Claims:We claim:
1. Household cooling appliance (2) with an outer housing (1), which comprises a first side wall (3), a second side wall (4) and a top wall (5), characterized in that the side walls (3, 4) and the top wall (5) are formed in one piece comprising an inverted U-shape, wherein at a front edge (6) of the first side wall (3) a first bent bar (7) with a first front part (16), at a front edge (8) of the second side wall (4) a second bent bar (9) with a second front part (17) and at a front edge (10) of the top wall (5) a third bent bar (11) with a third front part (18) is formed, wherein the third front part (18) comprises a thickness (d3) measured perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis (A) of the third front part (18) which is greater than a thickness (d1) of the first front part (16) measured perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis (B) of the first front part (16) and which is greater than a thickness (d2) of the second front part (17) measured perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis (C) of the second front part (17).
2. Household cooling appliance (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the third front part (18) is formed with at least one inclined end edge (12, 13) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (A), which is oriented towards the front edge (10) of the top wall (5) at an angle different from 45°, in particular greater than 50°, in particular greater than 65°.
3. Household cooling appliance (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first bar (7) comprises an integrated first guiding groove (36) for an inner container (26) of the household cooling appliance (2) and the second bar (9) comprises an integrated second guiding groove (28) for the inner container (26) of the household cooling appliance (2).
4. Household cooling appliance (2) according to claim 3, characterized in that the first guiding groove (36) is U-shaped in cross section and formed as a bent element at the first front part (16), wherein at least a first groove leg of the first guiding groove (36), which faces away from the first front part (16), is formed to be resilient, and/or the second guiding groove (28) is U-shaped in cross section and formed as a bent element at the second front part (17), wherein at least a first groove leg (29) of the second guiding groove (28), which faces away from the second front part (17), is formed to be resilient.
5. Household cooling appliance (2) according to claim 4, characterized in that a second groove leg of the first guiding groove (36) is arranged adjacent to and spaced apart from the first front part (16) and extends across the entire extension of the first front part (16) and/or a second groove leg (30) of the second guiding groove (28) is arranged adjacent to and spaced apart from the second front part (17) and extends across the entire extension of the second front part (17).
6. Household cooling appliance (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the third bar (11) is formed without such a guiding groove for an inner container (26) of the household cooling appliance (2).
7. Household cooling appliance (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dimension of the entire first bar (7), viewed perpendicularly to its longitudinal axis (B), is equal to the dimension of the entire second bar (9), viewed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (C) of the second bar (9), and equal to the dimension of the entire third bar (11), viewed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (A) of the third bar (11).
8. Household cooling appliance (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the third bar (11) comprises a recess (19) for an electronic module in the third front part (18).
9. Household cooling appliance (2) according to claim 8, characterized in that into the recess (19) a shaft-like receiving box (24), which is separate from the outer housing (1), is inserted, into which an electronic module is inserted.
10. Household cooling appliance (2) according to claim 9, characterized in that in the region of the recess (19) holding means (23) for holding the receiving box (24) are formed.
11. Household cooling appliance (2) according to claim 10, characterized in that the holding means (23) are strip-shaped bends.

12. Household cooling appliance (2) according to claim 11, characterized in that a holding means (23) oriented in the depth direction (z) of the household cooling appliance (2) is an inherently angled bend, whose angled part (23b) faces away from the recess (19) and is oriented diagonally downwards.
13. Household cooling appliance (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the third bar (11) comprises a bent lug (43) at its edge facing away from the front edge (10) of the top wall (5), which is formed as a latching element for engaging with a counter latching element (44) of an inner container (26) of the household cooling appliance (2).
14. Household cooling appliance (2) according to any one of claims 8 to 11 and claim 12, characterized in that the receiving box (24) comprises a flange (39), which together with the third front part (18) forms a receiving groove (40) for the inner container (26).
15. Method for manufacturing a household cooling appliance (2), in which the household cooling appliance (2) is formed with an outer housing (1), wherein the outer housing (1) is formed with a first side wall (3), a second side wall (4) and a top wall (5), characterized in that for manufacturing the outer housing (1) a single-piece, plate-like blank is provided and for creating the side walls (3, 4) and the top wall (5) the blank is bent into an inverted U-shape, and at a front edge (6) of the first side wall (3) through bending a first bent bar (7) with a first front part (16) is created, at a front edge (8) of the second side wall (4) through bending a second bent bar (9) with a second front part (17) is created, and at a front edge (10) of the top wall (5) through bending a third bent bar (11) with a third front part (18) is created, wherein the creation of the front edges (6, 8, 10) and the bent bars (7, 9, 11) is carried out prior to the creation of the U-shape of the outer housing (1).
