EP0444461B1 - Refrigerator or freezer - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a built-in refrigerator or freezer, in which a recessed base is arranged below a front door, which forms a ventilation channel for a compressor, condenser and fan-containing cooling unit between the floor surface and an upper partition, this ventilation channel having a front adjustable ventilation grille is covered, and in which the base is designed to adapt to different base heights and to a different base recess.

In simple or combined refrigerators and freezers, designs are known in which the cooling unit is arranged entirely in the base, an ventilation duct of a condenser which is forced-ventilated by an ventilation fan being formed in the interior of the base.

Such an arrangement enables the cooling device to be installed directly on the wall, which cannot be carried out when a finned condenser is attached to the rear wall because of the required flow gap. Since it is necessary to adapt the base to different base heights and to a different base recess for installation in a kitchen unit, technical measures must be taken at the same time to adjust the height and depth of the ventilation grille covering the front inlet and outlet openings of the ventilation duct. This is the only way to cleanly fit the cooling unit into a kitchen unit.

A cooling device of the type described at the outset is shown in DE-U-82 10 690. A ventilation duct is formed in the base that springs back relative to the front door and is covered on the front side with a cover having a ventilation grille. To adjust the height to the desired base height, edge strips can be separated from the rectangular ventilation grille at prepared separation points, so that starting from a maximum height, a gradual adjustment to the base height set in each case is possible. However, once the setting is made, it can no longer be undone in the sense of increasing the base height to be covered. To adapt to different base recesses, the ventilation grille is held on flange-like side wall parts, which can be horizontally displaced and tightened in elongated hole connections. Adjusting the elongated hole connections results in the return adjustment.

From EP-A-0 190 794 an air duct in the base interior of a refrigerator is also known, in which the cooling air is supplied and blown out through profile parts via a raised base. The cooling air flows in a deflection flow between a right and left portion of the front profile parts, which are optionally provided with cut-off panels.

The previously known designs do not allow exact air flow regardless of the position of the ventilation grille, and moreover the technical training for adapting the ventilation grille to different base heights and to a different base recess is complex or not sufficiently flexible. The invention is based on the task of designing a refrigerator or freezer of the type described at the outset in such a way that an exact air flow is ensured in every position of the ventilation grille. In addition, the adjustment of the ventilation grille, in particular the height adjustment, should be able to be carried out in a particularly simple manner.

This object is achieved in that the ventilation grille is held on two side wall parts which are displaceable relative to fixed inner wall parts and form a main air duct with these, in which the condenser is arranged, that the fan is arranged at the outlet of the main air duct, and that between the Side wall parts or inner wall parts and the base inner wall surfaces two partial flow channels are formed, in which partial flows are directed in the opposite direction to the flow in the main air duct, whereby at least one compressor is arranged in the flow area of the partial flow channels.

Such a design, in which side wall parts located in the base of the base, which hold the ventilation grille, together with fixed inner wall parts form a central main air duct, results in an exact, stable air duct, which can also be adjusted by adjusting the ventilation grille, both in height and in depth remains essentially unaffected.

A design appears to be expedient in which the cooling air is sucked in through the central main air duct through the ventilation grille and is discharged again from the two outer partial flow ducts to the outside through the ventilation grille. However, the air flow can advantageously also take place in the opposite direction, if appropriate.

With such a design, it may also be expedient that the ventilation grille is designed such that it can be adjusted in height in stages to adapt to different base heights on the two displaceable side wall parts. Such height adjustability can advantageously be achieved in that the ventilation grille is assembled like a frame from a plurality of superimposed web parts with an angular cross section, which rest on adapted rectangular projections of the outer side wall parts. All that is required to adjust the height is to insert the ventilation grille at the appropriate height, the position being expediently secured by one or more screw connections.

The side wall parts carrying the ventilation grille can expediently be displaceable and lockable in the previously known manner in elongated hole connections in relation to the fixed inner wall parts in order to adapt the base recess.

An advantageous embodiment can provide that one compressor each is arranged in the region of the two partial flow channels.

Fig. 1

eine Draufsicht auf den Sockelinnenraum,

Fig. 2

eine Ausschnittsdarstellung in Seitenansicht mit eingestelltem maximalem Sockelrücksprung und minimaler Sockelhöhe,

Fig. 3

eine Ansicht entsprechend Fig. 2 mit eingestelltem minimalem Sockelrücksprung und maximaler Sockelhöhe,

Fig. 4

eine Vorderansicht der Anbringung des Lüftungsgitters in Ausschnittsdarstellung.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

a plan view of the interior of the base,

Fig. 2

a sectional view in side view with set maximum base recess and minimum base height,

Fig. 3

2 with a set minimal base recess and maximum base height,

Fig. 4

a front view of the attachment of the ventilation grille in a sectional view.

