Patent Publication Number: US-10775090-B2

Title: Household cooling appliance comprising a weight detection unit for determining the weight of a container of an ice maker unit

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates to a household cooling appliance comprising an ice maker unit for making ice, wherein the ice maker unit comprises an ice maker unit, in which the ice is stored. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Household cooling devices for storing and preserving food, which comprise an ice maker unit, are known. For determining a filling level of ice in a container of the ice maker unit complex methods are known, in which by means of optical detection this filling level is determined. Besides the complexity of such design this is also prone to errors, in particular due to the possible motions or changes in the position of the container, which can also be the result of the filling level. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the task of the present invention to provide a household cooling appliance, in which the capturing of quantity of ice in the container of the ice maker unit can be effected precisely and as simply as possible. 
     This task is solved by a household cooling appliance as claimed. 
     One aspect of the invention relates to a household cooling appliance comprising an ice maker unit for making ice. The ice maker unit comprises a container, in which the ice is storable. The household cooling appliance comprises a weight detection unit for capturing the weight of the container. The household cooling appliance comprises an evaluation unit which is configured for determining a filling level of the container with ice depending on the weight. 
     Further features of the invention derive from the claims, the figures, and the description of the figures. The features and feature combinations previously named in the description as well as the features and feature combinations named in the following in the description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be used only in the respective indicated combination, but also in other combinations, without leaving the scope of the invention. Thus, also embodiments of the invention are to be considered as comprised and disclosed, which are not explicitly shown and explained in the figures, however derive through separated feature combinations from the explained embodiments and can be generated therefrom. Also embodiments and feature combinations are to be considered as disclosed, which thus do not have all features of an originally formulated independent claim. Moreover, embodiments and feature combinations are to be considered as disclosed, in particular by the embodiments set out in the above, which go beyond the feature combinations set out in the back-references of the claims or deviate therefrom. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following on the basis of schematic drawings. These show in: 
         FIG. 1  a schematic view of an embodiment of a household cooling appliance; 
         FIG. 2  a schematic view of sub-components of an ice maker unit of the household cooling appliance; 
         FIG. 3  a schematic view of a further embodiment of sub-components of an ice maker unit of the household cooling appliance; 
         FIG. 4  a perspective view of components of a further embodiment of an ice maker unit of the household cooling appliance; and 
         FIG. 5  a lateral view of the components according to  FIG. 4  in an embodiment that is, however, different therefrom. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the figures identical and functionally identical elements are equipped with the same reference signs. 
     Wth indications “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “rear”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “depth direction”, “width direction”, “height direction” etc. the positions and orientations given for intended use and intended arrangement of the ice maker bowl or the appliance are indicated. 
     In  FIG. 1  in a perspective view an embodiment of a household cooling appliance  1  is shown. The household cooling appliance  1  is configured for storing and preserving food. In the shown embodiment the household cooling appliance  1  is a fridge/freezer combination device. However, it may also be only a cooling device. 
     The shown household cooling appliance  1  comprises an outer housing  2 . In the outer housing  2  a first receiving space for food is configured, which here is a cooling compartment  3 . The household cooling appliance  1  moreover comprises a second receiving space for food that is separate from the first receiving space and here is a freezer compartment  4 . As can be seen, in the embodiment shown here the cooling compartment  3  and the freezer compartment  4  are arranged one above the other in the height direction (y direction) of the household cooling appliance  1 . The freezer compartment  4 , which is arranged further down, is closable by a door  5 . The door  5  in the shown embodiment is a front wall of a drawer, which can be shifted linearly in the depth direction (z direction) of the household cooling appliance  1 . The cooling compartment  3  is closable on the front side by two separate doors  6  and  7 , which are shown in  FIG. 1  in the opened state. The two separate doors  6  and  7  are pivotable about vertically orientated pivot axes and are arranged on the outer housing  2 . The two doors  6  and  7  are arranged next to each other in the depth direction (x direction) and extend in the closed state in a front side plane. In particular also the door  5  in the closed state extends in this plane, in which also the two doors  6  and  7  extend in the closed state. 
     The household cooling appliance  1  moreover comprises a dispenser unit  10 , which is configured for dispensing ice form elements or crushed ice. The dispenser unit moreover can optionally be configured for dispensing a beverage. 
     The dispenser unit  10  comprises an ice maker unit  8 . The ice maker unit  8  in the shown embodiment is arranged internally situated in the cooling compartment  3 . This means that whilst the ice maker unit  8  is configured and arranged to be thermally insulated against the cooling compartment  3 , however only accessible and reachable via the feeding aperture of the cooling compartment  3 . Thus, the ice maker unit  8  can be made accessible only when at least the door  6  is opened. 
     The dispenser unit  10  in addition to the ice maker unit  8  also has an output unit  9 . The output unit  9  here is for instance configured to be integrated in the door  6 . On an outer side of the door  6  facing away from the cooling compartment  3 , which then is also a front side, a niche is formed, into which a receiving container can be placed and into which then via the output unit  9  the ice form elements or the crushed ice can be output. 
     The ice maker unit  8  and the output unit  9  are integral part of the named dispenser unit  10 . 
