WO2003060403A1

WO2003060403A1 - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: WO2003060403A1
Application number: PCT/TR2002/000076
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gökhan YAVUZ; Ridvan Kadir ÇELIK; Emre ÖZYÜKSEL; Emine Erden
Original assignee: Arçelik A.S.
Priority date: 2001-12-26
Filing date: 2002-12-26
Publication date: 2003-07-24
Also published as: DE60238277D1; EP1466130B1; TR200401376T1; EP1466130A1; AU2002366992A1; ATE487913T1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator comprising a vegetable storage compartment (6) which provides easy access to the vegetable and fruits it contains and which easily opens/closes with a rotational movement; -containing preferably -moveable and functional storage containers. Said rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) is moved by means of one or more pins (8) and/or recesses (10) located on the support surface (15) and/or on the vegetable storage compartment base (18).

Description

REFRIGERATOR

The present invention relates to a refrigerator with a rotating vegetable storage compartment that can be opened or closed by a rotating or sliding movement.

The refrigerators are provided with a compartment wherein vegetables and f uits are stored. The vegetable storage compartment, located in general, at the lower portions of the refrigerators must be easily opened/closed so that the user may have an easy access to the fruits and vegetables therein.

In the state of art, drawer-type, empty vegetable storage units of large volumes, that move in a horizontal direction in the recesses formed preferably in the refrigerator cabinet at the lower portion of the refrigerators with cover above them are used. The user has to pull the vegetable storage container towards her in order to dispose the vegetables or fruits in it or to take them out of it and then she has to push it back to its place. This procedure is made possible by means of the projections at the lateral sides of said storage unit, which are slidably received in the channels provided in the inner surface of the refrigerator cabinet. Due to the limited movement in the channels, said vegetable storage unit cannot be pulled out entirely. For this reason, the vegetables and/or fruits, which are left at the rear of the storage unit, cannot be easily accessed and damage may be caused on the fruits and/or vegetables while being arranged or handled. When the vegetable container is pulled out for opening completely, it falls forwards.

In the Turkish Patent Application No. 2000/03423, a rotating vegetable storage compartment on which a plurality of rotating and/or sliding storage containers may be attached, and which can be opened or closed by a rotating movement about one of its corners is described.

The object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator comprising a rotatable vegetable compartment, which provides easy accessibility to the vegetables and fruits contained in it, which can easily be opened/closed by rotating and which can be fixated at a desired position.

The refrigerator realized in order to attain the objective of the present invention has been illustrated in the attached drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 a, is the perspective view of the rotatable vegetable compartment pulled forward, that comprises more than one pin and/or recess, in the refrigerator cabinet.

Figure lb, is the perspective view of a rotatable vegetable compartment comprising more than one pin and/or recess, placed in its recess in the refrigerator cabinet.

Figure lc, is the perspective view of a rotatable vegetable compartment comprising more than one pin and/or recess, rotated in its recess in the refrigerator cabinet.

Figure 2a, is the three-dimensional view of the rotatable vegetable compartment, which comprises more than one pin.

Figure 2b, is the three-dimensional view of the rotatable vegetable compartment, which comprises more than one recess.

Figure 3a, is the three-dimensional view of a refrigerator comprising more than one recess.

Figure 3b, is the three-dimensional view of a refrigerator comprising more than one pin.

Figure 4, is the perspective view of the pin and recess with support extension. Figure 5a, is the schematic view of a rotatable vegetable compartment comprising more than one pin and/or recess.

Figure 5b, is the schematic view of a rotatable vegetable compartment slided forwards, which comprises more than one pin and/or recess.

Figure 5c, is the schematic view of a rotatable vegetable compartment comprising more than one pin and/or recess, rotated towards its right hand side.

Figure 5d, is the schematic view of a rotatable vegetable compartment comprising more than one pin and/or recess, rotated towards its left hand side.

Figure 6a, is the perspective view of a rotatable vegetable compartment pulled forwards, which comprises a pin and/or a recess, in the refrigerator cabinet.

Figure 6b, is the perspective view of a rotatable vegetable compartment comprising a pin and/or a recess, in the refrigerator cabinet, which is rotated towards its left hand side.

Figure 7, is the three-dimensional view of a rotatable vegetable compartment, comprising a recess.

Figure 8, is the three-dimensional view of a rotatable vegetable compartment, cut along its middle line and showing the insertion of the pin into the recess.

