household appliance

Abstract

The present invention relates to a household appliance, in particular a refrigerator and / or freezer, with a dispensing unit comprising components and thermal insulation arranged to insulate the appliance at least partially, wherein the thermal insulation comprises a vacuum insulation body.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a household appliance, in particular a refrigerator and / or freezer, having a dispensing unit comprising components and a thermal insulation arranged to thermally insulate the appliance at least in regions.

[0002] Refrigerators and / or freezers with one or more dispensing units, such as water dispensers or ice makers, are known from the state of the art.

[0003] Known devices from the state of the art have thermal insulation with foam insulation, e.g. with polyurethane foam.

[0004] Known ice makers are usually installed in a freezer compartment of the appliance as a module in a door of the appliance.

[0005] Foam insulations exhibit a high degree of geometric flexibility, as almost any geometries can be foamed, allowing inner containers, doors and / or receiving geometries for accommodating a dispensing unit to be manufactured without great design and manufacturing effort.

[0006] However, foam insulation has the disadvantage that it requires a large foam volume to achieve good insulation.

[0007] It is also known to thermally insulate refrigerators and / or freezers with one or more vacuum insulation bodies. However, vacuum insulation bodies exhibit less geometric flexibility, as a vacuum must be created and maintained within them. For example, passages through and recesses in a vacuum insulation body cannot be realized at will, which complicates the integration of a vacuum insulation body into a refrigerator and / or freezer with a dispensing unit.

[0008] Against this background, the present invention is based on the object of improving an above-mentioned household appliance, in particular a refrigerator and / or freezer, in particular with regard to thermal insulation and the arrangement and / or operation of a dispensing unit.

[0009] This object is achieved by the subject matter having the features of independent claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0010] Accordingly, according to the invention, the thermal insulation comprises a vacuum insulation body.

[0011] The vacuum insulation body is preferably arranged between an inner container and / or an inner wall of the device and an outer wall of the device.

[0012] It is preferably provided that the device has full vacuum insulation and / or that the dispensing unit has dispensing unit thermal insulation with a vacuum insulation body and / or a vacuum insulation panel and / or foam insulation, wherein the dispensing unit thermal insulation is arranged in such a way as to thermally insulate the dispensing unit and / or the components at least in regions.

[0013] Preferably, the dispensing unit comprises a water dispenser and / or an ice maker or is a water dispenser or an ice maker.

[0014] It is preferably provided that the output unit and / or at least one of the components is at least partially designed in the form of a module or a retractable and extendable insert part.

[0015] It is preferably provided that the device has a cooled interior space and a closure element, in particular a door, which is designed and arranged to close the cooled interior space, and at least one of the components is arranged at least partially in the cooled interior space and / or at least partially in a wall, in particular a side, rear, or closure element wall of the device, in particular between an inner container or an inner door and the vacuum insulation body.

[0016] It is preferably provided that the dispensing unit and / or at least one component has a support and / or fastening means for supporting and / or fastening a built-in part, in particular a support for a storage shelf or a pull-out rail for a drawer or functional element, in particular an electrical and / or electronic component, for example a sensor and / or fan.

[0017] It is preferably provided that the dispensing unit and / or at least one of the components are arranged at least partially in or on a component, in particular a horizontally arranged and preferably extendable component, in particular a partition plate or a drawer.

[0018] It is preferably provided that the separating plate has thermal insulation at least in some areas and / or is arranged between two temperature zones of the device and / or that the separating plate has a passage through which the output unit and / or at least one of the components runs at least in some areas.

[0019] It is preferably provided that the components comprise a component for water guidance and / or storage and / or a component for ice guidance and / or storage, wherein in particular the component for water guidance and / or storage is arranged, preferably predominantly or at least in regions, in a region of the device with an average temperature above 0°C and / or wherein in particular the component for ice guidance and / or storage is arranged, preferably predominantly or at least in regions, in a region of the device with an average temperature below 0°C.

[0020] It is preferably provided that the device and / or the dispensing unit has a heating means, wherein the component for water supply and / or storage can be heated directly and / or indirectly by the heating means at least in part.

