Refrigerator and/or Freezer Unit

Abstract

A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit has a unit carcass with one inner wall behind which a cooling element of the refrigerator circuit is arranged for the refrigerating of the inner space as well as with a cover plate disposed as a screen in front of the inner wall of the unit carcass in the inner space of the unit carcass. The cover plate is held in the inner space by a releasable fastener and can be removed from the inner space so that the inner space can be used selectively with or without a cover plate.

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having a unit carcass with one inner wall behind which a cooling element of the refrigerator circuit is arranged for the refrigerating of the inner space as well as with a cover plate disposed as a screen in front of the inner wall of the unit carcass in the inner space of the unit carcass.

With refrigerator circuits, the problem of frost formation and the formation of condensate often occurs at the surface of the inner wall behind which the evaporator of the refrigerator circuit is arranged, which is first visually unacceptable with high-quality units. In addition, a freezing of the goods to be refrigerated to the inner wall can occur.

It has therefore already been proposed to dispose a separate cover plate as a screen in front of the inner rear wall of the unit carcass behind which the evaporator of the refrigerator circuit is arranged as a rule in the inner space of the refrigerator unit to eliminate the named problems. A gap remains between this cover plate disposed in front as a screen and the actual inner carcass wall so that the condensate formation and frost formation can admittedly still occur on the actual inner wall surface, but does not move onto the cover plate. The advantages achieved by this solution are, however, acquired at the cost of space loss since the cover plate disposed in front as a screen reduces the useful inner space volume, in particular since a gap has to be provided between the cover plate and the inner carcass wall. This is admittedly acceptable as a rule since the inner space is frequently not completely filled; however, it is annoying when the whole storage volume is actually needed.

It is therefore the underlying object of the present invention to provide an improved refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit of the named kind which avoids disadvantages of the prior art and further develops it in an advantageous manner. The problem of frost formation and/or condensate formation on the inner rear wall should in particular be solved, with the maximum storage volume of the unit nevertheless being available when required.

This object is solved in accordance with the invention by a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

It is therefore proposed not to mount the cover plate fixedly in the inner space of the unit, but rather to provide a cover plate which can be removed as required. In accordance with the invention, the cover plate is held in the inner space by releasable fastening means and can be removed from the inner space so that the inner space is selectively usable with or without the cover plate. The unit is hereby given a variable inner space volume which can be enlarged as required by removal of the cover plate to provide the maximum possible storage space. The problem of the condensate formation and frost formation on the inner carcass wall can be eliminated, on the one hand, by this variable inner space concept, and the maximum possible cubic capacity can nevertheless be provided as required.

In a further development of the invention, the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit has a control device which takes account of the technical refrigerating effects of the removal or insertion of the cover plate. In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the control device can change at least one operating parameter of at least one unit component with a technical refrigerating effect in dependence on whether the cover plate is inserted in the inner space or has been removed from it. The control device adapts the operation of the necessary unit components to the presence or absence of the cover plate.

In this respect, the adaptation of the operating mode can generally take place in different manners. The control device can preferably change a temperature switching value of the cooling unit when the cover plate is removed from the inner space.

Alternatively or additionally, the control device can change the operating mode of a fan which is provided in the inner space of the unit. Advantageously, such a fan is arranged such that an air circulation takes place in the gap which is provided between the inner wall of the unit carcass and the cover plate disposed in front as a screen. The fan can, for example, be arranged in the region of the upper end of the cover plate and/or below a top side of the inner space such that the air circulation effected by the fan sweeps past behind and/or in front of the cover plate.

The control device can in this respect change the operating mode of the fan differently depending on its built-in situation. If the fan is fixedly mounted in the inner space, the switching times or operating intervals can be changed by the control device depending on whether the cover plate is inserted or has been removed.

Alternatively, the fan can also be mounted on the cover plate itself so that it can be removed together with the cover plate. In this case, the control device can simply deactivate the fan control routine when the cover plate has been removed.

The adaptation of the unit operation in dependence on whether the cover plate is inserted or has been remove advantageously takes place automatically. For this purpose, a detection device can be provided which detects whether the cover plate is inserted or has been removed. In this connection, the control device changes the named at least one operating parameter of at least one unit component with a technical refrigerating effect in dependence on a signal of the detection device.

The detection device can generally have different designs. In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the detection device works in contact-free manner. A reed switch can in particular be provided which detects the presence of the cover plate in the inner space.

The releasable fastening means for the cover plate can generally have different designs. To ensure a simple removal of the cover plate as required, the fastening means can advantageously be releasable or, conversely, closable or fastenable by hand in tool-free manner.

The fastening means can in particular hold the cover plate at the desired position in front of the inner wall to be covered in the inner space in a shape matched and/or force transmitting manner. A fastening which is particularly simple to operate and is nevertheless stable is provided by latch means by which the cover plate can be latched at the desired position in the inner space.

The fastening means can generally be provided at different points in this respect. They can in particular be provided at the unit carcass and/or at the cover plate itself. Alternatively or additionally, fastening means can also be provided on storage trays and/or can be provided to cooperate therewith on the cover plate so that the cover plate can be fastened to storage trays or compartment bottoms which can be inserted into the inner space of the unit carcass.

Alternatively or additionally to the previously named latch means, receiving recesses can be provided at the unit carcass into which the cover plate can be inserted. Alternatively or additionally, fastening projections, in particular fastening ribs, can also be provided at the unit carcass and the cover plate is held at them in a shape matched manner.

One side of the cover plate can advantageously be inserted into a receiving recess and the oppositely disposed side can be latched with latch means provided there. Provision can be made in this respect to slide in the cover plate at the bottom and to latch it at the top or, alternatively, to slide it in at the top and to latch it at the bottom. Alternatively to this, the cover plate can also be slid in at the side and latched at the side as well, but opposite thereto.

