Operating unit for a fridge and / or freezer

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and / or freezer with a control unit which is arranged in a recess or opening in a container contour of the refrigerator and / or freezer and is flush with the container contour. The invention further relates to a control unit for a refrigerator and / or freezer.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator and / or freezer with a control unit.

[0002] Control units are known from the prior art which are arranged in the interior of a refrigerator and / or freezer and thus reduce the volume of the interior and limit the possibilities for arranging shelves, racks, etc. in the interior.

[0003] Furthermore, conventionally, several separate units, e.g. control units or lighting units, are often arranged in the interior, which further reduces the flexibility of the arrangement of shelves, storage units, etc. in the interior.

[0004] Known refrigerators and / or freezers with a control unit are known, for example, from the following documents: WO 2005 / 090884 A1, US 2008 / 186696 A1, EP 3 379 184 A1, WO 2014 / 208585 A1, CN 111 174 507 A, WO 2013 / 125186 A1 and EP 3 524 908 A1.

[0005] Against this background, the present invention is based on the object of mitigating or even completely eliminating the problems of the prior art. In particular, the invention is based on the object of creating a control unit that impairs the flexibility of arranging shelves, storage compartments, etc. in the interior as little as possible, or not at all.

[0006] This problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claim.

[0007] Advantageous further developments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

[0008] Accordingly, an operating unit for a refrigerator and / or freezer is provided, wherein the operating unit has operating elements, preferably capacitive, resistive and / or mechanical operating elements, as well as at least one lighting element for partially or completely illuminating an interior of the refrigerator and / or freezer.

[0009] In other words, the functions of illuminating the interior of the refrigerator and / or freezer and operating the refrigerator and / or freezer are preferably integrated into a single control unit. This eliminates the need for multiple separate units within the interior and reduces the impact on the flexibility of arranging shelves, racks, etc. within the interior.

[0010] According to an advantageous embodiment, the operating unit has at least one sensor, preferably for detecting a temperature, a humidity and / or a magnetic field, and at least one output unit, preferably for outputting acoustic and / or optical signals, which are arranged on a common electronic circuit board.

[0011] It is particularly advantageous if all functional units of the control unit are arranged on a common electronics board. By cleverly arranging the functional units of the control unit on a common electronics board, the number of required components can be reduced and costs can be saved.

[0012] It has also proven advantageous in practice if the control unit is arranged in a recess or an opening in a container contour of the refrigerator and / or freezer and is flush with the container contour.

[0013] For example, the control unit can be arranged in a recess created by local deep drawing of the container contour. Alternatively or additionally, the container contour can have an opening, and the control unit can be arranged on the foam side of the container contour.

[0014] The refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention has an operating unit which is arranged in a recess or an opening of a container contour of the refrigerator and / or freezer, said operating unit being flush with the container contour.

[0015] According to the invention, at least one light source of the control unit is arranged relative to the container contour such that light from the light source is reflected by the container contour into an interior of the refrigerator and / or freezer. This eliminates the need for a separate reflector, and the interior is illuminated indirectly by the light source, preferably through a front panel of the control unit.

[0016] It is conceivable that the container contour has at least partially a coating to enhance the reflection, in particular a metallic coating.

[0017] According to another embodiment of the invention, the control unit is preferably arranged adjacent to a door stop position of a door of the refrigerator and / or freezer and has a magnetic field sensor. The door of the refrigerator and / or freezer preferably has at least one magnet at its end region facing the control unit, so that the position of the door relative to the refrigerator and / or freezer can be detected due to the interaction of the magnet and the magnetic field sensor. For example, when a door opening operation is detected, a light source of the control unit can be automatically controlled to illuminate the interior.

[0018] In a refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention, the operating unit is preferably embedded in a container contour which forms a side wall of an interior of the refrigerator and / or freezer, and / or in a ceiling of the interior of the refrigerator and / or freezer.

[0019] Furthermore, the operating unit preferably has an at least partially transparent or translucent front panel, which forms a continuous or substantially continuous surface with the container contour.

