Household refrigerating appliance with an automatically movable drawer by a motor, and method for operating a household refrigerating appliance

Abstract

A household refrigerating appliance (1) with a housing (2) and with at least one drawer (6) designed to hold food and which can be inserted into and extended from the housing (2), wherein the household refrigerating appliance (1) has a sliding device (10) with which the drawer (6) can be automatically moved by motor depending on an initiation criterion, wherein an initiation criterion for starting an automatic movement of the drawer (6) is reaching a value of a chemical parameter and / or physical parameter characterizing a storage condition for a food in the drawer (6) and / or an initiation criterion is a user-defined future time for starting an automatic movement of the drawer (6), wherein the household refrigerating appliance (1) has a control and / or regulating unit (17),with which the fulfillment of such an initiation criterion is checked and, if fulfilled, the starting of the movement occurs automatically independent of the user, characterized in that the household refrigeration appliance (1) has a shock ventilation function in which, in the at least partially extended state of the drawer (6), an air exchange between the drawer (6) and the environment is at least supported by an activated fan (20) of the household refrigeration appliance (1).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a household refrigeration appliance comprising a housing with at least one drawer designed to accommodate food. The drawer can be pushed into and pulled out of the housing. The household refrigeration appliance has a sliding device with which the drawer can be automatically moved by a motor depending on an initiation criterion. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method for operating a household refrigeration appliance.

[0002] A household refrigeration appliance is known from WO 2010 / 107201 A2. This appliance includes a drawer for storing food, which can be pushed in and out linearly along the depth of the appliance. A motorized drive unit is provided for this purpose, which enables this movement. However, this movement is only enabled by an initiation criterion, which corresponds to a user touching a handle. Thus, this extension or retraction is only carried out automatically if such an initiation criterion, in the form of a user touching a handle, has previously been met.

[0003] Such a design therefore only makes it possible to support an already existing opening request by a user with a motor drive.

[0004] US 2009 / 248207 A1 discloses a system and method for driving a drawer of a refrigerator, wherein a drawer can be automatically extended from the refrigerator and / or retracted into a main body of the refrigerator. Furthermore, it is possible to further extend a drawer that has been stopped during the extension process from the main body to complete an action in response to the removal command, or to automatically retract it into the main body to reduce cooling air loss.

[0005] JPH02-136686 A discloses a refrigerator having a drawer container which is automatically moved into the retracted position by a motor if it is not pushed back into the retracted position after a certain period of time after being opened, in order to prevent a temperature rise in a refrigerator due to the outflow of cold air.

[0006] DE 10 2013 225 541 A1 discloses a household refrigeration appliance, comprising a thermally insulated inner container which has two opposite side walls, a bottom wall and a top wall, as well as a rear wall, which delimit a storage space for refrigerated goods, which is accessible via a door leaf movably mounted with respect to the inner container, and comprising at least one shelf arranged in the storage space between the two opposite side walls, which forms a storage area for the refrigerated goods, and a refrigerated goods drawer which is displaceably mounted in the storage space between a closed position and an open position and has a drawer space delimited by at least one drawer wall, wherein the refrigerated goods drawer is designed to seal with an underside of the shelf in its closed position in order to close off the drawer space in a moisture-tight manner.

[0007] DE 10 2015 202 886 A1 discloses a method for operating a household refrigeration appliance with a container which provides a thermally insulated receiving space for refrigerated goods, with a control unit and with a cooling device which is controlled by means of the control unit, wherein a predeterminable storage condition for storing the refrigerated goods in the receiving space is set by means of the cooling device, wherein at least one physical parameter of the household refrigeration appliance is detected by means of at least one sensor unit arranged in the receiving space, the sensor unit is supplied with energy for its intended operation by means of an internal energy supply unit and a signal corresponding to the detected parameter is transmitted wirelessly to the control unit, wherein a refrigerated goods-specific parameter is detected by the sensor unit as the physical parameter.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a household refrigeration appliance and a method in which the motorized movement of a drawer is more tailored to requirements.

[0009] This object is achieved by a household refrigeration appliance and a method according to the independent claims.

