GB2212254A

GB2212254A - Support grill for refrigerators

Info

Publication number: GB2212254A
Application number: GB8825405A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Angelo Maria Santarossa; Roberto Pezzetta
Original assignee: Industrie Zanussi SpA
Current assignee: Industrie Zanussi SpA
Priority date: 1987-11-10
Filing date: 1988-10-31
Publication date: 1989-07-19
Anticipated expiration: 2008-10-31
Also published as: ES1008155U; GB2212254B; IT8734062V0; IT218536Z2; GB8825405D0; DE8814101U1; ES1008155Y; FR2622962A3; FR2622962B3

Abstract

A grill for supporting foods in the compartment of a refrigerator comprises a peripheral element (6), a plurality of transverse members (7) which are fixed to the peripheral element (6) and constitute the support surface of the grill, and a frame member (11) which is fastened at least to the front edge of the peripheral element (6) of the grill, in which the cross- section of said frame member (11) is substantially L-shaped and comprises a central clipping fastening portion (12) from which extend a containment baffle portion (13) and a decorative limb portion (14); said portions (12, 13, 14) being provided with transverse recesses (15, 16) disposed at positions corresponding to the transverse members (7) of the grill (5) in such a way that the frame member (11) can rotate between stable positions substantially perpendicular to each other. <IMAGE>

Description

SUPPORT GRILL FOR REFRIGERATORS The present invention relates to a grill for supporting foodstuffs to be preserved within a refrigerator, in particular a refrigerator of domestic type, which grill is provided with a multi-functional frame member.

It is known for refrigerators of domestic type to use support grills which are made of metal wire and which can be inserted into horizontal guides provided at varying heights on the side walls of the refrigerating compartment.

The grills are generally formed by a peripheral element to which are welded a plurality of transverse members forming the support surface for the foodstuffs to be preserved.

A containing panel is generally fixed by means of a further welding process to the rearward edge of the grill, to ensure that the articles which are disposed on the grill do not come into contact with the evaporation surfaces which generally extend over the inside of the back of the refrigerator compartment.

Finally the grill is subjected to anti-corrosion treatment and the front edge thereof is fitted with ornamental frame members.

The ornamental frame members are generally formed by shaped members of plastics material, being of a C-shaped or U-shaped or like cross-section, the shaped members being elastically threaded on to or pressed in superposed relationship to the front edge of the grill.

That grill construction gives rise to a number of disadvantages. First of all, the rear panel requires an additional welding process and thus increases the time required for producing the grill.

Secondly, the containment panel extends in a vertical direction and constitutes an obstacle to rational storage of the grills in horizontal planes.

Also, the presence of the panel limits the flexibility of assembly of the grill1 particularly in the case of automated assembly, since the latter must be precisely oriented before being inserted into the guides of the refrigerator compartment.

Further disadvantages of the conventional grills are those which derive from the ornamental frame members.

The main disadvantage derives from the fact that those frame members have a number of areas which collect dirt and they cannot be easily separated from and re-fitted to the grill on carrying out the periodic operations for cleaning the refrigerator.

In addition to that, the free edges of the frame member must be made so thin as to constitute a danger to the person handling the grill, in particular in the course of use.

To remedy those disadvantages, French patent no 1589837 describes a decorative frame member for support grills of the type described, which provides two fixing pins for fastening to the peripheral element of the grill and a C-shaped frame member to be mounted resiliently on projections from the fixing pins.

However that construction requires numerous components and a greater degree of complexity while the operations for fitting the frame member take up more time.

According to the present invention, there is provided a grill for supporting foods in the compartment of a refrigerator comprising a peripheral element, a plurality of transverse members which are fixed to the peripheral element and constitute the support surface of the grill, and at least one frame member which is fastened at least to the front edge of the peripheral element of the grill, in which the cross-section of said frame member comprises a central clipping fastening portion from which extend a containment baffle portion and a decorative limb portion; and said portions are provided with transverse recesses disposed at positions corresponding to the transverse members of the grill in such a way that the frame member can rotate between stable positions substantially mutually perpendicular to each other.

As will become apparent from the following description invention can provide a one-piece frame member which can be easily fitted to and separated from the grill, which can also perform the functions of the containment panel for the articles which are disposed on the grill and which simplifies and rationalises assembly, storage and use of the support grill.

The invention will be further described by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the grill provided with frame members according to the invention and fitted into a conventional refrigerator compartment.

Figure 2 is a front view on an enlarged scale and partly in section of part of the rear frame member on the grill shown in figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in cross-section of the grill taken along line III-III in figure 2 with the frame member rotated to the position as a containment panel.

Figure 4 shows the grill in figure 3 with the frame member rotated into the decorative position.

The grill 5 shown in the drawings is made of metal wire and comprises a continuous peripheral, generally rectangular, element 6 to which are fixed a plurality of transverse members 7 which are arranged in side-by-side relationship to form the support surface for the food stuffs and other items to be preserved within a conventional refrigerator 8.

The grill 5 is supported by pairs of horizontal guide rails or grooves 9 provided at a plurality of heights on the sides of the refrigerator compartment 10. In place of the conventional front decorative shaped members and the rear containment panel, the grill 5 according to the invention is provided with a multi-functional frame member 11 both on the front edge and on the rear edge.

