Patent Application
20210254890
This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of German application DE 10 2020 201 781.6, filed Feb. 13, 2020; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.
One aspect of the invention relates to a foodstuff storage unit with a foodstuff storage base. One aspect of the invention also relates to a pull-out device for a household refrigeration appliance. The pull-out device is embodied to store foodstuffs on different levels. For this purpose, the pull-out device has a first foodstuff storage unit arranged on a first level. This first foodstuff storage unit is mounted displaceably in a pull-out direction. For this purpose, the pull-out device has a separate second foodstuff storage unit arranged on a second level different from the first level and mounted displaceably in the pull-out direction. In addition, the invention also relates to a household appliance.
Foodstuff storage units are widely known. This includes units with plate-like foodstuff storage bases. A base of this kind can, for example, be a shelf. Although storage goods can be placed on such shelves, their use is limited.
Pull-out apparatuses are also known from the prior art. For example, U.S. patent publication No. 2006/0218958 A1 discloses a pull-out device embodied as a drawer which is provided to store bottles on different levels. A lower plate for storing such bottles is permanently connected to a front wall of the drawer and can be pulled out therewith. A further plate for storing bottles arranged thereabove is connected to this lower plate by a coupling device. During the process of pulling out in the pull-out direction, these plates embodied at different levels are pulled out over different pull-out lengths so that the bottles positioned thereabove are accessible in both levels. However, this coupling device has a complex embodiment so that coupling and decoupling is subject to complex processes thus giving rise to a certain susceptibility to errors.
A pull-out device for a household refrigeration appliance is also known from U.S. patent publication No. 2016/0178274 A1. This entails two interconnectable bins. A coupling device has a vertically displaceable wedge that is able to couple with a stop in dependence on the drawer pull-position. The wedge is connected to spiral springs that are separate therefrom and press the wedge downward.
Published European patent applications EP 3 546 864 A1 and EP 3 546 867 A1 disclose pull-out apparatuses for storing foodstuffs at different levels.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a foodstuff storage unit, a pull-out device for a household appliance and a household appliance in which prioritized positioning of stored goods is improved.
This object is achieved by a foodstuff storage unit, a pull-out device and a household appliance according to the independent claims.
One aspect of the invention relates to a foodstuff storage unit for a household appliance. The foodstuff storage unit is embodied to store foodstuffs. The foodstuff storage unit has a plate-like foodstuff storage base. This is a substantive component. This foodstuff storage base has a horizontal storage level. This is in particular an upper side of the plate-like foodstuff storage base. The storage level is in particular coherent and uninterrupted. Moreover, the foodstuff storage unit has a bottle storage rail. This bottle storage rail is arranged on a front edge of the foodstuff storage base. The bottle storage rail is embodied to store a bottle. It is in particular embodied for horizontal storage of a bottle. It is in particular embodied only for horizontal storage of a bottle thereupon. Such an embodiment of a foodstuff storage unit can on the one hand enable stored goods to be placed on the foodstuff storage base. Moreover, it is additionally also possible for a bottle to be stored on the bottle storage rail. This specific bottle storage rail enables the bottle to be stored specifically with regard to the storage position, namely horizontally. Moreover, it is enabled that precisely this position of the bottle storage rail enables this bottle also to be stored in a very exposed position, namely in the depth direction of the foodstuff storage unit in front of the plate-like foodstuff storage base. This, on the one hand, enables quick access to the bottle that may be stored there. On the other hand, this also enables the bottle to be positioned in a very exposed manner and hence also to be, so-to-speak, presented. Hence, the bottle storage rail also forms a presentation rail for at least one bottle. Hence, in particular in advantageous embodiments, improved observation of a bottle presented in this manner from outside a household appliance is enabled.
The bottle storage rail and the foodstuff storage base are preferably separate components. In particular, it is provided that the bottle storage rail is arranged in a non-destructive detachable manner on the front edge by means of a connection. Such an embodiment also enables these two separate components to be reversibly separated and reassembled. This can enable simple cleaning of the individual components. Moreover, this bottle storage rail can be removed when it is not needed, in particular if no bottle is to be stored thereupon.
