Patent Publication Number: US-10317130-B2

Title: Refrigeration appliance having a light

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a refrigeration appliance having a light, in particular a domestic refrigeration appliance. 
     The storage space for refrigerated goods in a domestic refrigeration appliance is generally illuminated by means of one or more lights which are arranged on a side wall of an internal compartment. Trays and/or drawers in the lower region of the storage space generally do not receive any separate illumination and are correspondingly poorly lit. 
     EP 2 131 128 discloses a refrigeration appliance having lights on the front faces of dividing walls which in each case illuminate a drawer arranged below the dividing wall. In this case, a light cone of a light is oriented to the rear with a small angle into the tray which is in the pushed-in position. A light cone is also oriented to the front with a large angle into the tray when said tray is in the pulled-out position. 
     JP 2003 075 060 represents refrigeration appliances having a ceiling light which illuminates refrigerated goods in the front region of storage shelves as well as refrigerated goods in a tray if said tray is in the pulled-out position. 
     The lights according to the prior art produce a uniform illumination of the front region of the lowermost tray but a local region is not highlighted. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the object of the present invention to provide a refrigeration appliance having a light which highlights a local region of the lowermost tray. 
     This object is achieved according to the invention by a refrigeration appliance according to the invention having a body which includes a cooling chamber which is able to be closed at a door opening by means of a door articulated to the body, having a light, having storage shelves in the cooling chamber which are spaced apart from the door opening by a spacing, wherein a free space is present between the door opening and the storage shelves, and having a tray which is arranged below the storage shelves and which projects into the free space in the pushed-in position and which has side walls and a front edge. The light is a spotlight for radiating light inside a light cone, wherein the center of the front edge of the tray is located inside the light cone and the side walls of the tray are located outside the light cone. 
     The light cone may be understood as a feature of the design and positioning of the light, irrespective of whether the light is in operation. If the light is in operation, the light cone may be identified in the simplest manner, since the light radiated by the light is substantially conducted inside the light cone. 
     The refrigeration appliance according to the invention highlights the region around the center of the front edge of the tray in the pushed-in position by high-contrast illumination relative to the side regions. The high-contrast lighting of the center of the tray has the advantage that refrigerated goods stored at the front in the center of the tray are very clearly visible and optically highlighted. 
     The tray which is arranged below the storage shelves and which in the pushed-in position projects into the free space, i.e. substantially utilizes the depth region from the door opening to the rear wall, is generally a tray for fresh food, in particular vegetables which deteriorate rapidly. Here, it is a particularly big advantage that this food is presented highlighted to the user of the refrigeration appliance. 
     Embodiments of the refrigeration appliance according to the invention which are advantageous, either individually or in combination, are disclosed hereinafter. 
     A preferred embodiment of the invention is a refrigeration appliance having a tray which comprises a tray cover. By means of the tray cover, the tray forms a volume which is closed off inside the cooling chamber and which has reduced air exchange with the remainder of the cooling chamber. As a result, the refrigerated goods in the tray are protected from rapidly drying out. This is advantageously assisted by the tray and the tray cover comprising sealing elements which in the pushed-in position are adjacent to one another. 
     The tray projecting into the free space in front of the storage shelves is preferably the lowermost tray in the cooling chamber. The tray cover is advantageously transparent. 
     Preferably, the tray cover is anchored to the body so that the tray is able to be pulled out as a drawer below the cover and the cover is able to carry objects. 
     In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the refrigeration appliance comprises a tray with a controllable air duct which is able to control the humidity. To this end, the tray cover advantageously comprises a operating element for air exchange between the tray and a directly accessible region of the cooling chamber. 
     A particular advantage of the present invention is if the operating element is attached to or in the vicinity of the center of the front edge of the tray cover and thus to or in the vicinity of the center of the front edge of the tray. The operating element is then located inside the light cone and the side walls of the tray are located outside the light cone. In this embodiment, the operating element, in particular the operating element for the humidity control, is also highlighted by means of light. 
     Advantageously, the light is arranged on a ceiling of the cooling chamber. In this arrangement an optical axis of the light cone is located substantially vertically and the light cone is located in a free space in front of the storage shelves, where it is not obstructed by refrigerated goods on the shelves. 
     According to a further advantageous embodiment of the refrigeration appliance, a radius of the light cone at the height of the tray substantially corresponds to a depth of the free space in front of the storage shelves. The light cone does not necessarily have to have a circular cross section but a circular and elliptical cross section are preferred and able to be achieved by a simple projection lens. 
     In a preferred embodiment, a center of the light cone at the height of the tray is substantially located on the edge of the tray and/or tray cover. 
     In a preferred embodiment, an edge of the light cone at the height of the tray is located in the vicinity of the edge of the tray. 
     The light advantageously comprises a lighting means, an optical system for producing the light cone and a housing. The housing substantially prevents radiation from the lighting means to the door but permits an indicator element to the side of the light cone. Such an indicator element permits the user to view information, with a low light intensity which is considerably less than an illumination intensity for refrigerated goods in the light spot inside the light cone. The indicator element preferably has a light guide for conducting light, in particular scattered light, from the lighting means to the indicator element. 
