WO2006021826A1

WO2006021826A1 - Articulated container or holder for refrigerating rooms

Info

Publication number: WO2006021826A1
Application number: PCT/IB2004/001832
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ermes Degli Esposti
Original assignee: Indesit Company S.P.A.
Priority date: 2003-06-06
Filing date: 2004-06-04
Publication date: 2006-03-02
Also published as: EP1656528A1; ITTO20030429A1

Abstract

Articulated container and/or bottle holder for refrigerating compartments, comprising at least a mobile board (3) with respect to a base (2; 2’), where at least in one operating configuration said board (3) is resting stably through first fastening means (4, 5; 10). According to the invention, the board (3) comprises a plurality of articulated elements (3A, 3P) fitted with both second means (6) for their mutual articulation and third means (7, 8) for a steady housing of said containers and/or bottles in a space above said base (2; 2’), for their optimal, efficient, functional and versatile location inside the refrigerating compartments.

Description

ARTICULATED CONTAINER OR HOLDER FOR REFRIGERATING ROOMS

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an articulated container holder for optimal utilization of the space inside the refrigerating compartments, more precisely for the space available between one shelf and the other of household refrigerators. The articulated holder according to the present invention is particularly suitable for housing bottles of various forms and size. Nowadays, users are faced with the need of placing an ever increasing number of bottles, salt integrators and in general containers between the standard shelves of a refrigerating compartment. The life style developed by a more and more dynamic and flexible daily activities is actually requiring a higher specialization, which is going to be fulfilled by the beverages and nourishing products; as a result, there is an increasing need of a greater quantity of integrators, either liquid or not for the daily diet. These integrators are often featured by their packaging in bottles and containers of various size and shapes. Quite often these integrators have to be stored in the refrigerating compartments for their cold preservation, and should ensure an easy immediate retrieval by the user when opening the door of the refrigerating compartment. It is clear that the requirement of an ever increasing number of bottles and in general containers of various shapes for instant use, causes a clear problem of housing them safely in a practical and functional way inside the present refrigerators; normally, the recesses designed for that purpose and usually provided in the inner door of the refrigerator cabinet can only contain a small number of them, often of a determined precise size. It should be underlined, in fact, that the size and dimensions of such bottles and in general containers may considerably differ from product to product, due to their featuring capacity for mere commercial reasons. Therefore, the requirement has ensued for the present refrigerating compartments to provide an appreciable space, such as the area identified between two subsequent shelves, which is equipped to provide a practical, functional and efficient housing of a certain number of bottles and containers, often of different shape.

Equally, if a user does not always need a certain number of bottles and wants to use the space in the refrigerator for other purposes, the container holder must be easily removed from the refrigerator and advantageously be flexible for housing a limited number of bottles and/or containers too.

Various types of holders suitable to house bottles, containers and/or similar cylindrical bodies inside the refrigerating compartments are known; this type of containers is clearly the most difficult to be arranged in a safe, steady and functional way. Among these are also known some particular flat holders, rather than real and proper shelves with a flared and/or corrugated form for a stable housing of appropriate flared bottles of a particular dimension resting in a special flare; in virtue of which the bottles have substantially a parallel position to the said shelves. An example is illustrated in the German patent DE 197 51 308. The solution illustrated shows an evident drawback, since the bottles exceeding the number of flares for housing them have to be inevitably placed on top of the bottles forming a first lower layer; this entails a poor cooling of the same bottles, which are not reached by the refrigerating cold air, except from a very limited outer surface. It should also be noticed how the retrieval of a specific bottle from the so formed stack is not very practical and, not last, the danger that may be caused by a fall and breakage of the bottles and/or containers due to a fast and/or improper actuation by the user.

Therefore, this solution is poorly functional and flexible with respect to the present need of having a good number of bottles and containers ready for their safe and efficient retrieval and use.

Another known solution is to fit a normal shelf of a refrigerating compartment with a special formed outer edge (that is the one facing the door of the refrigerating compartment), eventually a folding edge and/or removable from the shelf, which is substantially upright in its working position. The outer edge has a corrugated setting, for the bottle ends to rest inside the hollow recesses. Thus, the bottles have an inclined position upwards with the evident drawback of a certain number of bottles always arranged one on top of the others, with the inconveniences previously highlighted. An example of such a solution is illustrated in the

French patent No. FR 275 2924.

