Refrigerator and / or freezer

Abstract

A refrigerator and / or freezer with at least one cooled interior, in which at least one shelf and at least one drawer (30) are located, wherein the shelf and the drawer (30) are components of a common assembly (10) which is not fixedly arranged in the cooled interior, but is designed in such a way that it can be positioned at different positions in the cooled interior, characterized in that the position of the shelf within the assembly (10) is changeable in the vertical direction and / or that the position of the drawer (30) within the assembly (10) is changeable in the vertical direction of the assembly (10).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator and / or freezer with at least one cooled interior, in which at least one shelf and at least one drawer are located.

[0002] It is known from the prior art to provide one or more shelves and / or drawers for storing chilled or frozen goods in the refrigerated interior, which is usually bounded by an inner container and the inside of the door. It is also known from the prior art to design shelves made of glass plates that are flexibly positionable, i.e., to allow the glass plates to be arranged in different positions within the refrigerated interior. Furthermore, it is known to provide vegetable trays or drawers on pull-out runners, particularly in the lower part of the refrigerated interior, to improve accessibility to the goods stored therein.

[0003] From EP 1 564 512 A1, a refrigeration appliance is known in whose cooled interior there is a shelf with a drawer located beneath it. US 2,103,885 and US 6,565,169 B1 relate to a refrigerator with a pull-out shelf and a drawer located beneath it. DE 929 795 discloses a refrigeration appliance with a rack that is not only hinged but also extendable like a drawer. JP 07213355 A discloses a cabinet-like arrangement with extendable shelves on which storage containers for goods are arranged.

[0004] The present invention is based on the objective of further developing a cooling and / or freezing appliance of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that the flexibility with regard to the utilization of the cooled interior space is further increased compared to known appliances.

[0005] This problem is solved by a refrigerator and / or freezer with the features of claim 1. According to this claim, the shelf and the drawer are components of a common assembly which is not fixedly arranged in the cooled interior, but is designed in such a way that it can be positioned at different locations within the cooled interior.

[0006] The present invention is therefore based on the idea of ​​transferring the flexible adjustability, in particular height adjustability of the glass plate, known from the prior art, to the drawer by combining the drawer and the shelf, which can for example be designed as a glass plate.

[0007] The assembly mentioned can have exactly one shelf and exactly one drawer, or more than one shelf and / or more than one drawer.

[0008] According to the invention, the entire assembly can be fixed in different positions within the cooled interior, in particular at different vertically spaced positions, i.e., at different height positions.

[0009] It is conceivable that the assembly can be removed and its position adjusted when the door is opened at an angle of 90° or more.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the position of the shelf within the assembly is changeable, preferably in a vertical direction, and / or that the position of the drawer within the assembly is changeable in at least one direction other than the extension or insertion direction of the drawer, preferably in a vertical direction of the assembly.

[0011] This results in additional flexibility, not only because the assembly can be positioned at different locations within the refrigerated interior, but also because the drawer within the assembly can be positioned at different locations. For example, the drawer can be arranged or inserted in different positions, which has the advantage of allowing the storage of goods of varying heights. It is therefore conceivable that the drawer can be positioned at different locations within the assembly, spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction.

[0012] In a further embodiment of the invention, the shelf and / or the drawer are made of or comprise a transparent material, preferably glass and / or plastic. This allows not only an attractive visual design but also the user to see into the drawer without having to pull it out.

[0013] Furthermore, at least one stop can be provided to limit the drawer's extension movement, preferably forming an integral part of the assembly. Preferably, the drawer is designed to be removable, meaning it can be taken out by a user, for example, by tilting it relative to the assembly. However, a drawer stop can also be incorporated, increasing everyday safety. This prevents the drawer from being unintentionally pulled out or falling out, thus reducing the risk of injury.

[0014] In a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the assembly has at least one retaining part which is directly or indirectly connected to the inner container of the refrigerator and / or freezer and to which both the at least one shelf and the at least one drawer are connected.

[0015] It is therefore conceivable to provide a retaining element that, for example, connects with the inner container on its outer surface, preferably with the side wall of the inner container, and particularly preferably with projections and / or recesses arranged thereon. On its side facing away from the inner container, the retaining element can connect with the shelf and / or the drawer and, for example, be attached to the side edge and, if necessary, also to the rear edge of the shelf.

[0016] In a further embodiment of the invention, the retaining element is connected to the shelf and / or the drawer by a positive-locking, friction-locking, and / or material-locking connection. It is particularly preferred if the individual parts of the assembly are connected to one another by a plug-in connection, which allows for particularly easy assembly and disassembly of the assembly. Furthermore, ease of cleaning is ensured, as the parts can be easily disassembled and then reassembled. Other connection methods, such as a friction-locking or adhesive connection, are also conceivable and included in the invention. A combination of the aforementioned connection techniques is also conceivable.

