DOOR SYSTEM FOR A REFRIGERATOR

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a door system for a refrigerator and a refrigerator with such a door system.

[0002] Door systems for refrigeration appliances typically comprise at least one refrigeration door, which can be pivotally mounted on a refrigeration appliance using an associated bearing arrangement. In door systems for cabinet-type refrigeration appliances, the refrigeration door can be pivoted about a substantially vertically oriented pivot axis between a closed position, in which the refrigeration appliance is essentially closed by the refrigeration door, and an open position, which allows access to the interior of the refrigeration appliance. Such door systems or refrigeration doors are also referred to as vertical door systems or vertical refrigeration doors.

[0003] In its open position, the refrigerator door should allow the easiest possible access to the interior of the refrigerator. Ideally, goods can then be quickly and easily inserted and / or removed from the interior. In its closed position, the refrigerator door should seal off the interior of the refrigerator in such a way that any thermal losses are minimized. For example, the refrigerator door then closes off the interior of the refrigerator in such a way that essentially no cold air can escape through an access opening. A door system for refrigerators therefore has two main functions: firstly, it should allow easy access to the interior and secondly, it should increase the energy efficiency of the refrigerator.

[0004] However, a simple, vertically pivoting refrigerator door can inadvertently be left open after goods have been removed and / or inserted. In this case, the refrigerator door can no longer perform its insulating function, and the energy efficiency of the refrigerator is correspondingly reduced, for example because cooled air escapes. For this reason, self-closing refrigerator doors are sometimes provided. These are mounted, for example, on an inclined plane, which causes the refrigerator door to automatically return from an open to the closed position. A disadvantage of such a door system, however, is the large amount of space required for corresponding storage. In addition, the automatic closing can hinder the removal and / or insertion of goods. State-of-the-art examples include the

[0005] Documents DE 20 2008 013 991 U1, DE 203 06 043 U1, WO 2006 / 016304 A2, US 2005 / 206286 A1 and WO 2006 / 120105 A2 are known.

[0006] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a door system for a refrigeration device that allows particularly easy insertion and / or removal of goods into the interior of the refrigeration device while simultaneously ensuring particularly high efficiency of the refrigeration device. Furthermore, the object of the present invention is to create a refrigeration device in which these advantages are also realized.

[0007] This object is achieved according to the invention by a door system having the features of patent claim 1. Furthermore, this object is achieved by a refrigeration device having the features of patent claim 10. Advantageous embodiments with expedient refinements of the invention are disclosed in the respective subclaims. Advantageous embodiments of the door system can be regarded as advantageous embodiments of the refrigeration device according to claim 10.

[0008] A first aspect of the invention relates to a door system for a refrigeration appliance according to claim 1. The door system comprises at least one refrigeration appliance door and an associated bearing arrangement. The bearing arrangement is suitable for pivotally mounting the refrigeration appliance door on a refrigeration appliance such that the refrigeration appliance door can be pivoted about a substantially vertically oriented pivot axis between a closed position, in which the refrigeration appliance is closed by the refrigeration appliance door, and an open position, which allows access to the interior of the refrigeration appliance, wherein the refrigeration appliance door defines an opening angle relative to the refrigeration appliance.Furthermore, the door system has at least one spring element which is connected to the refrigerator door and is suitable for engaging with the refrigerator in such a way that the refrigerator door is pressed into the closed position by the spring element at an opening angle smaller than a first limit angle and is pressed into the open position by the spring element at an opening angle greater than a second limit angle.

[0009] This ensures that the refrigerator door closes automatically again when the opening angle is smaller than a first limiting angle. If it is only partially opened, i.e. opened with an opening angle smaller than the first limiting angle, it is easy for a supermarket customer, for example, to remove individual items from the refrigerator. At the same time, it is ensured that the refrigerator then closes again and the interior, i.e. the cooled interior of the refrigerator, is sealed again to ensure particularly low energy consumption of the refrigerator and to maintain the cooled internal temperature. At the same time, it is possible to open the refrigerator door particularly wide, i.e. wider than the second limiting angle, whereby the refrigerator door is then automatically pushed into the open position and is thus held in the open position by the spring element.This makes it possible to open the refrigerator door so wide that it no longer closes automatically. This means that a potentially lengthy loading and unloading of a large number of goods, for example by a supermarket employee, is not hindered by an otherwise automatically closing door. This makes it particularly easy to load and / or remove goods. Both the opening and closing of the refrigerator door can be achieved by a single spring element, making the door system particularly cost-effective and space-saving.

[0010] The first and second limiting angles are preferably identical, so that the refrigerator door is pushed into the closed position by the spring element when the opening angle is smaller than the first limiting angle, and is pushed into the open position by the spring element when the opening angle is larger than the first limiting angle. However, the first limiting angle can also be smaller than the second limiting angle. If there is a difference between the first limiting angle and the second limiting angle, there can in particular be a certain angular range of the opening angle in which the refrigerator door does not open and / or close automatically. This angular range can also be technically determined by friction in the bearing arrangement and / or a lever arm of the spring element. The difference between the second and first limiting angles is preferably less than 20°, more preferably less than 10°, and particularly preferably less than 5°.

[0011] The first critical angle is preferably greater than 60°, more preferably greater than 70°, and particularly preferably greater than 80°. The second critical angle is preferably less than 120°, more preferably less than 110°, and particularly preferably less than 100°. In a particularly preferred embodiment, both the first and the second critical angle lie in the interval [80°, 100°], preferably in the interval [85°, 95°].

[0012] In the open position, the opening angle is preferably at least 90°, more preferably at least 100°, and particularly preferably at least 110°. However, for directly adjacent doors, the open position can also be defined by an opening angle of less than 90°, for example, 85°.

[0013] The refrigerator door preferably has a main extension plane that is substantially parallel to the pivot axis. The main extension plane can thus be formed by the pivot axis and a direction perpendicular to the pivot axis. The pivot axis can also deviate slightly from a vertical line, for example, by 0.5°-3°, and the refrigerator door can also have a certain curvature. However, a flat refrigerator door and a vertical pivot axis are particularly preferred.

