JPH03175266A - Shelf device of refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a smooth movement of a shelf by a method wherein a refrigerator is provided with a front shelf and a rear shelf combined to each other in such a way as one shelf is positioned below the other shelf, and sliding members fixed at deep right and left sides of a frame for holding the shelves are moved up and down on a rack. CONSTITUTION:When a shelf 1 of a shelf device is moved up and down, a dial 6 is rotated, resulting in that a dial shaft 7 and a driving gear 8 are rotated. A turning gear 9 engaged with the driving gear 8 is rotated, spur gears 5 at both sides are rotated together with a gear shaft 4. Spur gears 5 are moved in a sliding groove 14a through the gear shaft 4 while engaging with a rack 14b at a front surface side and then the shelf 1 is moved up and down in the same manner at the right and left sides. A front shelf 1a and a rear shelf 1b are integrally coupled to each other in their operation while the front shelf 1a is being slid and supported in a shelf receiving groove 2d. When the front shelf 1a is pushed rearwardly from this state, an end part 1d of the front shelf 1a is slid in a shelf receiving groove 2d and supported by a concave part 2e arranged in a range of the shelf receiving groove 2d, positioned below the rear shelf 1b. A releasing part is formed at a front side of the shelf 1 and a high food can be stored there.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a shelf device for a refrigerator, which is used inside a refrigerator and whose vertical position can be changed in various ways.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of refrigerator shelf device has been disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,841,469.

This conventional refrigerator shelf device includes a shelf disposed inside the refrigerator, a frame that holds the shelf, two rails that slide and hold rollers supported on the left and right sides of the frame, and a frame that supports the frame. It used screws and jacks to fix it in any position. The frame includes a nut fitted into the screw jack and a hole for rotating the nut.
A shaft with a handle was held rotatably. Further, the rails were installed vertically on the left and right sides of the interior of the refrigerator, and the screws were installed vertically at the center of the interior of the refrigerator. Then, the nut fitted into the screw jack was rotated by turning the shaft with the nodule, thereby changing the position of the nut and changing the position of the frame holding the shelf.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The above-mentioned conventional refrigerator shelf device has 1. The frame that holds the shelves can be moved up and down using screws installed in the center of the interior of the refrigerator. In some cases, such as when a shelf is tilted toward the side where most of the food is placed, the roller contacts the rail diagonally and does not rotate smoothly, requiring a large force to turn the shaft with the handle.

In addition, there is a shaft with a handle and a screw jack in the center of the shelf.
However, its structure also caused problems in terms of food storage, as it was a hindrance to placing food on the relatively large crystal shelf or the lower food placement surface.

The present invention improves the above-mentioned problems of the conventional refrigerator shelf device, prevents the shelves from tilting from side to side, allows the shelves to be moved with a relatively small force, and does not interfere with food storage in the lower part of the refrigerator. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a structure that prevents food items from falling into the sliding member and the spur gear by covering the sliding member and the spur gear with a frame.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the refrigerator shelf device of the present invention has front and rear shelves that are combined in a refrigerator so that one shelf is positioned below the other shelf, and a rear shelf. A convex portion that protrudes from the front shelf that holds the shelf, a substantially U-shaped frame that holds this shelf, and both ends of the front shelf provided on the left and right sides of the substantially U-shaped frame are slid together. a shelf support groove for dynamic support; a recess into which the end of the front shelf slides at the rear of the shelf support groove; a sliding member attached to the rear left and right sides of the frame; and a space between the sliding members of the frame. A gear shaft with a spur gear fixed to the left and right ends attached to the refrigerator, a drive device for rotating the gear shaft or the spur gear, and a drive device formed at the rear left and right of the refrigerator to accommodate at least a portion of the sliding member. A vertically extending rack formed on one side (on the front side of the inside of the refrigerator) of the sliding groove and meshing with the spur gear installed between the left and right sliding members. In this case, sliding members located above or below the spur gear are arranged at the rear left and right sides of the frame, respectively, with a sliding groove and a narrow gap provided therein.

Furthermore, the sliding member and the spur gear are covered by flanges that protrude into the sliding grooves formed at the left and right upper ends of the frame, and the shell part is not visible from the front inside the refrigerator.

A driving device that rotates the gears simultaneously rotates the flat gears on both the left and right ends, allowing the rack to move up and down. Therefore, the shelf and frame can be raised and lowered 11 times while being kept horizontal by flat gears that simultaneously rotate up and down on the left and right ranks. Therefore, the sliding members moving up and down within the same sliding groove can slide smoothly without being tilted diagonally, so the operating force for the dial can be reduced.

