Abstract:
A refrigerator contains a dispenser for ice and/or liquid. A dispenser housing covers an opening in an outer shell of the refrigerator. The dispenser housing delimits a dispenser recess that extends outward and upward over an upper edge of the opening and is assembled from at least one main part, which extends from a lower edge of the opening over a rear wall to a front edge of a ceiling of the dispenser housing, and a filling part, which extends from the front edge to an upper edge of the opening.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119, of German application DE 10 2016 201 782.9, filed Feb. 5, 2016; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a refrigerator, in particular a domestic refrigerator, with a dispenser for ice and/or water. 
         [0004]    Ice/water dispensers traditionally contain a dispenser housing, which is flush-mounted behind an opening in the outer shell in a heat-insulating wall of the refrigerator, usually a door, and delimits a dispenser recess in which a receptacle for filling with ice and/or liquid can be placed. Passages, via which ice and/or liquid pass into the dispenser housing, are located in an upper area of the dispenser housing. 
         [0005]    To protect fittings such as valves or flaps, which are accommodated in the upper area of the dispenser housing to control the delivery of ice or liquid and/or to prevent unnecessary air circulation between the dispenser recess and the interior of the refrigerator via the passages, it is expedient to conceal this upper area. This may be done expediently by mounting an operating component at this location, via which the functioning of the dispenser can be controlled. 
         [0006]    The number of buttons or other operating elements, which are required at least on the operating component in order to control the functions of the dispenser, is small and easily accommodated on an operating element, the level of which is lower than that of the fittings of the upper area, and in particular lower than the level of a flap on the output of an ice chute. 
         [0007]    If the level of the operating element varies in different models of refrigerators, yet at the same time, independently of the level of the operating element, a receptacle can be placed just below an outlet such as the output of the ice chute or the end of a water conduit, in order to limit the dropping height of the ice or water and minimize the risk of splattering, then different versions of the dispenser housing are required depending on the level of the dispenser housing. The manufacture of several refrigerator models, which vary in the appearance of their dispenser, is thus expensive. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The object of the invention is to create a refrigerator with dispenser, which enables different refrigerator models to be produced cost-effectively. 
         [0009]    The object is achieved in a refrigerator with a dispenser for ice and/or liquid. In the refrigerator a dispenser housing conceals an opening in an outer shell of the refrigerator and delimits a dispenser recess that extends outward and upward over an upper edge of the opening. The dispenser housing is assembled from at least one main part, which extends from a lower edge of the opening over a rear wall to a front edge of a ceiling of the dispenser housing, and a filling part, which extends from the front edge to an upper edge of the opening. 
         [0010]    Since the filling part is provided at varying heights in different versions, a variable height of the operating component can be compensated so that the distance between a lower edge of the opening and the operating component or between the lower edge of the opening and an outlet of the dispenser can remain the same. Therefore only one identical model of main part, which can be produced cost-effectively in large quantities, is required for different models. The different models of filling components entail only relatively low costs due to their smaller dimensions and simpler construction. 
         [0011]    The operating component is preferably mountable on an upper edge of the opening adjacently in the dispenser housing. 
         [0012]    The filling part preferably contains a wall panel, which delimits the dispenser recess and is separated from the outer shell by a gap. 
         [0013]    The filling part may also contain ridges, which extend to the outer shell. These ridges can be used for various purposes. Ridges on the edges of the wall panel can be used for fixing the filling part on the main part or delimiting the gap from the dispenser recess; ridges may be provided away from the edges in order to attenuate vibrations in them caused by contact with the outer shell or to control the penetration of foam into the gap when the housing of the refrigerator is filled with foam. 
         [0014]    To prevent the outer shell sounding hollow when someone knocks on it at the level of the filling part, causing a user therefore to suspect an absence of insulation, the gap should be at least partially filled with foam. 
         [0015]    To ensure that the foam to be forced into the gap when foam is filled from the outside is not prevented from advancing by counterpressure from air enclosed therein, the filling part may have a ventilation passage leading into the dispenser recess. 
         [0016]    Such a ventilation passage should be sufficiently long and narrow so that, as soon as the foam has reached it and starts to be forced into it, the foam is held for long enough until it is set hard and solidified. Such a passage may expediently be located in a mandrel, which projects into the gap from the wall panel. 
         [0017]    At least one of the aforementioned ridges may extend over the entire width of the wall panel and divide the gap into an upper, open-ended section and a lower section bounded on all sides. 
         [0018]    When the upper section is filled with foam, the ridge forms an initial seal against the penetration of the foam. It does not have to be completely foam-tight, since the lower section of the gap can be used as a collection chamber for foam if necessary; the ridge only needs to delay the foam for long enough so that it hardens before the collection chamber is full. 
         [0019]    A prefabricated insulation body, e.g. one that has been expanded in a hollow mold or customized from expanded material, may also be inserted into the gap, whether in order to be used as a seal against penetrating foam or merely to attenuate vibrations in it caused by contact with the outer shell. 
