MX2009000156A

MX2009000156A - Device for dispensing beverage cans.

Info

Publication number: MX2009000156A
Application number: MX2009000156A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Ademar Testoni; Adirlei Andre Kraemer; Guilherme Nehring
Original assignee: Whirlpool Sa
Priority date: 2006-09-06
Filing date: 2007-09-05
Publication date: 2009-01-23
Also published as: EP2064683A1; AR062627A1; CN101484926A; WO2008028266A1; AU2007294419B2; BRPI0604040A; AU2007294419A1; CN101484926B; US20100018989A1

Abstract

The present device for dispensing beverage cans is mounted in a refrigerator (10) whose front door (11) is provided with a dispensing opening (12) and comprises: a chute (20) disposed in the interior of the refrigerator (10) to lodge a plurality of beverage cans (30); a dispensing porthole (40) externally carrying a cradle (50) and being inferiorly and horizontally articulated to the front door (11), to be displaced between a closed position, blocking the dispensing opening (12), and an open position, projecting inclinedly to the interior of the refrigerator (10); and an extracting lever (60) medianly and horizontally articulated internally to the refrigerator to be displaced, by the porthole (40), from a non-operative position to an operative position, in which it releases the first beverage can (30) of the chute (20), gravitationally rolling said can over the dispensing porthole (40) towards the cradle (50).