, Description:
Field of the invention
[0001] This disclosure relates to a Household cooling appliance with a specifically designed outer housing and method for manufacturing such a household cooling appliance.
Background of the invention:
[0002] Current household appliances have various types of controls, which are typically part of a control panel. For example, a refrigerator usually includes a control panel mounted on top of the machine, and has various buttons which are used to control the various operations of the machine. However, many typical home appliances, such as washing machines, dryers, and refrigerators, have controls which are located in an inconvenient location, or present an undesirable aesthetic appearance. It has become a practice to incorporate a number of electrically operated devices in the doors of refrigerators for operation or viewing from the exterior of the refrigerator without opening the door. Additionally it is becoming more common to have indicator panels and lights mounted on the door to be visible from the outside and inform users of various conditions of the refrigerator and possible malfunctions. In constructing a refrigerator cabinet, it is highly desirable to minimize the weight of the cabinet shell to reduce manufacturing, transportation and additional associated costs. Mainly due to cost efficiencies a sheet metal is utilized in the forming of most refrigerator cabinets on the market today.

[0003] A US patent 4580852 discloses a refrigerator cabinet assembly. The refrigerator cabinet comprises a three-sided wrapper to form the cabinet sides and top, a front liner, a rear panel having a compressor compartment shell, a molded plastic base for interconnecting the wrapper sides, front liner and rear panel with compressor compartment shell. The base has a support portion molded therein to support a compressor within the compressor compartment. The cabinet can be readily assembled where considerable economies in manufacture are realized.

Brief Description of the Invention:
[0004] The invention relates to a household cooling appliance with an outer housing, which comprises a first side wall, a second side wall and a top wall. The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing such a household cooling appliance.
[0005] With household cooling appliances such as refrigerators or freezers or fridge-freezers it is known that a housing, in which a receiving space for food is formed, is formed by an inner container, which usually directly delimits this receiving space, and an outer housing separate therefrom. The inner container is arranged in the outer housing. In an intermediate space between the inner container and the outer housing thermally insulating material is usually inserted.
[0006] In this context it is also known that the outer housing is manufactured with specific walls made from individual parts. These walls feature receptacles where an inner container can be arranged at the front and thus connected with the components of the outer housing at the front. Moreover, household cooling appliances are known in which in an upper portion an electronic module is arranged and which can feature operating elements and/or a display, wherein the operating elements and the display are accessible or visible in particular if the door is open. For this purpose, with regard to such designs it is envisaged that at a separate top wall a specific flange is arranged at the front, in which a recess is formed into which the electronic module is inserted.
[0007] It is the object of the present invention to provide a household cooling appliance whose outer housing requires fewer components, yet is suitable for being equipped with additional components.
[0008] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a household cooling appliance.
[0009] These objects are solved by the features of the independent claims.
[0010] One aspect of the invention relates to a household cooling appliance with an outer housing, which comprises a first side wall, a second side wall and a top wall. The vertical and opposite side walls and the top wall are formed in one piece. The outer housing with these side walls and the top wall comprises an inverted U-shape. At an edge of the first side wall which, viewed in the depth direction of the household cooling appliance, faces frontwards and thus at a front edge of the first side wall a first bent bar is formed, which comprises a first front part, which constitutes a visible component of said bar. This means that this front part is exposed when the outer housing is viewed from the front. At a front edge of the second side wall a second bent bar with a second front part is formed. This front part, accordingly, is also a visible part of that bar. In addition, at a front edge of the top wall the outer housing comprises a third bent bar, which comprises a third front part. The front parts and thus also the bars comprise a respective longitudinal direction and thus comprise a corresponding longitudinal axis. The third front part comprises a thickness measured perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the third front part, which is greater than a thickness of the first front part measured perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the first front part. Besides, the thickness of the third front part is also greater than a thickness of the second front part measured perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the second front part. This means that the front side visible components which are formed by the three front parts are formed as components that comprise different dimensions perpendicular to their respective longitudinal axes. Due to such a design, the outer housing can be formed to require a minimum number of components. This results in a significantly reduced assembly effort. Besides, in consequence of such a design the stability of the outer housing is also improved. Specifically, due to such a design, a permanently safe positioning of the walls of the outer housing relative to each other is achieved since there are no more separating points and a shifting of the household cooling appliance or other force applications do not result in position changes of said walls relative to each other. Moreover, in consequence of the different thickness designs of the relevant parts, i.e. of the front parts, it is possible to install additional components, in particular at the third front part.