Figure 9, is the perspective view of a refrigerator comprising a pin.

Figure 10, is the perspective view showing the placing of a pin between the inner and outer bodies. Figure 11a, is the schematic plan view of a rotatable vegetable compartment, slided forward, comprising a pin and/or a recess.

Figure l ib, is the schematic plan view of a rotatable vegetable compartment, rotated towards its right hand side.

Figure l ie, is the schematic plan view of a rotatable vegetable compartment, rotated towards its left hand side.

The components shown in the drawings are given separate reference numerals, as shown below:

1. Refrigerator

2. Cabinet 3. Door

4. Outer body

5. Inner body

6. Rotatable vegetable storage compartment

7. Trim hole 8. Pin

9. Support extension

10. Recess

11. Fixation plate

12. Mounting point 13. Translating extension

14. Rotational extension

15. Support surface

16. Rear surface

17. Lateral wall 18. Vegetable storage compartment base

19. Vegetable storage compartment side wall 20. Discharge opening.

The refrigerators (1) are provided with a cabinet (2) and a door (3) on the cabinet (2). The cabinet (2) consists of an inner body (5) and an outer body (4), with the insulation material sandwiched in-between. A support surface (15) and a rear surface (16) and two lateral walls (17) connected to said support surface, are provided on the inner body (5). Said support surface (15) comprises one or more pins (8) and/or one or more recesses (10). The rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) is located between the support surface (15), rear surface (16) and two lateral walls (17). In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the support surface (15) is located at the lower section of the inner body (5).

The rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) comprises a vegetable storage compartment base (18) and a plurality of linear and/or curved vegetable storage compartment side walls (19) connected to each other, along the edges of the vegetable storage compartment base (18). One or more pins (8) and/or one or more recesses (10) and/or one or more discharge openings (20) are provided on the vegetable storage compartment base (18), for providing the movement of the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6).

The recess (10) comprises a mounting point (12), a translating extension (13) and a rotational extension (14). Said pin (8) provides the movement of the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) by moving in the said recess (10).

The discharge opening (20) is used to drain the undesired liquids collected in the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6). Said opening (20) may be blocked by a plug when desired. The discharge opening (20) also serves for restricting and supporting the movements of the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6). In this manner, it supports the vegetable storage compartment base (18) by preventing the application of more loads on the pin (8) and/or recess (10) and thus avoids any fractures and/or collapses. Furthermore, it also prevents the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) from escaping from the desired travel path (direction) while begin rotated, in order to avoid any damages to occur to the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) or to the inner body, and to prevent the pin (8) and/or recess (10) from being effected by unwanted loads, at unwanted directions.

Said pin (8) and/or recess (10) are fixed onto the inner body (5) while being mounted to the refrigerator (1). The pin (8) and/or recess (10) can be secured on the inner body (5) by means of fastening elements such as screws, or they may be fastened to the hole provided on the inner body (5), during mounting.

In another embodiment of the invention, the inner body (6) comprises a trim hole (7), whereas the pin (8) and/or recess (10) comprise a fixation plate (11). Before realizing the assembly of the inner body (5) and the outer body (4), the pin (8) and/or recess (10) are placed in the trim hole (7) and fastened, so that the fixation plate (11) is located between them. When the isolating material is injected between the inner body (5) and the outer body (4), the pin (8) and/or recess (10) placed in the trim hole (7) are fixed.

In another embodiment of the invention, the pin (8) is cylindrical and one or more support extensions (9) are provided on the pin (8) and the recess (10), in order to prevent the escape of said pin (8) from the recess (10) inadvertently.

In another embodiment of the invention, two pins (8) are provided on the vegetable storage compartment base (18) (Fig. 2a) and two recesses (10) with the shape of a reverse 'T' wherein the pins (8) move, are preferably located on the regions of the bottom surface that are proximal to the side walls and door (3) (Fig. 3 a). When a rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) outside the refrigerator isintended to be placed in the refrigerator (1), it is brought over the mounting point (12) and is left freely on the support surface (15). In order to place the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) pulled forward, into its place in the refrigerator (1), the pins (8) move together backwards from the mounting point (12) and are stopped at the mode before reaching the rotational extension (14). In order to pull said rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) forwards, the pin (8) moves in the recess (10) and reaches the translating extension (13) (Fig. 4b). In order to rotate the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6), while one of the pins (8) move inside the rotational extension (14), the other pin (8) reaches the translating extension (13) (Fig. 4c, 4d). In order to take the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) out of the refrigerator (1), the pins (8) are brought to the mounting point (12) and lifted upwards to set them free from the recess (10), then it is taken out of the refrigerator easily. In cases when said pins (8) are on the support surface (15) and the recesses (10), on the vegetable storage compartment base (18), the same procedure is followed (Fig. 2b, 3b).