[0021] It is preferably provided that the component for conducting water is designed and arranged, in particular with a gradient, in such a way that water present in the component can flow independently, in particular by gravity, out of the component for conducting water.

[0022] It is preferably provided that the output unit and / or at least one of the components is removable.

[0023] Preferably, the components comprise a water filter, a water tank, a water valve, a water line, an electrical line, a container for ice, a conveying mechanism for ice, an evaporator, one or more refrigeration components, a dispensing device, in particular for dispensing water and / or ice, and / or an actuating element, in particular for controlling a dispensing of water and / or ice.

[0024] The invention also relates to a method for producing a household appliance, in particular according to the invention, wherein a receiving space is created and the dispensing unit, at least one component and / or a receiving unit for receiving the dispensing unit and / or at least one component is arranged in the receiving space, wherein the receiving space is then at least partially enclosed by a vacuum insulation body.

[0025] It is conceivable that dispensing takes place via or at a locking element, in particular a door.

[0026] It is conceivable that the dispensing unit and / or at least one of the components is attached to an inner door and / or an upper door insert part.

[0027] It is conceivable that the device has a recess arranged at the top, in the middle and / or on the side, wherein the output unit and / or at least one of the components is arranged in or on the recess.

[0028] It is conceivable that the device has a multifunctional ceiling module arranged at the top, in the middle and / or on the side, wherein the output unit and / or at least one of the components is arranged in or on the ceiling module.

[0029] It is conceivable that the water tank is located at least partially on or in the rear wall.

[0030] It is conceivable that the output unit and / or at least one of the components is arranged at least partially in or on a storage system or a partition plate.

[0031] It is conceivable that the dispensing unit has an ice production component as a component.

[0032] It is conceivable that the dispensing unit has a rotatable ice cube tray as a component, wherein an axis of the rotatable ice cube tray runs parallel to a sealing plane, e.g. a plane of a door seal.

[0033] A water filter may be located downstream of the dispensing unit's water valve or faucet.

[0034] A water solenoid valve can be arranged in or on a water pipe, in particular in the form of an inlet hose.

[0035] The water pipe can run at least partially along the back of the device.

[0036] It is conceivable that the ice can be produced above a base of the device and can be conveyed upwards within the device.

[0037] Container for ice can be designed in the form of an ice drawer, whereby the bottom of the ice drawer is preferably designed to be sloping towards the front.

[0038] Preferably, the processing unit comprises three modules, each containing at least one of the components, wherein one module is arranged at least partially in or on or in the region of a base of the device, one module is arranged at least partially in or on or in the region of a ceiling of the device, and one module is arranged at least partially in or on or in the region of a, in particular horizontal, partition plate. Preferably, all components of the processing unit, in particular with the exception of cables, are contained in the three modules. It is conceivable that walls, in particular the rear walls, between the modules have a cover and / or an air duct.

[0039] In particular, the water tank and / or the water filter are removable.

[0040] Preferably, it is provided that a water line coming from outside the device runs at least partially through the passage, in particular over a short route, to the dispensing unit and / or at least one of the components.

[0041] The ice can be in the form of ice cubes.

[0042] The components may include means for dispensing and / or storing water and / or ice.

[0043] The evaporator is preferably separate from any other evaporator in the device.

[0044] In particular, it is intended that the water pipe can be heated at least in part by the heating medium.

[0045] The dispensing unit and / or the dispensing device is preferably accessible when the closure element is open.

[0046] The electrical and / or electronic component can also be the output device.

[0047] The water pipes for supplying at least one of the ice-making components with water are preferably laid in such a way that complete emptying of the water pipe is ensured after the ice-making component has been filled with the intended amount of water.

[0048] The vacuum insulation body may contain zeolite.

[0049] Preferably, the device has full vacuum insulation and / or the vacuum insulation body is designed in one piece or in several pieces.

