EP3956617A1

EP3956617A1 - A cooling device comprising a holder

Info

Publication number: EP3956617A1
Application number: EP20713609.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mehmet Ercan KAYMAK; Murat TUYSUZ; Deniz BAYSAK
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2019-04-17
Filing date: 2020-03-23
Publication date: 2022-02-23
Also published as: WO2020212088A1

Abstract

A cooling device (1) comprising a body (2) wherein the items to be cooled are placed; a door (3) which provides access into the body (2) from the outer environment; and a holder (4), wherein the holder (4) comprises at least two wires (5) which have at least two bends (7) positioned such that the mouths thereof face upwards and at least one step (8) which is positioned between the bends (7) and which horizontally extends at the same level as the mouth of the bends (7), wherein the wires (5) are arranged one behind the other with the bends (7) and steps (8) are aligned with each other.

Description

A COOLING DEVICE COMPRISING A HOLDER

The present invention relates to a cooling device comprising a holder which can be used as a shelf or bottler holder.
The cooling devices comprise shelves in different forms and numbers which are positioned at different levels and whereon the items to be cooled in the body are placed. Moreover, bottle holders which can safely hold bottles can be produced together with the shelves as a single piece or can be mounted onto the shelves afterwards.
The shelf or the bottle holders can be formed by joining wires together for purposes such as easy production, easy shaping, aesthetic appearance and efficient use of the cool air in the cooling volume.
Especially bottle holders used for holding wine bottles are composed of wires bent in the form of a U. By producing the holders from the wires bent in this manner, the bottle is enabled to be partially clasped and securely stored in the horizontal plane.
However, the bottle holders which are specially formed for holding bottles in this manner cannot be used for any other purpose. When a flat-based item is placed onto the bottle holder in this position, the item placed thereon cannot stand flat due to the wavy structure of the bends. In this case, if there is no need to hold a bottle, the space occupied by the bottle holder becomes a dead space. In order to use this dead space, the bottle holders are moved and folded, slid or fitted one into another in various ways when not in use, thus minimizing the dead space and using at least some part of the area occupied by the bottle holder for other purposes.
In the state of the art German Patent Application No. DE19821823, a bottle holder is disclosed, which is composed of wires which are bent in the form of a U so as to partially clasp the bottle and which are arranged along the side wall of the body at intervals.
In another state of the art European Patent No. EP0917639, a bottle holder is disclosed, which is folded to occupy less space when not in use. The segments which form the bottle holder are attached to the shelf from two ends and are folded underneath the shelf by rotating around the axis passing through said two ends. In this embodiment, since there remains no area to place any items on the bottle holder when the same is folded underneath the shelf, the bottle holder cannot be used for carrying purposes.
In another state of the art International Patent Application No. WO05059458, holders are disclosed, which are moved in a rail group. When aligned such that the horizontal or vertical axes thereof overlap, said holders enable a bottle to be stored, and when not aligned, said holders enable a plurality of bottles to be stored.
In the state of the art United States Patent Application No. US2005122017, the shelf has a flexible plate with one end fixed to the shelf wall and the other end being movable. When the user wants to store bottles, the movable end is brought to a level for only clasping the bottle and when bottles are not desired to be stored, one end is seated in a groove on the shelf thereby forming a plane and can be used as a shelf.
In the state of the art Japanese Patent Application no JP11351737, a bottle shelf is disclosed, which is composed of mutually movable wires so as to enable bottles of different sizes to be supported safely.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooling device comprising a holder which can be used for storing bottles when desired or for storing receptacles when desired.
The cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a holder which can be used both as a bottle holder and a shelf and which has at least two wires which have at least two bends positioned such that the mouths thereof face upwards and at least one step which is positioned between the bends and which horizontally extends at the same level as the mouth of the bends, wherein the wires are arranged one behind the other with the bends and steps are aligned with each other.
Each wire has bends in the form of an arc, preferably in the form of a U or C, and steps positioned between the bends. The bends on the wires placed one behind the other in the cooling device enable the bottles placed thereon to be safely supported and thus enable the holder to function as a bottle holder while the steps between the bends enable the holder to be used as a shelf allowing the storage of storage receptacles (pot, pan, plate, etc.) preferably with flat bases placed thereon. Thus, the holder is enabled to be used for storing both bottles and receptacles with flat bases at the same time.
When the holder is desired to be used as a bottle holder, the wires clasp and safely support the bottles placed into the bends from below. When items with flat bases are desired to be stored on the holder, the steps on each wire are used. In this case, while the bends on each wire are used as bottle holder, the steps which are positioned almost in the same plane - preferably horizontal - can be used as a shelf for safely supporting an item with a flat base which is placed thereon.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the holder comprises a frame whereon the wires are attached and which is produced independently of the wires and which enables the holder to be mounted to the cooling device. The wires are attached onto the frame parallel to each other.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the holder comprises a support wire which extends horizontally at the front side of the frame and which is used for controlling stretching depending on the weight.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the holder comprises a reinforcement wire which is mounted to the underside of the wires and which supports the wires from below. In this embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcement wire is rectangular, and the bends are positioned within said reinforcement wire. Thus, the bottles and/or storage receptacles placed on the holder are enabled to be stored in a balanced and durable manner.
By means of the present invention, a holder which is used as a bottle holder can be also used as a shelf for storing items with flat bases. Thus, the dead volumes in the cooling device are decreased, and the inner volume of the cooling device is efficiently used.
A cooling device realized in order to attain the aim the object of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:
Figure 1 - is the perspective view of a cooling device.
Figure 2 - is the perspective view of the holder.
Figure 3 - is the perspective view of the holder.
The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Cooling device
Body
Door
Holder
Wire
Frame
Bend
Step
Support wire
Reinforcement wire

