REFRIGERATING APPLIANCE
A refrigerating appliance is shown, comprising a refrigerating chamber (1) for goods to be refrigerated, a housing (2) receiving the refrigerating chamber (1) at least partially, at least one door (4) which is provided on a housing opening (3) of the housing (2), can be moved with respect to the housing (2) and provides access to the refrigerating chamber, and further comprising a door attachment (7) which is provided between the door (4) and the housing (2) and includes an opening device (8) having a rocker lever (14) for moving the door (4) about a tilting axis, particularly a horizontal tilting axis, from a closed to an open position (10, 11). In order to provide advantageous constructional conditions it is proposed that the door attachment (7) comprises a carrier (15) which is connected to the rocker lever (14) and in particular adjoins the rocker lever (14), wherein said carrier carries at least part (16) of a further opening device of the door attachment (7) for moving the door (4) from a closed position (10) into an open position (18) which differs from the open position (11) of the other opening device (8).
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The invention relates to a refrigerating appliance, comprising a refrigerating chamber for goods to be refrigerated, a housing receiving the refrigerating chamber at least partially, at least one door which is provided on a housing opening of the housing, can be moved with respect to the housing and provides access to the refrigerating chamber, and further comprising a door attachment which is provided between the door and the housing and includes an opening device having a rocker lever for moving the door about a tilting axis, particularly a horizontal tilting axis, from a closed to an open position.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ARTIn order to make a refrigerating chamber of a refrigerating appliance accessible which is closed off by a door, doors with a large variety of door attachments are known which enable the moving of the door from a closed to an open position via an opening device. A door attachment is known for example from DE 140 1 078 A1 which movably fastens a door via a tilting device to the housing. Two rocker levers are provided for this purpose to the side of the door in order to enable the tilting of the door in a vertically upward way with one movement of the same. Although such door attachments are able to provide obstruction-free access to the refrigerating chamber of the refrigerating appliance, it has been noticed that tilting devices, in addition to the increased static preconditions placed on the tilting mechanism, are only suitable within limits because the thus tilted doors can respond in a sensitive way to tilting-induced loading forces. Long service periods which are demanded especially in the case of commercial usage of refrigerating appliances cannot be ensured by such tilting mechanisms.
For this reason, door attachments with alternative opening devices are known (U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,632) which comprise pivoting devices with vertically extending pivoting axes. Although such door attachments offer long service lives in contrast to door attachments with tilting devices because neither the opening device nor the doors are subject to comparatively high loads during opening, it is disadvantageous in such door attachments that when the doors are opened they protrude outwardly from the refrigerating appliance and thus limit the area of movement around the refrigerating appliance. An obstruction-free access cannot be ensured by these door attachments, leading to disadvantages in connection with convenience of the same.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention is therefore based on the object of providing a refrigerating appliance with a movable door of the kind mentioned above which can ensure in a simple constructional manner both high stability of the door attachment and obstruction-free access to the refrigerating chamber.
This object is achieved by the invention in such a way that the door attachment comprises a carrier which is connected to the rocker lever and in particular adjoins the rocker lever, wherein said carrier carries at least part of a further opening device of the door attachment for moving the door from a closed position into an open position which differs from the open position of the other opening device.
If the door attachment comprises a further opening device for moving the door from the closed position to an open position which differs from the open position of the other opening device, it is enabled in accordance with the invention to provide a stable tilting device in a simple manner, because on average an even use of both access alternatives will occur depending on the habits of the users, so that a tilting device can also be provided without any special additional constructional measures. The service life can be increased especially when the door attachment comprises a carrier connected with the rocker lever, which carrier carries at least a part of a further opening device of the door attachment. The tilting-induced loads of the door can thus be discharged to the carrier, which can improve the strength of the door and especially the stability of the door attachment. Simple constructional conditions are obtained when the carrier is disposed adjacent to the rocker lever. In contrast to the state of the art, the invention can thus not only ensure an increased service life of the refrigerating appliance but also alternative and also obstruction-free access among other things to the refrigerating appliance.
