EP2062001B1

EP2062001B1 - A cooling device

Info

Publication number: EP2062001B1
Application number: EP07820085A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Burak Ozpolat; Gaye Demir; Hakan Tufek; Fatma G. Sarioglu
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2006-09-11
Filing date: 2007-09-10
Publication date: 2009-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 2027-09-10
Also published as: CN101512276B; WO2008031783A3; ES2333683T3; WO2008031783A2; ATE446491T1; EP2062001A2; CN101512276A; RU2402730C1; DE602007002926D1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling device (1) comprising shelves (2) that can be opened/closed easily and safely, taken outside altogether and stored without occupying much space and provide the inner space to be utilized efficiently.

Description

The present invention relates to a cooling device, comprising shelves that provide efficient utilization of the inner space.
In cooling devices, preferably in refrigerators, one or more shelves are displaced or places thereof are changed to store big sized, tall food or beverage containers. In state of the art, shelf systems are used that are foldable or telescopic, entirely dismounted from inside of the cooling device when desired then mounted again for the purpose of forming flexible usage volumes for storing containers of various sizes. This type of shelf systems should also be conveniently structured.
In the Great Britain Patent no. GB 1191596 , a shelf used in a refrigerator is described having a variable area supporting surface comprising of spaced slats slidably engaged by apertures in their ends adjacent ends of adjacent slots being movable towards each other against a spring bias.
In the United States of America Patent no. US 5584405 an adjustable shelving system utilized in a refrigerator is described. The adjustable shelf is composed of a platform and a support member slidably attached to the platform, supporting the platform by resting on another lower shelf or the compartment wall.
The state of the art adjustable or foldable shelves occupy a considerable space inside the cooling device even when not-in-use positions and flexibility of utilization cannot be provided. On the other hand, taking out these shelves altogether from the cooling device when not in use still presents hardships in storing due to their seizes.
Patent specification EP-A-1 906 122 (comprised in the state of the art in accordance with Article 54(3) EPC) describes a refrigerator with a rollable shelf.
The object of the present invention is to design a cooling device comprising shelves providing efficient utilization of the inner space which can be easily opened, closed, taken out altogether when desired and stored without occupying much space.
The cooling device designed to fulfill the objective of the present invention is explacated in attached claims.
The cooling device of the present invention comprises one or more shelves used for storing items thereon, having an openable/closable feature.
The shelf comprises a support surface, which can be wrapped to form a roll in the not-in-use (closed) position, and in the in-use (open) position stretched to constitute the load bearing part of the shelf. Opening, closing of the support surface hence the shelf is provided by wrapping and unwrapping around a shaft fixed from one end that is rotatable around its axis. The opened support surface is hung to the wall of the cooling device by a retainer at the free end, unattached to the shaft, and thus the support surface can resume the load bearing position. At least one stopper is provided on the wall of the cooling device whereto this retainer can be attached. The stopper is configured as a recess wherein the retainer is inserted or a pin on which it is attached.
The shelf comprises a casing that houses the support surface wrapped into a roll in closed position and the shaft around which the support surface is wrapped around by attaching from one side. The casing is shaped as a rectangular prism with an opening on one side for allowing entry or exit of the support surface. The casing prevents the support surface from getting dirty when kept in the closed position for a long time or when taken out to be stored outside of the cooling device. Besides, the casing holds all the components of the shelf together in an orderly manner and thus provides ease of utilization while the shelf is mounted or dismounted from the cooling device.
The support surface is manufactured of a resilient material that is suitable for wrapping into a roll or for currying a load when stretched. In an embodiment of the present invention, the support surface has a perforated structure. Consequently, when fruits-vegetables are plated directly on the support surface, without placing in a container, the foodstuff can inhale air thus their shelf lives are prolonged.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a bias means is provided inside the casing, to which the shaft is connected that limits the movement of the shelf in the direction of opening, and supporting the motion in the direction of closing. The spring that is compressed by the rotational movement of the shaft while bringing the shelf to the open position, exerts a force that pulls the support surface and thus helps the support surface to stop and bear load when the support surface is fixed to the wall of the cooling device by means of the retainer. As a result of the same force, when the support surface is released it moves to automatically resume the closed position, that is, is wrapped on the rotating shaft.
The shelf is mounted to the side walls or the rear wall inside the cooling device. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device comprises more than one housing allowing the user to mount the shelf at different heights or to different walls as desired.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the housing is disposed on one of the side walls of the cooling device and the stopper(s) on the other. In this embodiment, when the shelf is brought to the open position, the support surface becomes stretched between the two side walls of the cooling device.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the housing is disposed on the rear wall and the retainers are disposed on both side walls of the cooling device. In this embodiment, when the shelf is brought to the open position, the support surface becomes stretched from the rear wall towards the front wall in the cooling device. The stoppers are placed at different positions on the side walls that will allow the support surface to stretch to partially or entirely cover the depth of the cooling device.
In this embodiment, the user pulls the support surface as much as desired according to the required space and fixes the support surface by attaching the retainers to the stoppers suitable for that position. When the user secures the support surface such that some portion of the cooling device depth is covered, both an extra support surface is provided in the cooling device and also the height of the food and beverage containers to be stored on the fixed shelf underneath is not entirely restricted. For example, when the shelf is fixed in the open position by pulling to half the depth of the cooling device, a plurality of low height (H1, H1-H2) food and beverage containers can be stored at the rear portion of both the lower shelf and the support surface above. On the other hand, high (H 1) food and beverage containers can still be stored at the front portion. In other words, a storing area that is double story at the rear and single story at the front is formed.
The cooling device designed to fulfill the objective of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:
Figure 1 - is the perspective view of the shelf in the closed position in an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 - is the perspective view of the shelf in the open position in an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 - is the perspective view of the shelf in the open position in another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 - is the partial cross sectional view of the shelf in the open position that is used in an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 - is the perspective view of the shelf in the closed position that is used in an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 - is the perspective view of the shelf in the open position that is used in an embodiment of the present invention.
The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Cooling device
2. Shelf
3. Housing
4. Support surface
5. Casing
6. Shaft
7. Retainer
8. Stopper