[0011] These thicknesses of the front parts are measured in a vertical plane which is opened up by the width direction of the household cooling appliance and the height direction of the household cooling appliance.
[0012] In an advantageous embodiment, the third front part is formed with at least one inclined end edge in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the third front part. This inclined edge is oriented towards the front edge of the top wall at an angle which is different from 45°. In particular, the angle between the inclined edge and the front edge is greater than 50°, particularly greater than 65°, preferably between 68° and 72°, in particular 70°. Such an angle orientation specifically renders possible the above-described unequal thicknesses of the front parts and yet also enables the arrangement of the front parts such that they directly abut on each other, whereby relatively long abutment edges are formed. This also results in an increased mechanical stability of the U-frame formed by the front parts.
[0013] It is preferably provided that the first bar comprises an integrated first guiding groove, in which an inner container of the household cooling appliance can be inserted and retained. In particular, the second bar comprises an integrated second guiding groove for such an inner container of the household cooling appliance. Such guiding grooves enable assembly of the inner container through relatively easy insertion into the outer housing and, besides, during insertion highly advantageous guiding is achieved, whereby a jamming or wedging of the inner container during assembly at the outer housing can be avoided. Not least, by these guiding grooves, which preferably extend over at least 50 percent of the height of the side walls, measured in the height direction of the household cooling appliance, in particular over at least 70 percent, in particular over at least 90 percent of this height, the retaining of the inner container is advantageously achieved, since also in the final assembled state the inner container can be extensively retained at these side walls.
[0014] It is preferably provided that the first guiding groove is U-shaped in cross section and formed at the first front part as a bent element. This means that the guiding groove is formed integrally with the front part and that, as regards its position relative to the front part and its basic design, it is created by a bending process. The first guiding groove comprises at least a first groove leg, which faces away from the first front part. This first groove leg thus constitutes a free-standing leg of the guiding groove and it is in particular formed to be resilient. Such a design offers a certain degree of design flexibility of the guiding groove so that on the one hand the insertion of the inner container is facilitated and on the other hand, due to the spring effect, a certain pressing force or clamping force is constantly generated to safely guide and hold the inner container in the end position. Additionally or alternatively, it can be envisaged that the second guiding groove is U-shaped in cross section and formed at the second front part as a bent element. This second guiding groove in particular features a first groove leg which faces away from the second front part and which is also free-standing and resilient. The design, creation and advantages of such a first groove leg have already been explained with respect to the first guiding groove and analogously apply to the first groove leg of the second guiding groove.
[0015] It is preferably provided that a second groove leg of the first guiding groove is arranged adjacent to and spaced apart from the first front part and extends over the entire extension of the first front part. Additionally or alternatively, it can be provided that a second groove leg of the second guiding groove is arranged adjacent to and spaced apart from the second front part and extends over the entire extension of the second front part. This design also enables a certain extent of deformation elasticity and freedom of movement of the second groove legs relative to the respective front part. The above-mentioned advantages of the guiding grooves are thus again enhanced.
[0016] It is preferably provided that the third bar is formed without a guiding groove for an inner container of the household cooling appliance. Due to the above-described overall design, it is no longer required to provide a guiding groove for the inner container at this specific position, since the stable retainment in the end position can be achieved by other means.
