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

• US 20040107719A1
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ITW Industrial Components s.r.l. (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITW Industrial Components s.r.l. (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Bassi, Alberto
• Granted Patent: US 6,904,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/298
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/40 Refrigerating devices characterised by electrical wiring
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/00 Lighting arrangements in general F21
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/005 combined with control means
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/005 Mounting of control devices

Abstract

A service device for a refrigerator having a refrigerating chamber, the device having an electric circuit portion and a mechanical portion. The electric circuit portion is connectable to the refrigerator outside the refrigerating chamber, and the mechanical portion is at least partly insertable inside the refrigerating chamber and cooperates with the electric circuit portion.

Claims

1. A service device for a refrigerator (1) having a refrigerating chamber (2), said device comprising an electric circuit portion (17, 22) and a mechanical portion (19, 25);

characterized in that said electric circuit portion (17, 22) is connectable to the refrigerator (1) outside said refrigerating chamber (2), and said mechanical portion (19, 25) is at least partly insertable inside said refrigerating chamber (2) and cooperates with said electric circuit portion (17, 22).

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said electric circuit portion (22) comprises a light source, and said mechanical portion (25) comprises a light guide.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterized by comprising a switch (23) connected to said light source (22) and activated by a door (8) of said refrigerator (1) to turn said light source (22) alternately on and off.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by comprising a thermostat (5), and in that said electric circuit portion (17) comprises an electric control circuit of said thermostat (5), and said mechanical portion (19) comprises a flexible control cable.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said mechanical portion comprises a manual regulating device (18) connected to said flexible control cable (19).

6. A refrigerator comprising:

a refrigerating chamber (2) housed inside a body (7);

a cooling circuit (3) for cooling said refrigerating chamber (2);

a thermostat (5) connected to said cooling circuit (3) to regulate a temperature inside said refrigerating chamber (2), and having an electronic control circuit (17); and

lighting means (6) having a light source (22) for lighting the inside of said refrigerating chamber (2);

characterized in that at least one of said electronic control circuit (17) and said light source (22) is housed outside said refrigerating chamber (2).

7. A refrigerator as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said lighting means (6) comprise a light guide (25) connected to said light source (22) to convey into said refrigerating chamber (2) a light beam emitted by said light source (22).

8. A refrigerator as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that said light guide (25) comprises an optical-fiber cable having a first end (25a) connected to said light source (22), and a second end (25b) facing inwards of said refrigerating chamber (2).

9. A refrigerator as claimed in claim 6, characterized by comprising a switch (23) connected to said light source (22) and fitted to the front of said body (7), outside said refrigerating chamber (2);

and by comprising a door (8) for closing said refrigerating chamber (2) and which cooperates with said switch (23) to turn said light source (22) alternately on and off.

10. A refrigerator as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said switch (23) has a first operating configuration in which said light source (22) is turned off when said door (8) is closed, and a second operating configuration in which said light source (22) is turned on when said door (8) is opened.

11. A refrigerator as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that said switch (23) is normally closed, and has a control button (30);

said control button (30) being withdrawn when said door (8) is closed, and being released when said door (8) is opened.

12. A refrigerator as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said thermostat (5) comprises an electromechanical temperature selector (20);

and a manual regulating device (18) housed inside said refrigerating chamber (2) and connected to said electromechanical temperature selector (20) by a flexible control cable (19).

13. A refrigerator as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that said flexible control cable (19) is a Bowden cable.

14. A refrigerator as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that said light guide (25) and said flexible control cable (19) are housed at least partly in a gap (10) defined between said body (7) and said refrigerating chamber (2).