EP2766679A2

EP2766679A2 - Cooling appliance

Info

Publication number: EP2766679A2
Application number: EP12791260.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: designation of the inventor has not yet been filed The
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2011-10-14
Filing date: 2012-10-11
Publication date: 2014-08-20
Also published as: CN103047817A; WO2013054277A3; CN103047817B; WO2013054277A2

Abstract

A cooling appliance (100) includes a storage chamber (11), a door (12), and a dispenser frame (20). The door (12) is used to open or close at least a part of the storage chamber (11), where the door (12) includes a front door plate (13). The dispenser frame (20) is disposed in the door (12), where the dispenser frame (20) defines a dispenser cavity (21) disposed on the door (12) in a recessed manner and for placing a container, and a mounting area (22). The front door plate (13) is opened with an opening (131) in communication with the dispenser cavity (21), and the front door plate (13) covers the mounting area (22). The front door plate covers the mounting area, thereby reducing the possibility of dust or water entering the mounting area, and further ensuring that components in the mounting area work properly. In addition, a covering part of the mounting area is integrally formed on the font door plate, and thus a seamless connection is formed therebetween, which makes the door more beautiful and concise, and further avoids an uneven gap or unevenness between an outer edge of the dispenser frame and the front door plate that often occurs in the prior art.

Description

COOLING APPLIANCE

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of household appliances, and in particular, to a cooling appliance having a display component.

Related Art

In the prior art, a cooling appliance, such as a refrigerator, generally includes a dispenser system. The dispenser system is disposed in a door of the cooling appliance, and an accessible first opening is formed on the door, for a user to place a container. Generally, a mounting area is disposed above a dispenser cavity, and includes a mounted ice channel and a fluid delivery channel, capable of selectively dispensing fluid or ice made in the cooling appliance to the container. In this way, the user can obtain ice or fluid, such as water, without opening the door of the cooling appliance, thereby bringing convenience to people's lives. The foregoing mounting area is disposed with a second opening on a side, facing the user, of the door, so that a display and control module may be mounted in the mounting area through the opening. Moreover, an operation panel covers the opening and provides a user-oriented operation interface. In this way, the user may adjust refrigerator operating parameters or control ice or fluid dispenser of the dispenser system outside the refrigerator through the operation interface.

In the prior art, a glass plate for covering a front side of the refrigerator door is further mounted on a side, facing the user, of the refrigerator door. A third opening is opened on the glass plate. The position of the opening corresponds to the positions of the first opening and the second opening, and the size of the third opening is a sum of the size of the first opening and the size of the second opening. The operation panel is also located in the third opening, so that the user can directly access the dispenser cavity and the operation panel. However, inevitably, a gap is formed in the cooperation between the glass plate and the operation panel. Therefore, outside dust enters an internal part of the dispenser system through the gap, possibly leading to polluted ice channel and fluid delivery channel. In addition, splashing of water or ice is inevitable during an operation process of the dispenser system, and because of the foregoing gap, water may seep into the operation panel through the gap, resulting in a short circuit of a display and control circuit.

SUMMARY

The objective of the present invention is to provide a cooling appliance, capable of reducing a possibility of dust or water entering the mounting area of the dispenser system, thereby ensuring normal operation of components in the mounting area.

To fulfill the objective of the invention, the present invention provides a cooling appliance, including: a storage chamber; a door, used to open or close at least a part of the storage chamber, where the door includes a front door plate; and a dispenser frame, disposed in the door, where the dispenser frame defines a dispenser cavity disposed on the door in a recessed manner and for placing a container, and a mounting area; where the front door plate is opened with an opening in communication with the dispenser cavity, and the front door plate covers the mounting area.

The objective of the present invention may further be fulfilled through the following technical solution, where a cooling appliance is provided, including: a heat insulation storage chamber; a door, used to open or close at least a part of the storage chamber, where the door includes a front door plate forming a front surface of the door; and a dispenser frame, disposed in the door, where the dispenser frame defines a dispenser cavity disposed on the door in a recessed manner and for placing a container, and a mounting area; where the front door plate is opened with an opening in communication with the dispenser cavity, and the size of the opening corresponds to the size of the dispenser cavity.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the mounting area is located above the opening, and is disposed close to the opening.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the cooling appliance further includes a display and control module disposed in the mounting area. As a further improvement to the present invention, the front door plate is disposed with a pattern in a position corresponding to the display and control module, and the pattern includes an outline, or a character, or a graphic mark.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the pattern is disposed on the front door plate through printing. As a further improvement to the present invention, the pattern is disposed on a side, facing the display and control module, of the front door plate, and the front door plate is light transmissive at least in the area of the pattern.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the front door plate is made of tempered glass, or Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), or a combination thereof. As a further improvement to the present invention, the display and control module is detachably mounted on a side facing the front door plate.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the display and control module is mounted into the mounting area from the dispenser cavity, or is detached from the mounting area through the dispenser cavity.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the cooling appliance further includes a mounting rack, and the mounting rack is mounted into the mounting area of the dispenser frame from the dispenser cavity.

