Household refrigerator

Abstract

The invention relates to a household refrigeration appliance (1) comprising an inner container (7, 8) that at least partially delimits a receiving space (3, 4) and has two opposing side walls (9, 10) on each of which a holding device (12) for a shelf (11) is provided, further comprising a shelf (11) that is arranged on the holding devices (12), wherein each holding device (12) has a support surface (14) and a pull-out limiting surface (23) arranged in the depth direction (Y) behind the support surface (14) and in the height direction (Z) above the support surface (14). According to the invention, it is provided that an insertion surface (17) arranged in the depth direction (Y) behind the support surface (14) and designed to slope downwards in the depth direction (Y) allows for the insertion of the shelf (11).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a household refrigeration appliance comprising an inner container which at least partially defines a receiving space and has two opposing side walls on each of which a holding device for a shelf is provided.

[0002] Such a household refrigeration appliance could be, for example, a refrigerator, a freezer, or a fridge-freezer combination.

[0003] CN 204 535 256 U discloses a refrigeration device with an inner container, the inner container having ribs extending forwards and backwards and projecting towards the interior. This document discloses the preamble of claim 1.

[0004] CN 2 919 145 Y discloses a door stop with a fixed head section corresponding to an opening of a groove in a door inner liner.

[0005] US 2013 / 146551 A1 discloses a shelf arrangement comprising a shelf with a front edge and a rear edge, wherein the rear edge has a raised profile, the shelf arrangement further comprising a frame with an elongated rear support element.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to ensure improved support of the shelves.

[0007] The problem is solved by the characteristics of independent claims.

[0008] The household refrigerating appliance comprises an inner container which at least partially delimits a receiving space and has two opposing side walls on each of which a holding device for a shelf is provided, and further comprising a shelf which is arranged on the holding devices, each holding device having a support surface and a pull-out limiting surface arranged in the depth direction behind the support surface and in the height direction above the support surface.

[0009] The terms "top", "bottom", "front", "back", "horizontal", "depth", "latitude", "height", etc. indicate the positions and orientations that would be present when the household refrigeration appliance is used and positioned as intended, and when viewed by an observer standing in front of the appliance and looking towards it.

[0010] The support devices are preferably located at the same height along one side of the household refrigeration appliance and face each other. The support surfaces serve to partially or completely absorb the weight of the shelf or the refrigerated goods arranged on the shelf. The support surfaces can, for example, be flat and / or horizontal. The extension limiter prevents the shelf from being unintentionally pulled out by the user.

[0011] A first aspect of the present invention is characterized by an insertion surface arranged in the depth direction behind the support surface and designed to slope downwards in the depth direction.

[0012] By sloping downwards in the direction of depth, the insertion surface forms a ramp-like area inclined downwards. This allows the shelf to be inserted and removed without jamming. In particular, the shelf, or parts of it (for example, a strip located at a rear edge of the shelf), can slide over the insertion surface. It was found that this improved guidance of the shelf during installation and removal significantly reduces the stress on both the inner container and the shelf itself. Specifically, by eliminating or at least largely preventing sudden or impact loads on the inner container, damage to the inner container can be virtually eliminated.This applies particularly to an inner container made of plastic, for example, one produced by thermoforming. The areas that come into contact with the shelf during insertion and removal can, due to their geometry, have a reduced wall thickness and thus be more susceptible to damage. The inventive arrangement and design of the insertion surface reduces impact or sudden loads on the inner container in these areas. Furthermore, damage to the shelf can also be avoided, as it is no longer subjected to impact or sudden loads.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the insertion surface is designed to slope continuously or steadily downwards. This allows for a smooth insertion and removal of the shelf that is easily perceptible and therefore controllable for the user.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the insertion surface is designed to be free of edges, particularly along the depth direction. This further prevents snagging or jamming during insertion or removal of the shelf. The insertion surface can, for example, comprise arcs, especially circular arcs. A combination of arcs and flat surface sections is also conceivable.

[0015] In one embodiment, the insertion surface is directly adjacent to the support surface in the depth direction. The shelf, particularly a rear edge section of the shelf, can thus be slid smoothly and without the risk of jamming when inserting or removing it from the support surface onto the insertion surface, and vice versa. Preferably, the interface between the support surface and the insertion surface is smooth and free of sharp edges.

[0016] To further improve the guidance of the shelf during insertion or removal, one embodiment provides that the insertion surface extends in the depth direction over at least 0.5 cm, at least 1.0 cm, at least 2.0 cm or at least 3.0 cm.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the insertion surface is designed to extend at least twice, three times, or four times its dimension in the vertical direction. It has been shown that such a design, particularly one formed at an acute angle to the horizontal, facilitates smooth, low-stress, and jerk-free insertion and removal of the shelf.

