WO2007113263A1

WO2007113263A1 - A cooling device

Info

Publication number: WO2007113263A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/053120
Authority: WO
Inventors: Emre Ozyuksel; Ridvan Kadir Celik; Nihan Erturk; Esra Develi; Osman Vardar; Cihan Kose
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2006-03-31
Filing date: 2007-03-30
Publication date: 2007-10-11
Also published as: TR200806093T1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling device (1) comprising a height adjustable shelf (4). The pins (6) situated on different sides of the shelf (4) utilized in the said cooling device (1), can be controlled from one place. To this end, the adjustment mechanism (7, 70) comprises a guide (9, 90) that provides the direction and course of the force applied by the user on the handle (8, 80) to be changed towards the pins (6) situated on the different sides of the shelf (4) and a force activator (11, 110) that conveys the force to the pins (6) by moving in the said guide (9, 90).

Description

Description A COOLING DEVICE

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device comprising a height adjustable shelf.

[0002] In cooling devices like the refrigerator, freezer etc. the foodstuff and various containers are stored on the shelves. The distance between the two shelves should be changeable, in other words, the height of the shelf within the body should be adjustable depending on the needs of the user.

[0003] In some of the cooling devices, numerous grooves and rails are formed on two opposite walls of the body in order to adjust the height of the shelf. The user changes the height by displacing the shelf from the grooves in a level and locating in another pair of grooves at the desired level. However, the user first has to pull the shelf out of the body and after adjusting the height push it back in for this process. Particularly in cooling devices wherein the door cannot be opened entirely, this process presents problems for the user.

[0004] In the state of the art, furthermore, applications wherein there are holes within the body and pins on the shelf that are fitted into these holes are known.

[0005] Such an application is explained in the United States of America patent no.

US4603782. In this application, the shelf comprises support tabs that fit into the holes on the four vertical uprights. Two of the support tabs have a movable configuration, pushed by a spring and freed from the holes by pulling back with an actuator button. A separate button is used to control each movable support tab.

[0006] In the implementation explained in United States of America patent no. US471481 , the shelf comprises two suitably formed pins in the semicircular groove on one of its sides and springs that push these pins into the holes in the body. A button fixed to the pins allows the pins to be pulled into the grooves when required and adjust the height of the shelf. Since the two buttons are arranged close to each other, it is possible to control both by one hand.

[0007] In the United States of America patent no. US 1778075, a U shaped arm is mentioned. The two terminals of the bail that are pushed by a spring, project out of the shelf towards the slots in the body. When pulled, both terminals of the bail are dislodged from the slots.

[0008] The refrigerator explained in the Great Britain patent no. GB751350 comprises circular shelves mounted on a vertical shaft. The pin that provides the shelf to be mounted on the shaft is controlled by a manual lever.

[0009] In the Swiss patent no. CH404117, a pin that is pushed out of the shelf by a spring and an arm that is used to pull this pin into the shelf can be observed.

[0010] The objective of the present invention is to design a cooling device comprising shelves whose heights can be easily adjusted.

[0011] The cooling device designed to fulfill the objectives of the present invention is explicated in the attached claims. The pins situated on different edges of the shelf utilized in the said cooling device can be controlled from one place. Therefore, the adjustment mechanism comprises a guide that changes the course and the direction of the push- pull force applied on the handle by the user towards the pins situated on the opposite sides of the shelf, moving in respectively opposite directions and a activator that transmits the force to the pins by sliding on this guide. When the user pulls the handle towards the front of the body, the pins that are inserted in the holes of the two side walls of the body are dislodged and thus the shelf can be moved upwards -downwards within the body.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present invention, the guide is shaped like at least two pulleys. The activator is a cord with one end attached to the handle and the other to the pin. The activator that extends along and parallel to the side wall of the body between the handle and the pulley makes a turn of almost 90° on the pulley and starts to extend perpendicular to the side wall. The bend±ile structure of the cord allows for this turn. Consequently, the movement direction of the handle can be changed by 90° and transferred to the pins. When the handle is pulled, the cords that slide on the pulley pull the pins tied to its other end and dislodge them from the holes in the body. Accordingly, the shelf is freed to be moved within the body and the height can be changed. The springs that are situated in the slots push the pins back into the holes in the body when the handle is released.

