DOMESTIC REFRIGERATOR HAVING A LOCALLY THERMALLY INSULATED OUTER ENCLOSURE OF AN ICE-MAKER AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A DOMESTIC REFRIGERATOR

Abstract

A domestic refrigerator has a housing in which is formed at least one food storage compartment, which is bounded by walls of a liner. An ice-maker has an outer enclosure that is separate from the liner and inserted in an insertion region of the liner. The outer enclosure of the ice-maker has at least one wall region with an inner wall and an outer wall spaced apart therefrom. At least portions of an interspace between the inner wall and the outer wall contain a thermally insulating material. There is also described a method for producing a domestic refrigerator.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of German patent application DE 10 2016 218 646.9, filed Sep. 28, 2016; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a domestic refrigerator having a housing in which is formed at least one food storage compartment. The storage compartment is bounded by walls of a liner of the domestic refrigerator. The domestic refrigerator also comprises an ice-maker. The ice-maker has an outer enclosure, which is separate from the liner and is inserted in an insertion region of the liner. In addition, the invention also relates to a method for producing a domestic refrigerator.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,337,620 B2, for example, discloses a domestic refrigerator of the type.

It is necessary particularly for domestic refrigerators in which the ice-maker is disposed in a storage compartment designed to be a chill compartment that this ice-maker is also suitably thermally insulated with respect to this chill compartment, in which higher temperatures are then established. The liner, the walls of which bound this storage compartment, is usually produced in a deep-drawing process. The outer contour of the outer enclosure of the ice-maker is also produced, for example, in a suitable forming process. This can result in the material thicknesses of the liner and/or even of the outer enclosure of the ice-maker being relatively thin at specific points, and therefore relatively low forces acting here may possibly cause unwanted deformations or other damage to the components.

For such ice-makers disposed in the chill compartment of the domestic refrigerator, it is known in the prior art to use for thermally insulating the ice-maker from the chill compartment an insulating foam, which is also introduced for thermal insulation between the liner and an outer shell of the housing. As a result of the usually very narrow regions between the outer enclosure of the ice-maker and the liner, it is difficult to introduce the thermal insulation foam there. Especially in the foaming processes which then take place, in which the outer enclosure of the ice-maker is already fitted at the insertion region of the liner, and this thermal insulation foam is meant to be introduced subsequently into the interspace between the liner and the outer shell and also into the interspace between the outer enclosure of the ice-maker and the liner of the domestic refrigerator, this means that precisely these regions between the outer enclosure of the ice-maker and the liner cannot be filled with sufficient material and hence the thermal insulation also only is inadequately effective.

European published patent application EP 2 650 628 A2 discloses a domestic refrigerator in which an enclosure of an ice-maker, which enclosure has an open side, is disposed in an insertion region of a liner. Again in this case, the outer enclosure, which is extensively single-walled, is thermally insulated from the storage compartment in a manner that requires thermally insulating material to be introduced between the outer enclosure and a wall of the liner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a refrigerator and a production method which overcome the above-mentioned and other disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and which, or by means of which, the thermal insulation between the ice-maker and the liner is improved.

With the above and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a domestic refrigerator, comprising:

a housing formed with at least one food storage compartment, which is bounded by walls of a liner;

an ice-maker having an outer enclosure separate from the liner and inserted in the liner;

the outer enclosure of the ice-maker having at least one wall region that includes an inner wall and an outer wall spaced apart from the inner wall and forming an interspace therewith; and

a thermally insulating material disposed in at least portions of the interspace between the inner wall and the outer wall is disposed a thermally insulating material.

In other words, the domestic refrigerator according to the invention comprises a housing in which is formed at least one food storage compartment. The storage compartment is bounded by walls of a liner of the domestic refrigerator. The domestic refrigerator also comprises an ice-maker, which is disposed in particular outside the storage compartment.

The ice-maker may be disposed in an alcove or a recess or an insertion region of a liner, the walls of which bound the storage compartment. The liner preferably comprises a hole or aperture through which the ice-maker extends by its outer enclosure or against which it rests by its rear face. The ice-maker is accessible from the front so that it is accessible only when a door that closes the storage compartment is open. The ice-maker comprises this front cover, which is a front viewing component and constitutes a wall by means of which the ice-maker is thermally insulated also preferably with respect to the storage compartment. The ice-maker is disposed at least such that a wall region, namely the cover, of the ice-maker, borders the storage compartment directly. In particular, a storage container of the ice-maker is provided, the front wall of which forms this wall region that directly borders the storage compartment. This front wall is accessible in particular only via a front loading aperture of the storage compartment. In particular, said ice-maker is disposed solely by this front wall in the storage compartment and is otherwise disposed outside the storage compartment.

