EP3077741B1 - Domestic refrigeration appliance comprising an interior, in which a support is movably arranged, on which support a container is positioned - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a household refrigerator with an interior space which is delimited by the walls of an inner container. The household refrigeration device comprises a container for holding food, which is arranged displaceably in the interior.

Such designs for a household refrigerator, such as a refrigerator or a freezer or a combined refrigerator-freezer, are well known. Containers in the form of drawers, in which food are introduced, can usually be pulled out and pushed in horizontally in the depth direction of the household refrigerator. For this purpose, they can, for example, be stored on storage devices that are arranged on the side walls of the inner container and guided accordingly.

From the WO 2011/018352 A1 a household refrigeration appliance with a displaceable plate is known, on which containers can be mechanically coupled in a rear area with play, so that the container is moved along with a movement of the plate.

DE 10 2012 204 053 A1 discloses a shelf for a household refrigerator having a base provided with openings and two foot sections connected to the base, which are designed to keep the base of the shelf at a distance from a standing surface for the shelf when the shelf is in a first storage position by means of the foot sections is set up on the standing surface, wherein the storage shelf has a holding device which is designed to store the storage shelf in a second storage position in the household refrigerator so that it can be pulled out.

DE 102 36 215 B3 discloses a storage arrangement for a refrigeration appliance comprising a container with two upright walls which have upper edges of different thicknesses, and a divider element which has a tab which can be slipped onto both upper edges. The rider has a first groove, which is dimensioned for plugging onto the first wall, and one at the bottom of the first groove for plugging onto the second Wall dimensioned second groove.

DE 10 2007 005 948 A1 discloses a refrigeration device with a body, a door and a carrier for items to be cooled that is mounted in the body via telescopic pull-outs, a cover element at least largely covering each telescopic pull-out on an upper side, a longitudinal side facing the carrier and a front side facing the door.

From the US 2013/0043780 A1 a household refrigerator is known in which an extendable shell is mounted on telescopic rails. For this purpose, the shell has a stepped profile on the side walls, which forms a roof that couples with the telescopic rails from above.

From the EP 2 634 516 A1 a household refrigerator is known which has a shell as a container. Separate inserts can be placed in this shell. The inserts have ring-like elevations and depressions that can couple.

It is the object of the present invention to create a domestic refrigeration appliance in which user-friendly handling and easy and safe displacement of such a container is achieved.

This object is achieved by a household refrigerator which has the features according to claim 1.

A household refrigerator according to the invention comprises an interior space which is delimited by the walls of an inner container. The household refrigeration appliance comprises at least one container for holding food, which is arranged displaceably in the interior. A carrier, which is formed separately from the at least one container, is mounted displaceably in the interior space and the container is arranged on the carrier in a non-destructive detachable manner. In addition, it is provided that the at least one container is coupled to move with the carrier for displacement. The motion coupling is in When viewed in the depth direction of the household refrigerator, formed at least in a front region of the container and at least in a front region of the carrier. This results in a highly functional and easy-to-use arrangement which enables the containers to be moved in a very user-friendly and safe manner. Even if the at least one container is extensively equipped with food and thus the container is relatively heavy, it can still be easily pulled out and pushed in and does not lift off the front of the carrier. By means of such a carrier, which quasi forms a certain substructure for the container, these occurring forces can be appropriately absorbed and the movement control of the overall system is nevertheless possible very easily due to the dissipation of the forces via the carrier.

The non-destructive separation and reassembly option between the carrier and the at least one container is also essential, so that a user is also able to change the number and / or shape of the carrier with containers. In addition, such a repeatable separation and assembly option can also increase the handling of the individual components, for example with regard to cleanability.

As a result of the movement coupling between the carrier and the container, these two components, although they are actually separate components, are essentially fixed in position when they are moved, so that here too there is no undesired slipping or even falling of the container. Such a configuration also ensures that both the container can be gripped directly by a user and the carrier can be gripped directly and the pulling out of both components is then achieved simultaneously.

In the coupled state with the recess in the container, the engagement element of the carrier is preferably arranged in a form-fitting manner and thus received or embedded therein in areas with an accurate fit. This achieves a backlash-free connection and a coupled movement guidance without relative movement between the container and the carrier, so that, for example, no rattling noises occur either. Such a coupling is particularly advantageous in the front area, since the play-free connection prevents the container from tilting when it is gripped.