[0010] One aspect of the invention relates to a household refrigeration appliance comprising a housing with at least one drawer separate from the housing. The drawer is designed to hold food items. The drawer can be pushed into and pulled out of the housing. Furthermore, the household refrigeration appliance comprises a sliding device with which the drawer can be automatically moved by a motor depending on an initiation criterion. The initiation criterion is understood to be a criterion with which the automatic motorized movement of the drawer is generally initiated. An initiation criterion therefore represents an individual trigger for the motorized automatic movement of the drawer.

[0011] According to the invention, the household refrigeration appliance has a shock ventilation function in which, at least in the extended state of the drawer, an exchange of air between the drawer and the environment is at least supported by an activated fan of the household refrigeration appliance.

[0012] According to one aspect of the invention, an initiation criterion for starting an automatic movement of the drawer, in particular one independent of user action, is in particular reaching a value of a chemical parameter and / or physical parameter characterizing a storage condition for a food item in the drawer. In particular, this relates to opening from the closed state or closing the drawer. In addition to or instead of this, an initiation criterion can be a user-specifically specified future time for starting an automatic movement of the drawer in the future, in particular one independent of a user's hand. The household refrigeration appliance in particular has a control and / or regulating unit with which the fulfillment of such a specific initiation criterion is checked, and if fulfilled, the movement of the drawer is started automatically, independent of the user.Such a design makes drawer movement more flexible and variable, and better adapted to the respective situation. It is no longer necessary, as in the prior art, to automatically support motorized movement only when a user already has a current and immediate desire to open the drawer and this desire is triggered by pressing or grasping a handle. Instead, fundamentally different initiation criteria are used in this context. This allows for better consideration of individual food storage situations in the household refrigeration appliance. This ensures that the drawer is automatically extended and retracted depending on these specific initiation criteria.Thus, with the invention, a user no longer has to actually demonstrate an opening desire through some kind of action. Instead, with the inventive design, the user can be away from the household refrigeration appliance and, in principle, not even think about the appliance at all. Thus, according to the invention, the household refrigeration appliance operates completely independently and opens and closes the drawer completely automatically as needed. The initiation of this movement is also completely automatic and is monitored by the control and / or regulating unit.

[0013] Preferably, an extension path or an extended position of the drawer and / or a duration of an at least partially extended state of the drawer can be determined by the control and / or regulating unit depending on the chemical parameter and / or the physical parameter. This automatically executes a movement that is even more tailored to needs and situation-adapted. In this context, therefore, the motor drive unit no longer only executes some kind of fully extended state; rather, this extension on the path between the fully retracted state and the fully extended state can be executed over only a partial path, depending on the situation.Furthermore, the automatic determination of the duration and / or time for how long this opening, and thus the extended state, is maintained, and / or at what point the extension and / or retraction is completed, is possible. This allows for the extremely flexible and variable movement of the drawer to be carried out completely automatically, with a view to improving storage conditions in the drawer. The introduction of individual temperature and / or humidity inputs and / or individual light inputs into the drawer can thus be carried out automatically in a highly customized and variable manner.

[0014] Preferably, the movement involves extending and retracting the drawer. This fully automatic scenario is thus provided for both the extending movement and, advantageously, also for the retracting movement.

[0015] Preferably, a physical parameter is humidity. The physical parameter can also be temperature. It is also possible for a physical parameter to be the storage time of a stored food. These example physical parameters are not exhaustive, and other physical parameters may also be considered.

[0016] A chemical parameter can, for example, be a concentration of a chemical substance. Likewise, a chemical parameter can be a type of substance composition. It is also possible for a chemical parameter to be a type of stored food and / or a quantity of stored food. Likewise, a weight reduction of a stored food that occurs within a storage time interval can be recorded and evaluated, whereby this weight reduction should also be understood as a chemical parameter.

[0017] Preferably, the household refrigeration appliance comprises at least one sensor with which at least one physical parameter can be detected. Additionally, and instead of this, the household refrigeration appliance may comprise at least one sensor with which at least one chemical parameter can be detected.

