WO2008052977A2

WO2008052977A2 - A cooling device

Info

Publication number: WO2008052977A2
Application number: PCT/EP2007/061643
Authority: WO
Inventors: Burak Ozpolat; Emre Ozyuksel; Can Ayhan; Inci Milci
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2006-10-31
Filing date: 2007-10-30
Publication date: 2008-05-08
Also published as: WO2008052977A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a holder (9) that can be used both as a bottle holder allowing to safely supporting bottles and also as a shelf for placing flat based items thereon.

Description

Description A COOLING DEVICE

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device comprising a holder that can be used as a shelf or a bottle holder.

[0002] In cooling devices, shelves of various shapes and numbers are provided in the body wherein items to be cooled are stored that are positioned at various levels. Besides, bottle holders are assembled on these shelves that are produced in a single piece with the shelves, or secured afterwards on the shelves for safely supporting particularly the bottles.

[0003] The shelves or the bottle holders can be formed by assembling rods together for easy production, convenient shaping, esthetic appearance and for making effective use of the cool air within the cooling space.

[0004] The bottle holders used for particularly storing wine bottles are constituted of rods bent in a "U" shape. By means of producing the holders formed of the rods bent thus, the bottle can be partially clasped for safe storage.

[0005] In state of the art German Patent Application No DE19821823, a bottle holder is described that is arranged laterally along the side wall of the body such that a certain distance is left there between, formed of rods bent in "U" shape that help in partially clasping the bottle.

[0006] However, the bottle holders formed distinctively for holding bottles cannot be used for a different function. If a flat based item is placed thereon when in this position, the placed item cannot stand level because of the wavy configuration of the bends. If bottles are not desired to be stored in this position, then a nonfunctional space is created that is occupied by the bottle holder. In order to utilize this nonfunctional space, when not used, the bottle holders are folded by moving in various ways, slid and/or inserted one within the other, minimizing the nonfunctional space, so that at least some portion of the space occupied by the bottle holder can be used for other purposes.

[0007] In the state of the art European Patent No EP0917639, a storage device for stocking bottles is described that is folded in order to occupy less space when not used. The brackets that form the bottle holder are coupled to each other with a connecter and fastened to the shelf from both ends and are folded under the shelf by rotating around the axis that passes through these two ends. In this embodiment, when the bottle holder is folded under the shelf, it cannot be used for storage since there is no area thereon for placing any item in the folded position.

[0008] In another state of the art document, the International Patent Application No

WG2005059458, bottle carriers are described that are moved along a slipway whereby the vertical and horizontal axis thereof are aligned on the same level such that they intercept for storing one bottle, and when not aligned on the same level more than one bottle can be stored.

[0009] In the state of the art United States of America Patent Application no.

US2005122017, the shelf includes a flexible sheet whose one end is fixed to the shelf wall and whose other end is free to move. When the user wants to store bottles, the movable end is brought to a level fixed for only clasping the bottle and when the bottle is not desired to be stored; one end is seated in a housing on the shelf, forming a plane and can be used as a shelf.

[0010] In the state of the art Japanese Patent Application No JPl 1351737, a bottle holder made of rods is described that can move with respect to each other for safely supporting the bottles.

[0011] The object of the present invention is to design a cooling device that comprises a holder that is used selectively for storing bottles or for storage containers as desired.

[0012] The cooling device designed to fulfill the object of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a holder having rods placed back to back, disposed one in front of the other, used as a bottle holder in one position and used as a shelf when turned, having at least partially wavy shaped bends thereon.

[0013] Each rod has bow- shaped, preferably configured in "U" or "C" form bends. The rods placed back to back inside the cooling device serve as a bottle holder for safely supporting the bottles placed on the bends when in the first position, and can be used as a shelf when each rod is locked by turning around the point of fastening by almost 90° and locked for storing preferably flat based storage containers (pot, pan, plate etc.).

[0014] The holder, when desired to be used as a bottle holder, safely support the bottles placed in the bends by clasping from below. When flat based items are desired to be stored on the holder, the bends of each rod are turned such that they are aligned at the same level. When the holder is converted to the desired position, the rods are secured at that position by means of a locking mechanism. In this position, the bends on each rod are almost on the same plane - preferably horizontal - and can be used as a shelf for safely supporting flat based items placed thereon. The locking mechanism is constituted such that the rods are prevented from turning around the point of fixation when a force is exerted thereupon.

