Pull-out device for a cooking appliance

Abstract

The invention relates to a pull-out device (1) for a cooking appliance, comprising at least one side frame (2) having a plurality of horizontal struts (4, 5) which at least partially serve to support the edge of a food carrier (11), wherein at least one pull-out guide (6, 6') is fixed to the side frame (2) by means of a fastening member (30, 40), the pull-out guide (6, 6') comprising a fixed rail (7, 7') and a movable rail (9, 9') which is movable relative to the fixed rail (7, 7'), wherein a cover plate (10, 10') with a support (12) for the food carrier (11) is fixed to the movable rail (9, 9'), wherein the cover plate (10, 10') is detachably fixed to the movable rail (9, 9') by means of a clamping member (16, 17; 16', 17'). The pull-out device (1) is preferably used in a cooking appliance for moving a food carrier (11).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pull-out device for a cooking utensil, the pull-out device comprising at least one side shelf having a plurality of horizontal supports at least partially supporting the edges of a food carrier, wherein at least one pull-out guide is fixed to the side shelf by a fastening member, the pull-out guide comprising a fixed guide rail and a movable rail movable relative to the fixed guide rail, wherein a cover plate having a support portion for the food carrier is fixed to the movable rail. Background Technology

[0002] European patent application EP1840473A2 discloses a telescopic pull-out device for installation in an oven, which is fixed to a side rack. An angled profile is fixed to a movable rail and engages with a support section between two vertical rods of the side rack, allowing food carriers to move via the telescopic pull-out device. The upper guide rod also serves to prevent tipping. The manufacturing process of a telescopic pull-out device with an angled profile is complex. Furthermore, cleaning hard-to-reach areas is very tedious.

[0003] German patent application DE102010029768A1 discloses a telescopic pull-out device for household appliances, in which an attachment rail made of stainless steel sheet is fixed to a movable rail of the telescopic rail via a welded joint on the side of the movable rail. Due to the use of welded joints, this structure also leads to a complex assembly process and increased difficulty in cleaning. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a pull-out device for household appliances that improves ease of operation and is easy to install.

[0005] The above objective is achieved by a pull-out device having the features of claim 1.

[0006] According to the present invention, a pull-out device for household appliances (especially cooking appliances) includes at least one side shelf having a plurality of horizontal supports, the horizontal supports being at least partially used to support the edges of a food carrier. At least one pull-out guide is fixed to the side shelf by a fastening member. The pull-out guide includes a fixed guide rail and a movable rail, the movable rail being movable relative to the fixed guide rail. An intermediate rail for extending the pull-out stroke is selectively provided between the fixed guide rail and the movable rail. A cover plate with a support portion for the food carrier is fixed to the movable rail, wherein the cover plate is fixed to the movable rail in a preferably detachable manner by a snap-fit ​​member. Thus, the cover plate can be easily installed on the movable rail and can be removed if necessary for cleaning or other reasons. The cover plate can therefore be easily replaced, even if the cover plate is damaged, without needing to replace the entire pull-out guide. Since the cover plate only needs to be snapped onto the detachable rail, the above structure simplifies the operation process and facilitates assembly. The snap-fit ​​member can clamp against the detachable rail.

[0007] Preferably, the cover plate has at least one elastic tab that engages with a receiving groove or recess on the movable rail. Multiple elastic tabs are provided along the length of the cover plate, engaging within the receiving grooves or recesses. Furthermore, when the movable rail is surrounded, corresponding elastic tabs can be provided on opposite sides of the cover plate. The length of the cover plate can be approximately the same as the length of the movable rail, thus protecting the movable rail. Optionally, the cover plate can also extend beyond the front end of the movable rail and completely cover the fixed guide rail and the movable rail in the retracted state.

[0008] To ensure a secure hold, the cover can be U-shaped or L-shaped, surrounding the movable rail. This covers at least the top of the movable rail, facilitating cleaning. The cover can cover a portion of the top surface of the movable rail via horizontal or slightly downward-sloping legs, where the sloping structure promotes the drainage of liquids and waste. When the cover is U-shaped, it covers the internal space of the pull-out guide, and at least one side of the gap between the movable rail and the fixed guide rail can be covered by a portion of the cover.

[0009] The cover plate preferably has a vertically extending vertical plate, and a support portion for the food carrier is formed on the upper side of the vertically extending vertical plate. To stably support the food carrier, the vertical plate can be configured as a double-layer structure (for example, when the cover plate is made of a bent metal plate), with the upper bent portion forming the support portion.

