MXPA06003630A - Movable divider for a refrigerated drawer - Google Patents

Abstract

A rigid divider in a refrigerated drawer is pivotably mounted between the side walls of the drawer and is movable between a first vertical position and a second horizontal position. In the second position, the divider acts as a shelf to support food items.

Description

MOVABLE DIVIDER FOR A REFRIGERATED DRAWER DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to refrigerated drawers and more particularly to a movable divider in a refrigerated drawer. It is common to use drawers to store chilled food items. Refrigerated drawers can be found in residential and commercial applications and often appear as independent parts or built in refrigerated units. In a residential application, for example, a refrigerated drawer can be arranged in a cabinet under a dresser for convenient access. Drawers are also commonly used together with a larger refrigerated compartment. For example, drawers are often used within conventional refrigerators to store items separately such as meat, produce and fruits. Also, one or more freezer compartments in a refrigerator can in fact be a sliding drawer. The term "refrigerated drawer" thus includes any drawer adapted by its design or position to maintain food items at a temperature lower than that of the environment. Dividers are sometimes provided inside refrigerated drawers to separate food items inside the drawer. But until now there has been limited flexibility in arranging space within a refrigerated drawer compartment. There is a need for greater flexibility in the divider space within a refrigerated drawer. According to one embodiment of the invention, a divider is mounted on the side walls in a refrigerated drawer for movement between a first position where the divider is substantially parallel to the rear wall and a second position where the divider is substantially parallel to the bottom wall. Preferably, the divider is pivotally mounted on the side walls for a rotational movement about a pivot axis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator containing two refrigerated drawers of the type that may incorporate a divider according to one embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a refrigerated drawer of Figure 1 with a divider in the vertical position. Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the cooled drawer of Figure 2 with the divider in the horizontal position.

Figure 4 is a side view of the divider of Figures 2 and 3. An example of a refrigerator associated with the invention is shown in Figure 1. The refrigerator 10 comprises a cabinet 12 with two sliding drawers 14, 16. It will be understood that the cabinet 12 can be an independent unit or built into a unit under the cabinet. The controls 18 for cooling may be provided on or inside the cabinet 12 or, as shown, on one or more of the refrigerated drawers 14, 16. How the drawers are refrigerated is irrelevant in the invention. Looking now at Figures 2 and 3, the refrigerated drawer 14 comprises a divider 20 according to one embodiment of the invention. The refrigerated drawer 14 has a front wall 22 on which a handle 24 is provided to facilitate access to the drawer. The side walls 26, 28, the rear wall 30, and the lower wall 32 are combined with the front wall 22 to define a compartment 34. The divider 20 is mounted on the side walls 26, 28 for movement between a first position as it is shown in Figure 2 where the divider is substantially parallel to the rear wall 30, and a second position as shown in Figure 3 where the divider is substantially parallel to the bottom wall 32.

