U.S. patent application number 12/937375 was filed with the patent office on 2011-02-10 for refrigerating appliance with a height-adjustable storage device.
This patent application is currently assigned to BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERATE GMBH. Invention is credited to Roland Benitsch, Albert Poidinger.
Application Number | 20110031863 12/937375 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41078619 |
Filed Date | 2011-02-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110031863 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Benitsch; Roland ; et
al. |
February 10, 2011 |
REFRIGERATING APPLIANCE WITH A HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE STORAGE DEVICE
Abstract
A refrigerating appliance having a housing that encloses an
interior space; a storage device; a gear mechanism to adjustably
guide the storage device in the interior space between a high
position and a low position; and a brake that is assigned to the
gear mechanism to selectively dampen a movement of the storage
device from the high position into the low position.
Inventors: |
Benitsch; Roland; (Nattheim,
DE) ; Poidinger; Albert; (Sontheim, 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
Munich
DE
|
Family ID: |
41078619 |
Appl. No.: |
12/937375 |
Filed: |
April 8, 2009 |
PCT Filed: |
April 8, 2009 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2009/054227 |
371 Date: |
October 12, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/408 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 25/04 20130101;
F25D 25/02 20130101; F16F 7/08 20130101; A47B 57/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/408 |
International
Class: |
F25D 25/02 20060101
F25D025/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 17, 2008 |
DE |
10 2008 019 385.2 |
Claims
1-17. (canceled)
18. A refrigerating appliance, comprising: a housing enclosing an
interior space; a storage device; a gear mechanism to adjustably
guide the storage device in the interior space between a high
position and a low position; and a brake assigned to the gear
mechanism, the brake to selectively dampen a movement of the
storage device from the high position into the low position.
19. The refrigerating appliance of claim 18, wherein the brake is a
friction brake.
20. The refrigerating appliance of claim 19, wherein the brake has
a first brake element and a second brake element, the second brake
element being moved with friction over the first brake element; and
wherein an adjusting element of the gear mechanism adjusts the
first and second brake elements between a first position with
strong frictional contact between the first and second brake
elements and a second position with one of weak and no frictional
contact between the first and second brake elements.
21. The refrigerating appliance of claim 20, wherein the adjusting
element is movable and coupled to the storage device so that, when
the storage device is moved into the low position, the strong
frictional contact is established and, when the storage device is
moved into the high position, the one of weak and no frictional
contact is established.
22. The refrigerating appliance of claim 20, wherein the gear
mechanism has an element that is connected to the housing and to
the storage device and that guides the movement of the storage
device; wherein the adjusting element is moved in relation to fixed
stops on the housing between a first stop position and a second
stop position; wherein the freedom of rotational movement of the
adjusting element between the first and second stop positions is
less than the freedom of rotational movement of the element; and
wherein the adjusting element is latched, in relation to the
element, in a position corresponding to the one of weak and no
frictional contact and a position corresponding to the strong
frictional contact.
23. The refrigerating appliance of claim 22, wherein the element is
rotated between an upper position and a lower position of the
storage device.
24. The refrigerating appliance of claim 23, wherein one of the
first and second braking elements is a circular arc-shaped spring
and the other of the first and second braking elements is moved
along a circumferential surface of the circular arc-shaped
spring.
25. The refrigerating appliance of claim 24, wherein at least one
end of the circular arc-shaped spring bears a stop restricting the
freedom of movement of the other of the first and second braking
elements.
26. The refrigerating appliance of claim 24, wherein at least one
end of the circular arc-shaped spring has a latching recess into
which the other of the first and second braking elements is
latched.
27. The refrigerating appliance of claim 24, wherein the circular
arc-shaped spring, on a circumferential surface facing away from
the other of the first and second braking elements, bears a
projection which is supported by the adjusting element in the
second stop position of the adjusting element.
28. The refrigerating appliance of claim 27, wherein the adjusting
element has an arc-shaped spring that is concentric with respect to
an axis of rotation of the adjusting element, and wherein a first
and second latching positions are defined by a contact between two
stop surfaces of the arc-shaped spring and a latching projection of
the element.
29. The refrigerating appliance of claim 23, wherein the element,
which is rotabably connected to the housing and the storage device,
is a hollow wheel, and wherein the first and second braking
elements and the adjusting element are accommodated within the
hollow wheel.