[0010] If the side rack has paired horizontal support rods that extend horizontally for at least a portion of their length and have a vertical spacing of less than 20 mm, the upper horizontal support rod typically prevents tipping when the food carrier is pulled out of the side rack. The support portion of the cover is preferably installed such that its height lies between the paired horizontal support rods, which extend horizontally for at least a portion of their length. In this case, the support portion can be horizontally offset relative to the support rods, i.e., it does not need to be directly opposite each other between the support rods, such that the front end of the lower support rod of the paired horizontal support rods extending horizontally for at least a portion of their length is covered by the cover. The support portion is preferably positioned directly above the lower support rod, so that when there is no pull-out guide, the lower support rod can be used to support the food carrier; and when the pull-out guide is installed, the support portion located directly above the lower support rod provides support for the food carrier. The vertical plate serves both as a support structure for the support surface and as a splash guard for the pull-out guide. In this case, the vertically protruding vertical plate may be arranged at least a portion of the length of the horizontal support rod, spaced apart from the front end of the lower horizontal support rod in the pair of horizontal support rods.

[0011] The cover plate preferably includes a vertical plate that covers the gap between the fixed guide rail and the movable rail. The vertical plate is preferably positioned inside the pull-out guide in the installed state, and its lower edge can extend below the fixed guide rail, so that the cover plate forms a wall facing the inner cavity of the cooking appliance, protecting the pull-out guide from contamination.

[0012] In another embodiment, the cover plate is provided with a stop portion protruding forward and / or backward, which restricts the movement of the food carrier along the longitudinal direction of the movable rail. This limits or prevents displacement of the food carrier along the movable rail during sudden pulling. The stop portion is preferably integrally formed with the cover plate by means of an upwardly protruding vertical plate.

[0013] To ensure stable fixation of the cover plate, the cover plate may include at least one angled end section, which covers the movable rail on its end face along the longitudinal direction. This angled end section prevents the cover plate from moving longitudinally. Preferably, the cover plate has a U-shaped receiving groove at the angled end section, into which an upwardly projecting wall section fixed to or integrally formed with the movable rail is inserted. The wall section supports the cover plate longitudinally, preventing displacement of the cover plate relative to the movable rail.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the cover plate is composed of at least two cover plate components connected to each other by a material joining method, such as by bonding or welding. The cover plate components can also be connected by stamping riveting or press riveting. This optimizes the manufacturing process and material usage. The first cover plate component can be formed as a vertical plate, which covers a pull-out guide on one side, particularly inside the installation position within the cooking appliance, preventing contamination of the pull-out guide as it passes through the vertical plate. At least one additional cover plate component has an integrally formed snap-fit ​​member and can selectively extend along the entire length of the first cover plate component, or consist of multiple independent segments fixed to the first cover plate component by a material joining method.

[0015] The cover plate is preferably made of a bent metal plate, which is preferably coated after bending. In addition to a paint layer, an easy-to-clean coating, such as a plasma coating, may also be provided.

[0016] The pull-out device is preferably installed inside a cooking appliance, especially an oven cavity, wherein the food carrier is preferably held movably on the opposite side of the cooking appliance by means of the pull-out device. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to several embodiments and accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1A and Figure 1B Two views of the pull-out device according to the present invention are shown; Figure 2A and Figure 2B Two views of the pull-out guide with a cover plate are shown before assembly; Figures 3A to 3C Multiple views of the pull-out guide with cover plate after installation are shown; Figure 4A and Figure 4B Two views show an improved design for the top cover of the pull-out guide; Figures 5A to 5E Several views are shown of another embodiment of the pull-out device according to the present invention; Figure 6A and Figure 6B Two exploded views of the improved pull-out mechanism are shown; Figures 7A to 7D Several views of the pull-out device shown in Figure 6 in its assembled state are shown; Figure 8A and Figure 8B Two exploded views of another improved pull-out device are shown; Figures 9A to 9D The pull-out device shown in Figure 8 is illustrated in various views in its assembled state. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The pull-out device 1 includes a side grid frame 2, which includes at least two vertical columns 3. Multiple horizontal support rods 4 and 5 are mounted on the vertical columns 3. The horizontal support rods 4 and 5 are arranged in pairs and closely spaced vertically, preferably with a spacing of less than 20 mm. This allows the lower horizontal support rod 4, connected to the two columns 3, to serve as a support for the food carrier 11. The upper horizontal support rod 5 of the paired horizontal support rods 4 and 5 constitutes an anti-tipping element, positioned above the edge of the food carrier and providing support when the food carrier moves forward towards the side grid frame 2.

