Patent Publication Number: US-2007103044-A1

Title: Mounting arrangement for the internal dividing elements of refrigerators and freezers

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention refers to an arrangement for providing the sliding assembly of internal dividing elements, such as shelves, drawers, and other elements, in simple or combined refrigerators and freezers, in order to allow these internal dividing elements to be selectively, adequately and safely slid in a horizontal direction between a totally retracted position inside a refrigerating compartment of the appliance and a position, defined by travel end stop means and in which they are partially displaced outwardly.  
     PRIOR ART  
      The simple or combined refrigerators and freezers comprise one or more refrigerating compartments provided with a front door and with a pair of opposite lateral walls, each carrying at least one support element or rail, on which is seated an adjacent lateral portion of an internal dividing element, in the form of a shelf, a drawer or other elements designed to store food articles to be maintained under refrigeration inside the compartment.  
      In some constructions, the support elements, which can take the form of projections or rails, are integrally formed with lateral walls of the compartment during the molding of the internal box of the cabinet that defines the refrigeration appliance.  
      In other constructions, said support elements are manufactured separately and then affixed to the lateral walls of the compartment by any adequate process.  
      Independently of how they are affixed, the support elements, when defining rails, should present a construction which allows the horizontal displacement of the shelves or drawers between a retracted position inside the compartment and positions in which they are partially displaced forwardly and outwardly from the compartment.  
      In a large number of mounting arrangements, each rail defines an upper track and a lower track, against which are respectively slidingly seated a seating surface and a retaining surface, provided in an adjacent lateral portion of the internal dividing element.  
      By reason of the dimensional variations, which are invariably present in the internal box of the cabinet, particularly in relation to the distance between the opposite lateral walls of the compartment along the height thereof, it is necessary that the mounting of the internal dividing elements to the support elements allows, simultaneously, the absorption of said dimensional variations and an adequate sliding of the internal dividing elements. Therefore, it is usual to provide fitting gaps, in the direction transversal to the sliding movement, which are dimensioned as a function of the maximum dimensional variations. This procedure conducts to an excessively loose sliding of the internal dividing elements, causing discomfort to the user, who has to take certain cares to obtain the desired sliding of the internal dividing element. This unpleasant operation is particularly critical in the case of drawers and trays, which have their lateral portions slidingly seated on rails provided on the opposite lateral walls of the compartment.  
      Besides the disadvantage above, these known bearing constructions with large transversal gaps are not provided with travel limiting means for defining a maximum operational extracting position for the internal dividing elements.  
      The constructions proposed up to now to provide a safe and comfortable mobility for the internal dividing elements of the type considered herein have resulted in complex constructions, of high cost and little versatility of use. Some of these constructions can be verified in patent documents U.S. Pat. No. 3,456,996 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,284. Although guaranteeing a rectilinear slide to the internal dividing elements, these constructions present engaging systems between the movable element and the rails which are complex, relatively fragile, and subject to be stuck.  
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
      By reason of the disadvantages mentioned above and related to the prior art constructions, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mounting arrangement for the internal dividing elements of refrigerators and freezers, which allows, through a simple and resistant construction of high versatility and low cost, the provision of shelves, drawers and other internal dividing elements which require a safe and comfortable horizontal movement between a retracted position and a maximum operational displacement position forwardly and outwardly from the compartment.  
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
      As previously mentioned, the present mounting arrangement is applied to the internal dividing elements of refrigerators and freezers which comprise a compartment having two lateral walls, each carrying at least one rail on which is slidingly seated an adjacent lateral portion of an internal dividing element to be horizontally displaced between a first position, in which it is retracted inside the compartment, and second positions in which it is partially displaced forwardly and outwardly from the compartment.  
      According to the invention, each rail comprises a flat horizontal upper track and a lower track, parallel to the upper track and which is provided with at least one stop means and one longitudinal guide rail. Each lateral portion of the internal dividing element comprises a seating surface, to be slidingly seated on the upper track of the respective rail, and a retaining surface, disposed below the lower track and which carries a lock, which in an operative position, is slidingly seated against the lower track of the same rail, in order to abut said stop means to define a second maximum displacement position of the internal dividing element. At least one of the lateral portions of the internal dividing element further comprises, in distinct regions of the longitudinal extension of the retaining surface thereof, a guide follower which is slidingly fitted in the guide rail of the lower track of the respective rail.  
      The construction defined above allows the internal dividing element to be horizontally slid on the pair of opposite rails, until the pair of lower locks which are provided in the lateral portions of said internal dividing element, reach the respective stop means provided in the lower track of each of said rails, defining the maximum displacement of the internal dividing element forwardly and outwardly from the compartment, preventing said internal dividing element from reaching an unbalance position.  
