Storage shelf and refrigerator

Abstract

This invention discloses a storage rack and a refrigerator, including a support plate for carrying items. The support plate is raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism, and its extension and retraction relative to the user is controlled by a telescopic mechanism. The lifting mechanism adjusts the height of the items for easy access by people of different heights, while the telescopic mechanism controls the horizontal extension and retraction of the items, bringing them closer to the user for convenient retrieval. The support plate is a shelf in the refrigerator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of item storage technology, and particularly to storage racks and refrigerators. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, refrigerators have become an indispensable appliance in households, with almost every family owning one for storing items. With the ever-accelerating pace of life, it's now impossible for most families to buy and cook groceries on the same day; instead, they often buy a week's worth at once and store them in the refrigerator. This makes items in some of the higher storage compartments difficult to retrieve.

[0003] In addition, physical ailments that come with age, as well as conditions like lumbar disc herniation caused by prolonged sitting at work and poor posture while entertaining oneself in the information age, can prevent users from reaching items in the refrigerator in a normal standing or bending posture.

[0004] Therefore, how to make it easy to access items in a refrigerator has become a technical problem that the industry urgently needs to solve. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problem of inconvenient access to items in a refrigerator, this invention proposes a storage rack. Through a telescopic and lifting mechanism, the storage rack can be adjusted horizontally and vertically as needed, thereby enabling convenient access to items in the refrigerator.

[0006] The technical solution adopted in this invention is to design a shelf, including a support plate for carrying items, wherein the support plate is raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism, and the support plate is extended and retracted relative to the user by a telescopic mechanism.

[0007] In some embodiments, the telescopic mechanism includes a guide rail and a movable member that moves on the guide rail, the movable member being connected to the support plate via a lifting mechanism.

[0008] In some embodiments, the telescopic mechanism includes a plurality of rollers arranged side by side along the telescopic direction, the rollers being driven by a drive device to rotate synchronously in the same direction, and the moving member rolling on the support of the rollers.

[0009] In some embodiments, the drive device includes a drive gear coaxially connected to the end of the roller, and a transition gear meshes between two adjacent drive gears simultaneously.

[0010] In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism is a telescopic cylinder, and the moving part is connected to two opposite sides of the support plate via the telescopic cylinder.

[0011] In some embodiments, the moving element is a plate.

[0012] In some embodiments, an electromagnet is provided at the front end of the guide rail, and a ferromagnetic material body corresponding to the electromagnet is provided on the plate. When the electromagnet and the ferromagnetic material body are closest, the rear end of the plate is supported on the foremost roller in the telescopic direction.

[0013] A refrigerator, including the aforementioned shelf, wherein the support plate is a shelf partition of the refrigerator.

[0014] In some embodiments, each of the storage shelves is provided with the telescopic mechanism and the lifting mechanism.

[0015] In some embodiments, a control unit for controlling the telescopic mechanism and the lifting mechanism is also included. The control unit includes control buttons located at the lower corner of the inside of the refrigerator door.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] 1. The lifting mechanism of this invention is used to adjust the placement height of items, making them easy for people of different heights to access. The telescopic mechanism controls the horizontal extension and retraction of items, bringing them closer to the user for convenient retrieval. The support plate is a shelf in a refrigerator.

[0018] 2. The guide rail of the present invention uses multiple rollers for support and transmission, which makes the moving parts stable in terms of support and movement.

[0019] 3. When the support plate extends to its limit position, the present invention uses an electromagnet to return the moving part to the top of the roller, thereby using the reversal of the roller to realize the retraction of the support plate. The structure is simple and the control is convenient. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. To illustrate the details and facilitate understanding of its principles, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and similar reference numerals may describe similar components in different views. The accompanying drawings generally illustrate the embodiments discussed herein by way of example and not limitation. Wherein:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a storage rack.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the extended support plate of the shelf.

[0023] Figure 3 Yes, this is a diagram showing the shelf after its support plate has been lowered.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the lowered support plate after it has retracted.

[0025] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A diagram showing the view from the right.

[0026] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A diagram showing the view from the right.

[0027] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram with two independent guide rails on the left and right.