In addition, the flanges provided at the upper left and right ends of the frame allow
It can cover sliding members and spur gears to prevent food from falling. Also, by placing the rack surface on the front side, the appearance is improved, and by integrating the rack and sliding groove, the rail can be made smaller. Moreover, by sliding the front shelf below the rear shelf, expensive foods can be stored.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be explained based on the drawings of FIGS. 1 to 11.

As shown in the figure, 1 is the shelf where food is placed, 1a and 1b.
1C is a front shelf and a rear shelf that make up the bookshelf, and 1C is a convex portion formed protruding from the front shelf to hold the rear shelf. 2 is a frame that holds the shelf 1, and includes a left frame 2a, a right frame 2b, a rear frame 2C that connects the left and right frames 2a and 2b, and a shelf support groove 2d that slides and supports both ends 1C of the front shelf 1a. A recess 2e for slidingly supporting the front shelf 1a so as to be positioned below the rear shelf 1b is formed in the range of the shelf receiving groove 2d. 2q is a flange formed to protrude from the left and right sides of the upper end of the frame. Reference numeral 3 designates sliding members attached to the rear left and right sides of the frame 2, and reference numerals sa and 3b designate an upper roller and a lower roller constituting the sliding member 3. Further, the upper and lower rollers 3a and 3b are each rotatably attached to a metal roller shirt 3c. A gear shaft 4 is rotatably attached to the back of the frame 2, and fixed flat gears 5 are attached to both left and right ends. 6a is a dial rotatably attached to the dial hole 2f in the front part of the right frame 2b, 该 is a diamond/L/SI/yaft connected to this dial 6a, and 8 is a screw-shaped dial fixed to this dial shaft 7. This is a drive gear usually called a worm gear, which has a tooth profile 8a. 7a is a part of a stopper provided on the dial shaft 7, and the end is a stopper shaft that is inserted and fixed from the bottom surface of the frame 2b between the stoppers.The dial shaft 7 is inserted and positioned after installation. . 9 is a threaded tooth profile 8 of the drive gear 8
A transfer gear, usually called a worm wheel, is fixed to the gear shaft 4 adjacent to the spur gear 6 on the right side by using a tooth profile 9a machined diagonally with respect to the rotating shaft, that is, the gear shaft 4, so as to mesh along the axis a. (It may be integrated with the spur gear 6 on the right side.) Also, 2h is in the opening direction of frames 2a and 2b,
Each gear mounting is covered by a cover frame. 1
Chill 0 in the refrigerator. 11 is an outer box made of iron plate of the refrigerator body. 12 is an inner box whose bottom is made of resin.
Rail grooves 12a are formed on the left and right sides of the 0 rear. 13 is a foamed heat insulating material filled between the outer box 11 and the inner box 12. Reference numeral 14 denotes a rail fixed to the rail groove 12a of the inner box 12 with screws or the like. 12b is a reinforcing plate to which the rail 14 is attached, and is attached via the inner box 12. 14a is formed into a relay/l/14, and a spur gear 5. This is a sliding groove that accommodates at least a portion of the sliding member 3, that is, the upper roller 3a and the lower roller 3b, and slidably holds them. 14b is a rack that meshes with the flat gear 5 formed on the front side (in the vertical direction) in the sliding groove 14a of the rail A/14. Note that the width dimension W of the sliding groove 14a is approximately 0.1 to 1 mm larger than the outer diameters of the upper roller 3a and lower roller 3b. Further, the upper roller 3a, the lower roller 3b, and the spur gear 6 are located almost on the same line, and the upper roller 3a is in contact with the front surface of the sliding groove 14a, and the lower roller 3b is in contact with the rear surface of the sliding groove 14a. The flat gear 5 is arranged on the left frame 2a and the right frame 2b, respectively, so as to be in contact with the rack 14b and mesh with the rack 14b. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the frame 2 is equipped with a spur gear 6, a drive gear 8. It is shaped so as to cover the transfer gear 9 from the inside of the refrigerator. Further, the upper roller 3a and the spur gear 6 are covered by a flange 2q formed at the upper end of the frame 2 and having a narrow gap with the sliding groove 14a of the rail L'14. Next, reference numeral 16 denotes a control panel provided with a style inside to cool the interior 10 of the refrigerator.

