EP2347203B1 - Refrigeration device having adjustable-height refrigerated goods placement - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigeration appliance, in particular a household refrigeration appliance such as a refrigerator or freezer, with a continuously height adjustable Kühlgutabsteller.

On the market widespread refrigeration devices are mounted on the side walls of the interior at different heights horizontal guide grooves in the refrigerated goods are insertable. With such a construction, the height of the trays delimited by the shelves can be varied only in discrete steps corresponding to the distance of the grooves from each other. The height adjustment is tedious and time-consuming, since a staggering stowage unloaded before pulling out and must be loaded again after Neuplatzieren.

Out JP 2004 286411 a refrigeration device is known in which a Kühlgutabsteller is supported on arranged at its corners rotary body to tooth profiles, which are fixedly mounted on an inner wall of the refrigerator. About a on the front edge of the Kühlgutabstellers movably mounted handle the rotary body are driven in rotation to adjust the height of the Kühlgutabstellers.

The freedom of movement of the handle is here not greater than the length of the front edge of the Kühlgutabstellers, so that a movement of the handle over this distance must be sufficient to adjust the Kühlgutabsteller over its entire vertical freedom of movement away. This has the consequence that either the vertical freedom of movement of Kühlgutabstellers is narrowly limited or that a user must exert strong forces on the handle to adjust the Kühlgutabsteller.

Out EP-A-1 982 618 is a rack for use in a refrigerator known having infinitely height adjustable storage. Posts of the rack frame carry tooth profiles, engage in the rotating body of the supervisor. The rotating bodies are rotatable by means of a ratchet to change the height of the storage rack.

Object of the present invention is to provide a suitable for domestic refrigeration device with a continuously height adjustable Kühlgutabsteller, in which a large vertical adjustment and low actuation forces of the handle do not exclude each other.

The object is achieved by a refrigeration device having the features of claim 1.

In order to keep the power transmission mechanism between the lever and the rotary body simple, particularly when the latter is formed as a screw rotatable about a vertical axis, the pivotal axis of the lever is preferably vertical.

The range of movement of the lever may include an applied to the refrigerated goods rest position, in which the lever does not take up significant space and does not affect the use of the refrigerator. In a protruding from the refrigerated goods operating position, the lever is easy to grip and handle.

A power transmission mechanism between the lever and the rotary body preferably comprises a freewheel driven wheel coupled to the rotary body via a belt or a chain.

When two rotary bodies are disposed at opposite edges of the refrigerated goods depositor to support the refrigerated goods shelf on opposite side walls of the refrigerator housing, the belt or chain is preferably engaged with both rotary bodies to ensure synchronous movement of the rotary bodies.

The two levers are preferably arranged in mirror image to each other.

In the rest position, each lever is preferably decoupled from the freewheel driven by it, so that when the respective other lever is in the actuated position, a movement driven by the latter is not blocked by the freewheel of the rest position lever.

In an expedient development of the lever between the rest position and the operating position about a first axis and in the operating position by a second Swivel axle. Thus, in particular a present in the working position positive engagement between the lever and a wheel, via which the rotary body are driven, be repealed in the rest position. The wheel is expediently rotatable about the same axis as the lever in the working position.

As a rotary body, in particular a gear or a screw come into consideration, wherein the screw is preferred due to the possibility of self-locking.

Preferably, four coupled rotary bodies are arranged at four corners of a frame of the refrigerated goods carrier in order to support it at four points and to enable a coupled height adjustment at these four points.

The rotary body can be accommodated to a large extent in the interior of a cavity of the refrigerated goods carrier, wherein an open top of this hollow space is preferably covered by a storage tray.

The tooth profile interacting with such a rotary body is preferably formed on a plate which is fixed to the inner wall of the housing. This makes it possible to form the inner wall in a manner known per se by cost-effective and material-saving by deep drawing and at the same time to provide a dimensionally accurate and loadable tooth profile.