The ice-maker comprises an outer enclosure, which is separate from the liner and is inserted or disposed in the liner, preferably in an insertion region of the liner. A primarily important concept of the invention can be considered to be that the outer enclosure of the ice-maker has at least one wall region that comprises an inner wall and an outer wall spaced apart therefrom. This wall region, which borders in part the volume of the outer enclosure and hence the interior of the outer enclosure, thus has a double-wall construction. In at least portions of an interspace between this inner wall and the outer wall of this wall region is introduced or disposed a thermally insulating material. This embodiment of the outer enclosure thus already thermally insulates the outer enclosure itself locally such that with this outer enclosure disposed in the liner or in the insertion region of the liner, there is an improved thermal insulation between the ice-maker and the storage compartment. Thus it is no longer necessary to introduce, or fully introduce, thermally insulating material between the outer enclosure of the ice-maker and the liner, as would be necessary in the prior art. By virtue of this construction, which is double-walled at least in parts, and the thermally insulating material that then exists at this wall region, the outer enclosure itself is already inherently designed to be suitably thermally insulated. Thus the invention means it is also possible that the outer enclosure itself initially is in the form of a separate installation module that has a suitable local thermally insulated design and can then be inserted subsequently into the liner or the insertion region of the liner. Thus in addition to an improved thermal insulation effect, this also improves manufacture and the procedure for fitting the ice-maker in the domestic refrigerator and subsequent foaming processes, in which thermally insulating material is introduced between the liner and an outer shell of the housing of the domestic refrigerator.

It is preferably provided that a first wall region of this outer enclosure is a bottom wall of the outer enclosure. Thus in particular when the ice-maker is disposed in an insertion region formed in a top corner region of the liner, the outer enclosure is oriented and disposed by a bottom wall and also a side wall towards the storage compartment. Therefore this bottom wall and this one side wall face the storage compartment and are subject to a particular thermal insulation with respect to the storage compartment. In this context it is then preferably also provided that a second wall region is a side wall of the outer enclosure. Thus in particular two wall regions of the outer enclosure that are arranged at an angle to one another have said double-wall construction, and in the interspace in each wall region is disposed a thermally insulating material. Specifically all the wall regions of the outer enclosure that face the storage compartment are then already themselves suitably thermally insulated. It is hence no longer necessary to introduce additionally a thermally insulating material between the outer enclosure and a wall region of the liner, which wall region is disposed adjacent to said outer enclosure. Furthermore, it can also be provided by this embodiment that the outer enclosure can be disposed such that the wall regions that have a double-wall construction are directly adjacent to wall regions of the liner, so that then installation space can also be saved here.

It is provided in particular that the two wall regions of the outer enclosure that have a double-wall construction merge into each other and form a common contiguous and continuous total wall region. This total wall region is designed to be L-shaped in cross-section. Thus the wall regions also have an extensive and continuous double-wall construction and hence the thermally insulating material can also be introduced into this interspace such that it fills this interspace fully and continuously.

It is provided in particular that the inner wall and the outer wall of the wall region are separate pieces. This embodiment can allow simple manufacture of the outer enclosure especially in this wall region.

It is preferably provided that on an edge of the inner wall that faces the outer wall is formed a strip-shaped connecting piece, which is disposed in planar contact with, and overlapping, a connecting piece formed on the outer wall, in particular on an edge of the outer wall that faces the inner wall. This embodiment facilitates stable positioning of the separate walls, and by virtue of said overlap also achieves a certain degree of sealing so that thermally insulating material introduced into the interspace cannot escape through this interface.

It is preferably provided that the strip-shaped connecting piece, in particular the connecting piece that is formed on the edge of the inner wall, is part of an insertion slot into which is then inserted or plug-fitted the strip-shaped connecting piece on the edge of the outer wall. This further improves the aforementioned advantages.

It is provided in particular that at least one additional wall region of the outer enclosure that faces away from the storage compartment has only a single-wall construction. This single-wall structure is adequate here since at these wall regions there is no need for extensive thermal insulation with respect to the storage compartment. In particular it is intended here nonetheless that at least portions of an interspace between this additional wall region and the outer shell of the housing of the domestic refrigerator is again filled with thermally insulating material.

