The present invention relates to a refrigeration device, in particular a household refrigerator, having a cooling chamber and at least one shelf for cooled products stored in the cooling chamber between internal walls of the cooling chamber.
A generic household refrigerator of this kind is described in DE 20 2006 014 616 U1. The interior space of refrigerators, freezers or the like is usually embodied so that cooled products are stored therein on compartment floors or storage racks. However, if filled and hence heavy food containers, for example, are to be placed in a refrigerator, the load-bearing capacity of conventional compartment floors or storage racks is sometimes insufficient, which may cause the latter to bow. Furthermore, the space inside in the refrigerator cannot always be used beneficially because the mutual spacing of compartment floors or storage racks in the refrigerator is not matched to the different heights of the containers. This problem is resolved in the prior art by means of a shelf board with an upright center wall having on both sides at least one pair of horizontally adjacent carriers serving as supports for food containers.
The object of the invention is to provide a refrigeration device with improved storage capacity for cooled products.
The object is achieved by means of a refrigeration device having the features of claim 1.
In this context a refrigeration device is to be understood in particular to mean a household refrigerating appliance, such as a refrigerator, a freezer or a combined fridge-freezer, for example.
The refrigeration device has a cooling chamber and at least one shelf for cooled products which is stored in the cooling chamber between internal walls of the cooling chamber. According to the invention, the shelf has a first planar shelf surface section and a second planar shelf surface section that is vertically offset from the first planar shelf surface section.
The fact that the shelf has a first planar shelf surface section and a section second planar shelf surface section that is vertically offset from the first planar shelf surface enables containers of different sizes to be stored very compactly in the refrigeration device. Since the shelf surface sections are embodied as planar, cooled products can be stored on the entire surface of the shelf above the containers. Hence, the shelf forms a stepped compartment floor for the cooling chamber of the refrigeration device, which enables the cooled products to be stored grouped according to height both underneath the compartment floor and on the compartment floor. This makes better use of the storage space available in the refrigeration device and hence more cooled products can be stored in an orderly manner in the refrigeration device. It is possible for a single stepped shelf or a plurality of stepped shelves arranged one above the other to be disposed in the refrigeration device. One shelf or a plurality of stepped shelves can also be combined with a non-stepped, i.e. entirely planar, shelf or floor of the cooling chamber of the refrigeration device. The stepped shelves can be fixed on holders on the opposing inside side walls of the cooling chamber of the refrigeration device.
In other words, the new compartment floor can be constructed as a stepped shelf in such a way that two shelf areas can be created at different height levels in one compartment floor. This makes it possible to store objects of different heights on the stepped compartment floor. At the same time, two differently sized spacings are established in relation to the underlying compartment floor. The absolute dimensions of the spacings beneath the stepped compartment floor can deviate from the set heights on the stepped compartment floor. This enables the creation of four different set heights. This provides the customer with a large amount of flexibility for storing his or her refrigerated products. The stepped compartment floor can be produced from one piece or from a plurality of parts, with the possibility of using a frame construction and a plurality of inserted storage areas. In the case of a one-piece embodiment it is possible to use bent sheets, extruded profiles, bent or injection-molded plastics. In the case of multi-part embodiments it is also possible to use storage areas made of glass in addition to the aforesaid materials.
The shelf according to the invention provides a shelving system in the refrigeration device which is very convenient for the customer. This enables products of different heights to be stored as simply as possible. In particular, a flexible space-saving opportunity is created in order to be able to store containers of different sizes as compactly as possible in the refrigeration device. In addition, it is also possible to accommodate the Gastronorm containers used in ovens and steamers.
Gastronorm containers are trough-like vessels having an approximately cuboidal contour for storing and transporting food. Gastronorm containers are required to conform to the internationally valid Gastronorm standard which is regulated in Europe, for example, in the European standard EN 631 or in the corresponding German standard DIN 66075. The Gastronorm system is a dimensioning system which uses standard sizes for the width, depth and height of the Gastronorm containers to provide a systematic grouping of a plurality of Gastronorm containers and is hence employed in food processing facilities and kitchens for the efficient storage of empty Gastronorm containers and for the space-saving provision, storage or presentation of Gastronorm containers filled with foodstuffs or meals. A further aim of the standard is to achieve a certain compatibility between Gastronorm containers made by different manufacturers. According to this standard, starting from a basic size of GN 1/1 with a width of 325 mm and a depth of 530 mm, different smaller container units are derived corresponding to a fraction of the size (e.g. ⅔, ½, ⅓, ¼) of the basic dimension GN 1/1. The widths are therefore standardized to the standard widths of, for example, 325 mm, 162 mm or 108 mm. The depths are standardized to the values of, for example 530 mm, 354 mm, 265 mm, 176 mm, 132 mm or 88 mm. The heights are as a rule 200 mm, 150 mm, 100 mm, 65 mm, 40 mm or 20 mm. To that extent the height defines the size of the deep-drawing of the trough-life containers, that is their press-in depth.