As a further improvement to the present invention, a guide groove extending upwards is disposed in the mounting area of the dispenser frame, and while the mounting rack is being mounted on the dispenser frame, the guide groove guides the mounting rack to be mounted to a predetermined mounting position from the dispenser cavity along a vertical direction.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the front door plate forms a side wall of the guide groove. As a further improvement to the present invention, the cooling appliance further includes a mounting rack, where the mounting rack includes a part facing the front door plate and a part facing the dispenser cavity; the display and control module is disposed in the part facing the front door plate; the part facing the dispenser cavity is disposed with an outlet for fluid and/or ice to pass through to enter the dispenser cavity. As a further improvement to the present invention, the display and control module includes a touch signal acquisition circuit board directly opposite to the area of the pattern on the front door plate, and an elastic member located between the touch signal acquisition circuit board and the part, facing the front door plate, of the mounting rack, where the elastic member is used to press the touch signal acquisition circuit board to enable the touch signal acquisition circuit board to tightly cling to the area of the pattern on the front door plate.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the elastic member is sponge.

As a further improvement to the present invention, an adhesive layer is disposed between the elastic member and the touch signal acquisition circuit board, and an adhesive layer is disposed between the elastic member and the part, facing the front door plate, of the mounting rack. As a further improvement to the present invention, the part, facing the dispenser cavity, of the mounting rack is disposed with a mounting hole, and the mounting rack is fixed in the mounting area of the dispenser frame through cooperation between a screw and the mounting hole. As a further improvement to the present invention, the size of the opening on the front door plate corresponds to the size of the dispenser cavity.

The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the front door plate covers the mounting area, thereby reducing the possibility of dust or water entering the mounting area, and further ensuring that components in the mounting area work properly. In addition, a covering part of the mounting area is integrally formed on the font door plate, and thus a seamless connection is formed therebetween, which makes the door more beautiful and concise, and further avoids an uneven gap or unevenness between an outer edge of the dispenser frame and the front door plate that often occur in the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic cutaway view of a specific embodiment of a cooling appliance of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic stereoscopic view of, a door and a dispenser frame disposed on the door, in a specific embodiment of a cooling appliance of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic assembly view of mounting a door and a front door plate shown in FIG. 2 through double sided tape;

FIG. 4 is a schematic assembly view of mounting a mounting rack disposed with a display and control module into a dispenser frame shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a schematic plane graph of a door and a dispenser before a mounting rack is mounted, shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a schematic A-A cutaway view of FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a schematic partial enlarged view of a guide groove part shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 6, where a mounting rack is mounted to a predetermined mounting position;

FIG. 9 is a schematic partial enlarged view of a guide groove part shown in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of a cooling appliance of the present invention, where before a front door plate is mounted on a door, a mounting rack is mounted on a dispenser frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention is described in detail in the following with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, these embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention, and any structural, methodological or functional changes made by persons of ordinary skills in the art according to these embodiments should fall within the protection scope of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a specific embodiment of a cooling appliance of the present invention, where the cooling appliance 100 includes a heat insulation cabinet 10 and a door 12. A storage chamber 11 is formed in the heat insulation cabinet 10, and the door 12 works in cooperation with the heat insulation cabinet 10 to selectively open or close at least a part of the storage chamber 11. The cabinet 10 and the door 12 of the cooling appliance 100 are generally disposed with a heat insulation material to insulate heat transfer between the storage chamber 11 and the outside. The storage chamber 11 may be a refrigerating chamber, or a freezing chamber.

A dispenser frame 20 is disposed in the door 12. The dispenser frame 20 defines a dispenser cavity 21 disposed on the door 12 in a recessed manner and a mounting area 22. A container may be placed in the dispenser cavity 21 to receive distributed ice and/or fluid, so that without opening the door 12, a user may obtain ice and/or fluid. In this embodiment, the mounting area 22 is disposed above the dispenser cavity 21, and is disposed close to the dispenser cavity 21, where an ice dispenser channel, a fluid dispenser channel, and other components (elaborated in the following part) are mounted in the mounting area. Definitely, in other embodiments, the position of the mounting area 22 relative to the dispenser cavity 21 may be different from the position in this embodiment, such as beside the dispenser cavity 21, or even below the dispenser cavity 21.