Other known solutions provide the use of overhanging holders formed for the bottles to rest on them, which can be applied to the normal shelves in order to use the height between two subsequent shelves, as disclosed in the German patent No. DE 198 21 824; as well as pre- formed removable trays being suitable to house only particular containers, such as tins, arranged over several horizontal or vertical layers and resting on the refrigerator shelves. These further solutions are suitable only for particular containers, they are often bulky and not very practical for daily use.

Another bottle holder is further known, which is removable from a base as disclosed in the USA patent No. US 4,944,477. This holder consists of a folded base when in its rest position, a hinged board suitable to form a rest for the neck of a bottle and/or container when the hinged board is in its extracted upright position for use. The use of such a holder entails the same drawbacks as for the French patent FR 275 2924, and a higher complexity both in manufacturing and use.

It is the aim of the present invention to solve the above drawbacks and provide an articulated container holder for refrigerating compartments, which has improved features and performances with respect to the known solutions.

In this frame, it is the main object of the present invention to provide a container holder for refrigerating compartments, which ensures an efficient housing of a consistent number of bottles and/or containers with respect to their functional and versatile cooling capacity; that is warranting an excellent utilization of the inner space in the refrigerating compartment, while ensuring an easy and immediate retrieval for the user of any bottle and/or container positioned on the holder itself.

An object of the present invention is to provide a container holder for refrigerating compartments, which can be easily removed from the refrigerating compartment and/or relocated in another place inside the compartment itself. Additionally, it has to be easily washable also in a standard household machine, such as a dishwasher of normal production. A further object of the present invention is to provide a container holder for refrigerating compartments, capable of various use configurations, each one of them being able to comply with a particular requirement in terms of housing the bottles and/or containers and making the most of the space inside the refrigerating compartment. Moreover, each configuration shall warrant an optimal refrigeration of the containers resting on the holder.

A further object of the present invention is to have a holder particularly suitable for locating it between two subsequent shelves of a refrigerating compartment, ensuring an optimal use of the space, that is refrigerating a certain number of bottles and/or containers contained therein. Another object for the holder according to the present invention is to reach the above objects through a low-cost, versatile, practical and easy-to-use solution.

In order to reach such aims it is the object of the present invention to provide a container holder for refrigerating compartments, incorporating the features described in the annexed claims, which form an integral part of the description herein.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawings, which are supplied by way of non limiting example, wherein: - Fig. 1 shows a prospective view of the articulated holder according to the present invention, in a first operating condition;

- Fig. 2 shows the same view of Figure 1 inclusive of bottles and/or containers;

- Fig. 3 shows a prospective view of the articulated holder of Figure 1 , in a second operating condition; - Fig. 4 shows the same view of Figure 2 inclusive of bottles and/or containers;

- Fig. 5 shows a prospective view of an implementation of the articulated holder according to the invention;

- Fig. 6 shows a prospective view of the articulated holder of Figure 5 assembled in a household refrigerator. Figure 1 is representing an articulated container holder for application inside a refrigerating compartment, indicated globally with reference 1, in one of its operating conditions; its configuration in this condition is such to house a maximum number of containers and/or bottles. The articulated holder 1 consists of a base 2 on which an articulated board 3, assembled in a sliding way, consists of two boards or elements, that is a rear element 3P hinged to the base 2 at its rear side being able to rotate upwards, and a front element 3A with the pins 4 near the free front end sliding inside lengthwise guides 5 obtained sideways to the base 2. The above boards or elements 3A, 3B are preferably made from plastic material according to present technologies and are mutually connected through an insert 6 to the relevant facing edges, so the elements 3 A, 3B can only flex on one side, that is forming a triangle with the base 2 of the articulated holder 1, considering their side view projection.

