Refrigerator door frame

Abstract

A frame (10) for at least one refrigerator door is described, comprising at least a first part (11, 12) and a second part (13), characterised in that it comprises quick-coupling means (20) for fixing said first part of the frame to said second part of the frame.

Description

[0001] REFRIGERATOR DOOR FRAME

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present invention relates to a refrigerator door frame, in particular a door frame with a quick-coupling system.

[0004] PRIOR ART

[0005] Refrigeration cabinets are known comprising a refrigerated compartment, which has an opening to access the inside of the compartment itself, and one or more wings adapted to selectively occlude or disengage at least partially the opening.

[0006] Said wings generally comprise at least one panel made of thermally insulating and optically transparent material, for example glass or polymer material.

[0007] Refrigeration cabinets comprise a frame that is fixed to the refrigeration cabinet and in which the wings are mounted.

[0008] Generally, the frames are fastened to the refrigeration units directly at the factory, which means more space is required to transport them.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator door frame that allows the refrigerator to take up less space for its transport and that is easy to mount on the refrigerator cabinet on site after its transport.

[0010] An object of the present invention is therefore to overcome this drawback of the prior art, with a simple, rational and low-cost solution.

[0011] Such object is achieved by the features of the invention reported in the independent claim. The dependent claims outline preferred and / or particularly advantageous aspects of the invention.

[0012] DISCLOSURE OF THE IN ENTION

[0013] The invention makes available a frame for at least one refrigerator door, comprising at least a first part and a second part, characterised in that it comprises quick-coupling means for fixing said first part of the frame to said second part of the frame.

[0014] In this way, the various parts that make up the frame can be connected quickly.

[0015] According to an aspect of the invention, the quick-coupling means comprise at least one plate having at least one through-hole and a tab raised relative to the plane of the plate, said plate being fixable to said first part of the frame or to said second part of the frame by engaging said at least one through-hole with the first part of the frame or with the second part of the frame, and being fixable to said second part of the frame or to said first part of the frame by engaging said tab with a first cavity respectively of the second part of the frame or of the first part of the frame.

[0016] Thus, with the help of a simple plate, it is possible to mount the first part of the frame on the second part of the frame or remove the first part of the frame from the second part of the frame easily.

[0017] According to another aspect of the invention, the frame has a rectangular shape; the first part comprises an upper crossbeam and a lower crossbeam and the second part comprises two vertical uprights and the quick-coupling means are adapted to fix said two vertical uprights to said lower and upper crossbeams.

[0018] This makes it easier and faster to fit a rectangular refrigerator door frame.

[0019] According to another aspect of the invention the lower crossbeam and the upper crossbeam each comprise two L-shaped ends and the quick-coupling means comprise four plates each fixable to each L-shaped end of said upper and lower crossbeams by engaging said at least one through-hole with said L-shaped end.

[0020] In this way, each vertical crossbeam can be easily fitted onto the plate mounted on the L-shaped end to secure the upright to the crossbeam.

[0021] Preferably, each L-shaped end of said upper and lower crossbeams comprises a cavity into which said plate is insertable, and each end of said vertical uprights comprises the first cavity and the second cavity for sliding the vertical upright on the plate until the tab of the plate engages with the first cavity of the vertical upright.

[0022] According to another aspect of the invention, the lower crossbeam and the upper crossbeam each comprise two L-shaped ends and the quick-coupling means comprises four plates each fixable to each end of said vertical uprights by engaging said at least one through-hole with each end of the vertical uprights.

[0023] Preferably, each end of the vertical uprights comprises a cavity into which said plate can be inserted, and each L-shaped end comprises the first cavity and a second cavity for sliding the L-shaped end over the plate until the tab of the plate engages with the first cavity of the L-shaped end.

[0024] Preferably said plate comprises below the tab a hole having dimensions similar to the tab and adapted to house the tab during the sliding of the plate in said second cavity. Preferably the tab is made of a material with elastic properties.

[0025] Preferably the frame is made of metal or plastic material. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Further features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent after reading the following description provided by way of a non-limiting example, with the aid of the figures illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0027] Figure 1 is a front view of the refrigerator door frame according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0028] Figure 2 is a side view of the frame in Figure 1 .

[0029] Figure 3 is a front view of a part of the quick-coupling means to the counter-frame.

[0030] Figure 4 is a sectional view of the part of the quick-coupling means in Figure 3 according to section plane IV-IV.

[0031] Figure 5 is a side view of the part of the quick-coupling means in Figure 4.

[0032] Figure 6 is a rear view of the refrigerator door frame according to the invention.

[0033] Figure 7 is a sectional view of the structure in Figure 6 according to section plane VII-

[0034] VII.

[0035] Figure 8 is a sectional view of the structure in Figure 6 according to section plane VIII-

[0036] VIII.

[0037] Figure 9 is an enlargement of the detail N in Figure 8.