A transition section arranged between the first planar shelf surface section and the second planar shelf surface section can be embodied in the manner of a step. The transition section connects the first planar shelf surface section to the second planar shelf surface section. Together with the transition section, the first planar shelf surface section and the second planar shelf surface section form a component which can in particular be embodied as one piece. The shelf embodied in this way is a stepped compartment floor for the refrigeration device. This stepped compartment floor can be made, for example, from a double-angled sheet or from an injection-molded plastic part. Upwardly directed sidewall skirts can be arranged on a side edge of the stepped compartment floor facing the inside rear wall of the cooling chamber, with said side wall skirts on the one hand keeping cooled products away from the inside rear wall of the cooling chamber and on the other hand preventing cooled products from falling down at the back when the stepped compartment floor is withdrawn.
It is possible to use a sheet which has, so to speak, been folded twice in order to create the different storage areas. For stabilization and to limit the adjustment depth, a further fold can be applied to each of the rear edges of the compartment floor. Further folds can be applied, but are not absolutely necessary. The stepped compartment floor can be placed on ribs in the refrigeration device. The rib parts can simply limit the insertion depth of the Gastronorm containers in order to ensure a safe distance from e.g. an evaporator. In addition, it is possible for an insertion depth limiter for the compartment floor and/or a means to prevent unintentional withdrawal of the compartment floor to be placed over the rib parts.
An edge of the step can be aligned extending parallel to the side walls of the cooling chamber. In other words, the step or the transition section can be bent at a right angle relative to both the first planar shelf surface section and the second planar shelf surface section. The transition section can also be referred to as a riser plane.
This riser plane of the step can hence be aligned parallel to the side walls of the cooling chamber. This means that when the first planar shelf surface section and the second planar shelf surface section are aligned horizontally, the riser plane of the step extends in a vertical direction. As a result of this vertical alignment of the riser plane or of the transition section a maximum size of the shelf area of the first planar shelf surface section and of the second planar shelf surface section is achieved. This means that in a top view of the stepped compartment floor, the first planar shelf surface section directly adjoins the second planar shelf surface section.
In all embodiments, the riser plane can have first holders for a removable container, in particular for Gastronorm containers. The containers, in particular the Gastronorm containers, can also be placed on the surfaces of the first planar shelf surface section and the second planar shelf surface section. The holders according to the invention enable the containers, in particular the Gastronorm containers, to be stored in a suspended manner underneath the first planar shelf surface sections and the second planar shelf surface sections.
In all variants of the invention, the first planar shelf surface section can be arranged vertically offset from the second planar shelf surface section by a height correlating with a value from the group 200, 150, 100, 65, 55, 40, 20 mm or corresponding to said value. Owing to the adjusted dimensions, this type of height offset in particular permits the space-saving storage of Gastronorm containers. The vertically offset arrangement of first planar shelf surface section and second planar shelf surface section makes it possible either to store two Gastronorm containers of different heights next to each other underneath the stepped compartment floor or to provide space for a further smaller Gastronorm container between a wide Gastronorm container and the higher positioned planar shelf surface section above the wide Gastronorm container extending under the first planar shelf surface section and the second planar shelf surface section.
In this case second holders, in particular for Gastronorm containers, can be arranged on the inside side walls of the cooling chamber at a height relative to an underlying plate or a base of the cooling chamber which correlates to a multiple of a value and/or sum of selected individual values from the group 200, 150, 100, 65, 55, 40, 20 mm or corresponds to said multiple or said sum. This enables Gastronorm containers of different heights to be stored one on top of the other. Otherwise, optionally, i.e. if required, a plurality of low Gastronorm containers or a higher Gastronorm container can be stored in the same area of the refrigeration device.
The spacing of two opposing holders arranged at the same height can correlate with the width of a container to be held, in particular a Gastronorm container. In this case too the opposing holders can optionally be arranged so that either a single wide Gastronorm container can be stored or two or three pairs of holders arranged at the same height can be provided in order to enable two or three narrower Gastronorm containers to be stored at the same height next to one another.
The width of the storage areas of the stepped compartment floor can either be of the same size or of different sizes. In one embodiment variant according to the invention, the width size may be selected so that it is possible to store a standard gastronomy container (Gastronorm container) therebelow. If only one container is stored under the stepped compartment floor, a uniform spacing to the underlying compartment floor is formed. Since the standard containers have different widths, a second plane for the storage of the Gastronorm containers is created beneath the compartment floor. In this second plane, it is possible, by simply modifying the support ribs, to store either one large container or a plurality of small containers. With the present exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, the small container corresponds to a ⅓ Gastronorm container and the large container corresponds to a ⅔ Gastronorm container. If this storage system is to be used with other refrigeration device widths, it is also possible to use other Gastronorm container sizes.
