The invention relates to a household appliance, in particular a household refrigeration appliance, comprising a receiving space, in particular for food, which is delimited by walls of the household appliance, and comprising a backing part which is mounted on an outer side of one of said walls, said outer side facing away from the receiving space, wherein the backing part has a coupling element which, when the backing part is mounted on the outer side, is coupled to a counter-coupling element which is on the outer side. The invention further relates to a method for mounting a backing part.
An embodiment comprising a backing part on an internal container is disclosed, for example, in WO 2011/080654 A2. In this case, a wall of the internal container is designed with a hole and thus an opening. A pin of the backing part extends into this hole. The backing part bears directly against an outer side of the wall. No further element is arranged between the hole and the pin. An internal container of a household refrigeration appliance is generally designed from plastic material, so that the direct fastening of further components thereto is limited. Functional components such as a rail pull-out device, on which in turn further different components such as shelves or receptacles for food may be placed, have a corresponding weight which thus also acts on the fastening arrangement. Specifically in this context it is known from the prior art to use such a rail-shaped backing part, which is designed from metal, in addition to this side wall in order to be able to fasten securely and reliably thereto the functional component which is separate therefrom, and in this context also to provide that correspondingly greater weight forces may be absorbed. Thus by means of this backing part a concept is also effectively formed in which the side wall as a load-bearing structure is relieved of load to a maximum extent and the actual main attachment of the functional component is carried out on this backing part. However, foam material which is introduced as thermal insulation material into an intermediate space between the internal container and an external housing may pass through the hole in the wall.
Since the position of the functional component to be attached is important in order to be able to provide unlimited functionality, it is also important that the backing part is able to be correspondingly accurately positioned. Due to manufacturing tolerances and mounting tolerances, however, deviations which may impair the functionality of the entire system may arise here.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a household appliance, in particular a household refrigeration appliance, and a method in which the positioning of a backing part is improved.
This object is achieved by a household appliance, in particular a household refrigeration appliance, and a method according to the independent claims.
One feature of the invention relates to a household appliance, in particular a household refrigeration appliance, comprising at least one receiving space, in particular for food. This receiving space is delimited by walls of the household appliance. The household appliance also has at least one separate backing part which is mounted on an outer side of one of said walls, said outer side facing away from the receiving space. The backing part has at least one coupling element which is designed in an integrated manner and thus in one piece therewith and which, when the backing part is in the mounted state on this outer side, is coupled to a counter-coupling element which is designed on the outer side of the wall. The counter-coupling element is designed as a raised cup without holes. The coupling element is designed as a hole and thus as a continuous aperture through which the cup extends in the mounted state. The cup which may also be denoted as a dome or cupola, therefore, is also designed as a fully closed raised portion per se. By means of such an embodiment, the wall at least in the region of this counter-coupling element, and the counter-coupling element itself, may be designed without interruptions. Thus it is achieved that this counter-coupling element is designed to be very stable per se. Moreover, it is possible to avoid that dust or dirt could penetrate through the wall in the region of the coupling between the counter-coupling element and the coupling element. Moreover, it is also achieved that thermal insulation material which is optionally present in the region of the outer side, such as for example an insulating foam, is not able to penetrate through the wall in the region of the coupling between the counter-coupling element and the coupling element.
It may be provided that a further separate element is not arranged between the counter-coupling element and the coupling element. Thus the coupling element and the counter-coupling element bear directly against one another.
It may be provided that the cup is designed as a deep-drawn cup. Thus the cup is configured by deep-drawing. By means of such an embodiment, during the production process of the wall which is produced by deep-drawing, the cup may be produced therewith. A simple and rapid manufacture is permitted thereby. The wall together with the cup may also be produced by injection-molding.
It may be provided that the cup is designed in cupola-like manner. This means, in particular, that it has a jacket wall without corners and it also has a top wall without corners which is curved, in particular, in a convex manner in one direction. By means of such an embodiment, it is possible to implement the coupling to the coupling element in a simple manner. Moreover, the production is also simpler since due to this geometry no undesired edges and burrs are present.
It may be provided that the receptacle is designed as a hole or opening. Preferably, the hole or the opening is closed at the edge, i.e. over the periphery. The hole or the opening may be stamped, in particular when the backing part consists of metal. It may also be provided that the receptacle is formed by a pocket or a cup-shaped element or by a blind hole. In this case, the pocket or the cup-shaped element or the blind hole may have a receptacle opening.