[0014] The refrigeration appliance with a door system according to claim 1 can be, for example, a refrigerator, a cold storage cell and / or a refrigerated shelf, in particular a professional refrigeration appliance for retailers of refrigerated goods, for example for a supermarket. The refrigeration appliance door is preferably transparent at least in some areas, in particular see-through, and can also be referred to simply as a door below. The refrigeration appliance door can be designed, for example, as a glass or plastic door. As a result, goods stored in the refrigeration appliance behind the refrigeration appliance door can be visible from the outside even when the refrigeration appliance is in the closed position. The refrigeration appliance door can have an insulating function; in particular, respective sealing elements, for example in the form of sealing lips, can be provided on a contact surface of the refrigeration appliance door with the refrigeration appliance.The refrigerator door can, for example, have multiple glazing, wherein an insulating gas can be provided in a space between the respective glass layers. The door system according to claim 1 can, for example, also be designed as a double-door system in which two refrigerator doors are provided next to one another in a horizontal direction, wherein the respective pivot axis is preferably arranged on a side facing away from the adjacent pivot door. In principle, the door system can comprise a plurality of refrigerator doors. The respective refrigerator door can be rotated exclusively about its pivot axis for opening and / or closing, but embodiments can also be provided in which the refrigerator door rotates both about its pivot axis and performs a translational movement for opening and / or closing in order to thus expose an access opening particularly widely.

[0015] An access opening of the refrigeration device can be delimited at least in part by a frame element which is connected or connectable to the rest of the refrigeration device housing. The door system can be attached to the refrigeration device housing particularly easily using this frame, for example by attaching the bearing arrangement to the frame. However, the door system can also be attached directly to the refrigeration device housing using the bearing arrangement. The bearing arrangement can be covered by the frame of the refrigeration device and / or by other elements, in particular additional panels. This can protect the bearing arrangement from dirt. In addition, the bearing mechanism of the door system can be concealed from users of the refrigeration device by means of respective cover elements, thus creating a particularly high-quality impression.

[0016] The closed position of the refrigerator door can be defined by the refrigerator door resting against the refrigerator, in particular a housing of the refrigerator, and the associated closing of the interior of the refrigerator. The open position can be defined by the fact that it is the position into which the refrigerator door is automatically pushed by the spring element without the action of further forces if it was previously at an opening angle that is greater than the second limit angle. If appropriate, it can be provided that the refrigerator door can be opened further manually. The opening angle of the refrigerator door can be defined in particular by an angle between a main extension plane of the refrigerator door and a side of the refrigerator facing the refrigerator door.The side of the refrigerator facing the refrigerator door can, in particular, also correspond to a plane defined by an access opening to the interior of the refrigerator. The opening angle can therefore also be formed by an angle between the main extension plane of the door and a main extension plane of the access opening.

[0017] In the open position, the opening angle is preferably at least 90°, more preferably at least 100° and particularly preferably at least 110°. In the case of directly adjacent doors, the open position can also be defined by an opening angle of less than 90°, for example 85°. If the opening angle in the open position is e.g. 120°, the door system can, for example, be designed such that the spring element presses the refrigerator door into the open position at an opening angle of 90° to 120°. At an opening angle of less than e.g. 90° to 0°, the refrigerator door is pressed by the spring element into the closed position (with an opening angle of 0°). When mounted to the rest of the refrigerator, an opening angle of 0° corresponds to the closed position of the refrigerator door, the refrigerator door then rests against and seals the refrigerator. The spring element is preferably designed ormounted so that it still exerts a closing force on the refrigerator door in the closed position to ensure that the refrigerator door remains closed.

[0018] The force exerted by the spring element on the refrigerator door is designed to account for the weight of the refrigerator door and the frictional forces that occur during pivoting. The spring element is preferably capable of exerting a force in the range between 20 N and 80 N, preferably between 30 N and 60 N.

[0019] The spring element is provided with a gas pressure spring. In particular, the spring element can be designed as a gas pressure spring. The gas pressure spring can also be referred to as a gas spring. A gas pressure spring can provide a high force for pushing the door into the closed and / or open positions in a particularly space-saving manner. In addition, a gas pressure spring is low-wear and forms a closed spring system. This makes it particularly difficult for users of the refrigerator to intervene in the mechanics of the bearing arrangement. In particular, it is difficult for users to pinch their fingers, as is easily possible with a coil spring, for example.

[0020] In a further advantageous embodiment of the door system according to the invention, the door system further comprises an eccentric element, by means of which the spring element is connected to the refrigerator door. In particular, the spring element can be attached to the refrigerator door by means of the eccentric element at a distance from the refrigerator door and in particular to its pivot axis. This spacing is preferably in a plane perpendicular to the main extension plane of the refrigerator door and / or the pivot axis, which can also be referred to as a horizontal plane. A door-side end of the spring element can therefore be connected to the refrigerator door by means of an eccentric element. This makes it possible to provide a lever arm by means of which the refrigerator door can be pushed into the closed position and / or into the open position by the spring element with a particularly low force. This allows the spring element to be particularly small and cost-effective.In addition, the first limit angle and the second limit angle can be easily determined by an angle in the horizontal plane between the eccentric element and the main extension direction of the refrigerator door.

[0021] In a further advantageous embodiment of the door system according to the invention, the orientation of the eccentric element relative to the refrigerator door is adjustable in order to define the first limit angle and / or the second limit angle. This allows for particularly quick and easy adjustment of the opening angles at which the refrigerator door automatically closes and / or opens. This allows the door system to be adapted to the specific boundary conditions of the intended location of the refrigerator, for example, to take into account obstacles in the opening area of ​​the refrigerator door.

[0022] Preferably, the adjustment is achieved by changing an angle between the eccentric element and the refrigerator door in the horizontal plane. The angle can be defined in particular between the main extension plane of the refrigerator door and by an imaginary line between a fastening point of the spring element with the eccentric element and the pivot axis. Alternatively, adjustability can also be achieved by replacing the eccentric element, which then has a different length and / or shape. By changing the angle and / or the distance of the door-side end of the spring element to the pivot axis of the refrigerator door, the force by means of which the spring element presses the refrigerator door into the open position and / or the closed position can also be easily changed.

