ES2368423T3 - COOLING DEVICE WITH ADJUSTABLE TRAYS. - Google Patents

Abstract

A refrigerating appliance contains a housing that encloses an interior space. A shelf can be mounted at different heights on walls of the housing by brackets that are each joined to one of the walls in a manner that enables them to pivot about a first axis and joined to the shelf in a manner that enables them to pivot about a second axis that is offset with regard to the first axis.

Description

Refrigeration device with adjustable trays

The present invention relates to a refrigeration apparatus, such as a refrigerator or freezer and, in particular, to the problem of comfortable distribution for the user of the interior space of such a refrigeration apparatus with the help of one of several trays.

Conventionally, a height adjustment capacity of such trays is achieved because during the molding of the inner container of such a refrigeration apparatus a plurality of horizontal grooves are molded at different heights in the side walls of the inner container, in which The trays can be inserted.

However, the flexibility in the distribution of the interior space, which can be achieved with this long-applied solution is limited. In general, it is not possible to adjust inclined positions of the trays, which may be desirable, in general, for rapid extraction and filling, especially when it comes to storing a plurality of unit objects for successive extraction on a tray.

Another drawback of this known solution is the virtually absent possibility of correcting the position of the trays according to the needs, when these trays are loaded. Especially when a user must store larger quantities of food products purchased in a refrigerator, there is, in effect, the problem that only towards the end of the charging process, when space is scarce in the refrigerator, it is found that the current positions of the trays are not optimal for housing the present refrigeration product and that high storage height in one of the trays present, while in an adjacent tray there is plenty of height, which cannot be used in the future. In such a state, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to remove a loaded tray and suspend it again higher or lower. In many designs of refrigeration appliances, an insufficient maximum opening angle of the door prevents a tray from being removed in the exact horizontal orientation and, if it is possible to remove it, there is obviously a danger that the refrigerated product will fall. Therefore, in this case the user has no other option than to download the refrigerator for the most part and then try to organize it again saving space or changing a tray before organizing it again.

From US-A-2 284 339 and US-A-3 352 431, respectively, a tray which is housed by means of pivotable support arms on the inner walls of a refrigeration apparatus is known.

From US-A-4 678 247 a tray is known, which can be used in a refrigeration apparatus at an inclination that deviates from the horizontal, with separate frame parts being provided, on which a transverse tie rod is placed rear, on which a rear edge of the tray can be placed.

Therefore, there is a need for a refrigeration apparatus that allows a greater flexibility of the distribution of its interior space with the help of trays and which especially allows the inclined position of trays and / or the adjustment of trays in the loaded state .

This task is solved by means of a refrigeration apparatus with the characteristics of claim 1. The articulation capacity of the support arms allows here to adjust the height of a tray, guided through the support arms, for which It is not necessary to remove the tray completely out of the refrigeration device. If these support arms are pivotable independently of each other, they allow various inclined positions of the tray.

In addition, on each edge of the tray, in addition to the pivotable support arm, a horizontally movable suspension is also present. This allows the adjustment of the tray between two inclined positions differently from one another through an articulation up and down the support arm, the horizontally movable suspension defining a shaft for the articulation movement of the tray.

Such a design makes it possible, for example, to adjust the tray between a horizontal position and a position tilted forward either towards the door or backwards or towards the rear wall of the refrigeration apparatus. Such an inclined position of the tray may be convenient, for example, for the horizontal accommodation of cans or bottles, which roll on the inclined tray always towards the lowest placed edge, where they can be easily removed.

In a second preferred configuration of the refrigeration apparatus, on each side edge of the tray two pivotable support arms are present, which are designated as front and rear support arm, respectively. Such a tray is in a position to adopt a horizontal upper resting position, in which the second axis extends above the first axis of each support arm, a lower resting position, in which the second axis extends below the first axis of each support arm and one or two inclined rest positions, in which the second axes of the lower support arm and the upper support arm are respectively at different heights. The plurality of the possible positions is therefore increased compared to the first embodiment and in particular a guided parallel displacement of the tray between two horizontal positions at different height is possible.

In a third preferred configuration, at least three pivotable support arms are present on each side edge of the tray. Such a tray is only adjustable between horizontal positions; a change from a horizontal position to an inclined position is excluded by means of the third support arm. This configuration is especially suitable, therefore, for the problem described above of the height adjustment of the trays in the loaded state.