The base 2 consists of a substantially flat surface delimited sideways by the side edges 2L, where are the lengthwise guides 5, and by a shaped edge 2S on the front. The lengthwise guides 5 have common means, such as in the example of the slots 5 A below them, being apt to fasten the pins 4 of the front side 3 A in the operating position of the articulated board 3; the detail R of Figure 1 illustrates the pins 4 engaged in the slot 5 A. Once the pins 4 are engaged in the slots 5A through a movement downwards, such as it can be actuated by the user gripping the front side 3A, the pins 4 are locked and the articulated board 3 is in its stable position, being suitable to operate as a support for the containers and/or bottles. The shaped edge 2S has a corrugated setting suitable for housing and holding cylindrical bodies in the notches of the corrugated boards, such as tins and/or bottles. Furthermore, the base 2 has some supports or similar on its bottom, not represented for sake of simplicity, which are apt to fasten the whole articulated holder 1 to the shelves of the refrigerating compartments, such as feet made from adhering material or other known solutions in the art. The configuration of the articulated board 3, that is the shaped form of its two elements 3A and 3B is adapted to support the containers and/or bottles, as well as to warrant an excellent cooling of the bottles and/or containers resting on it. To this purpose its regular corrugated setting along its entire lengthwise extension as shown in the operating configuration of the Figures 3, 4, is suitable for housing cylindrical bottles and/or containers lengthwise to the articulated board 3. Functional shaped holes 7 are provided in correspondence with the crests of the corrugations, in particular where the two elements 3A and 3P meet, forming two rest beads for the cylindrical containers to rest on them when the elements 3A and 3P are flexed in the operating position of Figure 1, as also clearly illustrated in Figure 2. The rest beads consist at least of an element 1C of the holes 7 profile, as well represented in Figure 1. The insert 6 forming the edge is interrupted by the holes 7 at regular intervals. The insert 6 consists of a material being apt to warrant some friction when in contact with the containers herein located, so as to keep them stable on the above beads (Figure 2 shows tins in particular) once in the operating position of figures 1, 2.

The front element 3 A of the articulated board 3 has a perforated area 8 in the middle; once the element is flexed, that is an operating position as shown in Figure 1, the perforated area 8 forms a lower support for various containers and/or bottles of different size, which can be introduced through its front and rest on a lower edge 8B. The perforated area 8 has a varied configuration, that is its edges have a variable curving interrupted by sharp points; in particular, the curving of the lower edge 8B varies along its width.

The rear element 3P has some upright windows 9 being apt to advantageously favor the flow of the refrigerating air inside the triangular base area formed by the articulated board 2 folded in the operating condition of figures 1, 2, and the base 2.

Figure 2 shows the articulated holder 1 in the operating configuration of figure 1 inclusive of beverages and/or containers; such a configuration corresponds to a maximum housing capacity of containers and/or beverages. As it can be noticed, the containers can be easily arranged simply inserting them through the front of the articulated holder 1 facing the refrigerator door:

- in the upper element, on the holding beads delimited by the elements 7C of the holes 7, forming an upper layer particularly suitable in this particular example for the housing of tins;

- in correspondence with the front element 3P of the articulated board 3, introducing them through the perforated area 8 resting on the lower edge 8B of the same, in order to make them further rest on the base 2 in an inclined position to form an intermediate layer;

- directly in front of the base 2, with the containers and/or bottles resting in an inclined position on the notches of the shaped edge 2S, thus forming a lower layer.

Figure 3 illustrates a second operating position of the articulated holder 1. The pins 4 of the articulated board 1 are no longer engaged in the slots 5 A of the lengthwise guides 5, but they are in their maximum lengthwise extension; thus, the articulated board 1 has an even corrugated form along its whole lengthwise extension, holding the containers and/or bottles over all its length as shown in Figure 4. In this further operating condition the articulated holder 1 can be placed, when needed, also between two shelves closer to each other in the refrigerator compartment, should only a limited space be needed, for example for wine bottles. This further configuration can be actuated simply releasing the pins 4 from the slots 5A manually, for example pushing the front element 3 A of the articulated board 3 lightly upwards and sliding the pins to the front along the lengthwise guides 5. Advantageously, it ensures considerable flexibility to the articulated holder 1.