[0017] It is conceivable that the shelf has at least one fixing element to which the retaining part is connected by a snap-fit ​​connection. It is also conceivable that the shelf (for example, a glass plate), preferably on its underside, has a fixing element or the like, and that the retaining part is attached to this glass plate and snaps into place with the recess or other element of said fixing element. This system allows for tighter tolerances and compensates for tolerance variations between the components.

[0018] The aforementioned retaining parts are preferably arranged to the right and left of the assembly and thus form the side parts of the assembly.

[0019] By specifically supporting the retaining parts or side panels on the inner container of the refrigerator and / or freezer, increased stability is achieved, allowing for a larger loading volume without the possibility of the side panels or retaining parts and the entire assembly tipping over.

[0020] In a further embodiment of the invention, the retaining element(s) provide one or more guides for the slidable arrangement of at least one area, preferably at least one edge area, of the drawer. This guide can be designed as a simple groove in which a web or the like, preferably an edge area of ​​the drawer, runs.

[0021] In a further embodiment of the invention, the entire assembly is preferably removable from the cooled interior without tools. Thus, it is preferably provided that the present invention, or the assembly, constitutes a self-contained, functional unit that can be easily and quickly assembled and disassembled by the user. This system, or the aforementioned assembly, is relatively unaffected by tolerance variations in the housing width.

[0022] Furthermore, the shelf and / or drawer can preferably be removed from the assembly without tools. This can be achieved, for example, by releasing a snap-fit ​​connection or other link between the shelf and the retaining element(s) and replacing the shelf with another shelf, or removing it for cleaning and then reinserting it. It is also preferably possible to remove a drawer from the assembly, again preferably without tools. This can be done, for example, by extending the drawer a short distance, possibly to a stop, and then tilting it upwards or downwards by the user so that it can be removed from the guide. The insertion process for the drawer is then the reverse.

[0023] In a further embodiment of the invention, the entire assembly is designed to be extendable from and retractable into the cooled interior. In this case, not only is the drawer retractable relative to the assembly, but the entire assembly is also designed to be extendable from and retractable into the cooled interior. It is conceivable that at least one extension system is provided, which either serves to extend and retract the drawer relative to the assembly and / or is designed to extend the entire assembly into or out of the cooled interior. This extension system can, for example, be designed as a full extension and / or have a self-extension mechanism.

[0024] It is conceivable that the retaining parts or side panels of the assembly could have locking points for extension rails, with these locking points being located at different height positions. Adjustability, flexibility, and ease of assembly and disassembly would thus be maintained within the system.

[0025] In a further embodiment of the invention, the assembly is designed such that it must be removed from the cooled interior for repositioning and then reinserted. However, it is also conceivable that the assembly, the cooled interior, or the inner container is designed in such a way that removal of the assembly is not necessary for repositioning. For example, the inner container may have a toothed section or the like, and the assembly may have one or more projections that engage with this toothed section. Height adjustment, similar to a threaded or worm gear, is achieved by changing the position of these projections relative to the toothed section of the inner container, for example, by means of a user-operated lever mechanism or the like.

[0026] For example, the assembly could have a rotatable threaded element on both sides that meshes with a toothed section on the inner container extending vertically, and that rotating this element allows for height adjustment of the entire assembly. The reverse is also possible. Thus, it is conceivable to position the rotatable element on the inner container and the corresponding part or toothed section on the assembly.

[0027] The advantage of such adjustability of the assembly in the cooled interior is that the refrigerated and / or frozen goods standing on the shelf or the refrigerated and / or frozen goods located in the drawer do not have to be removed when a height adjustment is desired, but can remain in place.

[0028] In a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the assembly is connected to or has a pull-out system, as described above.

[0029] Furthermore, the drawer base may be designed with one or more recesses, in particular with a wave-like shape at least in some areas, and / or with one or more flexible or rigid dividers, or one or more fixed or adjustable dividers. Thus, it is conceivable that storage convenience can be varied through different options on the drawer or shelf. For example, the drawer base and / or shelf could be designed with a wave-like shape, meaning that bottles or chilled goods would be restricted from moving perpendicular to these waves. Additionally, flexible, rigid, fixed, or adjustable dividers could be provided in the drawer, or fixed or flexible recesses for specific items, such as eggshells, can holders, etc., could be integrated.

[0030] The flexibility in material pairings allows for optimal design with regard to noise and running characteristics.