In order to simplify and accelerate the assembly of the device, two tooth profiles are preferably provided ah a plate.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Kühlgutträgers und einer den Kühlgutträger unterstützenden Wandplatte;

Fig. 2

einen schematischen Schnitt durch ein Kältegerät, das eine Mehrzahl von verstellbaren Kühlgutträger und Wandplatten aufweist;

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Teilansicht des Rahmens eines Kühlgutabstellers;

Fig. 4

eine schematische Darstellung einer ersten Ausgestaltung eines Antriebsmechanismus des Kühlgutträgers;

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht auf eine Ecke des Rahmens des Kühlgutträgers, die eine zweite Ausgestaltung des Antriebsmechanismus zeigt;

Fig. 6

einen Schnitt entlang der Linie VI-VI in Fig. 5; und

Fig. 7

einen Schnitt entlang der Linie VII-VII in Fig. 5.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a Kühlgutträgers and the Kühlgutträger supporting wall plate;

Fig. 2

a schematic section through a refrigerator, which has a plurality of adjustable Kühlgutträger and wall plates;

Fig. 3

a partial perspective view of the frame of a Kühlgutabstellers;

Fig. 4

a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a drive mechanism of the refrigerated goods carrier;

Fig. 5

a plan view of a corner of the frame of the refrigerated goods carrier, showing a second embodiment of the drive mechanism;

Fig. 6

a section along the line VI-VI in Fig. 5 ; and

Fig. 7

a section along the line VII-VII in Fig. 5 ,

Fig. 1 is a perspective bottom view of a refrigerated goods carrier 1 and a wall plate 2 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerated goods carrier 1 comprises a hollow, open at its top, substantially rectangular frame 3, the open top is covered by a plate 4 made of safety glass. In downwardly projecting bulges at the four corners of the frame 3 four threaded screws 5 are attached. The screws 5 each slightly over the lateral edges of the plate 4 to support the refrigerated goods 1 to the wall plate 2 protruding teeth 6.

The teeth 6 of the wall plate 2 shown in the figure form two vertically oriented racks or tooth profiles 7, which support the two screws 5 on the left side of the refrigerated goods carrier 1. A wall plate, which is mounted in mirror image to the wall plate 2 on an opposite side wall of a refrigerator housing to support the right screws 5, is not shown in the figure.

The four screws 5 are coupled via a later described in more detail drive mechanism to two levers 8, 9, which in the Fig. 1 are shown in a rest position in which they are largely taken in a slot formed on the front of the frame 3. At the mutually facing free ends of the levers 8, 9, a handle portion 10 is provided in each case, to be easily accessible by a user, extending out of the groove and in front of a recess 11 on the underside of the frame 3 down. Each handle portion 10 is provided with a Mark such as a directional arrow 12, indicating the direction in which the refrigerated goods 1 is adjustable by operating the corresponding lever 8 or 9.

Fig. 2 shows in a schematic section the body of a refrigerator, in which several refrigerated goods 1 and wall panels 2 of in Fig. 1 shown type are installed. Of the Body comprises in a conventional manner a deep-drawn plastic inner container, on the side walls of the plates 2 attached, in particular glued. In order to simplify the attachment of the wall panels 2, flat recesses complementary to them can be preformed in the side walls of the inner container into which the wall panels 2 are inserted in a form-fitting manner during assembly.

At the in Fig. 2 The embodiment shown corresponds to the vertical Verstellbewegungsfreiheit a Kühlgutträgers the vertical extent of the tooth profile 7, on which it is supported. Although it would be conceivable to merge two or more of the wall panels 2 shown together, so as to increase the Verstellbewegungsfreiheit the refrigerated goods 1. However, the preferred is in the Fig. 2 shown embodiment, as achievable with a merger of several wall panels 2 gain in Verstellbewegungsfreiheit essentially only leads to the refrigerated goods 1 can get very close to each other. At too small a distance of the refrigerated goods 1 from each other, however, a meaningful use of an intermediate compartment is hardly possible.

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the front left corner of the frame 3. Immediately in the corner with the front tooth profile 7 of the wall plate 2 meshing screw screw 5 can be seen. With the screw 5, a sprocket 13 is rotatably connected. From a running in a front cross member of the hollow frame 3, the sprocket 13 and a not shown on the front right corner of the frame 3 mirror image opposite lying sprocket of the local screw 5 endless link chain 14, only one strand is shown in the figure.

Of the two levers 8, 9 of the left lever 8 is pivoted from the front of the frame 3 in an operating position; In this position, he coupled via a ratchet mechanism to the link chain 14, which is covered in the figure by a disc-shaped base portion 15 of the lever 8. The other lever 9 is shown in the rest position; in this position, a ratchet mechanism of this lever 9 is completely decoupled from the chain 14.