[0017] It is preferably provided that the dimension of the entire first bar, viewed perpendicularly to its longitudinal axis, is equal to the dimension of the entire second bar, viewed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the second bar, and equal to the dimension of the entire third bar, viewed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the third bar. This means that the dimensions of all three bars are equal. In this context, a dimension is composed of the sum of the thickness of a front part and of the thickness of the components forming the guiding groove. This also means that, as it were, a thickness of a bar which is still flat or level and has not yet been bent into the front part with the guiding groove is equal for all three bars. This is a highly advantageous design since thus the manufacturing effort is significantly reduced. For, due to this design, a single-piece plate-like blank can be provided, which comprises the same width over its entire length. This has significant advantages since, thus, no additional method steps are required to cut to the required width this plate-like blank prior to the actual manifold bending of the same. By this design it is thus also enabled that the side walls and the top wall, each viewed in the depth direction of the household cooling appliance, can be formed with the same dimensions and that still the above-described bars can be bent individually such that they comprise front parts of differing thickness.
[0018] It is preferably provided that the third bar in the third front part comprises a recess for an electronic module of the household cooling appliance. Specifically with such designs of household cooling appliances, which comprise such a single-piece outer housing with these specific additional components, the further assembly of an additional component or functional module, which is formed by the electronic module, is thus enabled without problems. Thus, specifically, at a highly exposed position, i.e. the horizontal third bar at the top wall, a sufficiently large dimension in the form of the greater thickness is provided for forming a sufficiently large recess, into which the electronic module can be inserted, while the stability of the third bar is not impaired in an undesired manner.
[0019] It is preferably provided that a shaft-like receiving box for the electronic module, which is separate from the outer housing, is inserted into the recess. Such a design enables mechanically stable positioning of the electronic module and protection of the same from further influences. Specifically, the thermally insulating material, which is arranged between the outer housing and the inner container, cannot come into direct contact with the electronic module.
[0020] It is preferably provided that in the region of the recess holding means for holding the receiving box are formed. These holding means are in particular formed integrally with the third bar. Such a design enables positionally safe and mechanically stable fastening of the receiving box.
[0021] It is preferably provided that the holding means are plate-like bends. They are thus in particular sheet metal strips which in an advantageous embodiment are inserted into corresponding receiving slots of the receiving box when the receiving box is mounted to the outer housing.
[0022] It is preferably provided that, viewed in the height direction of the household cooling appliance, a holding means is an inherently angled bend, whose angled part faces away from the recess in a downward direction. This means that in a cross section this holding means is not level but instead comprises at least two parts which are angled to each other. Due to this design, this single-piece holding means enables improved retaining of the receiving box, since by this angled component a barrier is formed as it were against a slipping out or pulling out of the receiving box. It is preferably provided that at its edge facing away from the front edge of the top wall the third bar comprises a bent lug, which is formed as a latching element for engaging with a counter latching element formed at an inner container of the household cooling appliance. This design enables a mechanically and positionally stable fastening of the inner container at the third bar as well. In addition, this design provides a very simple connection, which due to its design as a latching connection is particularly easy to achieve.
[0023] It is preferably provided that the receiving box comprises a flange, which together with the above-mentioned lug forms a receiving groove for the inner container. This flange moreover serves as a brace or supporting element, by which the inner container is safely held.
[0024] The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a household cooling appliance, in which the household cooling appliance is formed with an outer housing. The outer housing is formed with a first side wall, a second side wall and a top wall. For manufacturing the outer housing, a single-piece, plate-like blank is provided. For creating the side walls and the top wall, the blank is bent into an inverted U-shape. At a front edge of the first side wall a first bent bar with a first front part is formed through bending, at a front edge of the second side wall a second bent bar with a second front part is formed through bending and at a front edge of the top wall a third bent bar with a third front part is formed through bending. The creation of these bent bars is carried out prior to the creation of the U-shape of the outer housing. This design enables a particularly quick and simple creation of the form of this more complex outer housing. Through the method according to the invention at edge zones of said plate-like blank a bending is performed in areas, as it were, with an inward offset relative to the edge of the blank, whereby a respective front edge of a side wall and a front edge of the top wall is created. Subsequent to this bending the respective individual designs of the bars are created. For this purpose, first a separation cut is performed in dependence on the respective lengths of the bars so that subsequently the individual designs of the respective bars can be created. Not until these individual bars have been formed, in particular such that they have achieved their completely finished form, does the bending of the blank at specific bending edges take place to create the size of the side walls and of the top wall and thus, finally, to actually create the side walls, the top wall and the U-shape.
[0025] With such a design, it is also possible to save material expenses.
