WO2017093306A1

WO2017093306A1 - A cooling device door shelf

Info

Publication number: WO2017093306A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/079259
Authority: WO
Inventors: Oktay Aygun; Arda OZSU; Tamer Tombuloglu; Davut MERIC
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2015-12-03
Filing date: 2016-11-30
Publication date: 2017-06-08

Abstract

Cooling device (1) comprising a body (2); a door (3) that provides access to the interior of the body (2), and at least one shelf (4) that is disposed on the door (3). The shelf (4) has a base (8) with a shaped surface (5) that is suitable for placing goods on such as eggs, canned drinks and the like and a flat surface (6) that is integrated to the base (8) as a single piece with the shaped surface (5). The shaped storage means are prevented from being lost by being detached.

Description

A COOLING DEVICE DOOR SHELF

The present invention relates to a cooling device comprising a door shelf.

In cooling devices, the efficient use of the storage area is one of the most important factors for the users. In the state of the art, storage means that are specially shaped with different sizes and structures are used in order to store goods that are not desired to move on the shelf such as eggs and canned drinks. Due to the specially shaped structure of the storage means, other objects and containers cannot be placed on the storage means when not in use, and since the said objects and containers occupy the storage area that can be used for storing, the shelf volume cannot be used efficiently.

In order to prevent the specially shaped storage means such as the egg tray and the canned drink carrier from occupying space in the shelf volume, the ones that have a detachable structure are used. The use of these detachable storage means causes problems since these detachable storage means get lost often.

In the state of the art South Korean Utility Model Document No. KR2019990036078, the egg tray is disclosed, that is suitable to be placed in the refrigerator door shelf, and that enables the area of use to be increased as twice as much by sliding on top of each other.

In the state of the art European Patent Application No. EP2549211, a cover is disclosed, that is attached to the refrigerator door shelf with a hinge and that can used as an egg tray. The said cover enables the shelf to be used for the storing of other objects by being folded upwards when the use of the egg tray is not needed.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooling device that comprises a door shelf the volume of which can be used efficiently.

In the cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, the surface that needs to be fixed and that is shaped as suitable for the safe placing of goods such as eggs, round-shaped boxes and experiment tubes, and the flat surface that is suitable for the placing of other objects and goods that do not need to be fixed, and that provides general purpose storage are produced so as to be integrated to the base of the shelf as a single piece. Thus, the storage means are prevented from getting lost.

In the shelf base of the present invention that comprises different surfaces, the area that is specified as the shaped surface can be produced so as to be suitable for use with purposes such as an egg or canned drink carrying area. These shapes can be in the form of an egg tray as well as in forms such as striped, indented, sinusoidal and the like. On the flat surface that can be identified as the general purpose use area, other objects and goods are enabled to be stored. By means of these two surfaces being produced so as to be integrated, the shaped storage means are prevented from being lost by being detached, and by means of the shelf being produced as a single piece, ease of production is provided.

Since the shelf that comprises the shaped and flat surface is designed as a single piece, the shelf is enabled to be produced with a single mold. Moreover, the material used in the shelf production can be produced with plastic injection. Thus, cost advantage is enabled in the production and ease of production is provided.

In addition to the fact that the shelf of the present invention has a structure that provides the use for different purposes, the shaped surface is partially or fully covered by means of a plate and thus the optimal area of use is provided according to the purpose of use by the area of use in the determined areas being flexible.