     The ice maker unit  8  comprises an ice tray, which represents an ice form element vessel and which is not shown in  FIG. 1 . Into cavities of this ice form element vessel water can be put, from which then the ice form elements can be made. In addition to this ice form element vessel the ice maker unit  8  comprises a container  11  ( FIG. 2 ), which is separate from this ice form element vessel. This container  11  is preferably arranged below the ice form element vessel so that by removing of ice form elements from the ice form element vessel these can then arrive in the container  11 . It is arranged in the interior of the housing of the ice maker unit  8  shown in  FIG. 1 . Ice form elements made by freezing liquid in an ice form element vessel of the ice maker unit  8  then upon being taken out fall out of the ice form element vessel into the container  11  and are stored there. In the embodiment in  FIG. 2 , in which sub-components of the ice maker unit  8  are shown, this ice maker unit  8  is configured to comprise weight detection unit  12 . This weight detection unit  12  can very generally be configured to comprise at least one strain gauge. 
     In the embodiment according to  FIG. 2  the weight detection unit  12  comprises a rotation bearing  13 . In the embodiment shown here below the container  11  this rotation bearing  13  is configured. The rotation bearing  13  here comprises several bearing places, in particular two bearing places  14  and  15 . Equally as well two bearing places  14 ,  15  may be envisaged. For instance also three or four such bearing places may be envisaged. The rotation bearing  13  is configured in such a way that a bearing place, here the bearing storage place  14 , is fixed. Here the second bearing place  15  is movably mounted. 
     By the weight of the ice, which arrives in the container  11 , a pivot movement of one end  11   a  downwards is made, in particular due to the design of the rotation bearing  13 . Thereby the force effect upon the rotation bearing  13  through the container  11  with the inserted ice is created individually and thereby due to the stationary bearing place  14  and the movable bearing place  15  specific force effects are effected, which are determined. In particular here determining by means of specific sensors can be envisaged so that the weight of the container with the ice contained therein can be effected very precisely. In this embodiment, too, such a sensor could be at least one strain gauge. This can in particular be changed by the rotation of the container  11 , in order to then be able to determine therefrom the weight. 
     The household cooling compartment  1  moreover may also comprise an evaluation unit  16 , which is configured for determining a filling state of the container  11  with ice depending on the detected weight. Since in particular the weight of the empty container  11  is known, the weight of the ice alone without the container  11  can be determined for instance by simple subtraction of the weight values. Depending thereon and with regard to the known size of the ice form elements, as they are output from the ice form element vessel, then moreover in particular with the known value of the volume of the container  11  the filling state can be assumed. 
     By such design thus very simply and still very precisely the determining of the filling state can be facilitated, whereby the individual filling quantity can be determined very precisely. On the other hand an overfilling of the container  11  can safely be avoided. 
     In the embodiment according to  FIG. 2  it is preferably envisaged that the fixed bearing or the stationary bearing place  14  are arranged in a rear third of the length of the container  11 . In particular the at least one movable bearing or the movable bearing place  15  is arranged in a front third of the length of the container  11 . 
     In  FIG. 3  a further embodiment of sub-components of the ice maker unit  8  is shown. In this embodiment the weight detection unit  12  comprises at least one strain gauge  17 . The strain gauge  17  here is coupled to a further end  11   b  of the container  11 , which here in particular is a rear end. The strain gauge  17  here is vertically orientated and extends in particular across at least the entire height h of this rear end  11   b  of the container  11 , in particular a side wall  11   c , which here is a rear wall. By a pivot movement according to the arrow P, which occurs due to the weight force of the container  11  in particular also when during filling it with ice, by means of the then expanding strain gauge  17  the weight of the container  11  with the ice can be precisely determined. Here, too, then via the evaluation unit  16  the determining of the weight of the ice alone can be effected and thereby then the filling state of the container  11  can be assumed. 
     Also several such strain gauges  17  can be configured, in particular next to each other. The strain gauge  17 , however, can also be arranged at a different place, for instance in a bottom area of the container  11 . 
     In  FIG. 4  in a further embodiment a representation of sub-components of the ice maker unit  8  is shown. In this embodiment the container  11  in the interior comprises a piezo foil  18 , which is integral part of the weight detection unit  12 . By such a piezo foil  18  due to the effect of the ice form elements, which in particular rest directly on the piezo foil  18 , the weight can be determined directly. The piezo foil  18  here is arranged on a bottom, in particular on an inner side  19   a  ( FIG. 2 ) of the bottom  19 . It may in particular be spread across the entire surface. 
     In  FIG. 5  a further embodiment is shown, wherein here in the lateral view the container  11  is represented. In this embodiment the piezo foil  18  is arranged outside the container  11 , in particular on a bottom side  19   b  of the bottom  19 . 
     Generally, the evaluation unit is configured for determining the weight of the ice in the container. A further aspect envisages that the weight detection unit comprises at least one strain gauge. The strain gauge can be orientated vertically or orientated horizontally. 
     One further aspect of the invention relates to a design, in which the weight detection unit is component of a rotation bearing, wherein the rotation bearing is integral part of the household cooling appliance. Wth the rotation bearing the container is mounted rotatably. In particular by a triggering of the weight detection unit in a rotation movement of the container by means of the rotation bearing the weight of the container can be determined. In an advantageous embodiment the rotation bearing comprises at least one fixed bearing and at least one movable bearing. 
     In an alternative embodiment the weight detection unit comprises at least one piezo foil. This is arranged in particular on a bottom of the container. It can be arranged on the outer side of the bottom or on an inner side of the bottom. In particular the piezo foil is configured to cover the entire surface on the respective side of the container. 
     LIST OF REFERENCES 
     
         
           1  household cooling appliance 
           2  outer housing 
           3  cooling compartment 
           4  freezer compartment 
           5  door 
           6  door 
           7  door 
           8  ice maker unit 
           9  output unit 
           10  dispenser unit 
           11  container 
           11   a  end 
           11   b  end 
           11   c  side wall 
           12  weight detection unit 
           13  rotation bearing 
           14  bearing place 
           15  bearing place 
           16  evaluation unit 
           17  strain gauge 
           18  piezo foil 
           19  bottom 
           19   a  inner side 
           19   b  bottom side 
         P arrow 
         h height