         [0020]    To establish a foam-tight joint between the outer shell and the filling part, an edge strip of the outer shell angled on the upper edge of the opening can engage into a groove of the filling part. 
         [0021]    An edge strip of the outer shell angled on a lateral or lower edge of the opening can engage accordingly into a groove of the main part. 
         [0022]    A foam-tight joint between main part and filling part can be established by means of a tongue-and-groove joint. 
         [0023]    The insertion direction of the tongue-and-groove joint is preferably oriented perpendicular to the outer shell. Thus the groove of the main part, which accommodates the flange of the outer shell, and the section of the tongue-and-groove joint, which is located on the main part, is molded with an identical molding tool and removed from the mold in the same movement. 
         [0024]    In a particularly preferred manner, the section of the tongue-and-groove joint, which is located on the main part, is an upper area of a linear groove, the lower area of which accommodates the edge strip of the outer shell. 
         [0025]    Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. 
         [0026]    Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a refrigerator with a dispenser, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. 
         [0027]    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 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic, perspective external view of a refrigerator with a dispenser according to the invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a main part and two different filling parts of a dispenser housing; 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged, perspective partial view of the main part and an inserted filling part; 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view through the door of a refrigerator with a small operating component; 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view through the door of a refrigerator with a large operating component; 
           [0033]      FIG. 6  is a vertical sectional view through an upper edge of an opening in an outer shell of the door and an area surrounding it; 
           [0034]      FIG. 7  is a horizontal sectional view through a lateral edge of the opening in the outer shell of the door at a level of the filling part; and 
           [0035]      FIG. 8  is a horizontal sectional view through the lateral edge of the opening at the level of the operating component. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0036]    Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to  FIG. 1  thereof, there is shown a perspective external view of a refrigerator  1  with a dispenser  2  according to the present invention. The refrigerator  1  shown here is a combination appliance with double doors  3 ,  4 , which together close a contiguous storage area, or which each close their own storage area, and a storage area formed below the double doors as a drawer  5 . The dispenser  2  is flush-mounted into the door  3  in a manner that is known per se. For this purpose an opening  7 , behind which a dispenser housing  8  is installed, is cut into a metallic outer shell  6  of the door  3 . The dispenser housing  8  surrounds a dispenser recess, in which a receptacle to be filled with ice or water can be placed. An upper area of the opening  7  is occupied by an operating component  9 , which, in the usual way, has buttons or other control elements (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) for controlling the output of ice and/or water by the dispenser  2  and/or an operating status indicator. The operating component  9  conceals outlets for ice and water in an upper area of the dispenser recess. A filler tube  47 , which is partially visible below the operating component  9 , marks the position in which a receptacle can be placed for filling. Outlets for ice and water are arranged in a manner that is known per se above the filler tube  47  in such a way that dispensed ice only touches the inner surfaces of the filler tube on the way to the receptacle, and a dispensed water stream passes freely through the filler tube  47  without touching it. An operating paddle  10  on a rear wall of the dispenser housing  8  can be activated by the receptacle placed in the recess, in order to dispense ice or water into the receptacle. 
         [0037]      FIG. 2  shows a deconstructed perspective view of a main part  11  and two different filling parts  12 ,  13 , which may optionally be assembled with the main part  11  to form the complete dispenser housing  8 . The main part  11  is essentially shaped as a cuboid with the front side open. Front edges  14  of side walls  15  and a floor plate  16  of the main part  11  extend in the same vertical plane and are each provided with a groove  17  that opens to the front 
         [0038]    A front edge  18  of a ceiling  19  of the main part  11  is recessed against this plane. It is likewise provided with a groove  20  that is open toward the front. A passage is made in a vertex  21  of the ceiling  19 , through which, in the fully assembled appliance, a water conduit is extended to an outlet in the upper area of the dispenser housing  8 , above the filler tube  47 . In an inclined wall section between the ceiling  19  and a rear wall  22 , a hole  23  can be seen, which will form the outlet of an ice chute, as well as projections  24  for fastening a pivoting flap for closing the hole  23  when it is not in use. 
         [0039]    The two filling parts  11 ,  12  are identical in terms of their construction; they differ only in the height at which they are located. A ridge  26 ,  27 ,  28  protrudes respectively along the lateral edges and the lower edge of a side of a vertical wall panel  25  facing toward the observer; a further ridge  26  parallel to the lower edge links the lateral ridges  26 ,  27 . As can be seen more clearly in  FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 , a groove  30  is made in the edge of the lower ridge  28  facing toward the observer. A tongue  31  protrudes from an upper edge of the wall panel  25  on the side facing away from the observer. The function of a ventilation mandrel  34 , which protrudes from the wall panel above the ridge  29 , will be explained later. 
