Patent Publication Number: US-9851138-B2

Title: Telescopic pull-out shelf for a refrigeration device

Description:
This application is a U.S. National Phase of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2006/061104, filed Mar. 28, 2006, which designates the U.S. and claims priority to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2005 021 589.0, filed May 10, 2005, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     The present invention relates to a telescopic pull-out shelf comprising at least two runners which are movably guided one on the other so that they can be displaced relative to each other in the longitudinal direction and a support, for example in the form of a support plate or a drawer compartment, fastened to a first of the runners. 
     The runners of such a telescopic pull-out shelf are intended to run smoothly, so that the support, even when it is heavily loaded, may be withdrawn with little force expenditure from a housing in which the pull-out shelf is installed. Generally, pull-out shelves of this type comprise stops which limit the freedom of movement of the runners relative to one another, so that the runners are not completely pulled apart from one another inadvertently. Such a stop is conventionally formed by a rubber buffer which is accommodated in an intermediate space between two runners movably guided one on the other and is fixedly connected to one of the runners, and a projection connected to the other runner, which, when the end of the permissible freedom of movement has been reached, strikes the rubber buffer and thus brakes the support. 
     As the support of such a telescopic pull-out shelf is frequently heavily loaded during use, with the impact of the pin on the buffer, considerable forces occur which heavily load a connection between the support and the runner of the pull-out shelf, which may be moved together with said support, and with careless use may lead to damage of the support and/or the connection. 
     It is the object of the invention to specify a telescopic pull-out shelf in which the inertial forces acting between the support and the runner when the support is braked are reduced and, as a result, the risk of damaging the support and runner is reduced. 
     The object is achieved according to the invention, by the support being resiliently fastened to the first runner in the direction of movement of the runners. Thus instead of providing the runners with springs relative to one another, in the conventional manner, in order to reduce the deceleration occurring when the stop is reached, a resilience is provided according to the invention between the support and the runner. Said resilience may replace or even complement conventional resilience between the runners. 
     Preferably, the resilience is produced by the first runner carrying a latching projection with at least one edge which is resiliently flexible in the direction of movement of the runners. This edge may, when the runner reaches its stop, be resiliently deformed by the inertial force of the support and the objects carried thereby, in order to reduce the deceleration occurring when the stop is reached. 
     Preferably, the latching projection has an internal upright projecting from a side face of the first runner and at least one branch extending from a tip of the upright remote from the side face and back towards the side face, the branch forming the flexible edge. The flexibility of the branch is increased when said branch has a free tip facing one of the side faces. 
     In order to avoid damage to the latching projection and/or parts of the support acting thereon, even with very powerful actuation of the telescopic pull-out shelf, the upright preferably forms a stop for the branch within the resilient deformability range thereof, so that by pressing the branch against the upright no plastic deformation of the branch may be produced. 
     On the resiliently flexible edge of the latching projection, an undercut is preferably formed which serves to anchor the support engaging in the undercut. 
     Preferably, the latching projection comprises two resiliently flexible edges opposing one another. When mounting the support on the latching projection, said edges may be pressed against one another, so that when the support is mounted, both edges press against the support and, as a result, resiliently displaceably hold said support without play, but to a limited extent. 
     Preferably, the latching projection is formed on an adapter mounted on the first runner. Such an adapter may be produced equally for right-hand and left-hand runners of a telescopic pull-out shelf or for pull-out shelf designs with runners of different lengths, whereby the manufacturing costs may be reduced. 
     Moreover, it is preferred that the first runner carries a second latching projection which comprises an undercut on a side facing the first latching projection and allows a storage device mounted on the first latching projection to engage with play in the undercut of the second latching projection in the direction of movement of the runners. Different coefficients of thermal expansion of the runners which generally consist of metal and the storage device which frequently consists of glass or plastics, may thus lead to high stresses between the latching projections and the storage device, associated with temperature fluctuations, which could result in tearing or premature material fatigue of one or the other. 
     In order to simplify the assembly of the storage device on the runner, a slot which is open towards the edge is preferably provided on the storage device, into which the second latching projection may be inserted by being displaced in the direction of movement. 
     A preferred field of use of the invention is that of telescopic pull-out shelves with runners movably guided relative to one another by linear ball bearings, as with said runners, due to the easy mobility of the runners relative to one another, the risk of powerful impacts is particularly high when a stop is reached. 