The container has in the front area on its bottom a, in particular channel-like, recess into which an engaging element, in particular strip-shaped, protruding upwards in a front area of the carrier, engages in the coupled state. As a result, when the container is put on, a particularly simple and coupling-safe connection option is created which, due to the weight of the container, also couples in a self-snapping manner.

In particular, the bottom is designed with an offset downwards towards a front wall of the container and the recess is formed adjacent to, in particular adjacent, on the side of the offset facing away from the front wall. As a result, there is no undesired downward protrusion of an engaging element in the recess and a further stop is formed for the engaging element.

The engagement element is preferably an, in particular U-shaped, edge protector of a carrier plate of the carrier. This creates a multifunctional component which enables the components to be arranged in a compact manner with respect to one another and thereby ensures a wide range of mutual support, so that a holding and securing of position as well as a puzzle-like abutment and interlocking is achieved.

It is preferably provided that the carrier is at least one frame on which the container is arranged. Such a configuration is mechanically relatively stable, so that a relatively symmetrical installation of the container on this frame is possible. In this way, too, uniform weight force derivation on the one hand and a uniform and smooth movement guidance on the other hand can then be achieved again. A configuration of the carrier at least as a frame also enables an inherently very stable construction that is torsion-resistant, so that this dimensional stability also prevents undesired spreading during movement.

It is preferably provided that the movement coupling is designed to act in the direction of the rectilinear displacement movement of the container. Will thus this arrangement When viewed in a straight line in the depth direction, no relative movement can occur between the container and the carrier in this direction. In particular, when the movement coupling acts only in the direction of this displacement effect, a relative movement is possible in the two spatial directions perpendicular thereto and thus viewed in the width direction and in the height direction of the domestic refrigerator. This can in particular have advantages with regard to the separation of the two components and the reassembly to be carried out. In particular, it is thus provided that the movement coupling is formed only in the direction of the linear displacement movement, which extends in the depth direction of the household refrigerator.

It is preferably provided that, in the coupled state, the container and the carrier are arranged so as to interlock in some areas in the vertical direction at several points. This is then in particular an exclusively mechanically acting coupling which, on the one hand, has a very simple structure with regard to its functionality, and, on the other hand, is very heavily loaded and robust and is therefore also designed to be permanently functional and wear-resistant.

It is preferably provided that the container has at least one mechanically acting engagement element on its bottom in a rear region in the depth direction, which engagement element is designed for coupling to an engagement region formed in a rear region of the carrier. Here a kind of mechanical interlocking is created between the objects, which thus shows a certain overlap between the engagement element and the engagement area, especially when viewed in the vertical direction. The additional coupling on the rear improves the coupling of movement and is formed at the maximally spaced apart exposed points.

It is preferably provided that the engagement element is designed to protrude downward from the bottom of the container and to engage in an engagement area of the carrier designed as a recess. With such a configuration, a simple one-piece molding of the engagement element onto the bottom of the container is made possible. As a result, the engagement element is mechanically stable and can also be robustly coupled to the engagement area.

An inverse configuration can also be provided in which a raised engaging element is then formed in a rear region of the carrier, which engages in a recess formed in the transition between the rear wall and the bottom of the container when coupled to the container. With such a configuration, however, the volume of the container in which food can be received is then possibly reduced.

It is preferably provided that the engagement element is formed at the transition between the bottom and a rear wall of the container. With such a configuration, it is arranged in a relatively space-saving manner and it does not prevent a user or does not get in the way when handling the container.

It is preferably provided that the engagement element in this rear region of the container extends over at least 50%, preferably at least 80%, of the width of the container. As a result, a very extensive and not just selective mechanical coupling with the carrier is achieved. This prevents the container from being loosened or slipped out of the carrier.

By means of an embodiment, a coupling is then preferably generated in the rear area in addition to the coupling which is formed in the front area between the carrier and the container. During the shifting movement, the fixing of the position of the two components to one another is improved. Especially when, for example, the container is accidentally filled with food, in which heavy food is only placed in the front area of the container, folding up the container in the rear area will not have a detrimental effect on decoupling, as it will still be in the front Area a coupling between the container and the carrier would be maintained. Also in the front area it can preferably be provided that the depression extends by at least 50%, preferably 80%, of the width of the container in the width direction.