30. The refrigerating appliance of claim 18, wherein the brake has
an element that stores potential energy of the storage device on
transition into the low position and that releases the potential
energy on transition into the high position.
31. The refrigerating appliance of claim 18, wherein a plurality of
elements that are rotatably connected to the housing and the
storage device are rotatably coupled to one another.
32. The refrigerating appliance of claim 31, wherein two of the
plurality of elements, which engage on a same sidewall of the
housing, are coupled rotationally via a belt.
33. The refrigerating appliance of claim 31, wherein two of the
plurality of elements, which engage on opposite side walls of the
housing, are rotationally coupled via a rod.
34. The refrigerating appliance of claim 33, wherein an axis of
rotation, on which the two of the plurality of elements are
articulated on the storage device, runs through the rod.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerating appliance
with a housing enclosing an interior space and a storage device
which can be adjusted between a high and a low position within the
interior space by a gear mechanism. Such a refrigerating appliance
is known from DE 10 2006 014 370 A1.
[0002] The gear mechanism helps to ensure that the storage device
retains a horizontal orientation while being adjusted between the
high and the low position, so that the storage device can be
adjusted without endangering the equilibrium of objects stored on
it. A problem can however arise from the fact that a user, when
lowering the storage device, must initially only exert a small
force, but that this force--conditional on the path on which the
gear mechanism guides the storage device--greatly increases during
the course of the movement up to an intermediate position in which
the user must balance the entire weight of the storage device and
the objects located on it. If he is surprised by this or
accidentally lets go of the storage device it drops back into the
lower position so that there is still the danger of objects falling
over.
[0003] Furthermore there is no coupling between the two parts of
the gear mechanism which support the storage device on different
side walls of the housing. Thus a malfunction is not excluded in
which the storage device is supported by one of the drive of parts
in a high position and by the other in a lower position. This means
that the storage device gets into a sideways sloping position so
that objects placed on it can slide towards the side or can fall
over.
[0004] The object of the present invention is to develop a
refrigerating appliance of the type specified above so that
accidents when the storage device is being adjusted can be excluded
with a greater level of certainty, without the operating comfort of
the height adjustment being adversely affected.
[0005] The object is achieved by the gear mechanism being assigned
a brake which selectively damps the movement of the storage device
from the high position into the low position.
[0006] The braking force of this brake is expediently set so that,
with normal loading, a movement of the storage device into the
lower position is slowed down sufficiently to prevent it dropping
abruptly into the lower position without the user having to support
the storage device during its movement to achieve this. Since the
brake is not effective during an upwards movement of storage device
this adjustment is no more strenuous for the user than in the
conventional refrigerating appliance.
[0007] Hydraulic or pneumatic dampers are especially known as
selectively-acting brakes, in which a fluid is circulated by a
movement driven from outside between two chambers and, when this is
done, in one movement direction passes a slightly permeable
non-return valve and in the opposite movement direction passes a
constriction. Inventively however a lower-cost solution is
preferred in which the brake is embodied as a friction brake.
[0008] Preferably this friction brake comprises a first brake
element and a second brake element able to be moved frictionally
over the first brake element, which is adjustable by an adjusting
element of the gear mechanism between two positions with different
levels of friction, preferably a position in friction contact with
the first braking element and a position not in friction contact
with the first braking element.
[0009] Expediently the adjusting element is coupled to the storage
device in a movable manner in order to establish the strong
frictional contact when the storage device is moved into the lower
position and to establish the weak frictional contact when the
storage device is moved into the high position.
[0010] In accordance with a preferred embodiment the gear mechanism
comprises an element guiding the movement of the storage device
connected to the housing and the storage device, the adjusting
element is movable in relation to fixed stops on the housing
between a first and a second stop position, with the freedom of
movement of the adjusting element between the stop positions being
smaller than the freedom of movement of the element so that the
adjusting element is necessarily taken along on a part of the
movement of the element along with the latter and the adjustment
element is able to be locked in relation to the element into a
position corresponding to a weak friction contact and into a
position corresponding to a strong friction contact so that,
depending on the position of the adjusting element in relation to
the element, a different level of friction contact is produced.
[0011] Preferably the element is able to be rotated between the
upper and the lower position of the storage device.
