EP3745061B1 - Fridge and / or freezer - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with a compartment for storing refrigerated or frozen goods, which is optionally closed using a door that can be swung open to the left and to the right.

In refrigerators and/or freezers, it can generally make sense for doors to be designed to open either left or right. Such concepts have also become known, for example, for doors that close a freezer compartment arranged within the normal refrigerator compartment from the normal refrigerator compartment. For example, in this context, reference is made to the publications DE 10 2008 044 131 A1 , DE 10 2012 223 646 A1 and DE 10 2012 223 648 A1 to refer to the concepts presented, whereby such a door can be prepared either for left-hand opening or right-hand opening.

The disadvantage of these solutions, however, is that a change in the door configuration is required to change the stop from left-hand opening to right-hand opening or vice versa, which means that the user cannot freely decide whether he wants to open the door to the left or to the right each time the door is operated.

US 2,261,146 A refers to door fastening and locking devices and has the aim of providing simple, practical and inexpensive devices which can be conveniently connected to and attached to doors so that the door can be opened and swung either to the right or to the left.

US 2,796,628 A relates to doors and means for hingedly supporting the doors, with locking means and in particular mechanisms being disclosed with which a door can be opened from both sides.

The object of the invention is to overcome these disadvantages and to provide a door that offers a high level of user comfort in that the user can freely decide with each operation whether he wants to open the door to the left or to the right. Against this background, the invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with a compartment for storing refrigerated or frozen goods, which is closed by a door, the door being a swing door which, in an unchanged configuration, can either be turned to the right as well as can be swung open to the left.

In contrast to the prior art, according to the invention it is not necessary, for example, to move the handle or other functional elements of the door from left to right or vice versa. This leads to a high level of user comfort, as the user can freely decide whether he wants to open the door to the left or to the right with each operation.

According to the invention it is provided that the door has vertical push rods on the left and right, one end of which, preferably the upper end, is inserted into a receptacle of the device in a starting position of the push rods, and which act as axes for opening the swing door to the left or to the right, whereby the push rods are mounted in the door so that they can be moved vertically, so that they can be guided out of the receptacle in a vertical direction in order to assume an activated position.

It is intended that the receptacles are arranged above the door or above the second compartment and that the push rods can be guided out of the receptacles by moving vertically downwards.

Accordingly, the other ends, preferably the lower ends of the push rods, are each inserted into a bearing block of the device, from which they can be guided in the same direction by vertical movement. Each bearing block has, for example, a vertical bore into which an upward-pointing extension at the lower end of the respective push rod is inserted from below. For this purpose, the respective push rod can have a shaped section in its lower region, in which it runs in an arc around the bearing block and returns to the vertical below the bearing block. The extension can be arranged at the lower end of the shaped section.

It can further be provided that the door has two handles, which are preferably arranged next to one another and/or on the underside of the door, and which are each connected to one of the push rods in such a way that when the handle is actuated, the respective push rod moves in the vertical direction is guided from the respective receptacle and preferably also from the respective bearing block. The handles can be, for example, handles that are arranged on the underside of the door and can be pivoted forward about a horizontal axis when actuated.

If the handle is tightened, the respective side of the door is simultaneously released for lifting from the removal opening by vertically moving the respective push rod from the holder and bearing block. The door can be opened on this side. On the other side, the push rod is still inserted into the holder and into the bearing block, so that the door can be swung open around the push rod on the other side.

In one embodiment, the push rods each have a driver which is connected to a driving contour on the respective handle in order to couple a movement of the handle with a vertical displacement of the push rod. For example, the driver can be a horizontally projecting pin and the driver contour can be a laterally open rail guide for the pin, or vice versa.

According to the invention it is provided that the push rods are biased against movement from the respective receptacles and from the respective bearing blocks, preferably by means of a mechanical spring arranged on the door. In other words, the push rods are biased into the starting position and against the activated position. The spring can be a compression spring.

In addition, it can be provided that the door handle is spring-loaded and moves the push rod accordingly.

Furthermore, it is provided that corresponding locking means are formed on the push rod and on the door, which establish a locking connection between the push rod and the door in the activated position of the push rod and prevent the push rod from being returned to its starting position. The latching means can be, for example, a notch and a corresponding projection, with one of the latching means, for example the notch, being arranged on the push rod and the other of the latching means, for example the projection, being arranged on the door.

