WO2018086934A1

WO2018086934A1 - A refrigerator with height adjustable body shelf

Info

Publication number: WO2018086934A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/077764
Authority: WO
Inventors: Erkan CAKIR; Mehmet YASAR; Dilek SUR; Tanju Bayramli; Ibrahim Yilmaz Evren
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2016-11-08
Filing date: 2017-10-30
Publication date: 2018-05-17
Also published as: PL3538828T3; EP3538828B1; TR201615954A1; EP3538828A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator (1) comprising a body (2); at least one door (3) providing access into the body (2); a rear wall (4) disposed at the rear side of the fresh food/freezing compartments in the body (2); two opposite side walls (5) disposed at both sides of the fresh food/freezing compartments; at least one shelf (6) that is disposed in the body (2) and whereon the foodstuffs to be cooled/frozen to be placed, and a height adjustment mechanism (9) that enables the level of the shelf (6) in the body (2) to be adjusted.

Description

A REFRIGERATOR WITH HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE BODY SHELF

The present invention relates to a refrigerator comprising a shelf of which the height can be adjusted in the body.

In refrigerators, the foodstuffs and various containers are placed on the shelves. As per the needs of the user, it is required to change the distance between two shelves, in other words to adjust the height of the shelf in the body. In some refrigerators, a plurality of channels and rails are provided on two opposite walls of the body in order to adjust the height of the shelf. The user can change the height of the shelf by detaching the same from the channels at one level and mounting the same into another pair of channels at another level. However, in order to carry out this process, the user has to first pull the shelf out of the body and push the same back into the body after adjusting the height thereof. Particularly in cooling devices where the door cannot be fully opened, this process causes problems for the user. In the state of the art, embodiments wherein holes are provided in the body and pins fitting into the said holes are provided on the shelf are also known; however, while adjusting the height of glass shelves with wide surfaces, the required strength and balanced operation cannot be provided.

The International Patent Application No. WO2007113263 (A1) discloses a cooling device comprising height adjustable body shelves.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a refrigerator comprising body shelves of which the height can be adjusted in an easy and balanced manner.

The refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention comprises recesses that are disposed on the rear wall of the fresh food/freezing compartment and that define different vertical levels for the body shelf, and a height adjustment mechanism having a U-shaped movable locking arm that is mounted at the underside of the shelf and that enables the shelf to be fixed at the adjusted height by fitting into the right and left recesses at different levels the shelf is brought to.

In the refrigerator of the present invention, when the shelf is desired to be moved upwards or downwards, the user pulls the locking arm by means of a handle and takes the same out of the recesses on the rear wall and thus frees the shelf so as to move upwards or downwards. Afterwards, the shelf is moved upwards or downwards by the user and brought to the desired level. When the shelf is brought to the desired level, the user releases the handle and the locking arm is pushed forward by means of a spring and fitted into the recesses on the rear wall. Thus, the position of the shelf is fixed at the adjusted level. The U-shaped locking arm in the height adjustment mechanism provides the balanced and safe adjustment of the shelf height.

The refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the front view of a refrigerator when the doors are in the open position.

Figure 2 - is the bottom view of the body shelf and the height adjustment mechanism in the refrigerator.

Figure 3 - is the view of detail A of the height adjustment mechanism in Figure 2.

Figure 4 - is the exploded view of the body shelf and the height adjustment mechanism.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Refrigerator
Body
Door
Rear wall
Side wall
Shelf
Recess
Locking arm
Height adjustment mechanism
Handle
Spring
Spring housing
Front stopper
Cover
Side stopper
Screw channel
Cut-out
Guiding means
Cavity

The refrigerator (1) comprises a body (2); at least one door (3) providing access into the body (2); a rear wall (4) disposed at the rear side of the fresh food/freezing compartments in the body (2); two opposite side walls (5) disposed at both sides of the fresh food/freezing compartments, and at least one shelf (6) that is disposed in the body (2) and whereon the foodstuffs to be cooled/frozen to be placed.