[0018] In one embodiment, the holding device has an insertion groove bounded by the insertion surface and a further insertion surface. The insertion surface and the further insertion surface can be opposite each other. In particular, the further insertion surface can be arranged at least partially, and especially completely, above the insertion surface. In conjunction with the insertion surface, the further insertion surface forms the channel-like insertion groove, thus further facilitating the insertion and removal of the shelf. The insertion surface and the further insertion surface can be substantially parallel to each other to promote smooth and controlled insertion and removal. In particular, the angle between the insertion surface and the further insertion surface can be less than 30 degrees, less than 20 degrees, or less than 10 degrees.In the case of a curved surface, the angle is determined by an imaginary flat surface defined by the beginning and end of the surface, as determined in the depth direction. It is conceivable that the subsequent insertion surface is flat. The insertion groove, and in particular the subsequent insertion surface, can be designed in such a way that purely horizontal insertion of the shelf is prevented.

[0019] According to the invention, the shelf has two front contact surfaces that are opposite the extension limit surfaces. "Opposite" here means, in particular, that the surfaces are separated from each other by an air gap or face each other. The front contact surfaces can be located on a rear edge section of the shelf. The front contact surfaces can be located on a strip of the shelf, especially a rigid strip. For example, the strip can be made of hard plastic, such as polypropylene or polystyrene. The two front contact surfaces and the extension limit surfaces can be designed to prevent the shelf from being pulled out in a purely horizontal direction.

[0020] It is conceivable that the shelf is designed in two or more parts, for example, comprising a panel element and a strip arranged along the rear edge. In this case, the front contact surfaces can be formed at least partially, and in particular, entirely, by the strip. The strip can be an extruded component. The strip can be attached to the panel element via a retaining profile, e.g., positively and / or force-fit. The strip can have a boundary profile that extends upwards and / or backwards (e.g., diagonally) with respect to a bearing surface (i.e., the top surface) of the panel element to form a rear boundary for refrigerated goods. The front contact surfaces can be formed on the boundary profile.It is possible that the limiting profile has cutouts in the area of ​​the front contact surfaces to facilitate lateral penetration of the front contact surfaces behind the extension limiting surfaces. The height of the limiting profile may be reduced at these cutouts.

[0021] According to one embodiment, a gap is provided between the extension limit surface and a front contact surface of the shelf opposite it. The front contact surface prevents the shelf from being pulled out horizontally, thus securing it against unintentional or unwanted removal. However, the gap prevents continuous contact between the shelf and the extension limit surface, thereby preventing damage to the extension limit surface (e.g., a protrusion forming the extension limit surface) and / or the shelf. In particular, it can be provided that no force is transmitted between the extension limit surface and the front contact surface when a shelf is inserted but not pulled forward. The gap is, for example, less than 3 mm, less than 2 mm, or less than 1 mm.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the retaining devices each have an upper stop surface opposite the upper contact surfaces of the shelf. This prevents the shelf from tilting under heavy loads in its front area (anti-tilt protection). It is conceivable that an air gap exists between the upper stop surfaces and the upper contact surfaces during normal operation. In this case, the anti-tilt protection only comes into play in exceptional operating conditions. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the upper stop surfaces are already in contact with the upper contact surfaces during normal operation. In this case, the shelf is permanently secured against tilting forces, including those caused solely by the weight of the shelf itself.Such an embodiment is particularly conceivable if the support surface only supports a substantially rear section of the shelf in the direction of depth.

[0023] In one embodiment, the support surface is formed on a support rib integrally molded onto the inner container, and the extension limiting surface is formed on a locking projection integrally molded onto the inner container. The locking projection can also incorporate the end stop surface and / or the upper stop surface. It is conceivable that the support rib and the locking projection are formed by two separate molded sections of the inner container. However, to simplify manufacturing, one embodiment provides that the support rib and the locking projection are formed by a single molded section of the inner container. The end stop surface can serve as an end stop for the shelf. For this purpose, a rear contact surface can be provided on the shelf, opposite the end stop surface.

[0024] According to one embodiment, a lower edge of the extension limiting surface is located above the support surface in the vertical direction.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the insertion surfaces are designed to be essentially or completely perpendicular to the respective side walls.