There are various types of ratchet mechanisms that are applicable in the present invention; one is exemplary in Fig. 4 shown. The housing of the frame 3 is omitted in this figure for the sake of clarity; can be seen in plan view, the threaded screws 5 of the front left and right corner of the frame, with them rotatably connected and looped by the link chain 14 sprockets 13, further with the screws 5 rotatably connected sprockets 16, each via a further endless chain 17 at the worms of the rear left and right corner are coupled, as well as the levers 8, 9. The levers 8, 9 are each about an axis of rotation of another engaging in the chain 14 sprocket 18, 19 pivotally. The sprockets 18, 19 are each rigidly connected to a Raststufenrad 20, 21. In the operating position shown on the example of the left lever 8 engages a hinged to the lever 8 locking finger 22 on the Raststufenrad 20, so that rotation of the lever 8 is transmitted in a clockwise direction to the sprocket 18 and one revolution of the chain 14 is driven in a clockwise direction , If, however, the lever 8 is pivoted in the counterclockwise direction, then the latching finger 22 jumps over the steps of the latching step wheel 20, so that the sprocket wheel 18 remains at rest.

In the rest position of the lever 9 whose latching finger 22 is kept away by a projection 23 of the frame 3 from the latching gear 21, so that sprocket 19 can follow the movement of the chain 14 free. As long as the lever 9 is in the rest position, so all the screws 5 can be rotated by means of the lever 8 in a same direction, and the refrigerated goods 1 moves - depending on the handedness of the screw 5 - up or down. When the lever 8 is in the rest position, its latching finger is kept away from the Raststufenrad 21 by a corresponding projection 23, and the refrigerated goods can be adjusted by means of the lever 9 in the opposite direction.

A development of the drive mechanism with a simplified freewheel is in Fig. 5 from a plan view of the front left corner of the frame 3 and in 6 and 7 based on sections along the VI-VI or VII-VII planes Fig. 5 shown. In this embodiment, the link chain 14 is replaced by a toothed belt 24 equivalent. The toothed belt 24 extends through all four transverse and longitudinal struts, which form the frame 3, and connects the sprockets 13 of the threaded screws 5 at all four corners of the refrigerated goods with each other. The toothed belt 24 also wraps around, guided by two pulleys 25, a gear 26, which in the plan view of Fig. 5 in the Substantially hidden under the base portion 15 of the lever 8 and therefore is shown as a dashed outline.

As in the section of the Fig. 6 to recognize, a cylindrical sleeve 27 is integrally formed on the bottom of the frame 3, on which the gear 26 is mounted and determines its axis of rotation A.

The base portion 15 of the lever 8 is constructed in two parts. A first molded part 28 of the base portion 15 has an in Fig. 5 shown in plan view base plate 29 in the form of a circular sector or pie piece with cut tip, from the underside of a cylindrical sleeve 30 projects, which in turn rotatably engages in the sleeve 27 of the frame 3. The cut-off tip of the base plate 29 is extended by a ring 31 which is rotatable with respect to the frame 3 about the axis A of the sleeves 27, 30. In this ring 31 engages a second molded part 32 of the lever 8 rotatably.

The second mold part 32 has a base plate 33 of approximately circular shape, from which a lever arm 34 extends in one piece, which carries the handle portion 10 at its free end. A cylindrical pin of the base plate engages in the ring 31 a. The base plate 33 has a central cut-out, in which the base plate 29 of the first molded part 28 is slightly received pivotably about an axis B defined by the ring 31. At rest the Fig. 5 a facing the edge of the frame 3 edge 29a of the base plate 29 snugly against the edge of the inner section of the base plate 33 base plate 33, whereas between the rear edge 29b of the base plate 29 and an opposite edge of the cutout of a gap 35 is free , In order to guide a rotational movement of the molded parts 28, 32 with respect to one another about the axis B defined by the sleeve 30, the base plate 29 has on its edge facing away from the sleeve 30 a groove in which a spring 36 of the base plate 33 slidably engages , A coil spring 37 is disposed in the space 35 to stably hold the two mold parts 28, 32 in relation to each other in the configuration shown.

On an underside of the base plate 33, a projection 38 with the gear 26 facing teeth 39 is formed. When a user pivots the lever 8 out of the rest position to the front, this initially leads to a rotation of the second Molding 32 about the axis B of the ring 31, through which the projection 38 comes into contact with the gear 26. When the teeth 39 abut against teeth of the gear 26, the further rotation of the second molded part 32 is blocked about the axis B, and the axis A of the sleeve 27 is the new axis of rotation. In this state, both mold parts 28, 32 of the lever 8 rotate about the gear 26 until the teeth 39 engage in interdental spaces of the gear 26. When this happens, the gap 35 is practically closed, and a complementary gap is created at the front of the base plate 29.