Description

DEVICE TO DISTRIBUTE BEVERAGE CANS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for distributing beverage cans for application, for example, in an auto refrigerator or in a refrigerator-freezer combination, for distributing refrigerated beverage cans through the front door of the refrigerator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various devices are known in the prior art for individually dispensing cans of carbonated or non-carbonated beverages through the front door of a self-contained refrigerator, or of a refrigerator-freezer combination, which have the objective of minimizing the opening operations. of the refrigerator door by the user, to obtain refrigerated beverage cans. It is well known that the less the door opens, the greater the energy efficiency of its operation will be under the same load and environmental conditions. A beverage can dispenser device of the type mentioned above is described in US patent application 2005 / 015900A1 and comprises a can storage duct, which is mounted inside the refrigerator and which is constructed to store a plurality of cans. of beverage cans, which are arranged side by side, so that they can be released, usually by gravity, one by one, through a discharge end of the storage conduit. Said device also comprises a rotating drum having a portion for receiving a beverage can released from the storage conduit, and a closing portion which can block the discharge end of the storage conduit when the drum rotates to a position for release, to the user, the can previously loaded in the receiving portion of the drum. When operating properly, the previous solution cited above requires a relatively complex assembly to ensure a controlled and even rotation of the drum, and also an adequate seal between its side surface and the adjacent walls of the refrigerator door, to prevent the cold air escape from the inside of the refrigerator towards the external environment. Another distribution device is described in the patent of US 4,485,937 and comprises, in addition to the storage conduit, an extraction lever, moderately articulated in a lower region of an opening provided in the refrigerator door and carrying, at an outer end, a can receiving support and, at one end inside the refrigerator, an extraction element. With the angular movement of the extraction lever by the user, the extraction element raises the first can of the storage conduit, releasing it from a fixed stop provided at the discharge end of the conduit, allowing said can roll over the lever, through the opening of the refrigerator door, towards the can reception support, and that is received by the user. The extraction element is constructed in such a way as to retain the second can of the storage conduit in the original position, while the first can moves on the fixed stop, ceasing to operate only when the lever returns to the resting position, allowing that the second can of the storage conduit rolls over the extraction element, occupying the first position. This second known solution presents a simple construction, less complex and expensive than those previously described. However, this second construction makes it difficult to provide an efficient thermal insulation means in the opening region of the refrigerator door, through which the oscillating removal lever is mounted. The difficulty in obtaining adequate thermal insulation in this region of the refrigerator door compromises the thermal efficiency of said refrigerator or considerably increases the cost of the assembly arrangement as a whole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As a function of the inconveniences mentioned above and in relation to the known solutions, an object of the present invention is to provide a device for dispensing beverage cans, which can be applied to a refrigerator, to distribute beverage cans through a distribution opening in the front door of the refrigerator, said device presents a simple and resistant construction, which guarantees an adequate degree of thermal insulation in the region of the opening distribution provided on the front door. According to the invention, the present device for dispensing beverage cans comprises: a conduit arranged inside the refrigerator and which is configured to receive and house a plurality of beverage cans arranged side by side, to be sequentially discharged through the outlet opening of the duct; a dispensing orifice that externally carries a support and that is articulated inferiorly and horizontally in the front door, internally to the refrigerator, so that it can be moved manually and angularly between a closed position, in which it blocks the distribution opening, locating the support externally to said distribution opening and which is manually accessible to the user, and an open position, in which it projects in an inclined manner upwards and inwards of the refrigerator, in order to block the distribution opening with the support; and an extraction lever, which is half and horizontally articulated internally to the refrigerator, so that it can be shifted angularly, with the movement of the dispensing orifice to the open position, from a non-operative position to an operative position, in the which displaces the first can of drink from the duct, releasing it through the outlet opening of said duct, and driving in a gravitational form said can towards the support, rolling said can over the distribution orifice. The extraction lever is normally forced constantly into the inoperative position. The construction defined above is carried out by means of components having a relatively simple and strong construction, allowing improved thermal insulation of the region of the front door of the refrigerator, where the dispensing opening is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are provided by way of example of one embodiment of the invention and in which: Figure 1 represents a front perspective section view of a refrigerator provided with the distribution device which is the objective of the present invention; Figure 1 a represents a front perspective view of a refrigerator which is provided with the present dispensing device and which has its front door open to illustrate the positioning of the duct; Figure 2 represents a partial and simplified vertical sectional view of a refrigerator provided with the present dispensing device in a