         [0040]    The ridges  26 ,  27  are widened into a flange  32  on their edge facing toward the observer, from the rear side of which a tongue  33  in turn protrudes. 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view showing the upper area of the main part  11  and the filling part  12  joined to the main part  11  by the interlocking of the tongues and grooves in a direction perpendicular to the outer shell  6  and to the wall panel  25 . The tongue  31  has disappeared into the groove  20  on the front edge  18  of the ceiling  19 ; the tongues  33  engage into the grooves  17  of the side walls  15 . The interlocking can easily be seen here particularly on an angled upper end of the ridge  26 . The flanges  32  and the vertices of the ridges  28 ,  29  are located on a plane with the front edges  14  of the side walls  15 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 4  shows a vertical section through the dispenser housing  8  already installed in the door  3 . An edge strip  35 ,  36  of the outer shell  6  on the upper and lower edge of the opening  7  is angled in each case toward the interior of the door. The lower edge strip  36  engages into the groove  17  at the front edge of the floor plate  16 . The upper edge strip  35  engages into the groove  30  of the ridge  28 . A gap  37  between the wall panel  25  and the outer shell  6  above the opening  7  is divided by the ridge  29  into an upper section  38  open at the top and a lower section  39  enclosed on all sides. When, following the installation of the dispenser housing  8  and the joining of the outer shell  6  to an inner wall (not shown) of the door  3 , the cavity thus obtained is filled with foam, the foam can thus penetrate unimpeded from above into the upper section  38 ; to reach the lower section  39 , however, is only possible if the ridge  29  does not rest closely against the outer shell  6  along its entire length. Any leakage of foam is precluded both on the upper edge of the wall panel  25  by the tongue  31  being engaged in the groove  20  and on its lower edge by the edge strip  35  being engaged in the groove  30 . 
         [0043]    The operating component  9  is installed directly below the ridge  28  and closes the opening  7  above an edge  40 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 5  shows a section analogous to  FIG. 4  through a dispenser housing with an operating component  41 , the installation level of which is Δh higher than that of the operating component  9 . The level of the opening  7  in the outer shell  6  is likewise increased by Δh; in contrast the distance between the groove  30  and the tongue  31  on the filling part  13  is Δh smaller than on the filling part  12 , so that the useful level of the opening  7 , between the edge  40  and the edge strip  36 , is the same as in  FIG. 4 . The main part  11  is the same in both figures. 
         [0045]      FIG. 6  shows a further enlarged detail from  FIG. 4 . Narrow passages  42  can be seen here in the ventilation mandrel  34 , which extend from a front surface  43  of the ventilation mandrel  34  opposite and at a short distance from the outer shell, through the wall panel  25  and into the dispenser recess. The air enclosed in the upper section  38  of the gap  37  can escape via these passages  42  while the foam is penetrating into the upper section  38 . The small gap between the front surface  43  and the outer shell  6  ensures that the foam only advances to the front surface  43  when the ventilation mandrel  34  is completely surrounded by foam. The cross-section of the passages  42  is even smaller in comparison to the gap between front surface  34  and outer shell  6 ; if it is at or below the same order of magnitude as the bubble size of the foam, the foam cannot pass through the passages  42 . 
         [0046]    The pressure of the foam may cause the outer shell  6  to be pushed away from the ridge  29  slightly. To prevent the foam from penetrating over the ridge  29  and into the lower section  39 , the latter can be filled in advance by insertion of a preformed insulation body  44 , e.g. made from expanded polystyrene; it may however already be sufficient if the gap between the ridge  29  and the outer shell  6  is narrow enough to inhibit the penetration of the foam so that the quantity of foam passing through to constrict the gap is too small to fill the lower section  39 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 7  shows a horizontal section through the lateral ridge  26  and a section of the wall panel  25  of the filling part  12 . The flange  32  and the front edge  14  of the side wall  15  rest against the outer shell  6 . A latching projection  45  can be formed on the tongue  33 , which securely interlocks the filling part  12  in the groove  17 . 
         [0048]      FIG. 8  shows a further horizontal section at the level of the opening  7  and of the operating component  9 . As on the upper and lower edge of the opening, an edge strip  46  is also angled inwardly toward the interior of the door  3  on each of the lateral edges. The edge strip  46  engages into a lower area of the same groove  17 , the upper area of which is filled by the tongue  32  of the filling part  12  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The length of the section of the groove  17 , which is filled by one or the other, varies depending on the level of the opening  7  and of the filling part  12  or  13 . 
         [0049]    The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention:
     1  Refrigerator     2  Dispenser     3  Door     4  Door     5  Drawer     6  Outer shell     7  Opening     8  Dispenser housing     9  Operating component     10  Operating paddle     11  Main part     12  Filling part     13  Filling part     14  Front edge     15  Side wall     16  Floor plate     17  Groove     18  Front edge     19  Ceiling     20  Groove     21  Passage     22  Rear wall     23  Hole     24  Projection     25  Wall panel     26  Ridge     27  Ridge     28  Ridge     29  Ridge     30  Groove     31  Tongue     32  Flange     33  Tongue     34  Ventilation mandrel     35  Edge strip     36  Edge strip     37  Gap     38  Upper section     39  Lower section     40  Edge     41  Operating component     42  Passage     43  Front surface     44  Insulation body     45  Latching projection     46  Edge strip     47  Filler tube