U.S. patent application number 11/791382 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-07 for support arrangement and a refrigerator provided therewith.
This patent application is currently assigned to BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate GmbH. Invention is credited to Christoph Becke.
Application Number | 20080030114 11/791382 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35629888 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080030114 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Becke; Christoph |
February 7, 2008 |
Support Arrangement And A Refrigerator Provided Therewith
Abstract
A support arrangement for receiving refrigeratable products in a
refrigerator comprising at least one vertical guiding groove, a
plurality of vertically arranged staggered steps, a horizontal
support provided with a peg engaged into the guiding groove and a
step which is engageable into the vertically arranged staggered
step or disengageable therefrom by pivoting the support about an
axis defined by the peg. The vertically arranged staggered steps
are placed outside of the guiding groove which is provided with
continuous sidewalls.
Inventors: |
Becke; Christoph;
(Grosskarolinenfeld, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BSH HOME APPLIANCES CORPORATION;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPARTMENT
100 BOSCH BOULEVARD
NEW BERN
NC
28562
US
|
Assignee: |
BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate
GmbH
Carl-Wery-Strasse 34
Munich
DE
81739
|
Family ID: |
35629888 |
Appl. No.: |
11/791382 |
Filed: |
November 9, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
November 9, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP05/55847 |
371 Date: |
May 23, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/408 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 57/425 20130101;
F25D 25/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/408 |
International
Class: |
A47F 3/04 20060101
A47F003/04; A47B 57/42 20060101 A47B057/42 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 2, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 058 199.1 |
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. A support arrangement comprising: at least one vertical support
which has a vertical guiding groove and a plurality of vertically
staggered locating steps; a horizontal support having a peg which
engages in the guiding groove, and a horizontal locating step which
can be brought into and out of engagement with the locating steps
of the vertical support by pivoting the horizontal support about an
axis defined by the peg; and wherein the locating steps of the
vertical support are arranged outside the guiding groove and the
guiding groove has stepless side walls.
14. The support arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the
vertical support has a second guiding groove which is substantially
a mirror image of the first guiding groove.
15. The support arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the
horizontal support comprises an elongated supporting arm which
bears the horizontal locating step at one of its longitudinal ends
and that the peg projects laterally from the supporting arm.
16. The support arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the
supporting arm bears a second peg which engages in the second
groove.
17. The support arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the
horizontal support comprises a second supporting arm which is
substantially a mirror image of the first supporting arm and which
engages in the second groove.
18. The support arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the peg
is cylindrical.
19. The support arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the peg
has an out-of-round cross-section which defines the freedom of
tilting movement of the support.
20. The support arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the
locating steps of the vertical support have a recess which is open
at the top and that the locating step of the horizontal support
engages in one of these recesses in the engaged state.
21. A refrigeration device comprising: an inner chamber surrounded
by a heat-insulating housing: a support arrangement mounted within
the inner chamber and including: at least one vertical support
which has a vertical guiding groove and a plurality of vertically
staggered locating steps; a horizontal support having a peg which
engages in the guiding groove, and a horizontal locating step which
can be brought into and out of engagement with the locating steps
of the vertical support by pivoting the horizontal support about an
axis defined by the peg; and wherein the locating steps of the
vertical support are arranged outside the guiding groove and the
guiding groove has stepless side walls.
22. The refrigeration device according to claim 21, wherein at
least one of the guiding grooves as well as the locating steps of
the vertical support adjacent to the guiding groove are formed by a
cohesive metal body.
23. The refrigeration device according to claim 21, wherein the
locating steps of the vertical support are formed at least
partially on an inner container of the housing.
24. The refrigeration device according to claim 21, wherein the at
least one guiding groove is formed by a metal profile.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a support arrangement
comprising at least one vertical support which has a vertical
guiding groove and a plurality of vertically staggered locating
steps, as well as comprising a horizontal support having a peg
which engages in the guiding groove, and a locating step, which can
be brought into and out of engagement with the locating steps of
the vertical support by pivoting the horizontal support about an
axis defined by the peg. Such a support arrangement or a
refrigeration device using such an arrangement is known from DE 101
45 141 A1.
[0002] This known support arrangement allows the locating
engagement between the horizontal and vertical supports to be
released by pivoting so that the horizontal support can be
displaced vertically in the guiding groove.
[0003] This known support arrangement has the noticeable property
that objects placed unsecured on the horizontal support need not
necessarily be removed when the horizontal support is to be
displaced vertically in the guiding groove. Care should merely be
taken to ensure here that the horizontal support is not tilted so
substantially about the horizontal axis defined by the peg that
this causes objects located on the horizontal support to start
sliding. However, the problem is that an angle of tilt at which the
locating engagement between the horizontal and vertical supports is
released is not uniquely defined. The guiding groove has two side
flanks, one provided with locating steps and the other being
smooth. If the horizontal support is not simultaneously pulled away
from the flank having the locating steps when tilting, it can
happen that the locating engagement is only released at an angle of
tilt at which objects located on the horizontal support slide
off.