It can be provided that this connection has a plug-in connection. It can also be provided that this connection has a snap-on connection. It can also be provided that this connection has a hook-in connection. For example, the bottle storage rail can then be hooked-in or suspended from above on the front edge of the foodstuff storage base. The mechanical connections are particularly simple, yet highly functional and robust. This also enables any lever forces that may occur and which act on this connection between the bottle storage rail and the foodstuff storage base through a stored bottle to be absorbed without problems.
In one advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the length of bottle storage rail is in particular equal to the width of the front edge of the foodstuff storage base. The length of the bottle storage rail is dimensioned in the width direction of the foodstuff storage unit. The longitudinal axis of this elongate bottle storage rail is oriented in this width direction. Thus, this bottle storage rail so-to-speak also forms a front adapter to this foodstuff storage base. This adapter preferably has exactly the same width as this front edge. Hence, it is possible to avoid unwanted edges or steps on the opposite side regions at the transition between the bottle storage rail and the foodstuff storage base. In particular, this enables a particularly uniform overall module to be formed between the bottle storage rail and the foodstuff storage base.
Viewed along its longitudinal axis, the dimensions of the bottle storage rail are embodied many times, in particular at least twice, in particular at least three times, greater than in a direction perpendicular thereto, in particular in the depth direction of the foodstuff storage unit. In this regard, the bottle storage rail is also formed in a board-like manner.
In one advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the bottle storage rail has a support channel. The bottle can be placed in or placed on the support channel. Such an embodiment enables a particularly advantageous positioning of the horizontal bottle. This prevents the horizontal bottle from rolling down from the bottle storage rail in an unwanted manner.
In particular, this support channel extends over the entire length of the bottle storage rail.
In one advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the bottle storage rail has at least one opening which is a ventilation slot. This is a particularly advantageous embodiment. This is because on the one hand it enables air to be directed through this bottle storage rail in a targeted manner. This enables a bottle stored thereupon to be temperature-controlled in a particularly targeted manner. Moreover, it is additionally also possible for the air flowing through this ventilation slot to flow onto further components above the bottle storage rail, for example an inner side of a door of a household appliance, in particular a household refrigerating appliance. In an advantageous embodiment, this also enables a targeted flow of air onto such components to be achieved. Hence, this can in particular also prevent misting or condensation of moisture on the inner side of the door.
In one advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the ventilation slot is oriented in the width direction of the foodstuff storage unit. It extends in particular in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the foodstuff storage rail or coaxially thereto. This is a further very advantageous embodiment. This is because it also enables the air flow to flow onto a horizontal bottle on the bottle storage rail, in particular flow around, so-to-speak over its entire length in a targeted manner. This enables particularly uniform temperature control of the horizontal bottle.
It is preferably provided that the ventilation slot is embodied in the support channel. This enables the aforementioned advantages to be achieved to a particular extent. This enables a particularly direct flow onto the bottle stored horizontally in the support line.
In a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the bottle storage rail has a thickening bar on an underside. This thickening bar delimits the ventilation slot on one side. This to the effect that a delimiting wall supplemented by the thickening bar is enlarged compared to the rest of the delimiting wall of the ventilation slot. Viewed in the depth direction, this thickening bar is in particular embodied in a rear region on the underside. As a result, viewed in the depth direction, a rear delimiting wall of the ventilation slot is embodied higher or enlarged in this regard. This enables improved guidance of the air that enters through the ventilation slot from below and flows through the bottle storage rail.
It is preferably provided that the thickening bar extends over the entire length of the ventilation slot, in particular without interruption.
Preferably, this thickening bar also achieves that the bottle storage rail is mechanically stabilized or stiffened in this rear region.
In one advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the ventilation slot has an upper slot outlet. This slot outlet is embodied in a rear half of the support channel in the depth direction of the foodstuff storage unit.