The said plate has a flat surfaced structure suitable for carrying goods. The plate has an active position of serving as a carrying surface by covering the shaped surface and a passive position wherein the plate is taken out of use by being moved from the said active position. Various embodiments are present in order for the plate to be stored in the storage area so as to occupy minimum space when in the passive position.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the plate is stored at the bottom portion of the flat surface when in the passive position. The size of the plate should be dimensioned so as not to exceed the size of the flat surface. In this embodiment, an opening is provided through which the plate passes from the lower portion of the shelf to the upper portion thereof while the plate movement that enables the plate to be covered on the shaped surface is realized. The opening is in the position where the flat surface ends and the shaped surface begins and is sized so as to allow the passing of the edge of the plate that is on the sliding plane. The plate can provide partial or full closing on the shaped surface by passing from the passive position wherein the plate is disposed under the flat surface, through this opening.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a fixing member is provided at the lower portion of the shelf surface in order for the plate to be stored at the lower portion of the flat surface. In an embodiment of the present invention, the fixing member is shaped as a channel that is integrated on the shelf. In an embodiment of the present invention, the fixing member is integrated to the shelf as a clawed structure. In another embodiment of the present invention, the fixing member is integrated under the shelf as a parallel line to the edge that passes through the opening in the movement direction of the plate. When the plate is switched to the active position, the plate covers the upper portion of the shaped surface so that there is minimum distance between the shaped surface and the plate. Thus, the waste volume under the plate is decreased to minimum. When the plate is switched to the active position, the plate is enabled to be used as a carrying surface by being in the parallel position to the flat surface.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the plate is stored in the passive position in a housing that is disposed in the base, at the base portion that has the flat surface. The housing has the opening that is disposed at the cross-section where the shaped surface is joined with the flat surface at the base so that the access from the front face of the shelf is not available. Thus, the plate switches to the active position by being slid on the shaped surface from this opening. A guide is used in order for the objects placed on the plate not to be shaken, and to enable the user to easily move the plate.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the plate is disposed in the shaped surface portion of the shelf in the passive position. The storing of the plate in the passive position is enabled by moving the plate close to the door surface by making a nearly right angle to the shelf base. Thus, when the plate is in the passive position, the plate’s occupation of the area of use on the shelf is kept at minimum. The plate is supported from the passive position to the active position on the shaped surface, on the edge of the shaped surface that is the closest to the door and parallel to the door so as to be closed on the shaped surface by rotating by means of the connection member. In an embodiment of the present invention, the connection member is in the form of a hinge group. The plate is brought to the parallel position with the flat surface, by being rotated around the connection member from the passive position to the active position. While in this active position, the plate covers so as to have minimum distance from the shaped surface. When in the active position, the plate allows the use as the carrying surface.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the shaped surface serves as the egg tray by being produced so as to suitable for the placing of eggs. The shaped surface comprises one or more than one cell suitable for the placing of eggs. The cell has a size that can contain only a portion of the egg. When storing eggs on the shelf is not needed, the waste volume below is at the minimum level when the egg tray is closed by means of the plate. The cells are preferably embedded to the shelf base. By keeping the volume that the cell shape occupies below the flat surface level, the height difference between the top point of the egg tray and the flat surface is kept at the minimum. Thus, when the egg tray is closed with the plate, the storage area for other goods and objects on the shelf is widened and the waste area that the egg tray occupies is decreased to minimum.

By means of the present invention, the area needed for the storing of the objects the storage of which needs fixing on the shelf can be realized so as to be changed by the user. The ease of production is provided by means of the shelf of the present invention being produced as a single piece. Moreover, by means of the plate that is mounted on the shelf and that enables the flexible use of the shelf volume, the ease of use is provided by preventing part loss.

A cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 – is the perspective view of the cooling device of the present invention.

Figure 2 – is the perspective view of the shelf while the plate is in the active position.

Figure 3 – is the perspective view of the shelf while the plate is in the passive position.

Figure 4 – is the top view of the shelf.

Figure 5 – is the rear perspective view of the shelf in an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 – is the perspective view of the shelf in another embodiment of the present invention.

The following numerals are being referred to in the detailed description of the present invention.

Cooling device
Body
Door
Shelf
Shaped surface
Flat surface
Plate
Base
Fixing member
Cell

P1. Active Position

P2. Inactive Position

The cooling device (1) comprises a body (2); a door (3) that provides access to the interior of the body (2), and at least one shelf (4) that is disposed on the door (3) (Figure 1).

In the cooling device (1) of the present invention, the shelf (4) comprises a base (8) that has a shaped surface (5) that is suitable for placing goods on such as eggs, canned drinks and the like and a flat surface (6) that is produced as a single piece with the shaped surface (5).

When the shaped surface (5) is being formed, the top point of the given shape is formed so as not to exceed the flat surface (6) level. The shelf (4) that is formed with different base (8) surfaces also enables the production as a single piece. Thus, a single shelf (4) that is suitable for the safe storage of goods that have different shapes is formed, and the loss of demounted storage means is prevented. Moreover, since the said shelf (4) can be produced as a single piece, the ease of production is provided (Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises a plate (7) that increases the area of use of the shelf (4) by at least partially covering the shaped surface (5) when at least a portion of the shaped surface (5) is not in use. Thus, when there are no goods to be placed on the shaped surface (5), an area is gained for the use of other objects and goods by the shaped surface (5) being closed with the plate (7). Thus, by widening the area on the shelf (4) that is suitable for the objects and the goods that do not need specially shaped storage means, an effective use is provided (Figure 2).