The door 12 includes a front door plate 13 located on a front side of the door 12, where the front door plate 13 forms at least most of a front surface of the door 12. In this embodiment, the front door plate 13 covers the front side of a door body 130, where the door body 130 has a structure of an inside foaming insulation layer after undergoing a foaming procedure. The front door plate 13 does not contact with any foaming material, and thus the front door plate 13 may be connected to the door body 130 after the foaming of the door body 130 is completed. It should be understood that, the present invention is not limited thereto. In a replacement embodiment, the front door plate 13 may directly server as a front wall of the door body 130 to participate in the foaming procedure, and thus after the foaming is completed, the front door plate 13 and the foaming material are tightly connected to each other.

The front door plate 13 is opened with an opening 131 in communication with the dispenser cavity 21. The size of the opening 131 corresponds to the size of the dispenser cavity 21. For example, in this embodiment, the size of the opening 131 is substantially the same as the size of an opening of the dispenser cavity 21 on the door. It should be noted that, the "substantially the same" herein indicates that, in terms of design requirements, the size of the opening 131 needs to be completely the same as the size of the dispenser cavity 21; however, because of allowable tolerance during an actual manufacturing process, the "substantially the same" includes completely the same and the same within the allowable tolerance. Such a disposition enables the front door plate 13 to cover the mounting area 22, thereby avoiding or reducing a possibility of dust or water entering the mounting area 22. In addition, the covering part of the mounting area and the front door plate are integrally formed, and thus a seamless connection is formed therebetween, which makes the door 12 more beautiful and concise, capable of further avoiding an uneven gap or unevenness between an outer edge of the dispenser frame and the front door plate that often occurs in the prior art.

Referring to FIG. 3, double sided tape 50 is disposed between the front door plate 13 and the door 12 to fix each other. During an actual manufacturing process, the double sided tape 50, such as 3M tape is put on to stick to the door 12, and then the front door plate 13 is pressed on the door 12, where the double sided tape 50 is disposed at least around an outer contour of the door 12, and an outer contour of the combined dispenser cavity 21 and the mounting area 22. Referring to FIG. 4, a display and control module 30 is further disposed in the mounting area 22, and the front door plate 13 is disposed with a pattern 132 in a position corresponding to the display and control module 30. Preferably, the pattern 132 is printed on a side, facing the door 12, of the front door plate 13. Compared with the other side of the front door plate 13, such a disposition prevents wear and tear of the pattern 132 due to long-term use. Definitely, for the present invention, it is feasible that the pattern 132 is disposed on the side, facing the user, of the front door plate 13. Corresponding to the foregoing exemplary embodiment, the front door plate 13 is light transmissive at least in the area of the pattern 132, for easy recognition and control by the user. The overall front door plate 13 may be made of a light-transmissive material, such as tempered glass, or Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), or a combination thereof. Definitely, if the pattern 132 is disposed on the side, facing the user, of the front door plate 13, the front door plate does not need to adopt any light-transmissive material.

The pattern 132 may include an outline, or a character, or a graphic mark, which may form different areas independently or through combination, so that the user may control corresponding functions, adjust parameters, or read displayed contents by touching a specific area. The function control includes control of the dispenser system, such as water dispenser, ice cube dispenser, and crushed ice dispenser. The pattern 132 may be disposed on the front door plate 13 through a conventional printing process, such as screen printing. In this embodiment, the pattern 132 is directly opposite to the display and control module, but the area of the pattern 132 does not entirely cover the components, and the overall front door plate is light transmissive, so that circuit devices distributed around the pattern 132 are visible through the front door plate. Apparently, the user does not want to see this. Therefore, a light-proof coating may be brushed around the pattern 132 on the front door plate 13.

In an embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the cooling appliance 100 further includes a mounting rack 40, where the mounting rack 40 includes a part 41 facing the front door plate and a part 42 facing the dispenser cavity. The display and control module 30 is disposed in the part 41 facing the front door plate. An outlet 25 (shown in FIG. 5) for fluid and/or ice to pass through to enter the dispenser cavity 21 is disposed in part 42 facing the dispenser cavity.

Referring to FIG. 9, the display and control module 30 includes a touch signal acquisition circuit board 31 directly opposite to the area of the pattern 132 on the front door plate 13, an elastic member 32 located between the touch signal acquisition circuit board 31 and the part 41, facing the front door plate, of the mounting rack 40, and a display and control circuit board 34.