[0026] If a support rib is provided, it may simply form the bearing surface and the insertion surface, or the support rib may terminate at one end of the insertion surface in the depth direction. However, according to one embodiment, a support surface adjoins the insertion surface in the depth direction. This support surface can serve to partially support the shelf when it is inserted. Preferably, once a shelf is inserted, there is no contact between the shelf and the support surface. The support surface can be horizontal. If the holding device has an end stop surface, the support surface can directly adjoin the end stop surface in the depth direction, preferably located in front of it.

[0027] If a support rib is provided, the bearing surface may extend against the direction of depth to a leading edge of the support rib. In particular, the bearing surface may extend over or form essentially the entire surface of the support rib.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the angle (insertion angle) when inserting or removing the shelf is between 1.5 degrees and 7.5 degrees.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the vertical distance between two adjacent support surfaces is 30 cm to 70 cm, or 40 cm to 60 cm, or 45 cm to 55 cm.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the height of a supporting rib is measured in the vertical direction and is preferably between 1.0 cm and 3.0 cm, or between 1.8 cm and 2.5 cm.

[0031] According to one embodiment, it is provided that when a shelf is inserted, there is no contact between the shelf and the insertion surface. If a support surface is present, it can be provided that when a shelf is inserted, there is no contact between the shelf and the support surface.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the holding devices provided on the opposing side walls are mirror-symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane.

[0033] According to one embodiment, two, three, or more holding devices according to the invention are provided on the side walls, in particular attached to or formed directly by the side walls, and are spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction. The two, three, or more holding devices on each side wall can be arranged at the same depth and / or width in the vertical and / or horizontal direction.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the shelf is held in the inner container exclusively by means of the holding devices.

[0035] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained with reference to the accompanying figures. These show: Fig. 1 a schematic, perspective view of a household refrigeration appliance according to the invention; Fig. 2 a detail of the household refrigeration appliance made of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 an enlarged view of a section from Fig. 2 ; Fig. 4 a perspective partial view of the inner container made of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 5 the insertion or removal of a shelf and Fig. 6 a to Fig. 2 comparable representation of a second embodiment.

[0036] In the figures, identical or functionally equivalent elements are given the same reference symbols.

[0037] In Figure 1 A household refrigerator 1 is shown, designed for storing and preserving food. In this embodiment, the household refrigerator 1 is a side-by-side unit. The appliance 1 has a body 2 containing two separate compartments 3 and 4 for food items to be cooled or stored. Compartment 3 is located to the left of compartment 4 in the width direction X. Compartments 3 and 4 can be closed by doors 5 and 6.

[0038] The receiving compartments 3, 4 are bounded on one side by inner containers 7, 8 and on the other side by the inner walls of the doors 5, 6. The inner containers 7, 8 are made of plastic and are manufactured by thermoforming. The inner containers 7, 8 each have two opposing side walls 9, 10.

[0039] Shelves 11 are arranged in the receiving compartments 3 and 4. Retaining devices 12 are provided on both inner walls 9 and 10 for securing the shelves 11. The retaining devices 12 are mirror-symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane on the side walls 9 and 10. In particular, the retaining devices 12 are formed by one-piece, single-material moldings of the inner containers 7 and 8.

[0040] Figure 2 shows a section of the household refrigerator from Figure 1 along the in Figure 1The depicted level II-II. Shown is a view of the side wall 9 of the left recording space 3, in which three holding devices 12 arranged one above the other in the vertical direction Z can be seen.

[0041] Each holding device 12 comprises a support rib 13, which is designed as a projection relative to the side wall 9 and extends from it in the width direction X into the receiving space 3. The support ribs 13 form a volume which is filled with insulating material (polyurethane foam) on the rear side of the side wall 9. Each support rib 13 has a bearing surface 14 arranged on its upper side. The bearing surfaces 14 are flat and horizontal and serve to absorb the weight of the shelf by supporting it on the bearing surfaces 14. The bearing surfaces 14 extend almost completely over the support ribs 13 in the depth direction Y.

[0042] Each retaining device 12 further comprises a securing projection 15. The securing projections 15 are arranged substantially entirely behind the support ribs 13 in the depth direction Y. The securing projections 15, like the support ribs 13, are formed by projections of the side wall 9 that extend into the receiving space 3. The securing projections 15 are integrally formed with the side wall 9 and, together with the support ribs 13, form a common projection. The securing projections 15 serve to secure an inserted shelf against unintentional removal. The upper retaining device 12 is spaced apart from the lower retaining devices 12, so that it is completely surrounded by a flat surface of the side wall 9. In contrast, the two lower retaining devices 12 are designed such that the two support ribs 13 and the two securing projections 15 are formed by a common projection.Each retaining projection 15 has a guide groove 16. The guide grooves 16 are bounded, on the one hand, by a flat wall section of the side wall 9, which is arranged essentially exclusively vertically. Furthermore, the guide grooves 16 are formed by boundary surfaces of the retaining projections 15 extending in the width direction X.