[0004] During the displacement itself, the user must also take care
that the horizontal support is not pressed against the flank of the
guiding groove provided with the locating steps so that it does not
accidentally engage.
[0005] It is now the object of the present invention to provide a
support arrangement or a refrigeration device provided with a
support arrangement in which the height adjustment of the
horizontal support is made simpler and more reliable.
[0006] The object is achieved by the locating steps of the vertical
support being arranged outside the guiding groove which receives
the peg and by the guiding groove having stepless side walls. These
stepless side walls allow the horizontal support to be guided
uniformly and free from vibration during its vertical movement;
when the horizontal support is located in a suitable orientation
for vertical displacement, even when the horizontal support is
accidentally pressed in the direction of the locating steps,
contact between the peg and a side wall of the guiding groove
itself prevents it from contacting the locating steps and becoming
suspended therefrom.
[0007] In order to ensure that the horizontal support is not
unintentionally displaced in the axial direction of the peg, a
second guiding groove for receiving a second peg of the same or
another horizontal support, which is a mirror image of the first
guiding groove, is preferably provided over the vertical
support.
[0008] The horizontal support preferably comprises an elongated
supporting arm which bears the locating step which cooperates with
the locating step of the vertical support at one of its
longitudinal ends and the peg projects laterally from the
supporting arm.
[0009] As a consequence of a preferred simple embodiment, the peg
is cylindrical so that its play in the width direction of the
groove which is guiding it is independent of the angle of tilt of
the horizontal support.
[0010] However, the peg can also have an out-of-round cross-section
which makes its play dependent on the angle of tilt and preferably
in such a manner that the play becomes smaller with increasing
angle of tilt and blocks the tilting of the supporting arm from the
horizontal into an orientation which is significantly more severely
tilted than is required to release the locating engagement.
[0011] The locating steps of the vertical support preferably have a
recess which is open at the top in which the locating step of the
horizontal support can engage in the engaged state. This engagement
prevents pivoting of the horizontal support about the peg without
simultaneously raising the horizontal support and thus prevents the
locating engagement between the horizontal and vertical supports
from being accidentally lost.
[0012] A support arrangement of the type described above can be
used in particular in a refrigeration device as a holder for
storage shelves in the inner chamber of the refrigeration
device.
[0013] As a consequence of a first embodiment, at least one of the
guiding grooves as well as the locating steps of the vertical
support adjacent to the guiding groove are formed in one piece of
metal. This makes it possible to fabricate the other housing parts
of the refrigeration device, in particular an inner container of
the same using known techniques so that a plastic can be used as
material for the inner container which is not sufficiently
load-bearing in terms of the type of material or the wall thickness
to then form the locating steps. However, provided that the inner
container has sufficient strength, it can then be appropriate to
form the locating steps of the vertical support on the inner
container so that an inexpensive metal extruded profile can the be
used for the guiding groove which is generally subjected to strong
mechanical loading; formation of the locating steps partly on the
inner container and partly in the severely loaded regions, through
the metal body can also be considered.
[0014] Further features and advantages of the invention are
obtained from the following description of exemplary embodiments
with reference to the appended figures. In the figures:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical section through a
refrigeration device with a support arrangement according to the
present invention along the plane I-I in FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a horizontal section through the refrigeration
device along the plane II-II from FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a support and its
surroundings in the refrigeration device from FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a section through the peg and its guiding groove
according to a first embodiment;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a section similar to FIG. 4 according to a second
embodiment;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a section similar to FIG. 4 according to a third
embodiment;
[0021] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the
support;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second modified embodiment
of the support and its surroundings
[0023] The refrigerator shown in vertical section in FIG. 1
comprises in a manner known per se a body 1 in which an
intermediate space between an outer skin 2 composed of multiple
parts and an inner container 3 deep-drawn in one piece from plastic
is filled with insulating foam material as well as a foam-filled
door 4 hinged to the body 1. As shown in the horizontal section in
FIG. 2, two vertical grooves 6 are formed on the rear side of the
container 3 each in an extension of the side walls 5, which extend
substantially over the entire height of the inner container and in
which locating steps 7 are arranged at uniform distances. The
locating steps 7 can be formed of the material of the inner
container 3 during deep drawing but a reinforcing U-profile, for
example, of metal can also be inserted in the grooves 6 of the
inner container, on which the locating steps 7 are formed.
[0024] Located adjacent to the grooves 6 on the rear side of the
inner container 3 are two U-profiles 8 which each have a guiding
groove with the opening facing the adjacent side wall 5. The
profiles 9 end shortly before the bottom of the inner container
3.