[0028] In the diagram, 1. Support plate; 2. Back plate; 3. Roller; 4. Upper fixed guide; 5. Lower fixed guide; 6. Drive gear; 7. Transition gear; 8. Telescopic cylinder; 9. Plate body; 10. Electromagnet; 11. Ferromagnetic material body; 12. Control button. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The following are specific embodiments of the present invention, and the technical solution of the present invention will be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and the following embodiments do not limit the invention covered by the claims. Furthermore, not all combinations of the features described in the embodiments are necessary for the inventive solution.

[0030] The principles and structure of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0031] Example 1

[0032] In recent years, refrigerators have become an indispensable appliance in households, with almost every family owning one for storing items. With the ever-accelerating pace of life, it's now impossible for most families to buy and cook groceries on the same day; instead, they often buy a week's worth at once and store them in the refrigerator. This makes items in some of the higher storage compartments difficult to retrieve.

[0033] In addition, physical ailments that come with age, as well as conditions like lumbar disc herniation caused by prolonged sitting at work and poor posture while entertaining oneself in the information age, can prevent users from reaching items in the refrigerator in a normal standing or bending posture.

[0034] Therefore, such as Figure 1 , 2 As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a storage rack for a refrigerator is proposed, including a support plate 1 for carrying items. The support plate 1 is raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism, and its extension and retraction relative to the user are controlled by a telescopic mechanism, i.e., it extends and retracts forward and backward toward the refrigerator door. The lifting mechanism adjusts the height of the items for easy access by people of different heights, and the telescopic mechanism controls the horizontal extension and retraction of the items, bringing them closer to the user for convenient retrieval. The support plate 1 is a storage shelf for the refrigerator.

[0035] Of course, this shelf is not limited to refrigerators; it can also be used on other devices that require shelves, such as storage cabinets and bookshelves.

[0036] Refrigerator shelves are flat panels or racks inside the refrigerator used to store food and other items. These shelves are typically located inside the refrigerator and are used to categorize and organize food and beverages for better organization and storage. Refrigerator shelves may vary between different models and brands.

[0037] The telescopic mechanism includes a guide rail and a movable component that moves along the guide rail. The rear end of the guide rail is fixed to the inner side of the back panel 2 of the refrigerator. The movable component is connected to the support plate 1 through a lifting mechanism. The guide rail serves to support and guide, making the equipment structure compact and easy to control.

[0038] The telescopic mechanism includes multiple rollers 3 arranged side-by-side along the telescopic direction. The guide rail includes an upper fixed guide body 4 and a lower fixed guide body 5. The rollers 3 are positioned between the upper fixed guide body 4 and the lower fixed guide body 5. The rollers 3 are driven by a driving device to rotate synchronously in the same direction. The moving part rolls and is supported on the rollers 3. The rolling of the rollers 3 in different directions controls the extension or retraction of the moving part. The multiple parallel rollers 3 simultaneously support and transmit power to the moving part, ensuring stable support and movement of the moving part.

[0039] The telescopic mechanism is a horizontal telescopic mechanism, which is a device or system capable of expanding and contracting in the horizontal direction. These mechanisms can be used in a wide variety of applications, from household goods to industrial equipment.

[0040] The principle of horizontal telescopic involves using telescopic rails, wheels, or support structures to adjust the size of the frame in the horizontal direction.

[0041] A telescopic guide rail mechanism typically consists of at least two parts: a fixed guide rail and one or more telescopic sections. The guide rail is fixed, usually a flat or tubular structure, while the telescopic sections slide along it to unfold or fold. The guide rail typically has a flat surface to allow the telescopic sections to slide. The guide rail can be straight or curved, depending on the desired unfolding and folding path. The telescopic sections are usually equipped with sliding devices such as rollers, sliders, or slide rails. These sliding devices allow the telescopic sections to slide smoothly along the guide rail, thus enabling unfolding and folding. To ensure the telescopic sections remain stable in the desired position, locking mechanisms, such as spring pins or locking levers, are often designed. These mechanisms lock the telescopic sections in a specific position to prevent accidental extension or retraction. The telescopic mechanism can be controlled manually or electrically. Manual operation typically involves pushing, pulling, or rotating the telescopic sections, while electric operation can achieve extension or retraction via buttons, switches, or remote control. The telescopic guide rail mechanism unfolds and folds objects horizontally by sliding the telescopic sections on the guide rail. The design and operation of this mechanism can be tailored to specific applications and requirements.