It may be provided that the receptacle, for example the coupling element designed as a hole, is designed in a funnel-like manner. This means that, viewed in the direction of a receptacle axis, for example a hole axis, this receptacle, for example this hole, has a certain depth and tapers at least partially relative thereto. This is advantageous in that the width of the receptacle and/or the hole is designed to be larger at a funnel inlet (for example receptacle opening) than at a funnel base. In particular, in the case of a hole as a receptacle the funnel base has an opening and/or a cutout through which the cup also extends when the fully mounted state is reached. By means of such an embodiment, therefore, the insertion of the cup into the receptacle and, in the case of a hole as the receptacle, through the cutout in the funnel base, may be carried out in an improved manner.
This is advantageous in that in the case of a cup, in particular when produced by deep-drawing, a discrete edge is not present at the transition to the wall but there is a certain radius. Thus in order not to produce an interfering stop of the edge of the receptacle opening and/or in the case of a hole, of the edge and/or of the cutout of the hole, on such a radius of the cup on the outer side, the aforementioned shape of the receptacle and/or the hole is particularly advantageous regarding a positionally accurate mounting of the backing part on the wall. Thus viewed in the direction of the receptacle axis and/or the hole axis, the cutout and thus also the funnel base are spaced apart from this radius on the outer side of the cup and/or at the transition of the cup to the planar region of the wall. As a result, it is possible to avoid an interfering and incomplete bearing of the backing part against the wall. Moreover, if required, it is possible to avoid thereby undesired removal of material during mounting, for example by shearing off with the edge of the boundary, which delimits the cutout, on this radius at the transition between the jacket wall of the cup and the further wall region of the wall.
It may be provided that the funnel shape is designed by a step in the wall. This step, in particular, is formed by a stamped portion. As already set forth above, in the case of a hole as a receptacle, a cutout is preferably designed on the funnel base for passing through the cup. In particular, it is provided that the wall thickness of the backing part in those wall regions which delimit this funnel-shaped hole is equal over the entire depth of the hole. By means of the step which is preferably produced by stamping, therefore, a material thickening is not configured at any point. Thus the funnel base also has a thickness which corresponds to the thickness of the step and thus also the thickness of that wall region of the backing part which delimits the funnel region of the hole.
It may be provided that at least two separate cups which are positioned spaced apart from one another are designed in an integrated manner and thus in one piece in the wall on the outer side and a corresponding number of receptacles, for example holes, is designed in the backing part. By such a possibility of multiple coupling between a cup and a receptacle, the fastening of a backing part is improved. The positionally accurate and thus, in particular, also the rotationally free fastening of the backing part are made possible thereby.
It may be provided that the receptacles, for example the holes, have different geometries. Additionally or alternatively thereto it may be provided that the cups have different geometries. In particular, the jacket walls of the cups have different geometries, with an advantageous design relative thereto.
By means of such an embodiment having different geometries, on the one hand, in an advantageous design a mounting coding may be provided so that the backing part may also be mounted correctly on the outer side of the wall. Additionally or alternatively thereto, by means of such a different geometry it may also be achieved that it is possible to compensate for positioning and manufacturing tolerances in a simpler manner. Thus it may be provided that the geometry of a receptacle, for example of a hole, in which a cup is intended to penetrate, is different from the geometry of this cup. In particular, the geometry of the receptacle, for example of the hole, is different from a jacket wall of the cup. By means of such an embodiment of different geometries of a receptacle from a cup to be coupled into this receptacle, the positioning and individual locating of the backing part may be improved. It is also possible to compensate for mounting tolerances and manufacturing tolerances in a simple manner thereby.
It may be provided that, for example the first receptacle, for example the first hole, in particular in a receptacle opening or in the case of a hole in a cutout for passing through a cup, has a circular geometry and the second receptacle, for example the second hole, in particular in a receptacle opening or in the case of a hole in a cutout for passing through a cup, has an irregular circular shape. An irregular circular shape may be, for example, an oval or elliptical or even any other type of geometry which is designed, in particular, without corners in its defining contour.
It may be provided that the first cup has an annular geometry on its jacket wall and the second cup has an irregular annular geometry of its jacket wall. In particular, it may be provided that the first receptacle, for example the first hole, is designed for receiving the first cup and the second receptacle, for example the second hole, is designed for receiving the second cup.
It may be provided that both the first cup has an annular geometry of its jacket wall and the second cup has an annular geometry of its jacket wall. In such an embodiment, therefore, the geometry of the first receptacle, for example of the first hole, and the first cup on its jacket wall correspond to one another, whereas the geometry of the second receptacle, for example of the second hole, and the geometry of the jacket wall of the second cup differ from one another. The aforementioned advantages may be achieved, in particular, thereby.
