EP3091317B1 - Household cooler with a bearing unit for a door having a spring element and method for moving a door - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a household refrigerator with a housing in which a receiving space for food is formed. The household refrigerator also includes a door that is pivotally arranged on the housing to close the receiving space with a storage unit. The invention also relates to a method for moving a door of a household refrigeration device.

It is known that a door of a domestic refrigeration device is attached to a housing and a storage unit is provided for this. This bearing unit can, for example, have a bearing bracket connected on the housing side, which comprises a bearing journal. A bearing bush on the door side can be arranged on this bearing journal, in particular it can be placed on it, so that in this regard the door can be pivoted about a pivot axis formed by the bearing journal and the bearing bush. In addition, it is also known that locking hooks, for example made of plastic, are screwed onto household refrigeration appliances and exert very high forces on the door bearing and surrounding plastic parts. A locking aid is to be implemented with these locking hooks.

In addition, from the US 5 272 789 A a door joint arrangement for a refrigerator door is known, a spring force being able to be applied to the refrigerator door when the door is opened or closed.

In the DE 195 39 260 A1 a door closer is described, which has an energy accumulator for automatic closing, for. B. in the form of an integrated spring in the hinge.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a household refrigeration device in which a closing aid for a door of a household refrigeration device is improved.

This object is achieved by a household refrigerator and a method according to the independent claims.

A household refrigerator according to the invention comprises a housing in which a receiving space for food is formed. The household refrigerator also has a door, which is pivotally arranged on the housing to close the receiving space with a storage unit. An essential idea of the invention is that the bearing unit has a spring element acting with its spring force in the pivoting direction of the door. The spring element is connected at one end to the door and with another end outside the door. One end of the spring element is slidably mounted and the displacement of this end depends on the position of the door to the housing. In addition, the outside of the door end of the spring element is guided in a guide slot in the bearing unit relative to the bearing unit. The relevant connection point at the end outside the door can therefore be changed in position. It is precisely through such a displaceability with a guide link that the movement sequence of a door during opening and closing can be favored and the closing aid can be carried out very needs-based and on a very specific partial path of the door movement. By means of this displaceable mounting of the end of the spring element, undesirably strong forces, in particular on a door bearing, can also be avoided. Furthermore, the outside of the door ends in a sliding block, which is mounted in the guide link. This end outside the door is in turn firmly connected to such a sliding block, a fixed connection point being specified here, but this end outside the door can then turn.

Such a configuration provides an improved locking aid which is designed to be minimal in terms of components on the one hand, and on the other hand is created by a simple spring element that is minimized in terms of installation space. Unwanted power transmission to other components of the door bearing can be avoided.

It is preferably provided that the door-side end of the spring element is connected in a stationary manner. A relative movement between this door-side end and the door is therefore not provided, which means that the connection point at which this door-side end of the spring element is connected to the door does not change in position. However, it can be provided that this end moves rotationally and thus by a rotary movement relative to the door, with a rotary movement around the Connection point takes place. This results from the fact that the spring element as a whole rotates relative to the door with the positional connection on the door remaining the same.

It is preferably provided that the guide link is oriented horizontally. As a result, the pivoting movement of the door is synchronized with the horizontal movement of the sliding block, so that there are no undesirable opposite movements and thus spreading or jamming of the sliding block.

It is preferably provided that the spring element is an arcuate bar spring. With such a symmetrical design and already in the unloaded basic state with a corresponding bend design of the spring element, the further movement sequences when opening and closing the door can be favored and the spring forces required in each case on the path of movement of the door very evenly and continuously opened and closed dismantle, and there are therefore no abrupt spring force peaks.

It is preferably provided that in a further embodiment the spring element is formed in two layers. This enables a more robust design and can be particularly advantageous for larger and very large doors.

It can also be provided that the spring element is formed in one piece.

