EP4224102A1 - Refrigeration and/or freezer device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer, wherein a fastening area with a first contour is arranged on the device and wherein a transport handle is provided which has a second contour, the first and the second contour interacting in such a way that for the purpose When transporting the device, a tensile load on the transport handle causes a force to act from the second to the first contour and thus to the fastening area of the device.

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer.

Various transport aids for transporting refrigerators and/or freezers are known from the prior art. These solutions are either complex or not very flexible and do not allow the device to be transported in its packaging, for example.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of further developing a device of the type mentioned at the outset such that the device can be transported easily and flexibly.

This object is achieved by a refrigerator and/or freezer having the features of claim 1.

Accordingly, it is provided that a fastening area with a first contour is arranged on the device and that a transport handle is provided that has a second contour, the first and second contours interacting in such a way that, for the purpose of transporting the device, a tensile load is applied to the transport handle leads to a force from the second to the first contour and thus to the attachment area of the device.

The attachment area is preferably an integral part of the device body or arranged on it. The fastening area is preferably located on the outside of the device body and particularly preferably on two opposite sides of the device body.

One or more attachment points for a transport handle are therefore provided on the refrigerator and/or freezer. A transport handle can be installed or installed at this attachment point ex works or by the customer for easier handling.

It is conceivable that the two contours can be detached from one another, so that the transport handle can be mounted on and removed from the device as required.

The assembly can be carried out without tools (keyhole principle or form fit) or with tools (e.g. with a screw).

The first contour, i.e. the contour on the device side, can represent a depression or a projection.

It is conceivable that the first contour has the shape of a keyhole and/or that the first contour represents an eyelet or a screw. Thus, the first contour or the attachment area for the handle can be designed in different forms. Consider, for example, the contour as a keyhole, as a bore (e.g. round, slotted or polygonal or square), as a defined screwing point (e.g. self-tapping screw, metric screw) or as an eyelet for a loop (anchor stitch).

In addition to the second contour, the transport handle can be provided with a further contour which interacts with the fastening area in such a way that the transport handle is secured against unintentional loosening. The handle can thus also be designed with a contour to prevent accidental disassembly. This can be solved, for example, by a locking lug that engages in the keyhole, etc.

It is also conceivable that there is a reinforcement element which is connected to the fastening area. This can be designed, for example, as a reinforcement plate. With individual devices it is possible that the existing housing structure is not sufficiently stable and must be partially reinforced with a stiffening plate. In this case, the handle attachment contour is provided in the reinforcement plate.

The reinforcement plate or another reinforcement element can be fastened to the housing, for example, by means of screws, rivets, adhesives, seals, a form fit or latching etc.

The reinforcement plate or other reinforcement element can be made of plastic or steel, for example.

If there is enough space on the back of the device, the reinforcement plate could also be made so large that the device can be gripped directly on it.

The handle can be flexible and/or the handle can be arranged in different positions relative to the attachment area.

The transport handle can be made of different materials that are prepared for the existing attachment point. The attachment point can be a molded contour for a form fit, a hole for a screw, etc.

Possible materials for the handle are flexible plastic, e.g. EVA, a textile loop, such as a textile loop overmoulded with PP or nylon.

Due to the flexible properties, the handle preferably lies without stress, i. H. during normal operation flat against the device. During loading, i.e. during transport, the handle is aligned in the direction of the force.

It is therefore conceivable that the handle can be fixed in a first and in a second position on the fastening area, the first position being a normal position and the second position being a transport position.

The present invention further relates to a system comprising a refrigerator and/or freezer according to the present invention and a package in which the device is located, the package and the handle being designed such that the handle can be moved through the package can.

It is conceivable, for example, to pull the handle outwards through an opening in the outer device packaging, e.g. made of cardboard, and thus to handle the device including the packaging more easily.

An opening can either already be present in the packaging or it can be pre-punched. In the pre-punched case, the box must be folded to the side. The handle is arranged behind it so that it is accessible so that it can be pulled through the packaging. This means that the device does not have to be unpacked and is protected as best as possible during transport, e.g. down a stairwell, even over the last few meters.

At this point it is pointed out that the terms "a" and "an" do not necessarily refer to exactly one of the elements, although this represents a possible embodiment, but can also refer to a plurality of elements. Likewise, the use of the plural also includes the presence of the element in question in the singular and conversely the singular also includes several of the elements in question.

Further details and advantages of the invention are explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawing.

Figur 1:

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Gerätekorpus mit Verstärkungsplatte mit Befestigungskontur,

Figur 2:

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Gerätekorpus mit Griff im unbelasteten Normalzustand,

Figur 3:

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Gerätekorpus mit Griff im belasteten Transportzustand und

Figur 4:

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Griffs.

Show it:

Figure 1:

a perspective view of the device body with reinforcement plate with mounting contour,

Figure 2:

a perspective view of the device body with handle in the unloaded normal state,

Figure 3:

a perspective view of the device body with handle in the loaded transport state and

Figure 4:

a perspective view of the handle.

The body of a refrigerator and/or freezer is shown with the reference number 10 . Its side wall bears the reference number 12.

The reinforcement plate 20 is located on the side wall and is screwed there, for example.

In the reinforcement plate 20 there is a hole 22 in the form of a keyhole, with a substantially circular section 23 and with an adjoining elongated section 24.

the inside figure 4 Handle 30 shown, which serves as a transport handle, has a loop-like section. In the area in which the loop is closed, ie the ends of the loop meet, a projection 32 with an undercut is arranged.

The projection 32 is sized to be inserted into the circular opening 23 . The projection tapers below the in figure 4 top shown towards the handle, eg mushroom-shaped, and thus has a section of smaller diameter. This section is dimensioned so that it can be slid from the circular opening 23 into the elongate section 24 so that the handle can be slid into the end region of the elongate section 24 of the opening 22 .

figure 2 shows a position of the handle 30 in which it rests against the side wall 12. This condition is when the handle 30 is not needed.

If the handle is required for transport purposes, it is rotated by 180° or inserted after rotating it by 180° so that it protrudes from the device and can be used as a transport handle.

In addition to the second contour, which is formed by the projection 32, the handle has a further projection 34 which interacts with the reinforcement plate by means of a force fit and in this way prevents the handle 30 from being accidentally released from the reinforcement plate 20.

Claims (10)

Refrigerator and/or freezer, characterized in that a fastening area with a first contour is arranged on the device and that a transport handle is provided which has a second contour, the first and the second contour interacting in such a way that for the purpose of transport of the device, a tensile load on the transport handle leads to a force acting from the second to the first contour and thus to the fastening area of the device. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, characterized in that the two contours can be detached from one another so that the transport handle can be assembled and disassembled. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first contour forms a depression or a projection. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first contour is in the form of a keyhole has and/or that the first contour represents an eyelet or a screw. Refrigerating and/or freezing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport handle is provided with a second contour in addition to a further contour which interacts with the fastening area in such a way that the transport handle is secured against unintentional loosening. Refrigerating and/or freezing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there is a reinforcing element which is connected to the fastening area. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 6, characterized in that the reinforcement element is a reinforcement plate. Cooling and/or freezing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle is flexible and/or that the handle can be arranged in different positions relative to the fastening area. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle can be fixed in a first and in a second position on the fastening area, the first position being a normal position and the second position being a transport position acts. System comprising a refrigerator and/or freezer according to any one of the preceding claims and a package in which the device is located, the package and the handle being designed in such a way that the handle can be moved through the package.

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