Patent Publication Number: US-2010109496-A1

Title: Butter compartment for a refrigerator

Description:
The present invention relates to a butter compartment for a refrigerator, in other words a compartment which is attached to a door of a refrigerator and can be sealed with a flap. 
     DE 196 33 975 A1 discloses door-mounted storage compartments for a refrigerator, which each comprise a four-sided frame that can be anchored to a refrigerator door, and a container which is mounted within the frame. The frame can be used with identical dimensions of container types with different heights, and a frame without a suspended container can also be used in order to secure tall refrigerated products, which stand in a container which is supported by a lower frame. This allows for a cost-effective manufacture of the door fixtures in a refrigerator. 
     One disadvantage with this design principle nevertheless consists in no suitable butter compartment previously being available in terms of appearance. 
     The present invention is to remedy this failing. 
     This object is achieved by a door-mounted storage compartment for a refrigerator comprising a four-sided frame that can be anchored to a refrigerator door and a receptacle, which is mounted within the frame, in which the frame is subdivided into a first frame part forming at least three sides of the frame and a second frame part which forms at least one section of a fourth side of the frame and is connected to the first frame part so as to be pivotable about a longitudinal axis. 
     This first frame part alone can represent a flap of the container, or a flap of the receptacle can be secured to the second frame part and is as a result pivotable. 
     Frames and receptacles can be manufactured from different materials, which differ in terms of their heat expansion coefficients. Metal such as aluminum or stainless steel can be used for the frame for instance, while the receptacle is made of plastic. In order to prevent parts of the door-mounted storage compartment from buckling due to different heat expansion coefficients, the flap and the frame part are preferably immobilized relative to one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis at one single point. This means that regions between the flap and frame part, which are at a distance from this single point, can be moved relative to one another due to different heat expansion coefficients without stresses resulting therefrom being able to develop therebetween. 
     For immobilization purposes, a pin in the flap preferably engages in a recess of the second frame part at said point. 
     This sole point in respect of the longitudinal axis is preferably arranged centrally so as to prevent significant displacements caused by heat expansion occurring at one end of the second frame part, and none or minimal displacements occurring at the opposite end. 
     The flap can preferably be latched onto the second frame part. 
     A form-fit connection is preferably provided between the container and the first frame part adjacent to the two free ends in each instance in order to prevent opposite free ends of the first frame part from bending apart under the load of the receptacle and thus no longer offering the receptacle a firm hold. Such a form-fit connection can be formed in particular by pins pushed into flush openings in the receptacle and first frame part, in particular expansion rivets. 
     To keep the manufacture of the frame simple, the first frame part is preferably assembled from an elongated strut and two brackets attached to the ends of the strut and forming two corners of the frame in each instance. This enables the strut to be manufactured from a continuous casting profile for instance, while the two brackets are formed for instance using plastic injection molding or aluminum die-casting. Different frame models can thus be easily manufactured in a manner adjusted to different widths of the door in each instance. 
     A further simplification results if the elongated strut and the second frame part have the same cross-sections. These can be manufactured in particular from the same continuous casting profile. 
     A recessed tray can be provided in a cover of the receptacle, in order also to enable secure storage of refrigerated products on the container. 
    
    
     
       Further features and advantages of the invention result from the description which follows of exemplary embodiments with reference to the appended Figures, in which; 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a refrigerator door with a butter compartment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows an exploded top view onto the frame of the butter compartment; 
         FIG. 3  shows a vertical section through a support rail mounted in the refrigerator door as well as a side view of a butter compartment suspended on the support rail with a partially opened flap; 
         FIG. 4  shows a section through a corner of the butter compartment along a plane indicated in  FIG. 1  with IV; 
         FIG. 5  shows a section through an upper edge region of the flap, latched onto a second frame part, and 
         FIG. 6  shows a horizontal section through a support rail countersunk into the door, on which the butter compartment and further refrigerated goods carriers are suspended. 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective interior view of a refrigerator door  1 . The refrigerator door is usually embodied as a hollow part filled with insulation material comprising a hard inner wall and outer wall. Two vertical grooves are countersunk into the inner wall, in which a support rail  2  is mounted in each instance, as is shown in detail for instance in  FIG. 6  and is described in further detail. 