In an advantageous embodiment, the spring element has a maximum compression position with maximum spring force in the pivoting direction of the door in an intermediate position of the door between a fully open and a fully closed end position of the door. This results in a particularly favorable locking aid, because the door is then automatically pushed into the closed position, especially when closing in a last, relatively short movement path, and an undesired stopping of the door shortly before the closed position can thereby be avoided very safely.

It can be provided that, starting from the intermediate position of the door, a spring force that independently presses the door to independently bring the door into the fully closed end position of the door is generated by the spring force.

In an advantageous embodiment it is provided that the bearing unit has a movement damper. This avoids an undesirably hard knocking in of the door in the closed position. Since the spring force effect of the spring element is mounted so that the door is pressed, this force development of the spring element, starting from the in particular maximum compression position into a then again expanded position, can result in a possibly relatively hard impact in the closed position of the door, which in turn is compensated for by such a movement damper becomes.

Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method for moving a door of a household refrigeration device on a housing of the household refrigeration device, in which the door is pivotally arranged on the housing to close the receiving space with a storage unit. An essential idea of the invention is to be seen in that a spring element of the bearing unit acting with its spring force in the pivoting direction of the door is connected with one end on the door side and with another end outside the door, one end of the spring element being slidably mounted such that the end depends is moved from the position of the door to the housing to influence the movement of the door. In addition, the end of the spring element outside the door is guided in a guide link in the bearing unit so as to be displaceable relative to the bearing unit and opens into a sliding block which is mounted in the guide link.

Advantageous designs of the household refrigeration device according to the invention are to be regarded as advantageous designs of the method according to the invention.

The invention also provides a closing aid and door opening limiting unit. When the door is closed, a slidably mounted end of the spring element, in particular the end outside the door, is pushed with a sliding block in a guide link from one end of the guide link to the other until it strikes there. This striking occurs in particular before the door has reached the finally closed position. Starting from the point of movement of the door to which the sliding block strikes the end of the guide link, the spring element is pretensioned when a further closing movement of the door is carried out. After a then before reaching the finally closed door occurring jumping of a dead center of the spring element and thus skipping a maximum compression position, the subsequent expansion of the spring element generates a pushing force in the direction of the pivoting direction of the door on the spring element and thereby the door is automatically closed.

The bearing unit with the spring element is preferably configured to be symmetrical about the envelope. This means that this storage unit at both the top end can also be connected to the lower end of the door. Likewise, such a storage unit can then also be used in a symmetrical manner with respect to different opposite vertical sides of the door, so that the door can be attached to the housing of the household refrigeration device with the same storage unit on both the left and right sides. The door-side assembly is preferably carried out by means of non-destructively detachable connections, for example by means of a screw connection or a bayonet connection. It can then be simply pushed in and turned and snapped into place. The housing-side connection is preferably carried out with an axis in a link part which can freely move back and forth between two stops in a guide in the bearing angle, in particular can slide therein. The position of these stops and thus the ends of the guide link, the closing force and the opening angle preferably determine.

The invention achieves a very tolerance-tolerant configuration, with a relatively large distance from the axis of rotation of the door being produced. There are very low forces on the pivot bearing and a door end strip of the door, since there is a relatively large distance from the axis of rotation of the door. Because of the very small space requirement of the design, a door can then also be realized with side recessed grips, which is formed on a vertical narrow side of the door. In addition, the spring element acts as an elastic stop when the door is open.

The invention also offers the advantage that a permanent locking force is generated, since, due to a relatively large distance from the axis of rotation of the door, the setting behavior and also the frictional effects of the system have significantly less effect.

The directions "in the width direction", "in the height direction", "in the depth direction", "up", "down", "front", "back", "outside", "inside" etc. for the household refrigerator refer to the condition a household refrigeration appliance set up for conventional use, the door of which is arranged for a viewer at the front and the rear at the rear.