[0043] As shown in particular in the enlarged illustration according to Figure 3As can be seen, in the depth direction Y, an insertion surface 17 directly adjoins each of the support surfaces 14. In the depth direction Y, a support surface 18 adjoins the insertion surface 17. The insertion surface 17 slopes continuously along the depth direction Y from its surface beginning 19 to its surface end 20. At its lowest point, namely the surface end 20, a support surface 18 directly adjoins the insertion surface 17. The support surface 18 is parallel to the support surface 14, i.e., horizontal.

[0044] In this embodiment, each insertion surface 17 is formed by two adjacent circular arcs in the depth direction Y. The transitions between the support surface 14 and the insertion surface 17 (at the surface beginning 19) as well as the transitions between the insertion surface 17 and the support surface 18 (at the surface end 20) are seamless. Likewise, the transition between the two circular arcs within the insertion surface 17 is seamless.

[0045] The insertion groove 16 is laterally bounded by the insertion surface 17 and by a further insertion surface 45 opposite it.

[0046] At the end of the insertion groove 16 in the depth direction Y there is an end stop surface 21, which serves to define an end position of an inserted shelf.

[0047] The retaining projection 15 also forms a support 22, on which a pull-out limiting surface 23 is formed. The pull-out limiting surface 23 is formed by a side flank of the retaining projection 15 and is thus essentially perpendicular to the side wall 9. Looking towards the side wall 9, it can be seen that the pull-out limiting surface 23 is inclined. In the depth direction behind the pull-out limiting surface 23, an undercut 24 is formed on the retaining projection 15. A rear edge section of the inserted shelf can be received in the undercut 24. The undercut 24 forms an upper stop surface 40, which prevents the shelf from tilting.

[0048] Figure 4 shows a perspective partial view of the inner container. Figure 1in the area of ​​the upper shelf 11, whereby for illustrative purposes only a section of the inner container 7 with the inserted shelf 11 is shown.

[0049] In this embodiment, the shelf 11 is designed in three parts and comprises a panel element 25, the upper surface or storage area 26 of which serves for storing the refrigerated goods. The shelf 11 rests on the support surfaces 14 via its underside or support surface 27 and lateral panel edges 35. The panel element 25 is made of glass. The shelf 11 also includes a strip 29 attached to its rear edge section 28. The strip 29 is made of rigid plastic, namely polypropylene. The strip 29 is an extruded part. A retaining profile 30 secures the strip 29 to the rear edge section 28 in a form-fitting and force-fit manner. The strip 29 also has a limiting profile 31, which serves to secure refrigerated goods located on the storage area 26 in the depth direction Y.

[0050] At each of its two end sections 32, the strip 29 has a punched-out cutout 33. At the end sections 32, the strip 29 forms front contact surfaces 34, which are opposite the extension limiting surfaces 23. When a horizontal tensile load is applied to the shelf 11 against the depth direction Y, the front contact surfaces 34 and the extension limiting surfaces 23 make contact and prevent forward movement of the shelf 11. The end sections 32 and the front contact surfaces 34 formed thereon are rigid, i.e., inflexible, so that on the one hand, the unintentional pulling out of the shelf 11 is reliably prevented, and on the other hand, recurring elastic deformation of the strip 29, which would lead to damage to the strip 29, is prevented.

[0051] A finishing profile 47 is attached to a front edge section 46 of the shelf 11.

[0052] As in Figure 4As can be seen, the supporting ribs 13 are arranged completely on the side wall 9, while the securing projections 15 also extend into the rear wall 36 of the inner container 7.

[0053] In Figure 5 The insertion or removal of a shelf 11 is shown, which is simplified for illustrative purposes.

[0054] The upper section in Figure 5Figure 1 shows the insertion of the shelf 11 into the insertion groove 16. As can be seen, the insertion groove 16 is designed (in particular, the minimum groove width measured between the insertion surface and the next insertion surface is dimensioned such that the shelf 11, and especially its ledge 29 (shown schematically), can be inserted without contact, i.e., without touching the inner container. Specifically, the ledge 29 is neither elastically nor plastically deformed. However, contact between the shelf, especially the ledge 29, and the inner container is possible. In particular, it is possible for the shelf 11 to be inserted or removed by sliding the ledge 29 over the insertion surface 17. The shelf 11 is pushed backward or pulled forward at an angle 37.