In this embodiment, the touch signal acquisition circuit board 31 is a thin-film circuit board. It is well-known by persons skilled in the art that, in a thin-film circuit, all components including a transistor, a diode, a resistor, a capacitor, an inductor, and their interconnected leading wires are manufactured through vacuum evaporation, sputtering, and electroplating processes by using metals, semiconductors, metal oxides, a variety of metal mixed-phases, alloys or insulating dielectric films with a thickness less than 1 micron. In this embodiment, the touch signal acquisition circuit board 31 is disposed with several signal acquisition areas, and these acquisition areas are corresponding to several specific areas of the foregoing pattern 132 in a one-to-one relationship. When the user touches a specific area of the pattern 132 on the front door plate 13, a physical parameter, such as capacitance, on a corresponding acquisition area on the touch signal acquisition circuit board 31 is changed accordingly. Next, a signal indicating a physical parameter change is acquired by a controller (such as a micro control unit, not shown) on the display and control circuit board 34, and then the controller performs corresponding control and/or display.

The elastic member 32 is used to press the touch signal acquisition circuit board 31 towards the front door plate 13 to enable the touch signal acquisition circuit board 31 to tightly cling to the area of the pattern 132 on the front door plate. In this embodiment, the elastic member 32 is sponge, and an adhesive layer (such as glue) is disposed between the elastic member 32 and the touch signal acquisition circuit board 31, and between the elastic member 32 and the part 41, facing the front door plate, of the mounting rack 40. Such a disposition enables the touch signal acquisition circuit board 31 to be reliably fixed to the mounting rack 40.

In this embodiment, the elastic member 32 is box-shaped, where in the middle, an opening area is formed. The touch signal acquisition circuit board 31 is approximately U-shaped, and sticks to a side of the elastic member 32. The display and control circuit board 34 is further integrated with a display component 33, such as an LCD. During assembly, the display and control circuit board 34 is fixed to the part 41, facing the front door plate, of the mounting rack 40 in advance in a clamping mode; and then the elastic member 32 to which the touch signal acquisition circuit board 31 sticks is fixed to the part 41, facing the front door plate, of the mounting rack 40. In this case, the display component 33 is located in the opening area of the elastic member 32, so that the display and control module 30 and the mounting rack 40 are fixed together.

Referring to FIG. 4 to FIG. 9, in this embodiment, a guide groove 14 extending upwards is disposed in the mounting area 22 of the dispenser frame 20, where a side wall of the guide groove 14 is substantially formed by the front door plate 13. As shown by leading lines in FIG. 4, during mounting, the display and control module 30 and the mounting rack 40 that are fixed together are mounted upwards in a vertical direction in the dispenser cavity 21, until to a predetermined mounting position in the mounting area 22. In the process, two sides of the guide groove 14 and the part 41, facing the front door plate, of the mounting rack 40, work in cooperation together to implement guide to the mounting rack 40. In addition, the elastic member 32 is pressed to enable the touch signal acquisition circuit board 31 to tightly cling to the front door plate.

The part 42, facing the dispenser cavity, of the mounting rack 40 is disposed with a mounting hole 421. When the mounting rack 40 is mounted to a predetermined mounting position, the mounting rack 40 is fixed in the mounting area 22 of the dispenser frame 20 through cooperation between a screw 422 and the mounting hole 421. Through such a disposition, when the display and control module 30 is faulty, without detaching the front door plate 13, the mounting rack 40 carrying the display and control module 30 may be directly detached, and is mounted to the mounting area 22 again from the dispenser cavity 21 after corresponding repairs or replacement. In a replacement embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the mounting area is not disposed with any guide groove structure in the foregoing embodiment; therefore, the mounting rack 40 carrying the display and control module (not shown) is mounted into the mounting area in advance, and then the front door plate 13 is stuck to the door 12 through the double sided tape 50. Although, compared with the foregoing embodiment, this embodiment may be adverse to repairs or replacement of the display and control module, the mounting area is covered by the front door plate, capable of reducing a possibility of dust or water entering the mounting area, and further ensuring that components in the mounting area work properly. Therefore, the embodiment should still fall within the protection scope of the present invention. For persons skilled in the art, evidently, the present invention is not limited to the foregoing demonstrative embodiment details, and without departing from the spirit or basic characteristics of the present invention, the present invention may be implemented through other specific forms. Therefore, seen from whichever point, the embodiments are demonstrative, but not restrictive. The protection scope of the present invention is subject to the appended claims but not the foregoing description. Therefore, meanings of equivalent elements that fall within the claims and all changes within the scope should be included in the present invention. No drawing reference sign in the claims should be regarded as limitation to the related claims. Besides, it should be understood that, although the specification is described according to the embodiments, each embodiment may include more than one independent technical solution. The narrative mode of the specification is merely for the sake of clarity. Persons skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole, and technical solutions of each embodiment may be properly combined, to form other embodiments that persons skilled in the art may understand.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A cooling appliance (100), comprising: a storage chamber (11); a door (12), used to open or close at least a part of the storage chamber (11), wherein the door (12) comprises a front door plate (13); and a dispenser frame (20), disposed in the door (12), wherein the dispenser frame (20) defines a dispenser cavity (21) disposed on the door (12) in a recessed manner and for placing a container, and a mounting area (22), characterized in that: the front door plate (13) is opened with an opening (131) in communication with the dispenser cavity (21), and the front door plate (13) covers the mounting area (22).