In an alternative or, if necessary, additional embodiment, it can be provided that the coupling between the container and the carrier is formed by magnetic holding forces. For this purpose, magnets can explicitly be attached to the container and / or be formed on the carrier. These can preferably also be designed in a rear area and / or front area analogously to the previously explained embodiments. If necessary, advantageous points here are the respective four corner points of the bottom of the container. As an alternative to explicit designs with magnets, magnetically interacting materials, such as ferromagnetic metal, can also be provided.

In order to prevent these magnets or ferromagnetic metals from being influenced by moisture in the interior, they can also be arranged completely embedded in the particular plastic material of the container and / or the carrier.

It is preferably provided that the carrier is a plate. In this embodiment, not only a frame with a central opening is provided, but actually a full-surface plate. This makes it easier to set up several containers on this carrier.

It is preferably provided that the coupling of the container to the carrier can be released by lifting the container in the vertical direction. This is a very simple and user-friendly embodiment, since no extensive and complex movement sequences and actuation scenarios need to be carried out by a user.

It is preferably provided that at least two containers are arranged next to one another at the same height in the interior space and are arranged non-destructively detachable on at least one carrier. By gripping and pulling out the carrier, at least two containers positioned next to one another can be pulled out at the same time. However, this is also possible if a user directly grabs a container, for example by its handle, and pulls it out.

Likewise, it is also possible for two separate and independently displaceable carriers to be arranged at the same height, on each of which at least one container can be positioned and can be coupled in terms of movement to the respective carrier.

It can be provided that the carrier is mounted displaceably by a roller bearing or a guide rail device. This promotes the ease of movement control.

Further features of the invention emerge from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures, can be used not only in the specified combination, but also in other combinations or on their own, without the frame to leave the invention. There are thus also embodiments of the invention to be considered as encompassed and disclosed, which are not explicitly shown and explained in the figures, but emerge from the explained embodiments and can be generated by separate combinations of features.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Haushaltskältegeräts;

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische und teilweise geschnitten dargestellte Ansicht von Behältern und einem Träger im gekoppelten Zustand;

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische, teilweise geschnitten dargestellte Ansicht der Ausführung in Fig. 2 mit einem entkoppelten Behälter;

Fig. 4

eine perspektivische Darstellung der Ansicht in Fig. 3; und

Fig. 5

eine perspektivische Schnittdarstellung einer mechanischen Kopplung zwischen einem Behälter und einem Träger in einem hinteren Bereich der Komponenten.

Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of an embodiment of a household refrigerator according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a perspective and partially sectioned view of containers and a carrier in the coupled state;

Fig. 3

a perspective, partially sectioned view of the embodiment in FIG Fig. 2 with a decoupled container;

Fig. 4

a perspective representation of the view in Fig. 3 ; and

Fig. 5

a perspective sectional view of a mechanical coupling between a container and a carrier in a rear region of the components.

Identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

In Fig. 1 a household refrigerator 1 is shown in a perspective view, which can be, for example, a refrigerator or a combined refrigerator-freezer.

The household refrigerator 1 comprises a housing 2 on which an inner container 3 is arranged. The inner container 3 delimits an interior space 4 into which food can be placed for storage and preservation.

The inner container 3 comprises two lateral vertical walls 3a and 3b and a rear wall 3c. Furthermore, the interior space 4 is delimited by an unmarked floor and an unmarked ceiling, which also represent walls of the inner container 3.

The household refrigerator 1 also includes a further separate interior space 5, which is separated from the upper interior space 4.

The upper interior 4 can be closed by a door 6, whereas the lower interior 5 can be closed by a door 7 independently of the door 6.

A device 8 is arranged in the interior space 4 and comprises a first container 9 and a second container 10. The two containers 9 and 10 are each designed as drawers or bowls and designed to hold food.

The two containers 9 and 10 are also arranged on a common carrier 11 in the exemplary embodiment.

In the exemplary embodiment, the carrier 11 is designed as a plate which can be pushed back and forth in the depth direction and thus in the z-direction of the household refrigerator 1 and thus also of the interior 4. For this purpose, a guide device, not identified in detail, is designed, which is designed, for example, as a roller bearing or as a guide rail device.