From the above description and annexed drawings the advantages of the articulated container holder for refrigerating compartments according to the present invention are clear. In fact, it provides housing for a good number of bottles and/or containers as well as an efficient use of the inner space in the refrigerating compartments, in particular between two shelves of a compartment itself. The particular assembly, configuration and possible arrangement of the holder ensures advantageously an excellent refrigeration of the containers housed in the compartment, due to the great number of surfaces through which the cold air can come into contact, with the same ensuring an efficient thermal exchange. Advantageously, the above features are obtained through the holder according to the present invention in a functional versatile way, so as to comply with the present needs of locating a variable number of containers in the spaces of a refrigerating compartment, that is it warrants a very good utilization of the inner space and at the same time allowing an easy and direct access for the user to any bottle and/or container housed on the same holder. This advantage derives directly from the containers and/or bottles arrangement over several levels (three), as described above, which are spaced and can be reached independently from each other. Advantageously, the articulated container holder for refrigerating compartments can be easily removed from the refrigerating compartment and/or be re-located in another position inside the compartment itself. Moreover, being removable and sized like the shelves of the present refrigerators, it can be easily washed in a dishwasher, increasing therefore its practical use. Always in terms of practical use, another advantage is the capability of changing the holder configuration for use in a simple, intuitive and nearly almost in an automatic way: in fact, it will be enough to slide it on the guides and hook it, or release it from the slots. Advantageously, the articulated holder ensures the housing of various containers and/or beverages, since the perforated area 8 of the articulated board 2 as well as the holes 7 themselves can be formed in most different shapes according to particular requirements. Moreover, it ensures direct access to the containers, since they are all positioned protruding on the front.

Many changes are possible to the articulated container holder for refrigerating compartments according to the present invention described above by way of example, without departing from the novelty principles of the inventive idea; and it is also clear how in its practical actuation the forms of the illustrated details may differ and be replaced with technical equivalent elements manufactured with any other materials.

An example of implementation to the articulated holder according to the present invention is illustrated in Figure 5, where a prospective view is represented. According to this implementation, the articulated holder 1 ' consists of an articulated board having the same form of the one previously described, also identified with reference 3, where the base 2' simply consists of a normal shelf of a refrigerating compartment, with common locking means 10 reported on the side margins, such as hooking inserts open on one side, wherein the pins 4 of the articulated board 3 are going to engage and be locked. These locking means 10 are obtained by means of a pair of hooking inserts located behind the shelf or base 3' and a pair of them on the front, in correspondence with a chosen configuration of the articulated board 3, respectively. The locking means 10 ensure an easy release of the articulated board 3 through an actuation of the articulated board 3 being suitable to move the pins 4 to the inside of the area identified by the locking means 10 themselves, in particular to release from the housings identified by the hooking inserts 10.

Thus, advantageously, the articulated holder 1 ' has a simpler low-cost manufacture compared to the embodiment of Figures 1-5: it consists of the articulated board 3 alone, which rests in a stable manner on a simple shelf 2' fitted with the above locking means 10, in particular the hooking inserts 10 integral with the shelf 2'.

Figure 6 shows a possible application of the articulated holder 1 'of Figure 5 between two subsequent shelves 2' and 2" of a refrigerator F. The shelf 2' is formed with the locking means 10 described above and it is in operating condition with the containers and/or bottles arranged on it.

Clearly, other changes to the articulated holder according to the present invention may provide an articulated board with a plurality of elements articulated between them and associated means for a stable housing of containers and/or bottles, in order to place them evenly in the space over the resting base of the articulated board. The example of just two articulated elements or boards as shown in the Figures 1-6 represents a possible embodiment of the inventive idea on which the present invention is based. This inventive idea, in fact, provides an articulated holder based on the concept of an orientable articulated board in a space above its supporting base, consisting of a plurality of orientable elements or boards appropriately configurable to a base. With the appropriate means for a stable housing of containers and/or bottles, this orientation allows an even optimal loading and utilization of the space above with a stable safe location of containers and/or bottles, while favoring their easy access through the refrigerator door.

The means for a stable housing of containers and/or bottles in the examples of the embodiments illustrated in the Figures 1-6 consist of the perforated area 8 of the articulated board 3 for the front element 3A, as well as of the holes 7 for both the elements 3A and 3P. An implementation could in fact provide different means for a stable housing of containers and/or bottles, for example some elements providing a mechanical grip on the containers and/or bottles (simple grips, blade blocks or other known mechanisms being adapted for such purpose). Moreover, all constraint elements between the two elements 3A and 3P, such as the constraints between the articulated board 3 and the base 2, 2' being adapted to ensure the movements as previously described, can be obtained with technical equivalent elements appropriate for the same purposes.