non-operative position; Figure 3 shows an enlarged detail of a part of Figure 2, illustrating the dispensing orifice being moved to an open position and moving the extraction lever to an operative position; Figure 4 shows a view similar to that of Figure 3, but illustrating the dispensing orifice in the open position and the extraction lever in the operative position, releasing the first beverage can from the conduit; Figure 5 represents a view similar to that of Figure 4, but illustrating the first beverage can released from the duct and rolling gravitationally towards the outer dispensing orifice support; Figure 6 represents a view similar to that of Figures 3 to 5, but illustrating the dispensing orifice returned to the closed position, with its outer support carrying a beverage can released from the duct, and with the extraction lever returned to the non-operational position; Figure 7 represents a front perspective view of the dispensing orifice; Figure 8 represents an exploded perspective view of the components of the dispensing orifice that is illustrated in Figure 7; Figure 8a represents a partial rear perspective view of the dispensing orifice, illustrating its articulation to the front door of the refrigerator; Figure 9 represents an exploded perspective view of the extraction lever and of the element to which it is articulated; Y Figure 10 represents a front top perspective view, partially sectioned, of the storage duct for beverage cans.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As illustrated and mentioned previously, the present dispensing device D is applied to a self-contained refrigerator 10, or a refrigerator-freezer combination, and whose front door 1 1 is provided with a dispensing opening 12 on which it is mounted a respective part of the present distribution device D, as illustrated in simplified form in figure 1 of the accompanying drawings. As illustrated in Figures 1a and 2, the dispensing device D comprises a conduit 20 for supplying it inside the refrigerator 10 and which is configured to receive and house a plurality of beverage cans 30 that are arranged side by side, for sequentially discharged by the user operating the dispensing lever D. In the illustrated construction, the conduit 20 is mounted inside the refrigerator 10 and comprises at least one support rail 21 arranged in a direction transverse to the plane of the front door 1 1 and having a front end 21 a, in which an outlet opening 22 of the duct 20 is defined, each support grille 21 houses a plurality of beverage cans 30. The duct 20 can be constructed of different and different materials, being fixed in a horizontal interior wall 13 of the refrigerator 10, or against a lateral interior wall of the latter, as long as the exit opening 22 is turned towards the distribution opening 12 provided in the front door 1 1 of the refrigerator 10. As illustrated in figures 2 and 10, the duct 20 can be constructed with an injected plastic material, formed in two halves which are then connected and fixed one to the other to define two support rails 21 disposed one above the other and which are interconnected by one of the ends, in a serpentine-shaped stack, the upper support rail 21 has an inlet end 21b which is open and configured to allow the feeding of the cans of drink 30 directly on said upper support rail 21. The front end 21 a of the lowermost support rail 21 of the duct 20, in which an outlet opening 22 is defined, is provided with a lower stop 23 against which it sits laterally and the first beverage can 30 is retained which is housed in the conduit 20. As best illustrated in Figure 10, the front end 21a of the lower support rail 21 of the conduit 20 has a median slot 24 that also extends along the lower stop 23, dividing it in two. lateral portions separated from each other, said median slot 24 extends to the interior of the support rail 21 at a distance that is sufficient to allow the first beverage can 30, which is housed in the conduit 20, to settle on the rail support 21 on opposite sides of said median slot 24, as illustrated in Figure 2. Next, the function of the median slot 24 will be described. For the beverage cans 30 to automatically move inside the duct 20 and towards the outlet opening 22 of the latter, as the cans are removed sequentially and progressively from inside the refrigerator 10, the support rails 21 of the duct 20 are tilted slightly so that the beverage cans 30 are forced by gravity towards the lower stop 23 arranged near the outlet opening 22 of the duct 20. Therefore, whenever there is a charge of at least one beverage can 30 inside the conduit 20, there will be a beverage can 30 seated laterally against the lower stop 23, transverse to the median slot 24 As illustrated in Figure 2, the duct 20 is preferably mounted inside the refrigerator 10, suspended below a horizontal interior wall 13 of the refrigerator 10, said wall can be defined by the upper wall of the respective refrigerator cabinet. Said wall, which is also defined by one of the inner shelves or another of the internal dividing elements of the refrigerator, is normally provided with suspension means 14 which can have the shape of pins 14a which are suspended from said horizontal interior wall 13 of the Refrigerator 10. The conduit 20 has an upper wall portion 25 in which coupling means 26 are provided to be coupled to the respective suspension means 14 which in turn are provided below the interior horizontal wall 13 of the refrigerator 10. In the illustrated construction example, the coupling means 26 are in the form of oblong holes 26a that are made in said upper wall 25 of the conduit 20, being dimensioned in such a way that they can be detachably adjusted in the respective suspension means 14. The dispensing device D also comprises a dispensing orifice 40 which carries, externally and normally in a single piece, a support 50 having a cylindrical concave shape and which is sized to receive and accommodate a beverage can 30 released from the conduit 20. the dispensing orifice 40 is articulated lower and horizontally with the front door 1 1, inside the refrigerator 10, so that it can be moved manually and angularly between a closed position, in which blocks the distribution opening 12, locating the support 50 externally to the latter and which is manual accessible to the user, and an open position in which it is projected upwardly