In a cross section perpendicular to its longitudinal axis, the support channel is in particular U-shaped. As a result, this shape, which is continuously curved in one direction, in particular forms the center with its minimum point and hence the division into a front and a rear half. In particular, viewed in this depiction, the slot outlet is completely embodied in the rear half of the channel shape. This in particular improves the air flow onto the bottle and achieves particularly efficient temperature control. This position is particularly advantageous as it hence also achieves a diversion of the air flow that passes through the ventilation slot from below and exits at the slot outlet at the top. In particular a diversion of the air flow to a front edge of the bottle storage rail. This is because, viewed in the depth direction, this positioning causes the circumferentially enclosed slot outlet with a rear contour region that, viewed in the vertical direction, delimits the slot outlet, to lie higher than a further contour section lying further toward the front that delimits the slot outlet.
It is preferably provided that the slot outlet is embodied such that an air flow flowing therefrom flows to or in the direction of a front side of the bottle storage rail.
In one advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the foodstuff storage base is an uninterrupted shelf or a storage grid. When embodied as a shelf, this can be a quadrangular plate. This is embodied without any interruption. In the case of a storage grid, this can also be quadrangular in terms of its basic geometry. It can then have rods oriented parallel to one another and arranged at a distance from one another. This in particular achieves support regions. Additional bottles can then in turn be individually stored horizontally therein. In one advantageous embodiment, it is hence provided that the foodstuff storage base is also embodied for the horizontal storage of bottles. In particular, it is intended only to be used to store bottles.
It can be provided that the foodstuff storage unit is a bottled foodstuff storage unit. It can then be embodied only and exclusively for the storage of bottles when used as intended. In particular embodied for the horizontal storage of bottles. Thus, it can be provided that the bottles stored on the foodstuff storage base are oriented in the depth direction and hence placed from front to back or from back to front. On the other hand, the further bottle, which is in particular stored horizontally on the bottle storage rail, is oriented perpendicular thereto and with its longitudinal axis oriented in the width direction.
A further aspect of the invention relates to a pull-out device for a household refrigeration appliance. The pull-out device is embodied to store foodstuffs on different levels. The foodstuffs can be positioned directly on this pull-out device itself. The pull-out device has a first foodstuff storage unit, which, when viewed in the vertical direction of the pull-out device, is arranged on a first level. The first foodstuff storage unit is mounted displaceably in a pull-out direction oriented perpendicular to this vertical direction. Foodstuffs can be directly placed on or introduced into this foodstuff storage unit. The pull-out device has a separate second foodstuff storage unit separate from the first foodstuff storage unit, which is arranged on a second level different to the first level. Foodstuffs can also be placed directly on this second foodstuff storage unit. Moreover, the pull-out device in particular has a coupling device with which the movements of foodstuff storage units can be coupled. In the movement-coupled state, the foodstuff storage units can be pulled out together in the pull-out direction. At least one foodstuff storage unit is embodied according to the aforementioned aspect or an advantageous embodiment thereof.
The coupling device preferably has a coupling element, which is a one-piece bracket that is intrinsically deformable in a resilient manner, wherein the coupling element is arranged on a foodstuff storage unit. The coupling device has a first stop arranged on the other foodstuff storage unit, wherein the coupled state of the foodstuff storage units is formed by the coupled state between the coupling element and the stop. This coupled state can be released by the intrinsic resilient deformation of the one-piece bracket when the bracket is in contact with the stop and by guiding the bracket over the stop in the pull-out direction behind the stop.
The bracket is preferably V-shaped. This is a very advantageous shape in order to achieve the intrinsic deformation of the one-piece bracket in a very precise and controlled manner. As a result, there is no unwanted abrupt deformation yet continuous deformation is still enabled so that continual guidance over the first stop is enabled and the coupled state is released in a continuous movement without sudden snapping.
