WO2011080202A2

WO2011080202A2 - A refrigerator comprising additional cascading shelf

Info

Publication number: WO2011080202A2
Application number: PCT/EP2010/070611
Authority: WO
Inventors: Oguz Cetinturk; Nebi Kerem Ozgur; Mehmet Erdem Turfan; Resul Yavuz
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2009-12-30
Filing date: 2010-12-22
Publication date: 2011-07-07
Also published as: WO2011080202A3

Abstract

The refrigerator (1) of the present invention comprises a body (2), a door (3) which provides access into the body (2), at least one shelf (4) which is disposed into the body (2), and an additional shelf (6) which moves on the shelf (4) and creates an additional storage area between the shelves (4). The additional shelf (6) comprises more than one carrying surface (7, 107) and binding members (8) that connect the carrying surfaces (7, 107) to each other.

Description

A REFRIGERATOR COMPRISING ADDITIONAL CASCADING SHELF

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator comprising an additional shelf which moves on the shelf.

[0002] In cooling devices, additional shelves placed between two shelves are used. These additional shelves stay inside the cooling device such as to occupy the least amount of space by being folded onto or under the shelf when not in use. In such embodiments, the use position of the storage box is not flexible and the storage box is generally hung under the shelf.

[0003] In the state of the art International Patent Application No. WO20071 10440, a storage container is explained which comprises an additional storage unit made of wire that can be used in various ways.

[0004] The aim of the present invention is the realization of a refrigerator

comprising an additional shelf which creates a storage area between the shelves.

[0005] In the refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present

invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, a passage is formed on the shelf. The refrigerator comprises an additional shelf, one carrying surface of which is seated into this passage and the other carrying surface of which is connected to the carrying surface, which is seated in the passage, with a binding member and which remains below or above the shelf. The carrying surfaces are positioned horizontally one above the other such as to be parallel to each other and such that a distance remains between them, and are connected to each other by rod shaped binding members extending in the vertical direction. Thus, a multi-level storage area is provided. The binding members serve as columns that provide the levels formed by the carrying surfaces to be carried one above the other.

[0006] By means of the passage, the additional shelf carrying surfaces are

positioned such as to remain below or above the shelf according to the preference of the user. The carrying surfaces are slightly smaller than the passage such as to be able to pass through the passage. A carrying surface completes the usage area of the shelf, when seated into the passage.

[0007] The additional shelf can move upwards and/or downwards inside the

passage. When the additional shelf is brought to a fixed position to perform loading thereon, one of the carrying surfaces is aligned with the passage and closes the passage. In this position, at least one carrying surface remains below or above the shelf. Thus, a second storage area is created such that a second level hung under the shelf or above the shelf is formed. The additional shelf creates storage areas for storing the items that are small but not desired to contact each other.

[0008] The binding member connects the carrying surfaces to each other

preferably from their corners. For example, four binding members between two quadrilateral carrying surfaces connecting the carrying surfaces to each other from their four corners are disposed. The binding members serve as a foot whereon the carrying surface rests when a carrying surface remains above the shelf, and serve as a hanger that provides the carrying surface to be kept hung when the carrying surface remains under the shelf.

[0009] In an embodiment of the present invention, when the carrying surface is seated into the passage and loading is desired to be performed onto the carrying surface, the additional shelf comprises a stopper that provides the additional shelf to stay at that position. Thus, when an item is loaded onto the additional shelf, the additional shelf is prevented from falling down by the effect of the weight.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, the stopper comprises

rotatable flaps on the edges of the carrying surfaces or the passage. In the embodiment wherein the flaps are on the passage edges, the flaps are opened for the carrying surface to be passed through the passage from the bottom upwards like a door opening to one side, however when the carrying surface passes the passage, the flaps are closed and serve as a support means, against which the carrying surface seated in the passage bears. Similarly, in the embodiment wherein the flaps are situated on the carrying surface edge, unidirectional movement of the flaps is possible. The flaps, which extend parallel to the carrying surface on both sides thereof in their free position, are closed and hence, enable the carrying surface to pass through the passage when the carrying surface is desired to be passed through the passage. Since the flaps, which are opened again when the carrying surface passes through the passage, do not move in the opposite direction, they prevent the carrying surface from falling down by passing through the passage again if seated into the passage.