Further features of the invention result from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, and those mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or features and combinations of features shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or on their own without leaving the scope of the invention. Embodiments of the invention are thus also to be regarded as encompassed and disclosed, which are not explicitly shown and explained in the figures, but can be derived from the explanations explained and can be generated by separate combinations of features.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Haushaltskältegeräts;

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Teilbereichs des Haushaltskältegeräts gemäß Fig. 1 mit einer Lagereinheit, welche ein Federelement aufweist;

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines weiteren Ausführungsbeispiels eines Federelements;

Fig. 4

ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel eines Federelements;

Fig. 5

ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel eines Federelements;

Fig. 6

ein nochmals weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel eines Federelements;

Fig. 7

eine Draufsicht auf die Ausgestaltung gemäß Fig. 2 im vollständig geschlossenen Zustand der Tür;

Fig. 8

eine Draufsicht auf die Ausgestaltung gemäß Fig. 2 mit der Tür in einer Zwischenstellung, bei welcher das Federelement die maximale Kompressionsstellung aufweist;

Fig. 9

eine Draufsicht auf die Ausgestaltung gemäß Fig. 5 mit einer gegenüber Fig. 8 weiter geöffneten Tür; und

Fig. 10

eine Draufsicht auf die Ausgestaltung gemäß Fig. 5 mit gegenüber der Darstellung in Fig. 9 nochmals weiter geöffneten Tür.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with the aid of schematic drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of an embodiment of a household refrigerator according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a perspective view of a portion of the household refrigerator according to Fig. 1 with a bearing unit which has a spring element;

Fig. 3

a perspective view of another embodiment of a spring element;

Fig. 4

a further embodiment of a spring element;

Fig. 5

a further embodiment of a spring element;

Fig. 6

yet another embodiment of a spring element;

Fig. 7

a plan view of the configuration according to Fig. 2 when the door is fully closed;

Fig. 8

a plan view of the configuration according to Fig. 2 with the door in an intermediate position in which the spring element has the maximum compression position;

Fig. 9

a plan view of the configuration according to Fig. 5 with one opposite Fig. 8 wider open door; and

Fig. 10

a plan view of the configuration according to Fig. 5 with compared to the representation in Fig. 9 door opened again.

Identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

In Fig. 1 is shown in a perspective view a household refrigerator 1, which can be a refrigerator or a freezer or a fridge-freezer, and which is designed for storing and preserving food. The domestic refrigeration device 1 comprises a housing 2, in which, by way of example, a first receiving space 3 and a separate second receiving space 4 for food are formed. A first door 5 is pivotally arranged on the housing 2 and is provided to close the receiving space 3. In addition, a further door 6, which is movable independently of the first door 5, is pivotally arranged on the housing 2 and is provided for closing the further receiving space 4. In the exemplary embodiment, when the household refrigeration device 1 is viewed from the front, the door 5 is hinged on a right side 7 of the housing 2 and can be pivoted about a vertical axis which thus extends in the vertical direction (y direction). In the width direction and thus in the x direction opposite this stop side 7, a recessed grip 8 is formed on a narrow side of the door 5, which is designed with a lateral engagement. The door 6 is also designed accordingly.

The door 5 is pivotally arranged on the housing 2 with a bearing unit 9. The storage unit 9 therefore comprises an upper storage area and a lower storage area.

In Fig. 2 an enlarged view of the lower bearing area 9a of the bearing unit 9 is shown. It can be seen here that the bearing unit 9 has a bearing bracket 10 which is fastened on the housing side, wherein screw connections can be provided, for example, so that the bearing bracket 10 has two screw openings 11 and 12, for example. A bearing journal 13 is also formed on the bearing bracket 10, which is formed in one piece. Through this journal 13 or with this Bearing pin 13 is one in Fig. 2 Bearing bush, not shown, which is attached to the door, coupled. This then turns the pivot axis A, as in Fig. 2 is defined.

