GB2373843A

GB2373843A - Refrigerator for a recreational vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2373843A
Application number: GB0129640A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Volker Muller; Manfred Lorek
Original assignee: Electrolux GmbH
Current assignee: Dometic GmbH
Priority date: 2000-12-14
Filing date: 2001-12-11
Publication date: 2002-10-02
Also published as: FR2818364A1; GB0129640D0; DE20021162U1; NL1019567C1

Abstract

A refrigerator housing 1 has a recessed region 6 to accommodate a supply line 5, to facilitate installation in a recreational vehicle such as a caravan or mobile home. The recessed region 6 may be positioned under, at an edge of and at a rear base edge of, the housing 1, and it may be parallel to the front face. A metal or plastics duct housing (fig 2, 4) may be positioned in the recessed region 6, and the duct housing (fig 2, 4) may have closeable apertures and may be detachably fixed to the housing 1.

Description

Refrigerator for a Recreational Vehicle This invention relates to a

refrigerator, in particular to a refrigerator for a recreational vehicle such as a caravan or a mobile home.

In the confined spatial conditions inside a recreational vehicle, a refrigerator is designed and installed so as to take up as little space as possible. To that end, a refrigerator can be adapted structurally to the internal configuration of the vehicle. For example, the shape of the refrigerator can be adapted to the configuration of the casing above a wheel 10 of the vehicle. In most installations, use is made of the entire available height of the kitchen area of the vehicle.

On the other hand, it is necessary to position supply lines, for example, cables, pipes for water and heating, hoses, etc., inside recreational vehicles, usually along the walls.

A refrigerator of this type, particularly when designed in a space-saving manner, that is to say when adapted to the vehicle wall and or to make use of the entire height of the kitchen area of the vehicle, restricts the installation of supply lines in the living area of the vehicle. The lines cannot readily be positioned in a linear manner along such a 20 wall. Instead, it is only with great complexity that the vehicle manufacturer is able to position the supply lines. It is no less complex to position the lines through other zones inside the recreational vehicle.

Moving the refrigerator away from the wall in order to provide space for the supply 25 lines is undesirable, as it leads to further restriction of the already-restricted freedom of movement in such a recreational vehicle.

The aim of the invention is to provide a refrigerator for a recreational vehicle in such a manner that the positioning of supply lines, in particular along the wall inside the 30 recreational vehicle, is facilitated. Such a refrigerator should also be easily removable for servicing, without hindrance from other internal vehicle fittings.

This aim is met in that the refrigerator has at least one duct which is arranged outside the refrigerating chamber or at least one recess at a lateral face or on the base of the refrigerator in order to guide through or past the refrigerator supply lines for the refrigerator and/or other lines hoses, pipes, cables and the like A refrigerator housing is generally of substantially cuboid form. However, in particular when designed for a recreational vehicle. it can also have other forms. For example it is possible to adapt the configuration of the housing to the living space or interior of the 10 recreational vehicle so that optimum use is made of the space. In order to guide through or past supply lines. hoses, pipes. cables and the like, for example lines for electric current, drinking water, waste water or heating, this invention provides at least one duct or at least one recess 'I he duct(s) or recess(es) extend(s) outside the ei'rigk;ra,;ilg chai-lbel. To the, eras, the iatsidc of the. ctiigcrating chanlLcr is arranged a. so that space is made available at the desired point for the duct or the rcccss. 'I'he recess or duct is usually provided on a lateral face or the base of' the refrigerator.

I'hc arrangement, in particular the size of the duct or the recess, is substantiallN-

dependent upon the dimensions of the supply lines, for example, the diameter of 20 heating pipes. Another possibility is to provide a duct or a recess which is wide enough to be able to arrange the refrigerator at an angle to the guided-through supply lines, resulting in improvements to the installation possibilities.

Of course, the recess or duct can also receive supply lines belonging to the refrigerator 25 and, under some circumstances, have corresponding connections therein.

By means of the arrangement of the recess or the duct according to the invention, which is integrated into the refrigerator, it is possible for all types of supply line to be guided through or past the refrigerator, without necessitating complex structural measures for 30 the installation thereof, and without having to provide additional space for the supply lines between the refrigerator and an adjacent wall, given the restricted spatial conditions inside a recreational vehicle.

In particular, the duct or the recess can be formed on the underside or along an edge of the refrigerator. It can be particularly advantageous for the duct or the recess to extend along the edge formed by the rear and the base of the refrigerator, because the supply 5 lines which are to be guided through often extend, or are supposed to extend, on the base along a wall inside a recreational vehicle. If a recess of that type is available, it is particularly simple to install the refrigerator at its desired location or, if necessary, to move it away from that location. The refrigerator can readily be lifted over the supply lines, or moved away from them.

The duct or the recess will preferably extend parallel with the front face of the refrigerator. However, the supply lines can also be arranged in the duct or the recess at an angle to the front face of the refrigerator if the duct is wide enough. Greater flexibility when installing the refrigerator is thereby achieved.

The base of the duct or the recess can further end substantially flush with the underside and/or the support surface of the refrigerator. Since the supply lines, pipes, hoses, etc., are often located on the floor or near the floor, it is advantageous for them to be able to continue to extend past/through the refrigerator without extensive deviation or 20 redirection.