    
    
     
       Further features and advantages of the invention are revealed from the following description of embodiments by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a refrigeration device in which the present invention is implemented; 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of two refrigerated goods carriers of the refrigeration device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a left-hand telescopic pull-out shelf of the lower refrigerated goods carrier; 
         FIG. 4  shows respective fragments of a telescopic pull-out shelf runner and an adapter which illustrate the fastening of the adapter to the runner; 
         FIG. 5  shows the telescopic pull-out shelf of  FIG. 3  with the support part mounted thereon; 
         FIG. 6  shows a section through the telescopic pull-out shelf of  FIGS. 3 and 5  and the surroundings thereof, at the level of an adapter; 
         FIG. 7  shows a side view of the telescopic pull-out shelf of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 8  shows a side view of the telescopic pull-out shelf of  FIG. 3  with the support part shown in section mounted thereon; 
         FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of a combined telescopic pull-out shelf for the upper refrigerated goods carrier of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 10  shows the combined telescopic pull-out shelf of  FIG. 9  with the support part mounted thereon, viewed from the side thereof facing the housing wall; 
         FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of the combined telescopic pull-out shelf and the support part, viewed from the cooling chamber of the refrigeration device; and 
         FIG. 12  shows a section similar to  FIG. 6  through the combined telescopic pull-out shelf and the surroundings thereof, at the level of an adapter. 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a refrigeration device with a body  1  and a door  2 . Two refrigerated goods carriers  4 ,  5  in the form of drawer compartments are shown by way of example in a cooling chamber  3  in the interior of the device. The drawer compartments  4 ,  5  are displaceably held on telescopic pull-out shelves, not visible in the figure, which are suspended on the side walls of the body  1 . The upper drawer compartment  4  has a shallower depth than the lower drawer compartment  5 , in order to allow space for a door storage device  6  fastened to the door  2 . 
     Further refrigerated goods storage devices may be attached according to requirements, in the form of further drawer compartments or in the form of stationary or displaceable shelves, in the upper region of the cooling chamber  3  which is left empty in the figure. 
       FIG. 2  shows the two drawer compartments  4 ,  5  in a perspective view of their rear face. The drawer compartments  4 ,  5  respectively comprise a basket formed from perforated sheet steel, the front side of which facing the door being clad by a plastics shield  7 . For the upper drawer compartment  4 , this shield  7  extends over the entire height thereof, for the lower compartment  5  only over part of the height, so that between the shield  7  and the compartment  4  located thereabove, an engagement opening is formed, as may be seen in  FIG. 1 . 
     The side walls of the baskets have respective vertical upper and lower wall portions  8  and/or  9  and between said wall portions, oblique shoulders  10  which extend downwards towards one another. On the shoulders  10  respectively one support part  11  which is injection-moulded from plastics or formed from metal is fastened and which may be seen in more detail in  FIGS. 4, 7 and 8 . The support parts  11  are, in turn, supported via adapters on telescopic pull-out shelves  12  and/or  13 , the adapters together with the support parts  11 , establishing the premise that telescopic pull-out shelves of different widths, namely partial and complete pull-out shelves, may be mounted on refrigerated goods carriers of different designs. 
     The telescopic pull-out shelves  13  on which the lower drawer compartment  5  is supported, comprise one respective pair of runners engaging in one another. The freedom of movement of these runners relative to one another is between 50 and 80% of their length; in this case it is the same as the depth of the drawer compartment  4  located thereabove, so that the drawer compartment  5  in its position pulled out as far as the stop is completely pulled out under the compartment  4  located thereabove, and is freely accessible on its entire upper face. 
       FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of one of the telescopic pull-out shelves  13  of the lower drawer compartment  5  and namely of the left-hand pull-out shelf  13  from the perspective of an observer looking into the cooling chamber  3 . The pull-out shelf comprises two curved runners made of sheet steel, an outer runner  14  of approximately C-shaped cross section and an inner runner  15  engaging in the hollow space of the outer runner  14 . Branches of the runners  14 ,  15  opposing one another define two cylindrical channels  16  in which respectively a plurality of balls, not visible in the figure, are accommodated, which movably guide the runners  14 ,  15  with little clearance and in a simple manner relative to one another. A pin  17  projects from the front end of the outer runner  14  into the intermediate space between the runners  14 ,  15 . Its contact with a rubber buffer  18 , not visible in the figure, fastened to the inner runner  15 , defines a limit to the freedom of movement of the runners  14 ,  15  relative to one another. 
     A front adapter  19  and a rear adapter  20  made of plastics are fastened to the outer runner  14 . The adapters  19 ,  20  have, in this case, one respective base body  21  approximately in the shape of a truncated prism on which on its upper face a horizontal projection  22  bearing against the upper branch of the runner  14  is formed. 