In this configuration, when the lever 8 is further pivoted in the clockwise direction, it takes the gear 26 and, via this, the toothed belt 24, and all the screws 5 are rotated in a clockwise direction.

If the user pivots the lever 8 in the counterclockwise direction, this has the consequence that the coil spring 37 relaxes and the teeth 39 disengage from the toothed wheel 26. The second mold part rotates about the axis B of the ring 31 until the space at the front edge 29a of the base plate 29 is closed again. From then on, the lever 8 again rotates about the axis A, but takes it, since the teeth 39 are disengaged from the gear 26, the timing belt 24 not with. The screws 5 therefore stop. Only when the lever 8 is pivoted once more clockwise, the screws 5 are driven again. Thus, by repeated swinging back and forth of the lever 8, the refrigerated goods 1 can be adjusted vertically with low driving force over a considerable distance. A suitably chosen gear ratio between the lever 8 and the screws 5 ensures that with little effort and a heavily laden refrigerated goods 1 can be safely adjusted.

The lever 9 is exactly mirrored to the in FIGS. 5 and 6 constructed and arranged lever 8. Since his teeth are disengaged in the rest position from their associated gear, it does not hinder the operation of the lever 8, and when the lever 8 is in the rest position, can be adjusted by operating the lever 9, the refrigerated goods 1 in the opposite direction.

Claims (16)

1. Refrigeration device, in particular a domestic refrigeration device, having a housing and a shelf (1) for items being refrigerated that is able to be continuously height-adjusted in an interior space of the housing, wherein the shelf (1) for items being refrigerated has at least one rotating body (5) that meshes with a tooth profile (7) and a lever (8; 9) for rotationally driving the rotating body (5), and the rotating body (5) is coupled to the lever (8; 9) with a freewheel (20, 22; 21, 22; 28, 33) connected in between, characterised in that the tooth profile (7) is fixed to a wall of the interior space, a second freewheel-coupled lever (9; 8) is provided and the two levers (8; 9) drive rotations of the rotating body (5) each in an opposite direction.
2. Refrigeration device according to claim 1, characterised in that the lever (8; 9) can be swivelled around a vertical axis.
3. Refrigeration device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the lever (8; 9) can be swivelled between a rest position and an actuating position away from the support for items being refrigerated.
4. Refrigeration device according to claim 3, characterised in that the lever (8; 9) is in its rest position applied against the support for items being refrigerated.
5. Refrigeration device according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the lever can be swivelled between its rest position and actuating position around a first axis (B) and in its actuating position around a second axis (A).
6. Refrigeration device according to claim 3 to 5, characterised in that in its actuating position the lever (8) is in form-fit engagement with a wheel (18) and in that said engagement is released in the rest position.
7. Refrigeration device according to claim 6, characterised in that the wheel (18) can be turned around a second axis (A).
8. Refrigeration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a wheel (18; 26) driven via the freewheel (20, 22; 21, 22; 28, 33) is coupled to the rotating body (5) via a driving means, in particular a belt or chain (14).
9. Refrigeration device according to claim 8, characterised in that two rotating bodies (5) are located on opposite edges of the shelf (1) for items being refrigerated and in that the driving means, in particular the belt or chain (14), is in engagement with both rotating bodies (5).
10. Refrigeration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the levers (8; 9) are arranged in mirror-image fashion relative to each other.
11. Refrigeration device according to claim 10, characterised in that each lever (8; 9) is in its rest position decoupled from the freewheel (20, 22; 21, 22) driven by it.
12. Refrigeration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the rotating body is a worm (5) or wormwheel.
13. Refrigeration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that four coupled rotating bodies (5) are arranged in four comers of a frame (3) of the support (1) for items being refrigerated, which corners mesh with a correspondingly assigned tooth profile (7).
14. Refrigeration device according to claim 13, characterised in that the frame (3) is embodied as being hollow and in that an open topside of the hollow frame (3) is covered over by a shelf plate (4).
15. Refrigeration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one tooth profile (7) is moulded on a plate (2) secured to the housing's inner wall.
16. Refrigeration device according to claim 15, characterised in that the plate (2) has two tooth profiles (7).

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