The cover plate itself can generally have different designs. It can be made as a simple glass plate, plastic plate or metal plate, but also as a plate having at least one insulation layer made of polystyrene and/or PUR. If the dividing plate is made of glass, in addition to simple glass, safety glass or mirror glass can also be used, whereby special design effects are possible.

The cover plate can be made in different sizes in this respect. In a further development of the invention, it is made at least so large that it covers the region of the inner wall behind which the evaporator of the refrigerator circuit is disposed. In this connection, the cover plate can in particular be arranged aligned substantially vertically in front of the rear wall of the unit carcass. The cover plate does not necessarily have to be planar in the sense of a mathematical plane in this respect, but can rather also comprise elevated portions and/or have curved portions.

The invention will be explained in more detail in the following with respect to a preferred embodiment and to associated drawings. There are shown in the drawings:

FIG. 1 a schematic sectional representation of the unit carcass of a refrigerator unit in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, with the cover plate being shown in the inserted state; and

FIG. 2 a schematic sectional view of the unit carcass of FIG. 1, with the cover plate being shown in a dismantled state while being removed.

The refrigerator unit 1 shown in the Figures has a substantially cubic unit carcass 2 whose housing is insulating in the usual manner. In this respect, an evaporator 4 of the refrigerator circuit is provided at the rear 3 of the unit carcass 2 and can be foamed into the insulation of the unit carcass 2 so that it comes to lie behind the rear inner wall 5 of the unit carcass 2.

A cover plate 6 is disposed as a screen in front of the named rear wall 5 of the unit carcass 2 and is arranged standing upright in front of the named rear wall 5 in the inner space 7 of the unit carcass 2. In this respect, the cover plate 6 is arranged substantially parallel to the rear wall 5, but spaced apart from it so that an air circulation passage 8 is formed between the rear wall 5 and the cover plate 6. As FIG. 1 shows, the cover plate 6 is arranged suspended, i.e. in the drawn embodiment its lower edge does not contact the base of the unit carcass 2. The gap 10 remains between the base 9 of the unit carcass 2 and the cover plate 6, cf. FIG. 1.

In the drawn embodiment, a fan 12 is arranged at the top side 11 of the unit carcass 2 at the rear end of the inner space 7 and an air circulation can be achieved around the cover plate 6 by means of said fan, with the named air circulation passage 8 also being ventilated between the cover plate 6 and the rear wall 5.

The cover plate 6 can be removed, as FIG. 2 illustrates. For this purpose, fastening means 13 can be provided, preferably in the form of shape matched latch means, which can engage at different points. For example, they can hold the cover plate 6 at the storage trays 14 which can be inserted into the inner space 7, cf. FIG. 1.

Claims

1. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit having a unit carcass (2) with an inner wall (5) behind which a cooling element (4) of the refrigerator circuit is arranged for the cooling of the inner space, as well as with a cover plate (6) disposed in front of the said inner wall (5) of the unit carcass (2) as a screen in the inner space (7) of the unit carcass (2), wherein the cover plate (6) is held in the inner space (7) by releasable fastening means (13) and can be removed from the inner space (7) so that the inner space (7) can be used selectively with or without a cover plate (6).

2. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein a control device is provided for the changing of at least one operating parameter of at least one unit component with a technical refrigerating effect in dependence on the presence of the cover plate (6) in the inner space (7).

3. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 2, wherein a detection device, preferably a reed switch, is provided for the detection of the presence of the cover plate (6) in the inner space (7) and the control device changes the at least one operating parameter in dependence on a signal of the detection device.

4. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 2, wherein the control device changes a temperature switch value of the cooling unit in dependence on the presence of the cover plate (6).

5. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein a fan (12) is provided for the air circulation in the inner space (7) of the unit carcass (2).

6. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 5, wherein

a control device is provided for the changing of at least one operating parameter of at least one unit component with a technical refrigerating effect in dependence on the presence of the cover plate (6) in the inner space (7), and

the control device changes the operating mode of the fan (12) in dependence on the presence of the cover plate (6) in the inner space (7).

7. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 5, wherein the fan (12) is mounted in the unit carcass (2) independently of the cover plate (6).

8. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fan (12) is fastened to the cover plate (6) and can be removed from the inner space (7) together with it.

9. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fastening means (13) for the cover plate (6) can be actuated in a tool-free manner.

10. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fastening means (13) have latch means for the latching of the cover plate (6).

11. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fastening means (13) are provided at the unit carcass (2) and/or at a storage tray (14) which can be inserted into the inner space (7).

12. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fastening means (13) have receiving recesses in the unit carcass (2) into which the cover plate can be inserted.

13. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fastening means (13) have holding projections, in particular holding ribs, at which the cover plate is held in a shape matched manner.

14. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cover plate (6) covers at least the region of the inner wall (5) in which the cooling element (4) is seated behind the inner wall (5).

15. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cover plate (6) is arranged substantially vertically in front of the rear wall (5) of the unit carcass (2).

16. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cover plate (6) is spaced apart from the inner wall (5) and/or an air circulation passage (8) is formed between the inner wall (5) and the cover plate (6).

17. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 3, wherein the control device changes a temperature switch value of the cooling unit in dependence on the presence of the cover plate (6).

18. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 17, wherein a fan (12) is provided for the air circulation in the inner space (7) of the unit carcass (2).

19. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 2, wherein a fan (12) is provided for the air circulation in the inner space (7) of the unit carcass (2).

20. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 3, wherein a fan (12) is provided for the air circulation in the inner space (7) of the unit carcass (2).