The cooling device (1) comprises a body (2) wherein the items to be cooled are placed; a door (3) which provides access into the body (2) from the outer environment; and a holder (4) (Figure 1).
The holder (4) comprises at least two wires (5) which have at least two bends (7) positioned such that the mouths thereof face upwards and at least one step (8) which is positioned between the bends (7) and which horizontally extends at the same level as the mouth of the bends (7), wherein the wires (5) are arranged one behind the other with the bends (7) and steps (8) are aligned with each other. As the mouths of the bends (7) face upwards, the holder (4) is used for supporting bottles while the steps (8) aligned with the mouths of the bends (7) are used for supporting items with flat bases. Thus, the holder (4) is used both as a bottle holder and a shelf (Figure 2 and Figure 3).
Each wire (5) has bends (7) in the form of an arc, preferably in the form of a U or C. While the bends (7) are in the bottle supporting position with the mouths thereof facing upwards, the bottles can be partially or completely clasped by means of the bends (7). Thus, the bottles are supported at least from the head and base portions and safely supported.
The bends (7) on the wires (5) placed one behind the other in the cooling device (1) enable the bottles placed thereon to be safely supported and thus enable the holder (4) to function as a bottle holder while the steps (8) between the bends )(7) enable the holder (4) to be used as a shelf allowing the storage of storage receptacles (pot, pan, plate, etc.) preferably with flat bases placed thereon. Thus, the holder (4) is enabled to be used for storing both bottles and receptacles with flat bases at the same time.
When the holder (4) is desired to be used as a bottle holder, the wires (5) clasp and safely support the bottles placed into the bends (7) from below. hen items with flat bases are desired to be stored on the holder (4), the steps (8) on each wire (5) are used. In this case, while the bends (7) on each wire (5) are used as bottle holder, the steps (8) which are positioned almost in the same plane - preferably horizontal - can be used as a shelf for safely supporting an item with a flat base which is placed thereon.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the holder (4) comprises a frame (6) whereon the wires (5) are attached and which is produced independently of the wires (5) and which enables the holder (4) to be mounted to the cooling device (1). The wires (5) are attached onto the frame (6) parallel to each other.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the holder (4) comprises a support wire (9) which extends horizontally at the front side of the frame (6) and which is used for controlling stretching depending on the weight.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the holder (4) comprises a reinforcement wire (10) which is mounted to the underside of the wires (5) and which supports the wires (5) from below. In this embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcement wire (10) is rectangular, and the bends (7) are positioned within said reinforcement wire (10). Thus, the bottles and/or storage receptacles placed on the holder (4) are enabled to be stored in a balanced and durable manner.
By means of the present invention, a holder (4) which is used as a bottle holder can be also used as a shelf for storing items with flat bases. Thus, the dead volumes in the cooling device (1) are decreased, and the inner volume of the cooling device (1) is efficiently used.

Claims

A cooling device (1) comprising a body (2) wherein the items to be cooled are placed; and a door (3) which provides access into the body (2) from the outer environment; characterized by a holder (4) comprising at least two wires (5) which have at least two bends (7) positioned such that the mouths thereof face upwards and at least one step (8) which is positioned between the bends (7) and which horizontally extends at the same level as the mouth of the bends (7), wherein the wires (5) are arranged one behind the other with the bends (7) and steps (8) are aligned with each other.
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the holder (4) comprising the wire (5) having the bends (7) in the form of an arc, in the form of a U or C.
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the holder (4) comprising a frame (6) whereon the wires (5) are attached and which is produced independently of the wires (5) and which enables the holder (4) to be mounted to the cooling device (1).
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the wires (5) which are attached to the frame (6) parallel to each other.
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 3 and 4, characterized by the holder (4) comprising a support wire (9) which extends horizontally at the front side of the frame (6) and which is used for controlling stretching depending on the weight.
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the holder (4) comprising a reinforcement wire (10) which is mounted to the underside of the wires (5) and which supports the wires (5) from below.
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 6, characterized by the rectangular reinforcement wire (10).
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 6, characterized by the bends (7) which remain within the reinforcement wire (10).