GB2169072A

GB2169072A - Unit e.g. oven with movable shelf elements

Info

Publication number: GB2169072A
Application number: GB08528624A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Armin Bohnet; Horst Krenz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-12-20
Filing date: 1985-11-21
Publication date: 1986-07-02
Also published as: FR2575273B1; DE3446582C2; GB8528624D0; FR2575273A1; DE3446582A1; GB2169072B

Abstract

A unit with movable shelf elements, for example roasting or baking trays, comprises a housing (1) having a chamber with guide channels (2) in its side walls. Each shelf element comprises a tray or grid (3) and a U-shaped bracket (5) which is slidable by its lateral arms (7) in the guide channels (2). Each bracket (5) is slidably engaged with the flat side rims of the associated tray or grid. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Unit with movable shelf elements The present invention relates to a unit with movable shelf elements, for example flatrimmed slide-in inserts, such as sheet metal plates, for example roasting or baking trays, and grids, for example grilling grids.

In the case of household appliances such as baking or roasting ovens, the baking and roasting trays and the grids are constructed to be flat-rimmed and guided by way of these rims in slot-like guide channels of the side walls of the oven. These trays or grids are withdrawable forwardly out of the oven housing. In order to enable access over the whole area to these trays or grids, it is necessary in the known ovens to take the trays or grids out and put them down elsewhere. The telescopic pull-outs that have become known are at most suitable for such use only to a very limited extent because insufficient constructional space is available, simple withdrawal of the trays and grids has to be ensured and the oven in principle has to allow use of conventional trays and grids. The known telescopic pull-outs are also relatively expensive.In order to permit large area use of the trays and grids in the region of the oven, a baking trolley has been developed, in which the trays and grids are hooked onto the oven door and drawn out with this. It would be desirable, however, for it to be possible in a cheap and simple manner to be able to operate also these slide-in inserts over the whole area at the chamber and at the same time secure simple withdrawal of these inserts from the chamber.

According to the present invention there is provided a unit with movable shelf elements, the unit comprising a housing defining a chamber provided at side walls thereof with guide channels and a plurality of shelf elements each slidably engaged in a respective pair of the guide channels and each comprising a support member and a U-shaped frame member which is connected to the support member to form a unit therewith and which is slidable relative thereto through a limited range to permit movement apart of the frame member and support member for support of the latter at least in part by sliding engagement of the parallel arms of the frame member in the channels.

Preferably, the frame member of each shelf element is slidably insertable by both its lateral arms in slot-like guide channels of the chamber, which is loadable from the front side, is longitudinally slidable between abutments on the flat side rims of the support members and is thus mounted to be extensi ble in direction into the chamber and to form a unit with the support member. Thus the support member and frame member form a normally inseparable unit. As in the case of, for example, a normal baking tray or grilling grid, the shelf element is able to be pushed into the guide channels of the chamber and also taken out again. In order to be able to detach the frame member from the support member for, for example, cleaning purposes, the abutments between the frame member and the support member can be constructed to be detachable.Different profiles can be chosen for the frame member, for example extrusions of round, rectangular or U-shaped cross-section. The base of the U-shaped frame member, together with the guidance of its arms at the support members provides good rigidity and parallel guidance.

A spring element, biassing the frame member into the extended setting, can be arranged between this and the support member.

The flat side rims of the support member can be constructed to embrace the arms of the frame member wholly or partially in tubular shape. In this manner, the amount of space required by the shelf element mounting is kept to an acceptable level.

Expediently, abutments co-operable with the frame members are arranged in the region of the guide channels in the chamber side walls.

These abutments permit the frame members to be withdrawn up to contact with these abutments. It can be made possible, however, for these abutments to be overcome, for example through a tilting movement of the shelf elements or resiliently through use of increased force. For this purpose, a resiliently surmountable abutment can be provided so as to be overcome easily in direction of insertion and with the use of force or by tilting in direction of withdrawal. Thus, for example, fixed nubs or resilient elements projecting into the region of the guide channels are usable as the abutments.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a baking oven embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a detail view of the encircled area of Fig. 1, showing an abutment for obstructing withdrawal of a frame member of a shelf element from the muffle; Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the area shown in Fig. 2; Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a different form of such an abutment; Figure 5 is a plan view of part of a shelf element of the oven; and Figure 6 is a sectional view of the shelf element part shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a baking oven muffle 1 in which guide channels 2 are arranged in side walls thereof.

Baking trays 3 and 4 or grilling grids of con ventional mode of construction can be pushed into the channels 2. Each of the illustrated trays 3 and 4 is arranged at its lateral edge regions to embrace the free arms of a respective one of two brackets 5 and 6 each of Ushape. The arrangement in edge regions of the trays is illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6. As is evident therefrom, each arm 7 of each bracket 5 has a U-shaped, inwardly open cross-section and is embraced by a correspondingly shaped edge portion of the tray 3. This embracing permits a longitudinal displacement of the arms 7 of the bracket 5 relative to the tray 3.In order, however, to prevent complete withdrawal of the bracket 5 from the tray 3, the bracket 5 is provided at the ends of its arms 7 with abutments 8 which project out in the recess of the edge region of the tray 3 and limit the movement of the bracket 5 relative to the tray 3.

Arranged in the guide channels 2 of the muffle 1 are abutments 9 which co-operate with abutment lugs 10 of the brackets 5 and 6. Figs. 2 and 3 show the region of an abutment 9, in which the abutment has the form of a spring element. This allows the bracket 5 to be readily withdrawable until the lug 10 bears against the spring element 9'. A further withdrawal for the purpose of the final removal of the tray 3 requires an increased pulling force to surmount the spring element. In the embodiment of Fig. 4, a fixed abutment 9" is provided and is surmountable by the lug 10 through an upwardly directed tilting movement of the tray 3. In order to allow room for tilting of the tray, the channel 2 has a recess 11 in the region opposite the abutment 9".

Claims

1. A unit with movable shelf elements, the unit comprising a housing defining a chamber provided at side walls thereof with guide channels and a plurality of shelf elements each slidably engaged in a respective pair of the guide channels and each comprising a support member and a U-shaped frame member which is connected to the support member to form a unit therewith and which is slidable relative thereto through a limited range to permit movement apart of the frame member and support member for support of the latter at least in part by sliding engagement of the parallel arms of the frame member in the channels.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arms and the base of the frame member of each shelf element are of square crosssection.

3. A unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arms and the base of the frame member of each shelf element are of round cross-section.

4. A unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein limitation of the sliding movement of each frame member relative to the associated support member is provided by detachable stop means.

5. A unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a spring element acting between each support member and the associated frame member to bias the latter into an extended setting relative to the former.

6. A unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of two opposite lateral edge portions of each support member is shaped to extend at least partly around a respective one of the arms of the associated frame member thereby to slidably interconnect the frame and support members.

7. A unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing is provided in the region of the guide channels with abutments co-operable with the frame members to limit sliding movement thereof relative to the housing.

8. A unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the frame members and the abutments are so arranged that the abutments are surmountable by the frame members.

9. A unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the abutments are movable against a resilient bias thereby to be surmountable by the frame members.

10. A unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the frame members are pivotable in order to surmount the abutments.

11. A unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support members are either or both of trays and grids.

12. A unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.