[0019] A pull-out guide 6 is mounted on the side grid frame 2. The pull-out guide 6 includes a fixed guide rail 7 and a movable rail 9. An intermediate rail 8 that extends the pull-out stroke is provided between the fixed guide rail 7 and the movable rail 9. Thus, the movable rail 9 can move forward of the side grid frame 2 via a rolling element.

[0020] The cover plate 10 is fixed to the movable rail 9, and the cover plate 10 forms a support portion 12 for the food carrier 11. The food carrier 11 is illustrated as a grid, but could also be a baking tray. The side edge of the food carrier 11 engages with the side grid 2, specifically between paired horizontal support rods 4 and 5. The cover plate 10 is positioned such that the support portion 12 is located slightly above the lower support rod 4. In this structure, the support portion 12 forms the upper edge of an upwardly projecting vertical plate of the cover plate 10, which is arranged in the plane in front of the lower horizontal support rod 4, as shown below. Figure 1B As shown.

[0021] Figure 2A and Figure 2B The pull-out guide 6 is shown before the cover plate 10 is installed. The pull-out guide 6 has multiple grooves 21 on the movable rail 9, which are formed by stamping or embossing processes and are used to fix the cover plate 10. The wall section 22 is fixed to one end face of the movable rail 9 and protrudes upward beyond the movable rail 9.

[0022] The cover plate 10 is made of a curved metal plate and has a U-shaped section that can be fitted onto the movable rail 9. The length of the cover plate 10 is approximately the same as the length of the movable rail 9. In another embodiment, the movable rail 9 and the cover plate 10 may also be of different lengths. A snap-fit ​​member 16 is integrally formed with the cover plate 10 in the form of an elastic tab and can be snapped into a locking section in the groove 21. The snap-fit ​​member 16 is formed on the vertical plate 15 extending downward from the cover plate 10. Other snap-fit ​​members 17 in the form of elastic tabs are also integrally formed on the cover plate 10, and the snap-fit ​​members 17 are fixed to the opposite side of the movable rail 9, for example, snapping into a groove or snapping onto the edge engaged by the snap-fit ​​member. A generally horizontal connecting section 18 is formed between the vertical plate 20 protruding upward toward the support portion 12 and the vertical plate 15, and the connecting section 18 covers the movable rail 9 above.

[0023] The front end and rear end of the support part 12 are respectively provided with a stop part 13 and a stop part 14. The stop part 13 and the stop part 14 are formed by upwardly protruding vertical plates to ensure that the food carrier 11 will not slide along the longitudinal direction of the movable rail 9 when it is placed on the support part 12.

[0024] When installing the cover plate 10, it is fitted onto the movable rail 9 and secured by the snap-fit ​​member 16 and snap-fit ​​member 17.

[0025] Figures 3A to 3C The assembly state of cover plate 10 is shown. (For example...) Figure 3B As shown, the cover plate has a downwardly protruding vertical plate 19 that covers the gap between the fixed guide rail 7 and the movable rail 9. The lower end of the downwardly protruding vertical plate 19 is lower than the fixed guide rail 7, thus protecting the fixed guide rail 7. The lower end of the downwardly protruding vertical plate 19 is bent towards the pull-out guide 6. Preferably, the lower end of the downwardly protruding vertical plate 19 is at least lower than the upper end of the fixed guide rail 7.

[0026] The outer side of the pull-out guide 6 is provided with a fastening member 30 in the form of a first clamp, which can be fixed to the side grid frame 2 by means of a limiting section 31. In addition, a fastening member 40 in the form of a second clamp is also provided, which has another limiting section 41, which can, for example, abut against the vertical column 3 and surround the vertical column 3 in a U-shape. Such fastening members 30 and 40 for fixing the pull-out guide to the side grid frame 2 have various known structures, and different clamps can be used to fix the pull-out guide 6 to the side grid frame 2 in a detachable or non-detachable manner.

[0027] Figure 3CThe assembly structure of the cover plate 10 and the upper wall section 22 of the movable rail 9 is shown. For this purpose, the cover plate 10 has an angled end section 23 with a U-shaped receiving groove. The U-shaped receiving groove of the angled end section 23 engages with the upwardly protruding portion of the wall section 22, so that the cover plate 10 is held on the wall section 22 in the longitudinal direction of the movable rail 9.