In particular, the door and/or the further opening device can be relieved from tilting-induced forces when the door attachment comprises a support and the carrier is arranged in relation to the door in such a way that during the movement of the door about the tilting axis the carrier ensures discharge of the forces onto the rocker lever via the support. Tilting-induced deformation forces can thus be discharged in a simple manner, which thus reduces the constructional preconditions both for the door and for the further opening device. That is why doors with glass surfaces or glass doors can be provided to be tiltable as compared with the state of the art, which can be advantageous especially for operating comfort because the merchandise of the refrigerating chamber can be inspected prior to opening the door. An additional factor is that with the support it is possible to improve the security of the door attachment by reducing the likelihood of breakage of the door or door fastening. The carrier can be arranged in relation to the door in such a way that it provides a connection of forces during the tilting of the door in addition to the further opening device in order to thus enable the relief of forces in an improved manner on the tilted door. The carrier is preferably used for an at least partial support of the tilted door. It is understood that the rocker lever need not be regarded at all times as a straight lever; it could certainly assume a common shape with the carrier which can have a large variety of progressions.
If the carrier comprises a carrier frame, it is not only possible to create a sturdy construction for the further opening mechanism, but this frame can advantageously also be used as a sturdy support. Moreover, the frame can relieve the tilted door for example on all sides, which can enable a comparatively high security against the damage of doors with glass surfaces or glass doors. Simple constructional conditions are obtained when the rocker lever and the carrier form a common component.
Simple constructional conditions for a sliding guide can be obtained when the carrier has a horizontal guide of the sliding guide, because the carrier can thus be used in a constructional manner for the further opening device arranged as a sliding guide.
If the further opening device is arranged as a pivoting device which comprises a pivot bearing which is fastened to the carrier and comprises a swivel axis which extends especially in a normal way and is inclined in relation to the tilting axis, a cost-effective suspension for the door can be created independent of the door construction.
In order to enable the prevention of any uncontrolled pivoting of the tilted door it can be provided that the carrier provided on the door side facing the refrigerating chamber delimits the swivel range of the door. The security of the door attachment can thus be improved in a simple way because when the door is tilted it will rest on the carrier in a manner limited by the stop and is thus unable to perform any undesirable pivoting movements during the tilting of the door.
In order to increase the torsional rigidity of the housing against tilting loads, a force-connecting support strut can be provided between the housing wall protruding from the housing cover and the housing cover.
If the housing comprising a support frame delimits at least partly a recirculating air circuit which supplies the temperature to the refrigerating chamber between the frame carriers and the carrier connections, the dimensions of the refrigerating appliance can advantageously be kept small because the guide devices to be provided for the recirculating air can be housed between the refrigerating chamber and the outside of the housing or the housing can be used for forming this device. Advantageous visible conditions can be provided when the recirculating air circuit comprises openings for supplying cooling air to the door facing the refrigerating chamber at least in the connecting region of housing and door because condensation water on the door can thus be prevented in a simple way.
Depending on the force load to be discharged, two rocker levers can be provided for the tilting device, which rocker levers are spaced from one another, extend especially in a parallel way, act jointly on the support frame and are each fastened via a pivot bearing to the cover of the housing. Moreover, the constructional dimensions of the refrigerating appliance can be reduced in that means such as a compressor and/or condenser are provided in the intermediate area of the two rocker levers for the refrigerant circuit of the recirculating air circuit.
The subject matter of the invention is shown in the drawings way by reference to exemplary embodiments, wherein:
A refrigerating appliance shown by way of example in
The door attachment 7 is shown in closer detail in
The carrier 15 forms a carrier frame 15′ which extends parallel to the side edges of door 4, which is shown in more detail in
The security in the operation of the refrigerating appliance can especially be improved when the carrier 15 provided to the side of the door facing the refrigerating chamber 1 delimits the swiveling range of door 4 with its support 22, which is shown in particular in
A force-connecting support strut 24 is provided between housing cover 12 and the rear wall 23 of the housing which protrudes beyond the housing cover 12.