On the device and preferably on the bearing blocks, one structural element is arranged per push rod, which is designed to release the locking connection when the door is closed. When the door is closed, the push rod is automatically returned to the starting position due to the preload. It is provided that the locking means of the door are each arranged on a spring element with a first ramp, and that a second ramp running in the opposite direction to the first ramp is arranged on the bearing blocks, the two opposing ramps being designed in such a way that during the last Phase of the closing movement of the door, the spring element is bent against the restoring force inherent in it so that the locking means of the push rod is released from the locking means of the door and the push rod is released for a vertical movement to return to the starting position.

In a preferred embodiment variant, the refrigerator and/or freezer according to the invention can be a device which has a first compartment, preferably a cooling space, and a second compartment, preferably a freezer compartment, arranged within the first compartment, the one designed according to the invention Door is arranged to close the second compartment relative to the first compartment. The door designed according to the invention can therefore be a door that closes a freezer compartment arranged within the normal refrigerator compartment.

Figur 1:

Frontansichten auf das Gefrierfach eines erfindungsgemäßen Kühl- und/oder Gefriergeräts mit und ohne Gefrierfachtür; und

Figur 2:

vergrößerte Ansichten eines Bereichs knapp unterhalb des Gefrierfachs mit und ohne Lagerbock;

Figur 3:

Schnittansichten der Gefrierfachtür und des umliegenden Bereichs inklusive Lagerbock und Aufnahme;

Figur 4:

eine Variante der Ansicht gemäß Figur 1b mit eingesetzten Schubstangen;

Figur 5:

Rückansichten der Tür mit Griff und Schubstange in Ausgangsposition und aktivierter Position;

Figur 6:

eine vergrößerte Ansicht eines Ausschnitts der Figur 5a;

Figur 7:

eine weitere Ansicht des in Figur 6 gezeigten Ausschnitts, wobei zudem der Lagerbock dargestellt ist; und

Figur 8:

perspektivische Ansichten des Gefrierfachs mit nach links und nach rechts aufgeschwenkter Tür.

Further details and advantages of the invention result from the exemplary embodiment described below with reference to the figures. Show in the figures:

Figure 1:

Front views of the freezer compartment of a refrigerator and/or freezer according to the invention with and without freezer compartment door; and

Figure 2:

enlarged views of an area just below the freezer compartment with and without bearing brackets;

Figure 3:

Sectional views of the freezer compartment door and surrounding area including bearing bracket and mount;

Figure 4:

a variant of the view Figure 1b with push rods inserted;

Figure 5:

Rear views of the door with handle and push rod in initial and activated positions;

Figure 6:

an enlarged view of a section of the Figure 5a ;

Figure 7:

another view of the in Figure 6 shown detail, whereby the bearing block is also shown; and

Figure 8:

Perspective views of the freezer compartment with the door swung open to the left and right.

Figures 1a and 1b show a front view of the uppermost area of a normal refrigerator compartment 110 of a refrigerator and/or freezer 100 according to the invention, in which there is a freezer compartment 130 arranged under the ceiling. In Figure 1a the freezer compartment 130 is closed using the door 10. In Figure 1b the same arrangement is shown without door 10.

The freezer compartment 130 is formed by appropriately shaping the deep-drawn device inner container 101 made of plastic. In particular, a horizontal partition 120 is formed in the inner container 101, which separates the freezer compartment 130 from the normal refrigerator compartment 110. The partition 120 is filled with an insulating material such as a thermal insulation foam in order to achieve thermal decoupling of the normal refrigerator compartment 110 and the freezer compartment 130. Furthermore, the inner container 101 is shaped in the area of the freezer compartment 130 in such a way that a frame 131 with flat end faces is formed around the freezer compartment 130, which acts as a contact surface for a seal 11 of the door 10 (in the Figure 1a hidden, but for example in Figure 3d visible), which separates the freezer compartment 130 from the normal refrigerator compartment 110 in the closed position.