[0050] Full vacuum insulation is preferably understood to mean thermal insulation that consists exclusively or predominantly, in particular to more than 80% or more than 90%, of a vacuum insulation body with an evacuated region filled with a core material, such as perlite or perlite rock. The boundary of this region can be formed, for example, by a vacuum-tight, in particular multi-layer, film and preferably by a high-barrier film with a very low gas transmission coefficient. Thus, between an inner wall of the device and an outer skin of the device, the only thermal insulation that can be present is a film body that has a region surrounded by a vacuum-tight film, in particular a high-barrier film, in which a vacuum prevails and in which a core material is arranged.Foam and / or vacuum insulation panels as thermal insulation or any other thermal insulation other than full vacuum insulation, in particular between the inside and outside of the device, are preferably not provided.

[0051] In other words, it is preferably provided that the household appliance, in particular a refrigerator and / or freezer, with a full vacuum insulation comprising perlite and a film, has a dispensing unit for water and / or ice.

[0052] The film is preferably a gas-tight film and particularly preferably a high-barrier film. The term "high-barrier film" preferably refers to a film by means of which the gas ingress into the vacuum insulation body is reduced to such an extent that the increase in the thermal conductivity of the vacuum insulation body caused by gas ingress is sufficiently low over its service life. A service life can be assumed, for example, to be 15 years, preferably 20 years, and particularly preferably 30 years. The increase in the thermal conductivity of the vacuum insulation body caused by gas ingress over its service life is preferably < 100% and particularly preferably < 50%. The area-specific gas transmission rate of the high-barrier film is preferably < 10-5 mbar * l / s *m 2 and particularly preferably < 10-6 mbar

[0053] * l / s *m 2(measured according to ASTM D-3985). This gas transmission rate applies to nitrogen and oxygen. For other gases (especially water vapor), low gas transmission rates also exist, preferably in the range of < 10-2 mbar * l / s * m 2 and particularly preferably in the range of < 10-3 mbar * l / s * m 2 (measured according to ASTM F-1249-90). Preferably, these low gas transmission rates achieve the aforementioned low increases in thermal conductivity. High-barrier films, in the context of the present invention, are preferably understood to mean single- or multi-layer films (which are preferably sealable) with one or more barrier layers (typically metallic layers or oxide layers, with aluminum or an aluminum oxide preferably being used as the metal or oxide) that meet the above-mentioned requirements (increase in thermal conductivity and / or area-specific gas transmission rate) as a barrier against gas ingress.

[0054] The term "household appliance" is to be understood broadly in the context of this invention. This includes both appliances intended and suitable for private use and commercial appliances.

[0055] It should be noted here that the terms "a" and "an" do not necessarily refer to exactly one of the elements, although this represents a possible embodiment, but can also refer to a plurality of the elements. Likewise, the use of the plural also includes the presence of the element in question in the singular, and conversely, the singular also encompasses several of the elements in question. Furthermore, all features of the invention described herein can be combined with one another as desired or claimed in isolation from one another.

[0056] Further advantages, features and effects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments.

[0057] A first embodiment relates to an embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention in the form of a refrigerator and / or freezer with a dispensing unit having components and a thermal insulation arranged to thermally insulate the appliance at least in regions, wherein the thermal insulation comprises a vacuum insulation body.

[0058] The dispensing unit is a combination of an ice maker and a water dispenser.

[0059] The device features full vacuum insulation, and thermal insulation in the form of foam insulation is arranged around at least some of the dispensing unit. In one variant, the dispensing unit is also thermally insulated with a vacuum insulation body, at least in some areas.

[0060] The ice maker is partially located in a freezer section of the appliance and the water dispenser is completely located in a refrigerator section of the appliance.

[0061] The output unit is designed as a modular, retractable insert.

[0062] The dispensing unit includes as components a water filter, a water tank, a water valve, water lines, electrical lines, a container for ice, an ice conveying mechanism, a dispensing device for dispensing water, a dispensing device for dispensing ice, and an actuating element for controlling a dispensing of water and ice.

[0063] The water line and the electrical line are arranged at least partially in a wall of the device between an inner container and the vacuum insulation body.

