EP1711763A1

EP1711763A1 - A cooling device

Info

Publication number: EP1711763A1
Application number: EP04820094A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ridvan Kadir Arcelik Anonim Sirketi CELIK; Tanju Arcelik Anonim Sirketi Bayramli
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2003-12-09
Filing date: 2004-12-08
Publication date: 2006-10-18
Also published as: RU2006124534A; TR200603271T1; WO2005057109A1; RU2336474C2

Abstract

This invention relates to a cooling device (1) that incorporates vertically adjustable one or numerous shelves (2), and storage unit (3) attached from at least one of these shelves (2) to provide storage especially for bottles and cans to be cooled.

Description

A COOLING DEVICE

This invention relates to a cooling device that comprises a shelf to which a storage unit is attached to provide storage especially for bottles and cans to be cooled.

In cooling devices, one or a number of shelves are present on to which foodstuff containers, beverage cans or bottles are placed. Several difficulties are related to placing cylindrical objects especially bottle and cans on to these shelves. The main difficulty is the movement of the cans on the shelves by rolling. Furthermore, storage of the cans on the shelves gives rise to the inefficient use of the space in the cooling device.

In the current state of the art, in cooling devices cans are placed into bottle compartments at the door of the cooling device. However, this application leads to delayed cooling of the cans.

Several applications are available to enlarge the internal volume of the cooling device and to enable safe storage and efficient cooling of the cans in the cooling device.

In the current state of the method, as described in US Patent Application 2588618, the storage unit comprises a structure that is inclined downwardly either at the rear or at the front and mounted either above or below the shelf. In the case of storage units placed below the shelf, an opening is provided at the front side of the storage unit to provide the removal of the cans inside the unit. Bottles are withdrawn from this opening. The same opening is employed while inserting cans into the storage unit. Moreover, the system allows loading the cans into the storage units outside the cooling device and then placing the storage unit back into the cooling device. In International Patent Application 02080738, as the current state of another method, a description of a storage unit suspended from a shelf in the cooling device is given. However, unlike the above mentioned storage unit, this storage unit is attached to the sliding ways located at both sides of the shelf. In that way, storage unit is allowed to move back and forth inside the cooling device.

Since a single opening is provided for the storage units described in US Patent Application 2588618 and International Patent Application 02080738, every time the storage units need to be reloaded, this opening should be utilized to insert cans to the storage unit. Under the circumstances, the cans first introduced to the storage unit settle down to the rear side of the storage unit where the cooling surface is and thus the temperature is the lowest. On the other hand, the last inserted can which is already warmer compared to the cans inside the storage unit - especially compared to the first inserted can - stays at the front side of the storage unit which has a higher temperature level compared to the rear side. As a result, every time the user opens the door of the cooling device to grab a can, the least-cooled can is always immediately available at the front of the unit nearest to the user. In US Patent Application 3805964, as the current state of another method, a description is given of a storage system in which cans first introduced into the system are the first removed. The storage unit described in this patent application is especially for placing cylindrical cans into the cooling device. The storage unit is suspended from one of the shelves and consists of two sections, one for the insertion and one for the removal of the cans. These two sections are located on top of each other and joined by means of side walls and a rear wall which are mostly constructed of rods. The first section where the cans are introduced into the storage unit is closer to the shelf and in a sloped position extending downwardly toward the rear. The second section where the cans are removed, on the other hand, is located just below the first section and provided with a downward slope toward the front of the storage unit. First section members terminate a distance from the rear wall of the storage unit somewhat larger than the size of the can being stored. The can, upon insertion to the first track, rolls by force of gravity to the aft portion and falls through the above mentioned opening to the second section; and thence it continues to roll to the withdrawal point located at the fore portion. In that way, first in - first-out inventory is accomplished and the coolest can is always immediately available at the front of the storage unit. However, when not used, storage unit occupies too much space in the cooling device due to its vast height.

An object of the present invention to realize a cooling device which comprises a shelf on to which is attached a storage unit that provides storage for especially bottles and cans to be cooled.

A further object of the invention is to realize a cooling device that comprises a storage unit where the cans are easily loaded and removed and assuring a maximum efficiency of space use in a cooling device.

The cooling device realized in order to attain the object of this invention has been illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the storage unit.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the alternative application of the storage unit.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a shelf with loading opening on it.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a shelf where loading opening is covered by a lid.