     From the upper face of the base body  21  one respective latching element  23  and/or  24  projects, the structure and function thereof being explained below with reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
       FIG. 4  is intended to illustrate the anchoring of the adapter  19 ,  20  to the runner  14 . A fragment  27  of the runner  14  and one side of an adapter  19  or  20  facing said runner separated from one another, are respectively shown, the type of anchoring in both adapters  19 ,  20  being the same. The wall  28  of the adapter facing the fragment  27  carries 4 rigid latching hooks  29  and a resilient tongue  30  separately cut through a U-shaped or V-shaped slot from the wall  28 , a wedge  31  projecting from the tip thereof. A round hole  32  and four square  33  holes of the runner  14  are located opposite said wedge, said runner being respectively in the form of a square which at its lower edge is lengthened by a short slot. In order to anchor the adapter  19  and  20  to the runner  14 , the latching hooks  29  are inserted into the square holes  33  and at the same time, firstly the tongue  30 , the wedge  31  thereof striking the closed wall of the runner  14 , is forced back into the hollow base body of the adapter. When the latching hooks  29  are completely pushed through the holes  33 , and the wall  28  of the adapter rests against the runner  14 , the adapter may be pushed downwards so that the shafts of the latching hooks  29  engage in the slots of the holes  33  and the projection  22  comes to rest on the upper branch of the runner  14 . At the same time the wedge  31  comes into contact with the round hole  32  and snaps therein. When this has occurred, the adapter may only be released from the runner  14  by the wedge  31  firstly being forced out of the hole  32  again by a tool and then the adapter being lifted. 
       FIG. 5  shows, in turn, a perspective view of the telescopic pull-out shelf  13  of  FIG. 3 , this time with the support part  11  engaged thereon. The support part  11  comprises an elongated base plate  34  which is supported on the upper sides of the adapters  19 ,  20 . At one front end of the base plate  34 , a receiver  35  configured as a square through-passage is formed, through which the latching element  23  of the adapter  19  is inserted. The pin  24  of the rear adapter  20  engages in a slot  36  of the base plate  34  open to the rear. 
     At both ends of the base plate  34 , above the hole  35  and/or the slot  36 , one respective abutment is formed for the basket of the pull-out shelf  5 . The abutment respectively comprises an oblique plate  37  which at its lower edge is connected to an edge of the base plate  34  facing the basket, and which at its upper edge is combined with two vertical struts  38  extending from the base plate  34  to form a U-shaped profiled section  39 . A planar recess  40  is in the centre of the plate  37  and in the centre thereof a bore  41  is, in turn, formed which are both widened towards the rear face of the plate  37  to a hexagonal cross section. 
       FIG. 6  shows a section through the telescopic pull-out shelf and the surroundings thereof at the level of the adapter  19 . As this section shows, the bore  41  of the plate  37  serves to fasten the shoulder  10  of the basket thereon by means of a screw  42  and a nut  43  positively received in the hexagonal widening of the bore. A tab  44  bent out from the upper portion  8  of the side wall of the basket is supported on the upper edge of the U-shaped profiled section  39 . 
     The aforementioned balls  45  may also be seen in the section, which are attached in the channels  16  between the runners  14 ,  15 , and a plurality of which are respectively guided in a cage  46 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a side view of the telescopic pull-out shelf  13  with adapters  19 ,  20  mounted on the outer runner  14  thereof. Cutting planes which provide the section shown in  FIG. 6  are denoted in the figure by dotted lines VI-VI. 
     The latching element  23  of the front adapter  19  has in section approximately the shape of the letter T, at the ends of the cross beam  56  of the T two resilient branches  25  being formed, extending downwards and initially away from one another, then again towards one another. The lower portions of the branches  25  extending towards one another respectively form an undercut at the bottom of the latching element  23 . From the upright  57  of the T to the right and to the left of the figure, two narrow projections  58  project which together with the upright  57  form a cross-shaped layout. The spacing between the projections  58  and the branches  25  is selected to be sufficiently small so that the branches  25  may be pressed by a force acting in the lateral direction against the projections  58 , without the branches  25  being plastically deformed or being stressed in another manner causing material fatigue. 
     The latching element  24  of the rear adapter  20  is a rigid pin which at its upper end has a forwardly oriented lug  26 . 
       FIG. 8  shows, in turn, the runner  14  with the adapters  19 ,  20  mounted thereon, in a side view, on this occasion, however, with the support part  11  fastened to the latching elements  23 ,  24  of the adapters  19 ,  20 . The support part is shown in section in a plane extending through the latching elements  23 ,  24 . The branches  25  of the latching element  23  are resiliently deformed, as may be seen by a comparison with the contour of the latching element  23  which is illustrated in dotted lines, in its relaxed configuration shown in  FIG. 7 , and their portions extending downwards towards one another, press against the front and rear edge of the hole  35  of the base plate  34  mounted on the latching element  23 . Said base plate is, as a result, held without play on the latching element  23  in the undercut formed by said lower portions, in the direction of movement of the runner  14 . Moreover, as the lower portions extending downwards towards one another of the resilient branches  25  press against the edges of the hole  35 , the branches  25  also exert a downwardly oriented force on the base plate  34  which holds said base plate pressed against the base body  21  of the adapter  19  and thus also holds the support part  11  without play in the vertical direction. 