When the support arms arranged on opposite side edges of the tray are not coupled to each other, then it is possible to bring the support arms on different side edges to different resting positions and thus make the tray tilted in the direction side. This variant has, in front of the possibility of tilting in the forward / backward direction, the advantage that there is no danger of falling of the refrigerated product, since it is always supported by the edge placed deeper by the side wall of the housing of the refrigeration apparatus.

To block the possibility of an inclined position of the trays in the lateral direction, support arms can be connected in each case in pairs with each other. This is convenient again for adjusting the height of loaded trays.

In particular, in the case of a tray placed inclined in the forward and backward direction, it is convenient that a retained device for refrigerated product be placed on a front edge and / or on a rear edge thereof, which prevents in the case from a transition to the inclined position a fall of refrigerated product.

While the lower horizontal resting position of the tray, in which the second axis connected to the tray of each articulation arm is perpendicularly below its first axis, is itself stable, the diametrically opposite orientation of the arms of support, in which the tray is raised, corresponds to an unstable balance. In order to perform a stable high resting position, it is convenient that in the upper resting position of each support arm, its second axis is positioned closer to a rear wall of the interior space than the first axis, so that the tray is supported with a part of its weight and with the weight of the stored product that is located on the back wall of the interior space.

The support arms can be configured in a simple manner as double-bent metal pins, with a first pivot for engagement in a hole in the wall and with a second pivot for engagement in a recess in the tray as well as with an intermediate section angled with respect to the pivots and connecting them.

For securing the tray in its raised position, at least one installation for the mooring of such a support arm is desirable. This installation can be simply configured by an elastically movable tongue with a stop surface oriented transversely to the direction of displacement of the tongue, which supports - preferably in the expanded state of the tongue - one side of the intermediate section that is directed towards the rear wall of the refrigeration apparatus.

For a simple assembly of the tray it is desirable that the recess provided there for the second pivot housing is open downwards. This allows the support arms to be inserted first into the openings of the side walls and then to place the tray on the second pivot protruding from the side wall and insert the second pivot into the recesses from below.

Preferably, the recesses and the pivots are sized in such a way that they are fitted, respectively, in the recesses. In this way, it is prevented that in the case of a plate elevation, the pivots fall from the recesses, instead of following the movement of the plate.

A support seat of this type can be made in a plastic body made separate from the tray, preferably connected by insertion with it.

Other features and advantages of the invention are deduced from the following description of embodiments with reference to the attached figures. In this case:

Figure 1 shows a partial section in perspective through the housing of a refrigeration apparatus with an adjustable tray according to the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a schematic side view of the tray in two different horizontal resting positions.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the tray in the lower horizontal rest position, in an intermediate position and in an inclined rest position.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a refrigeration apparatus with a tray in an inclined rest position.

Figure 5 shows a detailed view of a support arm and its placement on a side wall of the housing of the refrigeration apparatus and on the tray.

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a joint body for retaining the support arm in the tray.

Figure 7 shows a top plan view on a corner of the tray with a mooring installation for a support arm.

Figure 8 shows a side view of the corner of a tray and the mooring installation of Figure 7.

Figure 9 shows a schematic representation of a tray in a position inclined towards the side wall.

Figure 10 shows a front view of a tray with support arms coupled in pairs.

Figure 11 shows a modified form of the joint between the support arm and the tray.

Figure 12 shows a side view similar to Figure 2 of a tray, which is adjustable between two horizontal resting positions, but which cannot take an inclined position; Y

Figure 13 shows a modification of the tray of Figure 3.

Figure 1 illustrates the principle of the invention with the help of a perspective view of a tray 1 and a part of a side wall 2 and a rear wall 3 of a refrigeration apparatus. The walls 2, 3 of the refrigeration apparatus are conventionally constituted by an inner container 4 molded by deep drawing of plastic, an outer wall 5 and a layer of insulating foam 6 that fills the intermediate space between the inner container 4 and the wall outer 5. The inner container 4 is flat in the area of the side wall 2, with the exception of blind holes 7 deepened during the drawing process, two of which can be seen in the figure and two others keep rotating in each case a first pivot 10 of a support arm 8 for the tray.