The refrigerator (1) of the present invention further comprises

- a plurality of recesses (7) that are disposed on the rear wall (4), that are arranged one above the other to the right and left of the central axis (E) perpendicular to the horizontal plane (for example the floor whereon the refrigerator (1) is placed) that is accepted to pass through almost the center of the side of the shelf (6) bearing against the rear wall (4) and that determine the position of the shelf (6) at different heights (levels), and

- a height adjustment mechanism (9) that is disposed at the underside of the shelf (6) and that enables the position of the shelf (6) in the body (2) to be fixed at the level the shelf (6) is brought to by fitting into the two right and left recesses (7) that symmetrical with respect to the central axis (E).

The locking arm (8) has a U shape of which the extensions are fitted into two symmetrical recesses (7) in the locked position at the level the shelf (6) is brought to.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the height adjustment mechanism (9) comprises a handle (10) that is connected to the locking arm (8), that can be moved perpendicularly to the rear wall (4) under the shelf (6) and that enables the locking arm (8) to be freed from the recess (7) when the user pulls the handle (10) toward himself/herself, thus enabling the shelf (6) to be freed so as to be moved upwards or downwards.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the height adjustment mechanism (9) comprises a spring (11) that is compressed when the handle (10) is pulled to adjust the level of the shelf (6) and that pushes the locking arm (8) when the shelf (6) is brought to the desired level and the handle (10) is released, thus enabling the locking arm (8) to be fitted into the recesses (7) and the position of the shelf (6) to be fixed.

When the shelf (6) is desired to be moved upwards or downwards, the user pulls the handle (10) so as to enable the locking arm (8) to be freed from the recesses (7), thus freeing the shelf (6). The shelf (6) is moved upwards or downwards and brought to the desired level. During the height adjustment, the handle (10) is kept at the pulled state by the user and the spring (11) is in the compressed position. When the shelf (6) is brought to the desired level, the user releases the handle (10) and the freed spring (11) pushes the locking arm (8) so as to enable the same to be fitted into the recesses (7), thus fixing the shelf (6) at the desired height.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the height adjustment mechanism (9) comprises a spring housing (12) that is fixed to the bottom surface of the shelf (6) and wherein the spring (11) makes stretching-compressing movements in a balanced manner.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the height adjustment mechanism (9) comprises a front stopper (13) that is fixed to the bottom surface of the shelf (6), that limits the movement of the handle (10) in the horizontal direction and against which the handle (10) bears when the same is pulled so as to free the locking arm (8) from the recesses (7).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the height adjustment mechanism (9) comprises a "fixed" cover (14) that is fixed to the bottom surface of the shelf (6) preferably by using self-tapping screws (PT) and that provides the guiding of the locking arm (8) for a proper forwards and backwards linear movement.

The height adjustment mechanism (9) furthermore comprises

- two symmetrical side stoppers (15) that are perpendicular to the front stopper (13) and that are fixed to the bottom surface of the shelf (6),

- two symmetrical screw channels (14) that are disposed on the locking arm (8) and wherein the mounting screws of the cover (14) pass, and

- two symmetrical cut-outs (17) that are disposed on the locking arm (8) and that are seated onto the sides of the cover (14) when the locking arm (8) is pulled, thus providing the centering

that prevent the locking arm (8) from diverging from the forward-backward movement direction and that enable the locking arm (8) to be guided for a proper linear movement.

The refrigerator (1) furthermore comprises two opposing guiding means (18) that are disposed on the side walls (5) and that facilitate the upward-downward movement of the shelf (6), and two cavities (19) that are bored at the side edges of the shelf (6) and that enable the shelf (6) to move over the guiding means (18).

In the refrigerator (1) of the present invention, the shelf (6) is produced from glass placed into a plastic frame and the height adjustment mechanism (9) is mounted to the said plastic frame.