      In order to maintain the internal dividing element aligned during its horizontal displacement, independently of the transversal gaps which are necessary to absorb the dimensional variations of the internal box of the cabinet, the retaining surface of one of the lateral portions of the internal dividing element carries the guide follower slidingly fitted in the guide rail provided in the lower track of the respective rail, allowing the internal dividing element to maintain a exclusively rectilinear path while it is horizontally moved between its different operational positions.  
      The gaps resulting from the dimensional variations are absorbed by the adaptation of the other lateral portion of the internal dividing element on the respective rail and without the interference of a guide follower in the guide rail of the lower track of this rail. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The invention will be described below, with reference to the enclosed drawings given by way of example of a possible construction of the present arrangement, and in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a cabinet of a combined refrigerator, whose internal box carries, on one of its lateral walls, a pair of rails for the sliding assembly of the respective internal dividing elements (not illustrated);  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating an internal dividing element in the form of a shelf, as well as guide elements and lock elements to be operatively associated with the present mounting arrangement;  
       FIG. 3  is an elevational lateral view of one of the rails illustrated in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a vertical cross-sectional view of one of the rails already affixed to the adjacent lateral wall of the compartment and onto which is mounted the adjacent lateral portion of the internal dividing element illustrated in  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken according to line V-V of  FIG. 4 , and illustrating the internal dividing element seated on the respective rail and displaced to the maximum displacement position forwardly and outwardly from the respective compartment;  
       FIG. 6  is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to that of  FIG. 4 , but illustrating the other lateral portion of the internal dividing element of  FIG. 2  mounted to the respective rail already affixed to the adjacent lateral wall of the compartment;  
       FIG. 7  is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken according to line VII-VII of  FIG. 6 ;  
       FIG. 8  is a partial perspective view of the internal dividing element of  FIG. 2 , illustrating its lateral portion represented in  FIG. 7 ; and  
       FIG. 9  is a partially cut perspective view of the internal dividing element illustrated in  FIG. 2 , showing its lateral portion represented in  FIG. 6 . 
    
    
     Description of the Detailed Invention  
      As previously mentioned and illustrated in the enclosed drawings, the present mounting arrangement is directed to refrigerators and freezers having a simple or combined cabinet  10 , comprising an external box  11 , generally made of a metallic plate, and by at least one internal box  12 , which is generally injected in plastic material in a single piece and with a substantially parallelepiped shape, defining a respective compartment C and, between the external box  12  and the internal box  11  is injected a heat insulator  13  generally in polyurethane foam. The compartment C is limited on both sides by lateral walls  14 , only one being illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
      Each of the lateral walls  14  secures at least one rail  20 , on which is slidingly seated an adjacent lateral portion  30  of an internal dividing element to be horizontally displaced between a first position, in which it is retracted inside the compartment C, and second positions, in which it is partially displaced forwardly and outwardly from the compartment C.  
      According to the invention, each rail  20 , preferably in plastic material, comprises a basic portion  21  to be seated and affixed against a respective lateral wall  14 , and a body portion  22  which defines, along its longitudinal extension, a flat horizontal upper track  23  and a lower track  24 , parallel to the upper track  23  and which is provided with a longitudinal guide rail  25  extended along the length of said lower track  24  and which, in the illustrated embodiment, takes the form of a downwardly opened groove.  
      The internal dividing element E in the form of a shelf, tray or drawer, comprises a pair of lateral portions  30  which can be made in different manners. In the case of the shelves, trays or drawers made of injected plastic material, the lateral portions  30  can be formed in a single piece with the remainder of the body of the internal dividing element E. However, in determined constructions, such as for example the shelves made of glass panel, the lateral portions are made in separate pieces to be fitted, or otherwise affixed, along the lateral edges of said panel that defines the shelf. In these constructions and independently of the possibility of the lateral portions being or not incorporated in a single piece to the body of the internal dividing element E, the separate construction of the internal lateral portions  30  allows to provide said elements with an additional versatility, since such lateral portions can be replaced by other lateral portions which do not present the necessary characteristics for the sliding seating on the rails and which allow only the static seating of the shelf or tray on respective supports affixed or otherwise provided on the lateral walls  14  of the compartment C.  
      As better illustrated in  FIGS. 4, 6 ,  8  and  9 , each lateral portion  30  of the internal dividing element E comprises a seating surface  31 , to be slidingly seated on the upper track  23  of the respective rail  20 , and a retaining surface  32  disposed below the lower track  24 . This construction, which is basically known, makes each lateral portion  30  of the internal dividing element E to present a “U” shaped cross section, with the basic leg being vertically disposed and with the internal faces of the lateral legs defining the seating surface  31  and the retaining surface  32 , respectively.  