Each support arm 8 comprises a first pivot 10 that fits into a blind bore 7 of the side wall, which defines a first horizontal articulation axis A1 of the support arm. A second pivot 11, which defines a second articulation axis A2 parallel to the first axis A1, fits in a manner that is described even more accurately later in the tray 1. Both are connected by means of an intermediate section 12 oriented essentially orthogonal to the pivots. The support arms 8 can be made simply by bending a round metal bar.

Two support arms 8 not shown retain tray 1 in the second side wall not shown.

In the position shown in Figure 1, the support arms 8 hang from the blind holes 7 loose downwards, the plane defined by the axes A1, A2 is vertical, and the tray 1 is in a stable horizontal lower resting position . By pulling the tray forward, in the direction of the door (not shown in the figure) of the refrigeration apparatus, the support arms 8 pivot and the tray 1 is raised according to the articulation movement.

Through the support and elevation of the partially removed tray by hand, this tray can be taken to a second resting position, in which the tray is represented with dashed line in the side view of Figure 2. In this second position At rest, which is equally horizontal, the intermediate sections 12 of the support arms 8 extend essentially vertically upwards, with a slight backward inclination, towards the rear wall 3 of the housing. This inclination has the effect that the tray 1 presses with a force, which corresponds to a small part of its mass and of the refrigerated products loaded thereon, against the rear wall 3 and thus is also stable in the raised rest position. .

In order to prevent unforeseen dejection down from the tray 1 to the lower resting position in the case of a vibration or light traction in the tray 1, an installation for the mooring of the support arms 8 is more conveniently provided in the raised position, which is not shown in Figure 2, and is described more precisely below.

On the way from the lower resting position to the upper resting position, the tray 1 passes through a position represented with a continuous line in the side view of Figure 3, in which the intermediate sections 12 of the support arms are oriented horizontally and the two axes A1, A2 are in a horizontal plane. From this position, each support arm 8 can be rotated additionally both upwards and downwards. In this way, it is possible to adjust inclined positions of tray 1, as shown in figure 3 in contour of dots and strokes.

In the position shown with dots and strokes in Figure 3, the rear support arm 8 directed towards the rear wall 3 is lowered, while the front support arm 8 which is directed towards the door is raised. In this way, the tray 1 is sloping towards the rear wall 3 and the objects loaded therein are inclined to be stored on the rear wall.

However, it is also possible to adjust the position of the tray 1 inclined towards the door 14 of the refrigeration apparatus, shown in the perspective view of Figure 4. To prevent a fall of the refrigerated product, the tray 1 is here equipped with a collector installation 15 in the form of a plurality of vertical plates which, arranged in a manner similar to the teeth of a rake, are arranged from the front edge of the tooth of a rake, extend from the front edge of the tray 1 upwards, to retain containers arranged horizontally on the tray configured here as a rack, such as bottles or cans. Such a configuration is useful, for example, for a refrigeration apparatus, which contains drinks intended for sale in bottles or cans: to load a tray, it can be placed in a horizontal position or in a tilted back position, so that the containers can be inserted comfortably in the front edge. After completing the loading of the tray it is taken to the inclined position shown in Figure 4, so that each time a container is taken in the front edge of the tray 1, a container that is behind moves forward and can be removed All containers in series in a comfortable and fast way.

Figure 5 shows a detail view of a support arm 8 and its fixation on the tray according to a first configuration. The figure clearly shows the first pivot 10 inserted in the blind hole 7 of the side wall 2, the second pivot 11 connected with the tray 11, the articulation axes A1, A2 defined by the pivots as well as the intermediate section 12. The tray 1 is essentially formed here by a glass plate 17, which is set in a circumferential profile 18 of metal or of a hard plastic with load capacity. As can be seen more clearly in Figure 1, the profile 18 has two recesses in each lateral edge of the tray 1, in which a connecting body 19 of a stiff plastic material, deformable to an insignificant extent, is inserted as for example Delrin.