It is preferably provided that, viewed in the vertical direction, the second foodstuff storage unit is arranged higher than the first foodstuff storage unit. Hence, the second level is in particular embodied above the first level. Viewed in the vertical direction, the two foodstuff storage units are arranged at a distance from one another. This distance is preferably dimensioned such that foodstuffs can be placed on the lower foodstuff storage unit, which is in particular formed by the first foodstuff storage unit, even when, viewed in the depth direction of the pull-out device, the two foodstuff storage units that also define the pull-out direction are arranged at least partially overlapping. In particular, the distance in the vertical direction between these two foodstuff storage units is greater than the thickness of a beverage bottle.
Preferably, at least one foodstuff storage unit for the storage of bottles is embodied on an upper side. Preferably beverage bottles, in particular wine bottles, can be stored here. In this context, the pull-out device is then in particular a bottle-store pull-out device, in particular a wine-bottle-store pull-out device.
It is preferably provided that receptacles, in particular cavities and/or openings, explicitly designed as bottle-store regions are embodied at least on an upper side of least one foodstuff storage unit. This enables bottles to be placed on the upper side of a foodstuff storage unit in a non-slip or roll-proof manner. Such a storage region can be channel-like. It is also possible for a foodstuff storage unit to be embodied as a grid or as a crossbar structure so that at least depressions, in particular complete openings, are embodied between two grid bars or crossbars so that a bottle can be placed in this region and is positioned in a non-slip and roll-proof manner.
It is preferably provided that the first foodstuff storage unit is a storage plate and/or the second foodstuff storage unit is a storage plate. In this context, a storage plate is understood to be both a full-surface embodiment of a solid board-like or shelf-like component. However, a storage plate is, for example, also understood to be a grating or a bracing frame or a truss frame.
Alternatively, however, at least one foodstuff storage unit can, for example, also be embodied as a bin or tub-like container.
Hence, with such an embodiment, the foodstuff storage unit is much higher than a storage plate that is substantially only defined by its thickness in the vertical direction and therefore has a relatively low height.
In one advantageous embodiment, it is provided that, in decoupled state, the foodstuff storage units can be displaced independently of one another against the pull-out direction. This also means, that, in particular after the decoupling, the upper, in particular second, foodstuff storage unit can be inserted independently of the lower, in particular first, foodstuff storage unit. The first foodstuff storage unit can then also be inserted against this pull-out direction in particular after the insertion of the upper foodstuff storage unit and brought into its final inserted state.
A further aspect of the invention relates to a household appliance, in particular a household refrigeration appliance, having a housing in which at least one receiving space for foodstuffs is embodied. The household refrigeration appliance has a pull-out device according to the aforementioned aspect or an advantageous embodiment thereof. The pull-out device is arranged displaceably in the receiving space in the depth direction of the household refrigerating appliance.
In one advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the pull-out device can have pull-out rails, in particular telescopic rails. These pull-out rails enable the foodstuff storage units to be pulled out in the pull-out direction. The pull-out rails are different components from the foodstuff storage units. The pull-out rails can be arranged on the foodstuff storage units.
The household refrigeration appliance preferably has a receiving space that can be closed at the front by two separate doors. These two separate doors are arranged in the width direction without overlapping one another and, in the closed state, extend at a level spanned by the vertical direction and the width direction. The household refrigeration appliance preferably has a second receiving space embodied to store foodstuffs. This second receiving space can be embodied to receive the pull-out device. In particular when the pull-out device is embodied as a drawer, a front door of this further receiving space can be formed by the front wall of the drawer. It can be provided that, viewed in the vertical direction, the second receiving space is embodied below the first receiving space. It can be provided that the first receiving space is a cooling compartment. The second receiving space can be embodied to store bottles. It can preferably be provided that the household refrigeration appliance has a third receiving space embodied as separate from the first and second receiving space. This third receiving space can be a freezer compartment. This third receiving space can also be closed at the front by a door separate from the other doors mentioned. This door can be a pivoting door that can be pivoted about an axis that is in particular oriented in the vertical direction. However, this door can also be a front wall of a drawer that is linearly displaceable in the depth direction.