In this context, it can be provided, for example, that rollers are formed on the underside of the carrier 11, which then run on guides that are arranged on a further plate formed below or that are formed on the walls 3a and 3b.

In Fig. 2 the household refrigerator 1 is shown in the area of the device 8 in a perspective, partially sectioned illustration. The container 9 is also shown in section, as is the carrier 11.

In Fig. 2 the state in which the container 9 is shown with the carrier 11 in the mechanically coupled state is shown. For this purpose, it is provided that in a rear region 12 of the container 9 at a transition between a base 13 and a rear wall 14 of the container 9, an engagement element 15 is formed which is integrated into the container 9. However, it can also be designed as a separate part and, for example, glued to the base 13.

The engagement element 15 is a hump-shaped element that extends downward and thus in the negative y-direction. In the coupled state, it engages in a channel-like recess which represents an engagement area 16 of the carrier 11 in its rear area 11b. The engagement region 16 and the engagement element 15 couple in a mechanical manner to the effect that a movement coupling is achieved between the container 9 and the carrier 11 in the straight direction of movement and thus in the z-direction. The container 9 and the carrier 11 thus overlap one another in the vertical direction (y-direction) and are quasi hooked. In particular, such a coupling is only provided in this direction. The coupling then does not work in the x and y directions.

At the in Fig. 2 An exclusively mechanical coupling is provided, and the container 9 and the carrier 11 interlock in some areas in the y-direction and thus in the vertical direction. In particular, it is provided that the engagement element 15 and the engagement region 16 extend over the entire width and thus an extension in the x direction of the container 9.

As can be seen, a rear delimiting wall 17 of the engagement region 16 is formed further upwards in the vertical direction, so that in this context a rear stop is also formed for the container 9. The upward extension of the wall 17 is higher than an altitude on which the flat plateau of the carrier 11 on which the floor 13 is located is.

In addition, it is provided in the exemplary embodiment that a further, in particular exclusively mechanically acting, coupling is provided in a front area 18 of the container 9 and in a front area 11a of the carrier 11. This comprises a channel-like depression 19 in the base 13, into which an upwardly protruding, in particular strip-shaped engagement element 20 of the carrier 11 engages. Here, too, it is provided in particular that the recess 19 and the engagement element 20 extend over essentially the entire width of the container 9.

The engagement element 20 is an edge protector for a carrier plate 23 of the carrier 11. It surrounds an edge or an edge of the carrier plate 23 in a U-shape and is embedded with one leg of the U-shape in the recess 19. In particular, there is a form-fitting arrangement of the itself formed in the recess 19 extending sub-element of the engagement element 20.

As can be seen, the bottom has a downward offset 29, which then opens into a front wall 28 of the container. In the depth direction on the side of the offset 29 facing away from the front wall, the recess 19 is formed.

The plate-like carrier 11 is coupled to a plate 21 formed below the carrier 11 for straight movement guidance in the z-direction via the possibilities of a roller bearing or a guide rail device already mentioned by way of example. This has guides 22, for example. With regard to the dimensions of the carrier plate 11, it should be mentioned that the flat design is at least as large as the bottom 13 of the container 9. In the exemplary embodiment it is provided that two containers 9 and 10 are present, and that the carrier 11 has a flat dimension , which corresponds at least to the areas of the bottoms of the two containers 9 and 10.

Towards the top, in the state shown, the container 9 is covered in its inserted end position by a further plate 24, for example a glass plate.

It can be provided that the carrier 11 is at least partially made of glass, in particular a carrier plate 23 made of glass, which is circumferentially surrounded by a carrier frame, in which the engagement area 16 is then formed on the one hand at the rear and through which the engagement element at the front on the other 20 is formed. The same is in Fig. 2 shown and recognizable in the sectional view.

It is preferably provided that the container 9 is separated from the carrier 11 by simply lifting it in the y direction. This is shown in Fig. 3 shown. In this perspective view, which is again shown in section in the yz plane in the region of the container 9 and the carrier 11, the separated state of the container 9 from the carrier 11 is shown. The containers 9 and 10 are drawn outwards in the negative z-direction so that access to the respective receiving spaces is made possible.

Since the two separate containers 9 and 10 are arranged on a common carrier 11, a simultaneous and uniform displacement takes place by means of the displaceably mounted carrier 11.