When moving the shelf 1 of the refrigerator shelf device of this embodiment upward or downward, the dial shaft 7 and the drive gear 8 are rotated by rotating the housing dial v6a. Therefore, the transfer gear 9 that meshes with the drive gear 8 rotates, and the gear shaft 4 and the spur gears 5 on both sides rotate. At this time, the spur gear 6 moves through the gear shaft 4 in the sliding groove 14a while meshing with the rack 14b on the front side, but since the left and right spur gears 6 are fixed to the gear shaft 4 and rotate in the same manner, the frame 2 The shelf 1 moves up and down in the same way on the left and right, and no deviation in height occurs between the left and right sides. This allows the sliding member 3 that moves up and down within the sliding groove 14a to slide smoothly without being obliquely inclined, so that the operating force for the dial 6a can be reduced. Also, in this embodiment, the upper and lower rollers 3a.

3b's Rolan Yaft 3C is made of metal, so shelf 1
Even if a lot of food is placed on top of the upper and lower rollers 3a.

3b does not tilt, rotates smoothly, and reduces friction on the dial 6a, so the operating force for the dial 6a can be extremely small. Next, when the shelf 1 moves to the desired position of the diamond Jl/6a and then stops, the weight of the shelf 1 and the frame 2 and the weight of the food on the shelf 1 cause the shelf 1, that is, the frame 2 to move downward. Trying to fall. As a result of this force, the spur gear 5 first tries to rotate. Therefore, the gear shaft 4 and the rolling gear 9 try to rotate, but the transfer gear 9 meshes with the drive gear 8, and it is mechanically easy to rotate the rolling gear 9 by rotating the drive gear 8. However, the force that rotates the screw-shaped tooth profile 8a of the drive gear 8 by the tooth profile 9a of the rolling gear 9 is due to the fact that the tooth profile 9a of the rolling gear 9 meshes with the tooth profile 8a of the drive gear 8 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the tooth profile 8a. However, the frictional force becomes extremely large, making it impossible for the rolling gear 9 to rotate the drive gear 8. Therefore, when the shelf 1 is in a stopped state, the drive gear 8 and the rolling gear 9 serve as a metsobar mechanism, and even if food is placed on the shelf 1, the shelf 1 is held at that position without falling down. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper roller 3a, the lower roller 3b, and the spur gear 6 are located in the same vertical direction at the back of the frame 2, so the folding roller 3a, which is subject to a large load on the shelf 1, is located in the sliding groove 14a. The lower roller 3b makes strong contact with the back side of the sliding groove 14a, and the spur gear 5 meshes more strongly with the rack 14b, increasing the rotational frictional force between them. The frame 2 holding the shelf 1 is held in a predetermined position, and the shelf 1 does not fall or tilt from side to side.

As explained above, the refrigerator shelf device of this embodiment does not require a large force to move the shelf 1 even when food is placed on the shelf 1, and the shelf 1 does not tilt.

Note that in this embodiment, the right frame 2b includes the dial shaft 7, the drive gear 8. Transfer gear 9. The spur gear 6 is covered by the flanges 2q provided on the left and right sides at the upper ends of the frames 2a and 2b, the sliding member 3 is covered by the gear shaft 4, and the spur gear 6 is covered by the flange 2q and the left frame 2a. Therefore, there is no problem of food hitting each gear etc. and damaging it.
Furthermore, there is no problem that the lower shelf becomes a hindrance to storing food.

Furthermore, the rack 14d in the sliding groove 14a is formed so as to be hidden from view in the front of the refrigerator, giving it an excellent appearance, and since it is aligned with the rack 14b, the rail can be made smaller. , and a sliding groove 14 for slidingly holding the upper roller 3a and the lower roller 3b.
The width a is only slightly larger than the outer diameter of the upper roller 3a and the lower roller 3b, and the width of the upper roller 3a and the lower roller 3b is
are vertically separated and inserted into the sliding groove 14a,
Even if the food is pushed up from the lower surface of the shelf 1, the upper roller 3a contacts the back surface of the sliding groove 14a, and the lower roller 3b pushes up against the sliding groove 1.
Since the shelf 1 is in contact with the front surface of the shelf 4a, the displacement of the shelf 1 is so slight that it does not become a problem.

Further, when the front shelf 1a is slidably supported in the shelf receiving groove 2d, the front and rear sides 1a and 1b are in an integral state. When the front shelf 1a is pushed backward from this state, the end 1d of the front shelf 1a slides on the shelf receiving groove 2d, is slid and supported by the recess 2e provided in the range of the shelf receiving groove 2d, and is moved below the rear shelf 1b. Positioned shelf 1
An open part is formed in the front to store expensive foods.