     When the runner strikes a path limiting stop and, as a result, the drawer compartment  4  is abruptly braked, the base plate  34  always exerts on one of the resilient branches  25  a force which advances said branch onto the upright  57  and/or one of the projections  58  projecting therefrom. The drawer compartment  5  may therefore slip to such an extent on the runner  14  in the direction of movement thereof, until contact with one of the projections  58  prevents further deformation of the resilient branch. The inertial forces which occur, when the runner  14  impacts against a stop and the drawer compartment  4  is abruptly braked, are thus markedly smaller than with a rigid connection between the drawer compartment and runner, so that a more light-weight, thin-walled and accordingly economical adapter  19  is sufficient to ensure a secure anchoring of the drawer compartment  4  on the telescopic pull-out shelf  13 . 
     Between the front (to the left in the figure) side of the pin  24  of the rear adapter and the base plate  34  exists a clearance  59  which is at least as large as the spacing between the lower end of one of the branches  25  and the projection  58  facing said branch, so that when by inertial action, the retaining part  11  slips relative to the runner  14  to the rear (to the right in the figure), a hard impact between the pin  24  and the base plate  34  is eliminated. 
     In the section of  FIG. 6 , it may be seen that between the outer runner  14  and the lower wall portion  9  of the basket opposing said runner, an intermediate space  47  is located which is partially filled by the hollow base body  21  of the adapters  19  and  20 . The width of this intermediate space  47  is greater than that of the telescopic pull-out shelf  13 , so that it is possible if required, to accommodate a second telescopic pull-out shelf, without the dimensions of the drawer compartment  5  having to be modified. 
     In  FIG. 2  it is seen that such an arrangement of two coupled telescopic pull-out shelves is provided on each side of the upper drawer compartment  4 . Said coupled telescopic pull-out shelves provide the drawer compartment  4  with a freedom of movement which is greater than its depth, so that it may be pulled out completely to the front under a refrigerated goods carrier of the same depth, not shown, and arranged thereabove. 
     A perspective view of two telescopic pull-out shelves  48 ,  49  connected in series, on the right-hand side of the drawer compartment  4  and located from the perspective of the user standing in front of the cooling chamber  3 , is shown in  FIG. 9 . The construction of the telescopic pull-out shelves  48 ,  49  with an inner runner  50  and/or  52  and an outer runner  51  and/or  53  which are movably guided relative to one another by means of balls  45 , is the same as with the telescopic pull-out shelf  13  and thus does not need to be described again. The runners  51 ,  52  are connected rigidly to one another by rivets  58  shown in  FIG. 10 , of which one or other may simultaneously serve as a stop for limiting the freedom of movement of the pull-out shelves  48 ,  49 . 
     Front and rear adapters  54  and/or  55  are clamped to the runner  53  in a similar manner as disclosed above with reference to  FIG. 4 . Instead of a wide hollow base body as with the adapters  19 ,  20 , in this case only a narrow, plate-shaped base body is provided, on the visible side thereof the recesses  57  opposing the resilient tongue  30  and the latching hook  29  being able to be seen. The latching elements  23 ,  24  supported by the adapters  54 ,  55  are the same as for the adapters  19 ,  20 . Thus on these adapters  54 ,  55  as may be seen in  FIGS. 8, 9 , the same type of support part  11  is also mounted as already described with reference to  FIG. 5 . 
     In the view of  FIG. 10  which shows the side of the telescopic pull-out shelves  48 ,  49  and the support part  11  facing the side wall of the body  1 , the hexagonal widening of the bores  41  and the slot  36  in the base plate  34  of the support part  11  open to the rear towards the rear wall of the body  1 , may be seen in particular. The slot has diverging edges towards the rear end of the base plate  34 , in order to facilitate the positioning of the slot on the latching element  24  of the rear adapter. 
     As may be seen in  FIG. 12 , by the additional telescopic pull-out shelf  49  and the plate-like base body of the adapters  54 ,  55  the intermediate space  47  is practically filled to the side of the wall portion  9  of the basket. The position of the latching projections  23  and  24  is, with reference to the side wall of the body and/or the pull-out shelf  48  mounted directly thereon, the same as shown in  FIG. 6 , so that identical support parts  11  and baskets in any configuration may be mounted on a simple pull-out shelf such as  13  or a double pull-out shelf such as  48 ,  49 .