[0015] In another embodiment of the present invention, when the holder is brought to the shelf position, the locking mechanism comprises a protrusion that each rod skips over, providing locking as long as a force in the opposite direction is not exerted. Thus the rods do not turn around the point of fixation after skipping over the protrusion as long as a force in the opposite direction is not exerted.

[0016] In another embodiment of the present invention, the locking mechanism comprises a support that rods are seated upon when converted to the shelf position by rotating with an angle greater than 180°.

[0017] In another embodiment of the present invention, the holder comprises a frame on which the rods are fastened, produced separately from the rods, providing thereof to be assembled to the cooling device. The rods are secured on the frame being parallel to each other.

[0018] In this embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device furthermore comprises an intermediary element that allows the rods to be secured to the frame, to move along the frame and be locked at the desired position by rotating easily. The intermediary element is mounted on the frame and the rods move along the frame by the intermediary element moving on the frame. In addition to this, the intermediary element allows the rod to rotate around the point of fixation thereon and to be locked.

[0019] In another embodiment of the present invention, each of the rods can be turned separately from the other.

[0020] In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device comprises a connector that joins all the rods to each other and changes the holder from the bottle holder position to the shelf position by rotating them all together simultaneously.

[0021] By means of the present invention, the holder used for supporting bottles can be readily converted into a shelf allowing storing of flat based items. Consequently, the nonfunctional spaces at the inner volume of the cooling device are reduced and the inner volume of the cooling device can be used effectively.

[0022] The cooling device designed to fulfill the object of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0023] Figure 1 - is the perspective view of the cooling device.

[0024] Figure 2 - is the perspective view of the holder when used as a bottle holder.

[0025] Figure 3 - is the perspective view of the holder when used as a shelf.

[0026] Figure 4 - is the perspective view of detail A of the holder.

[0027] Figure 5 - is the front view of the holder when used as a bottle holder. [0028] Figure 6 - is the perspective view of detail B of the holder.

[0029] Figure 7 - is the front view of the holder when used as a shelf.

[0030] Figure 8 - is the perspective view of the intermediary element.

[0031] Figure 9 - is the schematic view of an embodiment of the locking mechanism.

[0032] Figure 10 - is the schematic view of another embodiment of the locking mechanism.

[0033] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Cooling device

2. Body

3. Rod

4. Frame

5. Locking mechanism

6. Intermediary element

7. Channel

8. Housing

9. Holder

[0034] The cooling device (1) comprises a body (2) wherein items to be cooled are stored, a door allowing access into the body (2) from the outside, and a holder (9). [0035] The holder (9) comprises rods (3)

• having at least partially wavy shaped bends, rolatably attached to the body (2) from both ends, one in front of the other,

• used for supporting the bottles when in the position wherein the orifices of the bends lace upwards,

• used for supporting flat based items when rotated around the point of fixation such that a plane is formed by aligning the bends (Figure 1, Figure 2, and Figure 3).

[0036] The cooling device (1) comprises a locking mechanism (5) providing the rods (3) to remain fixed in that position when the rods (3) are rotated to the position wherein flat based items can be placed. The locking mechanism (5) is constituted such that the holder (9) is not allowed to turn (counteracting the moment) as a result of the force exerted on the bends when the holder (9) is converted to the shelf position.

[0037] The bends of the rods (3) can be "U" or "C" shaped. When the holder (9) is in the bottle supporting position with the orifices of the rods (3) lacing upwards, the bottles are partially or entirely clasped by means of the bends. Thus, the bottles are supported from at least the head and the base to be safely stored (Figure 4 and Figure 6).

[0038] When the holder (9) is converted to the bottle supporting position with the orifices of the rods (3) lacing upwards, it is used as a bottle holder. In this position, after the bottle is removed, the bends form recesses and protrusions above or below the holder (9) and the rods (3) don't allow flat based items to be placed thereon. When at least some of the rods (3) are rotated approximately 90° around the point they are attached to the holder (9), the bends of the rotated rods (3) are aligned and the holder (9) is converted from the bottle holder position to the shelf position whereon flat based items are stored. With the help of the locking mechanism (5) the rods (3) are made to remain stationary in this position. When the bends of the rods (3) are aligned such that a plane is formed, a flat surface is attained with openings there between, depending on the number of the rods (3). When the bends are disposed on this surface, no protrusions or recesses are formed above or below the holder (9). When a flat based item is placed on the rods (3), this item can be balanced and supported safely. In this position, the holder (9) is used as a shelf (Figure 5 and Figure 7).