[0012] It is further preferred for one of the braking elements to
be an arc-shaped spring, so that the other braking element is able
to be moved on its arc-shaped path guided by the element along a
circumferential surface of the spring.
[0013] The spring is preferably provided at at least one end with a
stop limiting the freedom of movement of the other braking
element.
[0014] At an end of the spring, as an alternative or in addition to
the stop, a latching recess can also be provided in which the other
braking element is able to be latched in order to stabilize the
storage device in its high or its low position.
[0015] In order to be effective as a brake for a selective
direction, the spring preferably bears a projection on its
circumferential surface facing away from the other brake element
which is supported by the adjusting element in its second stop
setting and thus presses the spring into the path of the other
braking element or ensures that the spring cannot yield to the
pressure of the other braking element.
[0016] The two latching positions can be realized with the aid of
an arc-shaped spring of the adjusting element which runs
concentrically to its axis of rotation and has two stop surfaces of
which the contact with a latching projection of the element defines
the two latching positions.
[0017] In order to protect the brake against damage or
contamination, advantageously the element connected rotatably to
the housing and the storage device can be embodied as a hollow
wheel in the interior of which the braking element and the
adjusting element are accommodated.
[0018] In accordance with an alternate embodiment the brake can
comprise an element storing the potential energy of the storage
device on transition into the low position and releasing it on
transition into the high position.
[0019] To guide the movement of the storage device so that it does
not tip, a number of elements connected rotatably to the housing
and storage device are preferably rotationally coupled to each
other.
[0020] The rotational coupling can be established via a belt
between elements which engage on a same side wall of the
housing.
[0021] For elements which engage on the opposite side of walls of
the housing the coupling is preferably realized by a connecting
rod.
[0022] The rod advantageously runs in a space-saving manner along
the axis of rotation on which the two rotatable elements connected
by it are articulated on the storage device.
[0023] Further features and advantages of invention emerge from the
subsequent description of exemplary embodiments, which refers to
the enclosed figures. The figures show:
[0024] FIG. 1 a perspective part of view of a storage device and
its support in its high position;
[0025] FIG. 2 a part view of the storage device in its low
position;
[0026] FIG. 3 a part view of one of the parts of the gear
mechanisms supporting the storage device, with the wheel
removed;
[0027] FIG. 4 an internal review of the part of the gear mechanism
from a direction opposite to the perspective of FIG. 3;
[0028] FIG. 5 a part view of the part of the gear mechanism in the
high position;
[0029] FIG. 6 an intermediate stage of the part of the gear
mechanism on the way to the low position;
[0030] FIG. 7 a second intermediate stage of the part of the gear
mechanism on the way to the low position;
[0031] FIG. 8 the part of the gear mechanism in the state latched
into the low position;
[0032] FIG. 9 the part of the gear mechanism after the latch has
been released;
[0033] FIG. 10 a first intermediate stage of the part of the gear
mechanism on the path into the high position;
[0034] FIG. 11 a second intermediate stage on the path into the
high position;
[0035] FIG. 12 a part of the gear mechanism in accordance with a
second embodiment of the invention which holds a storage device in
the high position, and
[0036] FIG. 13 the part of the gear mechanism of FIG. 12 with the
storage device in the lower position.
[0037] FIG. 1 shows a perspective part view of a storage device 1,
here in the form of a glass plate 3 surrounded by a frame 2, which
with the aid of two part of the gear mechanism 4, each supporting
it at one edge, is able to be adjusted between a high position
shown in FIG. 1 and a low position shown in FIG. 2. The part of the
gear mechanism shown in the figure comprises a flat housing which
is intended to be mounted in a recess in a side wall of
refrigerating appliance housing. The opposing edge of the frame 2
not shown in the figure is supported by a part of the gear
mechanism not shown in the figure, constituting a mirror image of
the part of the gear mechanism 4.