[0018] Advantageously, it is provided that tables and / or characteristic curves for at least one chemical parameter and / or at least one physical parameter are stored in the control and / or regulating unit.

[0019] By means of these tables and / or characteristic curves, it can be provided that the control and / or regulating unit is designed to determine the amount of air exchange that should take place between the drawer and the environment. For example, it can be provided that a time-variable setpoint, which can be calculated in liters per hour, for example, can be determined in various ways. For example, according to a first embodiment, it can be provided that this takes place according to fixed specifications, for example through user settings that are generally entered in advance by a user. A corresponding setpoint can also be derived from stored foodstuffs using a database, wherein corresponding information about which foodstuffs are stored can be obtained, for example, automatically or through user input.Automated input and recognition can be achieved, for example, through object recognition, as enabled by cameras or other sensors. Recognition can also be achieved through barcode reading or marker recognition. This enables a constant setpoint over time.

[0020] In an alternative embodiment, the above-mentioned setpoint can be determined process-controlled. This can be done, for example, based on a characteristic curve that changes over a predefined time. For example, a fermentation process in baked goods with baker's yeast can be used for this purpose, in which the state variable of the process, such as a volume increase, is controlled by the temporal sequence of manipulated variables, such as temperature. In this process, reaction variables, such as carbon dioxide production, are derived from the process state, and from this, the necessary variable, such as the required air exchange or a corresponding setpoint, is determined.

[0021] A third option for determining a time-variable setpoint is to use a closed-loop control system. A closed-loop control system can be used to compare a time-variable setpoint, for example a gas concentration, with an actual value of this concentration. A corresponding actual value can be determined using suitable sensors, such as VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) sensors. The setpoint can then be achieved by controlling the air exchange device in the household refrigeration appliance. Control methods such as TID control or fuzzy control can also be used for this purpose. This can then make it possible, for example, to maintain substances such as ethylene at a setpoint in order to achieve targeted ripening of fruit, for example, at a specific time.Based on this principle, however, odors in the interior and thus also in the drawer can also be eliminated by air exchange when an odor threshold is exceeded.

[0022] In particular, it is therefore possible that, due to specific conditions in the drawer, when the conditions reach undesirable levels, the drawer opens automatically, allowing air from the environment to enter the drawer. This can improve the undesirable storage conditions that have been achieved. If an undesirable deviation from the actual storage situation in the drawer with the drawer closed occurs compared to a target state, the drawer can be opened immediately and automatically by a motor as required, so that the target state can be approached. For example, due to deviations in gas concentrations and / or gas compositions, as well as corresponding odors, but also with regard to the humidity and / or temperature in the drawer, individual movements of the drawer can be carried out completely automatically as required.

[0023] A motor for the displacement device can preferably be located within the interior of the household refrigeration appliance itself. However, it can also be positioned elsewhere in the household refrigeration appliance.

[0024] Additionally, it can also be provided that such motor-driven, automatic movement of the drawer occurs based on an initiation criterion, which is a user approaching and / or touching the drawer handle. This is also an advantageous embodiment, particularly when a front wall of the drawer represents the door and is thus a front-facing, visible component or external part. Thus, as is also the case in the prior art, a motor-driven, automatic movement of the drawer can also occur when there is actually a user request at the time, which is initiated by a user approaching or touching a handle of this drawer with their hand.

[0025] In this context, the household refrigeration appliance preferably has a proximity sensor that detects when a hand approaches the handle. A gesture recognition sensor can also be present that detects the corresponding gesture for the current opening request. A voice signal can also be provided, which the user can speak, so that this serves as an initiation criterion, as a result of which the drawer is then automatically moved immediately.

[0026] In a further advantageous embodiment, the household refrigeration appliance can be provided with a fan that can be activated at least temporarily, particularly when the drawer is at least partially open. This allows for even more efficient and faster air exchange.

[0027] Preferably, the shock ventilation function can be automatically activated and / or deactivated by the control and / or regulating unit. Alternatively, this shock ventilation function can also be activated by a user, for example, by specifying a future time at which this shock ventilation should be carried out. This is then also carried out automatically by the control and / or regulating unit.