The door 5 has an upper door trim strip 5a and a lower door trim strip 5b. In addition, it can be seen that the bearing unit 9 has a spring element 14, which is a one-piece wheel spring, which is oriented such that its spring force acts in the pivoting direction of the door 5. The spring element 14 is therefore oriented such that it extends in a plane parallel to the door end strip 5b. The compression and expansion of the spring element 14 therefore generate spring forces which influence a movement of the door 5 about the axis A.

As shown in Fig. 2 can be seen, the spring element 14 is connected with a first end 14a to a connecting pin 15 (as a connecting point) which is fixed in place on the door end strip 5b. However, the spring element 14 can pivot about the connecting pin 15, however, this connection is stationary in that a change in position of this end 14 to another location on the door end strip 5b is not possible.

The spring element 14 also includes an opposite second end 14b, which is connected outside the door and opens in the context of the bearing bracket 10. As can be seen here, this further end 14b is coupled to a sliding block 16. The sliding block 16 is slidably supported in a straight guide slide 17. The sliding block 16 can therefore be moved in a plane which is oriented perpendicular to the axis A.

In Fig. 2 the door is shown in the fully closed position, in the context of which the sliding block 16 is attached to a first end 17a of the guide link 17 facing away from the bearing journal 13. The guide link 17 also includes an opposite end 17b facing the bearing journal 13. This end 14b outside the door is relatively displaceable and thus can be displaced in a straight line to the bearing bracket 10 on the bearing bracket 10. The displacement of this end 14b depends on the position of the door 5 relative to the housing 2.

The guide link 17 is oriented horizontally and thus extends in the xz plane. As can be seen, the spring element 14 is a single-round wire. In Fig. 3 a perspective view of a further embodiment of a spring element 14 is shown, which is formed in two layers.

In Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a spring element 14 is shown, which is double-layered over the arcuate extension, but is congruent over a part length and not congruent over a further part length.

In Fig. 5 In a perspective view, another embodiment of a spring element 14 is shown, which here is not a round wire, but has a contour that is angular in cross-section, in particular a quadrangular contour.

In Fig. 6 a perspective view of a further embodiment of a spring element 14 is shown, which in turn is double-layered, but the two layers of the round wire are not congruent with each other over the entire length. As can be seen, an opposing arcuate curvature of the two layers to one another is formed here, so that an elliptical geometry is formed.

In Fig. 7 is a simplified top view of the view according to Fig. 2 shown. Starting from this position, the door is then opened, as shown in the simplified top view Fig. 8 is shown. Due to the design of the spring element 14 and the respective positional connections of the ends 14a and 14b, the end 14a, which is fixedly positioned on the door side, is pressed in the direction of the second end 14b, which is connected outside the door. Since the second end 14b with the sliding block 16 is already arranged, starting from the closed position of the door 4, in the end 17a of the guide sliding blocks 17, the spring element 14 is compared to its in Fig. 7 compression reached more compressed and reached in the representation in Fig. 8 the maximum compression position. A maximum preload of the spring element 14 is thus achieved with this intermediate position of the door 5.

Is then, based on this intermediate position of the door 5 Fig. 8 , the door opened even further like this in Fig. 9 is shown, the spring element 14 is relaxed again by the relative movement of the end 14a to the end 14b which is still held at the end 17a and thus quasi starting from the in FIG Fig. 8 reached dead center by the direction of the pivoting movement of the door 5 expansion and the spring force thus caused the further opening of the door 5, starting from Fig. 8 supported by the spring element 14.

With a further opening movement of the door 5 starting from Fig. 9 the spring element 14 is then in its basic position and is no longer expanded since it no longer has any pretension in the context. This will, like this also in Fig. 10 is shown, the sliding block 16 in the guide link 17 is moved from the end 17a in the direction of the end 17b.