Two vertical blind holes 20 are formed in the ceiling of the normal refrigerator compartment 110 at a short distance in front of the level of the removal opening of the freezer compartment 130, with the vertical axes A of the blind holes 20 to the left and right of the removal opening, therefore at a short distance in front of the vertical sections of the frame 131 run.

On the horizontal end face of the frame 131, which lies below the freezer compartment 130 and is correspondingly formed by the front of the partition 120, there are two bearing blocks 30 to the left and right of the removal opening of the freezer compartment 130, namely in the extension of the axes A of the blind holes 20 arranged.

The design of the bearing blocks 30 and their attachment to the front of the partition 120 can be based on the Figures 2a and 2b see the enlarged views of the area of the frame 131 in question. The area is in Figure 2a with bearing block 30 inserted and in the Figure 2b shown without bearing block 30 inserted therein.

Like this in particular from the Figure 2b As can be seen, a locking recess 132 with several locking projections 133 is formed at the lateral end of the lower horizontal section of the frame 131, which lies below the freezer compartment 130 and is correspondingly formed by the front of the partition 120. The bearing block 30 is in this locking recess with a corresponding locking projection 31 (in the Figure 2a hidden, but in Figure 7 visible) and is held in a form-fitting manner. The bearing block 30 has a vertical bore 32 which penetrates an area of the bearing block 30 from top to bottom. The bore 32 runs exactly in the extension of the axis A of the blind hole 20 arranged in the ceiling above the bearing block 30 shown. The bearing block 30 also has a web 33 which stands horizontally forward next to the bore 32, the function of which will be explained in more detail below will be described.

The opposite edge region, not shown, of the lower horizontal section of the frame 131 is designed to be mirror-inverted.

Like this Figure 1a can be seen, the bearing blocks 30 are covered from the front by the lower area of the door 10 and are not visible to the user when the door 10 is closed.

Figures 3a-3e show sectional views through the freezer door 10 and the surrounding areas. The cuts of the Figures 3a-3b are guided in the plane of the removal opening and run through the vertical pivot axes A. In Figure 3a the entire width of the freezer compartment 130 is covered, in Figure 3b only the right half. The cuts of the Figures 3c-3d are guided in a horizontal plane, approximately at the middle height of the door 10. In Figure 3c the entire width of the freezer compartment 130 is covered, in Figure 3d only the right area. The cut of the Figure 3e shows a vertical cross section through the door 10.

As can be seen from these figures, a push rod 40 is guided vertically through a vertical passage 12 of the door 10 on the left and right. On the one hand, the passage 12 extends to the upper edge of the door and is open at the top, and on the other hand it extends into a lower area 13 of the door 10, which is open at the bottom and at the back and is only covered at the front by a front wall of the door 10 . The bearing block 30 is also arranged in this area 13 when the door is closed.

The upper end 41 of each of the push rods 40, which protrudes from the top of the passage 12 and correspondingly protrudes beyond the upper edge of the door 10, is inserted from below into the corresponding receptacle 20 on the right or left. The lower region of each of the push rods 40, which protrudes from the passage 12 into the region 13 of the door 10, has a section 42 which is arcuately formed from the axis A and which runs within the region 13 around the bearing block 30 and below the bearing block 30 again the area of axis A. At the end of the push rod 40 located in the area of the axis A, a vertically upwardly projecting extension 43 is arranged, which is inserted from below into the bore 32 of the bearing block.

The Figure 4 shows a variant of the view Figure 1a , with push rods 40 being inserted into the receptacles 20 and bearing blocks 30 on the left and right, but in which the door is hidden. The facts just described can be easily understood using this figure.

The extension 43 inserted into the bore 32 and the upper end 41 of the push rod 40 inserted into the receptacle 20 form upper and lower bearings for a pivoting movement of the door 10 about the vertical pivot axis A running through the bore 32 and the receptacle 20. So it is On the left of the door there is a warehouse for one Swinging the door 10 open to the left and right. There is a bearing on the door for swinging the door 10 open to the right.

The push rod 40 can be displaced in the vertical direction in the passage 12 in such a way that the upper rod end 41 and the extension 43 can be pulled downwards out of the receptacle 20 or the bore 32 by a vertical displacement. In this state, there is no longer any pivot bearing on the respective side, but instead the door 10 can be lifted off the frame 131 there.