Figure 6 shows this joint body 19 in perspective view. Starting from a cover plate 20, which is grooved on its upper side for better handling, two arms 21 extend downwards, which delimit each other a recess or a groove 22 with a cross-section adapted to the cross-section of the second pivot 11. The groove 22 is sized such that the second pivot 11 is fitted thereon and is rotatable under friction, and narrows to an insignificant extent in its lower zone, so that, in effect, it is possible to press the pivot 11 from below inside the groove 22, but it cannot fall out of the groove 22, when a user supports the tray 1 with his hand, to bring it to an elevated rest position.

In their distant lower zone, the two arms 21 are in each case extended laterally through a tongue 23, which together with the cover plate 20 keeps the lateral edge of the tray 1 embedded.

As already mentioned, a mooring installation is convenient for securing the support arms 8 in an elevated position. An example of such a mooring device is described below with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 is a top plan view on the front right corner of the tray 1, on which lower side an installation is arranged. of mooring of this type. In the front left corner of the tray is a mooring installation in mirror symmetry shown in Figure 7.

Figure 8 shows the corner and the mooring installation in side view. From the profile 18, which forms the side edge of the tray 1, a short pivot 25 extends downwards, which carries a flexible tongue 26 in the direction of the arrow P. Starting from the pivot 25, the tongue 26 comprises successively a section 27 parallel, in its expanded position shown in Figure 7, to the side edge of the tray 1, a section 28 extending under an acute angle with respect to the side edge inclined outward, a mooring section in the form of a stop surface 29 perpendicular to the side edge and an activation section 30. In the position shown, the stop surface 29 blocks a rotation of the support arm 8 in the direction of the arrows P2 of Figure 8 and thus retains the Tray 1 in the raised position. When a user wants to lower the tray, then it is sufficient to press the activation section 30 slightly to the side, in figure 7 upwards, so that the stop surface 29 releases the support arm 8. During the raising of the tray 1 activation of the mooring system is not necessary, since the support arm 8 automatically presses on both sides the inclined section during the climb until the rest position has been reached and the stop surface 28 fits behind the arm support 8 in the position shown in figure 7.

Since the support arms 8, which fit on opposite side walls 2 of the housing of the refrigeration apparatus, can be moved independently of each other, a user has the possibility of raising additionally from the position of the tray 1, represented with a continuous line in figure 3, in which the intermediate sections 12 of the support arms 8 are oriented horizontally, the support arms 8 in a side wall, in figure 9 the right side wall, while you can return them to their resting position on the opposite side wall. In this way, the laterally inclined position of the tray 1 shown in front view in Figure 9 can be adjusted. This position also allows, in the case of horizontal accommodation of round objects, such as cans and bottles, to keep them together in a side of the tray 1. The highest placed free area of the tray 1 can be filled in this way continuously and when the lowest placed container, respectively, is removed from a tray, it is ensured that it is only that which is already from it has been on the tray for longer and it is presumably more refrigerated.

In the event that a user has the need to prevent this possibility of the inclined position, then this can be achieved with the help of support arms 8 'coupled in pairs, as shown in Figure 10. Here, respectively, a support arm of the right side wall and an opposite support arm of the left side wall 2 are connected in one piece by means of a rod extending under the tray 1, so that they can only be raised and lowered in common.

The simple support arms 8 and the support arms 8 'connected in pairs can be supplied as accessories for optional use by a user with the refrigeration apparatus according to the invention, so that each user can decide for himself if You want to use the possibility of inclined position or not.

Figure 11 shows an alternative type of connection of a support arm 8 with the tray 1 with the help of a section parallel to its lateral edge. When the material of the tray 1 or its frame profile 18 has a certain elasticity, then it is possible to replace the joint body 19 through the one-piece solution shown here, in which the arms 21, which delimit The slot 22 for housing the second pivot 11, is integrally formed in one piece in the tray 1 or in the frame 18.

Another modification of the suspension of the tray 1 is shown in Figure 12 in an inclined view similar to the representation of Figures 2 and 3. This modification differs from the configuration of Figure 2 only by the presence of a third arm of support 8 on each side edge of the tray 1. When the tray 1 of Figure 2 rises from the position shown with a continuous line, then this third support arm 8 prevents starting from the intermediate position with horizontal intermediate sections 12 of the Support arms 8 can articulate the front and rear arms in different directions.