Similarly, however, it is also possible that the first receptacle and the second receptacle have equal, i.e. identical, geometries. For example, the first hole and the second hole may have equal hole geometries, in particular for example circular geometries, in particular in the cutout thereof, and a jacket wall of a cup has an annular geometry and the jacket wall of the other cup has an irregular annular geometry.
It may be provided that an irregular circular shape of a hole or a receptacle opening is without corners in its defining contour, for example is oval or elliptical. As a result, an elongated hole is formed by this irregular circular shape. By means of this elongated hole an overdetermination of the positioning is prevented and a tolerance compensation and a simplified mounting is permitted.
It may be provided that a coupling between a receptacle, for example a hole, and a cup is designed with asymmetrical play. Specifically by means of this embodiment the aforementioned advantages may be particularly achieved.
It may be provided that the further coupling between the other receptacle, for example the other hole, and the other cup, is designed with symmetrical play. As a result, the backing part as a whole may be positioned relative to the wall to a certain extent such that, on the one hand, as a whole it is arranged in a positionally accurate manner on the wall and, on the other hand, it may be arranged as far as possible over a large surface area of the outer side of the wall.
It may be provided that a screw receptacle which is separate from the coupling element is designed in the wall for screwing in a screw. The screw receptacle is designed, in particular, as a continuous opening. The screw receptacle may, however, also be designed as a blind hole. Preferably, the screw receptacle has an internal thread. A raised centering element, which is designed in an integrated manner in the wall and thus in one piece, is arranged so as to penetrate this screw receptacle, wherein a screw may be screwed through this centering element. This also means, therefore, in the basic embodiment that the centering element is designed to protrude in a raised manner over the surface area of the wall and is also designed to be without holes and/or without interruptions. In this state, therefore, when the backing part is connected to the outer side of the wall, the centering element penetrates this screw receptacle so that the positionally accurate arrangement of the backing part on the outer side is also further assisted thereby. Only by screwing in the screw, which involves a subsequent manufacturing step, is this centering element effectively punctured and only by the penetration of this screw is a hole then effectively produced in this centering element. Since this manufacturing step of the penetration of the screw, however, takes place after a foaming process and thus after introducing a thermal insulating foam into an intermediate space between an outer wall and the wall designed as an inner wall, therefore, in particular during this foaming process no foam material is able to penetrate through the wall in the region of this centering element.
Generally the backing part is mounted on the foam side of the wall. This means that this outer side of the wall, on which the backing part is arranged, faces toward this foam material. In the foamed state, the backing part is also covered by this foam material.
It may be provided that the household appliance has a drawer which is able to be pushed into and pulled out of the receiving space. The drawer has a front wall which in the pushed-in state of the drawer closes the receiving space on the front side. This front wall has an inner wall which faces toward the receiving space and which constitutes the wall on which the backing part is arranged on an outer side.
The receiving space is typically delimited by further walls which are a component of an internal container. The internal container is a separate component from the cited drawer and thus, in particular, a separate component from the wall on which the backing part is arranged.
It may be provided that a pull-out device is designed on the backing part for the linear displacement of the wall. The pull-out device may, for example, be a telescopic rail.
The household appliance may be, in particular, a household refrigeration appliance, a household cooking appliance, a household dishwashing appliance or a household washing appliance.
A further feature of the invention relates to a method for mounting a backing part on a wall of a household appliance, in particular a household refrigeration appliance, a receiving space of the household appliance being delimited thereby. The backing part is arranged on an outer side of this wall facing away from the receiving space, wherein the backing part is coupled by a coupling element with a counter-coupling element on the outer side. The counter-coupling element is inserted as a raised cup without holes into a coupling element designed as a hole.
In an advantageous embodiment of the method, a screw receptacle which is separate from a coupling element is designed on the wall for screwing in a screw, wherein a raised centering element without holes, which is designed in an integrated manner in the wall, is arranged so as to penetrate this screw receptacle, and subsequently a screw is screwed into the centering element without holes, penetrating said centering element without holes, and screwed in the screw receptacle.
Further advantageous embodiments of the method are provided by advantageous embodiments of the household appliance, in particular of the household refrigeration appliance, wherein in this case corresponding geometric embodiments and interactions of components to one another permit the respective method steps. In particular, reference may be made here to the respective geometries of holes and/or cups which thus permit a positionally accurate bearing of the backing part against the outer side of the wall over a maximum surface area.
