Refrigerator and / or freezer

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling and / or freezing appliance with a container and a container insert, wherein the container insert can be arranged in the container, wherein the container has a container wall with an opening and the container insert has a container insert wall, wherein the container insert can be arranged in the container such that the container insert wall at least partially covers the opening.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator and / or freezer having a container and a container insert, wherein the container insert can be arranged in the container, wherein the container has a container wall with an opening and the container insert has a container insert wall.

[0002] It is common practice to use gallon-sized door racks in refrigerators and / or freezers intended for the global market, which can accommodate gallon-sized refrigerated goods. Such door racks are deep enough to accommodate gallon-sized containers. Gallon-sized food containers are primarily used in the North American market.

[0003] Typically, appliances intended for the European or Asian markets are equipped with shallower door racks because food packaging is smaller there. Smaller packages, such as beverage bottles, can slide back and forth or get mixed up in deep, gallon-sized door racks if they aren't fully loaded.

[0004] Deep gallon-sized door racks that are not loaded with gallon-sized containers provide plenty of room for packages of varying sizes.

[0005] If such door racks are filled with packaging of small or different diameters, disorder and confusion quickly arise.

[0006] It is also known to use door racks in refrigerators and / or freezers that are partially open at the front and on one or more sides, i.e., have openings in the walls of the door racks. Smaller and flat items stored in such door racks can fall out under certain circumstances, e.g., if the door is slammed too hard.

[0007] DE 10 2008 054 871 A1 discloses a divider for subdividing a door rack and securing refrigerated goods in the form of an elongated shaped strip. However, when such a divider is inserted into a door rack that is open at the front and / or sides, the divider would not close the openings in the door rack, which could cause smaller items to fall out. Likewise, DE 10 2008 054 871 A1 does not address the problem of using gallon-sized door racks for storing smaller refrigerated goods.

[0008] Against this background, the present invention is based on the object of improving an above-mentioned refrigerator and / or freezer.

[0009] This object is achieved by the subject matter having the features of independent claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0010] Accordingly, the invention provides that the container insert can be arranged in the container in such a way that the container insert wall at least partially covers the opening.

[0011] The container insert is preferably arranged in the container, can be removed from the container and / or inserted into it.

[0012] Preferably, the container is a door rack or a tray. The container insert can also be referred to as a divider.

[0013] It is preferably provided that the container wall partially or completely forms a front side, a back side and / or one or more sides of the container and / or that the opening is arranged on or in the front side, the back side and / or one or more sides of the container.

[0014] The container insert is preferably designed such that an opening in a container wall can be partially or completely closed by the container insert. It is preferably provided that the container is closed at the front by the container insert.

[0015] It is preferably provided that the container insert wall partially or completely forms a front side, a rear side and / or one or more sides of the container insert and / or partially or completely delimits a region of the container insert laterally.

[0016] Preferably, the container insert can be at least partially trough-shaped and / or ring-shaped. The container insert can have or be a trough.

[0017] Preferably, the container insert can close the open areas of door racks that are open at the sides and / or front, so that a completely closed door rack is created.

[0018] It is preferably provided that the container insert has one, two or more secondary walls, each of which preferably adjoins the container insert wall and / or partially or completely delimits one or more secondary regions laterally.

[0019] A lateral boundary can also be understood as a lateral boundary.

[0020] Preferably, the container insert is open or closed at the top and / or bottom.

[0021] Directional specifications such as “side”, “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “back”, “in front” and / or “rear” preferably refer to a typical position of the device and / or a typical installation position of the container insert in the device.

[0022] Preferably, the container insert is completely or partially transparent, translucent and / or opaque.

[0023] Preferably, the container insert is made partly or entirely of plastic.

[0024] Preferably, the container insert is designed to divide the container into two or more zones.

[0025] The container insert preferably serves as an organizer. The container insert, which is particularly transparent, creates two zones in which refrigerated goods of various sizes can be stored clearly.

[0026] Preferably, the container insert is a removable divider and / or serves as a fall-out protection.

[0027] Preferably, alternatively or additionally, the container is designed to accommodate gallon-sized refrigerated goods, wherein the container insert can be arranged in the container such that the container can be divided into two or more zones.

[0028] The container is preferably a gallon-sized container.

[0029] The invention also relates to a container insert for a refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention.

[0030] The invention also relates to the use of a container insert according to the invention in a refrigerator and / or freezer, in particular according to the invention.

[0031] The use of the container insert in a container, such as a deep gallon-sized door rack, preferably allows the door rack to be adapted to different market requirements as needed and / or on the fly. A gallon-sized door rack, i.e., with a gallon-sized door rack depth, can be used globally for all markets by using the container insert.

[0032] The use of the container insert in a container, e.g. a door rack, with openings in the container walls preferably ensures that smaller and / or flat refrigerated goods cannot fall out of the openings of the container or door rack that is open at the front and / or sides, for example.

[0033] The use of the bin insert in a deep gallon-sized door rack (gallon rack) preferably enables the gallon-sized door rack to be used in all regions of the world, particularly in the European Union (EU), the Americas (AMER), and / or Asia-Pacific (APAC).

[0034] The invention also relates to a system with a refrigerator and / or freezer, in particular according to the invention, and a container insert according to the invention.