In this embodiment, the divider 20 is pivotally mounted to the side walls 26, 28 by any of a variety of manners known in the art, for rotary movement about a pivot axis 36. The divider 20 comprises a panel 38 mounted on a rod 40 that is mounted on and extending between the walls 26, 28 lateral. Preferably, the rod 40 can not be removed from the side walls 26, 28 without using a tool such as a screwdriver, for example. It may be that the panel 38 is pivotable around the rod 40, or the rod 40 may be rigidly secured to the panel 38 and pivoted in the holes 42, 44 in the respective side walls 26, 28. Either way, the rod 40 effectively defines the pivot axis 36 about which a free edge 46 of the panel 38 can move. The panel 38 is preferably formed of a rigid material of sufficient strength to support the food items. Such materials include, for example, metals, carbon fibers, composites or hard plastics. In addition, it is preferred that the panel 38 be sufficiently porous to allow the flow of air therethrough. Thus, for example, the panel 38 can be a metal screen or mesh arranged in a rigid frame, or it can be a flat perforated panel. Additionally, the panel 38 does not need it although preferably it extends from one side wall 26 to the other 28 as shown. At least one of the walls has a retainer for retaining the divider 20 at a predetermined position at or between the first and second positions. Here, the rear wall 30 has various projections 48 that extend into the compartment 34 that function to retain the divider 20 in the second position. When the divider 20 is in the second position as shown in Figure 3, the free edge 46 rests on the projections 48 so that the panel 38 effectively forms a shelf on which the food items can rest. To facilitate movement of the free edge 46 as the projections 48 pass, the holes 42, 44 in the side walls 26, 28 are preferably lengthened so that the rod 40 can slide away from the rear wall 30. It will be understood that other types of retainers are within the scope of the invention such as detents, bolts, combined fasteners, fabric connectors such as hook and eye fasteners, pressure fitting connections, and the like. Also, a retainer may be provided in the bottom wall 32 to facilitate retaining the divider 20 in the first position. Likewise, one or more retainers may be provided in a side wall 26, 28 to retain the divider 20 in an intermediate position to the first and second positions as well as within the first and second positions. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the location of the rod 40 on the side walls 26, 28 with respect to the bottom wall 32 and the rear wall 30 will depend on the width of the desired panel 38 between the rod 40 and the edge 46 free. Preferably, the holes 42, 44 will be spaced apart from the bottom wall 32 at a distance equal to the width of the panel 38. Likewise, the holes 42, 44 will be spaced apart from the rear wall 30 at a distance equal to or slightly greater than that of the width of panel 38. It can also be seen in Figures 2 and 3 that a second rod 49 can be disposed between the side walls 26, 28 and spaced above the rod. It will be apparent that when the divider 20 is in the second position (as a shelf), the second rod 49 will help prevent the higher articles from falling off the divider when the refrigerated drawer moves slidably. Looking now to Figure 4, a side view of an exemplary divider 20 shows a flange 50 adjacent to the rod 40 and generally extending generally from the panel 38. It will be apparent that when the divider 20 is in the second position ( as a shelf), the flange 50 will help prevent items from falling off the divider when the refrigerated drawer moves slidably. It can be seen that according to the invention, a refrigerated drawer can provide increased flexibility by arranging space within the compartment. Depending on the placement of the divider 20 can, in a user option, to serve a traditional division function of compartment 34 in smaller spaces. Also, the divider 20 in the second position can provide a shelf on which to place items for more convenient access. Although the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it should be understood that this is by way of illustration and not limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be interpreted as broadly as the prior art allows. Thus, for example, the divider 20 is not limited to the pivotable movement; it can move slidably between a first and a second position. Also, multiple panels 38 may be provided on a single rod 40 or on separate rods. Other embodiments of the invention can be easily confirmed by the "preferred" modalities described. For example, although it is preferred that the panel 38 be sufficiently porous to allow air flow therethrough, it may not be necessary in other embodiments.

LIST OF PARTS refrigerator 12 cabinet 14 drawer refrigerated 16 drawer refrigerated 18 controls 20 divider 22 front wall 24 handle 26 side wall 28 side wall 30 back wall 32 bottom wall 34 compartment 36 pivot shaft 38 panel 40 rod 42 hole 44 hole 46 free edge 48 projections 49 second rod 50 flange 52 54 56 58 60

Claims (10)

1. CLAIMS 1. A refrigerated drawer characterized in that it comprises: rear, lower and opposite sides, and a divider mounted on the side walls for movement between a first position where the divider is substantially parallel to the rear wall and a second position in where the divider is substantially parallel to the bottom wall. The refrigerated drawer according to claim 1, characterized in that the divider is pivotally mounted on the side walls for its rotational movement about a pivot axis. 3. The refrigerated drawer according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one of the side walls has a retainer for retaining the divider in a predetermined position or between the first and second positions. The refrigerated drawer according to claim 3, characterized in that the lower wall has a retainer for retaining an edge of the divider in the first position. The refrigerated drawer according to claim 3, characterized in that the rear wall has a retainer for retaining one edge of the divider in the second position. 6. The refrigerated drawer according to claim 5, characterized in that the divider is porous. 7. The refrigerated drawer according to claim 6, characterized in that the divider can not be removed from the drawer without the use of a tool. The refrigerated drawer according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the walls has a retainer for retaining the divider in a predetermined position or between the first and second positions. The refrigerated drawer according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower wall has a retainer for retaining an edge of the divider in the first position. The refrigerated drawer according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear wall has a retainer for retaining one edge of the divider in the second position.