[0026] The terms “above”, “below”, “in front”, “behind”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “depth direction”, “width direction”, “height direction” etc. signify the positions and orientations given if the appliance is used and positioned as intended.
[0027] Further features of the invention are apparent from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and feature combination previously mentioned in the description and the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone are usable not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations, without leaving the scope of the invention. Thus, also embodiments are to be regarded as comprised and disclosed by the invention, which are not explicitly shown and explained in the figures, but which derive and are producible from the illustrated explanations by separated feature combinations. Also, embodiments and feature combinations are to be regarded as disclosed which thus do not exhibit all features of an originally formulated independent claim. Additionally, embodiments and feature combinations are to be regarded as disclosed, particularly by the explanations provided above, which go beyond or depart from the feature combinations presented in the back references of the claims.
Brief description of the accompanying drawings:
[0028] An embodiment of the disclosure is described with reference to the following accompanying drawings;
[0029] Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of an outer housing of a household appliance according to the invention;
[0030] Figure 2 illustrates an enlarged view of a partial section of Fig. 1;
[0031] Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of the outer housing according to Fig. 1 with an inner container of the household cooling appliance attached thereto;
[0032] Figure 4 illustrates a sectional view of the arrangement of Fig. 3 at a first position;
[0033] Figure 5 illustrates a sectional view of the arrangement of Fig. 3 at a second position different therefrom;
[0034] Figure 6 illustrates a perspective sectional view at a position corresponding to that of Fig. 5;
[0035] Figure 7 illustrates a schematic view of a first assembly state of the household cooling appliance; and
[0036] Figure 8 illustrates a perspective view of an assembly state of the household cooling appliance subsequent to that of Fig. 7.
Detailed description of the embodiments:
[0037] In Fig. 1 an outer housing 1 of a household cooling appliance 2 (Fig. 3) is shown in a perspective view. The outer housing 1 is formed as a single piece. The outer housing 1 is a sheet metal part.
[0038] The outer housing 1 comprises a first side wall 3, a second side wall 4 and a top wall 5. The vertical side walls 3 and 4, which are oriented in the height direction (y-direction) of the household cooling appliance 2, are opposite and parallel to each other. The top wall is arranged horizontally and thus extends in the width direction (x-direction) and depth direction (z-direction) of the household cooling appliance 2. The top wall connects the two side walls 3 and 4.
[0039] The outer housing 1 comprises an inverted U-shape. Viewed in the depth direction, the first side wall 3 comprises a front edge 6, at which a first bent bar 7 is formed. In particular, this first bar 7 is preferably oriented to the plane of the side wall 3 at an angle of 90°.
[0040] At a front edge 8 of the second side wall 4 a second bar 9 is formed through bending. The second bar 9 is oriented towards the first side wall 3 and thus towards the first bar 7.
[0041] Moreover, at a front edge 10 of the top wall 5 a third bar 11 is formed through bending. It is oriented downwards. The two bars 7 and 9 preferably extend over the entire height of the side walls 3 and 4. The third bar 11 in particular extends across the entire width of the top wall 5.
[0042] The two bars 7 and 9 abut on the third bar 11 such that presently at the front a continuous U-shaped frame is formed, wherein the bars 7, 9 and 11 in particular extend in a plane defined by the height direction and the width direction.
[0043] As can be seen, the third bar 11 comprises a longitudinal axis A, which is here oriented in the width direction. Viewed along the longitudinal axis A, the third bar 11 comprises a first inclined end edge 12 and a further opposite inclined end edge 13. Preferably, the angle a between the inclined edge 12 and the front edge 10 is different from 45°, in particular greater than 50°, preferably 70°. A corresponding angle a is formed between the inclined edge 13 and the front edge 10. For forming respective abutment edges 14, 15, the end edges of the bars 7 and 9 are correspondingly slanted such that presently the respective abutment edges 14, 15 are formed by the abutting inclined edges of the bars 7, 9 and 11.
[0044] The first bar 7 comprises a longitudinal axis B, which is oriented in the height direction. The second bar 9 comprises a longitudinal axis C, which is also oriented in the height direction. The first bar 7 comprises a front part 16 which, according to the illustration of Fig. 1, constitutes a front side visible component. Analogously, the second bar 9 comprises a second front part 17, which also constitutes a front side visible component. By analogy, the third bar 11 comprises a front part 18, which is referred to as third front part. The respective strip-shaped front parts 16, 17 and 18 extend across the entire dimensions of the respective bars 7, 9 and 11.