In this embodiment, the plate (7) has an active position (P1) wherein the plate (7) covers the shaped surface (5) when the shaped surface (5) is not in use and a passive position (P2) whereto the plate (7) is brought by being moved from the said active position and that enables the use of the shaped surface (5). When in the passive position (P2), the plate (7) is positioned so that the use of the flat surface (6) is not hindered. When switched from the passive position to the active position, the plate (7) is positioned parallel to the flat surface (6) by being partially or fully closed towards the top of the shaped surface (5) and forms an area that is suitable for placing objects and goods that do not need the specially formed storage means (Figure 2, Figure 3).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises the plate (7) that is disposed under the flat surface (6) when in the passive position. The plate (7) is stored under the flat surface (6) so as to be parallel to the flat surface (6) when in the passive position (P2). The plate (7) is switched from the passive position (P2) to the active position (P1) by being slid towards the top of the shaped plate (5), and the shaped plate (5) is enabled to be closed. In order for the sliding process to be facilitated and the suitable directing to be provided, the plate (7) is directed by means of at least one guide. The said guide can be shaped as a recess or a protrusion with the plate (7) as well as a channel wherein the plate (7) can move. Since the plate (7) is positioned so as to be closed to have the minimum opening with the top point of the shaped surface (5) when switched to the active position (P1), the waste area remaining below is decreased to minimum. Thus, maximum width is provided in the area of use on the shelf (4).

In a derivative of this embodiment, the cooling device (1) comprises a shelf (4) that has at least one fixing member (9) that enables the plate (7) to be stored under the flat surface (6). When in the passive position (P2), the plate (7) is stored parallel to the surface at the bottom portion of the flat surface (6) so as to have the minimum distance from the flat surface (6). By means of this storage, the plate (7) is enabled to be fixed with the fixing member (9) that is disposed at the lower portion of the shelf (4) (Figure 5).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises the plate (7) that is rotatably mounted on the shelf (4). The plate (7) is supported on the shaped surface (5) so as to move by rotating between the passive position (P2) and the active position (P1) by means of the connection member that is disposed at the edge of the shaped surface (5) that is close to the door (3). When in the passive position, the plate (7) stays close to the door (3) surface almost perpendicular to the shelf (4) surface, and thus does not occupy the area of use on the shelf (4) when in the passive position (P2). The plate (7) is brought to the active position (P1) by being rotated around the connection member. Thus, when the use of the shaped surface (5) is not needed, the area that is suitable for the placing of the objects and the goods that do not need the specially shaped storage means is widened by the plate (7) being brought to the open position (Figure 6).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises a shelf (4) that has the shaped surface (5) that is shaped as an egg tray that comprises more than one cell (10) suitable for the placing of eggs. The shaped surface (5) is shaped so as to match with the egg shape in order for the eggs to be stored in a safe manner. The number of the cells (10) may vary in proportion with the storage area of the shelf (4). The position of the egg is enabled to be fixed by the cell (10) height being dimensioned so as to be lower than the height that can contain the entire egg. Thus, the waste cell (10) volume when the egg tray is not in use is kept at minimum.

By means of the present invention, the area of use on the shelf (4) can be changed according to the need of the goods storage so as to be easily changed by the user, and the shelf (4) volume can be used efficiently.

Claims

A cooling device (1), comprising a body (2); a door (3) that provides access to the interior of the body (2), and at least one shelf (4) that is disposed on the door (3), characterized by the shelf (4) that comprises a base (8) that has a shaped surface (5) that is suitable for placing goods on such as eggs, canned drinks and the like and a flat surface (6) that is produced as a single piece with the shaped surface (5).
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by a plate (7) that increases the area of use of the shelf (4) by at least partially covering the shaped surface (5) when at least a portion of the shaped surface (5) is not in use.
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 2, characterized by the plate (7) that has an active position (P1) wherein the plate (7) covers the shaped surface (5) when the shaped surface (5) is not in use, and a passive position (P2) whereto the plate (7) is brought by being moved from the said active position and that enables the use of the shaped surface (5).
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 2 or 3, characterized by the plate (7) that is disposed under the flat surface (6) when in the passive position (P2).
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 4, characterized by at least one fixing member (9) that enables the plate (7) to be stored at the lower portion of the flat surface (6).
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 2 or 3, characterized by the plate (7) that is rotatably mounted on the shelf (4).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the shaped surface (5) that is shaped as an egg tray and that comprises more than one cell (10) suitable for the placing of eggs.