[0028] Additionally and instead of this, it can be provided that the household refrigeration appliance has at least one flap between the drawer and an outside space, in particular in combination with a fan, wherein the flap can either be opened by a motor or can be forced open by the air flow generated by the fan. This makes it easier to adjust individual flow conditions for air exchange. It can be provided that a corresponding air exchange can take place via individual compartments of the household refrigeration appliance or via individual sections of the household refrigeration appliance or via individual insert boxes or however via the entire interior of the household refrigeration appliance. In this context, the drawer is a tub-like container which can also have a lid.This lid can then be opened or closed individually, creating a freshness box in which individual storage conditions can be set, even independently of any remaining food storage space in which this container is located. A food storage space could be, for example, a refrigerator compartment or a freezer compartment.

[0029] The aforementioned activation of a boost ventilation function can, for example, occur automatically when a door is opened. In this context, a door can also be the front panel of a drawer. Likewise, this activation of the fan can also occur before the drawer is automatically moved from the fully retracted position. Likewise, the boost ventilation function can be activated, for example, by operating a drawer door handle, even at a specific position. This actuation at a specific position, which is then clearly associated with the fan activation request, can in turn be detected by an individual sensor.

[0030] A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating a household refrigeration appliance, in which a drawer of the household refrigeration appliance is automatically displaced by motor into a housing of the household refrigeration appliance by a displacement device of the household refrigeration appliance depending on an initiation criterion. As an initiation criterion for starting automatic movement of the drawer, reaching a value of a parameter and / or physical parameter characterizing a storage condition for a food item in the drawer is specified, and / or as an initiation criterion, a user-specifically specified future time, which is thus offset in the future by a larger time interval from the assignment time, is specified for starting automatic movement of the drawer.In particular, the fulfillment of an initiation criterion is checked by a control and / or regulating unit of the household refrigeration appliance and, if fulfilled, the movement of the drawer is started automatically and independently of the user, wherein the household refrigeration appliance has a shock ventilation function in which, when the drawer is at least partially extended, an exchange of air between the drawer and the environment is at least supported by an activated fan of the household refrigeration appliance.

[0031] Advantageous embodiments of the household refrigeration appliance according to the above-mentioned aspect or an advantageous configuration thereof are to be regarded as advantageous embodiments of the aforementioned method. The components of the household refrigeration appliance in question are suitable for carrying out the method steps individually or in conjunction with one another.

[0032] The invention also makes it possible to remove odors from the interior, and thus from the drawer, of the household refrigeration appliance in a defined manner, independent of the actual use of the appliance. This allows storage conditions for specific foods, such as fruit and vegetables, to be improved, and ripening and / or storage can be automatically monitored and adjusted individually. Gases generated during desired fermentation processes such as dough proving, as well as during the ripening or storage of other foods that can disrupt fruit or vegetables, can then be removed in a targeted and highly customized manner. The processes can thus be maintained and implemented in a highly customized manner.

[0033] The terms “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “back”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “depth direction”, “width direction”, “height direction” etc. indicate the positions and orientations given when the device is used and arranged as intended.

[0034] Further features of the invention emerge from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the respective combination specified, but also in other combinations without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, embodiments are to be regarded as encompassed and disclosed by the invention that are not explicitly shown and explained in the figures, but which emerge and can be produced by separate combinations of features from the explained embodiments. Embodiments and combinations of features are also to be regarded as disclosed that therefore do not have all the features of an originally formulated independent claim.Furthermore, embodiments and combinations of features are to be regarded as disclosed, in particular by the embodiments set out above, which go beyond or deviate from the combinations of features set out in the reliances of the claims.

[0035] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a household refrigeration appliance according to the invention; Fig. 2 a sectional view through a part of the household refrigeration appliance according to Fig. 1 with a drawer shown in the retracted and closed position; and Fig. 3 the representation according to Fig. 2 with extended drawer.

[0036] In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference symbols.