[0042] The driving device includes a drive gear 6 coaxially connected to the end of the roller 3. A transition gear 7 meshes simultaneously between two adjacent drive gears 6, thereby connecting all the drive gears 6 together through the transition gear 7 to achieve synchronous transmission and ensure the stability of the moving parts. One of the gears can be controlled to rotate by a motor.

[0043] Gear meshing is a mechanical connection method that transmits power and motion through the meshing of gear teeth. It is a highly efficient and reliable mechanical transmission method, its basic principle being the use of the meshing relationship between gear teeth to transmit power and motion. Sequential gear meshing transmission is a mechanical transmission method that transmits motion and power through the continuous meshing of multiple gears. In this transmission method, multiple gears are connected in a specific order and relationship, with each gear's teeth meshing sequentially with the teeth of its adjacent gears, thereby achieving the transmission and conversion of motion. Different gears can have different numbers of teeth, sizes, and transmission ratios, thus achieving different speed and torque conversions. The meshing of each gear's teeth with the teeth of its adjacent gears keeps the movement of the entire system synchronized, thus achieving precise transmission. In sequential gear meshing transmission, the selection and design of the gears are crucial to ensure the stability and efficiency of the entire transmission system.

[0044] The lifting mechanism is a telescopic cylinder 8, such as an electric cylinder, a linear motor, or other linear telescopic mechanism. The moving part is connected to two opposite sides of the support plate 1 through the telescopic cylinder 8, so that the telescopic cylinder 8 does not occupy the storage space of the support plate 1, while realizing stable control of the up and down lifting of the support plate 1. The control is simple and convenient.

[0045] The movable component is a plate 9, which can also be used to place items.

[0046] When the moving part is a plate 9, since the plate 9 is conveyed by rollers 3, when the plate 9 moves forward to its limit position, the rear end of the plate 9 has moved to the front of the foremost roller 3. At this time, the plate 9 has left the roller 3 and is no longer supported by the roller 3. At this time, the reversal of the roller 3 cannot make the plate 9 retract. That is, the roller 3 can push the plate 9 forward to its limit position, but cannot make the plate 9 retract by reversing.

[0047] like Figure 5 , 6 As shown, an electromagnet 10 is provided at the front end of the guide rail, that is, the electromagnet 10 is provided at the front end of the lower fixed guide body 5. A ferromagnetic material body 11 corresponding to the electromagnet 10 is provided on the plate 9. When the electromagnet 10 and the ferromagnetic material body 11 are closest, the rear end of the plate 9 is supported on the roller 3 at the frontmost position in the telescopic direction. That is, when the plate 9 moves forward to the limit position, the ferromagnetic material body 11 is located at a certain distance in front of the electromagnet 10. When it is necessary to retract the plate 9, the electromagnet 10 can be energized, so that the electromagnet 10 attracts the ferromagnetic material body 11, so that the ferromagnetic material body 11 moves to the position closest to the electromagnet 10. At this time, the plate 9 is moved backward a certain distance, so that the rear end of the plate 9 is supported on the roller 3 at the frontmost position in the telescopic direction. At this time, the rotation of the roller 3 can act on the plate 9, so that the plate 9 moves relative to each other.