[0023] In the door system according to the invention as claimed in claim 1, it is provided that it comprises at least one limiting element by means of which the opening angle of the refrigerator door is limited to a maximum opening angle. The limiting element can be designed, for example, as a stop. By means of the limiting element, the maximum opening angle and / or the opening angle in the open position can be easily adapted to the respective framework conditions of the planned location of the refrigerator. For example, a smaller opening angle can be provided as the open position if the refrigerator is to be installed in a corner of a room. Likewise, in the case of adjacent refrigerators, in which respective refrigerator doors move towards one another when opened, it can be provided that these cannot collide with one another in the open position or at their maximum opening angle.In this case, for example, a maximum opening angle of less than 90° can be provided. Otherwise, a maximum opening angle of up to 120° can preferably be provided for particularly easy access to the interior of the refrigerator. The limiting element can also provide additional support for the refrigerator door and thus protect the bearing arrangement from overloads. Furthermore, the limiting element can protect the spring element from overloads, in particular from overextension and the associated damage when opening and / or attempting to open beyond the open position and / or the maximum opening angle.

[0024] It is also provided that the maximum opening angle is adjustable. For this purpose, it can be provided in particular that the limiting element comprises an adjustment element, in particular a screw element, by means of which the maximum angle can be adjusted. For example, the limiting element can be a screw rod whose length can be changed by screwing two respective screw elements together or apart. Alternatively, for example, a limiting element designed as a stop can be attached to the refrigerator door and / or the refrigerator so that its position can be changed. This allows the door system to be adapted particularly easily and quickly to the respective conditions of the planned location.

[0025] In any case, the limiting element is designed as a coupling rod with a first end and an opposite second end, wherein the first end of the coupling rod is connected to the refrigerator door and the second end of the coupling rod is suitable for engaging with the refrigerator. This allows the refrigerator door to be mounted on the refrigerator in the manner of a three-point bearing. The refrigerator door is thus supported not only on the pivot axis but also additionally by the limiting element. The limiting element therefore not only functions as a stop but also as additional support for the door. This means that the refrigerator door can absorb particularly high loads due to misuse, for example when a person leans on a handle of the refrigerator door. The door system, in particular its bearing arrangement, can thus be particularly compact and robust.The coupling rod can be designed as a straight, continuous, and uniform element, making it particularly robust and cost-effective. In the simplest case, the coupling rod is simply a continuous rod with two fastening options at each end. However, the coupling rod can also consist of multiple elements, for example, two angle pieces pivoted against each other. This design is particularly compact.

[0026] In a further advantageous embodiment of the door system according to the invention, it is provided that the first end of the coupling rod is rotatably connected to the refrigerator door and the second end of the coupling rod is suitable for being received in a sliding and rotatable manner in a guide rail. The guide rail can in particular be a guide rail of the refrigerator, which can also be integrated, for example, in a frame of the refrigerator. Alternatively, the first end of the coupling rod can be received in a sliding and rotatable manner in a guide rail of the refrigerator door and the second end of the coupling rod can be suitable for being mounted rotatably on the refrigerator. Both variants involve particularly compact yet simple designs of the limiting element.The first alternative, with the rotatable connection of the coupling rod to the refrigerator door, allows for a particularly compact design, as the guide rail for the sliding accommodation of the second end can be integrated into the refrigerator in a particularly space-saving manner. The second alternative, in which the first end of the coupling rod is slidably accommodated in a guide rail of the refrigerator door and the second end is rotatably attached to the refrigerator, allows for particularly simple retrofitting of an existing refrigerator with the door system. In this case, the guide rail can be part of the bearing arrangement and / or the refrigerator door of the door system.

[0027] Preferably, the limiting element is connected to the refrigerator door on at least one side by means of a plug-in connection and / or can be connected to the refrigerator. For example, the limiting element is plugged onto the door side and / or can be easily plugged onto the refrigerator side. Such a connection can be released particularly quickly. This allows the refrigerator door to be installed and maintained particularly quickly and easily. At the same time, the limitation of the maximum opening angle can be quickly removed, in particular without the use of tools, in order to make otherwise hard-to-reach areas of the door system's bearing arrangement accessible, for example for cleaning.

[0028] The guide rail can be designed, for example, as a head rail with a sliding groove or as a simple groove. The guide rail can be aligned parallel to the top and / or bottom edge of the refrigerator's housing. The length of the guide rail can also determine the maximum opening angle. The guide rail length can be easily adjusted using a movably attachable stop in the guide rail, which can then also serve as a limiting element.

[0029] In a further advantageous embodiment of the door system according to the invention, the door system comprises a damping element by means of which a pivoting movement of the refrigerator door from the open position to the closed position and / or a pivoting movement of the refrigerator door from the closed position to the open position is dampened. The damping element can be integrated particularly simply and cost-effectively into a spring element designed as a gas pressure spring, which can, for example, have a hole in a movable piston as a damping mechanism. Alternatively or additionally, damping elements can also be attached to the guide / mounting rail against the door or mounted lying against the slider of the coupling rod in the guide rail. By means of the damping, an abrupt impact of the refrigerator door in the closed position against the refrigerator and / or in the open position against a possible limiting element can be prevented.Before reaching the open and / or closed positions, the damping element can slow down the pivoting movement of the refrigerator door. This results in a particularly smooth, automatic closing and / or opening of the refrigerator door. This minimizes stress on the door system's bearing arrangement, reducing wear and tear and the associated maintenance intervals. At the same time, this creates a particularly high-quality impression when using the door system.

[0030] The refrigerator door preferably has a central plane defined by the two outer surfaces, whereby the two outer surfaces of the refrigerator door are understood to mean the two main surfaces, i.e. the outward-facing surface of the (assembled) refrigerator door and the opposite inward-facing surface. The central plane is the plane (or curved surface) which is the same distance (measured perpendicular to the tangent to the plane or curved surface at the respective point) from the two outer surfaces at all points. If one or both of the outer surfaces are not flat, the central plane can also be a non-flat surface, e.g. a curved surface. Furthermore, the bearing arrangement defines a pivot axis which is preferably offset from the central plane or central surface. The distance between the pivot axis and the central plane orMiddle area at least 3 mm, more preferably at least 5 mm, even more preferably at least 6 mm, even more preferably at least 7 mm and particularly preferably at least 8 mm.