The terms “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “rear”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “depth direction”, “width direction”, “vertical direction” etc. refer to the positions and orientations during the intended use and intended arrangement of the apparatus or appliance.
Further features of the invention may be derived from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description and the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures or shown in the figures alone are usable not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the scope of the invention. Hence, embodiments of the invention that are not explicitly shown or disclosed in the figures but are derived from and can be generated by separate feature combinations should also be considered to be disclosed. Hence, embodiments and feature combinations that do not have all the features of an originally formulated independent claim should also be considered to be disclosed.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a foodstuff storage unit with specific bottle storage rail, a pull-out device and a household appliance, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
In the figures, the same or functionally equivalent elements are given the same reference numbers.
Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to
In the exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the receiving space 3 can be closed by a plurality of separate doors arranged at the front. In this context, the receiving space 4 can be closed by a door 5, which is here a front wall of a drawer that is linearly displaceable in the depth direction (z-direction). The rest of the partial volume of the receiving space 3 can be closed by two further separate doors 6 and 7 which can be pivoted separately and independently of one another about vertical axes and hence axes oriented in the vertical direction. This embodiment on the one hand enables the rest of the partial volume of the receiving space 3 that is not formed by the receiving space 4 to be opened and closed independently of the receiving space 4—this is done by pivoting the doors 6 and/or 7 appropriately. Once again independently of this, the receiving space 4 can be opened in that the door 5 is opened and hence the drawer is pulled out.
In the exemplary embodiment, the household refrigeration appliance 1 has two further separate receiving spaces 8 and 9 which are freezer compartments. It is also possible for only one freezer compartment to be provided or for neither of the freezer compartments to be provided.
The two freezer compartments can also in turn be closed by separate doors 10 and 11, wherein here in the exemplary embodiment shown these doors 10 and 11 are also front walls of drawers that are linearly displaceable in the depth direction. It is shown by way of example that the lower freezer compartment can be closed by the front wall of a drawer 12 embodied as a door 11, wherein here this drawer 12 is shown in the pulled-out state.
The receiving spaces 3, 4, 8 and 9 are delimited by an inner container, which is in particular made of plastic.
In the following explanation, it is provided in the exemplary embodiment that a pull-out device 13 is arranged in the receiving space 4. In the exemplary embodiment, the pull-out device 13 is embodied to store foodstuffs, here in the form of bottles, in particular wine bottles. The pull-out device 13 is mounted linearly displaceably in the receiving space 3 in the depth direction. Here, the pull-out device 13 is embodied as a drawer and, in addition to the front wall formed by the door 5, preferably has two foodstuff storage units 14 and 15. Viewed in the vertical direction, the first foodstuff storage unit 14 is the lower foodstuff storage unit. The first foodstuff storage unit 14 has a storage plate or a foodstuff storage base. Hence, the storage plate is hence embodied as a panel or tray. In the exemplary embodiment shown, it is embodied as a strut structure to enable the bottles to be placed thereupon in a roll-proof manner.
Viewed in the vertical direction, here the second foodstuff storage unit 15 represents the upper foodstuff storage unit. In the exemplary embodiment, it is also embodied with a storage plate or foodstuff storage base and hence as a panel or tray. Here, this is preferably embodied as a strut structure. In the exemplary embodiment shown, by way of example two bottles 16 and 17 are arranged horizontally on this upper foodstuff storage unit 15.
The first foodstuff storage unit 14 is preferably permanently connected to the door 5. As can be identified in
Moreover, the second foodstuff storage unit 15 also has a separate pull-out rail 21, which is preferably also a telescopic pull-out system. This pull-out rail 21, which is correspondingly also embodied on the opposite side, enables the foodstuff storage unit 15, viewed in the depth direction, to be inserted back and forth, in particular also independently of the first foodstuff storage unit 14. Correspondingly, a pull-out rail 20 is also arranged on the opposite carrier part 18, which is not identifiable in
The pull-out rails 20 and 21 are preferably arranged on inner sides and vertical side walls of an inner container delimiting the receiving space 4. They preferably in each case have a fixed rail permanently attached to these side walls and a sliding rail that is movable for this purpose.