The cooling device (1) comprises one or more shelves (2) for storing items thereon, one or more housings (3) situated on one of the inner walls, for supporting the shelf (2) in the closed position and holding it at the desired level.
The shelf (2) comprises a support surface (4) that is wrapped into a roll in the closed position, and stretched to form the load bearing part of the shelf (2) in the open position and a shaft (6) to which the support surface (4) is attached from one side to be wrapped around into a roll.
The shelf (2) furthermore comprises at least one retainer (7) that is attached to the wall(s) of the cooling device (1) when the support surface (4) is brought to the open position to keep it open and a casing (5) that houses the support surface (4) wrapped into a roll in the closed position and the shaft (6) around which the support surface (4) is wrapped by attaching from one side. The casing (5) is configured as a rectangular prism with an opening on one side to allow for entry, exit of the support surface (4) The shaft (6) is disposed inside the casing (5) such that it can rotate around its own axis.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) furthermore comprises at least one stopper (8) whereto the retainer(s) are attached hence providing the shelf (2) to be secured in the open position. The stopper (8) is configured as a recess wherein the retainer (7) is inserted or a pin to which the retainer (7) is attached.
When the shelf (2) is mounted inside the cooling device (1), it is seated in a suitably sized housing (3) on one of the cooling device (1) walls. The shelf (2) can be easily displaced from the housing (3) by the user when in the closed position, taken out of the cooling device (1) and afterwards can be mounted in the desired position.
The support surface (4) is manufactured of a resilient material that is suitable for both being wrapped into a roll or for bearing a load when stretched. One side of the support surface (4) is secured on the shaft (6) Accordingly, when the shaft (6) rotates, the support surface (4) is wrapped around the shaft (6) into a roll. In an embodiment of the present invention, the support surface has a perforated structure.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shelf (2) comprises a bias means arranged inside the casing (5), which is compressed by the rotational movement of the shaft (6) while bringing to the open position, providing to automatically resume the closed position when released. When the shelf (2) is pulled by the user for opening, the shaft (6) rotates and the support surface (4) attached to the shaft (6) opens. The shaft (6) while rotating in the direction of opening of the support surface (4), also compresses the bias means to which it is attached. The retainer (7) on the free end of the support surface (4) is secured to the stopper (8) arranged on the inner wall of the cooling device (1) for bringing the shelf (2) to the open position. In this position, the bias means, since compressed, pulls the support surface (4) and holds to stay stretched. For bringing the shelf (2) to the closed position, when the user detaches the retainer (7) to release from the stopper (8), the support surface (4) that is pulled by the force exerted by the bias means, is again wrapped around the shaft (6)
In an embodiment of the present invention, the housing (3) is arranged on one of the side walls of the cooling device (1) and the stopper(s) on the other. In this embodiment, when the shelf (2) is brought to the open position, the support surface (4) becomes stretched between the two side walls of the cooling device (1)
In another embodiment of the present invention, the housing (3) is disposed on the rear wall and the stoppers (8) are disposed on both side walls of the cooling device (1). In this embodiment, when the shelf (2) is brought to the open position, the support surface (4) becomes stretched from the rear wall towards the front wall in the cooling device (1) The stoppers (8) are placed at different positions on the side walls that will allow the support surface (4) to stretch such that the depth of the cooling device (1) is partially or entirely covered. The user pulls the support surface (4) as much as desired according to the required space and secures the support surface (4) by attaching the retainers (7) to the stoppers (8) suitable for that position.
For example, when the support surface (4) is secured to half the depth of the cooling device (1), high (HI) food and beverage containers can still be stored to the front portion of the fixed shelf (A) underneath. At the same time, the total shelf area for storing lower height (H1, H1-H2) food and beverage containers at the rear is increased by an extra area gained with the support surface (4) at the rear. Consequently, food and beverage containers of two different heights (H1, H2) can now be supported on the fixed shelf (A) underneath by pulling and securing the shelf (2) to half the depth.
Since the shelf (1) of the present invention can be easily brought to a closed position when not in use and even detached from the cooling device (1), a flexible utilization volume for the user is provided that can be selectively changed. On the other hand, since the shelf (2) taken out of the cooling device (1) occupies a space inasmuch as the volume of the casing (5) in the closed position, a problem of storing does not arise.

