JPH03213986A - Shelf device in refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a shelf from being deformed by rotating idly a dial shaft by deforming a flange of a drive gear in the case where an overload is applied to the dial shaft when the frame reaches the upper or lower end in a refrigerator. CONSTITUTION:As a dial is rotated, a drive gear 8 is rotated and hence a rolling gear 9 and a gear shaft 4 engage with the drive gear 8 are rotated. Further, spur gears 5 located at opposite ends of the gear shaft 4 are rotated. Then, a shelf and a frame are moved vertically, kept horizontally by the spur gears 5 simultaneously rotated vertically on left and right racks 14b. Accordingly, also a sliding member 3 moved vertically in the same sliding grove 14a can smoothly be slid without being slanted, so that operation force of the dial is reduced. Further, in the case where any overload is applied to a dial shaft 7, an opening end of a hollow flange 8c of the drive gear 8 is deformed to permit the dial shaft 7 to be rotated idly, so that the gear, frame, and shelf can be prevented from being damaged.

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 known, for example, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,841,459.

This conventional refrigerator shelf device includes a shelf arranged in the refrigerator, a frame that holds the shelf, two rollers that slide and hold rollers supported on the left and right sides of the frame, and a frame that supports the frame. Equipped with screws and jacks for fixing in any position. The frame rotatably held a nut fitted into the screw jack and a shaft with a handle for rotating the nut. 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, by turning the shaft with the handle and rotating the nut fitted into the screw jack, the position of the nut was changed, and the position of the frame holding the shelf was changed.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The above-mentioned conventional refrigerator shelf device has a structure in which the position of the frame holding the shelf can be moved up and down by a screw mounted at the center of the interior of the refrigerator, and food is placed on the shelf. If the shelf is tilted toward the side with the most food, especially if the shelf is placed on either the left or right side, the rollers may come into contact with the rails at an angle, preventing them from rotating smoothly and applying a large amount of force. I had to turn the shaft with the knob.

In the center of the bunso, there is a shaft with a handle and a screw jack, and the structure also causes problems in terms of food storage, as it gets in the way of placing food on the relatively large high and lower shelves or the lower food placement surface. Ta.

In addition, if the frame reaches the top or bottom of the refrigerator, or if there is a collision between frames when multiple frames are installed,
There was a problem in that when the dial shaft was overloaded, the shaft with the handle could be damaged.

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. By covering the sliding members and spur gears with a frame, we provide a structure that prevents food items from falling into the sliding members and spur gears, and prevents overload on the dial shaft. The purpose is to prevent equivalent damage to the gear and frame in the event of damage.

Means for Solving the Problems For the above-mentioned purpose, the refrigerator shelf device of the present invention includes a shelf disposed inside the refrigerator, a substantially U-shaped frame that holds the shelf, and a rear left and right corner of the frame. a sliding member attached to the frame, a gear shaft with a flat gear fixed to the left and right ends attached to the back of the frame, a dial rotatably supported on either the left or right front side of the frame, and one end attached to the dial. a dial shaft that connects the dial shaft and has a boss portion having a protrusion on the other end, and a drive gear that has a screw-like tooth shape on one end and a boss receiving portion that has a hollow seven flange that fits with the boss portion on the other end. and a rolling gear which is fixed to the gear shaft and has a tooth profile machined diagonally from the rotating shaft so as to mesh with the threaded tooth profile of the drive gear, and the sliding gear which is formed on the left and right sides of the back of the refrigerator. A sliding groove in which at least a portion of the member is accommodated and slidably held therein, and a rail formed in the vertical direction and consisting of a rack formed inside or adjacent to the sliding groove and meshing with the spur gear, are formed in the vertical direction. Sliding members located above the spur gear on the rear left and right sides are arranged with sliding grooves and narrow gaps.

Function: The refrigerator shelf device of the present invention has the above configuration, and when the dial is rotated, the drive gear rotates, thereby rotating the rolling gear and gear shaft that mesh with it, thereby causing rotation of the spur gears at both ends of the gear shaft. You can move up and down on the slope. Therefore, the shelf and frame can be raised and lowered while being held horizontally by means of flat gears that simultaneously rotate up and down on the left and right racks. 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.

Furthermore, when an overload is applied to the dial shaft, the open end of the hollow 7-lunge of the drive gear is deformed, allowing the dial shaft to rotate idly, thereby preventing damage to the gear, frame, and shelf. can.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be explained based on the drawings of FIGS. 1 to 9.

In the figure, 1 is a shelf on which food is placed. 2 is a frame that holds the shelf 1, and includes a left frame 2a and a right frame 2b.
It is formed by a rear frame 2c that connects the left and right frames 2a and 2b.