The scenario runs in reverse if the door starts from Fig. 10 is closed again. The sliding block 16 is then first pushed from the end 17b to the end 17a, then strikes the end 17a, which in turn, for example, according to Fig. 9 has occurred, the relative movement and thus the movement of the end 14a towards the end 14b is effected when the door 5 is closed further and the spring element 14 is compressed again and compared to the basic position as shown in FIG 10 and 9 is shown compressed. This continues until a condition in accordance with the further closing movement occurs Fig. 8 is reached, in which the maximum compression position of the spring element 14 is reached. Here, the ends 14a and 14b have also come as close as possible. If the door 5 is then closed further during this closing movement, then again according to the illustration in FIG Fig. 7 through the then in turn expansion of the spring element 14, the spring force in the pivoting direction of the door is contributed, so that the door 5 is pressed closed.

Reference list

1

Household refrigerator

2nd

casing

3rd

first recording room

4th

second recording room

5

door

5a

upper door edge trim

5b

lower door trim

6

door

7

right stop side

8th

Recessed grip

9

Storage unit

9a

lower storage area

10th

Bearing bracket

11

Screw opening

12th

Screw opening

13

Bearing journal

14

Spring element

14a

first end

14b

second end

15

Connecting pin

16

Sliding block

17th

Leadership backdrop

17a

first end

17b

second end

A

Swivel axis

Claims (10)

1. Household refrigeration appliance (1) with a housing (2), in which a receiving compartment (3, 4) for food is embodied, and with a door (5, 6), which is pivotably arranged on the housing (2) for closing the receiving compartment (3, 4) with a bearing unit (9), and with a closing aid for the door (5, 6), wherein the bearing unit (9) has a spring element (14) which acts with its spring force in the pivoting direction of the door (5, 6), said spring element being bound with one end (14a) on the door side and with a further end (14b) outside of the door, wherein the end (14b) of the spring element (14) which is bound outside of the door is mounted displaceably and wherein the end (14b) of the spring element (14) which is bound outside of the door is displaceably guided in a guiding link (17) in the bearing unit (9) relative to the bearing unit (9), characterised in that the end (14b) which is bound outside of the door opens into a link block (16) which is guided in a straight line in a guiding link (17).
2. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the end (14a) of the spring element (14) which is bound on the door side is bound in a stationary manner.
3. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the guiding link (17) is oriented horizontally in a straight line.
4. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the spring element (14) is a curved torsion spring.
5. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that the spring element (14) has two layers.
6. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that the spring element (14) is embodied in one piece.
7. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the spring element (14) has a maximum compression position with a maximum spring force effect in the pivoting direction of the door (5, 6) in an intermediate position of the door (5, 6) which is located between a completely opened and a completely closed end position of the door (5, 6).
8. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that based on the intermediate position of the door (5, 6) a shut-off force, which automatically shuts off the door (5, 6), for automatically bringing the door (5, 6) into the completely closed end position is generated by the spring force.
9. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the bearing unit (9) has a motion damper.
10. Method for moving a door (5, 6) of a household refrigeration appliance (1) on a housing (2) of the household refrigeration appliance (1), in which the door (5, 6), which is arranged pivotably on the housing (2) for closing a receiving compartment (3, 4) with a bearing unit (9), is equipped with a closing aid for the door (5, 6), wherein a spring element (14) of the bearing unit (9) which acts with its spring force in the pivoting direction of the door (5, 6) is bound with one end (14a) on the door side and with a further end (14b) outside of the door, wherein the end (14b) of the spring element (14) which is bound outside of the door is mounted in a displaceable manner so that the end (14b) which is bound outside of the door is displaced as a function of the position of the door (5, 6) with respect to the housing (2) for influencing the movement of the door (5, 6) and wherein the end (14b) of the spring element (14) which is bound outside of the door is displaceably guided in a guiding link (17) in the bearing unit (9) relative to the bearing unit (9), characterised in that the end (14b) which is bound outside of the door opens into a link block (16), which is guided in a straight line in a guiding link (17).

Images