[0028] Figure 4A and Figure 4B An improved embodiment is shown, wherein the structure of the cover plate 10 is basically the same as that of the previous embodiment, except for the shape of the connecting section 18' between the downwardly extending vertical plate 15 and the upwardly protruding vertical plate 20. The connecting section 18' is not horizontally positioned, but extends obliquely downwards, allowing liquid waste to drain laterally from the connecting section 18' through the downwardly extending vertical plate 15. In this embodiment, the support portion 12 is also formed from the bent portion of the cover plate 10, resulting in a double-layered structure for the upwardly protruding vertical plate 20.

[0029] Figures 5A to 5D Another embodiment of the pull-out guide is shown, in which an improved pull-out guide 6' is employed. The pull-out guide 6' includes a fixed guide rail 7' connected to a movable rail 9' via an intermediate rail 8' extending the pull-out stroke, wherein both the fixed guide rail 7' and the movable rail 9' are C-shaped. An improved cover plate 10' is formed on the movable rail 9', and instead of being U-shaped, the cover plate 10' surrounds the pull-out guide 6' in an L-shape. For this purpose, the cover plate 10' has a vertical plate 20 extending downward to the lower end of the movable rail 9', and a support portion 12 is formed at the upper end of the vertical plate 20, the support portion 12 being the same as in the previous embodiment, arranged between a stop portion 13 and a stop portion 14. A connecting section 18' extends generally horizontally or selectively diagonally downward from the vertical plate 20, covering the pull-out guide 6', thereby closing the gap above the movable rail 9' and the fixed guide rail 7'. The cover plate 10' is also fixed to the pull-out guide 6' by snap-fit ​​members 16' and 17', which are in the form of bendable elastic tabs or retaining tabs.

[0030] The pull-out guide 6' is fixed to the side frame 2 by a fastening member 30 in the form of a first clamp with a limiting section 31, and a fastening member 40 in the form of a second clamp with a limiting section 41.

[0031] Figure 6A and Figure 6BAn improved pull-out device is illustrated, wherein the cover plate 10 includes a first cover plate component 10a and a second cover plate component 10b, which are independently manufactured, for example, from sheet metal. The first cover plate component 10a includes a vertical plate 15, a connecting section 18, and an upwardly projecting vertical plate 20a. The second cover plate component 10b has an upper vertical plate 20b and a lower vertical plate 19, which together form a wall structure, covering the pull-out guide 6 from one side in the assembled state. For installation onto the pull-out guide 6, the two cover plate components 10a and 10b are connected to each other by material joining methods, particularly welding. The cover plate components 10a and 10b can also be connected to the pull-out guide 6 by tungsten inert gas welding (TIG), riveting, snap-fitting, or embossing.

[0032] Figures 7A to 7D The diagram illustrates the structure of a pull-out device in its assembled state, with two cover plate components 10a and 10b, wherein the pull-out guide 6 is covered by the cover plate 10. Similar to the previous embodiment, the cover plate 10 is detachably fixed to the movable rail 9 of the pull-out guide 6 by snap-fit ​​members 16 and 17, and an angled end section 23 on the cover plate component 10b covers a wall section 22 on the movable rail 9. In the assembled state, the vertical plates 20a and 20b form a double-layered wall section, with a support portion 12 formed on the upper side of the wall section, specifically formed by a bent section on the vertical plate 20b.

[0033] Figure 8A and Figure 8B Another improved embodiment is shown, wherein the cover plate 10 includes a plurality of cover plate components 10a and 10b, the cover plate components 10a and 10b having different lengths along the longitudinal direction of the pull-out guide 6, and two cover plate components 10a and one cover plate component 10b are provided. The support portion 12 is integrally formed with the cover plate component 10b and forms a vertical wall section, covering the pull-out guide 6 from the inside in the installed state. The two cover plate components 10a each have a vertical plate 20a, the vertical plate 20a being connected to the vertical plate 20b of the cover plate component 10b by a material joining method or metal forming process (e.g., riveting). The two cover plate components 10a also have a snap-fit ​​member 16 and a snap-fit ​​member 17 in the form of vertical plates to ensure the detachable fixation of the cover plate 10. By manufacturing the cover plate components 10a in sections, the amount of material used can be reduced.

[0034] Figures 9A to 9DThe structure of the cover plate 10 shown in Figure 8 in its assembled state is illustrated. The snap-fit ​​member 16 snaps into the groove 21 on the movable rail 9, and the support portion 12 is supported on the movable rail 9 by the vertical plate 20a of the cover plate component 10a. The movable rail 9 and the fixed guide rail 7 are protected from contamination by the cover plate component 10b.