In Fig. 4 A perspective view of the device 8 is shown, in which a side view can be seen and thus also the guide device, as exemplified in FIG Fig. 4 shown can be seen. By way of example, rollers are provided here, of which only a front roller 25 is shown. As an example, four rollers are provided, each formed in pairs on one of the opposite sides. A running surface 26 is formed for the rollers 25 and a coupling between the guide 22 and a lateral flange 27 of the carrier 11 is also provided, as is also shown in FIG Fig. 4 is recognizable. An interlocking between the components 22 and 27 that overlaps in the x direction is designed. Correspondingly, an analogous design and coupling is also provided on the opposite side in the area of the container 10.

In Fig. 5 is shown in an enlarged view of the coupled state between the container 9 and the carrier 11 in the rear area, in contrast to the illustration in FIG Fig. 2 a viewing direction in the negative x-direction is shown.

List of reference symbols

1

Household refrigeration device

2

casing

3

Inner container

3a

lateral vertical wall

3b

lateral vertical wall

3c

Back wall

4th

upper interior

5

lower interior

6th

door

7th

door

8th

contraption

9

container

10

container

11

carrier

11a

front area

11b

the backstage area

12

the backstage area

13

ground

14th

Back wall

15th

Engagement element

16

Intervention area

17th

Boundary wall

18th

front area

19th

deepening

20th

Engagement element

21st

plate

22nd

guides

23

Carrier plate

24

plate

25th

roll

26th

Tread

27

flange

28

Front wall

29

Offset

Claims (15)

1. Household refrigeration appliance (1) with an interior (4, 5), which is delimited by walls (3a, 3b, 3c) of an inner container (3), and with at least one container (9, 10) for accommodating foodstuffs, which is arranged in a displaceable manner in the interior (4, 5), wherein a carrier (11) is mounted in a displaceable manner in the interior (3) and the container (9, 10) is arranged on the carrier (11) such that it can be released in a non-destructive manner and is motion-coupled to the carrier (11) for the purpose of displacement, wherein a motion coupling, viewed in the depth direction of the household refrigeration appliance (1), is embodied at least in a front region (18) of the container (9, 10) and at least in a front region (11a) of the carrier (11), characterised in that the container (9, 10) has a depression (19) in the front region (18) at the base (13) thereof, into which depression (19) an engagement element (20), which protrudes upwardly and is elevated in a front region (11a) of the carrier (11), engages in the coupled state.
2. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the depression (19) is a channel-like depression (19) and the engagement element (20) is a strip-like engagement element (20).
3. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the engagement element (20) of the carrier (11), in the coupled state, is connected to the depression (19) with a form fit.
4. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the base (13), towards a front wall (28) of the container (9, 10), is embodied with an offset (29) towards the bottom and the depression (19) is embodied as adjacent to the side of the offset (29) facing away from the front wall (28), in particular adjoining it.
5. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the engagement element (20) is an in particular U-shaped edge protection of a carrier plate (23) of the carrier (11).
6. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the container (9, 10), in a rear region (12) on its base (13), has at least one mechanically operating engagement element (15) that is embodied for motion coupling with an engagement region (16) in a rear region (11b) of the carrier (11).
7. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that the engagement element (15) of the container (9, 10) is embodied such that it protrudes downwards from the base (13) and engages into an engagement region (16) embodied as a depression.
8. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the engagement element (15) of the container (9, 10) is embodied at the transition between the base (13) and a rear wall (14) of the container (9, 10).
9. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the engagement element (15) of the container (9, 10) extends over at least 50%, preferably at least 80%, of the width of the container (9, 10).
10. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterised in that the engagement region (16) is embodied in an in particular U-shaped edge protection of a carrier plate (23) of the carrier (11).
11. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, in the coupled state, the container (9, 10) and the carrier (11) are arranged such that they interlock in some regions at a plurality of separate points, when viewed in the vertical direction.
12. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the carrier (11) is embodied in a plate-shaped manner.
13. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the coupling of the container (9, 10) to the carrier (11) can be released by raising the container (9, 10) in the vertical direction.
14. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least two containers (9, 10) are arranged next to one another at the same height position in the interior (4, 5) and are arranged on at least one carrier (11) such that they can be released in a non-destructive manner.
15. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the carrier (11) is mounted in a displaceable manner by a roller bearing (25) or a roll-free guide rail apparatus.

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