[0048] An electromagnet is a device that generates a magnetic field. It produces magnetism by inducing electromagnetic induction when an electric current flows through it. An electromagnet typically consists of a coil and a conductive iron core. When current flows through the coil, the iron core becomes a temporary magnet, generating a strong magnetic field; stopping the current causes the magnetic field to disappear. The coil of an electromagnet is made of a conductive material, usually copper wire or other conductive materials. The coil is typically wound around the iron core so that the iron core becomes a magnet when current flows through it. The iron core is the key component of the electromagnet; it is a conductive iron or iron alloy structure, usually located inside the coil. The iron core enhances the strength of the magnetic field when current flows through it because iron has good magnetic permeability. When current flows through the coil, it generates a magnetic field around the iron core. This is due to the magnetic field created when the current flows through the coil. This magnetic field makes the iron core a temporary magnet with a certain degree of magnetism. Electromagnets are widely used in many fields, including electromagnetic locks, electromagnetic valves, electromagnetic actuators, electromagnetic cranes, and electromagnetic brakes. They are used to control mechanical motion, switch equipment, lock doors, etc. An important characteristic of electromagnets is their controllability. The strength of the magnetic field generated can be adjusted by controlling the intensity of the current flowing through it. This allows electromagnets to be precisely controlled as needed in many applications. Once the current is stopped, the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet weakens or even disappears rapidly. This enables electromagnets to generate temporary magnetic fields when needed and then quickly stop when no longer required. Overall, electromagnets are a useful tool for controlling magnetic fields.

[0049] The ferromagnetic material body 11 can be, for example, a permanent magnet or an iron block. Ferromagnetic materials are a class of materials that exhibit strong magnetism under the influence of an external magnetic field. This magnetism is caused by the alignment of microscopic magnetic domains within the material under the influence of the external magnetic field. Ferromagnetic materials typically include iron, nickel, cobalt, and their alloys. Iron is the most typical ferromagnetic material, exhibiting strong magnetism at room temperature. Under the influence of an external magnetic field, the magnetic domains of iron rearrange, making it magnetic; after the external magnetic field is removed, the magnetic domains return to a random state. Nickel is also a ferromagnetic material with strong magnetism. Alloys containing nickel are usually called "nickel-iron alloys," which have stable magnetism and are used in electromagnetic technology, magnetic recording, and other fields. Cobalt is also a common ferromagnetic material. The use of cobalt in alloys allows the alloy to retain its magnetism at high temperatures, which is very useful for some special applications. Ferrite is a ceramic magnetic material commonly used in the manufacture of magnetic cores and inductors. They are very common in electrical applications such as high-frequency electronic devices and transformers. Barium ferrite is a special type of ferrite widely used in the manufacture of magnetic tapes, hard disks, and other magnetic media. Schottky alloys are alloys composed of aluminum, nickel, cobalt, and iron. They possess high coercivity and corrosion resistance and are commonly used in the manufacture of permanent magnets. Neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) is a high-performance rare-earth permanent magnet material with very strong magnetism and is widely used in high-performance motors, generators, computer hard drives, and other applications.

[0050] The telescopic mechanism and the lifting mechanism can be provided on each of the storage shelves, so that each shelf has an adjustment function.

[0051] It also includes a control unit for controlling the telescopic mechanism and the lifting mechanism, so as to control the operation of the motor, electric cylinder, etc. The control unit includes a control button 12, which is located at the lower corner of the inside of the refrigerator door for easy control.

[0052] An electric cylinder is an electric actuator typically used in linear motion applications. It's a device that converts electrical energy into linear mechanical motion, replacing traditional hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders to achieve linear movements. An electric cylinder typically includes components such as an electric motor, a transmission mechanism, guide rails, and control circuitry. The core of an electric cylinder is the electric motor, which converts electrical energy into rotational motion. This rotational motion is then converted into linear motion by the transmission mechanism. Electric cylinders can use different types of electric motors, such as DC motors or stepper motors, depending on the application requirements. The transmission mechanism converts the rotational motion of the electric motor into linear motion. Common transmission mechanisms include screws, slide rails, and gear drives. When the electric motor rotates, the transmission mechanism generates linear motion, thus driving the electric cylinder to perform linear motion. Electric cylinders are usually equipped with guide rails and sliders to stabilize the linear motion. The guide rail can be a linear guide, and the slider can be connected to the transmission mechanism and the load, making the linear motion smoother and more accurate. To control the movement of the electric cylinder, a control circuit is needed, typically including a motor driver and a controller. The control circuit can control the speed, direction, and position of the electric cylinder as needed to achieve precise linear motion. Some electric cylinder systems may be equipped with sensors, such as encoders or position sensors, to monitor the position and movement of the electric cylinder in real time. This can help the control system accurately control the position and movement of the electric cylinder.

