three bottom-side recesses 120b of the side wall 106. The Maschinenraumkorpusrastelemente 310 are formed wedge-shaped in the present embodiment as chamfers and form after mounting the side wall 106 a latching connection with the three bottom-side recesses 120 a.

The device cover 114 has on each side in refrigeration device width direction Y depending on a top-side receptacle 112, of which the Fig. 3 only a top-side receptacle 112 shows. The upper-side receptacle 112 serves to receive an upper-side, bevelled portion 126b of the side wall 106. The upper-side receptacle 112 are assigned in the present embodiment, two device cover latching elements 118 which engage in two upper-side recesses 120b of the side wall 106. The device cover latching elements 118 are formed wedge-shaped in the present embodiment as chamfers and form after mounting the side wall 106 a latching connection with the two upper-side recesses 120 b.

Fig. 4 shows that at the front of the refrigerator 100, at which a door (not shown) for opening and closing the inner container 110, in the present embodiment in refrigerator unit Z from top to bottom extending end strips 122 which at the screw positions 124 with the Side walls 106 are connected so as to cause a stiffening of the housing body 104.

Fig. 5 shows a portion of the engine room body 300 in which a receiving space 302 is formed, in which a grounding tab 200 is inserted. Further shows Fig. 5 in addition to the wedge-shaped as run-up slopes formed Maschinenraumkorpusrastelementen 310 two guide ribs 304 which extend in refrigeration device width direction Y with its longitudinal direction. They lead during a joining movement of the side wall 106 for mounting portions of the side wall 106, as will be explained below.

Fig. 6 shows the engine room body 300 prior to assembly of the side wall 106. To recognize the bottom-side receptacles 312. Furthermore shows Figure 6 in that the machine room body 300 has a cable guide 306 in which a grounding cable (not shown) is accommodated can be. The cable guide 306 is formed in the present embodiment labyrinth-shaped.

Fig. 7 FIG. 12 shows that the engine room body 300 has a visual inspection window 308 formed in the present embodiment through a recess for checking whether a functional, electrically conductive connection has been formed.

Furthermore, the shows Fig. 7 the grounding tab 200 in a state before being connected to one end of a grounding wire (not shown). In the present embodiment, the grounding tab 200 was formed by punching and forming electrically conductive metal sheet in the in Fig. 7 shown form brought. It is therefore uniform in material and integrally formed in the present embodiment.

For connection to one end of a grounding cable, the grounding tab 200 has an in Fig. 7 not yet formed terminal portion 204 which can be reshaped with a tool such as a pair of pliers so that the end of the grounding cable is clamped and thus an electrically conductive connection between the one end of the grounding cable and the grounding tab 200 is formed.

For connection to the contact portion 108 of the side wall 106, the grounding tab 200 has a claw 202, which in the present embodiment is deformable by a joining movement for mounting the side wall 104. The claw 202 has two surface portions 206 which extend essentially parallel to one another and which have contact tongues 208 for improving the electrical contact in the present exemplary embodiment.

In Fig. 8 FIG. 2 shows the contact section 108 received between the two surface sections 206 after the side wall 106 has been mounted. The grounding tab 200 inserted into the receiving space 302 forms an electrically conductive connection with a contact portion 108 on the bottom, angled portion 126a of the side wall 106 Fig. 8 shown end position after completion of a joining movement of the side wall 106 in refrigeration device width direction Y reliably reached the guide ribs 304 (see Fig. 5 ) formed in the present embodiment as run-on slopes.

The surface portions 206 are no longer in a first state (see Fig. 7 ), in which claw 202 is not opened, but in a second state (see Fig. 8 ) in which the distance between the two surface portions 206 has increased by the insertion of the contact portion 108. In other words, during assembly, when the contact portion 108 is inserted between the two surface portions 206, they are forced apart. In this case, a spring force compressing the two surface portions 206 counteracts this separation.

Thus, the deformed claw 202 by adhesion, namely by clamping in the present embodiment, with the contact portion 108 is electrically connected. The holding force applied by this frictional connection in the present embodiment is greater than the release force that must be applied in order to detach the contact section 108 from the housing body 104.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the machine room body 300 is produced in one piece and of the same material from a nonconductive plastic. During the production of the machine room body 300, both the guide ribs 304, the cable guide 306, the visual inspection window 308 and the machine body latching elements 310 are formed in one production step.