It is preferably provided that an additional wall region of the outer enclosure is a side wall of the outer enclosure that faces away from the storage compartment, and an additional wall region of the outer enclosure is a top wall of the outer enclosure that faces away from the storage compartment.

It can be provided that the outer enclosure has an enclosure element directly bordering the interior volume of the outer enclosure, which enclosure element is formed from a plurality of separate single parts. In particular, the enclosure element comprises a single-piece base tray as a single part, so that liquid collecting in the outer enclosure can be captured here and there is no unwanted escape of this liquid. This prevents wetting or soaking of thermally insulating material located under the base tray.

The double-walled wall region of the outer enclosure is bounded where it faces the interior volume of the outer enclosure by a single part that constitutes in this double-walled wall region the inner wall of the wall region. In addition, this inner wall of the double-walled wall region is also formed at least in part by the base tray. In particular, the outer enclosure comprises as an additional single part an attachment, which comprises two separate cover pieces. The cover pieces each have a top wall and side walls attached thereto, both of said cover pieces being connected at the top walls by an assembly interface, in particular a plug-in connection.

Again in this case, overlapping strip-shaped connecting pieces can be provided, in particular it can be provided that there is an insertion slot in which then the other strip-shaped connecting piece penetrates or is inserted.

In particular, the outer wall is formed from a single piece and in particular has an L-shaped design. This makes the outer wall very robust and minimizes the number of components, and can also avoid an interface from which insulating material might escape.

In particular, the outer wall is designed to have stiffening members, in particular on an inner face that faces the inner wall. This means that the outer wall is even more resistant to deformation. In particular, the stiffening members are designed to be integral. The stiffening members are preferably in the form of ribs. When the outer wall has an L-shaped design, the stiffening members run in particular across a transition in the L-shape. This particularly reinforces specifically this transition.

In particular, the inner wall is composed of at least two separate wall pieces, which are joined to one another, in particular plug-fitted to one another, at a junction, said junction in particular having an interlocking design. This means that the connection has a very sturdy and robust design. In particular, the base tray has a side wall on which is formed a tooth pattern on an upper edge. In particular, a mating tooth pattern, which meshes with the tooth pattern, is formed on a lower edge of a vertical side wall of a cover piece of an attachment.

In addition, the invention also relates to a method for producing a domestic refrigerator, in which an outer enclosure of an ice-maker of the domestic refrigerator is disposed in a liner, which bounds a food storage compartment of the domestic refrigerator and is separate from the outer enclosure, preferably is disposed in an insertion region of the liner. The outer enclosure of the ice-maker is designed to have at least one wall region that comprises an inner wall and an outer wall spaced apart therefrom. An interspace is produced between the inner wall and the outer wall, at least portions of said interspace being filled with a thermally insulating material prior to fitting the outer enclosure in the liner or in the insertion region of the liner. In particular, then the pre-assembly module formed thereby is only then subsequently inserted into the liner or into the insertion region of the liner, and fitted there. The advantages that this can achieve have already been presented above for the domestic refrigerator.

Advantageous embodiments of the domestic refrigerator according to the invention shall be deemed advantageous embodiments of the method, in which case physical components of the domestic refrigerator are disposed and/or connected to one another correspondingly during production.

In particular, a thermally insulating material is not introduced into an interspace between a liner and an outer shell of the housing of the domestic refrigerator until the pre-assembly module of the ice-maker has been fitted into this interspace.

The domestic refrigerator is preferably designed to have a first storage compartment, which constitutes a chill compartment and on which is disposed the ice-maker. The domestic refrigerator also comprises in particular a second storage compartment, which is separate from the first storage compartment and is a freezer compartment. The at least one first storage compartment, viewed in the height direction of the domestic refrigerator, is preferably disposed above the second storage compartment. In particular, the first storage compartment can be closed by two separate doors, each of which can pivot about a vertical axis of rotation. The second storage compartment can be closed in particular by a further door, which is separate from said storage compartment and which in particular is a front wall of a drawer or cart that can be inserted into the storage compartment and can be withdrawn.

The terms “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “rear,” “horizontal, “vertical,” “depth direction,” “width direction,” “height direction” etc. define the positions and orientations that apply when the appliance is used and disposed as intended and for a viewer who is then standing in front of the appliance and looking towards the appliance.