Claims

1. Articulated container and/or bottles holder for refrigerating compartments, comprising at least a mobile board (3) with respect to a base (2; 2'), where at least in one operating configuration said board (3) is stably resting through first fastening means (4, 5; 10), characterized in that said board (3) comprises a plurality of articulated elements (3A, 3P) fitted with both second means (6) for their mutual articulation and third means (7, 8) for a stable housing of said containers and/or bottles in a space over said base (2; 2').

2. Articulated holder according to claim 1, characterized in that said third means comprise holes (7) and/or perforated areas (8) present in said articulated elements (3A, 3P) of said board (3).

3. Articulated holder according to claim 2, characterized in that said holes (7) and/or perforated areas (8) are particularly configurated to form containers and/or bottles holders at least in one of their parts (7C, 8B).

4. Articulated holder according to the previous claim, characterized in that said holes (7) are obtained near the articulation area between said articulated elements (3A, 3P) of said board (3).

5. Articulated holder according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that said first fastening means (4, 5; 10) of said mobile board (3) with respect to said base (2; 2') are apt to warrant a plurality of operating configurations (Fig.1 , 3) of said articulated holder (1; 1'X i.e. of said board (3).

6. Articulated holder according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that, in their cooperation with said articulated elements (3A, 3P) of said board (3), said third means (7, 8) are apt to stably and autonomously support containers and/or bottles, so as to evenly utilize the space above said base (2; 2').

7. Articulated holder according to the previous claim, characterized in that said third means (7, 8) are suitable to support containers and/or bottles providing layers of containers and/or bottles appropriately spaced between them.

8. Articulated holder according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that said third means (7, 8) cooperate at least partly with said base (2; 2'), in order to provide a stable housing of said containers and/or bottles.

9. Articulated holder according to at least claim 2 or 4, characterized in that said second means of said articulated elements (3A, 3P) comprise inserts (6) made from plastic material, being suitable to form the edge of said holes (7).

10. Articulated holder according to the previous claim, characterized in that said inserts (6) are made from a material being apt to exert some friction with the containers and/or bottles to be supported.

11. Articulated holder according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that said mobile board (3) with respect to said base (2; 2') comprises at least an element (3A, 3P) being suitable to substantially form a corrugated surface adapted to house and rest said containers and/or bottles.

12. Articulated holder according to the previous claim, characterized in that said board (3) comprises each element (3A, 3P) being apt to substantially form a corrugated surface adapted to house and rest said containers and/or bottles.

13. Articulated holder according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that said articulated elements comprise a front element (3A) and a rear element (3P) in mutual cooperation, , suitable to obtain, with said base (2; 2'), a triangle in a side view of the articulated holder (1 ; 1 ') in an operating configuration of said articulated holder (1 ; 1 ').

14. Articulated holder according to at least claims 5 and 13, characterized in that, in a further operating configuration (Fig. 3, 4) of said articulated holder (1; 1 '), said front element (3A) and rear element (3P) of said board (3) are suitable to substantially form one sole uniform and regular board.

15. Articulated holder according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that said base (2; 2') of said articulated holder (1; 1 ') comprises a front shaped edge (2S) for the stable support on it of said containers and/or bottles.

16. Articulated holder according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that said base (2; 2') of said articulated holder (1; 1 ') is suitable to rest movably over a shelf of a refrigerating compartment (F).

17. Articulated holder according to one or more of the claims from 1 to 14, characterized in that said base (2; 2') of said articulated holder (1; 1 ') consists of a shelf of a refrigerating compartment (F) comprising said first fastening means (4, 5; 10), in particular hooking inserts (10), wherein the pins (4) of said board (3) are going to engage.

18. Articulated holder according to the previous claim, characterized in that said hooking inserts (10) are integral with said shelf of said refrigerating compartment.

19. A refrigerating compartment, in particular for household appliance, comprising an articulated holder according to one or more of the claims from 1 to 18.

20. An articulated support for refrigerating compartments and a refrigerating compartment according to the innovating teachings contained in the description herein and annexed drawings, which form a preferred advantageous embodiment of said articulated support (1; 1 ') and relevant refrigerating compartment (F).