[0038] BEST MODE TO IMPLEMENT THE INVENTION

[0039] With particular reference to these figures, a support frame of at least one refrigerator door is globally indicated as 10, in particular for a refrigerated cabinet (not shown in the figures) comprising a body provided with a refrigerated compartment, inside which the products to be refrigerated are stored.

[0040] Said compartment has an access opening, e.g. rectangular in shape, through which the compartment can be accessed from the outside.

[0041] The at least one wing is hinged to the frame of the access opening of the compartment, and is adapted to selectively occlude or disengage, at least partially, the access opening for access to the compartment.

[0042] In the case in which the refrigeration cabinet comprises a plurality of wings, for example two wings, each wing, occludes a respective portion of access opening or allows access thereto. Overall, access to the access opening is completely prevented when all wings are in the closed position (in which, moreover, the wings are coplanar to each other). The frame 10 is preferably rectangular in shape but can take other shapes. The frame 10 comprises a first part 11 , 12, preferably a pair of crossbeams 11 , 12, in particular a lower crossbeam 12 and an upper crossbeam 11 .

[0043] The frame 10 also comprises a second part 13, preferably a pair of vertical uprights 13 and wherein each upright 13 is connected to the two crossbeams 11 , 12 at their ends.

[0044] Preferably, the upper crossbeam 11 is provided with hinge elements 14 to accommodate wing pins, not visible in the figures.

[0045] The frame is provided with holes 15 in which screws 16 are engaged for the installation of the frame 10 on the body of the refrigeration cabinet.

[0046] The first part of the frame 11 , 12 can be fixed to the second part of the frame 13 by means of quick-coupling means 20.

[0047] In particular, the quick-coupling means 20 are adapted to couple each end 110, 120 of the lower crossbeams 12 and upper crossbeams 11 with the ends 130 of the vertical uprights 13.

[0048] Said quick-coupling means 20 comprise a plate 30 better seen in Figures 3-5.

[0049] Preferably, the plate 30 extends over a single plane, which will be referred to in the following as the “plane of the plate”.

[0050] The thickness of the plate 30, in the direction orthogonal to the plane of the plate, may be lower than the other dimensions. For example, this thickness may be less than or equal to 5 mm, preferably less than or equal to 2 mm.

[0051] Although in the example illustrated, the plate 30 is a component in its own right, it cannot be excluded that, in other embodiments, the plate 30 may be part of a more complex monolithic body.

[0052] The plate 30 comprises at least one hole 31 for inserting screws, bolts or rivets and a tab 32 protruding from the plane of the plate; the tab 32 is made of material with elastic properties.

[0053] The hole 31 is a through-hole that extends perpendicularly to the plane of the plate, passing completely through its thickness.

[0054] The hole 31 is offset from the tab 32, i.e. it is placed at a certain distance from the latter on the plane of the plate.

[0055] In particular, the plate 30 comprises a wider rectangular portion 33 and a narrower rectangular portion 34 in the shape of a finger. In the wider rectangular portion 33, at least one hole 31 is drilled, while the narrower rectangular portion 34 houses the tab 32 raised with respect to the plane of the plate 32 and inclined with respect to the same plane. The tab 32 is arranged above a hole or slot 36 having dimensions similar to those of the tab 32, in particular slightly larger, indicatively by about 0.5 mm, than the tab 32; thus, when the plate 30 is slid into a cavity, the tab 32 can be arranged inside the hole or slot 36.

[0056] The tab 32 is thus provided with elastic properties which, from the raised configuration, allow it to flex so as to fit into the hole or slot 36, arranging itself substantially coplanar with the plate 30, in this case with the narrower portion 34.

[0057] Once the bending action is released, tab 32 can return elastically to the initial configuration in which it is raised.

[0058] Preferably, the tab 32 is a portion formed as a single body with the plate 30.

[0059] Preferably, as better seen in Figures 8 and 9 for the lower crossbeam 12 only, the lower crossbeam 12 and upper crossbeam 11 comprise L-shaped ends 110, 120. Still preferably the entire crossbeam 11 as well as the entire crossbeam 12 have L-shaped sections.

[0060] In accordance with the embodiment of the invention, each end 110, 120 comprises a cavity 150 in which the plate 30 is inserted, as can be seen better in Figure 9 in which the detail N of Figure 8 is illustrated; in particular, the cavity 150 is adapted to accommodate the larger rectangular part 33 of the plate 30.

[0061] The plate 30 is retained in the cavity 150 by a pin or screw or rivet 151 engaged with a hole 31 of the plate 30 and with a hole 152 of the L-shaped end 110, 120.

[0062] Preferably, the plate 30 comprises a plurality of holes 31 , e.g. three, to both suit the various types of ends 110, 120 and to better retain the plate 30 in the cavity 150 by engaging two or three holes 31 with corresponding holes 152 of the L-shaped ends 110, 120 and pins or screws or rivets 152.

[0063] The engagement of the plate 30 with the cavity 150 of the L-shaped end 110, 120 is made in such a way that the narrower rectangular part 34 of the plate 30 can protrude from the cavity 150 and also from the L-shaped end 110, 120.