The claims, the figures and the description of the figures contain further features of the invention. The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description, and the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and/or shown solely in the figures can be used not just in the particular combination stated but also in other combinations without departing from the scope of the present invention. The invention shall therefore be deemed to include and disclose also embodiments that are not described and shown explicitly in the figures but can be derived and produced from the described embodiments by separate feature combinations. Embodiments and feature combinations that hence do not comprise all the features of an independent claim in the original wording shall also be deemed to be disclosed. Furthermore, embodiments and feature combinations that go beyond or differ from the feature combinations presented in the dependency references of the claims shall be deemed to be disclosed, in particular by the embodiments described above.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a domestic refrigerator according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the domestic refrigerator of FIG. 1 with the doors shown in FIG. 1 removed;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the view in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a liner of the domestic refrigerator having an outer enclosure of an ice-maker of the domestic refrigerator, which outer enclosure is disposed in an insertion region of the liner;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the outer enclosure of the ice-maker;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the outer enclosure of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a further exemplary embodiment of an outer enclosure; and

FIG. 8 shows the embodiment of FIG. 7 in the assembled state.

Identical or functionally identical parts are denoted by the same reference signs in the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a schematic diagram a domestic refrigerator 1, which is designed for storing and conserving food. The domestic refrigerator 1 is embodied as a combined fridge-freezer appliance. It comprises a housing 2, in which is formed a first storage compartment 4 (FIG. 2), which is a chill compartment. In addition, a second storage compartment 5 (FIG. 2), which is separate from the first storage compartment 4 and is a freezer compartment, is formed in the housing 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first storage compartment 4 can be closed by two separate doors 6 and 7, which can be operated independently of one another and can each pivot relative to the housing 2 about a vertical axis, i.e. an axis oriented in the height direction (y-direction). The second storage compartment 5 can be closed by a door 8, which again is separate therefrom. The door 8 may be, for example, a front wall of a drawer that is mounted such that it can be inserted into the second storage compartment 5 and withdrawn.

In addition, the domestic refrigerator 1 comprises at least one ice-maker 9 (FIG. 2), which is disposed outside the first storage compartment 4 and hence outside the chill compartment, and is designed to produce pieces of ice such as ice cubes or crushed ice.

It is provided in particular in the exemplary embodiment that the domestic refrigerator 1 comprises a dispenser unit, which is designed to output at least pieces of ice. The dispenser unit 10 (FIG. 1) can additionally be designed also to output liquid, in particular water or other beverages, in particular mixed beverages. It is provided in the exemplary embodiment that the dispenser unit 10 is designed to output via the door 6, so that pieces of ice or liquid can be output even once the door 6 is closed. For this purpose, the door 6 comprises a recess 11, into which a receptacle, in particular a drinking vessel, can be placed so that the relevant medium can be output via an output unit 12 which belongs to the dispenser unit 10, is disposed in the door 6 and discharges into the recess 11.

It can also be provided, however, that an output of this nature via the door 6 is not provided, and only the ice-maker 9 is present, for example, which then is accessible only by opening the door 6. Pieces of ice that are produced can then be removed by withdrawing a storage container described in greater detail below that belongs to the ice-maker 9 and in which the pieces of ice are collected.

It can be seen in FIG. 2 that the first storage compartment 4 is bounded by walls of a liner 13. This liner 13 comprises at its top left corner region 14 an insertion region 15, into which the ice-maker 9 is inserted. The ice-maker 9 is accessible only via the loading aperture of the first storage compartment 4. The ice-maker 9 extends in particular only in part into the storage compartment 4, and hence through at least one cutout or hole in the liner 13, the walls of which bound the storage compartment 4. The ice-maker 9 is arranged at least such that a wall region, in particular a cover, of the ice-maker 9, borders the storage compartment 4 directly. In particular, a storage container of the ice-maker 9 is provided, the front wall of which forms this wall region that directly borders the storage compartment 4. This front wall is accessible in particular only via a front loading aperture of the storage compartment 4.

The storage compartment 5 is likewise bounded by walls of a liner 3.

FIG. 3 shows the view of FIG. 2 in a vertical sectional view and hence in the x-y plane. It can be seen here that the ice-maker 9 comprises an outer enclosure 16, which is inserted into said insertion region 15. This recess or cavity formed in the liner 13 constitutes a receptacle containing this insertion region 15 into which said outer enclosure 16 is preferably disposed such that it does not protrude upwards and laterally beyond the extent of the liner 13.