In the plan view according to FIG. 1, a ventilation grille 1 consisting of several angular webs can be seen, which is held on two strip-shaped side wall parts 2, 3.

The side wall parts 2, 3 are connected to the fixed inner wall parts 5, 6 via the elongated hole connections 4 which can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 and, in conjunction with the upper base partition 7 and the base part 8, form a main air duct 9, which in the exemplary embodiment shown is designed as an inflow duct is. The inflow occurs from the front in the middle area of the ventilation grille 1.

A finned condenser 10 is arranged in the main air duct 9.

A fan 11 is used for the forced ventilation of the finned condenser 10, which stimulates the forced movement of the main air flow.

Partial flow channels 14, 15 are formed between the side wall parts 2, 3 or the fixed inner wall parts 5, 6 and the lateral base inner wall surfaces 12, 13, in which the cooling air flows in the opposite direction to the main air duct 9 and through the two outer areas of the ventilation grille in the direction of the arrow again after Front is delivered.

A compressor 16, 17 is arranged in each case in the deflection flow area of the partial flows 14, 15. Floor adjustment screws 18 are used to adjust the device or base height.

2 and 3, the return and height adjustment of the base or the ventilation grille is shown.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the two side wall parts 2, 3 are pushed into the slot connections 4 at their rear end stop, and the ventilation grille 1 is placed on the rectangular projections 19 in its uppermost position. This setting corresponds to maximum recess and minimum base height.

The ventilation grille 1 has, as can be seen in the detail view according to FIG. 4, supporting parts 20 to which a plurality of superimposed web parts 21 with an angular cross section are fastened. The web parts 21 are placed on the adapted rectangular projections 19 of the side wall parts 2, 3 and expediently secured with respect to them by means of retaining screws 22.

3 shows the side wall parts 2, 3 in the pulled-out position with a minimal socket recess at the front end stop of the elongated hole connections 4. Since in this exemplary embodiment an approximately maximum socket height is specified by adjusting the floor adjustment screws 18, the ventilation grille 1 has been suspended so deeply on the rectangular projections 19 that a cover of the front of the base is almost reached to the floor support.

Corresponding intermediate positions are possible between the two extreme positions, which can take place continuously when the ventilation grille 1 held on the side wall parts 2, 3 is horizontally displaced, while the height adjustment is possible in steps, in each case by the spacing height of a rectangular projection 19. The adjustment of the ventilation grille with regard to height and recess leaves the flow conditions in the main air duct 9 and in the two partial flow channels 14, 15 surrounding it laterally essentially unaffected.

Claims (5)

1. Refrigerator or freezer incorporable into a kitchen wall unit, in which a set-back plinth is arranged underneath a front door, said set-back plinth forming, between the floor surface and an upper plinth separating wall (7), a ventilation duct for a refrigeration unit containing a compressor (16, 17), condenser (10) and ventilator (11), said ventilation duct being covered at the front with an adjustable ventilation grid (1), and in which the plinth is furthermore designed for adaptation to different plinth heights and to different plinth recesses, characterised in that the ventilation grid (1) is mounted on two side wall portions (2, 3) which are movable with respect to fixed internal wall portions (5, 6) and form, with said internal wall portions (5, 6), a main air duct (9) in which the condenser (10) is arranged, that the ventilator (11) is arranged at the outlet from the main air duct (9), and that two partial flow ducts (14, 15) are formed between the side wall portions (2, 3) or the internal wall portions (5, 6) and the internal wall surfaces (12, 13) of the plinth, partial flows being guided in opposite directions into said partial flow ducts (14, 15) for flowing in the main air duct (9), at least one compressor (16, 17) being arranged in the flow region of the partial flow ducts (14, 15).
2. Refrigerator or freezer according to claim 1, characterised in that the height of the ventilation grid (1) is adjustable in stages at the two movable side wall portions (2, 3) for adaptation to different plinth heights.
3. Refrigerator or freezer according to claim 2, characterised in that the ventilation grid (1) consists of several ridge portions (21) of angular cross-section lying one above the other which are supported on matched rectangular projections (19) in the outer side wall portions (2, 3).
4. Refrigerator or freezer according to claim 1, characterised in that the side wall portions (2, 3) bearing the ventilation grid (1) are movable and fixable with respect to the fixed inner wall portions (5, 6) in elongated slot connections (4) for adaptation of the plinth recess.
5. Refrigerator or freezer according to claim 1, characterised in that a compressor (16, 17) is arranged in each of the two partial flow ducts (14, 15).

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