The multi-functional frame member 11 (see figures 3 and 4) is formed in one piece preferably produced by moulding plastics material, the cross-section of which substantially comprises a central fastening portion 12 from which a containment portion 13 and a decorative portion 14 extend, in a L-shaped configuration.

The containment portion is formed by a baffle 13 provided with transverse recesses 15 (see figure 2) which are provided on its inward side, at positions corresponding to the transverse members 7 of the grill 5.

The central fastening portion 12 (see figures 3 and 4) is of a C-shaped cross-section suitable for being fixed by clipping around the peripheral element 6 of the grill 5. It should be noted that the transverse recesses 15 in the baffle portion 13 also extend to the upper limb of the C-shaped fastening portion 2 (see figure 3).

The decorative portion is formed by a limb 14 of semicircular section, the free end of which is substantially parallel to the baffle 13 and it is also provided with transverse recesses 16 (see figures 2, 3 and 4) at positions corresponding to the transverse members 7 of the grill 5.

The interference which occurs between the fastening portion 12 and the peripheral element 6 of the grill 5 does not prevent the frame member 11 from being rotated between a decorative position (see figure 4), preferably to be adopted on the front edge of the grill 5, and a position in which it acts as a containment panel (see figure 3), which can preferably be adopted on the rearward edge of the grill 5.

In the decorative position shown in figure 4, the limb 14 extends in front of the front edge of the grill 5 while the baffle 13 is almost co-planar with the support surface of the grill 5 by virtue of the interengagement as between the transverse recesses 15 and the transverse members 7 of the grill 5.

In figures 2 and 3 relating to the rearward edge of the grill 5 the frame member is on the other hand turned through 900 about the peripheral element 6 of the grill 5 and in an anti-clockwise direction with respect to the surface of the grill.

In that case, the recesses 16 in the decorative limb 14 are interengaged with the lower side of the transverse members 7 of the grill 5 and hold the baffle 13 in an orthogonal position with respect to the grill 5.

Consequently the baffle 13 of the frame member 11 makes it possible to eliminate the conventional panel which is welded to the rear edge of the grill and all the associated disadvantages in regard to production, storage and assembly of the grill. It should be noted that the frame member 11 does not have thin or sharp parts and it can be fastened to and separated from the grill 5 by means of simple operations which are not dangerous for a person who performs them manually.

Indeed the operation for fitting thereof to the grill requires simply applying a pressure to the frame member 11 until it has been moved into the fastening position shown in figure 4. It will be apparent that the operation described may advantageously be automated on both edges of the grill. In addition to that, the invention provides for a substantial simplification in possible automation of the operation of inserting the grill 5 within the refrigerator compartment since that operation can be effected from both sides of the grill which are provided with frame members.

Separation of the frame member 11 from the grill 5 is just as simple by virtue of central positioning of the fastening portion 12 with respect to the decorative limb 14 and the containment baffle portion 13. Indeed, once the frame member 11 has been rotated into the position shown in figure 4, it is sufficient to apply an upward pressure to the limb 14 in order to cause the fastening portion 12 to be disengaged from the peripheral element 6 of the grill 5.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the invention provides a one-piece frame member which, besides being such that it can be easily fixed to and separated from the grill, performs both a decorative function and also a function of containment of the articles which are supported by the grill.

Besides that, the frame member 11 makes it easier to automate the operations for fixing the frame member to the grill and to insert the grill within the refrigerator compartment.

Finally the frame member 11 eliminates all the disadvantages in regard to manufacture and storage which arise out of the containment panel which is welded to the conventional grills.

Claims

1. A grill for supporting foods in the compartment of a refrigerator comprising a peripheral element, a plurality of transverse members which are fixed to the peripheral element and constitute the support surface of the grill, and at least one frame member which is fastened at least to the front edge of the peripheral element of the grill, in which the cross-section of said frame member comprises a central clipping fastening portion from which extend a containment baffle portion and a decorative limb portion; and said portions are provided with transverse recesses disposed at positions corresponding to the transverse members of the grill in such a way that the frame member can rotate between stable positions substantially mutually perpendicular to each other.

2. A grill according to claim 1 wherein said clipping fastening portion is of a C-shaped cross-section from which extend, in a substantially L-shaped configuration, a rectilinear containment baffle portion and a curved decorative limb portion, the free end of which is parallel to the baffle.

3. A grill according to claim 1 or 2 and which is provided with at least one frame member which is rotatable about the peripheral element of the grill to occupy a containment position at which the baffle is substantially orthogonal to the support surface of the grill and the decorative limb is in a position of abutment against the lower edge of the transverse members of the grill.

4. A grill according to claim 1, 2 or 3 provided with at least one frame member which is rotatable about the peripheral element of the grill to occupy a decorative position at which the decorative limb extends over the front edge of the grill and the containment baffle is in a position of abutment against the upper edge of the transverse members of the grill and is substantially coplanar with the support surface of the grill.

5. A grill according to claims 3 and 4 wherein the frame member defined in claim 3 is disposed along the rear edge of the grill and the frame member defined in claim 4 is disposed along the front edge of the grill.

6. A grill according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the transverse elements are of metal wire.

7. A grill constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

8. A refrigerator incorporating at least one grill according to the preceding claims.