and inwardly of the refrigerator 10, so as to be able to cause the dispensing opening 12 to be blocked by the holder 50. The dispensing orifice 40 may present different constructions and different contours. However, it should be understood that the dispensing orifice 40 should have a contour that is compatible with that of the dispensing opening 12 and also in accordance with the need to release the beverage cans 30 outwardly from the refrigerator 10, through of the front door 1 1 of the latter. Another aspect that should be observed in the construction of the dispensing orifice 40 refers to its ability to ensure adequate thermal insulation between the interior and the exterior of the refrigerator 10. In the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the dispensing orifice 40 comprises, generally in an injected plastic material, an outer housing 41 in the form of a truncated-pyramidal tray with a rectangular contour and whose smaller closed base externally incorporates a front projection that is configured to define the support 50 in a superior form and bottom defines a hanging flange 51, which in turn defines an element for the user to hold it manually when it wishes to move the dispensing orifice 40 to extract a beverage can 30 from the interior of the conduit 20. The dispensing orifice 40 also comprises an inner housing 42 which is constructed to close the outer housing at the rear 41 and defines a cam surface 43 whose function will be described below. A thermal insulating filler 44 is disposed internally between the two housings 41, 42 and a washer 45, preferably constructed with an elastomeric material, is mounted around the outer housing 41, to be seated against the trunk-pyramidal type seat 16 provided in the front door 1 1 of the refrigerator 10, around the dispensing opening 12, when the dispensing orifice 40 moves to the closed condition. In the illustrated construction, the outer housing 41 incorporates at the bottom 2 pairs of ears 46 that hang downwards and that are provided with respective holes 46a that are axially aligned with each other. Each pair of lugs 46 articulates a pin 47 around which a return spring 48 is mounted, having one end cooperating with the front door 1 1 and the other end cooperating with the dispensing orifice 40, between the respective pair of ears 46, to constantly force the dispensing orifice 40 into the closed position, ensuring closure of the dispensing opening 12 when the user manually stops operating the hanging flange 51 of the dispensing orifice 40. Each pin 47 projects outwardly from the dispensing orifice 40. respective pair of ears 46, to be articulated in a hole 1 1 that is designed in the front door 1 1 of the refrigerator 10, close to a respective side of the dispensing opening 12, to define a lower horizontal articulation of the dispensing orifice 40 in the front door 1 1 of the refrigerator 10, as illustrated in Figures 8 and 8a. The present dispensing device D also comprises an extraction lever 60 that is articulated medially and horizontally to the front door 1 1, internally to the refrigerator 10, to be angularly displaced, with the displacement of the dispensing orifice 40 to an open position , from a non-operative position to an operative position, in which it displaces the first beverage can 30 of the conduit 20, releasing said can through the exit opening 22 of the conduit 20, and gravitationally driving the can toward the holder 50, rolling the can over the dispensing orifice 40. In the illustrated construction, the front door 1 1 of the refrigerator 10 carries, on its inner part, a protective cover 70 which Circumferential surrounds and subsequently the distribution opening 12 and the dispensing orifice 40, said protective cover 70 is provided with a rear window 71, in whose lower region the removal lever 60 is moderately articulated. In the illustrated construction, the lever Extraction 60, which is preferably formed with a one-piece molded plastic material, comprises: an extraction portion 61 which is defined on one side of a median articulation region and which is disposed below the front end 21 a of the support rail 21 of the conduit 20, and is dimensioned to oscillate angularly in a vertical plane from a non-operative position below said conduit 20, to an operative position displaced upwardly through the median slot 24 of conduit 20, raising the first can of drink 30 from its seated position against the lower stop 23, in order to release said beverage can 30 d the stop, so that said can can roll towards the dispensing opening 12 of the front door 1 1 of the refrigerator 10. The extraction lever 60 also comprises a conductive portion 62 defining an extension of the extraction portion 61, and also a cam tracking portion 66 projecting transversely, towards the extraction lever 60 in its median articulation region, said cam tracking portion 63 is dimensioned and configured to be angularly displaced by the cam surface 44 of the dispensing orifice 40. when the latter is driven to the open position, to move, upward, to the extraction portion 61 and with it the first beverage can 30 of the conduit 20, and, in descending manner, the conductive portion 62 of the extraction lever 60, causing said first beverage can 30 to roll gravitationally downward on the extraction lever 60 and over the dispensing orifice 40, until it is seated in the holder 50, as illustrated in figures 2 to 6. Figure 9 illustrates a perspective view of the protective cover 70 and its rear window 71 in which the extraction lever 60 is hinged. The inclusion of the protective cover 70 creates a region that remains isolated from the interior of the refrigerator, while the lever extraction 60 remains in its inoperative position, communication between the interior environment of the refrigerator 10 and the outside environment, through the distribution opening 12, is allowed When the extraction lever 60 is in its operative position with the dispensing orifice 40 in its open position, for a short time in which the first beverage can 30 of the duct 20 rolls from the opening outlet 22 of the latter towards the support 50, even so, the protective cover 70 creates an intermediate chamber, avoiding the great loss of thermal energy at the moments in which the distribution office 40 and the extraction lever 60 are cooperating with each other to allow a beverage can 30 to be released.