In the refrigerator (1) of the present invention, by means of the height adjustment mechanism (9), the position of the shelf (6) can be fixed at the desired level in the body (2) and the strength of the shelf (6) against loads during height adjustment is increased. The U-shaped locking arm (8) enables the shelf (6) to be moved upwards or downwards in a balanced manner without tilting left or right. Being disposed under the shelf (6) at a position close to the rear wall (4), the height adjustment mechanism (9) is in a concealed position, thus improving the aesthetic appearance of the refrigerator (1). The user pulls the locking arm (8) towards himself/herself with a single movement by means of the handle (10) and moves the shelf (6) upwards or downwards and fixes the position of the shelf (6) by releasing the handle (10) at the desired level, thus providing ease of utilization.

Claims

A refrigerator (1) comprising a body (2); at least one door (3) providing access into the body (2); a rear wall (4) disposed at the rear side of the fresh food/freezing compartments in the body (2); two opposite side walls (5) disposed at both sides of the fresh food/freezing compartments, and at least one shelf (6) that is disposed in the body (2) and whereon the foodstuffs to be cooled/frozen to be placed, characterized by

- a plurality of recesses (7) that are disposed on the rear wall (4), that are arranged one above the other to the right and left of the central axis (E) perpendicular to the horizontal plane that is accepted to pass through almost the center of the side of the shelf (6) bearing against the rear wall (4) and that determine the position of the shelf (6) at different heights, and

- a height adjustment mechanism (9) that is disposed at the underside of the shelf (6) and that enables the position of the shelf (6) in the body (2) to be fixed at the level the shelf (6) is brought to by fitting into the two right and left recesses (7) that symmetrical with respect to the central axis (E).
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the locking arm (8) that has a U shape of which the extensions are fitted into two symmetrical recesses (7) in the locked position at the level the shelf (6) is brought to.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the height adjustment mechanism (9) comprising a handle (10) that is connected to the locking arm (8), that can be moved perpendicularly to the rear wall (4) under the shelf (6) and that enables the locking arm (8) to be freed from the recess (7) when the user pulls the handle (10) toward himself/herself, thus enabling the shelf (6) to be freed so as to be moved upwards or downwards.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the height adjustment mechanism (9) comprising a spring (11) that is compressed when the handle (10) is pulled and that pushes the locking arm (8) when the handle (10) is released, thus enabling the locking arm (8) to be fitted into the recesses (7) and the position of the shelf (6) to be fixed.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 4, characterized by the height adjustment mechanism (9) comprising a spring housing (12) that is fixed to the bottom surface of the shelf (6) and wherein the spring (11) makes stretching-compressing movements in a balanced manner.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the height adjustment mechanism (9) comprising a front stopper (13) that is fixed to the bottom surface of the shelf (6) and against which the handle (10) bears when the locking arm (8) is pulled.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the height adjustment mechanism (9) comprising a "fixed" cover (14) that is fixed to the bottom surface of the shelf (6) and that provides the guiding of the locking arm (8) for a proper forwards and backwards linear movement.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the height adjustment mechanism (9) comprising

- two symmetrical side stoppers (15) that are perpendicular to the front stopper (13) and that are fixed to the bottom surface of the shelf (6),

- two symmetrical screw channels (14) that are disposed on the locking arm (8) and wherein the mounting screws of the cover (14) pass, and

- two symmetrical cut-outs (17) that are disposed on the locking arm (8) and that are seated onto the sides of the cover (14) when the locking arm (8) is pulled, thus providing the centering

that prevent the locking arm (8) from diverging from the forward-backward movement direction and that enable the locking arm (8) to be guided for a proper linear movement.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by two opposing guiding means (18) that are disposed on the side walls (5) and that facilitate the upward-downward movement of the shelf (6), and two cavities (19) that are bored at the side edges of the shelf (6) and that enable the shelf (6) to move over the guiding means (18).
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the shelf (6) that is produced from glass placed into a plastic frame and the height adjustment mechanism (9) that is mounted to the said plastic frame.