2. A cooling appliance (100), comprising: a heat insulation storage chamber (11); a door (12), used to open or close at least a part of the storage chamber (11) wherein the door (12) comprises a front door plate (13) forming a front surface of the door (12); and a dispenser frame (20), disposed in the door (12), wherein the dispenser frame (20) defines a dispenser cavity (21) disposed on the door (12) in a recessed manner and for placing a container, and a mounting area (22), characterized in that: the front door plate (13) is opened with an opening (131) in communication with the dispenser cavity (21), the size of the opening (131) corresponds to the size of the dispenser cavity (21).

3. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: the mounting area (22) is located above the opening (131), and is disposed close to the opening (131).

4. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: the cooling appliance (100) further comprises a display and control module (30) disposed in the mounting area (22).

5. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that: the front door plate (13) is disposed with a pattern (132) in a position corresponding to the display and control module (30), and the pattern (132) comprises an outline, or a character, or a graphic mark.

6. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: the pattern (132) is disposed on the front door plate (13) through printing.

7. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: the pattern (132) is disposed on a side, facing the display and control module (30), of the front door plate (13) , and the front door plate (13) is light transmissive at least in the area of the pattern (132).

8. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: the front door plate (13) is made of tempered glass, or Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), or a combination thereof.

9. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that: the display and control module (30) is detachably mounted on a side facing the front door plate (13).

10. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 9, characterized in that: the display and control module (30) is mounted into the mounting area (22) from the dispenser cavity (21), or is detached from the mounting area (22) through the dispenser cavity (21).

11. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: the cooling appliance (100) further comprises a mounting rack (40), and the mounting rack (40) is mounted into the mounting area (22) of the dispenser frame (20) from the dispenser cavity (21).

12. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 11, characterized in that: a guide groove (14) extending upwards is disposed in the mounting area (22) of the dispenser frame (20), and while the mounting rack (40) is being mounted on the dispenser frame (20), the guide groove (14) guides the mounting rack (40) to be mounted to a predetermined mounting position from the dispenser cavity (21) along a vertical direction.

13. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 12, characterized in that: the front door plate (13) forms a side wall of the guide groove (14).

14. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that: the cooling appliance (100) further comprises a mounting rack (40), the mounting rack (40) comprises a part (41) facing the front door plate and a part (42) facing the dispenser cavity; the display and control module (30) is disposed in the part (41) facing the front door plate, and the part (42) facing the dispenser cavity is disposed with an outlet (25) for fluid and/or ice to pass through to enter the dispenser cavity (21).

15. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 14, characterized in that: the display and control module (30) comprises a touch signal acquisition circuit board (31) directly opposite to the area of the pattern (132) of the front door plate (13), and an elastic member (32) located between the touch signal acquisition circuit board (31) and the part (41), facing the front door plate, of the mounting rack (40), and the elastic member (32) is used to press the touch signal acquisition circuit board (31) to enable the touch signal acquisition circuit board (31) to tightly cling to the area of the pattern (132) on the front door plate (13).

16. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 15, characterized in that: the elastic member (32) is sponge.

17. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 15, characterized in that: an adhesive layer is disposed between the elastic member (32) and the touch signal acquisition circuit board (31), and an adhesive layer is disposed between the elastic member (32) and the part (41), facing the front door plate, of the mounting rack (40).

18. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 14, characterized in that: the part (42), facing the dispenser cavity, of the mounting rack (40) is disposed with a mounting hole (421), and the mounting rack (40) is fixed in the mounting area (22) of the dispenser frame (20) through cooperation between a screw (422) and the mounting hole (421).

19. The cooling appliance (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: the size of the opening (131) on the front door plate (13) corresponds to the size of the dispenser cavity (21).