Claims

A cooling device (1) comprising one or more shelves (2) for storing items thereon characterized by one or more housings (3) situated on one of its inner walls, for supporting the shelf (2) in the not-in-use position and holding at the desired level, the shelf (2) having a support surface (4) that is wrapped into a roll in the not-in-use position, and stretched to form the load bearing part of the shelf (2) in the in-use position, and a shaft (6) to which the support surface (4) is attached from one side to be wrapped around into a roll in the not-in-use position.
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by a casing (5) that houses the support surface (4) wrapped into a roll in the not-in-use position and the shaft (6) around which the support surface (4) is wrapped, that is seated into the housing (3) for placing the shelf (2) inside the cooling device (1).
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by a shelf (2) comprising at least one retainer (7) for securing the support surface (4) to the wall(s) of the cooling device (1) when brought to the in-use position and for keeping it open.
A cooping device (1) as in Claim 3, characterized by at least one stopper (8) disposed on the inner walls, to which the retainer (7) situated on the end of the support surface (4) is secured
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 4, characterized by a stopper (8) in the form of a recess into which the retainer (7) can be inserted.
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 4, characterized by a stopper (8) in the form of a pin to which the retainer (7) can be secured.
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claim, characterized by a support surface (4) that is manufactured of a resilient material suitable for both wrapping into a roll or for bearing a load when stretched.
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a support surface (4) that has a perforated structure.
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a shelf (2) comprising a bias means arranged inside the casing (5), which is compressed by the rotational movement of the shaft (6) while bringing the shelf (2) to the in-use position, providing the support surface (4) be held stretched when the shelf (2) is in the in-use position and the shelf (2) to automatically resume the not-in-use position when released.
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the claims 4 to 9, characterized by a housing (3) disposed on one of the side walls and at least one stopper (8) on the other.
A cooling device (I) as in any one of the claims 4 to 9, characterized by a housing (3) disposed on the rear wall and at least two stoppers (8) disposed at different positions on the side walls such that the support surface (4) is stretched to partially or entirely cover the depth of the cooling device (1) and a shelf (2) providing food and beverage containers of two different heights (H1, H2) to be stored on the fixed shelf (A) underneath when the support surface (4) is partially opened.