[0013] In another embodiment of the present invention, grooves are provided on the guide that extends with an angle with respect to the axis of the pin on the side edge of the shelf. The activators shaped as a rigid rod also extend with the same angle as the guide. One end of the activator is free and sliding along the groove, the other end is attached to the pin. When the user moves the handle and thus moves the attached guide along a direction perpendicular to the rear wall of the body, the activator contacting the walls of the groove starts to slide. The pin fixed to the activator is shifted aside in a direction perpendicular to the rear wall of the body, entering into the slot or dislodging from it.

[0014] Thus the user can dislodge the pins from the holes in the body and change the height of the shelf. Furthermore, since there are no structures like a groove or rail that form a protrusion on the body, the shelf does not have to be pulled out of the body for this process.

[0015] The cooling device designed to fulfill the objective of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0016] Figure 1 - is the perspective view of a cooling device.

[0017] Figure 2 - is the bottom perspective view of the shelf and the adjustment mechanism in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 - is the bottom perspective view of the shelf in the body in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 - is the bottom schematic view of the shelf in the body in the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 - is the bottom schematic view of the shelf in the body in the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Cooling device

2. Body

3. Hole

4. Shelf

5. Slot

6. Pin

7. , 70. Adjustment mechanism

8. , 80. Handle

9. , 90. Guide

10. Groove

11. , 110. Activator

12. Spring

13. Handle casing

[0022] The cooling device (1) of the present invention comprises

- a body (2) having a sequence of holes (3) at different heights, situated on its different walls,

- at least one shelf (4) upon which foodstuff is stored, having more than one pin (6) fitting into the holes (3) and more than one slot (5) in which these pins (6) move, and

- an adjustment mechanism (7, 70) mounted to the shelf, providing the pins (6) on opposite sides of the shelf (4) to be moved in the slots (5) and fitted into the holes (3) simultaneously or dislodged from the holes (3) (Rgure 1). [0023] The adjustment mechanism (7, 70) comprises

- a handle (8, 80) by which the user applies a force perpendicular to the front side of the shelf (4) and parallel to the plane of the shelf (4),

- a guide (9, 90) that provides the direction and course of the force applied by the user to be changed towards the pins (6) situated on the different side edges of the shelf (4) and moving in reverse directions such that the force is parallel to the front side of the shelf (4) and

- a activator (11, 110) that moves by the force applied by the user on the handle (8, 80) in the direction allowed by the guide (9, 90) providing the pin (6) to be fitted into the slot (5) (Rgure 2 and 3).

[0024] In this embodiment of the present invention, the force applied on the handle (8, 80) by the user reaches the pins (6) by means of the activators (11, 110). The guide (9, 90) provides the applied force to be transferred in the most suitable direction to the pins (6) situated on the opposite sides of the shelf (4). The activators (11, 110) that join with the pins (6) moving in reverse directions with respect to each other, can be controlled by one handle (8, 80). Accordingly, when the user e.g. pulls the handle (8, 80) towards her, the pins (6) are dislodged from the holes (3) on the side walls of the body (2). The shelf (4) that is dislodged from the holes (3) is displaced upwards or downwards within the body (2) to adjust to the desired height. The shelf (4) is fixed in its adjusted location by providing the pins (6) to be seated in the holes (3) at this level.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment mechanism (7) comprises cord-like activators (11) and pulley-like guides (9) on which the activators (11) are wound or goes around thereof. One end of the activator (11) is joined to the pin (6) and the other to the handle (8). In this embodiment, the guides (9) are fixed to the shelf (4); the activators (11) are pulled directly by the handle (8). The activator (11) extends from the handle (8) to the guide (9) parallel to the side wall of the body (2), after the guide (9), perpendicular to the side wall. Consequently, the movement of the handle (8) parallel to the side wall is changed by the guide (9) by 90° and transferred to the pins (6). The adjustment mechanism (7) furthermore comprises a casing (13) in which the handle (8) slides forwards and backwards. Since the cord- like activator (11) can only withstand the pulling forces but not the pushing forces, the adjustment mechanism (7) furthermore comprises springs (12) situated in the slots (5) that push the pins (6) towards the hole (3). [0026] In this embodiment of the present invention, when the user pulls the handle (8) towards her, the pins (6) on the opposite sides of the shelf (4) are pulled towards into the slots (5), leaving the holes (3) on the side walls of the body (2). In this position, the shelf (4) can be moved upwards or downwards within the body (2) for adjusting the height. When the shelf (4) is adjusted to the desired height, the user releases the handle (8). The springs (12) in the slots (5) push the pins (6) towards the holes (3) on the side walls of the body (2) providing to fix the shelf (4). The springs (12) also activate the handle (8) inside the handle casing (13) towards the rear side of the body (2) by means of the activators (11).