In this embodiment, a diamond/L/6a, a dial shaft 7, a drive gear 8. The transfer gear 9 is called a drive device 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As described in detail, the refrigerator shelf device of the present invention includes front and rear shelves that are combined in a refrigerator such that one shelf is positioned below the other shelf, and a front shelf that holds the rear shelf. a convex portion projecting from the shelf; a substantially U-shaped frame that holds the shelf; and shelf supports that slidably support both end portions of the and rear shelves provided on the left and right sides of the substantially U-shaped frame. a recess on which the end of the front shelf slides at the rear of the groove; a sliding member attached to the rear left and right sides of the frame; and a sliding member attached to the rear of the frame at a position perpendicular to the left and right ends. A gear shaft with a flat gear fixed therebetween, a drive device for rotating this gear shaft, and a slide that is formed in the left and right vertical directions at the back of the refrigerator and that houses at least a part of the sliding member and holds it in a sliding manner. A sliding groove and a rack that meshes with a flat gear formed on one side (in the vertical direction of the inner side surface of the refrigerator) of the sliding groove are provided, and the sliding member is rotatably attached to a metal roller shaft, and the sliding member is rotatably attached to the frame. It consists of an upper roller fixed to the upper part of the spur gear and a lower roller provided at the lower part of the spur gear on the rear left and right sides respectively, and the upper roller comes into contact with the front side surface of the sliding groove, and the lower roller However, since the upper roller is also arranged so as to come into contact with the inner surface of the sliding groove at the lower side, when the dial is rotated, the drive gear rotates, and the transfer gear and gear shaft that mesh with it rotate. rotates, which allows the rack to move up and down by rotating the spur gears at both ends of the gear shaft. Therefore, the shelf and frame can be kept horizontally up and down by flat gears that rotate up and down on the left and right racks at the same time, and the sliding members that move up and down in the sliding groove can slide smoothly without tilting diagonally, so the dial can be easily moved. The operating force is small. Further, by configuring the sliding member with a roller, the roller rotates within the sliding groove, and the shelf can be moved more smoothly, that is, the dial can be easily operated with a small force. In addition, the dial, dial shaft, drive gear, transfer gear, and spur gear are located near the side of the refrigerator, resulting in a simple structure that allows food to be placed on the food surface at the bottom of the shelf.
It doesn't get in the way. Furthermore, the upper roller and spur gear are connected to the frames 2a and 2b by the flange at the upper end of the frame.
Moreover, since each gear is covered, there is almost no chance of food hitting or breaking or getting in. In addition, because the rack is vertically placed on one side (on the front side of the refrigerator) of the sliding groove formed in the rail, the rail width is small and the rack is not visible from the front of the refrigerator, creating an attractive structure. provide.

In addition, the shelf stands up by the combination of the front and rear shelves, and the button can be pressed.
By pushing the front shelf backward, the front shelf is positioned below the rear shelf and forms an open part in the front, so that it does not get in the way of placing tall foods on the lower food placement surface.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a sectional perspective view of the main parts of a refrigerator to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied, Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a frame used in this embodiment, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the main parts of this embodiment. , Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the main part, Fig. 6 is a sectional view, Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the main part seen from the side of the right frame, Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the shelf, and Fig. 10 is the shelf and frame. Perspective views of main parts, Figures 11 and 12
The figure is a side view showing the sliding state of the shelf. 1...shelf, 1a...front shelf, 1b...
...Rear shelf, 1C...Protrusion, 1d...
End, 2... Frame, 2q... Flange, 3... Sliding member, 5... Spur gear, 6... Drive Device, 10...Inside the refrigerator, 1
4...Rail, 14a...Sliding groove, 1
4b...Rack.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Front and rear shelves combined in a refrigerator so that one shelf is positioned below the other shelf, a protrusion formed to protrude from the front shelf that holds the rear shelf, and this shelf a substantially U-shaped frame for holding the frame, a shelf support groove provided on the left and right sides of the substantially U-shaped frame for slidingly supporting both ends of the front shelf, and a rear part of the shelf support groove for supporting the front shelf. a recessed portion on which the end portion of the frame slides; a sliding member attached to the rear left and right sides of the frame; a gear shaft having a spur gear fixed to the left and right ends attached between the sliding members of the frame; A drive device that rotates a shaft or a spur gear, a sliding groove formed on the left and right sides at the back of the refrigerator, in which at least a portion of the sliding member is accommodated and slidably held, and a sliding groove formed on one side of the sliding groove. and a shelf device for a refrigerator comprising a rail comprising racks vertically arranged to engage with the spur gear. (2) Covering the sliding member and spur gear with a flange formed at the upper left and right ends of the frame and protruding toward the U-shaped sliding groove side and provided with a sliding groove and a narrow gap, 2. The shelf device for a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a rack surface that engages with a spur gear in the sliding groove is formed on the front side of the refrigerator interior.