[0038] Two wheels 5 protrude into the interior space of the
refrigerating appliance housing from the flat rectangular housing
of the part of the gear mechanism 4. The wheels 5 are able to be
turned in relation to the gear mechanism housing around an axis 6
and each bear a pin 7 eccentric to the axis 6 onto which the frame
2 is clamped. On the wheels 5 of the two parts of the gear
mechanism 4 adjacent to the rear wall of the refrigerating
appliance housing, the pins 7 lengthened to a rod 8 rigidly
connecting the wheels 5 and merged in order to couple the rotation
of the wheels 5 to one another. Wheels 5 of a part of the gear
mechanism 4 close to the rear wall and close to the door are
coupled in each case by a toothed belt guided inside its housing
and therefore not visible in FIGS. 1, 2 engaging in a sprocket of
the wheels 5. The coupling of all four wheels 5 guarantees that
when the storage device 1 is adjusted between its high and its low
position all wheels 5 rotate exactly synchronously so that the
horizontal orientation of the storage device 1 is insured at all
times.
[0039] FIG. 3 shows a part view of one of the parts of the gear
mechanism 4, with a wheel omitted from the figure in order to
guarantee a view of the inside of the housing through an opening of
the housing of the part of the gear mechanism normally closed off
by the wheel 5. Protruding centrally from the rear wall 8 of the
gear mechanism housing visible through the opening is a central
bearing bush 9, onto which normally a hollow shaft of the wheel 5
is pushed to allow rotation. The bearing bush 9 and the hollow
shaft (not shown here) are surrounded by a rotatable adjustment
element 10. Protruding radially from a central ring 11 of the
adjusting element 10 is a stop arm 12. The stop arm 12 is shown in
a stop position in which it rests against a first projection 13 of
the rear wall 8.
[0040] A semicircular spring arm 14 concentric to the bearing bush
is connected opposite the stop arm 12 to the ring 11.
[0041] A semicircular rib 15 protruding from the rear wall 8 is
centered on the bearing bush 9. At the ends of the rib 15 are
located latching recesses 16, 17 curved in a concave shape to the
outside. The rib is connected in one piece to the rear wall 8 at
the height of the latching recesses 16, 17. In its center section
it is separated from the rear wall on both sides by a narrow gap 18
in order to enable it to yield elastically to a pressure acting in
a radial direction on it. A radial projection 19 directed inwards
is formed in a lower area of the rib 15 on its inner side.
[0042] A toothed belt 20 can be seen around the rib 15, which in
the fully assembled state passes around both wheels of the part of
the gear mechanism 4 and meshes with these wheels with teeth in
order to couple their rotations to one another.
[0043] FIG. 4 shows a part view of the part of the gear mechanism 4
seen from the side of the rear wall 8 (omitted in the figure). A
sprocket 21 of the wheel 5 can be seen in the figure into which the
toothed belt 20 engages, and a central sleeve 22 of the wheel 5
onto which the adjustment element 10 is pushed so that it can
rotate and which for its part is provided to be able to be pushed
rotatably onto the bearing bush 9. A projection 23 directed
radially inwards is formed on the sprocket 21. A pin 24 projects
not far from the sleeve 22 into the inside of the wheel 5
[0044] FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of the configuration of the
part of the gear mechanism 4 while the storage device 1 is in the
high position. The projection 23 of the sprocket 21 is engaged in
the upper latching recess 16 of the rib 15. The adjusting element
10 is located in a stop position on the projection 13 of the rear
wall 8.
[0045] When the wheel 5 is turned in a clockwise direction in order
to bring the storage device into the lower position, the pin 24
moves into a latching position in which it strikes the
inwards-curved tip of the spring arm 14. Thus the adjustment
element 10 is taken along in the clockwise direction by the
rotation of the wheel 5. This means that the stop arm 12 of the
adjustment element 10 comes into contact with the projection 19 on
the inside of the rib 15. In this position a second projection 25
of the rear wall 8 blocks the further rotation of the adjustment
element 10, as shown in FIG. 6.
[0046] When the wheel, as shown in FIG. 7, is turned further in the
clockwise direction, the pin 24 deflects the tip of the spring arm
14 radially outwards and enters a cutout between the spring arm 14
and the ring 11 of the adjusting element 10. The rib 15 comes into
frictional contact with the projection 23 of the sprocket at the
height of the projection 19. The rib 15 can be formed so that this
frictional contact is only made when the rib is deflected outwards
by the stop arm 12; it can also be formed so that the frictional
contact is also made in the relaxed configuration of the rib of 15,
but the rib 15 can slightly deflect the pressure of the projection
23 if the projection 19 is not supported by the stop arm 12. The
friction arising between the projection 23 and the rib 15 brakes
the upwards movement of the storage device 1.