[0031] As a result of this offset, the refrigerator door according to the invention, in the assembled state, i.e. when pivotably mounted on a refrigerator, enables an outwardly displaced pivot or rotation axis. This in turn advantageously allows the refrigerator door to be mounted as close as possible to the front of the refrigerator without restricting its mobility. In other words, according to the invention the gap existing between the refrigerator door on the one hand and the front of the refrigerator on the other hand can be made very narrow, which, among other things, makes it possible to dispense with additional sealing measures. This is particularly advantageous when the refrigerator door is essentially completely transparent, i.e. when, for example, transparent spacers are located between the two transparent panes of the refrigerator door, so that the lateral edge sections of the refrigerator door are also transparent.

[0032] It is further preferred that the refrigerator door has a lateral plane defined by the lateral end wall, and that the bearing arrangement defines a pivot axis that is offset inwardly relative to the lateral plane toward the refrigerator door. The distance between the pivot axis and the lateral plane is preferably at least 3 mm, more preferably at least 5 mm, even more preferably at least 6 mm, even more preferably at least 7 mm, and particularly preferably at least 8 mm. This inward offset can also help to keep the gap between the refrigerator and the refrigerator door as small as possible while simultaneously dispensing with additional measures such as rounding the lateral end wall.

[0033] A second aspect of the invention relates to a refrigeration appliance according to claim 10, i.e. a refrigeration appliance with a door system according to the first aspect of the invention. The refrigeration appliance door is pivotally mounted on the refrigeration appliance by means of the bearing arrangement such that the refrigeration appliance door can be pivoted about a substantially vertically oriented pivot axis between a closed position, in which the refrigeration appliance is closed by the refrigeration appliance door, and an open position, which allows access to the interior of the refrigeration appliance, wherein the spring element is connected to the refrigeration appliance such that the refrigeration appliance door is pressed into the closed position by the spring element at an opening angle smaller than a first limit angle and is pressed into the open position by the spring element at an opening angle greater than a second limit angle.

[0034] The refrigerator according to the second aspect of the invention therefore uses a door system according to the first aspect of the invention. The features and advantages resulting from the use of the door system according to the first aspect of the invention can be found in the descriptions of the first aspect of the invention, with advantageous embodiments of the first aspect of the invention being regarded as advantageous embodiments of the second aspect of the invention, and vice versa.

[0035] This advantageously ensures that the refrigerator door remains open for particularly easy loading and unloading of the refrigerator's cooling compartment, and this process can be carried out particularly easily without any obstructions caused by the refrigerator door. Otherwise, if the refrigerator door is only partially opened, as is common, for example, for removing individual items, it automatically returns to the closed position to reliably ensure the refrigerator's particularly high energy efficiency.

[0036] The refrigeration device can, in particular, comprise a frame that at least partially defines the access opening, to which the door system is attached and / or to which the refrigeration device door is mounted. Preferably, the refrigeration device also comprises respective panels and / or cover elements to protect the bearing arrangement of the door system from contamination and / or to conceal it from users of the refrigeration device.

[0037] In a further advantageous embodiment of the refrigeration device according to the invention, it is provided that the refrigeration device comprises a coupling rod with a first end and an opposite second end, wherein the first end of the coupling rod is rotatably connected to the refrigeration device door and the second end of the coupling rod is slidably and rotatably connected to the refrigeration device. Alternatively, the first end of the coupling rod is slidably and rotatably connected to the refrigeration device door and the second end of the coupling rod is rotatably connected to the refrigeration device. For the slidable mounting of the respective end of the coupling rod, this can be mounted in a guide rail of the refrigeration device door or a guide rail of a housing of the refrigeration device or the frame of the refrigeration device. This results in a particularly simple but flexibly adjustable limitation for a maximum opening angle of the refrigeration device door, and the mounting of the refrigeration device door is also reinforced.

[0038] In a further advantageous embodiment of the refrigeration device according to the invention, the refrigeration device or the refrigeration device door has a guide rail on an upper and / or lower edge, with the second end of the coupling rod being mounted in a sliding and rotatable manner in the guide rail. Such a mounting is space-saving, robust, and also particularly easy to conceal on the housing side.

[0039] In a further advantageous embodiment of the refrigerator according to the invention, the guide rail is provided with a stop, by means of which the opening angle of the refrigerator door is limited to a maximum opening angle. This allows the maximum opening angle to be limited particularly cost-effectively and easily, while at the same time, the coupling rod can particularly effectively reinforce the bearing arrangement of the refrigerator door against misuse loads.

[0040] In a further advantageous embodiment of the refrigeration device according to the invention, it is provided that the refrigeration device comprises an eccentric element by means of which the spring element is connected to the refrigeration device door. A first end of the spring element is rotatably connected to the eccentric element, and an opposite second end of the spring element is rotatably connected to the refrigeration device. This allows for particularly good force transmission of the spring element for automatically pivoting the refrigeration device door into the open and / or closed positions.

[0041] As already mentioned above, the present invention makes it possible, among other things, to keep the gap between the refrigerator and the refrigerator door as small as possible, which has the advantage, among other things, that additional sealing measures between the refrigerator and the refrigerator door, as well as between two refrigerator doors arranged next to one another, can be dispensed with. The distance between the refrigerator and the refrigerator door is preferably a maximum of 6 mm, more preferably a maximum of 5 mm, and particularly preferably a maximum of 4 mm. The distance here means the dimension between the inward-facing surface of the refrigerator door and the front (i.e., door-facing) surface of the refrigerator (without the door).

[0042] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the drawings. 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 combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own within the scope of the invention defined by the claims.

[0043] It shows: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a door system according to claim 1 for a refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a front view of the door system according to Figure 1 ; Figure 3 in a plan view the door system according to Figure 1 ; Figure 4 in a side view the door system according to Figure 1; Figure 5 in a plan view of the part of the door system marked with Z according to Figure 3 ; Figure 6 in a side view the part of the door system marked with Y according to Figure 4 ; Figure 7 shows a front view of the part of the door system marked with X according to Figure 2 ; Figure 8 to Figure 11 in a partial top view different positions during a pivoting movement of the refrigerator door of the door system according to Figure 1 for opening and closing a refrigeration appliance; Figures 12 and 13 in a plan view, each in a different door position, of particular parts of the door system through a partially cutaway representation of the door system according to Figure 1; Figure 14 shows a perspective view of a door system according to claim 1 for a refrigerator according to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the illustration being mainly limited to the bearing arrangements; Figure 15 shows a perspective view of the portion of the door system marked with R according to Figure 14 ; Figure 16 in a perspective view the part of the door system marked with S according to Figure 14 ; Figure 17 in a side perspective view a door of the door system according to Figure 14 ; Figure 18 in a side perspective view of the part of the door marked with T according to Figure 17 ; Figure 19 in a side perspective view of the part of the door marked U according to Figure 17 ; and Figure 20 in a plan view the door according to Figure 17 .

