EP4414643A1 - Refrigeration and/or freezer device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with a closure element and a cooled interior, wherein the device has a ceiling and an open front side that can be closed by the closure element, wherein a lighting unit is arranged on and/or in the ceiling, wherein the lighting unit comprises a light guide and a light source, wherein the light guide has a coupling geometry and a decoupling geometry, wherein the coupling geometry and the light source are designed and arranged in such a way to couple light from the light source into the light guide and wherein the decoupling geometry is designed in such a way to couple the coupled light out of the light guide and to illuminate the interior and/or a pulled-out drawer at least in sections, wherein the decoupling geometry is arranged horizontally closer to the open front side than the coupling geometry.

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with a closure element and a cooled interior, wherein the appliance has a ceiling and an open front side that can be closed by the closure element, wherein a lighting unit is arranged on and/or in the ceiling.

In state-of-the-art refrigerators and/or freezers, the space between the ceiling of the appliance and the air gap is too small to accommodate a lighting solution entirely in the front area.

A further limitation of the installation space is caused by the distance between the door and the drawers present in a state-of-the-art device.

Against this background, the present invention is based on the object of developing an above-mentioned device from the prior art in an advantageous manner with regard to lighting.

This object is achieved by the subject matter having the features of independent claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

Accordingly, according to the invention, the lighting unit comprises a light guide and a light source, wherein the light guide has a coupling geometry or structure and a coupling-out geometry or structure, wherein the coupling geometry and the light source are designed and arranged in such a way to couple light from the light source into the light guide and wherein the coupling-out geometry is designed in such a way to couple the coupled light out of the light guide and to illuminate the interior and/or a pulled-out drawer at least in sections, wherein the coupling-out geometry is arranged horizontally closer to the open front side than the coupling geometry.

The closure element may preferably be a door.

Preferably, it is provided that the refrigerator and/or freezer comprises a drawer, wherein the decoupling geometry is arranged such that the decoupling geometry is arranged horizontally closer to the open front side than the drawer in a, preferably completely, pushed-in position.

Preferably, it is provided that the light guide has a bend or angle, wherein the coupling-out geometry is arranged such that the coupled-out light is coupled out of the coupling-out geometry in the vertical direction and/or that the coupled-in light is coupled into the coupling-in geometry in the horizontal direction.

Preferably, the bend or angulation is arranged in the front half, in particular in the front quarter of the light guide.

Preferably, the coupling-out geometry has or comprises an oblique, round, concave and/or convex geometry.

Preferably, the light guide and/or the coupling-out geometry has a width between 10% and 50%, in particular between 10% and 20% of the total width of the device.

Preferably, the light guide has a constant or variable width.

Preferably, the light guide is arranged in the middle of the device.

Preferably, the coupling geometry and the light source are arranged in the ceiling and/or the coupling geometry is arranged in a section of the ceiling.

Preferably, the light source comprises an LED.

Preferably, the device has thermal insulation in the form of a full vacuum system.

A full vacuum system is understood to mean thermal insulation that consists exclusively or predominantly of an evacuated area that is filled with a core material. The boundary of this area can be formed, for example, by a vacuum-tight film and preferably by a high-barrier film. Thus, between the inner wall of the container, preferably the device, and the outer skin of the container, preferably the device, the only thermal insulation that can be present is a film body that has an area surrounded by a vacuum-tight film, in which there is a vacuum and in which a core material is arranged. A foam and/or vacuum insulation panels as thermal insulation or any other thermal insulation other than the full vacuum system between the inside and the outside of the container or device are preferably not provided.

A full vacuum system preferably comprises at least one vacuum-tight enclosure which surrounds at least one evacuated region, wherein one or more core materials, such as perlite, are preferably arranged in the evacuated region.

Preferably, in order to illuminate the drawers when they are open, the light exit or the coupling geometry is arranged in front of the drawer edge so that the drawer is pulled under the light exit or the coupling geometry when opened.

It is preferable not to arrange the light exit or the output geometry further back, as this would mean that only the top drawer would be illuminated when it was retracted.

Preferably, a narrow light exit or a narrow coupling geometry is provided, whereby the light source is relocated to areas with more installation space, whereby the distance between the light exit and the light source is bridged by means of a light guide.

The light guide or the coupling geometry preferably produces a homogeneously illuminated light output. Furthermore, there should preferably be no color fringes visible at the edge of the beam cone, which are normally visible through direct LED light cones.

Preferably, the light distribution can be adjusted by changing the end of the light guide or the coupling geometry, e.g. by a slope and/or a convex and/or concave curve.

Condensation problems on the LED or the LED board are preferably reduced by keeping it far away from the refrigerator opening or the front.

The refrigerator and/or freezer can be a freezer only and/or have several drawers.

