EP2426449A2

EP2426449A2 - A storing compartment

Info

Publication number: EP2426449A2
Application number: EP11178265A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dogan Pala; Emrah Safak; Yunus Emre Uyanik
Original assignee: Vestel Beyaz Esya Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Current assignee: Vestel Beyaz Esya Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Priority date: 2010-09-01
Filing date: 2011-08-22
Publication date: 2012-03-07
Also published as: TR201007275A2

Abstract

The storing compartment (A) of the invention comprises at least one chamber (4) into which various stuff can be stored; at least one openable / closable lid (1) which close the top of the chamber (4). The compartment (A) is also provided with at least one egg container (2) in the chamber (4) and at least one arm (3) hingedly connected at a joint (7) to a fixed surface. The lid (1) is hingedly connected to a fixed surface so as to pivot about a joint (6). In addition, the egg container (2) is both hingedly connected to the lid (1) by means of one joint (5) and hingedly connected to the said arm (3) by means of another joint (8).

Description

Technical Field

Present invention relates to storing compartments provided with an egg container therein.

Prior Art

As is known, such cooling devices as refrigerators are appliances which are used for storing food stuff for a certain period. Possible largest storing capacity and functional use of the inner space are the factors preferred by the users. In such cooling devices as refrigerators, egg containers provided on the door shelf or on other internal parts of the device are utilized for preserving the eggs. Egg containers usually completely occupy the shelf on which they are provided; therefore the shelf cannot be used for purposes other than egg preserving.
Published patent application No US5344023 of the prior art is an example where a shelf is used as an egg container while other stuff can be stored thereon. This application discloses an egg container, disposed in a chamber, which can be removed by the user by means of the handle thereof. Other food stuff may be stored under this egg container. In the structure disclosed in this application, however, the egg container requires to be fully removed from the chamber.
On the other hand, published patent application No KR20060002556 discloses a stack of egg containers which may be inverted without losing parallelism with the ground. These egg containers are disposed in a chamber of a cooling device, wherein the emptied egg container is invertibly lowered down and the filled egg container rises. Egg storing capacity of the chamber is therefore increased. In this application, however, no space is available under the egg containers for other purposes.

Brief Description of the Invention

The storing compartment of the invention comprises at least one chamber into which various stuff can be stored; at least one openable / closable lid which close the top of the chamber. The compartment is also provided with at least one egg container in the chamber and at least one arm hingedly connected at a joint to a fixed surface. The lid is hingedly connected to a fixed surface so as to pivot about a joint. In addition, the egg container is both hingedly connected to the lid by means of one joint and hingedly connected to the said arm by means of another joint.
With the opening and closing of the lid the egg container moves up and down in approximately parallel with the ground. Thanks to the movement of the egg container in accordance with the lid and rising of the egg container every time the lid is opened, access to the interior of the chamber is facilitated. The space under the egg container is therefore utilized.

Objective of the Invention

The aim of the invention is to form a storing compartment having a movable egg container.
Another aim of the invention is to ensure that said egg container can move up and down with the movement of the compartment lid.
A further aim of the invention is to form a reliable storing compartment which is easy and cheap to manufacture.

Description of the Drawings

An exemplary storing compartment of the invention is illustrated in the annexed figures wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary cooling device where said storing compartment is used.
Figure 2 is a general perspective view of the door of said cooling device and the storing compartment thereon.
Figure 3 is a side sectional view of the storing compartment in open state.
Figure 4 is a side sectional view of the storing compartment in closed state.

Parts in the drawings are individually enumerated and corresponding terms of these reference numbers are as follows.

Storing compartment	(A)
Lid	(1)
Egg container	(2)
Arm	(3)
Chamber	(4)
Joint	(5, 6, 7, 8)
End portion	(9)
Receptacle	(10)
Connection surface	(11)
Receptacle	(12)
Top surfaces	(13, 14)