The extraction lever 60 is preferably constructed in such a way as to incorporate, on both sides of its median articulation portion, two arrow portions 65 to be articulated in a pair of side supports 73 incorporated in the lower region of the rear window 71. of the protective cover 70. On the two arrow portions 65 are mounted two small spiral springs 74 having an end which cooperates with the extraction lever 60 and the opposite end cooperates with the protective cover 70 so as to constantly force the the extraction lever 60 to its non-operative position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6. Although only one preferred embodiment of the present invention was described and illustrated herein, it should be understood that alterations can be made in the form and arrangement of the elements, without departing from the constructive concept defined in the claims that accompany the present specification .

Claims

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS 1 .- A device for distributing beverage cans through a dispensing opening (12) provided in the front door (11) of a refrigerator (10), comprising: a conduit (20) disposed inside the refrigerator (0) and which is configured to receive and house a plurality of beverage cans (30) arranged side by side, to be sequentially discharged through an outlet opening (22) of the conduit (20); a distribution orifice (40) externally carrying a support (50) and which is hinged lower and horizontally in the front door (11), internally to the refrigerator (10), to move manually and angularly between a closed position, wherein it locks the distribution opening (12), positioning the support (50) internally to said distribution opening and which is manually accessible for the user, and an open position, in which it projects in an inclined upward direction and towards inside the refrigerator (10), to block the distribution opening (12) with the support (50); and an extraction lever (60) that is hinged medially and horizontally internally to the refrigerator (10), to be shifted angularly with the displacement of the dispensing orifice (40) to an open position, from a non-operative position to a position operative, in which displaces the first beverage can (30) of the duct (20), releasing it through an outlet opening (22) of said conduit and driving it gravitationally to the support (50), by rolling said beverage can over the dispensing orifice (40). 2. - The distribution device according to claim 1, further characterized in that the conduit (20) is mounted inside the refrigerator (10) and comprises at least one support rail (21) arranged in accordance with an address transverse to the plane of the front door (1) and having a front end (21 a) in which an exit opening (22) of the conduit (20) is defined, said support rail (21) houses a plurality of cans of drink (30). 3. - The distribution device according to claim 2, further characterized in that the conduit (20) comprises at least two support rails (21) arranged one above the other and which are interconnected by one of the ends, in a Serpentine-shaped battery, the upper support rail (21) has an open inlet end (21), to feed the beverage cans (30). 4. - The distribution device according to any of claims 2 or 3, further characterized in that the front end (21 a) of the support rail (21), where the outlet opening (22) of the duct is defined ( 20), is provided with a lower stop (23) against which it sits laterally and the first beverage can (30) that is housed in the duct (20) is retained. 5. - The dispensing device according to claim 4, further characterized in that the beverage cans (30) are gravitationally forced towards the lower stop (23), near the outlet opening (22) of the duct (20), by the inclination of the respective support rail (21). 6. - The dispensing device according to claim 2, further characterized in that the conduit (20) is provided in upper form with coupling means (26) for coupling with the respective suspension means (14) provided below a horizontal interior wall (13) of the refrigerator (10). 7. - The dispensing device according to claim 6, further characterized in that the coupling means (26) have the form of oblong holes (26a) that are made in an upper wall portion (25) of the conduit (20) and are sized to fit in a removable manner in suspension means (14) in the form of pins (14a) hanging from a horizontal interior wall (13) of the refrigerator. 8. - The distribution device according to claim 1, further characterized in that the dispensing orifice (40) is constantly forced into a closed position by a return spring (48) which is operatively associated with the front door (1 1). ) and with the distribution hole (40). 9. - The dispensing device according to claim 8, further characterized in that the dispensing orifice (40) comprises: an outer housing (41) in the form of a truncated-pyramidal tray of rectangular outline, whose smaller closed base it incorporates, externally, a front projection that is configured to define in a superior way the support (50) of concave cylindrical shape and, in inferior form, a hanging flange (51) to be manually held by the user; an inner housing (42) that closes the outer housing (41) and defines a cam surface (43); a thermal insulation filler (44) disposed between the two housings (41, 42); and a washer (45) mounted around the outer housing (41), to seat against a truncated-pyramidal type seat (16) provided in the front door (11), around the dispensing opening (12), when the Distribution orifice (40) is moved to a closed position. 10. The dispensing device according to claim 9, further characterized in that the outer housing (41) incorporates in lower form two pairs of ears (46) provided with respective axially aligned holes (46a), each pair of ears (46). ) articulates a pin (47) around which a return spring (48) is mounted having one end which cooperates with the front door (11) and the other end cooperates with the dispensing orifice (10), each pin ( 47) projects outwardly from the respective pair of lugs (46) to be articulated in a hole (1 1 a) made in the front door (11), near one of the sides of the distribution opening (12), to define a lower horizontal articulation of the dispensing orifice (40) in the front door (1) of the refrigerator (10). eleven . - The dispensing device according to claim 1, further characterized in that the front door (1 1) carries on its inner side, a protective cover (70) surrounding circumferential and then the distribution opening (12) and the orifice distribution (40), and which is provided with a rear window (71) in whose lower region the extraction lever (60) is moderately articulated. 12. - The dispensing device according to claim 1 1, further characterized in that the extraction lever (60) comprises: an extraction portion (61); a conductive portion (62) defining an extension of the extraction portion (61); and a cam tracking portion (63) projecting transversely forwardly of the extraction lever (60), in its median articulation region, said cam tracking portion (63) is displaced by the distribution orifice (40), when the latter is conveyed to the open position, in order to displace, in ascending form, the extraction portion (61) and with it the first beverage can (30) of the conduit (20) and, in descending form, the conductive portion (62) of the extraction lever (60), causes said first beverage can (30) to gravitationally roll on the extraction lever (60) and on the dispensing orifice (40), until that sits on the support (50). 13. - The dispensing device according to claim 12, further characterized in that the conduit (20) comprises at least one support rail (22) that houses a plurality of beverage cans (30) and that has a front end (21). a) in which an outlet opening (22) of the duct (20) is defined, and is provided with a lower stop (23) against which it sits laterally and the first beverage can (30) housed thereon is retained. duct (20), the upward displacement of the extraction portion (60) upwardly displaces said first beverage can (30), releasing the can from the lower stop (23) and allowing it to roll gravitationally on the extraction lever (60) and on the distribution hole (40), until it reaches the support (50). 14. - The dispensing device according to claim 12, further characterized in that the extraction lever (60) incorporates, on both sides of its median articulation portion, two arrow portions (65) to articulate them on a pair of supports laterals (73) incorporated in the lower region of the rear window (71) of the protective cover (70), each arrow portion (65) carries a spiral spring (74) cooperating with the protective cover (70) and the extraction lever (60), to constantly force the latter to a non-operational position.