The tilting device 7 further comprises two mutually spaced and parallel extending rocker levers 14, in the intermediate area of which there are means 25 for the refrigerant circuit of the refrigerating appliance. This can represent a compressor for example in order to avoid having to provide the same on the floor of the refrigerant appliance, which enables a low loading edge of the refrigerating appliance. It need not be mentioned further that differently extending rocker levers 14 are possible.
The overall size of the refrigerating appliance can be reduced when the housing 2 which comprises a carrier frame at least partly delimits a recirculating air circuit 26 between its frame supports 2′ and transverse connections 2″, which air circuit subjects the refrigerating chamber 26 to refrigerating and is shown in close detail in
Moreover, the further opening device can be arranged as a sliding guide 40, which is shown as a further embodiment according to
A further embodiment is shown in
A further embodiment is shown according to
It is also generally possible to use means between carrier and rocker lever or door before tilting the door, which means contribute to the formation of the support instead of a movement of the carrier or door.
Claims
1. A refrigerating appliance, comprising a refrigerating chamber (1) for goods to be refrigerated, a housing (2) receiving the refrigerating chamber (1) at least partially, at least one door (4) which is provided on a housing opening (3) of the housing (2), can be moved with respect to the housing (2) and provides access to the refrigerating chamber, and further comprising a door attachment (7) which is provided between the door (4) and the housing (2) and includes an opening device (8) having a rocker lever (14) for moving the door (4) about a tilting axis, particularly a horizontal tilting axis, from a closed to an open position (10,11), wherein the door attachment (7) comprises a carrier (15) which is connected to the rocker lever (14) and in particular adjoins the rocker lever (14), wherein said carrier carries at least part (16) of a further opening device of the door attachment (7) for moving the door (4) from a closed position (10) into an open position (18) which differs from the open position (11) of the other opening device (8).
2. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein the door attachment (7) comprises a support (22) and the carrier (15) is arranged in relation to the door (4) in such a way that during the movement of the door (4) about the tilting axis (9) the carrier ensures discharge of the forces onto the rocker lever (14) via the support (22) in order to thus provide at least partial force relief for the further opening device and/or the door (4).
3. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein the carrier (15) which especially forms a common component with the rocker lever (14) comprises a carrier frame (15′).
4. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein the further opening device is arranged as a sliding guide (40), with the carrier (15) comprising a horizontal guide (41) of the sliding guide (40).
5. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein the further opening device is arranged as a pivoting device (17) which comprises a pivot bearing (16) which is fastened to the carrier (15) and comprises a swivel axis (19) which extends in an inclined manner, especially normal, in relation to the tilting axis (9).
6. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 5, wherein the carrier (15) provided on the side of the door facing the refrigerating chamber (1) delimits the swivel range of the door (4).
7. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein a force-connecting support strut (24) is provided between the housing cover (12) and a rear wall (23) of the housing protruding from the housing cover (12).
8. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein the housing (2) comprising a support frame delimits at least partly a recirculating air circuit (26) which supplies the temperature to the refrigerating chamber (1) between its frame carriers (2′) and transverse connections (2″), which recirculating air circuit comprises an outlet (27) for supplying refrigerating air to the door side facing the refrigerating chamber (1) in the region of the housing opening (3) adjacent to the door (4).
9. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein the tilting device (7) comprises two mutually spaced and especially parallel extending rocker levers (14), in the intermediate area of which there are means (25) for the refrigerant circuit of the refrigerating appliance.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 29, 2009
Publication Date: May 5, 2011
Applicant: AHT Cooling Systems GmbH (Rottenmann)
Inventor: Reinhold Resch (St. Peter)
Application Number: 12/737,169
International Classification: F25D 23/02 (20060101);