Reference numeral 2e designates seven lunges formed to protrude from the left and right sides of the upper end of the frame. Reference numeral 3 denotes sliding members attached to the rear left and right sides of the frame 2. 3a and 3b are an upper roller and a lower roller that constitute the sliding member 3. 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 6 are attached to both left and right ends of the gear shaft. 6 is a dial rotatably attached to the dial hole 2d in the front part of the right frame 2b, 7 is a dial shaft connected to this dial 6, 7a is a part of a stopper provided on the dial shaft 7, and 7b is the stopper. This is a stopper shaft that is inserted and fixed from the lower surface of the frame 2b between them, and the dial shaft 7 is inserted and positioned after installation. 7C is a boss portion formed at the tip of the dial shaft 7 and has a plurality of protrusions 7d.

8 has a screw-like tooth shape at one end, and the boss portion 7c at the other end.
This drive gear, which is usually called a worm gear, is equipped with a boss receiving part 8b having a hollow flange 8c that fits into the worm gear, and is rotationally driven in conjunction with the dial shaft 7, which rotates in conjunction with the operation of the dial 6.

Further, since a notch is provided at the open end of the flange 8C, if an overload condition occurs that makes it difficult for the dial shaft 7 to rotate, the protrusion 7 of the boss portion 7C of the dial shaft 7
d expands the 7 lunges 8C and makes an idle turn.

9 forms a tooth profile 9a that is machined obliquely with respect to the rotating shaft, that is, the gear shaft 4, so as to mesh along the threaded tooth profile 8a of the drive gear 8, and is fixed to the gear shaft 4 adjacent to the spur gear 5 on the right side. This is a rolling gear usually called a worm wheel (it may be integrated with the spur gear 6 on the right side). Also, 2f is the frame 2a.

On the open side of 2b, there is a cover frame that covers the rear of each gear attachment. 10 is inside the refrigerator.

11 is an outer box made of iron plate of the refrigerator body. 12 is an inner box molded from resin, and there are rail grooves 12 on the left and right sides of the inside of the refrigerator.
a is formed. 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. The rail 14 is attached to the reinforcing plate 12b through the inner box 12. 1
Reference numeral 4a denotes a sliding groove formed in the rail 14, in which at least a portion of the spur gear 5 and the sliding members 3, that is, the upper roller 3a and the lower roller 3b are accommodated and held in a sliding manner. 14b is rail 1
This is a rack that meshes with a flat gear 5 formed on the front side (in the vertical direction) in the sliding groove 14a of No. 4. Note that the width dimension W of the sliding groove 14a is 0 from the outer diameter of the upper roller 3a and lower roller 3b.
．． It should be about 1 to 1 larger. 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 so as to be in contact with the surface and mesh with the rack 14b. Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
The shape is such that the rolling gear 9 is covered from the inside of the refrigerator. Also, a sliding groove 14a for the rail 14 is formed at the upper end of the frame 2.
The upper roller 3a and the spur gear 6 are covered by seven lunges 2e with a narrow gap. Next, reference numeral 15 denotes a control panel provided with an air passage or the like inside to cool the interior 1o of the refrigerator.

When moving the shelf 1 of the refrigerator shelf device of this embodiment upward or downward (first, when the dial 6 is rotated, the dial shaft 7) and the drive gear 8 are rotated. Therefore, the rolling 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 is inserted through the gear shaft 4 into the sliding groove 14a and into the rack 14 on the front side.
However, since the left and right spur gears 5 are fixed to the gear shaft 4 and rotate in the same manner, the frame 2, that is, the shelf 1, moves up and down in the same manner as the left and right sides, 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 4a to slide smoothly without being tilted diagonally, so that the operating force for the dial 6 can be small. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper and lower rollers sa and roller shirt 3c of 3b are made of metal, so even if many foods are placed on the shelf 1, the upper and lower rollers 3a and 3c are made of metal.
, 3b do not tilt, rotate smoothly, and reduce frictional force, so the operating force for the dial 6 can be extremely small. Next, when the shelf 1 is moved to a desired position using the dial 6 and then stopped, the shelf 1 or frame 2 tends to fall down due to the weight of the shelf 1 and frame 2 and the weight of the food on the shelf 1. 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 rolling gear 9 meshes with the drive gear 8 and rotates the rolling gear 9 (by rotating the drive gear 8). Although it is easy to say, 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 caused by the tooth profile 9a of the rolling gear 9 meshing with the tooth profile 8a of the driving gear 8 in a direction approximately perpendicular to the tooth profile 8a. Therefore, it is impossible to rotate the drive gear 8 by the υ rolling gear 9, which has an extremely large frictional force. Therefore, when the shelf 1 is stopped, the drive gear 8
It is held in rotation. 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 that the lifting roller 3a, which has a large load on the shelf 1, is not used for sliding @ 14a. The lower roller 3b comes into strong contact with the rear surface of the sliding groove 14a, and the spur gear 5 meshes strongly with the racks 1 and 4b, increasing their rotational frictional force. Therefore, the frame 2 holding the shelf 1 is held at 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.