      The retaining surface  32  of each lateral portion  30  is provided with a lock  33 , which in an operative position, is slidingly seated against the lower track  24  of the respective rail  20 . The lock  33  is preferably made in a material that accepts a certain resilient deformation, whereby each lock  33  remains slightly resiliently seated against the lower track  24  of the adjacent rail  20 , while the internal dividing element E is horizontally displaced between its different operational positions.  
      In order to limit the displacement of the internal dividing element E to an extension which still guarantees an adequate stability for the assembly, preventing said element from being excessively displaced outwardly from its support on its respective rails  20 , each lower track  24  is provided with a stop means  26 , which is positioned so as to abut the respective lock  33  when the internal dividing element E reaches said maximum displacement position.  
      In the construction illustrated herein, each rail  20  is provided with two stop means, which are longitudinally spaced from each other along the lower track  24 , in order to allow the rail  20  to be constructed according to a single standard, independently of the side onto which it will be mounted inside the compartment C. Nevertheless, it should be understood that each rail  20  could be made with one stop means  26  only, which situation would demand the construction of a rail  20  for the left-hand assembly and a rail  20  for the right-hand assembly inside the compartment C.  
      The construction described above allows for a free and safe displacement of the internal dividing element E between the retracted position and the maximum displacement position, independently of the size of the transversal gaps in the assembly established in project. The provision of the locks assures the safe travel end of the internal dividing element E, interrupting its displacement and avoiding the risk of excessively removing the latter from the interior of the compartment. However, the construction described above does not establish a precise guide means which guarantees an exclusively linear displacement of the internal dividing element E when it is manually operated by the user.  
      Thus, the invention further provides, preferably in only one of the lateral portions  30 , a guide follower  35 , positioned in distinct regions of the longitudinal extension of the respective retaining surface  32  and which is dimensioned to be slidingly fitted in the guide rail  25  of the lower track  24  of the respective rail  20 . Thus, the guide follower  35 , which takes preferably the form of a rib projecting upwardly from the track of the retaining surface  32 , operates as a guide element during the horizontal displacement of the internal dividing element E, without the transversal gaps hindering the user from establishing a rectilinear path for the horizontal displacement of the internal dividing element E.  
      In the construction illustrated in the drawings, the guide rail  25 , in the form of a downwardly opened groove, is disposed immediately below the upper track  23  of the respective rail  20 , and presents a width which is substantially smaller than that of the respective lower track  24  in which it is incorporated. The locks  33  of the respective lateral portions  30  present a width that is sufficient for them to slide against the lower track  24  of the adjacent rail  20 , on the groove shaped guide rail  25 . Thus, the locks  33  do not interfere with the displacement of the guide followers  35  on the respective guide rails  25  while the internal dividing element E is horizontally displaced between its operational positions. In this same illustrated constructive form, each stop means  26  is defined by a respective step which is cutout from the profile of the lower track  24  of the respective rail  20 . Thus, when the internal dividing element E is displaced from the retracted position to the maximum displacement position outwardly from the compartment C, the locks  33  slide along the lower track  24 , until reaching the respective steps provided in a recess which is cut in the lower track  24  itself, when the fingers  33 , which are constantly resiliently forced against the lower tracks  24 , are conducted to the interior of the recesses, in which are produced the steps that define the stop means  26 , such as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 7 .  
      As already mentioned, each lock  33  is made in such a way as to be resiliently bent. Thus, for dismounting the internal dividing element E from the interior of the compartment C, the user needs only to provide the selective manual displacement of the locks  33  from the operative position, in which they actuate against the stop means  26 , to an inoperative position, in which they no longer abut the steps  26  of the lower track  24  of the respective rail  20 , when the internal dividing element reaches its second maximum displacement position.  
      In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the lateral portions  30  are incorporated, in a single piece, to the internal dividing element E, and the retaining surface  32  is defined by a median longitudinal extension of the respective lateral portion  30  of the internal dividing element E, which is maintained slidingly seated against the lower track  24  of the rail  20 . In the illustrated embodiment, the retaining surface  32  is defined by an insert fitted in the lower lateral leg of the respective lateral portion  30  of the internal dividing element, and the lock  33  is defined by a cutout portion which is bent upwardly from said retaining surface  32 .  
      In this preferred construction, the guide follower  35  is incorporated to the retaining surface  32  and comprises two portions, each longitudinally disposed on one of the sides of the lock  33 , said portions of the guide follower comprising longitudinal elements to be slidingly fitted in the guide rail  25  provided in low relief in the adjacent lower track  24  of the respective rail  20 .  
      While only one construction has been illustrated herein, it should be understood that changes in the form and arrangement could be made, without departing from the constructive concept defined in the appended claims.