Disclosure of the Invention

Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary cooling device which is provided with the storing compartment (A) of the present invention (the use of this storing compartment (A) is not limited to refrigerators, the compartment is variously utilizable). Different views of the compartment (A) in open and closed state are shown Figure 2-3 and Figure 4, respectively.
The storing compartment of the invention, details of which are illustrated by Figure 2-4, comprises at least one chamber (4) into which various stuff (e.g. food) can be stored; at least one openable / closable lid (1) which close the top of the chamber (4); and at least one egg container (2) in the chamber (4). The egg container (2) has receptacles (10) for receiving the eggs. The invention aims to ensure that the egg container (2) is movable up and down within the chamber (4). To this end, the egg container (2) is connected both to the lid (1) and to at least one arm (3) in the chamber (4).
The lid (1) is hingedly connected to (preferably swivelingly) a fixed surface (it may be a surface (11) to which the chamber (4) or the storing compartment (A) is mounted; the lid is shown as mounted to the chamber (4) by way of example) such that the lid can be opened and closed by pivoting about a joint (6) (the user moves the lid (1) by means of the end portion (9) thereof). The egg container (2) is both hingedly connected (preferably swivelingly and slidingly) at a joint (5) to the lid and hingedly connected (preferably swivelingly) to the said arm (3) by means of another joint (8).
The arm (3) is hingedly connected (preferably swivelingly and slidingly) at a joint (7) to a fixed surface (it may be a surface (11) to which the chamber (4) or the storing compartment (A) is mounted; arm is shown as mounted to the chamber (4) by way of example). Thanks to this connection structure, the lid (1) and the arm (3) can make a hinged movement about the joints (6, 7). Therefore; the egg container (2), hingedly connected to the lid (1) and the arm (3), can (arcingly) move up and down.
The egg container (2) preferably moves in approximately parallel with the ground in order to prevent falling of the eggs on the container during the movement of the egg container (2). For this reason, the form (swivel and / or sliding joints) of the joints (5, 6, 7, 8) and the distance therebetween are arranged to fulfill the preferred condition. When the lid (1) is opened, the egg container (2) assumes a position in Figures 2-3; and when the lid (1) is closed, the egg container (2) assumes a position in Figure 4.
Thanks to the movement of the egg container (2) in accordance with the lid (1) and rising of the egg container (2) every time the lid (1) is opened, access to the interior of the chamber (4) is facilitated. The space under the egg container (2) can therefore be utilized. By providing the lid (1) with at least one receptacle (12) which the eggs fit into (see Figure 3), direct access to the eggs is ensured even when the lid (1) is in closed state (see Figure 4). Aesthetic unity can be obtained ensuring that the top surfaces (13, 14) of the egg container (2) and the lid (1) (illustrated in Figure 4) level with each other in the closed state of the lid (1).

Claims

A storing compartment (A) comprising at least one chamber (4) into which various stuff can be stored; at least one openable / closable lid (1) which close the top of the chamber (4) characterized in that
- the storing compartment (A) comprises at least one egg container (2) in the chamber (4) and at least one arm (3) hingedly connected at a joint (7) to a fixed surface;

- the lid (1) is hingedly connected at a joint (6) to a fixed surface;

- the egg container (2) is hingedly connected at a joint (5) to the lid (1) and is also hingedly connected at another joint (8) to the said arm (3).
A storing compartment (A) according to Claim 1 characterized in that the joints (5, 6, 7, 8) are at a distance with respect to each other which allow the egg container (2) to move in approximately parallel with the ground.
A storing compartment (A) according to Claim 1 characterized in that the arm (3) is hingedly connected at a joint (7) to a fixed surface swivelingly and slidingly.
A storing compartment (A) according to Claim 1 characterized in that the lid (1) is hingedly connected at a joint (6) to a fixed surface swivelingly.
A storing compartment (A) according to Claim 1 characterized in that the egg container (2) is hingedly connected at a joint (5) to the lid (1) swivelingly and slidingly.
A storing compartment (A) according to Claim 1 characterized in that the egg container (2) is hingedly connected at a joint (8) to the arm (3) swivelingly.
A storing compartment (A) according to Claim 1 characterized in that said fixed surface is the chamber (4).
A storing compartment (A) according to Claim 1 characterized in that said fixed surface is a contact surface (11) to which the storing compartment (A) is mounted.
A storing compartment (A) according to Claim 1 characterized in that the lid (1) is provided with at least one receptacle (12) which the eggs fit into.
A storing compartment (A) according to Claim 9 characterized in that the top surfaces (13, 14) of the egg container (2) and the lid (1) are leveled when the lid (1) is in closed state.