Patent Publication Number: US-6904764-B2

Title: Service device for a refrigerator, and refrigerator featuring such a device

Description:
This is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/320,725, filed Dec. 17, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 

   The present invention relates to a service device for a refrigerator, and to a refrigerator featuring such a device. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   As is known, refrigerators feature various electric and electronic devices, some with control and others with user-aid functions. 
   For example, the temperature inside the refrigerating chamber is regulated by a thermostat controlling a cooling circuit, and which normally comprises a manual selector for setting a desired temperature, a sensor for detecting the temperature inside the refrigeration chamber, and a control circuit for alternately turning the cooling circuit on and off to keep the sensor-detected temperature at around the desired set temperature The sensor and control circuit are normally housed inside a casing fixed inside the refrigerating chamber, while the manual selector projects partly from the casing to enable it to be regulated. 
   Refrigerators normally also comprise an internal lighting system, which is turned on when the refrigerating chamber is opened to assist the user when replacing or removing food or other material; and a lamp, e.g. a neon tube, is fitted to the ceiling or a wall of the refrigerating chamber, and is preferably guarded by a transparent shield to prevent contact with the material stored in the refrigerator. 
   Known refrigerators have several drawbacks, owing to the thermostat and the light source being fitted inside the refrigerating chamber. Firstly, the thermostat and light source operate in an unfavourable environment particularly exposed to humidity which, given the low temperature involved, condenses readily on the walls of the refrigerating chamber. The electronic control circuits of the thermostat, in particular, are easily damaged if not adequately protected. 
   Secondly, to perform even the simplest maintenance jobs, such as changing the lamp, the refrigerating chamber must be kept open for at least a few minutes, so that the temperature inside rises to substantially room temperature and takes a fairly long time to return to the set temperature once the job is completed. During which time, the material stored in the refrigerating chamber may deteriorate partly or entirely, and power consumption by the refrigerator is greatly increased. 
   Thirdly, the thermostat and internal lighting system occupy space which reduces the overall capacity of the refrigerating chamber. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a service device for a refrigerator, and a refrigerator, designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks, and which at the same time are cheap and easy to produce. 
   According to the present invention, there is provided a service device for a refrigerator having a refrigerating chamber, said device comprising an electric circuit portion and a mechanical portion; characterized in that said electric circuit portion is connectable to the refrigerator outside said refrigerating chamber, and said mechanical portion is at least partly insertable inside said refrigerating chamber and cooperates with said electric circuit portion. 
   According to the present invention, there is also provided a refrigerator comprising a refrigerating chamber housed inside a body; a cooling circuit for cooling said refrigerating chamber; a thermostat connected to said cooling circuit to regulate a temperature inside said refrigerating chamber, and having an electronic control circuit; and lighting means having a light source for lighting the inside of said refrigerating chamber; characterized in that at least one of said electronic control circuit and said light source is housed outside said refrigerating chamber. 
   The thermostat and the light source thus operate in a more favourable environment and, above all, are less exposed to humidity than in conventional refrigerators. 
   Moreover, the thermostat and the light source are accessible from outside the refrigerating chamber, which can therefore be kept closed, and the temperature inside the refrigerating chamber kept substantially constant, when performing maintenance work. 
   The capacity of the refrigerating chamber is also advantageously increased. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A non-limiting embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  shows a longitudinal lateral section of a refrigerator incorporating a service device in accordance with the present invention, and shown in a first operating configuration; 
       FIG. 2  shows a longitudinal lateral section of the  FIG. 1  refrigerator in a second operating configuration; 
       FIG. 3  shows an enlarged view of a detail of the  FIG. 1  refrigerator; 
       FIG. 4  shows a top plan cross section of the  FIG. 1  refrigerator. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  show, schematically, a refrigerator in accordance with the present invention and indicated as a whole by  1 . Refrigerator  1  comprises a refrigerating chamber  2 ; a cooling circuit  3  (shown only partly for the sake of simplicity) for cooling refrigerating chamber  2 ; and at least one service device in accordance with the invention. In the embodiment described, refrigerator  1  comprises a thermostat  5  and an internal lighting system  6 . 
   Refrigerating chamber  2  is housed inside a body  7  and closed at the front by a door  8  shown closed in FIG.  1  and open in  FIG. 2 ; and a gap  10 , filled with thermally insulating material, e.g. polymer foam, is defined between refrigerating chamber  2  and body  7 . 
   Cooling circuit  3 —shown only partly for the sake of simplicity—for cooling refrigerating chamber  2  comprises at least a compressor  11  housed in a rear recess  12  of body  7 , and a conduit  13  connected to compressor  11 . 
   A control box  15 , housing electric circuit components of thermostat  5  and of lighting system  6 , as explained in detail later on, is fitted to compressor  11  inside rear recess  12 . 
   Thermostat  5  is connected to cooling circuit  3  to regulate in known manner the temperature inside refrigerating chamber  2 , and comprises an electronic control circuit  17 ; and a mechanical portion in turn comprising a manual regulating device  18  and a flexible control cable  19 , and cooperating with electronic control circuit  17 . Thermostat  5  also comprises a known temperature sensor (not shown) housed inside refrigerating chamber  2  and connected to electronic control circuit  17 . 
   Electronic control circuit  17  is housed inside control box  15 , and comprises a known electromechanical selector  20  for selecting a reference value of an electric quantity and so setting a desired temperature inside refrigerating chamber  2 . For example, electromechanical selector  20  comprises an angular potentiometer as shown in FIG.  2 . 
   Manual regulating device  18  is located inside refrigerating chamber  2 , preferably on a lateral wall  2   a  of refrigerating chamber  2 , and is connected to electromechanical selector  20  by flexible control cable  19 , which extends mainly inside gap  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, flexible control cable  19  is a Bowden cable, so that electromechanical selector  20  can be remote-operated using manual regulating device  18 . 
   Internal lighting system  6  comprises an electric light source  22 , e.g. an incandescent lamp or neon tube, housed inside control box  15 ; a switch  23 ; and a mechanical portion comprising a light guide  25 . More specifically, light guide  25 —preferably an optical-fiber cable—extends mainly inside gap  10 , and has a first end.  25   a  connected to light source  22 , and a second end  25   b  facing inwards of refrigerating chamber  2  and inserted through a boss  26  substantially flush with the ceiling  2   b  of refrigerating chamber  2 . That is, light guide  25  conveys at least partly inside refrigerating chamber  2  a light beam emitted by light source  22  when activated. 
   Switch  23  is fitted to the front of body  7 , outside refrigerating chamber  2 , is connected to light source  22  by a cable  27 , a connector  28 , and connecting tracks not shown, and is a normally-closed type with a control button  30 . More specifically, switch  23  has an open first configuration in which control button  30  is released, and a closed second configuration in which control button  30  is withdrawn. Door  8  has a pressure portion  8   a  which cooperates with switch  23  to alternately turn light source  22  on and off. That is, when door  8  is closed (FIG.  1 ), pressure portion  8   a  presses control button  30  to open switch  23  and turn off light source  22 . Conversely, when door  8  is opened (FIG.  2 ), control button  30  is released to close switch  23  and so turn light source  22  on. 
   Clearly, changes may be made to the device as described herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.