This insertion region 15 is bounded with respect to the storage compartment 4 by a side-wall region 17 of the liner 13 and by a bottom-wall region 18 of the liner 13.

The outer enclosure 16 comprises two wall regions 19 and 20, which have a double-wall construction with a thermally insulating material 22 introduced in an interspace 21 of said wall region 19 and also of said wall region 20. It is already clear in FIG. 3 that a first wall region 19 is a bottom wall of the outer enclosure 16, and a second wall region 20 is a vertically upright side wall of the outer enclosure 16. Both this bottom wall and this side wall of the outer enclosure 16, in particular rectangular outer enclosure 16, shown in vertical cross-section are disposed facing the first storage compartment 4.

It can also be seen in FIG. 3 that this total wall region, which comprises the wall region 19 and 20, is L-shaped.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the liner 13 from behind looking onto the insertion region 15 and outer enclosure 16 inserted therein.

FIG. 5 shows the outer enclosure 16 of the ice-maker 9 in a perspective view. This outer enclosure 16 comprises at the front a loading aperture 23, into which a storage container 24 (FIG. 2) can be inserted and withdrawn. The storage container 24 comprises a tray region and a front wall, said front wall constituting a front cover of the loading aperture 23 once the storage container 24 is inserted. The storage container 24 is designed to take the pieces of ice produced in the outer enclosure 16 by the ice-maker 9. In addition, an ice-cube tray is preferably also disposed in the outer enclosure 16, said ice-cube tray defining the shapes of the pieces of ice to be produced.

In addition, yet further components can also be disposed in the outer enclosure 16.

As shown in FIG. 5, the outer enclosure 16 is formed from a plurality of single parts, with a base tray 25 being provided here on which is mounted an attachment 26. The attachment 26 likewise is again constructed from multiple parts and comprises a first cover piece 27 and a second cover piece 28 connected thereto. In particular, the cover pieces 27 and 28 are connected together, in particular plug-fitted to one another, at an interface 29. In addition, the cover pieces 27 and 28 are joined, in particular plug-fitted, to the base tray 25 at further interfaces 30 and 31.

As shown in FIG. 5, this double-walled wall region comprising the first wall region 19 and the second wall region 20 extends over the full height of the side wall of the cover piece 28 and also extends further under the base tray 25. This again illustrates the L-shape clearly.

It is clear from FIG. 6, which shows a vertical sectional view and hence a sectional view in the x-y plane of FIG. 5, that this wall region 19 comprises an inner wall 32, spaced apart from which is an outer wall 33. In the example shown, the inner wall 32 for this first wall region 19 is formed by the bottom wall of the base tray 25.

In addition, for the second wall region 20, an inner wall 34 is formed by the vertical side wall of the attachment 26, in particular of the second cover piece 28, which cover piece faces the first storage compartment 4. An outer wall 35 of the second wall region 20 is integrally connected to the outer wall 33, and also this outer wall 35 is accordingly spaced apart from the inner wall 34. In addition, as is also clear from FIG. 6, the outer wall 35 is accordingly joined to the inner wall 34 in the top region at an interface, in particular likewise again disposed such that they overlap one another, thereby preventing an escape of the thermally insulating material 22 from this interspace 21. There is also corresponding provision between the outer wall 33 and the base tray 25.

Once the outer enclosure 16 is assembled it is therefore no longer necessary to introduce a thermally insulating material between the outer wall 35 and the wall region 17, and between the outer wall 33 and the wall segment 18 of the liner 13. Said wall regions or wall segments can then also be disposed at a minimum separation from one another or even positioned directly adjacent to one another.

Once this pre-assembly module shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 in the form of the outer enclosure 16 together with the thermally insulated total wall region comprising the two wall regions 19 and 20 is fitted, thermally insulating material is subsequently introduced into an interspace 36 (FIG. 3) between the liner 13 and an outer shell 37 of the housing 2, and thermally insulating material is introduced between the liner 3, 13 and this outer shell 37, and thermally insulating material is introduced between the outer enclosure 16 and the outer shell 37. This means that both the outer enclosure 16 and the liners 3 and 13 are enclosed by foam in the housing 2.

Wall regions 38, 39 that face away from the storage compartment 4, in particular a side wall and a top wall, of the outer enclosure 16 have only a single-wall construction.