     Frames  3 ,  4  of an essentially rectangular design are anchored to the two support rails  2  at different heights. A square plastic container  5  which opens upwards is suspended on the lowest frame  3 , by a circumferential lip of the container  5  resting on the topside of the frame  3 . The container  5  and its frame  3  thus form a door-mounted storage device, which can be used in particular for accommodating bottles. 
     No container is suspended on a second upper frame  3 , it is used to secure bottles positioned in the lower container  5  from toppling over. 
     A container  6 , the height of which is less than that of container  4 , is in turn suspended on the next highest frame  3 . 
     The topmost frame  4  which is anchored to the door  1  is identical to the frame  3  in terms of its external design, it has a somewhat different structure with a first frame part  7 , which forms the two narrow sides of the frame  4  and a longitudinal side facing the door  1  and is anchored to the support rail  2 , and a second frame part  8 , which forms the main part of a longitudinal side of the frame  4  facing away from the door  1 , and is connected in a pivotable fashion to the first frame part  1  about a longitudinal axis  14 . 
     The top view of  FIG. 2  shows the structure of the frame  3 ,  4  in more detail. One of each of these frames  3 ,  4  includes two die-cast side parts  9 , which are mirror symmetrical in respect of each other, upon which an adapter  10  is formed in each instance for fastening to the support rails  2 . The side parts  9  are plug-connected to a longitudinal strut  13  and/or to the second frame part  8  by way of pins  11  and  12 . To ensure the rotatability of the second frame part  9 , the pins  12 , which connect it to the side parts  9 , are arranged cylindrically in the case of the frame  4  and on the axis  14 . Contrary thereto, the pins  11  have a noncircular cross-section between the longitudinal struts  13  and the side parts  9 , or several pins are provided in each instance between the longitudinal struts  13  and each side part  9  in order to ensure a torque-proof connection. With the frame  3 , pins connect the side parts  9  in a torque-proof manner to two longitudinal struts. 
     The side parts  9 , the longitudinal struts  13  and the second frame part  8  consist of stainless steel or preferably aluminum. 
     A container  15  suspended on the frame  4  takes the form of an essentially square box with an open longitudinal side which can be closed by a flap  16  fastened to the second frame part  8 . As is shown in  FIG. 1 , a shallow recessed tray  7  is formed on the upper side of the container  15 , said tray being used as an easily accessible shelf surface for various small items. 
     In its position shown as closed in  FIG. 1 , the flap  16  is flush with adjacent wall parts of the container  15 . To enable a user-friendly opening, it is provided on its lower edge with a bar  18  shown in  FIG. 3 , said bar reaching below the base of the container  15  when the flap is in the closed position so that it can be easily gripped in order to lift the flap  16 . 
     Similar to container  5 , container  15  also has a lip  19  on its upper edge, this nevertheless only rests on the first frame part  7 , and not however on the second frame part  8 . As apparent in  FIG. 4 , openings  20 ,  21  are formed in the lip  19  and in the side parts  9  adjacent to the free ends of the side parts  9  supporting the second frame part  8  in each instance, into which openings an expansion rivet  22  is pushed, shown in a simplified manner. After passing through the openings  20 ,  21 , the springy, divergent shaft parts  23  of the rivet shaft secure the expanded rivet  22 . Due to the elastic effect of a rivet shaft, this ensures that the free ends of the side parts  9  do not bend apart over time due to different heat expansion coefficients of the metallic frame part  7  on the one hand and the container  15  formed from plastic on the other hand. The dimensional stability of the first frame part  7  and a permanently secure hold for the container  15  is thus ensured. 
       FIG. 5  shows a section through the second frame part  8  and the upper part of the flap  15  attached thereto. The frame part  8  realized as a continuous casting profile has two grooves  24 ,  25  on its interior facing the flap  16 , which are undercut on their upper side in each instance. 
     A lip  26  formed on the upper edge of the flap  16  is provided with an upwardly directed hook  27  and, in the perspective in  FIG. 5 , can be inserted into the groove  24  obliquely from above. If after the hook  27  enters the groove  24 , the flap is pivoted in the counter clockwise direction, the hook  27  engages into the undercut of the groove  24  and hooks  28  protruding from the flap  16  below the lip  26  meet an insertion bevel  29  of the groove  25 , at which they are elastically hinged in order finally to engage into an undercut in the groove  25 . 