[0044] Figure 1shows a perspective view of a door system 10 for a refrigeration appliance (not shown). In the exemplary embodiment shown, the door system 10 comprises four refrigeration appliance doors 12, each refrigeration appliance door 12 having an associated bearing arrangement 14. By means of the bearing arrangement 14, the refrigeration appliance doors 12 can be pivotally mounted on a refrigeration appliance such that the refrigeration appliance doors 12 can be pivoted about a substantially vertically oriented pivot axis between a closed position, in which the refrigeration appliance is closed by the refrigeration appliance door 12, and an open position, which allows access to the interior of the refrigeration appliance.

[0045] The refrigerator doors 12 extend essentially vertically in their main direction of extension; for example, the refrigerator doors 12 are used in refrigerated shelves. The refrigerator doors 12 each have a door handle 58 and are formed, for example, with double glazing, between which an insulating gas is arranged in a free space. This is particularly important in Fig. 6 This allows the refrigerator doors 12 to efficiently thermally seal the respective associated refrigerators and, at the same time, allows the respective goods stored in the refrigerators to be recognized from the outside when the door is closed.

[0046] The middle refrigerator doors 12 are mounted in such a way that they pivot towards each other. The two outer refrigerator doors 12, in contrast, pivot outwards. The bearing arrangement 14 of the two middle refrigerator doors 12 shares a common bearing element, thereby saving installation space and weight. The bearing arrangement 14 comprises an upper bearing and a lower bearing for each refrigerator door 12. The upper and lower bearings define a pivot axis of the respective refrigerator door 12, which in this case essentially corresponds to an outer vertical edge of the refrigerator door 12 and is stationary relative to the refrigerator with the door system 10 mounted there.

[0047] In Figure 1In the example shown, the door system 10 further comprises a frame 16, which is formed by an upper strip 18 and a lower strip 20. By means of this frame 16, the door system 10 can be easily retrofitted to an existing refrigeration device. Alternatively, the frame 16 can also already be part of the refrigeration device and, for example, be attached to its housing or be firmly integrated into its housing. The frame 16 and parts of the bearing arrangement 14 are designed, for example, as metallic elements, in particular as food-safe stainless steel elements. The door handles 58 can, for example, be designed as plastic elements to provide a warm feel and can be screwed to the respective glass panes of the refrigeration device door 12, for example. The construction of the frame 16, in particular of the upper strip 18, can be particularly well illustrated in the sectional side view according to Figure 6 be recognized.

[0048] The construction of the door system 10 is also good in the front view according to Figure 2 , in plan view according to Figure 3 and also in the side view according to Figure 4 It can also be seen that the door system 10 and, in particular, the refrigerator doors 12 are essentially designed as a flat, planar element. However, it is also conceivable to construct a corresponding door system 10 in which the refrigerator doors 12, for example, have a certain curvature in the vertical direction and / or in the lateral extension. In such a case, the door system 10 can also be referred to as an essentially vertical door system.

[0049] In Figure 1 the vertical direction is marked with arrow 22, a horizontal direction with arrow 24. This marking of the vertical direction and the horizontal direction is also retained for the other figures, if present.

[0050] As can be seen particularly in the detailed plan view according to Figure 5 which corresponds to the one with the symbol Z in Figure 3 The door system 10 further comprises a spring element 26 per refrigerator door 12, which is connected to the refrigerator door 12 and is suitable for engaging with the refrigerator such that the respective refrigerator door 12 is pressed into the closed position by means of the spring element 26 at an opening angle smaller than a first limit angle and is pressed into the open position by means of the spring element 26 at an opening angle greater than a second limit angle. For this purpose, the spring element 26 is connected with its first end 30 on the door side to the refrigerator door 12 by means of an eccentric element 28. This is particularly well illustrated in the plan views of the door system 10 according to Figure 12 and 13 can be seen, since the respective parts covering the eccentric element 28 are not shown here.

[0051] The eccentric element 28 is designed as an elongated, flat metal element that is firmly connected to the refrigerator door 12, here, for example, by means of a double screw connection. The first end 30 of the spring element 26 is rotatably mounted on the eccentric element 28. Due to the eccentric element 28, the spring element 26 is attached at a distance from the pivot axis of the refrigerator door 12 in the horizontal direction. The pivot axis of the refrigerator door 12 corresponds in Figure 5for example, approximately a screw connection 32, to which a holding element 34 is connected to the frame 16. Furthermore, the spring element 26 is rotatably and locally fixedly connected to the frame 16 with its second, refrigerator-side end 36. Due to this attachment of the spring element 26, it exerts a closing or opening torque on the refrigerator door 12, depending on the opening angle of the refrigerator door 12. This can automatically open, hold open, and / or close the respective refrigerator doors 12.

[0052] For each refrigerator door 12, one of the bearing arrangements 14 according to Figure 5 The spring element 26 is designed as a gas pressure spring, making it particularly wear-resistant and protected from contamination. Furthermore, a damping element can be integrated within the spring element 26 in a space-saving and cost-effective manner.

[0053] The respective partial top view of the door system 10 according to Figures 8 to 11 illustrates again the operation of the spring element 26 when using the refrigerator door 12. As in Figure 8 As shown by arrow 38, pulling on the door handle 58 causes the refrigerator door 12 to pivot outward in a horizontal direction about its vertical pivot axis. This provides access to the interior of the refrigerator, for example, so that a consumer can remove certain goods in a supermarket. During this pivoting movement of the refrigerator door 12, the spring element 26 is compressed, which is illustrated by arrow 40. A further compression of the spring element 26 upon further opening of the refrigerator door 12 is shown in Figure 9 and 10shown further. If, for example, the door handle 58 is then released in one of these positions of the refrigerator door 12, the spring element 26 exerts a closing torque on the refrigerator door 12 by means of the eccentric element 28 due to its fastening at a distance from the pivot axis of the refrigerator door 12. By means of this torque, the refrigerator door 12 is automatically rotated back into the closed position, in which the refrigerator door 12 essentially rests against the frame 16 and / or a housing of the refrigerator. As a result, the interior of the refrigerator is closed again and, for example, cold air no longer escapes. This ensures a high cooling efficiency of the refrigerator. In addition, a user of the refrigerator no longer has to close the refrigerator door 12 themselves, which makes use particularly convenient for an end user.