The spacing of two opposing holders arranged at the same height can have a value determined by the sum of a gap width dimension and an individual value from the group 325, 162, 108 mm. Thus, for example, one Gastronorm container or two or three narrower Gastronorm containers can be stored at the same height. A gap width dimension can be provided, on the one hand to hold a single wide Gastronorm container with a slight amount of play for easy removal and easy insertion or on the other hand to prevent a collision between two adjacent narrow Gastronorm containers.
In all embodiments of the holders, the first and/or second holders can have fixing means for detachably fixing the first and/or second holders on the riser planer of the shelf or the internal walls of the cooling chamber. In particular, the second holders can be attached either directly to the internal walls of the cooling chamber of the refrigeration device or indirectly via intermediate supports to the stepped compartment floor or the internal walls of the cooling chamber. Both the first holders and the second and third holders can be fixed detachably or permanently.
The first and/or second holders can have a plurality of support ribs for the containers, in particular Gastronorm containers, which are arranged in their vertical spacings asymmetrically relative to the fixing means, and the fixing means are embodied for detachably fixing the first holders and/or second holders on one of the internal walls of the cooling chamber or the riser plane in a first mounting position and a second mounting position rotated horizontally through 180° with respect to the first mounting position on the opposing internal wall of the cooling chamber.
The fact that each individual holder has a plurality of support ribs enables a plurality of receivers for different height positions to be realized. However, the embodiment as individual holders means that a single fixing means is sufficient to fix the holder to, for example, the internal walls of the cooling chamber. This removes the need for a plurality of fixing means which would be necessary if each of the support ribs had to be fixed with a separate fixing means. Owing to the asymmetric embodiment, i.e. the asymmetric spacing between individual support ribs on a holder, two different fixing heights can be achieved with a single fixing means. This also eliminates the need to make or provide two different types of holder for different fixing heights. This reduces the number of parts and hence the production costs.
With all variants of the holders, at least one of the planar shelf surface sections can have apertures for fixing third holders for a removable container, in particular for Gastronorm containers. In particular, the third holders do not necessarily have to be arranged in the vicinity of the transition section or the riser plane. In order also to be able to provide the third holders remotely from the transition section or the riser plane, the first and/or the second planar shelf surface section can have apertures for fixing the third holders. The apertures are preferably located at a distance from the transition section or the riser plane. It is possible to provide a plurality of apertures in order to be able to fix the third holders optionally at different positions.
In other words, the additionally usable containers can be held on one side by a container rib and on the other side by a compartment floor rib. For the upper container plane, the compartment floor rib can either be fixedly connected to the compartment floor, for example a rib on the sheet bent part, either as a bonded or welded support part or connected detachably to the compartment floor. In the second container plane it is advantageous for the customer to be able to remove and reposition the compartment ribs. This would then be the precondition for the option of being able to use one large container or a plurality of small containers. For the fixing of the compartment floor ribs, apertures can be incorporated in the compartment floor to define the position of the ribs. The compartment floor ribs can be designed so that they can be inserted both offset and rotated. These form support surfaces for the left or right side of the Gastronorm container. In the household refrigerator, the support ribs can be tightened, screwed or molded in the container or used as an add-on part in the container. The add-on part can be designed so that it may be used both on the left side and on the right side of the container. However, it is also possible to use two side-specific parts. With this solution it is possible to reduce the number of ribs to the minimum required.
In this embodiment the apertures can also be formed by a number of spaced-apart slots extending in parallel in order to form different width spacings for two opposing holders. In this case the third holders are inserted or latched into the slots.
The stepped compartment floor according to the invention provides the customer with flexible storage for cooled products of different heights. In addition, the customer has the option of storing in particular Gastronorm containers simply in the refrigeration device by suspension without wasting storage space. The storage system according to the invention offers the option of storing a plurality of Gastronorm containers or Gastronorm containers of different widths in the refrigeration device. By repositioning of the ribs attached to the compartment floor the customer can choose between storing one large Gastronorm container or a plurality of small Gastronorm containers.
Different embodiment variants of the invention are described with reference to an exemplary refrigeration device shown in
A refrigeration device 1 according to
The second planar shelf surface section 16 has a number of apertures 29a for third holders 27 for forming different width spacings of two opposing holders 22, 27. The apertures 29a are embodied as slots 29b. The slots 29b extend in two rows which are each aligned parallel to each other in a grid spacing in the plane of the second planar shelf surface section 16.
Arranged on the side edges 33a, 33b of the stepped compartment floor 8 facing the inside rear wall 32 (
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2009 002 061.6 | Mar 2009 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2010/052766 | 3/4/2010 | WO | 00 | 9/14/2011 |