In addition, in this embodiment, when the frame 2 reaches the upper or lower end of the refrigerator, when an overload is applied to the dial shaft end,
Deformation of the shelf 1 and destruction of the frame 2 and drive gear 8 due to the food coming into contact with the internal wall surface of the refrigerator can be prevented because the flange 8b of the drive gear 8 is deformed as shown in FIG. 8 and the dial shaft 7 is allowed to rotate idly.

As described in detail, the refrigerator shelf device of the present invention includes a shelf disposed inside the refrigerator, a substantially U-shaped frame that holds the shelf, and slides attached to the rear left and right sides of the frame. a moving member, a gear shaft installed at the back of the frame and fixed to a flat gear provided between the sliding members at a position perpendicular to the left and right ends; and a gear shaft that is rotatably supported on either the left or right front side of the frame. a dial and connect one end to this dial,
A dial shaft having a boss portion having a protrusion at the other end, and a drive gear having a boss receiving portion having a threaded tooth profile at one end and a hollow seven flange that fits into the boss portion at the other end. The tooth profile is machined obliquely from the rotating shaft so as to mesh with the thread-shaped tooth profile of the driving gear, and the rolling gear is fixed to the gear shaft and the sliding gear is formed in the horizontal and vertical directions at the back of the refrigerator. A sliding groove in which at least a portion of the moving member is housed and slidably held therein, and a rack formed inside or adjacent to this sliding groove and meshing with the spur gear, and the sliding member is made of metal. It is rotatably mounted on a roller shaft, and consists of an upper roller fixed to the upper part of a flat gear at the back left and right of the frame, and a lower roller installed at the lower part of the flat gear, and the upper roller is attached to the sliding groove. Since the lower roller is arranged so as to be in contact with the surface on the front side of the sliding groove below the upper roller, when the dial is rotated, the drive gear is rotated. The rolling gear and the gear shaft that mesh with the gear shaft rotate, and the gear shaft can be moved up and down on the rack by the rotation of the spur gears at both ends of the gear shaft.

Therefore, the shelves and frames can be raised and lowered while being kept horizontal by the flat gears that simultaneously rotate up and down on the left and right racks, and the sliding members that move up and down in the sliding grooves can also slide smoothly without tilting diagonally. The operating force of the dial is small.

Furthermore, if the frame is at the top or bottom of the refrigerator, overload may occur on the dial shaft, resulting in shelf deformation and 7-
Damage to the drive gear can be prevented from being caused by the deformation of the 7-lunge of the drive gear and by the idling of the dial shaft.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view 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 main parts of this embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the main part, FIG. 5 is a diagram, and FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the main part of the right frame viewed from the side. 1...Shelf, 2...Frame, 3...Sliding member, 4...Gear shaft, 5...Spur gear, 6...Dial, 7...Dial shaft, 7C...Boss part, 7d...Protrusion, 8...
...Drive gear, 8b...Boss part, 8C.
...Flange, 9...Rolling gear, 10...
...Inside the refrigerator, 14...Rail, 14...
Sliding groove, 14b...Rack.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A shelf disposed inside the refrigerator, sliding members attached to the rear left and right sides of a substantially U-shaped frame that holds the shelf,
A gear shaft with a flat gear fixed to the left and right ends attached to the back of the frame, a dial rotatably supported on either the left or right front side of the frame, and one end connected to the dial and a protrusion at the other end. a dial shaft provided with a boss portion, a drive gear provided with a boss receiving portion having a threaded tooth profile at one end and a hollow flange that fits into the boss portion at the other end; A rolling gear formed with a tooth profile machined obliquely from the rotating shaft so as to mesh along the tooth profile and fixed to the gear shaft, and a sliding member formed at the rear left and right sides of the refrigerator to accommodate at least a part of the sliding member. A shelf device for a refrigerator comprising a sliding groove which is slidably held by the sliding groove, and a rack disposed in the vertical direction of a rail formed inside or adjacent to the sliding groove and meshing with the spur gear.