     Advantageously, the housing also substantially prevents radiation from the lighting means to the storage shelves. 
     Further advantageous features of embodiments and aspects of the invention form the subject-matter of the subclaims and the exemplary embodiments of the invention described below. The invention is described in more detail hereinafter by means of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1 : shows a schematic view of a lateral cross section of a refrigeration appliance according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2 : shows a schematic view of a lateral cross section of an interior of a refrigeration appliance according to an embodiment of the invention with a narrow light cone; 
         FIG. 3 : shows a schematic plan view of a detail of an interior of the refrigeration appliance of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4 : shows a schematic view of a lateral cross section of an interior of a refrigeration appliance according to an embodiment of the invention with a broad light cone; 
         FIG. 5 : shows a schematic plan view of a detail of an interior of the refrigeration appliance of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6 : shows a schematic view of a lateral cross section of an interior of a refrigeration appliance according to an embodiment of the invention with a broad light cone oriented to the front; 
         FIG. 7 : shows a schematic plan view of a detail of an interior of the refrigeration appliance of  FIG. 6 ; and 
         FIG. 8 : shows a schematic view of a light according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the figures, designs which are independent of one another are implemented in the same embodiment for the purposes of concision. Identical reference numerals in the various figures denote the same or similar-acting elements. The embodiments show a refrigerator comprising a storage space for refrigerated goods, combinations having further storage spaces, for example for frozen goods, are also encompassed by the invention. 
       FIG. 1  shows a refrigeration appliance  10  having a body and a door  12  which closes the door opening  13  of the body  11 . The body  11  has an outer wall  14  and an internal compartment  15 . The internal compartment  15  and the door opening  13  define a storage space for refrigerated goods, namely the cooling chamber  16 . Storage shelves  17  are releasably fastened to the internal compartment  15  in the cooling chamber  16 . The internal compartment  15  contains a tray  18  for fresh food in the form of a drawer and an open drawer  19  for further refrigerated goods. 
     The tray  18  is closed by a cover  20  which also forms a supporting base for the open drawer  19 . A storage shelf  17  is located above the open drawer  19 . The tray  18  has a handle  21  and the open drawer  19  has a handle  22 . The tray  18  extends in the depth direction, substantially from the door opening  13  to a rear wall  23  of the internal compartment  15 . 
     The cover  20  is releasably fastened to the internal compartment  15  and comprises elements regulating the air exchange. The elements regulating the air exchange comprise a operating element  24  for air exchange between a directly accessible region  25  of the cooling chamber  16  and a fresh region  26  which is defined, by the tray  18  and the cover  20 . 
     The cover  20  also has elements, not shown, which provide a seal relative to the tray  18 . Thus it is possible to influence the dehumidification of the fresh region  26  by operating the operating element  24 , via the adjustment of the air exchange between the directly accessible region  25  of the cooling chamber  16  and the fresh region  26 . The air in the directly accessible region  25  of the cooling chamber  16  is highly dehumidified during a normal refrigerating operation. 
     The refrigeration appliance  10  also has lights for illuminating the refrigerated goods, namely side wall lights  30  for lighting primarily the rear region of the cooling chamber  16  and a spotlight  31  on the ceiling  32  of the cooling chamber  16 . 
     The spotlight  31  is arranged in the vicinity of the door opening  13  in a free space  33  between the door opening  13  and the storage shelves  17 . When the door  12  is closed, the door racks  34  project into the free space  33 . 
     The following figures show three embodiments of the refrigeration appliance  10  and namely respectively in a view of the body when the door is open, in each case as a cross section and the front region in plan view. 
       FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  now show on the refrigeration appliance  10  disclosed in  FIG. 1 , in the embodiment of the refrigeration appliance  40 , an embodiment of the spotlight  31  as a spotlight  41  with a narrow light cone  42 . The light cone  42  has an optical axis  43  and a light cone edge  44 . When the spotlight  41  is switched on, this produces at the height of the surface  45  of the cover  20  a light spot  46 , the diameter thereof corresponding to the diameter of the light cone  42  at the height of the surface  45 . 
     In  FIG. 3  the tray  18  is shown below the cover  20  in the pushed-in state. The free space  33  extends laterally between the side walls  47  of the internal compartment  15  and in the depth direction between the door opening  13  and the edge  48  of the storage shelves  17 . The tray  18  extends in the depth direction substantially from the door opening  13  to a rear wall  23  of the internal compartment  15 , wherein in  FIG. 2  it is shown as aligned with the body, whilst in  FIG. 3  a standard gap  57  is indicated between the edge  58  of the body  11  and the tray  20 . 
     The narrow light cone  42  is designed such that the light spot  46  has a diameter of approximately the depth of the free space  33 . The largest part of the light spot  46  is located behind the front edge  49  of the tray  18  and completely covers the operating element  24 . The operating element  24  is located at the center of the front edge  49  of the tray  18  between the side walls  47 . The spotlight  41  serves for the radiation of light inside the light cone  42 , wherein the center of the front edge  49  of the tray is located inside the light cone  42  and the side walls  59  of the tray  18  are located, outside the light cone  42 . 
       FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  now show on the refrigeration appliance  10  disclosed in  FIG. 1 , in the embodiment of the refrigeration appliance  50 , an embodiment of the spotlight  31  as a spotlight  51  having a broad light cone  52 . The light cone  52  has an optical axis  53  and a light cone edge  54 . When the spotlight  51  is switched on, this produces at the height of the surface  45  of the cover  20  a light spot  56 , the diameter thereof corresponding to the diameter of the light cone  52  at the height of the surface  45 . The optical axis  53 , in this example at the height of the surface  45 , is in the vicinity of the center of the front edge of the operating element  24 . 
     In  FIG. 5 , the tray  18  is shown below the cover  20  in a partially pulled-out state. The broad light cone  52  is designed such that the light spot  56  has a circular cross section with a diameter of approximately double the depth of the free space  33 . The largest part of the light spot  56  is located in the pulled-out region  55  of the tray  18  and entirely covers the operating element  24 . The spotlight  51  serves for the radiation of light inside the light cone  52 , wherein the center of the front edge  49  of the tray  18  is located inside the light cone  52  and the side walls  59  of the tray  18  are located outside the light cone  52 . 
       FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  now show on the refrigeration appliance  10  disclosed in  FIG. 1 , in the embodiment of the refrigeration appliance  60 , an embodiment of the spotlight  31  as a spotlight  61  having a broad light cone  62  which is inclined to the front relative to a vertical line. The light cone  62  has an optical axis  63  and a light cone edge  64 . When the spotlight  61  is switched on, this produces at the height of the surface  45  of the cover  20  a light spot  66 , the diameter thereof corresponding to the diameter of the light cone  62  at the height of the surface  45 . The optical axis  63  in this example is inclined relative to a vertical line and is located at the height of the surface  45  outside the cooling chamber. 
     In  FIG. 7  the tray  18  is shown below the cover  20  in the fully pulled-out state. The broad light cone  62  is designed such that the light spot  66  has an elliptical cross section, with a small extent in the depth direction, having approximately double the depth of the free space  33 . The largest part of the light spot  66  is located in the pulled-out region  65  of the tray  18  and entirely covers the operating element  24 . The spotlight  61  serves for the radiation of light inside the light cone  62 , wherein the center of the front edge  49  of the tray  18  is located inside the light cone  62  and the side walls  59  of the tray  18  are located outside the light cone  62 . 
     These examples show how an illumination of the operating element  24  may be combined and varied by the design of the light cone to achieve differently desired lighting of the tray  18  for fresh food. 
       FIG. 8  shows a schematic view of a spotlight  70  according to an embodiment of the invention, as it may be used as a spotlight  31  according to the above examples. 
     The spotlight  70  has a lighting means  71 , an optical system  72  for producing the light cone and a housing  73 . The housing  73  receives the further components of the light and causes the radiation from the lighting means to the door and toward the storage shelves to be substantially obstructed. 
     The lighting means  71  in this case is an LED  74  on a printed circuit board  75 . The optical system  72  in this case is protected by a light outlet aperture  76  terminating flush with the housing  73 . 
     The spotlight  70  also has an indicator element  77  to the side of the light cone in the housing  73 . The indicator element  77  permits a user to view information on a side wall  78  of the housing  73  with a low light intensity which is considerably less than an illumination intensity for refrigerated goods in the light spot. The housing  73  has a light guide  79  for guiding light, in particular scattered light, from the lighting means  71  to the indicator element  77 . 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           10  Refrigeration appliance 
           11  Body 
           12  Door 
           13  Door opening 
           14  Outer wall 
           15  Internal compartment 
           16  Cooling chamber 
           17  Storage shelf 
           18  Tray 
           19  Open drawer 
           20  Cover 
           21  Handle 
           22  Handle 
           23  Rear wall 
           24  Operating element 
           25  Directly accessible region 
           26  Fresh region 
           30  Side wall light 
           31  Spotlight 
           32  Ceiling 
           33  Free space 
           34  Door rack 
           40  Refrigeration appliance 
           41  Spotlight 
           42  Light cone 
           43  Optical axis 
           44  Light cone edge 
           45  Surface 
           46  Light spot 
           47  Side wall 
           48  Edge 
           49  Front edge 
           50  Refrigeration appliance 
           51  Spotlight 
           52  Light cone 
           53  Optical axis 
           54  Light cone edge 
           55  Pulled-out region 
           56  Light spot 
           57  Gap 
           58  Edge 
           59  Side wall 
           60  Refrigeration appliance 
           61  Spotlight 
           62  Light cone 
           63  Optical axis 
           64  Light cone edge 
           65  Pulled-out region 
           66  Light spot 
           70  Spotlight 
           71  Lighting means 
           72  Optical system 
           73  Housing 
           74  LED 
           75  Printed circuit board 
           76  Light outlet aperture 
           77  Indicator element 
           78  Side wall 
           79  Light guide