[0027] In a second embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment mechanism (70) comprises rigid rod- like activators (110) and at least one groove (10) on the guide (90) in which the activator (110) slides. In this embodiment, the guide (90) and the handle (80) are attached to each other, moving together in a direction perpendicular to the rear wall of the body (2). The grooves (10) extend prefer bly symmetrical with respect to each other and with an angle to the movement direction of the handle (80). The activator (110) and the pin (6) are fixed to each other with an angle in between, and the free end of the activator (110) moves along the groove (10). The movement of the guide (90) is transferred to the activator (110) by means of the contact of the curvilinear walls of the groove (10) (Rgure 4 and Rgure 5).

[0028] In this embodiment of the present invention, when the user pulls the handle (80) towards her, the guide (90) moves towards the front side of the shelf (4). The activators (110) in the two grooves (10) are forced to slide along the grooves (10) towards the rear of the body (2). This movement caαses the two activators (110) to move such that they get closer due to the angle of the grooves (10). This in turn provides the pins (6) to move towards each other, thus being dislodged from the holes (3) on the side walls of the body (2). In this position, the shelf (4) can be moved upwards or downwards within the body (2) for adjusting the height. When the shelf (4) is adjusted to the desired height, the user pushes the handle (8) forwards. The grooves (10) on the guide (90), this time force the activators (110) to move apart from each other. The pins (6) are again shifted aside in reverse directions respectively, entering into the holes (3) on the side walls of the body (2), providing the shelf (4) to be fixed at the adjusted height.

[0029] In this embodiment, since the rigid rod- like activator (110) can withstand both the push and the pull forces, the adjustment mechanism (70) does not need another mechanism situated in the slot (5) and pushes the pin (6) towards the hole (3). However, for ease of use, the adjustment mechanism (70) furthermore comprises springs (12) situated in the slots (5) that push the pins (6) towards the hole (3). Consequently, the user only pulls the handle (80) towards her, and when the suitable position is attained, the pins (6) are fitted into the holes (3) as the handle (80) is released. By means of the cooling device of the present invention, the user can dislodge the pins (6) from the holes (3) in the body (2) by one hand and change the height of the shelf (4). The shelf (4) does not have to be pulled out of the body (2) for this process.

Claims

[0001] A cooling device (1) comprising a body (2) having an array of holes (3) at different heights, on the different walls thereof, at least one shelf (4) upon which foodstuff is stored, having more than one pin (6) fitting into the holes (3) and more than one slot (5) in which these pins (6) move, and characterized by an adjustment mechanism (7, 70) mounted to the shelf (4) , providing the pins (6) on the opposite sides of the shelf (4) to be moved in the slots (5) and fitted into the holes (3) or dislodged from the holes (3) simultaneously, having: a handle (8, 80) by which the user applies a force perpendicular to the front side of the shelf (4) and parallel to the plane of the shelf (4), a guide (9, 90) that provides the direction and course of the force applied by the user to be changed towards the pins (6) situated on the different sides of the shelf (4) and moving in reverse directions respectively such that the force is parallel to the front side of the shelf (4) and a activator (11, 110) that moves by the force applied by the user on the handle (8, 80) in the direction allowed by the guide (9, 90) providing the pin (6) to be fitted into the slot (5).

[0002] A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by rope-like activators (11) and pulley -like guides (9) around which the activators (11) are wound or go over.

[0003] A cooling device (1) as in Claim 2, characterized by a activator (11) having one end attached to the pin (6) and the other end to the handle (8).

[0004] A cooling device (1) as in Claim 2 or 3, characterized by an adjustment mechanism (7) mounted to the shelf (4) comprising a handle casing (13) in which the handle (8) slides forwards or backwards.

[0005] A cooling device (1) as in Claim 2, 3 or 4, characterized by an adjustment mechanism (7) comprising springs (12) situated in the slot (5) that push the pin (6) towards the hole (3).

[0006] A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by an adjustment mechanism

(70) comprising a groove (10) on the guide (90) extending by making an angle to the movement direction of the handle (80) and a activator (110) attached to the pin (6) such that there is an angle there between, with the free end moving along the groove (10).

[0007] A cooling device (1) as in Claim 6, characterized by a guide (90) and a handle

(80) connected to each other and a activator (110) with one end fixed to the pin (6) and the free end moving forwards or backwards along the groove (10).