[0039] In another embodiment of the present invention, the locking mechanism (5) comprises a protrusion that each rod (3) is inserted to be locked when the holder (9) is converted to the shelf position by turning the rods (3) and whereon the rods (3) bear against. This protrusion prevents the moment that is formed as a result of the force exerted on the bends by the weight of the items loaded thereon when the rods (3) are used as a shelf. Consequently, the rods (3) do not turn around the point of fixation. In order for the holder (9) to be converted to the bottle holding position, a force is required to be exerted sufficient for the rods (3) to skip over the protrusion (Figure 9).

[0040] In another embodiment of the present invention, the locking mechanism (5) comprises a support that the rods (3) are seated upon when the rods (3) are converted to the shelf position by rotating with an angle greater than 180° - preferably at least 270°. Consequently, as long as the rods (3) are not rotated in the opposite direction, the rods (3) stay in the shelf position. When rotated in the opposite direction, the rods (3) move away from the support and freely convert to the bottle holding position (Figure 10).

[0041] In another embodiment of the present invention, the holder (9) comprises a frame (4) on which the rods (3) are attached. The frame (4) is mounted on the body (2) and the rods (3) are attached on this frame (4). The frame (4) is also preferably made of rods.

[0042] In this embodiment of the present invention, the holder (9) furthermore comprises at least two intermediary elements (6) that allow the rods (3) to be secured on the frame (4) from both ends, to move along the frame (4) and also to be rotated around the attached ends. The intermediary element (6) comprises a channel (7) through which the frame (4) rod passes providing thereof to be secured on the frame (4) and a housing (8) formed upright to this channel (7) and to which the end of the rod (3) is secured. As the intermediary element (6) provides the rod (3) to move along the frame (4) by means of the channel (7), it enables the rod (3) to rotate around its ends by means of the housing (8) (Figure 8).

[0043] In this embodiment of the present invention, the locking mechanism (5) is situated on the intermediary element (6) in the housing (8) to which the rod (3) is attached. The locking mechanism (5) in the housing (8) is in the form of a protrusion and when the rod (3) is rotated with a certain angle, skips the protrusion and as long as not rotated in the opposite direction, this protrusion prevents the rod (3) to resume the initial position.

[0044] In another embodiment of the present invention, each rod (3) can be rotated independently from the other.

[0045] In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises a connector (not shown in the figures) that joins all the rods (3) to each other to change from the bottle holder position to the shelf position by rotating them all together simultaneously.

[0046] By means of the present invention, the holder (9) can both be used as a bottle holder allowing to safely support bottles and also be converted into a shelf for placing flat based items thereon.

Claims

[0001] A cooling device (1) comprising a body (2) wherein items to be cooled are stored, a door allowing access into the body (2) from the outside, and characterized by a holder (9) comprises rods (3) having at least partially wavy shaped bends, rotatably attached to the body

(2) from both ends, one in front of the other, used for supporting the bottles when in the position wherein the orifices of the bends face upwards, used for supporting flat based items by aligning the bends when rotated around the point of fixation such that a plane is fonned, and a locking mechanism (5) providing the rods (3) to remain fixed in that position when the rods (3) are rotated converting to the position wherein flat based items can be placed.

[0002] A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by a holder (9) having rods

(3) with "U" or "C" shaped bends.

[0003] A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by a locking mechanism (5) comprising a protrusion through which each rod (3) is inserted to be locked and on which the rods (3) bear on when the holder (9) is converted to a shelf by rotating the rods (3).

[0004] A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by a locking mechanism (5) comprising a support on which the rods (3) are seated when the rods (3) are rotated with an angle greater than 180° to convert to the shelf position.

[0005] A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a frame (4) on which the rods (3) are attached.

[0006] A cooling device (1) as in Claim 5, characterized by at least two intennediary elements (6) that allow the rods (3) to move along the frame (4) by being secured from the ends, and also to rotate around the attached ends thereof.

[0007] A cooling device (1) as in Claim 6, characterized by an intennediary element (6) comprising a channel (7) through which the frame (4) passes providing thereof to be attached to the frame (4) and a housing (8) fonned upright to this channel (7) and to which the end of the rod (3) is secured.