In another embodiment of the invention, preferably one pin (8) is provided at the middle of the support surface (15) and a recess (10) in which the pin (8) moves is provided on the vegetable storage compartment base (18). The recess (10), being located near the rear vegetable storage compartment side wall (19) and parallel to the lateral walls (17), enables the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) to be palled forward and pushed bade (Fig.9a). By virtue of the cylindrical structure of the pin (8), the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) can be rotated about said pin (8) by taking the pin (8) as the center and the recess (10) as the bearing (Fig. 9b, 9c). During rotation, the planar rear side walls (19) prevent the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) from hitting to the side walls (17), and enable it to establish a face-to-face contact with the rear surface. In order to take the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) out of the refrigerator (1), the recess (10) is drawn forwards after being released from the pin (8). In order to put it back in its place, the recess (10) is brought over the pin (8) and left freely on the support surface (15). This procedure is repeated in cases when the pin (8) is on the vegetable storage compartment base (18) and the recess (10) is on the support surface (15). The rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) according to the present invention can easily be taken out of the cabinet (2) by the user, when required, due to its simple and easy mounting characteristics; and it can be placed into the cabinet again easily, after it is used outside the refrigerator (1). Even in cases when the door (3) is not opened widely, the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) can be- rotated without removing it from its place and the vegetables and fruits it contains can be accessed easily.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising an inner body (5), a support surface (15) preferably at the lower portion of said inner body (5), two lateral walls (17) connected to said support surface (15), and a rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) placed between said support surface (15) and said two lateral walls (17), which can be rotated and moved forwards and backwards; characterized with one or more pins (8) and one or more recesses (10) that are located on the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) and/or support surface (15) and which the rotation and the forwards and backwards movement of the said rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) by moving in one another.

2. A refrigerator as defined in Claim 1, characterized with one pin (8) provided at the middle of the support surface (15) and a recess (10) in which the pin (8) moves provided on the vegetable storage compartment base (18), parallel to the lateral walls (17).

A refrigerator as defined in Claim 1, characterized with one pin (8) at the center of the vegetable storage compartment base (18) and a recess (10) in which the pin (8) moves, placed in parallel to the lateral walls (17), on the support surface (15).

4. A refrigerator (1) a s defined in Claim 1, characterized with two pins (8) on the vegetable storage compartment base (18) and two recesses (10) in the shape of a reverse "J" preferably the short arms of which face each other, in which the pins (8) move, placed in parallel to the lateral walls (17), symmetrical to the axis passing through the center of the lateral walls

(17), on the support surface (15).

5. A refrigerator (1) as defined in Claim 1, characterized with two pins (8) on the support surface (15) and two recesses (10) in the shape of a reverse "J" preferably the short arms of which face each other, in which the pins (8) move, placed in parallel to the lateral walls (17), symmetrical to the axis passing through the center of the lateral walls (17), on the vegetable storage compartment base (18).

6. A refrigerator (1) as defined in Claim 1, 4 and 5, characterized with a recess (10) comprising a mounting point (12) to place the pin (8) and to provide the movements, a translating extension (13) enabling the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) to be taken out of its place, and a rotational extension (14) providing the rotation of the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6).

7. A refrigerator (1) as defined in Claims 1 to 6, characterized with a rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) comprising one or more discharge openings (20) that restrict and guide the movements in order to avoid any damages to occur to the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6) or the inner body (5), and supports the pin (8) and/or recess (10) to prevent any possible fractures and/or collapses on the pin (8), recess (10) or on the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6), which provide the evacuation of the undesired liquid collected in the rotatable vegetable storage compartment (6).

8. A refrigerator (1) as defined in Claims 1 to 7, characterized wit an inner body comprising a trim hole (7) for the mounting of the pin (8) and/or recess (10).

9. A refrigerator (1) as defined in Claims 1 to 8, characterized with a pin (8) and/or recess (10) comprising a fixation plate (11) for mounting to the trim hole (7).

10. A refrigerator (1) as defined in Claims 1 to 9, characterized with a pin (8) and/or recess (10) comprising one or more support extensions (9).