[0035] Preferably, the container insert is an addition to a gallon-sized container. Preferably, the container insert divides a container into two zones, in particular a front and a rear zone. The front zone preferably corresponds to the standard depth of door racks on the European market. The rear zone preferably offers space for smaller, tall and / or slim refrigerated goods. Preferably, the container insert can be easily removed from the container by a user as needed and / or placed back into the container. The container insert is preferably made of transparent plastic and thus allows a view of the refrigerated goods in the container.

[0036] It should be noted here that the terms "a" and "an" do not necessarily refer to exactly one of the elements, although this represents a possible embodiment, but can also refer to a plurality of the elements. Likewise, the use of the plural also includes the presence of the element in question in the singular, and conversely, the singular also encompasses several of the elements in question. Furthermore, all features of the invention described herein can be combined with one another as desired or claimed in isolation from one another.

[0037] Further advantages, features, and effects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the figures, in which identical or similar components are designated by the same reference numerals. Herein: Fig. 1 and Fig. 2: a perspective view of an embodiment of a container insert of a refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention. Fig. 3 and Fig. 4: a perspective view of an embodiment of a container insert and a container of a refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention. Fig. 5: a perspective view of an embodiment of a container of a refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention arranged on a door. Fig. 6 and Fig. 7: a perspective view of an embodiment of a container of a refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention arranged on a door and a container insert of a refrigerator and / or freezer according to the invention.

[0038] In Fig. 1 shows a container insert 10 made of an opaque, i.e., light-impermeable and / or non-transparent, material.

[0039] The container insert 10 has a container insert wall that forms or encompasses a front side 1, a rear side 2, and two sides 3 of the container insert 10. The container insert wall thus completely delimits a region of the container insert 10 laterally. It is also conceivable for the container insert wall not to completely delimit the region laterally and to be partially open or to have an interruption or an opening.

[0040] The container insert 10 is open at the top and bottom.

[0041] In one variant, the container insert 10 can be closed at the bottom by a base, wherein the container insert wall and the base form a trough.

[0042] Two secondary walls 4 are connected to the container insert wall as extensions or wings, which partially delimit a secondary area laterally with the rear side 2.

[0043] The area fully laterally delimited by the container insert wall and the secondary area form two, particularly adjacent, zones of the container insert 10, each of which can accommodate refrigerated goods. The secondary area is smaller and / or has a smaller volume than the area of ​​the container insert 10 that is fully or partially delimited laterally by the container insert wall.

[0044] In Fig. 2 is a container insert 10 made of a transparent, i.e. translucent and / or see-through, material with the same geometric properties as the container insert 10 made of Fig. 1 shown.

[0045] In Fig. 3 shows a container 20 of a refrigerator and / or freezer in the form of a door shelf.

[0046] The container 20 has a container wall which forms or comprises a front side 11 and two sides 13 of the container 20.

[0047] The container wall comprises rod-shaped elements. The container wall has an opening O that extends across the entire front side 11 and partially across the sides 13 of the container 20.

[0048] The curved arrow in Fig. 3 it is indicated that a container insert 10 can be arranged or inserted into the container 20.

[0049] The container 20 is a gallon-sized door rack and can be divided into smaller zones by inserting the container insert 10.

[0050] In Fig. Figure 4 shows the container insert 10 arranged in the container 20. The opening O of the container is completely covered or closed by the container insert wall.

[0051] In Fig. 5 shows a container 20 arranged in the form of a door rack on the inside of a door 100 of a refrigerator and / or freezer. The sides and front of the container 20 are open, i.e., they have an opening.

[0052] How this Fig. 6, a container insert 10 can be inserted into the container 20.

[0053] In Fig. 7, the container insert 10 is arranged in the container 20, whereby the sides and the front of the container 20, for example the opening, are closed. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2008 054 871 A1

[0007]

Claims

[1] A refrigerator and / or freezer having a container and a container insert, wherein the container insert can be arranged in the container, wherein the container has a container wall with an opening and the container insert has a container insert wall, characterized by that the container insert can be arranged in the container in such a way that the container insert wall at least partially covers the opening. [2] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to claim 1, characterized by that the container is a door rack or a tray. [3] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the container wall partially or completely forms a front, a back and / or one or more sides of the container and / or that the opening is arranged on or in the front, the back and / or one or more sides of the container. [4] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the container insert wall partially or completely forms a front side, a rear side and / or one or more sides of the container insert and / or partially or completely delimits an area of the container insert laterally. [5] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the container insert has one, two or more secondary walls, each of which preferably adjoins the container insert wall and / or partially or completely delimits one or more secondary areas laterally. [6] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the container insert is open or closed at the top and / or bottom. [7] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the container insert is completely or partially transparent, translucent and / or opaque. [8] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the container insert is made partly or entirely of plastic. [9] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the container insert is designed to divide the container into two or more zones. [10] A refrigerator and / or freezer comprising a container and a container insert, wherein the container insert can be arranged in the container, characterized by that the container is designed to accommodate refrigerated goods in gallon size, wherein the container insert can be arranged in the container in such a way that the container can be divided into two or more zones. [11] Refrigerator and / or freezer according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized bythat the device is designed with the features of the characterising part of claim 10. [12] Container insert for a refrigerator and / or freezer according to one of the preceding claims. [13] Use of a container insert according to claim 12 in a refrigerator and / or freezer, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 11. [14] System with a refrigerator and / or freezer, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 11, and a container insert according to claim 12.

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