[0064] The water lines include lines supplying an ice-making component of the ice maker, which are routed in such a way as to ensure complete drainage after the ice-making components have been filled with the required amount of water. The lines are sloped for this purpose. The lines are ventilated.

[0065] The water dispenser, the ice dispenser, and the control element for controlling the dispensing of water and ice are located in one door of the appliance. This allows a user to dispense water and / or ice without opening the door.

[0066] The door is a French door with two leaves, with the dispensing device for dispensing water, the dispensing device for dispensing ice and the actuating element for controlling the dispensing of water and ice arranged in one leaf.

[0067] A second embodiment relates to a method for producing a household appliance in the form of a refrigerator and / or freezer, wherein a receiving space is created and a receiving unit for receiving a dispensing unit is arranged in the receiving space, wherein the receiving space is then at least partially enclosed by a vacuum insulation body.

[0068] The output unit is then at least partially arranged in the receiving unit.

[0069] This simplifies the installation of an output unit in a device with full vacuum thermal insulation.

Claims

[1] Household appliance, in particular a refrigerator and / or freezer, with a dispensing unit having components and a thermal insulation arranged to thermally insulate the appliance at least in some areas, characterized by that the thermal insulation has a vacuum insulation body. [2] Household appliance according to claim 1, characterized by that the device has full vacuum insulation and / or that the dispensing unit has dispensing unit thermal insulation with a vacuum insulation body and / or a vacuum insulation panel and / or foam insulation, wherein the dispensing unit thermal insulation is arranged in such a way as to thermally insulate the dispensing unit and / or the components at least in regions. [3] Household appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the dispensing unit has a water dispenser and / or an ice maker or is a water dispenser or an ice maker. [4] Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the output unit and / or at least one of the components is at least partially designed in the form of a module or a retractable and extendable insert part. [5] Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the device has a cooled interior space and a closure element, in particular a door, which is designed and arranged to close the cooled interior space, and at least one of the components is arranged at least partially in the cooled interior space and / or at least partially in a wall, in particular a side, rear, or closure element wall of the device, in particular between an inner container or an inner door and the vacuum insulation body. [6] Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the output unit and / or at least one component has a support and / or fastening means for supporting and / or fastening a built-in part, in particular a support for a storage shelf or a pull-out rail for a drawer or functional element, in particular an electrical and / or electronic component, for example a sensor and / or fan. [7] Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the dispensing unit and / or at least one of the components are arranged at least partially in or on a, in particular horizontally arranged and preferably extendable component, in particular a partition plate or a drawer. [8] Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the partition plate has thermal insulation at least in some areas and / or is arranged between two temperature zones of the device and / or that the partition plate has a passage through which the output unit and / or at least one of the components runs at least in some areas. [9] Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the components comprise a component for water supply and / or storage and / or a component for ice supply and / or storage, wherein in particular the component for water supply and / or storage is arranged, preferably predominantly or at least in part, in a region of the device with an average temperature above 0°C and / or wherein in particular the component for ice supply and / or storage is arranged, preferably predominantly or at least in part, in a region of the device with an average temperature below 0°C. [10] Household appliance according to claim 9, characterized by that the device and / or the dispensing unit has a heating means, wherein the component for water supply and / or storage can be heated directly and / or indirectly by the heating means, at least in part. [11] Household appliance according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by that the water-guiding component is designed and arranged, in particular with a gradient, in such a way that water present in the component can flow independently, in particular by gravity, out of the water-guiding component. [12] Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the output unit and / or at least one of the components is removable. [13] Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the components comprise a water filter, a water tank, a water valve, a water pipe, an electrical line, a container for ice, a conveying mechanism for ice, an evaporator, one or more refrigeration components, a dispensing device, in particular for dispensing water and / or ice, and / or an actuating element, in particular for controlling a dispensing of water and / or ice. [14] Method for producing a household appliance, in particular according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a receiving space is created and the output unit, at least one component and / or a receiving unit for receiving the output unit and / or at least one component is arranged in the receiving space, wherein the receiving space is then at least partially enclosed by a vacuum insulation body.