FIG. 7 shows in an exploded view the outer enclosure 16 in another exemplary embodiment. Again in this case the wall regions 19 and 20 are formed as an L-shape. In particular, the outer walls 33 and 35 are formed from a single piece. On an inner face 33a of the outer wall 33, and on an inner face 35a of the outer wall 35 are integrally formed a plurality of stiffening members 40, in particular as longitudinal ribs. The stiffening members 40 are oriented parallel to one another and each extent contiguously also across a transition of the L-shape between a bottom leg of the L-shape and an upright leg of the L-shape.

It is also provided in particular that the base tray 25 comprises in addition to the bottom wall a side wall 41, which faces the outer wall 35. A tooth pattern 41a is formed on an upper edge of this side wall 41. Once the outer enclosure is assembled, which situation is shown in FIG. 8, this tooth pattern 41a meshes with a mating tooth pattern 34a and hence forms a junction 42. The mating tooth pattern 34a is formed on a lower edge of the cover piece 28.

The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention:

1 domestic refrigerator

2 housing

3 liner

4 first storage compartment

5 second storage compartment

6 door

7 door

8 door

9 ice-maker

10 dispenser unit

11 recess

12 output unit

13 liner

14 left corner region

15 insertion region

16 outer enclosure

17 side-wall region

18 bottom-wall region

19 wall region

20 wall region

21 interspace

22 insulating material

23 loading aperture

24 storage container

25 base tray

26 attachment

27 cover piece

28 cover piece

29 interface

30 interface

31 interface

32 inner wall

33 outer wall

33a inner face

34 inner wall

34a mating tooth pattern

35 outer wall

35a inner face

36 interspace

37 outer shell

38 wall region

39 wall region

40 stiffening member

41 side wall

41a tooth pattern

42 junction

Claims

1. A domestic refrigerator, comprising:

a housing formed with at least one food storage compartment, which is bounded by walls of a liner;

an ice-maker having an outer enclosure separate from said liner and inserted in said liner;

said outer enclosure of said ice-maker having at least one wall region that includes an inner wall and an outer wall spaced apart from said inner wall and forming an interspace therewith; and

thermally insulating material disposed in at least portions of said interspace between said inner wall and said outer wall is disposed a thermally insulating material.

2. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said ice-maker is inserted into an insertion region of said liner.

3. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said at least one wall region includes a first wall region being a floor of said outer enclosure.

4. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein said at least one wall region includes a second wall region being a side wall of said outer enclosure.

5. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein said first and second wall regions merge into each other and form a common L-shaped total wall region.

6. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said inner wall and said outer wall are separate pieces.

7. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 6, which comprises a first strip-shaped connecting piece formed on an edge of said inner wall that faces said outer wall, said first strip-shaped connecting piece being in planar contact with and overlapping a second connecting piece formed on said outer wall.

8. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein said second strip-shaped connecting piece is formed on an edge of said outer wall that faces said inner wall.

9. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein at least one additional wall region of said outer enclosure that faces away from said storage compartment has only a single-wall construction.

10. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein said at least one additional wall region is a side wall of said outer enclosure that faces away from said storage compartment, and/or said at least one additional wall region is a top wall of said outer enclosure that faces away from said storage compartment.

11. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said outer enclosure has an enclosure element directly bordering an interior volume of said outer enclosure, and wherein said enclosure element is formed from a plurality of separate single parts.

12. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said outer wall is formed from a single piece and has an L-shaped design.

13. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said outer wall has stiffening members.

14. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein said stiffening members are integrally formed on an inner face that faces said inner wall.

15. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said inner wall is composed of at least two separate wall pieces, which are joined to one another at an interlocking joint.

16. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein said separate wall pieces are plug-fitted to one another at a junction.

17. A method for producing a domestic refrigerator, the refrigerator having an ice-maker with an outer enclosure disposed in a liner, the liner bounding a food storage compartment of the refrigerator and being separate from the outer enclosure;

the method comprising:

forming the outer enclosure of the ice-maker with at least one wall region that has an inner wall and an outer wall spaced apart therefrom, the inner and outer walls being disposed to form an interspace therebetween;

filling at least portions of the interspace with a thermally insulating material prior to fitting the outer enclosure into the liner.

18. The method according to claim 17, which comprises providing the liner with an insertion region and inserting the outer enclosure in the insertion region.

19. The method according to claim 18, which comprises inserting and fitting a pre-assembly module formed after filling the interspace with the thermally insulating material into the insertion region of the liner.