[0035] The above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily according to requirements. For example, a split cover plate can also be applied to the embodiment shown in Figure 5, in which the pull-out guide adopts a different rail structure. In addition, the clamps used to fix the pull-out guide to the side grid 2 (not shown in Figures 6 to 9) can adopt the same structure as in the aforementioned embodiments.

[0036] The clamps or snap-fit ​​components on the cover plate can adopt different geometric structures, so that the snap-fit ​​process has a clamping effect, and the snap-fit ​​method is not only translational but also rotational.

[0037] List of reference numerals 1 Pull-out device 2 side grids 3 columns 4 horizontal support rods 5 horizontal support rods 6. 6' Pull-out guide 7. 7' Fixed Guide Rail 8, 8' intermediate rail 9, 9' movable rail 10, 10' cover plate 10a cover plate component 10b cover plate component 11 Food carrier 12 Support sections 13 Stop section 14 Stop section 15 vertical boards 16, 16' snap-fit ​​components 17, 17' snap-fit ​​components 18 connecting sections 19 vertical boards 20 vertical boards 20a vertical board 20b vertical board 21 grooves 22 wall section 23, 23' end sections 30 Fastening Components 31 Limiting Section 40 Fastening Components 41 Limiting Section

Claims

1. A pull-out device (1) for a cooking utensil, comprising at least one side rack (2) having a plurality of horizontal supports (4, 5) at least partially supporting the edge of a food carrier (11), wherein, At least one pull-out guide (6, 6') is fixed to the side frame (2) by fastening members (30, 40), the pull-out guide (6, 6') includes a fixed guide rail (7, 7') and a movable rail (9, 9'), the movable rail (9, 9') being movable relative to the fixed guide rail (7, 7'), wherein a cover plate (10, 10') with a support portion (12) for the food carrier (11) is fixed to the movable rail (9, 9'), characterized in that the cover plate (10, 10') is detachably fixed to the movable rail (9, 9') by snap-fit ​​members (16, 17; 16', 17').

2. The pull-out device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cover plate (10, 10') has at least one elastic tab that engages in a receiving groove or recess (21) on the movable rail (9).

3. The pull-out device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The cover plate (10, 10') surrounds the movable rail (9, 9') in a U-shape or L-shape.

4. The pull-out device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The cover plate (10, 10') includes an upwardly projecting vertical plate (20), and the support portion (12) for the food carrier (11) is formed on the upper side of the upwardly projecting vertical plate (20).

5. The pull-out device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The side frame (2) includes a plurality of paired support rods (4, 5) that extend horizontally over at least a portion of their length, the vertical spacing between the paired support rods (4, 5) being less than 30 mm, particularly less than 20 mm, over at least a portion of their length, and the support portion (12) of the cover plate (10, 10') being arranged in height between the paired support rods (4, 5) that extend horizontally over at least a portion of their length.

6. The pull-out device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The vertically projecting plate (20) is arranged at an angle to the front of the lower horizontal support (4) of the pair of support rods (4, 5) that extend horizontally over at least a portion of its length.

7. The pull-out device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The cover plate (10, 10') includes a vertical plate (19) that covers the gap between the fixed guide rail (7, 7') and the movable rail (9, 9').

8. The pull-out device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, A protruding stop (1, 14) is provided on the front end and / or rear end of the cover plate (10, 10'), and the stop (13, 14) restricts the movement of the food carrier (11) along the longitudinal direction of the movable rail (9, 9').

9. The pull-out device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The cover plate (10, 10') has at least one angled end section (23, 23') that covers the movable rail (9, 9') on the front side.

10. The pull-out device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The cover plate (10, 10') has a U-shaped groove at the angled end section (23), and a wall section (22) fixed to the movable rail (9) or integrally formed with the movable rail (9) and protruding upward is inserted into the U-shaped groove.

11. The pull-out device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The cover plate (10) is composed of at least two cover plate components (10a, 10b), which are connected to each other by a material bonding method.

12. The pull-out device according to claim 11, characterized in that, A cover plate component (10b) is formed to cover the vertical plate of the pull-out guide (6) on one side, and at least one additional cover plate component (10a) includes integrally formed snap-fit ​​members (16, 17).

13. The pull-out device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The cover plate (10, 10') is made of a bent metal plate.

14. The pull-out device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The cover plates (10, 10') are coated.

15. A cooking appliance comprising at least one pull-out device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, by means of which a food carrier (11) is movable.

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