[0054] However, this closing torque is only exerted by the spring element 26 up to an opening angle of the refrigerator door 12 that is smaller than a first limiting angle. The opening angle corresponds to an angle between a main extension plane of the access opening of the refrigerator or a plane formed by the frame 16 and a main extension plane of the refrigerator door 12. By way of example, the opening angle is marked A in the figures. At an opening angle of approximately 90°, however, the effective direction of the spring force of the spring element 26 corresponds to a straight line between the first end 30 and the second end 36 of the spring element 26 and the pivot axis of the refrigerator door 12, whereby the compressive force of the spring element 26 no longer has a lever arm and consequently no longer exerts any torque on the refrigerator door 12. At such an opening angle of the refrigerator door 12, it will therefore no longer close again automatically.

[0055] However, at an opening angle A of greater than 90°, the spring element 26 exerts a torque on the refrigerator door 12, which causes the refrigerator door 12 to open further into the open position and / or then holds the refrigerator door 12 in the open position. The open position corresponds to a maximum opening angle of the refrigerator door 12, in this case, for example, 120°. This automatic opening of the refrigerator door 12 is, for example, Figure 10 and 11illustrated in further top views. Arrow 42 shows how the spring element 26 continues to exert a force holding the refrigerator door 12 open when it is in the open position. This automatic opening of the refrigerator door 12 and also automatic holding open causes the refrigerator door 12 to automatically move to its maximum open position and remain there. In this way, larger quantities of goods can be easily and quickly removed from the interior of the refrigerator or stored there through the access opening of the refrigerator that is thus particularly wide open. This makes it particularly easy for employees of a supermarket, for example, to store larger quantities of goods in the respective refrigerated shelves. The access opening is then, for example, wide open enough that even larger containers, such as pallets and boxes of goods, can be easily stored.At the same time, there is no risk of a refrigerator door 12 closing shut, as is the case, for example, with inclined storage for automatic closing. If the large access to the interior of the refrigerator is no longer required, the refrigerator door 12 can simply be closed by hand until its opening angle is smaller than the first limit angle. From this point, the refrigerator door 12 closes automatically again.

[0056] The opening angle from which the refrigerator door 12 is automatically moved into the open position by the spring element 26 is also referred to herein as the second limiting angle. This second limiting angle can be, for example, 90°. In this case, the first limiting angle and the second limiting angle are identical, so that there is essentially only one angular point at which the refrigerator door 12 is not automatically pushed into either the open or closed position by the spring element 26. Deviations from this angular point, at which automatic opening or closing does not occur, can be due in particular to technical reasons, for example, due to friction.

[0057] Furthermore, the door system 10 comprises a limiting element 44. The limiting element 44 is designed as a coupling rod and limits the maximum opening angle of the refrigerator door 12, which, among other things, prevents overextension of the spring element 26. For this purpose, the coupling rod, i.e. the limiting element 44, is rotatably mounted on the door side of the refrigerator door 12 with its first end 46. At its second end 48, the limiting element 44 is rotatably and slidably received in a guide rail 50. The guide rail 50 is particularly well suited to Figure 6 The coupling rod is mounted at its end 48 with a sliding head 52 in a groove of the guide rail 50. During a pivoting movement to open the refrigerator door 12, the second end 48 of the limiting element 44 then moves in the direction of the pivot axis or in the direction of an end of the guide rail 50 on the pivot axis side, as indicated by arrow 54 in Figure 8 is illustrated. A stop (not shown) is provided in the guide rail 50 and / or the groove of the guide rail 50 can end at a certain point, so that the second end 48 of the limiting element 44 can no longer move in the direction indicated by arrow 54. Such a position is, for example, in Figure 11can be seen. This prevents further pivoting movement of the refrigerator door 12 by the limiting element 44. Accordingly, the maximum opening angle is reached here. By changing the length of the limiting element 44, changing the position of the stop and / or changing the length and / or position of the guide rail 50 on the refrigerator, a different maximum opening angle can be set in order to prevent, for example, the refrigerator door 12 in the maximum opening position from colliding with opposing refrigerator doors 12 pivoting in the opposite direction and / or other obstacles, such as walls, pillars or shelves.

[0058] As shown in the partial front view according to Figure 7As can be seen, the limiting element 44 is simply plugged with its first end 46 onto a pin element 56 of the refrigerator door 12. This enables quick and easy release of the limiting element 44 by lifting it off the pin element 56. This then allows the refrigerator door 12 to be manually opened beyond the maximum opening angle for maintenance and assembly purposes.

[0059] The limiting element 44 reinforces the bearing arrangement 14 of the respective refrigerator doors 12. Due to its mounting on the refrigerator door 12 at a distance from the pivot axis, the limiting element 44 can particularly effectively support the respective forces of misuse. For example, the limiting element 44 can also absorb the respective bearing forces when a smaller person leans on the door handle 58 to reach higher-lying goods.

[0060] Due to the design with the eccentric element 28, the spring element 26 exerts a particularly large torque on the refrigerator door 12 when it is opened particularly wide or closed particularly wide. To prevent the refrigerator door 12 from striking excessively hard in its open and closed positions, the door system 10 can comprise at least one damping element for each refrigerator door 12. For example, the spring element 26, designed as a gas pressure spring, can have integrated damping, which can prevent an unwanted strong acceleration of the refrigerator door 12 during its automatic closing and automatic opening. This increases the durability of the door system 10 and creates a more valuable impression for the user. Alternatively or additionally, a damping element can also be provided, for example, in the guide rail 50 and / or on the sliding head 52 or at other locations on the limiting element 44.