[0047] When the storage device 1 has reached the lower position,
the gear mechanism is in the configuration shown in FIG. 8. The
adjusting element 10 continues to support the rib 15 radially
outwards, but the projection 23 has passed the supported area of
the rib 15 in the meantime and is latched into its lower latching
recess 17. Since the rib is connected rigidly at the height of the
latching recess to the rear wall 8 and outer side of the cutout 17
represents a stop which the projection 23 cannot pass. The pin 24
of the wheel has reached the end of the cutout between spring arm
14 and ring 11 of the adjusting element and in doing so has
overcome a projection 26 on the inside of the spring arm 14.
[0048] When the storage device 1 is lifted again, the wheel 5
rotates in the counterclockwise direction. As shown in FIG. 9, the
projection 23 first lifts out of the lower latching recess 17 again
and the pin 24 arrives at a second latching position in which it
strikes the projection 26 of the spring arm 14.
[0049] When the wheel 5 is turned further, this takes the adjusting
element 10 with it so that the stop arm 12 slides down from the
projection 19. This state is shown in FIG. 10. The projection 23
now moves along on the rib 15 without touching this or at least
without rubbing hard against it.
[0050] In the course of the further rotation at the wheel 5 the
adjusting element 10 comes to a stop again against projection 13,
as shown in FIG. 11. So that the wheel 5 can turn further, its pin
24 must now pass the projection 26 of the spring arm 14. Thus the
configuration of FIG. 5 is eventually reached again.
[0051] In the simplest case the braking mechanism described above
can be provided on one of the two wheels 5 of each part of the gear
mechanism 4. To increase the security it can also be provided on
both wheels 5.
[0052] FIG. 12 shows a section through a part of the gear mechanism
let into a side wall of the refrigerating appliance in accordance
with a second embodiment of the invention. The housing of the gear
mechanism part is omitted in the figure for the sake of simplicity
except for the bearing bush 9. The sectional plane runs through the
central sleeves 22 of the two wheels 5 pushed onto the bearing
bushes 9, but not through their sprockets 21 around which the
toothed belt 20 passes. A coil spring 28 is tensioned between the
two wheels 5 and engages on their sleeves 22 via two elongated
belts 30 each provided with an eye 29. Two elongated leaf springs
31 are each connected at an end facing towards the coil spring 28
rigidly to the housing, and a free end of the leaf springs 31
touches one of the sleeves 22 in each case. At a distance from the
free end the leaf springs 31 each bear a projection 32 facing
towards one of the belts 30.
[0053] The configuration of the part of the gear mechanism shown in
FIG. 12 corresponds to the high position of the storage device 1
suspended on the wheels 5. To bring the storage device into the low
position, the wheels 5 are turned by around 180.degree. in the
counterclockwise direction. In this case the belt 30 winds itself
on each wheel a little way further around the sleeve 22. In this
case the spring 28 is tension and is turned slightly, as can be
seen in FIG. 13. The expansion of the spring 28 is proportional to
the turning of the wheels 5, meaning that the return force of the
spring 28 increases as the wheels are turned. Since shortly before
reaching the lower position the drive force resulting from the
weight of the storage device and its load approaches zero, the
storage device is thus effectively slowed down before reaching the
lower position and a sudden stop can be avoided if the storage
device is not overloaded.
[0054] During the expansion and rotation of the springs 28 their
belts 30 first come into contact with the projections 32 of the
leaf springs 31 and deflect the latter. When the storage device
reaches the lower position, the eyes 29 reach the projections 32
and the projections 32 latch into the eyes 29. This locks the
storage device in the low position; it remains in the low position
even when the resetting force of the spring 28 would be sufficient
per se to lift the storage device up a little further. The leaf
springs 31 do not yield under the pressure of the spring 28 since
they are essentially stressed by in the longitudinal direction.
Only when a user pulls the storage device from the lower position
and thereby turns the wheels 5 in the clockwise direction do parts
33 formed on the sleeves 22 come into contact with the tips of the
leaf springs 31 and drive these away from the sleeves 22. This also
pulls the projections 32 out of the eyes 29. The return force of
the coil spring 28 now again acts on the sleeves 22 and supports
the lifting of the storage device.
* * * * *