[0037] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a household refrigeration appliance 1, which can be a refrigerator, a freezer, or a refrigerator-freezer combination appliance. The household refrigeration appliance 1 has a housing 2. A first food storage compartment 3, which in this case is a refrigerated compartment, is formed in the housing 2. This storage compartment 3 is closed at the front by a door 4, which is shown here in the closed state. The door 4 is pivotable about an axis oriented in the vertical direction (y-direction).

[0038] In addition, the household refrigeration appliance 1 has a further receiving space 5, in which a drawer 6 is arranged. This drawer 6 is linearly displaceable in the depth direction (z-direction). The drawer 6 has a tub-like container 7 (not visible here). Fig. 2) and a front wall 8. The front wall 8 here represents a door 9, which is also an exterior part or a visible front component. When the drawer 6 is closed, the door 9 also closes off the entire receiving space 5 at the front.

[0039] The household refrigeration appliance 1 has a displacement device 10 ( Fig. 1), which also has a motor 11. With this sliding device 10, the drawer 6 can be automatically extended and retracted in this depth direction.

[0040] In Fig. 2 shows a vertical section (section plane is the yz-plane) of the household refrigeration appliance 1 in the area of ​​the drawer 6. The drawer 6 is shown here in the fully inserted state and thus also in the retracted end position. As can be seen here, the motor 11 is connected via a belt 12 to a gear 13, which engages a rack 14 arranged on the drawer 6. As shown in Fig. 1, the drawer 6 has a door handle 15, particularly on the front wall 8. Provision can be made for at least one sensor 16, which is a proximity sensor or a touch sensor. The approach of a hand or finger and / or a touch is then detected, and a current, actual and immediate opening request from the user is recognized. The automatic, motor-driven extension or retraction of the drawer 6 can then be carried out by a control and / or regulating unit 17 of the household refrigeration appliance 1.

[0041] On the other hand, in addition to or instead of this, it is provided that the essential initiation criterion for starting an automatic movement of the drawer 6, independent of a user action, is the reaching of a value of a chemical parameter and / or physical parameter characterizing a storage condition for a food item in the drawer 6. In addition to or instead of this, an initiation criterion for starting an automatic movement of the drawer 6, independent of a user action, can be a future time point individually specified by the user for such a start of the movement of the drawer 6.If such an initiation criterion is fulfilled, which is monitored and checked in particular via the control and / or regulating unit 17, and if such a fulfillment of an initiation criterion thus occurs, the movement of the drawer 6 is started automatically and independently of the user, via the control and / or regulating unit 17.

[0042] In this context, it can also be additionally provided that at least one further sensor 18 and / or 19 can be arranged in the drawer 6 and / or in the receiving space 5. In an advantageous embodiment, it is provided that a fan 20 is arranged in the receiving space 5. This fan can be automatically activated by the control and / or regulating unit 17 in order to accelerate the air exchange when the drawer 6 is at least partially open. It can also be provided that an evaporator 21 is advantageously arranged in the receiving space 5.

[0043] Based on the Fig. 2, the drawer 6 can then be extended completely automatically depending on at least one of the above-mentioned initiation criteria, which relates to the reaching of a value of a physical parameter and / or a chemical parameter and / or the reaching of a user-specific future time. These user-specific future times are to be understood in such a way that such a future time does not relate to a time in which the user is standing directly in front of the household refrigeration appliance 1 and immediately has a desire to open the drawer 6 or a desire to retract the drawer 6.

[0044] As already explained above, this is fulfilled by, for example, touching the door handle 15 or approaching it, which, however, must be distinguished from the other initiation criteria above.

[0045] In Fig. 3, the drawer 6 is shown in a specific extended position or with a specific extension path. The fully extended state is not shown here, but the drawer 6 could be extended even further. With the illustration in Fig. 3 should also clarify that, depending on initiation criteria, which in particular have reached specific storage situations or storage conditions in the receiving space 5 and thus also in the drawer 6 and which may be undesirable, a specific extension path is determined in this regard and / or a period of time for how long the drawer 6 is to be opened, in particular for how long it is to remain in this specific extension position.