[0064] This allows the part 34 to slide into a cavity 131 made in each end 130 of each vertical upright 13.

[0065] After sliding the part 34 into the cavity 131 , the tab 32 can engage with a relevant cavity 35 made in the end 130 of each vertical upright 13. The assembly of the frame 10 is performed as follows.

[0066] First, four plates 30 are mounted on the two L-shaped ends 110 of the crossbar 11 and on the two L-shaped ends 120 of the crossbar 12, one plate for each end 110, 120. The assembly takes place so that each plate 30 engages with the respective cavity 150 and so that the narrowest part 34 of the plate 30, which contains the tab 32, can protrude from the L-shaped end 110, 120.

[0067] Next, each vertical upright 13 is fitted over the ends 110, 120 so that the part 34 of each plate 30 can slide over the cavity 131 of each end 130.

[0068] When the tab 32, bent so as to occupy the corresponding hole or slot 36 during the sliding of the plate 30 on the cavity 131 , reaches the cavity 35, it rises, by virtue of its elastic properties, to occupy it so as to engage the end 110, 120 of the crossbeam 11 , 12 with the corresponding end 130 of the vertical upright 13. This is the case for each end 110, 120 of the crossbeams 11 , 12 and the corresponding end 130 of the vertical uprights 13.

[0069] In this way, the coupling between the crossbeams 11 , 12 and the vertical uprights 13 takes place.

[0070] In accordance with a variation of the embodiment of the invention, it is also possible that the at least one hole 31 is arranged in the narrowest part 34 while the raised tab 32 is arranged in the widest part 33 of the plate 30. In this case, the plate 30 is instead arranged and retained within a cavity of the ends 130 of the uprights 13, again by means of a pin or screw or rivet 151 in engagement with a hole 31 in the plate 30 and a hole in the end 130. The engagement of the plate 30 is performed in such a way that the wider rectangular part 33 of the plate 30 can protrude from the end 130.

[0071] Thus, the part 33 can slide into a relevant cavity made in each L-shaped end 110, 120 of the upper crossbeams 11 and lower crossbeams 12 and the tab 32 can engage with another cavity made in the end 110, 120.

[0072] The frame 10 can be made of metal or plastic material.

[0073] The invention thus conceived is susceptible to many modifications and variants, all falling within the same inventive concept.

[0074] Moreover, all details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

[0075] In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and sizes, can be whatever according to the requirements without for this reason departing from the scope of protection of the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Frame (10) for at least one refrigerator door, comprising at least a first part (11 , 12) and a second part (13), characterised in that it comprises quick-coupling means (20) for fixing said first part of the frame to said second part of the frame.

2. Frame (10) according to claim 1 , wherein said quick-coupling means (20) comprise at least one plate (30) provided with at least one through-hole (31 ) and a tab (32) raised relative to the plane of the plate, said plate being fixable to said first part of the frame (11 12) or to said second part of the frame (13) by engaging said at least one through-hole with the first part of the frame or with the second part of the frame, respectively, and being fixable to said second part of the frame or to said first part of the frame by engaging said tab with a first cavity (35) respectively of the second part of the frame or of the first part of the frame.

3. Frame (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said frame has a rectangular shape, said first part of the frame comprising an upper crossbeam (11) and a lower crossbeam (12) and said second part comprising two vertical uprights (13), said quick-coupling means being adapted to fix said two vertical uprights to said lower and upper crossbeams.

4. Frame (10) according to claim 3 as dependent on claim 2, characterised in that said lower crossbeam and said upper crossbeam each comprise two L-shaped ends (110, 120), said quick-coupling means comprising four plates each fixable to each L- shaped end of said upper and lower crossbeams by engaging said at least one through-hole with said L-shaped end.

5. Frame (10) according to claim 4, characterised in that each L-shaped end of said upper and lower crossbeams comprises a cavity (150) into which said plate is insertable, and each end of said vertical uprights comprising the first cavity (35) and the second cavity (131) for sliding the vertical upright on the plate until the tab of the plate engages with the first cavity of said vertical upright.

6. Frame (10) according to claim 3 as dependent on claim 2, characterised in that said lower crossbeam and said upper crossbeam each comprise two L-shaped ends (110, 120), said quick-coupling means comprising four plates each fixable to each end (130) of said vertical uprights by engaging said at least one through-hole with each end of the vertical uprights.

7. Frame (10) according to claim 6, characterised in that each end (130) of said vertical uprights comprises a cavity into which said plate can be inserted, and each L- shaped end (110, 120) comprising the first cavity and a second cavity for sliding the L- shaped end over the plate until the tab of the plate engages with the first cavity of the L- shaped end.

8. Frame (10) according to claim 5 or 7, characterised in that said plate comprises below the tab a hole (36) having dimensions similar to the tab and adapted to house the tab during the sliding of the plate in said second cavity.

9. Frame (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterised in that said tab is made of a material with elastic properties.

10. Frame (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is made of metal or plastic material.

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