[0055] As in the lower excerpt in Figure 5As shown, the geometry of the insertion groove 16 and the distance between two adjacent support ribs 13 in the vertical direction are designed such that the shelf 11 can be inserted or removed without tilting on a support rib 13 arranged above it.

[0056] Figure 6 shows a to Figure 2 comparable representation of a second embodiment.

[0057] This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the two lower retaining devices 12 have a shorter support rib 13 in the depth direction Y than the upper retaining device 12. In particular, the two support ribs 13 of the two lower retaining devices 12 extend essentially only over half the depth of the shelf 11. To prevent the shelf 11 from tilting about a tilting axis 38, this embodiment provides that an upper contact surface 39 of the strip 29 is in permanent contact with the upper stop surface 40 of the two lower retaining devices 12. However, permanent contact at this point is not necessary for the upper retaining device 12, so a gap 41 exists between the upper contact surface 39 and the upper stop surface 40.

[0058] As in the first embodiment, a gap 42 can exist between the front contact surface 34 (of the shelf 11) and the extension limiting surface 23 (of the retaining devices 12) when the shelf 11 is installed. Furthermore, as in the first embodiment, a gap 44 can exist between a rear contact surface 43 and the end stop surface 21. REFERENCE MARK LIST

[0059] 1 Appliance 2 Body 3 Storage compartment 4 Storage compartment 5 Door 6 Door 7 Inner container 8 Inner container 9 Side wall 10 Side wall 11 Shelf 12 Holding devices 13 Carrying handle 14 Support surface 15 Safety projection 16 Insertion groove 17 Insertion surface 18 Support surface 19 Surface start 20 Surface end 21 End stop surface 22 Abutment 23 Pull-out limit surface 24 Undercut 25 Panel element 26 Storage surface 27 Support surface 28 Rear edge section 29 Strip 30 Retaining profile 31 Limit profile 32 End section 33 Cutout 34 Front contact surface 35 Side panel edge 36 Rear wall 37 Angle 38 Tilting axis 39 Upper contact surface 40 Upper stop surface 41 Gap 42 Gap 43 Rear contact surface 44 Gap 45 Further insertion surface 46 Front edge section 47 End profile

Claims

1. Household refrigeration appliance (1), comprising an inner container (7,8), which restricts an accommodating space (3,4) at least in sections and has two opposite-lying side walls (9,10), on which a holding apparatus (12) for a shelf (11) is provided in each case, furthermore comprising a shelf (11), which is arranged on the holding apparatuses (12), wherein each holding apparatus (12) has a placement area (14) as well as a pull-out restriction area (23) that is arranged behind the placement area (14) in the depth direction (Y) and above the placement area (14) in the height direction (Z), wherein two front contact areas (34) are embodied on the shelf (11) and lie opposite the pull-out restriction areas (23), characterised by an insertion area (17) that is arranged behind the placement area (14) in the depth direction (Y) and is embodied as sloping in the depth direction (Y), in order to insert or remove the shelf without edges.

2. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the insertion area (17) is embodied as sloping in a continuous manner.

3. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the insertion area (17) is embodied as edge-free, in particular along the depth direction (Y).

4. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the insertion area (17) directly abuts the placement area (14) in the depth direction (Y).

5. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the insertion area (17) extends over at least 0.5 cm, at least 1.0 cm, at least 2.0 cm or at least 3.0 cm in the depth direction (Y).

6. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that an extension of the insertion area (17) in the depth direction (Y) corresponds to at least two times, at least three times or at least four times an extension of the insertion area (17) in the height direction (Z).

7. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the holding apparatuses (12) each have an insertion groove (16), which is restricted by the insertion area (17) as well as a further insertion area (45) in each case.

8. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that the further insertion area (45) is embodied as being flat.

9. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the insertion area (17) and the further insertion area (45) are embodied as being substantially in parallel with one another.

10. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterised in that the insertion groove (16) is dimensioned in such a manner that the shelf (11) can be inserted or removed without elastic deformation of the shelf (11).

11. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a gap (42) is present between the pull-out restriction areas (23) and the front contact areas (34) lying opposite thereto.

12. Household refrigeration appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the placement areas (14) are in each case embodied on a supporting rib (13) that is moulded in one piece on the inner container (7,8) and the pull-out restriction areas (23) are in each case embodied on a securing protrusion (15) that is arranged in one piece on the inner container (7,8).

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