The assembly is explained below.

First, the terminal portion 204 of the grounding tab 200 is connected to one end of a grounding wire.

Then, the grounding tab 200 is inserted into the receiving space 302 of the machine room body 300, and the grounding wire is inserted into the cable guide 306.

In a further step, a sidewall 106 in refrigeration device width direction Y is thus brought to the machine room body 300 and the inner container 110 by a joining movement until the contact portion 108 of the side wall 106 enters the claw 202, that is introduced between the two surface portions 206 of the connection portion 204 , By continuing this joining movement, the contact portion 108 enters the in FIG. 6 shown end position, wherein at the same time the two surface portions 206 of the connection portion 204 are pushed apart, the device cover latching members 118 with the top side Recesses 120 b and the Maschinenraumkorpusrastelemente 310 with the bottom-side recesses 120 a and so the side wall 106 at the same time electrically contact and fix.

In the event of a required repair, if the side wall 106 needs to be removed, since the adhesion force applied by the frictional engagement is greater than the release force that must be applied to disengage the contact portion 108 from the housing body 104, then a ground wire is deformed the electrically conductive connection is not interrupted. Thus, after completion of the repair, the electrically conductive connection must not be restored.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

100

The refrigerator

102

engine room

104

housing body

106

Side wall

108

Contact section

110

inner container

112

top-side recording

114

device cover

116

footprint

118

Device cover locking element

120a

bottom recess

120b

top recess

122

end strip

124

screwing

126a

bottom-side, angled section

126b

top, angled section

200

ground strap

202

claw

204

connecting section

206

surface section

208

contact tongues

300

Engine room cabinet

302

accommodation space

304

guide rib

306

cable management

308

Sichtprüffenster

310

Engine room body catch element

312

bottom-side recording

X

Freezers depth direction

Y

Freezers width direction

Z

Freezers vertical direction

Claims (15)

Refrigerating appliance (100), which is delimited by at least one side wall (106) and has a machine room body (300), characterized in that the side wall (106) can be latched to the housing body (104). Refrigeration appliance (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that on the machine room body (300) an electrically conductive earthing strap (200) is provided, which electrically contacts the side wall (106). Refrigeration appliance (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the side wall (106) has an electrically conductive contact portion (108) which is connected to the electrically conductive grounding tab (200) for electrical contacting. Refrigeration appliance (100) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the machine room body (300) has a receiving space (302) for the grounding tab (200). Refrigeration appliance (100) according to claim 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the grounding tab (200) has a deformed claw (202). Refrigeration appliance (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that the deformed claw (202) by adhesion, in particular clamping, with the contact portion (108) is connected. Refrigeration appliance (100) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the force applied by the frictional holding force between the deformed claw (202) and the contact portion (108) is greater than the release force which must be applied to the side wall (104). from the housing body (104) to solve. Refrigeration appliance (100) according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the grounding tab (200) has a deformed connection portion (204) which is electrically conductively connected to a grounding cable of the ground. Refrigeration appliance (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the machine room body (300) is made of an electrically insulating material, in particular plastic. Refrigeration appliance (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the machine room body (300) has a guide rib (304) for guiding a contact portion (108) during a joining movement for mounting the side wall (106). Refrigerating appliance (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the machine room body (300) has a cable guide leading to a grounding cable (306). Refrigeration appliance (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the machine room body (300) has a visual inspection window (308) for optical control of grounding. Grounding tab (200), in particular for a refrigeration device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the grounding tab (200) is deformable by a joining movement for mounting a side wall (106) on the housing body (100) claw (202 ) having. Machine room body (300), in particular for a refrigerator (100) according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the machine room body (300) has a receiving space (302) for the grounding tab (200) according to claim 13. A method of assembling a refrigeration device (100) in which a side wall (106) bounding the refrigeration device (100) is mounted, characterized in that during the assembly of the side wall (106) an electrically conductive connection between a grounding tab (200) on a machine room body (300) and the side wall (106) is formed.

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