[0045] A thickness d1 of the first front part 16 is measured perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis B. A thickness d2 of the second front part 17 is measured perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis C. Similarly, a thickness d3 is measured perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis A. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the thickness d3 is greater than the thicknesses d1 and d2. The thicknesses d1 and d2 can be equal.
[0046] Due to such an unequal thickness design it is possible even with such a single-piece outer housing 1 to form a recess 19 of sufficient size in the third bar 11 such that an electronic module, which is not shown in Fig. 1, can be inserted and positioned therein. The recess 19, which is formed as an uninterrupted opening, is configured to receive the electronic module on the front side.
[0047] In an advantageous embodiment it can be provided that there are also deformations, i.e. bends, at a rear edge 20 and at a rear edge 21 of the side walls 4 and 3, respectively. It is possible to arrange a rear wall, which is separate from the outer housing 1, at these bends, which are not described in more detail. The rear wall can, for example, be made of cardboard.
[0048] Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view of a partial section of Fig. 1, which illustrates the third bar 11 with the recess 19. As can be gathered from the embodiment of Fig. 2, a plurality of lugs 23, which extend rearwards in the depth direction, are formed at a delimiting edge 22 of the recess 19. These lugs 23 are holding means for fastening a receiving box 24 (Fig. 3). The lugs 23 can be inherently plane. However, preferably, they can also be angled. In that case the lug 23 is an inherently angled bend, wherein an angled part faces away from the recess 19 and in the height direction inclines diagonally downwards.
[0049] Fig. 3 shows an arrangement 25 of the household cooling appliance 2, in which an inner container 26 is arranged in the outer housing 1 and fastened thereto. The fastening is presently in particular provided at the front. For this purpose, the inner container 26 at its front edge comprises a circumferential flange which, to enable retainment of the inner container 26, is connected to the bars 7, 9 and 11. In an intermediate space 27 between the inner container 26 and the outer housing 1 thermally insulating material is arranged. The receiving box 24, which in Fig. 3 is shown in the inserted state, is shaft-like and, with the exception of a front side opening, closed.
[0050] In Fig. 4 the representation of Fig. 3 is shown in a sectional view along the section line IV-IV. As can be seen, in addition to the second front part 17 facing the front, the second bar 9 comprises a guiding groove, which is referred to as second guiding groove 28. The second guiding groove 28 is formed by a first groove leg 29 and a second groove leg 30. In this cross section the two groove-legs 29 and 30 are U-shaped. The first groove leg 29 is a free-standing leg, which is formed to be resilient. The second guiding groove 28 is configured to receive a side flange 31 of the inner container 26. The side flange 31 terminates in a groove-like structure 32, which in the illustrated assembled state specifically abuts on the groove legs 29 and 30 and in particular is wedged there between. The second guiding groove 28, which is integrally formed with the second front part 17, is created by bending. Directly adjacent to a bending point 33 between the second front part 17 and the second guiding groove 28, the second groove leg 30 comprises a protrusion, by which a latching element 34 is formed. This latching element engages with a counter latching element 35 of the flange 31, wherein the counter latching element 35 is formed as a depression. As can be seen, the second groove leg 30 is spaced apart from the second front part 17 but extends across the entire length of the second front part 17. This also results in a certain spring effect.
[0051] The first bar 17 is formed analogously and comprises a corresponding design with a first guiding groove 36 (Fig. 3), besides the front part 16 facing the front, wherein the first guiding groove 36 is formed in analogy to the second guiding groove 28. Accordingly, the first guiding groove 36 is also integrally formed with the first front part 16 and correspondingly formed by bending. The first guiding groove 36 also comprises two groove legs, which are formed according to the representation of Fig. 4. Similarly, the inner container 26 comprises a side flange on this opposite side, which is formed in analogy to the side flange 31. Likewise, the inner container 26 with its correspondingly arranged flange is inserted and held in, also in particular latched into, the first guiding groove 36.
[0052] The guiding grooves 28 and 36 are thus U-shaped in cross section and formed as bent elements at the respective front parts 16 and 17. The third bar 11 is formed without a guiding groove such as the guiding grooves 28 and 36. The guiding grooves 28 and 36 extend as it were across the entire length of the bars 7 and 9.