In this way, it can be excluded that a user involuntarily adjusts a position of the tray 1 tilted forward or backward, in which there is a danger of the fall or overturning of refrigerated product. Therefore, this modification is especially well suited to adapt the heights of the trays in a refrigerator loaded to current needs.

It can also be left to the choice of a user in a simple way if you want to use or block the possibility of inclined adjustment, having blind holes 7, respectively, three in three in a horizontal series on each side wall of the refrigerator housing and providing the trays on each side edge with a corresponding number of recesses 22. Depending on whether the user equips two or more of these blind holes 7 and recesses 22 with support arms 8, he can establish whether or not the inclined position is possible.

Figure 13 shows in a perspective view a simplified modification of the suspension of the tray 1, in which in each side edge of the tray 1 only one pivotable support arm 8 is present in each case. The second support arm is replaced by a rigid pin 31, which can be swiveled in an elongated bore 32, formed on the side wall of the housing of the refrigeration apparatus, horizontally in the direction of the arrow P3. In this configuration, the height of the tray area, separated by the pin 31 and directed towards the rear wall 3 of the housing of the refrigeration apparatus, is invariable, only the front area is adjustable between a horizontal position and an inclined position or between two inclined positions in different directions.

Claims (13)

1.-Refrigeration apparatus with a housing that surrounds an interior space and with at least one tray (1) that can be mounted different heights on walls (3) of the housing, in which the tray (1) is mounted on the walls (3) on support arms (8, 8 '), which are pivotally connected in each case around a first axis (A1) with one of the walls (3) and pivotably around a second axis (A2 ), movable with respect to the first axis (A1), with the tray (1), characterized in that each support arm (8, 8 ') has a first pivot (10) that fits in a blind hole (7) of the wall (3) and which defines the first horizontal articulation axis (A1) of the support arm (8, 8 ') and has a second pivot (11), which defines the second articulation axis (A2) parallel to the first axis (A1 ) and is embedded in the tray (1), so that the pivots (10, 11) are connected by means of an intermediate section (12) oriented essentially orthogonal to the pivots (10, 11). 2. Refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that on each side edge of the tray (1) one of the pivotable support arms (8) and a horizontally movable suspension (31) are present. 3. Refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that in each side edge of the tray (1) two of the pivotable support arms (8) are present, designated as front and rear support arm, respectively, and because the tray (1) is in a position to adopt a first upper rest position, in which the second axis (A2) extends above the first axis (A1) of each support arm (8), a rest position lower, in which the second axis (A2) extends below the first axis (A1) of each support arm (8), and at least one inclined rest position, in which the second axis (A2) of the arm front support extends under the first axis (A1) and the second axis (A2) of the rear support arm (8) extends above the first (A1) or the second axis (A2) of the front support arm (8 ) extends above the first (A1) and the second axis (A2) of the rear support arm ((9 extend from below the first (A1). 4. Refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at each side of the tray (1) at least three of the pivotable support arms (8) are present. 5. Refrigeration apparatus according to one of claims 1, 3 or 4, characterized in that the support arms arranged on a first lateral edge of the tray (1) can be brought to another resting position than the support arms (8) arranged in a second opposite side edge. 6. Refrigeration apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that support arms (8 ’) arranged on opposite side edges of the tray (1) are connected to each other, respectively, in pairs. 7. Refrigeration apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a collecting device (15) for product to be cooled is arranged on a front and / or rear edge of the tray. 8. Refrigeration apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the upper resting position of each support arm (8), its second axis (A2) is arranged closer to a rear wall (3) of the interior space than its first axis (A1). 9. Refrigeration apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by at least one installation (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30) for mooring a support arm (8) at least in its position high. 10.-Refrigeration apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each support arm (8) has a second pivot (11), which fits into a recess (22) of the tray. 11.-Refrigeration apparatus according to claims 9 and 10, characterized in that the installation for mooring a support arm comprises an elastically movable tongue (26) with a stop surface (29) for the support of one side of the intermediate section (12) that is directed towards the rear wall (3). 12. Refrigeration apparatus according to claims 10 and 11, characterized in that the recess (22) is open downwards and the second pivot (11) is fitted in the recess (22). 13.-Refrigeration apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the recess (22) is formed in a plastic body (19) connected by engagement with the tray.