     In order to immobilize the flap  16  on the frame part  8  also in the longitudinal direction thereof, a bore  30  indicated by dashed contours in  FIG. 5  is formed centrally within the frame part  8 . An individual pin  31  of the flap  16  engages in this bore  30 . In the event of temperature fluctuations, the regions of the flap  16  and frame part  8  lying laterally to the pin  31  and the bore  30  move freely relative to one another. No internal stresses, which could lead to a deformation of the flap  16 , are thus formed. 
       FIG. 6  shows a horizontal section through a support rail  2  and a part of the inner wall of the door  1 , on which it is mounted countersunk into a groove. An external profile  40  of the support rail  6  here has two parallel side walls  41 , which are connected to one another in an H-shape by way of a transverse bar  42 . Openings  9  for receiving hooks of an adapter  10  (not shown in the Figure) are formed at regular intervals in the transverse bar  22 . The transverse bar  42  forms the base surface of a groove  43  which is undercut and opens toward the interior. A second undercut groove  44  is provided on the side of the transverse bar  42  engaging in the door  1 . 
     An input gap  45  in the groove  44  has such a width that a shaft, but not however a head of a fastening screw  50 , can pass. Expansions  46 , indicated in  FIG. 6  by dashed boundary lines, are only created in places on the input gap  45 , which are wide enough to also allow a screw head to pass. This enables the support rails  2  to be mounted to the door  1 , by the screws  50  firstly being positioned on the door  1  in accordance with the expansions  46 , then the rails  2  are inserted into the groove in the door, with the screw heads passing through the expansions  46  and finally then the support rail  2  in the groove is moved longitudinally so that the screw heads are captured in the groove  44 . 
     A pair of opposing slots are formed in the two side walls  41 , in which slots is guided in a vertically displaceably fashion a narrow slat  47 . The slat  47  divides the interior of the groove  44  into a rear region accommodating the heads of the screws  50  and a front region, which accommodates the hooks of adapters  10  which pass through the openings  33 . 
     The slat  47  is provided with a plurality of holes  48 , which when the slat  47  is in a lowered position lie just below an opening  33  in the transverse bar  42  and are as a result not visible from the outside. The slat  47  can however be lifted into a position in which the holes  48  are flush with one of the openings  33  in each instance and through this opening  33  and the corresponding hole  48 , the head of a rear positioned screw  50  is accessible for a tool, in order to fasten or detach the support rail  2  to/from the door  2 . During normal use of the refrigerator, closed regions of the slat  47  lie in front of the screw  50  in each instance so that none are visible therefrom. 
     In respect of  FIG. 3 , the adapters  10  each include a cross-sectionally T-shaped guide member  34  with a transverse bar  35  resting externally against the support rails  2  and a rib protruding centrally from the transverse bar  35  and engaging in the undercut groove  43  of the support rail  2 . Pins  37  protruding in the opposite directions are formed on an upper end of the rib  36 , said pins each engaging in each instance in the undercuts  39  of the groove  43 . A hook  38  protrudes from a lower end of the rib  36 , said hook engaging in an opening  33  formed on a base surface of the groove  43 . 
     In order to change the height of the frame  4 , it is sufficient to pivot this in respect of  FIG. 3  in the counterclockwise direction so that the two hooks  38  become free from the openings  33  of the two rails  2 , while the pins  37  remain caught in the undercuts  39  of the grooves  43 . If attention is paid during pivoting to ensure that at least the hooks  38  not leaving the grooves  43 , it is not possible due to the rigid connection between the adapters  10  by way of the frame  4  to lift or lower one of the adapters  10  in a significantly more forceful manner than the other. Tilting of the frame  4  when changing the height thereof is as a result largely ruled out. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the pins  37  can have a non-circular cross-section. It is conceivable for the pins  37  to be lengthened in the vertical direction to such a degree that they restrict the pivoting motion freedom of the unit from the frame  4  and support arms  10  to such a degree that the hooks  38  are no longer able to leave the grooves  23 . For the same purpose, several pins arranged on the same side of the rib  36  or height-adjusted in respect of each other on opposite sides, as is shown in  FIG. 6  by a dashed outline  37 , are used.