Each of the push rods 40 is held against its inside by means of a compression spring, not shown in the figures Figures 3a and 3b shown starting position biased, in which its upper end 41 is inserted into the receptacle 20 and its extension 43 into the bore 32.

In sum, the door 10 can be lifted from the frame 131 on one side, on which the upper rod end 41 and the extension 43 are pulled downwards against the preload from the receptacle 20 or the bore 32, and then rotated around the axis A to swing open the push rod 40 on the other side, the upper end 41 and extension 43 of which are still inserted into the corresponding receptacle 20 or bore 32. Depending on which side the push rod 40 is moved vertically downwards, the door 10 can be swung open to the left or to the right.

The core idea of the invention is that the door 10 can be swung open either to the left or to the right in its current state, i.e. without any modification. This means that there must be a mechanism on the door 10 that can selectively trigger a downward vertical displacement of the left and right push rod 40 against the pretension of the compression spring.

For this purpose, the door comprises two handles 50, which are arranged on the right and left side of each other on the underside of the door 10, specifically in the room 13. Everyone who Handles 50 can be operated by a user after reaching behind the lower door area by pulling them forward, i.e. in the opening direction of the door 10. When actuated, the respective handle 50 is tilted forward by a certain angle about a horizontal handle axis B that runs parallel to the plane of the removal opening.

Each of the handles 50 is connected to one of the push rods 40 in such a way that when the handle 50 is actuated as described by a user, the push rod 40 is pulled downwards in the vertical direction out of the receptacle 20 and the bore 32 of the bearing block 30 against the preload of the compression spring becomes. For this purpose, the handle 50 comprises on its side facing the push rod 40 a pin 51 which projects horizontally in the direction of the push rod and which engages in a horizontal rail guide 44 of the push rod 40 facing the pin 51. When the handle 50 tilts due to actuation, the push rod 40 is pulled slightly downwards using this coupling.

These facts can be easily explained using the Figures 5a and 5b recognize which shows the door 11 from behind, once with handle 50 and push rod 40 in the starting position ( Figure 5a ) and once with handle 50 and push rod 40 in the activated position ( Figure 5a ).

For example, if the left handle 50 is actuated, the left push rod 40 is pulled downwards against the pretension of the compression spring, so that the upper rod end 41 is pulled out of the receptacle 20 and the extension 43 is pulled out of the bore 32 of the bearing block 30. The left side of the door 10 is thus unlocked and can be lifted forward from the frame 131, which is also done by the forward pulling force exerted by the user, which has already led to the activation of the handle 50 on the respective side. The door 10 is therefore swung open to the left about the axis A formed by the push rod 40 on the right side of the door 10, which is still in the starting position.

In order to ensure that the activated push rod does not return to the starting position due to the pretension of the spring when the handle 50 is released when the door 10 is open, which would prevent the door 10 from closing, there are corresponding ones on the push rod 40 and on the door 10 Locking means in the form of a notch 45 formed on the push rod 40 and a projection 15 formed on the door 10, which form a locking connection in the activated position of the push rod 40, i.e. after the push rod 40 has been pulled downwards by actuating the handle 50, which prevents the push rod 40 from returning upwards to its starting position.

This can be seen particularly well using the Figure 6 understand that a corresponding section of the Figure 5b shows in an enlarged view. As can be seen from this, the notch 45 of the push rod 40 is arranged at the end of a spring element 46 projecting from the arcuate region 42 of the push rod 40, which can be bent out against a restoring force resulting from the material elasticity (to the left in the figure) so that the edges the notch 45 can be lifted over the projection 15 and the projection 15 can snap into the notch.

However, in order to ensure that the activated push rod can return to its starting position after the door has been closed in order to lock the respective side of the door again, a mechanism is also provided to close the locking connection between the projection 15 and the notch 45 when the door is closed solve.