[0020] In this application, it is noted that the use of the terms "a" and "an" encompasses not only the singular of the component mentioned below, but also includes "at least one" or "at least one." Thus, a plurality of the components mentioned is also encompassed by the terms "a" and "an." Conversely, where the plural is used in the above description, the singular is also included.

[0021] Further advantages, features, and effects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the figures. Herein: Fig. 1 shows a sectional view of a refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of a container contour with a control unit arranged therein; and Fig. 3 shows a view of a refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention, illustrating the arrangement of the control unit and its illumination area.

[0022] Figure 1 shows with the reference number 1 schematically a refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention.

[0023] The reference symbol I designates the container, ie the inner container surrounding the interior of the device.

[0024] In this, the operating unit 20 according to the invention is located in the open area which can be closed by a door (not shown).

[0025] The light cone emanating from this is labeled 10.

[0026] Figure 2shows in a cross-sectional view with the reference numeral 30 a storage compartment and with 20 the mentioned operating unit. The reference numeral 40 shows a magnet arranged on the door, the presence or movement or approach of which to the operating unit 20 is detected by the latter, so that, for example, when opening the Figure 2 The lighting is switched on at the door shown.

[0027] 50 indicates the door stop around which the door can be pivoted relative to the appliance body.

[0028] Figure 3 shows a detailed view of the area of ​​the inner container I of the device according to Figure 2 .

[0029] As from Figure 3 As can be seen, there are two recesses in the inner container that are offset in the depth direction, with the electronic board 70 with the temperature sensor 92 being located in the recess shown below, ie the front recess.

[0030] The status display 94 of the light source 90 is also arranged on this, whereby the light source 90 is also located on the electronics board 70.

[0031] The reference number 60 designates the front panel which separates the aforementioned recesses in the inner container from the cooling or freezing compartment shown on the left and is essentially flush with the inner container I.

[0032] 80 denotes the reflector contour of the inner container I, which has the task of directing the light emanating from the light source 90 into the cooled interior in the desired manner.

[0033] As from Figure 3 As can be seen, the recesses are an integral part of the inner container I and can be produced, for example, by deep drawing.

[0034] In principle, the invention also covers the case in which the operating unit is arranged in a cutout of the inner container and is covered on the foam side, for example by a housing.

Claims

1. Fridge and / or freezer (1) having an operating unit (20), wherein the operating unit (20) has operating elements, preferably capacitive, resistive and / or mechanical operating elements, and at least one light element (90) for illuminating at least a partial region of an inner container (I) of the fridge and / or freezer (1), wherein the operating unit (20) is arranged in a recess or an opening of a container contour of the fridge and / or freezer (1), wherein the container contour forms a side wall of the inner container (I) of the fridge and / or freezer (1), wherein the operating unt (20) is flush with the container contour, wherein the operating unit (20) has an at least partially transparent or translucent front panel (60), which forms a continuous surface with the container contour, characterised in that the at least one light source (90) of the operating unit is arranged such that light from the light source (90) is indirectly reflected from the container contour into the inner container (I) of the fridge and / or freezer (1).

2. Fridge and / or freezer (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the operating unit (20) has at least one sensor system, preferably for detecting a temperature (92), a humidity and / or a magnetic field, and at least one output unit, preferably for outputting acoustic and / or optical signals, which are arranged on a common electronic circuit board (70).

3. Fridge and / or freezer (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that all functional units of the operating unit (20) are arranged on the common electronic circuit board (70).

4. Fridge and / or freezer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the container contour at least partially has a coating to increase the reflection, in particular a metallic coating.

5. Fridge and / or freezer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the operating unit (20) is preferably arranged next to a door stop position (50) of a door of the fridge and / or freezer (1) and has a magnetic field sensor, and the door of the fridge and / or freezer (1) preferably has at least one magnet (40) at its end region facing the operating unit (20), so that the position of the door relative to the fridge and / or freezer (1) can be detected.

6. Fridge and / or freezer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the operating unit (20) is embedded in the container contour and / or in a cover of the inner container (I) of the fridge and / or freezer (1).

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