It should be noted here that the terms "a" and "an" do not necessarily refer to exactly one of the elements, although this is one possible embodiment, but can also refer to a plurality of the elements. Likewise, the use of the plural also includes the presence of the element in question in the singular and, conversely, the singular also includes several of the elements in question. Furthermore, all features of the invention described herein can be combined with one another as desired or claimed in isolation from one another.

Fig. 1 - Fig. 4:

perspektivische Ansichten einer Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Kühl- und/oder Gefriergeräts.

Fig. 5:

eine Schnittansicht einer Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Kühl- und/oder Gefriergeräts.

• In Fig. 1 ist ein Kühl- und/oder Gefriergerät 100 mit einer in einer Ausnehmung der Decke 20 sichtbaren Auskopplungsgeometrie eines Lichtleiters 1 einer Beleuchtungseinheit zu sehen.
• Fig. 2 zeigt diese Elemente in einer anderen Perspektive.
• Fig. 3 zeigt den Lichtleiter 1 an der Decke 20 mit teilweise abgenommenen Deckenelementen.
• Fig. 4 zeigt Lichtaustritte in der Decke 20 für eine oder mehrere LEDs 2 bei gegenüber Fig. 3 weiter abgenommenen Lichtleiter 1.
• In Fig. 5 ist die Anordnung des Lichtleiters 1 und einer oder mehrerer LEDs 2 bzw. einer LED-Platine in der Decke 20 dargestellt. Das Kühl- und/oder Gefriergerät 100 wird durch ein Verschlusselement 30 in Form einer Tür verschlossen. In dem Kühl- und/oder Gefriergerät 100 ist eine Schublade 40 angeordnet. Die vordere Schubladenkante der Schublade 40 ist bei vollständig eingeschobener Schublade horizontal weiter von der Tür bzw. der Frontseite des Kühl- und/oder Gefriergeräts 100 entfernt als der Lichtaustritt bzw. die Auskopplungsgeometrie des Lichtleiters 1. Der Abstand H1 ist damit größer als der Abstand H2.

Further advantages, features and effects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the figures in which identical or similar components are designated by the same reference numerals.

Fig.1 - Fig.4:

Perspective views of an embodiment of a refrigerator and/or freezer according to the invention.

Fig.5:

a sectional view of an embodiment of a refrigerator and/or freezer according to the invention.

• In Fig.1 a refrigerator and/or freezer 100 with a coupling-out geometry of a light guide 1 of a lighting unit visible in a recess in the ceiling 20 can be seen.
• Fig.2 shows these elements from a different perspective.
• Fig.3 shows the light guide 1 on the ceiling 20 with partially removed ceiling elements.
• Fig.4 shows light emission in the ceiling 20 for one or more LEDs 2 at opposite Fig.3 further removed light guide 1.
• In Fig.5 the arrangement of the light guide 1 and one or more LEDs 2 or an LED board in the ceiling 20 is shown. The refrigerator and/or freezer 100 is closed by a closure element 30 in the form of a door. A drawer 40 is arranged in the refrigerator and/or freezer 100. When the drawer is fully pushed in, the front edge of the drawer 40 is horizontally further away from the door or the front of the refrigerator and/or freezer 100 than the light outlet or the coupling geometry of the light guide 1. The distance H1 is therefore greater than the distance H2.

Claims (11)

Refrigerator and/or freezer with a closure element and a cooled interior, the appliance having a ceiling and an open front side that can be closed by the closure element, a lighting unit being arranged on and/or in the ceiling, characterized in that the lighting unit comprises a light guide and a light source, the light guide having an input geometry and an output geometry, the input geometry and the light source being designed and arranged such as to couple light from the light source into the light guide and the output geometry being designed such as to couple the coupled light out of the light guide and to illuminate the interior and/or a pulled-out drawer at least in sections, the output geometry being arranged horizontally closer to the open front side than the input geometry. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, characterized in that the refrigerator and/or freezer comprises a drawer, wherein the coupling geometry is arranged such that the coupling geometry is arranged horizontally closer to the open front than the drawer in a, preferably fully, inserted position. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the light guide has a bend or angle, wherein the coupling-out geometry is arranged such that the coupled-out light is coupled out in the vertical direction from the coupling-out geometry and/or that the coupled-in light is coupled into the coupling-in geometry in the horizontal direction. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 3, characterized in that the bend is arranged in the front half, in particular in the front quarter of the light guide. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coupling-out geometry has or comprises an oblique, round, concave and/or convex geometry. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light guide and/or the coupling-out geometry has a width between 10% and 50%, in particular between 10% and 20% of the total width of the appliance. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light guide has a constant or variable width. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light guide is arranged in the middle of the appliance. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coupling geometry and the light source are arranged in the ceiling and/or the coupling geometry is arranged in a section of the ceiling. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source comprises an LED. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device has thermal insulation in the form of a full vacuum system.

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