[001 1] The flaps returning to their initial position by being opened again after being closed while the carrying surface is passed through the passage is provided by means of a spring. When the force applied onto the flaps while the carrying surface is tried to be passed through the passage exceeds the force applied by the spring, the flaps are closed and the carrying surface passes through the passage. Afterwards the spring, which is freed after the carrying surface passes to the other side of the passage and the applied force is released, provides the flaps to return to their initial position.

[0012] In another embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator comprises a cover that covers the passage when the additional shelf is not in use.

The cover covers the passage and hence, enables the whole surface of the shelf to be used effectively when the additional shelf is not in use.

[0013] The model embodiments relating to the refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention are illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0014] Figure 1 - is the schematic view of a refrigerator.

[0015] Figure 2 - is the top perspective view of the shelf and the additional shelf in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 3 - is the bottom perspective view of the shelf and the additional shelf in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 4 - is the exploded perspective view of the shelf and the additional shelf in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 5 - is the exploded perspective view of the shelf and the additional shelf in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 6 - is the perspective view of the shelf and the cover in an

embodiment of the present invention. [0020] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Refrigerator

2. Body

3. Door

4. Shelf

5. Passage

6. Additional shelf

7. 107. Carrying surface

8. Binding member

9. Flap

10. Spring

1 1. Stopper

12. Cover

[0021] The refrigerator (1 ) of the present invention comprises a body (2), a door

(3) which provides access into the body (2) and at least one shelf (4) which is disposed into the body (2) (Figure 1 ).

[0022] The refrigerator (1 ), furthermore, comprises a passage (5) which is located on the shelf (4) and which is opened to the bottom and the top of the shelf

(4) , and an additional shelf (6) which moves between the top and the bottom of the shelf (4) by passing through the passage (5) and which has at least two carrying surfaces (7, 107) that are disposed parallel to each other and at least one binding member (8) that connects the carrying surfaces (7, 107) to each other, and wherein at least one carrying surface (7) remains under or above the shelf (4) while a carrying surface (107) closes the passage (5) (Figure 2).

[0023] The passage (5) connects the top and the bottom of the shelf (4) to each other. The passage (5) is preferably in rectangular form and is located at the rear side of the shelf (4). The passage (5) is wider than the carrying surfaces (7, 107). Thus, during the movement of the additional shelf (6), the carrying surfaces (7, 107) are provided to pass through the passage

(5) easily.

[0024] The additional shelf (6) can move upwards and downwards inside the passage (5) in the vertical direction. When the movement of the additional shelf (6) inside the passage (5) is completed, one of the carrying surfaces (107) covers the passage (5) (Figure 2 and Figure 3). Thus, an item disposed on the shelf (4) is prevented from falling from the shelf (4) by passing through the passage (5). When one of the carrying surfaces (107) closes the passage (5), at least one carrying surface (7) remains above or below the shelf (4). In this situation, an additional storage area at a level different than the shelf (4) level is formed.

[0025] The binding member (8) connects more than one carrying surface (7, 107), which is positioned one above the other in parallel, to each other preferably from their corners. The binding members (8) that connect the carrying surfaces (7, 107) to each other from their corners provide the additional shelf (6) to move in a balanced manner and to perform carrying.

[0026] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the additional shelf (6) has three carrying surfaces (7, 107) that are connected in parallel to each other from their corners by the binding members (8). In this

embodiment, when the carrying surface (107) in the middle closes the passage (5), one carrying surface (7) remains under the shelf (4) and the other carrying surface (7) remains above the shelf (4). Thus, by means of the additional shelf (6), additional carrying area is formed both under the shelf (4) and above the shelf (4) at the same time. By means of the same additional shelf (6), when the lowermost or the uppermost carrying surface (107) closes the passage (5), two-level carrying areas are formed sequentially above or below the shelf (4).

[0027] In an embodiment of the present invention, the additional shelf (6)

comprises at least one stopper (1 1 ) which provides it to be fixed in the desired position when brought to this desired position. Thus, after the additional shelf (6) is moved, the carrying surfaces (7, 107) are enabled to be fixed in the desired position when brought to this desired position in a balanced manner and hence, the items to be carried are enabled to be disposed onto the additional shelf (6) in a safe manner (Figure 4).

[0028] In an embodiment of the present invention, the stopper (1 1) comprises at least two flaps (9) which are pivotably mounted to two opposite edges of the carrying surfaces (7, 107) or the passage (5) and which move by the movement of the additional shelf (6) inside the passage (5), and at least one spring (10) which provides each flap (9) to return to the initial position thereof. The flap (9) provides the additional shelf (6) to stay in the desired position inside the passage (5) (Figure 4 and Figure 5). The flaps (9) not moving in the opposite direction also provide the additional shelf (6) to move in one direction.