[0053] In Fig. 5 the arrangement of Fig. 3 is shown in a further sectional view along the section line V-V. As can be seen, at the upper delimiting edge 22, which delimits the recess 19, a lug 23, which is bent backwards, is formed as a holding means. This upper lug 23 is inherently straight and level. A lug 23 formed at the lower delimiting edge 22, which also constitutes a holding means, is inherently angled and presently comprises a first even part 23a and a part 23b at an angle or angled thereto. This angled part 23b faces away from the recess 19 and is oriented diagonally downwards and rearwards. At its front edge, the receiving box 24 comprises receiving slots 37 and 38, into which, during assembly of the receiving box 24, the lugs 23 are sunk as it were to retain the receiving box 24.
[0054] The receiving box 24, which is in particular formed in one piece of plastic, comprises a flange 39, which is oriented downwards. With the third front part 18, the flange 39 forms a receiving groove 40 for an upper flange 41 of the inner container 26. Again, this upper flange 41 is not straight but in accordance with the designs shown in Fig. 4 presently also comprises a groove-like part 42, which is arranged at the flange 39 and the third front part 18 and in particular jammed there between. Besides, it is envisaged that a bent lug 43, which is formed at an edge of the front part 18 facing away from the recess 19, is integrally formed with the front part 18. The bulbous lug 43 forms a latching element, which is latched or snapped into the counter latching element 44 of the flange 41, which is formed as a depression.
[0055] Fig. 6 shows the representation of Fig. 5 in a perspective view.
[0056] As regards their dimensions measured perpendicularly to the respective longitudinal axes A, B, and C, the three bars 7, 9 and 11 are of equal length. This means that in the under formed and thus flat state their respective total thicknesses are equal. By such a design it is particularly advantageously rendered possible to provide a single-piece plate-like blank as a sheet metal plate which comprises the same width over its entire length. Since, viewed in the depth direction, the side walls 3 and 4 and the top wall 5 also comprise the same dimensions, it is possible, specifically due to the above-mentioned advantageous design, to avoid more complex cutting to size of the plate-like blank to achieve width changes, prior to its reshaping.
[0057] Fig. 7 shows a first intermediate assembly stage in an exemplary representation, in which the outer housing 1 is already completely bent into its final shape and the inner container 26 is inserted into the U-shape of the outer housing 1 in an assembly direction P from the bottom. Therein, the side flanges 31 and 45 of the inner container 26 are inserted into the guiding grooves 28 and 36, which are open towards the bottom.
[0058] Fig. 8 shows in a perspective view the completely inserted final state of the inner container 26 in the outer housing 1. During assembly, the outer housing 1 is arranged on the assembly device 46. As regards the manufacturing process, it is advantageously envisaged that the plate-like blank in the form of the sheet metal plate, which is initially provided as a single and flat piece, is processed such that the three bars 7, 9 and 11 are formed, in particular completely formed. It is only thereafter that further processing of the intermediate assembly component, which is still basically flat, is performed such that bending edges 47 and 48 (Fig. 1) are created and thus the final form of the side walls 3 and 4 and of the top wall 5 in the desired U-shape is created.

[0059] List of reference signs
1 outer housing
2 household cooling appliance
3 first side wall
4 second side wall
5 top wall
6 front edge
7 first bar
8 front edge
9 second bar
10 front edge
11 third bar
12 inclined edge
13 inclined edge
14 abutment edge
15 abutment edge
16 first front part
17 second front part
18 third front part
19 recess
20 rear edge
21 rear edge
22 delimiting edge
23 lugs
23a first part
23b second part
24 receiving box
25 arrangement
26 inner container
27 intermediate space
28 second guiding groove
29 first groove leg
30 second groove leg
31 side flange
32 groove-like structure
33 bending point
34 latching element
35 counter latching element
36 first guiding groove
37 receiving slot
38 receiving slot
39 flange
40 receiving groove
41 flange
42 groove-like part
43 bent lug
44 counter latching element
45 flange
46 assembly device
47 bending edge
48 bending edge

A longitudinal axis
B longitudinal axis
C longitudinal axis
a angle
d1 thickness
d2 thickness
d3 thickness
IV-IV section line
V-V section line
P assembly direction