This mechanism is best explained using the Figure 7 understand which ones are in Figure 6 The area of the door shown is shown again diagonally from below. Opposite the Figure 6 is in the Figure 7 The bearing block 30 is also shown in a position as it would be in the receptacle 132. As can be seen, the web 33 of the bearing block includes an inclined ramp 34 on the outside, against which a counter-rotating ramp 47 abuts on the spring element 46 when the door 10 is closed. The opposing ramps 34 and 47 are designed and directed in such a way that during the last phase of the closing movement of the door 10 the spring element 46 is bent out against the restoring force inherent in it so that the notch 45 is lifted from the projection 15 and the push rod is accordingly released for a vertical movement to return to the starting position.

The mechanism described works both at the left end of the door 10 when the door 10 is opened by operating the left door handle 50 and swinging it to the left and then closing the door 10, as well as at the right end of the door 10 when the door 10 is opened Activate the right door handle 50 and swing it open to the right and then close the door 10. No modifications need to be made to the door 10 for this. As it is, it can be swiveled both to the left and to the right.

Figures 8a and 8b ultimately show perspective views of the freezer compartment 130 with the door 10 swung open to the left and right.

In a preferred embodiment, the invention has the following features and advantages:
The bearing block at the bottom left and right is mounted in the container using undercuts without any additional parts.

The door bearing is not visible when the door is closed.

Door opening on the left and right is always possible without moving any components.

The door opening mechanism is not visible.

The door is easy to assemble and disassemble, e.g. for cleaning by the customer.

Claims (6)

1. Refrigeration and/or freezing device (100) comprising a compartment for storing products to be refrigerated or frozen, which compartment is closed by means of a door (10), wherein the door (10) is a swing door which, in an unchanged configuration, can be pivotally opened selectively either to the right or to the left, wherein the door (10) comprises push rods (40) on the left and right, respectively, one end of which, preferably the upper end (41), is inserted into a receiver (20) of the device in an initial position of the push rods (40), and which form axes for opening the swing door to the left or right, wherein the push rods (40) are mounted so as to be vertically displaceable in the door (10), so that they can be guided out of the receiver (20) in the vertical direction to adopt an activated position, wherein the push rods (40) are biased against movement out of the respective receivers (20) and out of the respective bearing blocks (30), preferably by means of a mechanical spring arranged on the door (10), wherein corresponding latching means are formed on the push rod (40) and on the door (10), which, in the activated position of the push rod (40), come into latching connection and prevent a return of the push rod (40) to its initial position, and wherein one structural element per push rod is respectively arranged on the device, preferably on the bearing blocks (30), said structural element being designed to release the latching connection when the door (10) is being closed, wherein the latching means of the door (10) are respectively arranged on a spring element (46) with a first ramp (47) and a second ramp (34) opposite to the first ramp is respectively arranged on the bearing blocks (30), wherein the two opposing ramps (47, 34) are designed in such a way that, during the last phase of the closing movement of the door (10), the spring element (46) is bent against the restoring force inherent therein in such a way that the latching means of the push rod (40) is detached from the latching means of the door (10) and the push rod (40) is released for a vertical movement for returning to the initial position, wherein the other ends, preferably the lower ends of the push rods (40), are respectively plugged into a bearing block (30) of the device, out of which they can be guided by vertical movement in the same direction.
2. Refrigeration and/or freezing device (100) according to Claim 1, characterised in that the door (10) comprises two handles (50) which are preferably arranged next to one another and/or on the lower side of the door (10), and which are each connected to one of the push rods (40) in such a way that, when the handle (50) is actuated, the respective push rod (40) is guided in the vertical direction out of the respective receiver (20) and preferably also out of the respective bearing block (30).
3. Refrigeration and/or freezing device (100) according to Claim 2, characterised in that the push rods (40) each have a follower which is connected to a following contour on the respective handle (50) in order to couple a movement of the handle (50) to a vertical displacement of the push rod (40).
4. Refrigeration and/or freezing device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the device comprises a first compartment, preferably a refrigeration space, and a second compartment, preferably a freezer compartment, arranged inside the first compartment, wherein the door (10) closes the second compartment with respect to the first compartment.
5. Refrigeration and/or freezing device (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the bearing block(s) (30) are fixed preferably to the inner container by one or more undercuts, without additional parts, in particular without screwing.
6. Refrigeration and/or freezing device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the bearing of the door is not visible in a front view, i.e. to an observer standing in front of the device.

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