[0046] It may also be provided that the changing storage conditions in the Fig.3, and then, if necessary, the drawer 6 is opened further or retracted slightly. This allows for a very dynamic response to changing storage conditions when the drawer 6 is partially open, so that a particularly needs-based and, if necessary, time-optimized adaptation of the storage conditions to a desired actual storage condition, particularly with regard to air exchange, can be achieved.

[0047] By means of the fan 20, a shock ventilation function of the household refrigeration appliance 1 in the receiving space 5 and also in the drawer 6 can also be carried out, in particular at least supported. List of reference symbols 1 household refrigeration appliance 2 housings 3 Recording room 4 Door 5 Recording room 6 drawers 7 containers 8 Front wall 9 Door 10 Shifting device 11 Engine 12 belts 13 gear 14 Rack 15 Door handle 16 Sensor 17 Control and / or regulation unit 18 Sensor 19 Sensor 20 fans 21 evaporators

Claims

[1] Household refrigeration appliance (1) with a housing (2) and with at least one drawer (6) which is designed to hold foodstuffs and which can be pushed into and pulled out of the housing (2), wherein the household refrigeration appliance (1) has a displacement device (10) with which the drawer (6) can be automatically displaced by a motor depending on an initiation criterion, wherein an initiation criterion for starting an automatic movement of the drawer (6) is reaching a value of a chemical parameter and / or physical parameter characterizing a storage condition for a foodstuff in the drawer (6) and / or an initiation criterion is a user-specific predetermined future time for starting an automatic movement of the drawer (6), wherein the household refrigeration appliance (1) has a control and / or regulating unit (17),with which the fulfillment of such an initiation criterion is checked and, if fulfilled, the movement is started automatically, independent of the user, characterized by that the household refrigeration appliance (1) has a shock ventilation function, in which, when the drawer (6) is at least partially extended, an exchange of air between the drawer (6) and the environment is at least supported by an activated fan (20) of the household refrigeration appliance (1). [2] Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that an extension path and / or a duration of an at least partially extended state of the drawer (6) can be determined by the control and / or regulating unit (17) depending on the chemical parameter and / or physical parameter. [3] Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat an extension path and / or a duration of an at least partially extended state of the drawer (6) can be determined by the control and / or regulating unit (17) depending on a time interval between two user-specifically predetermined future times. [4] Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the movement concerns extending and retracting. [5] Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a physical parameter is a humidity and / or a temperature and / or a storage time of a stored food. [6] Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a chemical parameter is a concentration of a chemical substance and / or a type of composition of substances and / or a type of stored food and / or a quantity of stored food. [7] Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the household refrigeration appliance (1) has at least one sensor (18, 19) for detecting values ​​of a chemical parameter and / or at least one sensor (18, 19) for detecting values ​​of a physical parameter. [8] Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the control and / or regulating unit (17) has tables and / or characteristic curves for at least one chemical parameter and / or at least one physical parameter. [9] Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the shock ventilation function can be automatically activated and / or deactivated by the control and / or regulating unit (17). [10] Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, characterized by that the shock ventilation function can be activated and / or deactivated by a user.[11] A method for operating a household refrigeration appliance (1), in which a drawer (6) of the household refrigeration appliance (1) is automatically displaced by a motor into a housing (2) of the household refrigeration appliance (1) by a displacement device (10) of the household refrigeration appliance (1) depending on an initiation criterion, wherein an initiation criterion for starting an automatic movement of the drawer (6) is the reaching of a value of a chemical parameter and / or physical parameter characterising a storage condition for a food item in the drawer (6) and / or an initiation criterion is a user-specifically predetermined future time for starting an automatic movement of the drawer (6), wherein the fulfillment of the initiation criterion is checked by a control and / or regulating unit (17) of the household refrigeration appliance (1) and, if fulfilled, the movement is started automatically and independently of the user,wherein the household refrigeration appliance (1) has a shock ventilation function, in which, in the at least partially extended state of the drawer (6), an air exchange between the drawer (6) and the environment is at least supported by an activated fan (20) of the household refrigeration appliance (1).

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