As can be identified in
The pull-out device 13 moreover has a coupling device 26. The coupling device 26 enables the foodstuff storage units 14 and 15 to be coupled with one another in specific positions and hence movement-coupled as a result.
The coupling device 26 in particular achieves that, in the completely inserted state, the two foodstuff storage units 14 and 15 are decoupled. If the first foodstuff storage unit 14 is pulled out of this inserted end position in the pull-out direction, in particular by gripping and pulling out the door 5, coupling with the second foodstuff storage unit 15 is automatically achieved from a particularly defined pull-out position provided for this first foodstuff storage unit 14. From this movement-coupled state, when pulled further out in the pull-out direction, these two foodstuff storage units 14 and 15 are pulled out together.
As can be identified here, the pull-out device 13 has a carrier part 27 arranged as a separate component on the plate-like carrier part 18, in particular on an upper edge. In this exemplary embodiment, the carrier part 27 is preferably L-shaped. It has an integrated first stop 45 (
The coupling element is a one-piece bracket 28. The bracket 28 is intrinsically elastically deformable and hence embodied as intrinsically resilient. The bracket 28 is in particular made of plastic, in particular POM. The bracket 28 is preferably V-shaped, which in particular generally also includes a notch-like or channel-like shape, in particular also a U-shape. The bracket 28 has a first bracket leg that protrudes downward from the second foodstuff storage unit 15 in the direction of the first foodstuff storage unit 14. A second bracket leg is arranged in the second foodstuff storage unit 15 and arranged in contact with a support. In particular, this creates a counterforce to the intrinsic deformation. The first bracket leg is in particular curved.
In each case, this is an exemplary embodiment of a foodstuff storage unit 14. This foodstuff storage unit 14 has the foodstuff storage base 29 as shown in
Moreover, the foodstuff storage unit 14 has a bottle storage rail 31. The bottle storage rail 31 is arranged on a front edge 32 of the foodstuff storage base 29. Hence, it directly adjoins the front of this foodstuff storage base 30 in the depth direction (z-direction).
In particular, the bottle storage rail 31 is a separate component from the foodstuff storage base 29. In one advantageous embodiment, the foodstuff storage base 29 and the bottle storage rail 31 can be connected by a mechanical connection 33. In particular, this provides a non-destructive detachable connection. This mechanical connection 33 can, for example, have a plug-in connection and/or a snap-on connection and/or a hook-in connection. In particular, it is also additionally possible for a magnetic connection to be provided.
It may be recognized in
The bottle storage rail 31 is embodied for the horizontal storage of a bottle. The bottle storage rail 31 has a support channel 35 on an upper side 34. In one advantageous embodiment, the support channel 35 extends over the entire length of the bottle storage rail 31. This length is dimensioned in the x-direction. The longitudinal axis of the bottle storage rail 31 is also oriented in this width direction.
A bottle can be placed horizontally from above in this support channel 35. It then lies completely in front of the foodstuff storage base 29. In this context, the bottle storage rail 31 also forms a presentation rail thus enabling a bottle to be arranged in a very exposed manner at the front and hence presented. Hence, it represents a unit for exhibiting the bottle.
It is also possible to display any stored goods that may also possibly be placed therebehind on the foodstuff storage base 29. This in particular is also very advantageous in regard of the accessibility of this bottle on the bottle storage rail 31.
In one advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the bottle storage rail 31 has an opening which is a ventilation slot 36. This enables an air flow from below the bottle storage rail 31 to enter through this ventilation slot 36. This enables particularly efficient temperature control of a bottle stored on the bottle storage rail 31.
The bottle storage rail 31 is in particular a one-piece component. It can, for example, be made of plastic or wood.
As can be identified in
In particular, the rear side 40 of the bottle storage rail 31 lies directly on and flush with the front edge 33.
The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention:
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2020 201 781.6 | Feb 2020 | DE | national |