[0025] Three storage devices 10 for chilled goods are suspended at
different heights at the locating steps 7 and the U-profiles 8.
These each comprise two elongated supporting arms 11 which extend
along the side walls 5 without touching them and which support a
horizontal storage shelf 12. A cylindrical peg 13 projects from
each of the supporting arms 11 and engages in the guiding grooves 9
of the U-profiles 8 with slight play relative to the depth
direction of the body 1. A locating step, or more accurately a
locating projection 14, on the rear lower end of the supporting
arms 11 engages in the case of the two upper chilled-goods storage
devices 10 in a recess formed on the upper side of the locating
steps 7. The engagement between the locating projection 14 and the
recess 15 prevents the relevant chilled goods storage device 10
from pivoting about the longitudinal axis of the peg 13 in its
position shown in FIG. 1 when an upwardly directed force
accidentally acts on the front edge of the chilled goods storage
device 10.
[0026] In order for the chilled goods storage device 10 to be able
to pivot, it is first necessary to raise this without pivoting
until the locating projection 14 is released from the recess 15.
Only then is it possible to pivot the peg 13 so far in the
anticlockwise direction in the perspective in FIG. 1 that the rear
end of the supporting arm 11 moves so far away from the bottom of
the groove 6 that it can pass the locating steps 7 freely and be
displaced upwards or downwards. It should be noted that the
locating steps 7 or the locating projection 14 are shown
substantially enlarged in FIG. 1 for the sake of clear
representation. In practice, the extension of the locating steps 7
and locating projection 14 particularly in the depth direction of
the body 1 is so small that they would not be recognisable if shown
to scale in FIG. 1. Thus, a substantially smaller side angle than
appears according to FIG. 1 is sufficient for the locating
projection 14 to come free from the locating steps 7 and for the
chilled goods storage device 10 to be displaced vertically. The
force exerted in the rest state from the rear end of the supporting
arm 11 on the bottom of the groove 6 in the horizontal direction is
substantially greater than the force from the weight of the chilled
goods storage device 10 to be supported by the locating steps 7 as
a result of the position of the peg 13 in the vicinity of the wall
so that an extension of the locating steps 7 in the depth direction
of the housing in the order of magnitude of one millimetre is
completely sufficient for secure support.
[0027] As is shown for the example of the lowest locating step 7,
the recess 15 on the upper side of the locating step 7 can even be
omitted so that the chilled goods storage device 10 supported
thereon can pivot without simultaneous lifting, as shown in the
figure by the dotted outline of the lowest chilled goods storage
device 10. In the case of the lowest chilled goods storage device
10, the omission of the recess 15 facilitates pivoting since a
pull-out box 16 which completely fills the space underneath the
lowest chilled goods storage device 10 makes it difficult for a
user to grasp under the chilled goods storage device 10 to lift it
without pivoting.
[0028] As soon as a chilled goods storage device 10 is located in a
sufficiently far-pivoted orientation in which no locating
engagement exists between its supporting arm 11 and the locating
steps 7, it can be displaced freely into the U-profile 8. As long
as the chilled goods storage device 10 has pivoted sufficiently
far, contact between the peg 13 and a leg 17 of the U-profile 8
facing the rear wall prevents the supporting arm 11 from becoming
unintentionally suspended on one of the locating steps 7.
[0029] Additional chilled goods storage devices can easily be
mounted by temporarily removing the pull-out box 16 and inserting
the pegs 13 of the additional chilled goods storage device 10 into
the open lower ends of the grooves 8. Alternatively, it could also
be provided that the grooves 8 end at a distance from the roof of
the inner container 3 so that additional chilled goods storage
devices can be inserted into the grooves 8 from above.
[0030] FIG. 3 shows a perspective detailed enlargement of the
support arrangement according to the invention in a slightly
modified embodiment compared with FIGS. 1 and 2. The supporting arm
11 with peg 13 and locating projection 14 is the same as in the
embodiment considered previously. A lateral edge of the storage
shelf 12 is firmly glued, clamped or fastened in another suitable
manner to the supporting arm 11; the opposite lateral edge is
fastened in a similar manner to a supporting arm not shown, which
is a mirror image of the supporting arm 11 shown in the figure. The
rigid connection of the supporting arms via the storage shelf 12
prevents the supporting arms of the load of the storage shelf 12
from deflecting towards one another and downwards as a result of a
pivoting movement.
[0031] The U-profile 8 guiding the peg 13 is extended in one piece
at its leg 17 facing the rear wall of the inner container 3 by a
section 18 having an L-shaped cross-section on which the locating
steps 7 are formed. The forces exerted by the supporting arm 11,
namely a horizontally forward-directed force F1 exerted by the peg
13 on the front leg 19 of the U-profile, a horizontally
backward-directed force F2 exerted by the locating projection 14 on
the section 18 and the force G of the weight of the chilled goods
storage device 10 exerted by the locating projection 14 on the
locating step 7, are absorbed by a single cohesive profile so that
the loading of the rear wall of the inner container 3 remains small
and consequently no greater wall thickness of the inner container 3
than in conventional refrigerator designs is required.