In a preferred embodiment, the duct or the recess has a rectangular crosssection.

A duct housing can be introduced at the location provided for the duct or the recess, 25 through which duct housing the supply lines can extend after installation. In particular, the duct housing can also be introduced into a recessed region provided therefor.

A tubular element, of preferably rectangular cross-section which is open at two faces, can be used as the duct housing. The duct housing has at least two openings for guiding 30 the supply lines into and out of the duct defined by the duct housing.

Several parallel ducts can also be formed by appropriate subdivision of the duct housing by the formation of internal partition walls.

The duct housing is preferably of metal, plastics material or other suitable materials which are light yet rigid. It is further advantageous for the material to be easy to clean.

In another embodiment, the duct housing can be open along another face. If it is. for example. fitted in a recess in the base of the refrigerator. the duct housing can be open towards the base. Il a recess provided for the introduction of the duct housing extends

10 along the edge which is formed by the rear and the base of the refrigerator, the duct housing can optionally be open towards the rear and/or the base.

Where a duct is not needed. the openings in the duct housing can optionally be closable or covcrcd. If several ducts are formed, "f the cross-section of the duct housing is 15 subdivided into several ducts. tor example by partition walls in the duct housing?. it it? possible to close or cover the duct openings only partially or to close or cover only individual ducts.

Unused ducts are prevented from being contaminated internally by being closed or 2() covered.

It is also advantageous for the duct housing to be detachably fixed to the housing of the refrigerator. Fixing of that type can be effected. for example? be means of screws.

25 In such an embodiments the connection between the housing of the refrigerator and the duct housing can be disconnected at any time. This could be useful, for example, if the refrigerator has to be removed from its installation position for a given period. In that case, it would not be necessary to remove the supply lines from the duct housing before the refrigerator is removed.

Furthermore, the duct housing in this case can be removed from the housing of the refrigerator, for example, for separate cleaning.

Two forms of refrigerator, each of which is constructed in accordance with the invention, will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: 5 Figure 1: shows front and side elevations of the first form of refrigerator; Figure 2: is an enlarged view of that part of Figure 1 indicated by the dashed circle; Figure 3: shows front and side elevations of the second form refrigerator; and Figure 4: is an enlarged view of that part of Figure 3 indicated by the dashed circle.

10 Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a refrigerator for a recreational vehicle. The refrigerator has a door 2 located at the front face of a housing 1. A duct 3 for housing supply lines is located in a recess in the base of the refrigerator, the duct base lying substantially flush with the underside of the refrigerator. The duct 3 is defined by a duct housing 4 having four walls and a rectangular cross-section. The duct housing 4 is 15 made of a sturdy material, such as, for example, sheet metal. The walls of the duct housing 4 are not completely closed, but instead can have any number of openings. For example, the lower wall of the duct housing 4 can be in the form of a mesh or grid. The duct 3 houses one or more supply lines 5 (only one of which is shown). The line 5 extends through the duct 3 parallel with the front face of the refrigerator.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the duct region of Figure 1, and shows more clearly the substantially flush arrangement of the lower wall of the duct housing 4 with the underside of the refrigerator. The supply line 5, which extends near the floor along the inner wall of the recreational vehicle, can thereby be guided past the refrigerator 25 without being redirected.

Figure 3 shows a second form of refrigerator, in which a recess 6 extends along the edge formed by the rear and the base of the refrigerator. In this case, a supply line 5 rests on the floor inside the vehicle and is positioned near the vehicle wall.

If the refrigerator is to be removed from its installation location for a given period, it can be lifted over the line(s) 5, or simply moved away from the wall.

Figure 4 is, similarly to Figure 2, an enlarged view- of the recessed region of Figure 3 A duct housing could optionally be inserted into the recess 6, and again could be partially or completely open towards the base and/or the adjacent vehicle wall.

Claims

Claims

1. A refrigerator having a housing and a refrigerating chamber, the refrigerator housing being provided with a recessed region arranged outside the refrigerating 5 chamber and positioned for guiding a supply line for the refrigerator and/or any other supply line.

2. A refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the recessed region is provided ore the underside of the refrigerator.

3. A refrigerator according to either of the preceding claims, wherein the recessed region extends along an edge of the refrigerator.

4. A refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the recessed region extends along 15 an edge formed by the rear and the base of the refrigerator.

5. A refrigerator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the recessed region extends parallel with the front face of the refrigerator.

20 6. A refrigerator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lowest part of the recessed region lies substantially flush with the underside of the refrigerator.

7. A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lowest part of the recessed region lies substantially flush with the support surface of the refrigerator.

8. A refrigerator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the recessed region has a rectangular cross-section.

9. A refrigerator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a duct 30 housing is positioned within the recessed region.

g 10. A refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the duct housing is made of metal or plastics material.

11. A refrigerator according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein at least one face of the 5 duct housing is at least partially open.

1. A refrigerator according to clain1 1 l, wherein openings in said at least one duct face arc closable.

10 1. A refrigerator according to any one of claims 9 to 1. wherein the duct housing is detachably fixed to the housing of the refrigerator.

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