[0053] Of course, voice control is also available. For ease of operation, the refrigerator can be controlled by both buttons and voice, allowing users to better control the movement of items to the appropriate height for retrieval.

[0054] Button control is a way to operate a device, application, or system using physical buttons. This typically involves pressing, releasing, or holding down a button or key on a device to trigger a specific function or action. Button control relies on physical buttons, which can be physical buttons, keys on a keyboard, buttons on a remote control, etc. Different devices may have different types of buttons. Buttons usually have two phases: press and release. When a user presses a button, the system recognizes and triggers the relevant action. When the user releases the button, the system may perform other actions. Some buttons support long-press functionality. When a user holds down a button for an extended period, the system performs a predefined action. Buttons on some devices can have multiple functions, depending on the combination of buttons or the context. This method allows for more operations with a limited number of buttons.

[0055] Voice control is a technology that uses spoken voice commands to control devices, applications, or systems. This technology allows people to interact with computers using natural language to perform various operations without using physical buttons or touchscreens.

[0056] like Figure 7 As shown, the telescopic mechanism includes two independent guide rails arranged side by side on the left and right, and the space between the two guide rails can increase the storage space.

[0057] Although this document uses a number of technical terms, the possibility of using other terms is not excluded. These terms are used merely for the convenience of describing and explaining the essence of the invention; interpreting them as any additional limitation would contradict the spirit of the invention. The order of actions, steps, etc., in the apparatus and methods shown in the specification and drawings can be implemented in any order unless otherwise expressly specified, and provided that the output of a preceding process is not used in a subsequent process. Similar sequential terms used for descriptive convenience (e.g., "firstly," "next," "secondly," "again," "then," etc.) do not imply that the actions must be performed in such an order.

[0058] Those skilled in the art will understand that all directional references (e.g., above, below, up, up, down, down, top, bottom, left, right, vertical, horizontal, etc.) are used descriptively in the drawings to aid the reader's understanding and do not imply (e.g., a limitation on the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims) a limitation on the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. They are merely for the purpose of facilitating the description of this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation or be constructed and operated in a particular orientation. The directional terms "inside" and "outside" refer to inside or outside relative to the outline of the respective component itself.

[0059] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0060] Additionally, some vague terms (e.g., substantially, certain, generally, etc.) may refer to slight inaccuracies or minor deviations in conditions, quantities, values, or dimensions, some of which are within manufacturing tolerances or limits. It should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components; unless otherwise stated, these terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0061] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative examples illustrating the spirit of the invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to substitute them, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A shelf, including a support plate for supporting items, characterized in that, The support plate is raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism, and its extension and retraction relative to the user are controlled by a telescopic mechanism. The telescopic mechanism includes a guide rail and a moving component that moves on the guide rail. The moving component is connected to the support plate via the lifting mechanism. The telescopic mechanism includes multiple rollers arranged side by side along the extension and retraction direction. The rollers are driven by a drive device to rotate synchronously in the same direction, and the moving component rolls and supports the rollers. The drive device includes a drive gear coaxially connected to the end of the roller, and a transition gear meshes between two adjacent drive gears.

2. The storage rack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism is a telescopic cylinder, and the moving part is connected to the two opposite sides of the support plate through the telescopic cylinder.

3. The storage rack according to claim 2, characterized in that, The moving part is a plate.

4. The storage rack according to claim 3, characterized in that, An electromagnet is provided at the front end of the guide rail, and a ferromagnetic material body corresponding to the electromagnet is provided on the plate. When the electromagnet and the ferromagnetic material body are closest, the rear end of the plate is supported on the foremost roller in the telescopic direction.

5. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The shelf includes the storage rack as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the support plate is a storage partition of a refrigerator.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each shelf in each layer is equipped with the telescopic mechanism and the lifting mechanism.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a control unit for controlling the telescopic mechanism and the lifting mechanism. The control unit includes control buttons, which are located at the lower corner of the inside of the refrigerator door.

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