[0031] Further details and advantages of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment illustrated in the drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1: A perspective view of the assembly according to the invention in a first vertical position of the drawer, Fig. 2: a perspective view of the assembly according to the invention in a second vertical position of the drawer, Fig. 3: A side view of the assembly with the drawer extended and the stop visible in a cutout, Fig. 4: a sectional view parallel to the plane of the open side of the inner container through an edge region of the assembly, Fig. 5: a perspective view of an open refrigerator and / or freezer with an assembly contained therein according to the present invention, Fig. 6: a perspective view from an oblique angle above of the assembly according to the invention, Fig. 7: a perspective view of the assembly according to the invention showing the removal process of the drawer, Fig. 8: a perspective view of the assembly according to the invention with the drawer extended and Fig. 9: A top view of the assembly according to the invention with the drawer shown in a lower position.

[0032] Fig. Figure 1, referenced by numeral 10, shows the assembly according to the invention, which is inserted into the cooled interior of a refrigerator and / or freezer (not shown). The assembly comprises a left retaining element 12 and a right retaining element 14, which are detachably connected to the inner container, namely to the left and right side walls of the inner container of the refrigerator and / or freezer. It is conceivable that the retaining elements 12 and 14 are inserted into grooves in the inner container, which otherwise serve, for example, to receive or support shelves or the like. It is also conceivable that the inner container has grooves on both sides, spaced apart from each other in the horizontal and vertical directions, which fix the retaining element in two different positions.

[0033] The retaining parts 12, 14 consist, for example, of a plastic and preferably of POM (polyoxymethylene or polyacetal).

[0034] The glass plate 20 and the drawer 30 are located in the area between the two retaining parts 12, 14.

[0035] As this is shown Fig. As can be seen from Figure 1, the glass plate 20 is located above the drawer 30 and, in a preferred embodiment, represents the upper cover of the space bounded by the drawer when the drawer is in its closed position.

[0036] The drawer 30, like the glass plate 20, can be made of a transparent material, for example plastic or glass. Polystyrene, for instance, is a possible plastic material. How this is achieved... Fig. As can be seen from Figure 1, the drawer 30 has a front wall 32 which, when the drawer 30 is closed, lies in the area of ​​the front of the glass plate 20, whereby it is conceivable that the front wall 32 abuts the glass plate 20, so that a space enclosed by the glass plate 20 is created.

[0037] As this is shown Fig. As can be seen from Figure 2, the retaining parts 12, 14 can be designed such that they have different receptacles or guides for the drawer 30, which are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction of the assembly 10. Fig. Figure 1 shows a state in which the drawer 30 is received in an upper guide of the retaining parts 12, 14 and Fig. Figure 2 shows a state in which the drawer 30 is received in a lower guide of the retaining parts 12, 14. It is particularly preferred that the drawer 30 can be inserted or received in different positions, thus allowing goods of varying heights to be stored.

[0038] Fig. Figure 3 shows a side view of the drawer 30 and a retaining element 12 of the assembly according to the invention. In the cutout A, it can be seen that a stop, designated by reference numeral 16, is provided, which is designed to project downwards and thereby block the rear wall 34 of the drawer 30. In the Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the drawer 30 cannot be pulled out further to the left, as its rear panel 34 cannot easily move past the stop 16. Nevertheless, it is possible to remove the drawer 30. This can be done, for example, by starting from its position as shown in Figure 3. Fig. 3 is tilted upwards on its left, that is, front area, as shown in Fig. Figure 7 shows this. This causes the rear wall 34 of the drawer 30 to move downwards relative to the stop 16, so that the drawer can be moved past the stop 16 and then removed.

[0039] Fig. Figure 4 shows a sectional view of the retaining part 12, the edge of the glass plate 20, and the edge of the drawer 30. How this is shown from Fig. As can be seen from Figure 4, the glass plate 20 or other shelf has a fixing element 22 on its underside, which can be formed, for example, by an adhesive part. This fixing element has a recess into which, when the retaining part 12 is mounted, a projection 18 of the retaining part is engaged, as shown from Figure 4. Fig. 4 emerges. In this way, the glass plate 20, which is received in a groove 19 of the retaining part 12, is fixed by positive locking, in this case by a snap-fit ​​connection relative to the retaining part 12.

[0040] How this will develop further Fig. As can be seen from Figure 4, the retaining part 12 has two guides 42, 44 spaced apart vertically, which serve to hold the edge region 36 of the drawer. As this is evident from Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the drawer has an edge section 36 which, extending from the drawer wall, has an inclined section, a horizontal section, and a vertically downward-running section 50, with the drawer 30 running on the guide 42 at its end. If the position of the drawer 30 is to be changed vertically, it is removed from the guide 42 and inserted into the guide 44, for example, in the manner described above. This increases the distance between the drawer bottom 31 and the glass plate 20, allowing taller items to be stored.