The backing part is designed, in particular, from metal and, in particular, in one piece. The wall is produced, in particular, from plastic material, in particular by deep-drawing.
The positions and orientations provided when the appliance is used as intended and arranged as intended are specified by the terms “above”, “below”, “front”, “rear”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “depth direction”, “width direction”, vertical direction”.
Further features of the invention are disclosed in the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features cited above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features cited hereinafter in the description of the figures and/or shown individually in the figures, are not only able to be used in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or individually without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus embodiments which are not explicitly shown and described in the figures but which emerge and are ii able to be generated from the described embodiments by separate combinations of features are also to be regarded as encompassed and disclosed by the invention. Embodiments and combinations of features which, therefore, do not comprise all of the features of an originally formulated independent claim are also to be regarded as disclosed.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail hereinafter with reference to schematic drawings, in which:
Elements which are the same or functionally the same are provided with the same reference numerals in the figures.
A household appliance in the form of a household refrigeration appliance 1, which is designed for storing and conserving food, is shown in
In the exemplary embodiment it is provided that the receiving space 3 is able to be closed by a plurality of separate doors arranged on the front side. The fresh food compartment 4 in this context is closable by a door 5 which is a front wall of a drawer which is displaceable in a linear manner in the depth direction (z-direction). The remaining partial volume of the receiving space 3 is closable by two further separate doors 6 and 7, which are pivotable separately about vertical axes and thus axes oriented in the vertical direction and independently of one another. By means of this embodiment, on the one hand, the remaining partial volume of the receiving space 3 which is not formed by the fresh food compartment 4 may be opened and closed independently of the fresh food compartment 4, which is carried out by corresponding pivoting of the doors 6 and/or 7. In turn, independently thereof, the fresh food compartment 4 may be opened by the door 5 being opened and thus the drawer being pulled out.
The household refrigeration appliance 1 also has, for example, two further separate receiving spaces 8 and 9 which are freezer compartments. Moreover, simply one freezer compartment may be present.
The two freezer compartments are also closable in turn by separate doors 10 and 11, ii wherein also in the exemplary embodiment shown here these doors 10 and 11 are front walls of drawers which are displaceable in a linear manner in the depth direction. Thus it is shown by way of example that the lower freezer compartment is closable by the front wall of a drawer 12 which is designed as a door 11, wherein this drawer 12 is shown here in the pulled-out state.
The receiving spaces 3, 8 and 9 are delimited by an internal container which is designed, in particular, from plastic material.
As may be identified in
A partial region of the household refrigeration appliance 1 is shown in
In particular also relating to the receiving space, the fresh food compartment 4 is provided with a drawer, wherein in this case the door 5 constitutes a front wall 14 of the drawer 15.
The front wall 14 which is formed as a door 5, as may be identified in
The inner wall 17, viewed in the depth direction, is closer to the volume of the fresh food compartment 4 than the outer wall 16. The inner wall 17 which constitutes a wall which delimits a receiving space, in this case the fresh food compartment 4, has an outer side 19 and an inner side 20. The outer side 19 faces away from the volume of the ii fresh food compartment 4, and faces toward the outer wall 16. The inner side 20 faces toward the volume of the fresh food compartment 4. The outer side 19, therefore, is oriented on the foam side.
As is also indicated in
The pull-out device 21 is arranged with a subcomponent, in particular a rail 22, on a side wall 23 of an internal container 24. In this case, the internal container 24 also delimits with its walls the receiving space 3, as has already been set forth above.
In
In
As may also be identified in
In
On the other hand, in the exemplary embodiment, the second hole 32 has a funnel base 41 which has a cutout 42. This cutout 42 is delimited by a defining contour 43 which in this case has a circular shape.
Moreover, in this plate-shaped part of the backing part 32 a screw receptacle 44 is designed as a continuous hole, in which the centering element 30 penetrates, as may be identified in the view in
In the view in
In particular, it is provided that the first cup 28 due to its geometry, in particular its jacket wall 28a, is arranged in the cutout 39 with asymmetrical play. In particular, it is provided that the second cup 29 with its jacket wall 29a is arranged in the cutout 42 of the second hole with symmetrical play, wherein this may also be identified in
In the aforementioned view in
In particular, an accurate positioning is possible by the symmetrical minimal play between the jacket wall 29a and the contour 43. By the asymmetrical play between the jacket wall 28a and the contour 40 to the left and to the right, an accurate positioning is possible and in the view in
In
In
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2018 204 658.1 | Mar 2018 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2019/050377 | 1/9/2019 | WO | 00 |