[0032] FIG. 4 shows a section through the U-profile 8 and the peg
13 along the plane designated by IV-IV in FIG. 3. The play of the
peg 13 in the groove 9 of the U-profile 8 is small and as a result
of the cylindrical cross-section of the peg is independent of its
side angle. A displacement of the chilled goods storage device 10
in the vertical direction is thus executed exactly by engagement of
the peg 13 in the guiding groove 9 and allows uniform raising and
lowering of the chilled goods storage device 10. The peg 13 can
slide along on the front leg 19 or on the rear leg 17 without the
risk of unintentional engagement.
[0033] FIG. 5 shows a section similar to FIG. 4 according to a
modified embodiment. In this case, the peg 13 has an elongated
cross-section, or more accurately in the form of a rectangle with
rounded corners which abuts flat against the front leg 19 when the
chilled goods storage device 10 is engaged. When the chilled goods
storage device 10 is pivoted for unlocking, the peg 13 becomes
increasingly sloping in the groove guiding it and its play becomes
increasing smaller with increasing side angle until ultimately in
the position of the peg 13 shown as a dot-dash outline in the
figure, no further pivoting is possible because the peg 13 is in
contact with both legs 17, 19 simultaneously. The side angle at
which this occurs is fixed so that in this position, the locating
projection 14 is separate from the locating steps 7 and
consequently the chilled goods storage device 10 can be raised and
lowered freely. In the embodiment in FIG. 5 the user therefore does
not need to take care that a side angle of the chilled goods
storage device 10 at which objects placed thereon could start to
slide is not exceeded; rather, a maximum side angle is provided by
the shape of the peg 13 and the groove 9 guiding it of such a
magnitude that there is no risk of sliding.
[0034] If, in the stop position of the peg 13 shown by the dot-dash
line, an excessive torque acts on said peg, appreciable frictional
forces can occur between the peg 13 and the legs 17, 19 of the
U-profile 8, making any displacement of the chilled goods storage
device 10 difficult.
[0035] A further development of the peg in FIG. 5 which obviates
this problem is shown in the sectional view in FIG. 6. In this
case, the peg 13 is formed by two rollers 21 suspended rotatably on
the supporting arm 11, which both abut against the leg 19 in the
locked position of the chilled goods storage device 10 and of which
the lower abuts against the leg 19 and the upper against the leg 17
in the pivoted stop position. The chilled goods storage device 10
can thus be held firmly pressed into the pivoted stop position
during upward and downward displacement without excessive friction
at the legs 17, 19 making displacement difficult.
[0036] FIG. 7 shows another modification of the support arrangement
according to the invention in a perspective view similar to that in
FIG. 4. In this case, the leg 17 of the U-profile 8 adjacent to the
rear wall is lengthened flush over the front edge of the leg 19,
openings 22 being punched at uniform distances in the lengthened
section. Recesses 23 of the rear wall of the inner container 3 are
located behind the openings 22 in each case. In this case, each
individual opening 22 can be assigned its own recess 23; for
simplicity, however, all the recesses 23 can be connected for form
a continuous groove in the vertical direction as the groove 6 shown
in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0037] The locating projection 14 of the supporting arm 11 engages
through one of the openings 22 into the allocated recess 23 of the
inner container 3 and thus secures the chilled goods storage device
10 against unintentional pivoting. The locating projection 14 and a
second downwardly projecting projection 24 of the locating arm 11
embrace the lower edge of the opening 22, the projection 24 being
supported on the front side of the lengthened leg 17. The
advantages of this further development is that the openings 22 can
be implemented more simply and cost-effectively than the projecting
locating steps 7 in the embodiments in FIGS. 1 to 3, for example,
by stamping into an extruded profile.
[0038] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment in which two pegs 13 which
project coaxially in opposite directions are formed on a supporting
arm 11. The pegs 13 are guided in the guiding grooves 9a, 9b, which
face one another by U-profiles 8a, 8b which are a mirror image of
each other. The legs 17a, 17b adjacent to the rear wall are joined
in one piece by a section 25 which is provided with openings 22 at
uniform distances as in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 7. Since
the supporting arm 11 in this embodiment is guided by the pegs 13
on two sides, it cannot yield to a force acting thereupon by
simultaneously pivoting downwards and to the side. It is therefore
suitable for being a single bearer of a storage shelf (not shown in
the figure). In order to secure the storage shelf against tipping,
the supporting arm 11 is provided here with laterally projecting
branches 26.
* * * * *