[0061] The first limit angle, below which the refrigerator door 12 closes automatically, and the second limit angle, above which the refrigerator door 12 opens automatically, can be influenced by the shape of the eccentric element 28 and its relative orientation to the refrigerator door 12. Alternatively or additionally, the two limit angles can also be determined by the shape of the spring element 26 and / or the position of the mounting of the second end 36 of the spring element 26 on the frame 16.

[0062] The present example shows that the door system 10 enables a space-saving, automatic closing of the refrigerator door 12. The installation space of the upper guide unit including the upper strip 18 without the refrigerator door 12 is, for example, only 28-34 mm. The depth corresponds to an extension into the leaf plane according to Figure 2The installation height of this unit is, for example, only 67-73 mm, with the height corresponding to an extension in the vertical direction. The length of the limiting element 44 between its two pivot points is, for example, only 220-240 mm. With a total weight of the refrigerator door 12 of approximately 12-40 kg and a spacing of the first end 30 of the spring element 26 from the pivot axis of the refrigerator door 12 of only 35 mm, a spring element 26 capable of generating a maximum compressive force of 50 N is sufficient.

[0063] Finally, based on the Fig. 12 and Fig. 13 The interaction between the eccentric element 28 and the spring element 26 will be explained and how this affects the respective limit angles. Fig. 12a lever arm H1 is shown, which the pressure force generated by the spring element 26 has with respect to the pivot axis of the refrigerator door 12. This results in a closing torque, which is indicated by the arrow 60 in Fig. 12 The lever arm is dependent on the opening angle A of the refrigerator door, since it results from a distance perpendicular to the direction of action of the force generated by the spring element 26 to the pivot axis of the refrigerator door 12. Accordingly, the lever arm H2 at the opening angle A according to Fig. 13 a different length and also points away from the frame 16 instead of towards it. Accordingly, in the door position according to Fig. 13 a torque with a different magnitude and direction of rotation than in the door position according to Fig. 12 This is an opening torque, which is illustrated by arrow 62.

[0064] In Fig. 13A further position of the spring element 26 is illustrated by a dashed line 64. In this position, the main direction of extension of the spring element 26 points exactly to the pivot axis of the refrigerator door 12, i.e., its first end 30 and its second end 36 form a straight line that lies on the pivot axis. As a result, the compressive force generated by the spring element 26 has a lever arm of zero relative to the pivot axis of the refrigerator door 12. Accordingly, there is no opening or closing torque. This position corresponds to the limit angle below which the refrigerator door 12 closes automatically and above which it opens automatically. Deviations and thus two limit angles can arise in particular due to friction and a lever arm at which there is no sufficiently large torque to overcome the respective frictional forces. A second dashed line 66 illustrates Fig. 13the door position at this limit angle, which is perpendicular to the dashed line 64 and corresponds to an opening angle which is Fig. 13 is marked by B. It is easy to see how the limit angle can be changed by the position of the eccentric element 28 and the spring element 26 relative to the pivot axis and by their respective shape.

[0065] The interaction of the eccentric element 28 and the spring element 26 allows torques to be generated using only one spring element 26 due to the dependence of the lever arm on the opening angle of the refrigerator door 12, which closes or opens the refrigerator door 12 depending on the opening angle. This is a mechanically simple and robust construction, which in particular does not require any additional movable and / or active, for example, electrically controlled elements.

[0066] The door system 10 according to claim 1 thus enables a refrigeration device in which, during normal use by an end user, high energy efficiency is ensured by a reliable closure of the interior of the refrigeration device, while at the same time a particularly convenient and quick loading and unloading of larger quantities of goods is made possible by the integrated keep-open function.

[0067] In the Figures 14 to 20 A door system according to claim 1 is shown according to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein not all features essential to the invention are shown in the figures. All features described above with reference to other embodiments can also be combined with the present embodiment. In particular, the features explained below relating to the offset of the pivot axis also represent preferred features for the other embodiments.

[0068] Figure 14 shows a perspective view of a door system for a refrigerator according to this further preferred embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 14 Only two refrigerator doors 12 of the cooling system are shown. However, it will be clear to a person skilled in the art that additional refrigerator doors 12 can be connected. The refrigerator doors 12 are each mounted on their top side (indicated by the circle marked R) and on their bottom side (indicated by the circle marked S) by means of a bearing arrangement 14 to a refrigerator, of which only a portion of the frame 16 is shown. Figure 17 shows in a side perspective view a door 12 of the door system according to Figure 14 with the corresponding bearing arrangements 14.

[0069] Figure 15 shows in a perspective view the part of the door system marked with R according to Figure 14 . Figure 16in a perspective view the part of the door system marked with S according to Figure 14 . Figure 18 shows in a side perspective view the part of the door marked with T according to Figure 17. Figure 19 shows in a side perspective view the part of the door marked with U according to Figure 17 .

[0070] As in the Figure 15 and 18 As can be seen, the upper bearing assemblies 14 are connected to the frame 16 of the refrigerator by means of a screw connection 32 and a retaining element 34. At the lower end of the refrigerator door 12, the door is rotatably mounted in a corresponding recess in the frame 16 by means of a hinge pin 68.

[0071] Figure 20 in a top view the door according to Figure 17. The refrigerator door 12 preferably has a center plane defined by the two outer surfaces 70 and 72. The center plane is the plane (or curved surface) that has the same distance (measured perpendicular to the tangent to the plane or curved surface at the respective point) from the two outer surfaces 70 72 at all points. Furthermore, the bearing arrangement 14 defines a pivot axis S, which is preferably offset from the center plane or center surface. Preferably, the distance d1 between the pivot axis and the center plane or center surface is at least 3 mm, more preferably at least 5 mm, even more preferably at least 6 mm, even more preferably at least 7 mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the distance d1 is 8 mm.

[0072] As a result of this offset, the refrigerator door according to the invention, in the assembled state, i.e. when pivotably mounted on a refrigerator, enables an outwardly displaced pivot or rotation axis. This in turn advantageously allows the refrigerator door to be mounted as close as possible to the front of the refrigerator without restricting its mobility. In other words, according to the invention, the gap between the refrigerator door on the one hand and the front of the refrigerator on the other hand can be made very narrow, which, among other things, makes it possible to dispense with additional sealing measures. This is particularly advantageous when the refrigerator door is essentially completely transparent, i.e. when, for example, transparent spacers are located between the two transparent panes of the refrigerator door, so that the lateral edge sections of the refrigerator door are also transparent.