[0041] How this will develop further Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the assembly of the component is relatively simple: the retaining part 12 is attached from the side, in the direction of the arrow, to the lateral edge of the glass plate 20, i.e., to its edge area, until the aforementioned locking mechanism engages. This process is repeated for both retaining parts 12 and 14 on both sides of the glass plate. Afterward, the drawer simply needs to be inserted, and the assembly then slid into the cooled interior in a suitable manner, for example, using a snap-fit ​​connection.

[0042] Fig. Figure 5 shows, in an exemplary embodiment, the interior of a cooling and / or freezing appliance according to the invention with the assembly marked with reference numeral 10.

[0043] Their fixation in the inner container is made of Fig. 6 is evident. As this is shown from Fig. As can be seen in Figure 6, the inner container 100 has two rows of fixing positions on each of its side walls and / or in the area of ​​its rear wall, formed by grooves 102. These grooves 102 are spaced apart vertically, so that the assembly 10 can be fixed in different vertical positions within the inner container 100, depending on which grooves it is inserted into. It is conceivable to fix the assembly in the inner container by means of a snap-fit ​​connection, which can be released, for example, by a lever or the like, and then remove the assembly 10. Alternatively or additionally, it is also conceivable to provide a pull-out system by means of which the entire assembly can be pulled out of the cooled interior or out of the inner container 100 and pushed back in. In addition, the drawer 30 can be extended and retracted relative to the assembly 10.

[0044] Fig. Figure 7 shows, as already explained above, a tilting of the drawer 30 upwards in order to move its back panel 34 past the stop 16 in order to remove it.

[0045] Fig. Figure 8 shows the arrangement according to Fig. 6 with drawer extended and Fig. Figure 9 finally shows a view of the assembly in which the drawer 30 differs from the embodiment according to Fig. 6 is received in a lower guide 44 of the retaining parts 12, 14. In this case, a gap remains between the glass plate 20 and the drawer, and the distance between the drawer bottom and the glass plate is increased so that larger or taller items can also be accommodated.

[0046] In the position of drawer 30 according to Fig. 6 can be provided that the front wall 32 of the drawer is separated from the front of the glass plate 20 by a gap or lies against the glass plate 20 without a gap.

Claims

[1] A refrigerator and / or freezer with at least one cooled interior compartment, in which at least one shelf and at least one drawer (30) are located, wherein the shelf and the drawer (30) are components of a common assembly (10) which is not fixedly arranged in the cooled interior compartment but is designed in such a way that it can be positioned at different positions in the cooled interior compartment, characterized by , that the position of the shelf within the assembly (10) can be changed in the vertical direction and / or that the position of the drawer (30) within the assembly (10) can be changed in the vertical direction of the assembly (10). [2] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to claim 1, characterized by , that the shelf and / or the drawer (30) are made of or have a transparent material, preferably being glass and / or plastic. [3] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that at least one stop (16) is provided which limits the extension length of the drawer (30), wherein it is preferably provided that the at least one stop (16) forms a component of the assembly (10). [4] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the assembly (10) has at least one retaining part (12, 14) which is directly or indirectly connected to the inner container (100) of the refrigerator and / or freezer and to which both the shelf and the drawer (30) are connected. [5] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to claim 4, characterized by , that the retaining part (12, 14) is connected to the shelf and / or to the drawer (30) by a positive locking and / or force locking and / or material locking connection. [6] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to claim 5, characterized by that the shelf has at least one fixing element (22) with which the retaining part (12, 14) is connected by a snap connection and / or that the retaining part (12, 14) has one or more guides (42, 44) for the slidable reception of at least one area of ​​the drawer (30). [7] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the entire assembly (10) can preferably be removed from the cooled interior without tools and / or that the shelf and / or the drawer (30) can preferably be removed from the assembly (10) without tools and / or that not only the drawer (30), but also the shelf and / or the entire assembly (10) is designed to be extendable from and retractable into the cooled interior. [8] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the assembly (10) is designed in such a way that, after its removal from the cooled interior, it can be positioned at a desired position in the cooled interior and / or that the assembly (10) is designed in such a way that, in order to change its position, in particular to adjust its height in the cooled interior, it is not necessary to remove the assembly (10) from the cooled interior. [9] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by that the assembly (10) is connected to or has a pull-out system and / or that the drawer base (31) has one or more receptacles, in particular is at least partially corrugated, and / or that the drawer (30) has one or more flexible or rigid partitions or one or more fixed or movable partitions. [10] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the retaining parts (12, 14) or the side parts of the assembly (10) have detent points for extension rails, these detent points being preferably provided in different height positions. [11] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by that a toothing or the like is provided on the inner container (100) or on the assembly (10) and that the assembly (10) or the inner container (100) has one or more projections that engage in this toothing, wherein it is preferably provided that, in a manner comparable to a thread or a worm gear, a height adjustment is effected by changing the position of these projections relative to the toothing of the inner container (100) or the assembly (10).

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