Dispenser niche for a refrigerator
View Patent ↗A dispenser niche for a refrigerator is provided. The dispenser niche includes an illuminator to at least partially illuminate the niche. The illuminator has LEDs that are arranged on a common circuit board with first electrical contacts. A wall of the dispenser niche has second electrical contacts and a recess that receives the common circuit board in a single orientation. The first electrical contacts of the common circuit board and the second electrical circuits of the wall touch each other in the single orientation.
1. A dispenser niche for a refrigerator, the dispenser niche comprising:
an illuminator to at least partially illuminate the niche, the illuminator having a plurality of LEDs that are arranged on a common circuit board having first electrical contacts; and
a wall having second electrical contacts and a recess, the recess to receive the common circuit board in a single orientation;
wherein the first electrical contacts of the common circuit board and the second electrical contacts of the wall touch each other in the single orientation.
2. The dispenser niche of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerator is a household refrigerator.
3. The dispenser niche of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of LEDs form a polygon.
4. The dispenser niche of claim 3 , wherein the wall has a dispensing aperture, and wherein the polygon overlaps the dispensing aperture.
5. The dispenser niche of claim 3 , wherein the wall has a dispensing aperture, and wherein the contour of the dispensing aperture surrounds the polygon.
6. The dispenser niche of claim 1 , wherein the wall has a dispensing aperture.
7. The dispenser niche of claim 1 , wherein a respective one of a plurality of beam-forming optical elements is assigned to each of the plurality of LEDs.
8. The dispenser niche of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of beam-forming optical elements are connected to each other in one piece.
9. The dispenser niche of claim 7 , wherein a bottom of the recess is open, and wherein the plurality of beam-forming optical elements are accommodated in the recess.
10. The dispenser niche of claim 9 , wherein the wall has a dispersing aperture, and wherein the recess surrounds the dispensing aperture.
11. The dispenser niche of claim 9 , wherein the recess is one of circular and sector-shaped.
12. The dispenser niche of claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the recess is closed by a cover part.
13. The dispenser niche of claim 12 , wherein the cover part is at least locally transparent.
14. The dispenser niche of claim 12 , wherein a respective one of a plurality of beam-forming optical elements is assigned to each of the plurality of LEDs, and wherein the plurality of beam-forming optical elements are embodied in one piece with the cover part.
15. The dispenser niche of claim 12 , wherein the cover part has a plurality of openings directed towards the plurality of LEDs.
16. The dispenser niche of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of beam-forming optical elements engage in a respective one of the plurality of openings.
17. The dispenser niche of claim 12 , wherein the cover part is friction-welded to the wall.
18. A dispenser niche for a refrigerator, the dispenser niche comprising:
a wall having a dispensing aperture, annular ribs defining an accommodation and first electric contacts which comprise springs;
a circuit board received in the accommodation, the circuit board having:
second electric contacts which contact the first electric contacts when the circuit board is placed in the accommodation;
conductor paths connected to the second electric contacts;
a plurality of LEDs supplied by the conductor paths and which are arranged in a polygon that overlaps the dispensing aperture; and
a transparent body received in the accommodation, the transparent body having a plurality of recesses each of which receive a corresponding LED, and a plurality of beam-forming optical projections arranged opposite a corresponding LED.
19. The dispenser niche of claim 18 , further comprising a ring mounted on the ribs of a base plate, the ring having a plurality of openings each of which receives a corresponding LED.
20. A dispenser niche for a refrigerator, the dispenser niche comprising:
a wall having annular ribs defining an accommodation and first electric contacts which comprise springs;
a circuit board having second electric contacts and a plurality of LEDs, the circuit board being received in the accommodation such that the second electric contacts contact the first electric contacts, the LEDs being supplied by conductor paths on the circuit board and the conductor paths being connected via a through contact on the circuit board to the second electric contacts; and
a transparent body received in the accommodation, the transparent body having a plurality of recesses at a upper surface thereof, each recess receiving a corresponding LED, and a plurality of beam-forming optical elements at a lower surface thereof and arranged opposite a corresponding LED.