[0029] In a version of this embodiment of the present invention, two flaps (9) are located on two opposite edges of the carrying surface (7), preferably on the short edges thereof (Figure 4). In this embodiment, the flaps (9) perform a preferably ninety degree - opening/closing movement downwards between the horizontal axis and the vertical axis. The flaps (9) are in the opened position while free and share the same surface with the carrying surface (7). While the additional shelf (6) is moved from the bottom upwards inside the passage (5), two flaps (9) mounted on two edges of the carrying surface (7) hit the edge of the passage (5) and as a result of this impact, the force of the spring (10) is eliminated and the flap (9) moves downwards. In this situation, the flaps (9) are almost

perpendicular to the carrying surface (7). Thus, the carrying surface (7) is provided to pass through the passage (5) together with the flaps (9). After the carrying surface (7) and the flaps (9) connected thereto pass through the passage (5), the spring (10) brings the flaps (9) back to their initial position. Since the flaps (9) form protrusions in addition to the carrying surface (7) upon returning to their initial position, by the flaps (9) seating onto the edges of the passage (5), the additional shelf (6) is provided to stay on the shelf (4) in the desired position such that the carrying surface (7) closes the passage (5).

[0030] In another version of the present invention, the stopper (1 1) comprises flaps (9) which are assembled on two opposite edges of the passage (5), preferably on the short edges (Figure 5). In this embodiment, the flaps (9) perform a preferably ninety degree - opening/closing movement upwards between the horizontal axis and the vertical axis. Initially, the flaps (9) partially cover the passage (5). When the additional shelf (6) is moved from the bottom upwards inside the passage (5), the edge of the carrying surface (7) hit the two flaps (9) assembled on two edges of the passage (5) and as a result of this impact, the force of the spring (10) is eliminated and the flaps (9) move upwards. Since the force applied on the spring (10) is released after the carrying surface (7) passes through the passage (5), the flaps (9) connected to the passage (5) partially cover the passage (5) by returning to their initial position and carry the carrying surface (107) seated in the passage (5). Thus, the additional shelf (6) is provided to be seated onto the shelf (4) such that the carrying surface (107) closes the passage (5).

[0031] In another embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1 )

comprises a cover (12) that covers the passage (5) when the additional shelf (6) is not in use (Figure 6). The cover (12) covers the passage (5) and hence, prevents that no air flow occurs between above and below the shelf (4).

[0032] By means of the present invention, a cascading storage area is created above or below the shelf (4). In the situation that the whole surface of the shelf (4) is used for storage purposes, the cascading storage area can be formed under the shelf (4).

[0033] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited by the

embodiments disclosed above and a person skilled in the art can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerator (1 ) comprising

a body (2), a door (3) which provides access into the body (2) and at least one shelf (4) which is disposed into the body (2), a passage (5) which is located on the shelf (4) and which opens to the bottom and the top of the shelf (4), and characterized by an additional shelf (6)

- which has at least two carrying surfaces (7, 107) that are disposed parallel to each other and at least one binding member (8) that connects the carrying surfaces (7, 107) to each other,

- wherein at least one carrying surface (7) remains under or above the shelf (4) while a carrying surface (107) closes the passage (5),

- which moves between the top and the bottom of the shelf (4) by passing through the passage (5).

2. A refrigerator (1 ) as in Claim 1 , characterized by the binding member (8) that connects more than one carrying surface (7, 107), which is positioned one above the other in parallel, to each other from their corners.

3. A refrigerator (1 ) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the

additional shelf (6) that comprises at least one stopper (1 1 ) which provides the additional shelf (6) to be fixed in the desired position when brought to this position.

4. A refrigerator (1 ) as in Claim 3, characterized by the stopper (1 1) having at least two flaps (9) which are pivotably mounted to two opposite edges of the carrying surfaces (7, 107) or the passage (5) and which move by means of the movement of the additional shelf (6) inside the passage (5), and at least one spring (10) which provides each flap (9) to return to the initial position thereof.

5. A refrigerator (1 ) as in Claim 4, characterized by the flaps (9) which are

mounted to two opposite edges of the carrying surface (7).

6. A refrigerator (1 ) as in Claim 4, characterized by the flaps (9) which are

mounted to two opposite edges of the passage (5).