Parts shown in the drawing numbered one by one as follows:

1. Cooling device 2. Shelf 3. Storage unit 4. Floor 5. Side wall 6. Inlet of the storage unit 7. Outlet of storage unit 8. Stopper 9. Loading opening 10. Lid 11. Barrier

The cooling device (1) of the present invention comprises vertically adjustable one or numerous shelves (2) and a storage unit (3) attached from one of these shelves (2) into which items to be refrigerated - especially tin cans and bottles - are placed and stored.

The storage unit (3) comprises; an inlet of the storage unit (6), preferably on the top surface, which provides spacing to insert the cans, an outlet of the storage unit (7) which allows the user to remove cans from the storage unit (3), a stopper (8) at the front of the outlet of the storage unit (7) to provide abutment preventing the egress of stored cans without manual manipulation there over, either an inclined or a smooth floor (4) stretching from the inlet (6) of the storage unit (3) to the outlet of the storage unit (7), one or more number of side walls (5) placed on to this floor (4).

It is possible to employ either some part or the entire top surface as the inlet of the storage unit (6) (Figure 1 & Figure 2 ).

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, all the side walls (5) and the floor (4) of the storage unit (3) are constructed of rods. The floor (4) of the storage unit (3) consists of at least two preferably parallel rods extending along the storage unit (3) enabling the rolling of the can from the aft portion to the fore portion. Side walls (5) are formed by means of at least one rod stretching along the floor (4) on a plane which is perpendicular to the floor (4). Rods which form the side walls (5) and the floor (4) are connected at the fore and aft portions to constitute storage unit (3).

Storage unit (3) is attached to the below of the shelf (2) in the cooling device (1). Storage unit (3) can be attached to the shelf (2) or detached from the shelf (2) upon request of the user. Shelf (2) is made of glass, plastics, metal and so on.

The shelf (2) has the loading opening (9) on it to allow the user to reach inside the storage unit (3). The loading opening (9) is exactly located at the top of the inlet of the storage unit (6) (Figure 3).

The can is inserted into the storage unit (3) through the loading opening (9) on the shelf (2). Since the floor (4) of the storage unit (3) has a downward slope from the inlet (6) to the outlet of the storage unit (7), the inserted can rolls along the storage unit (3) until the outlet of the storage unit (7) where it comes to a stop owing to the stopper (8). The same loading mechanism is utilized for the other cans as well. In this way, the can last inserted to the storage unit (3) stays at the rear most side. When the user requests a can, the foremost can in the storage unit (3) is the one to be taken from the outlet of the storage unit^' (7). Since the floor (4) of the storage unit (3) is inclined, the second can takes the place of the first one stopping at the outlet (7) owing to the stopper (8).

In another embodiment of the invention, loading opening (9) on the shelf (2) is partially or fully covered by a lid (10). When the user requests loading is made to the storage unit (3), the lid (10) is opened manually; the can is inserted through the loading opening (9) and then the lid (10) is closed again manually. In this way, the user is allowed to utilize the entire shelf (2) surface for storage; thus, the unusable area on the shelf (2) is minimized. The lid (10) is moved by means of pin mechanism, slide mechanism, hinge mechanism, spring mechanism and so on (Figure 4). On the floor (4) of the storage unit (3), one or more barriers (11) are placed to store cans with spacing and to control movement of cans within the storage unit (3).

In another embodiment of the invention, the outlet of the storage unit (7) is covered by a lid as well.

With this invention, it is achieved to minimize wasteful of storage space on the shelf (2) and first-in - first-out inventory is accomplished assuring the most effective storage of cans.

Claims

1. A cooling device (1 ) comprising

vertically adjustable one or numerous shelves (2), attached from at least one of these shelves (2) is a storage unit (3) which has an inlet of the storage unit (6) on the top surface for the cans to be inserted and an outlet of the storage unit (7) for the cans to be removed, and characterised by a shelf (2) has the loading opening (9) on it to allow the user to reach inside the storage unit (3) and exactly located at the top of the inlet of the storage unit (6).

2. A cooling device (1) as described in Claim 1 characterized by the shelf (2) which comprises a lid (10) which covers the loading opening (9) partially or fully.

3. A cooling device (1) as described any of the claims above, characterized by the storage unit (3) which comprises a stopper (8) at the front of the outlet of the storage unit (7) to provide abutment preventing the egress of stored cans without manual manipulation there over.

4. A cooling device (1) as described any of the claims above, characterized by the storage unit (3) which comprises an inclined floor (4) stretching from the inlet of the storage unit (6) to the outlet of the storage unit (7) .

5. A cooling device (1) as described any of the claims above, characterized by the storage unit (3) which comprises one or more barriers (11) placed on the floor (4) of the storage unit (3) to store cans with spacing and to control movement of cans within the storage unit (3).