[0073] It is further preferred that the refrigerator door 12 has a lateral plane 74 defined by the lateral end wall, and that the distance d2 between the pivot axis S and the lateral plane is at least 3 mm, more preferably at least 5 mm, even more preferably at least 7 mm, and particularly preferably at least 8 mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the distance d2 is 9.5 mm. This inward offset can also contribute to keeping the gap between the refrigerator and the refrigerator door as small as possible and, at the same time, dispense with additional measures such as rounding the lateral end wall. List of reference symbols

[0074] 10 Door system 12 Refrigerator door 14 Bearing arrangement 16 Frame 18 Top bar 20 Bottom bar 22 Vertical direction 24 Horizontal direction 26 Spring element 28 Eccentric element 30 First end of the spring element 32 Screw connection 34 Holding element 36 Second end of the spring element 38 Arrow 40 Arrow 42 Arrow 44 Limiting element 46 First end of the limiting element 48 Second end of the limiting element 50 Guide rail 52 Sliding head 54 Arrow 56 Pin element 58 Door handle 60 Arrow 62 Arrow 64 Dashed line 66 Dashed line 68 Hinge pin 70 Outer surface 72 Outer surface 74 Side wall A Opening angle H1 Lever arm H2 Lever arm S Swivel axis d1 Distance swivel axis - center plane d2 Distance swivel axis - side plane

Claims

1. Door system (10) for a refrigerator, wherein the door system (10) comprises at least one refrigerator door (12) and an associated mounting arrangement (14) which is configured to pivotably mount the refrigerator door (12) to a refrigerator such that the refrigerator door (12) can be pivoted about a substantially vertically oriented pivot axis between a closed position, in which the refrigerator is closed by the refrigerator door (12), and an open position, which allows access to the interior of the refrigerator, wherein the refrigerator door (12) defines an opening angle (A) with respect to the refrigerator; wherein the door system (10) further comprises at least one spring element (26) which is connected to the refrigerator door (12) and which is configured to interact with the refrigerator such that the refrigerator door (12) is pushed into the closed position by the spring element (26) when an opening angle (A) is smaller than a first limit angle and is pushed into the open position by the spring element (26) when an opening angle (A) is greater than a second limit angle, wherein the spring element (26) comprises a gas pressure spring; further comprising at least one limiting element (44), by means of which the opening angle (A) of the refrigerator door (12) is limited to a maximum opening angle, wherein the maximum opening angle is adjustable, wherein the limiting element (44) is configured as a coupling rod with a first end (46) and an opposite second end (48), wherein the first end (46) of the coupling rod is connected to the refrigerator door and the second end of the coupling rod is configured to interact with the refrigerator.

2. Door system (10) according to claim 1, further comprising an eccentric element (28), by means of which the spring element (26) is connected to the refrigerator door (12).

3. Door system (10) according to claim 2, wherein the orientation of the eccentric element (28) is adjustable with respect to the refrigerator door (12) in order to define the first limit angle and / or the second limit angle.

4. Door system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first end (46) of the coupling rod is rotatably connected to the refrigerator door (12) and the second end (48) of the coupling rod is configured to be slidingly and rotatably received in a guide rail (50), or wherein the refrigerator door comprises a guide rail, wherein the first end (46) of the coupling rod is slidingly and rotatably received in the guide rail of the refrigerator door (12) and wherein the second end (48) is configured to be rotatably mounted on the refrigerator.

5. Door system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a damping element, by means of which a pivoting movement of the refrigerator door (12) from the open position into the closed position and / or a pivoting movement of the refrigerator door (12) from the closed position to the open position is damped.

6. Door system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the refrigerator door (12) comprises a centre plane defined by the two outer surfaces, and wherein the mounting arrangement (14) defines a pivot axis which is offset relative to the centre plane.

7. Door system according to claim 6 wherein the distance between the pivot axis and the centre plane is at least 3 mm, preferably at least 5 mm, more preferably at least 6 mm and particularly preferably at least 7 mm.

8. Door system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the refrigerator door (12) comprises a side plane defined by the lateral front and wherein the mounting arrangement (14) defines a pivot axis which is offset inwards towards the refrigerator door (12) with respect to the side plane.

9. Door system according to claim 8, wherein the distance between the pivot axis and the side plane is at least 3 mm, preferably at least 5 mm, more preferably at least 6mm and particularly preferably at least 7 mm.

10. Refrigerator comprising a door system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the refrigerator door (12) is pivotably mounted on the refrigerator such that the refrigerator door (12) can be pivoted about a substantially vertically oriented pivot axis between a closed position in which the refrigerator is closed by the refrigerator door (12), and an open position, which allows access to the interior of the refrigerator, wherein the spring element (26) is connected to the refrigerator such that the refrigerator door (12) is pushed into the closed position by the spring element (26) when an opening angle (A) is smaller than a first limit angle and such that it is pushed into the open position by the spring element (26) when an opening angle (A) is greater than a second limit angle.

11. Refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the first end (46) of the coupling rod is connected rotatably to the refrigerator door (12) and wherein the second end (48) of the coupling rod is slidingly and rotatably connected to the refrigerator or wherein the first end of the coupling rod is slidingly and rotatably connected to the refrigerator door and wherein the second end of the coupling rod is rotatably connected to the refrigerator.

12. Refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the refrigerator or the refrigerator door comprises a guide rail (50) at an upper and / or lower edge and wherein the second end (48) of the coupling rod is slidingly and rotatably mounted in the guide rail (50).

13. Refrigerator according to claim 12 wherein the guide rail (50) comprises a stop by means of which the opening angle (A) of the refrigerator door (12) is limited to a maximum opening angle.

14. Refrigerator according to one of claims 10 to 13, further comprising an eccentric element (28), by means of which the spring element (26) is connected to the refrigerator door (12); wherein a first end (30) of the spring element (26) is rotatably connected to the eccentric element (28), and an opposite second end (36) of the spring element (26) is rotatably connected to the refrigerator.

15. Refrigerator according to one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the distance between the refrigerator and the refrigerator door (12) is at most 6 mm, preferably at most 5 mm and particularly preferably at most 4 mm.