Patent Publication Number: US-8979225-B2

Title: Refrigeration device comprising shelves that are suspended on a rail

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a refrigeration device with shelves which are suspended on perforated rail which is securely mounted in the body of the refrigeration device. Such a refrigeration device is known from DE 10 2004 021 857 A1. 
     The suspension of shelves on a rail of this kind has the advantage that the internal container walls of the refrigeration device can be embodied to be largely flat and thus easy to clean. One problem is, however, that after lengthy use shelves suspended on the rails tend no longer to come free from the rails without further action, whether because they jam fast together as a result of manufacturing tolerances, or because they are stuck together by an accumulation of food residues, or are simply frozen in position. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The aim of the present invention is to develop a refrigeration device of the type specified at the outset such that easy release of the shelf support from the rail is guaranteed at all times. 
     The object is achieved firstly by a refrigeration device with at least one vertical rail, which is securely connected to the body and is provided with through-openings at a distance from each other, and at least one shelf support, which has a rear flank facing a front side of the rail and one upper and one lower hook with downward oriented free hook tips, which in each case protrude over the rear flank and engage in one of the through-openings, characterized in that of the free tips of the two hooks only the tip of the upper hook touches a rear side of rail at least in parts, and that only a section of the rear flank below the lower hook touches the front side of the rail. 
     This embodiment guarantees that the shelf support cannot be released from the rail solely by means of lifting and subsequent withdrawal from the through-openings, but when in the suspended state a small degree of swiveling freedom exists, by means of which possible encrustations between rail and shelf support can be readily dislodged. 
     In order to improve the pivoting mobility of the refrigerated goods carrier, the rear flank preferably has an opening between its section touching the rail and the lower hook. 
     Secondly, as an alternative to or in combination with the abovementioned features, the object is also achieved in that the lower hook rests on the lower edge of a through-opening through which it reaches, while the upper hook runs at a distance from the lower edge of the through-opening through which it reaches. The distance between the lower edge of the through-opening and the upper hook prevents mutual adhesion, which facilitates the release of the shelf supports from the rail both by means of lifting while retaining its orientation and by means of a pivoting movement preparatory to the lifting. 
     In order to prevent faults when suspending the shelf supports on the rail, the distance between an upper edge of the lower hooks and a lower end of the rear flank is preferably greater than the height of the through-openings. 
     The shelf support is realizable at reasonable cost, in that a plate encompassing the hook is manufactured from metal and an element surrounding the plate in friction-fitted manner is manufactured from plastic. The plastic element can be molded in one piece with a frame enclosing a plate of the shelf. 
     In order to afford the plastic element a high degree of stability, this preferably has a base plate touching the metal plate and ribs protruding from the base plate, which surround the edges of the metal plate. 
     As the plate is arranged on a side of the base plate facing a side wall of the body, it is practically invisible within the refrigeration device, so that only the plastic element determines the appearance of the shelf support, and no exacting requirements need be placed on the surface quality of the metal plate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features and advantages of the invention are evident from the following description of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the attached Figures, in which; 
         FIG. 1  shows a three-dimensional, scrap view of a first embodiment of an inventive second refrigeration device; 
         FIG. 2  shows a horizontal section through a vertical rail and its environs; 
         FIG. 3  shows a frontal view of part of the rail; 
         FIG. 4  shows a partial side view of a refrigerated goods carrier suspended on a rail according to a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  shows a partial three-dimensional view of the refrigerated goods carrier from  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  shows a vertical section along the line designated VI-VI in  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 7  shows a horizontal section along the line designated VII-VII in  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The refrigeration device carcass  1  shown in partially cutaway form in  FIG. 1  comprises in an essentially known manner an external skin  2  assembled from rigid elements such as sheet metal sections and an internal container  3 , which delimit walls  4 ,  5  filled with insulating foam material. On the rear wall  5  two vertical grooves  12  are formed in the internal container  3 , which extend over the entire height of the interior compartment and into which are inserted hollow carrier rails  6  of rectangular cross-section. 
       FIG. 2  shows a horizontal section through a carrier rail  6  along a plane above a carrier arm  10  hung on the carrier rail  6 . The carrier rails  6  in each case comprise an external profile  7  of essentially C-shaped cross-section, where the open side of the C-shape faces the interior compartment of the body  1 , and a strip  8 , which is guided vertically in a slidable manner into two grooves of the arm of the external profile  7  which face each other. The strip  8  is provided with through-openings  9  at regular intervals, of which one is shown in sectional form in  FIG. 2 . The carrier arm  10  shown in part in an overhead view engages in other, deeper-lying through-openings  9  of the strip  8 . 
     While the external profile  7  extends over the entire height of the internal container  3 , the strip  8  is slightly shorter. As can be seen in the front view of the upper region of the carrier rail  6  in  FIG. 3 , the strip  8  does not extend as far as the upper end of the external profile  7 . Accordingly, the strip  8  can be slid vertically within the external profile  7  and can be raised into a position in which a screw  11  which anchors the external profile  7  to the rear wall  5  of the body  1 , shown by means of a dotted line in  FIG. 3  because it is concealed by the strip  8 , is accessible through one of the through-openings  9 . When the refrigeration device is assembled and ready for operation, the screws  11  of both carrier rails  6  are in each case concealed behind the strip  8 ; they are nevertheless readily accessible by sliding the strips  8 , if it should be necessary to remove one of the carrier rails  6 . 
     The carrier arms  10  of a shelf  12  can be embodied as elements capable of being hung on the carrier rails  6  separately from each other, which extend over a majority of the depth of the internal container  3 , so that the shelf  12  can be placed loose upon this, as indicated in view in  FIG. 1 . 
     According to a preferred development, the carrier arms  10  are, as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  5 , molded together with a frame  13  enclosing a base plate  14  of a shelf  12  to form a functional unit. In this embodiment, the frame  13  comprises four braces formed from injection-molded plastic or cast aluminum, two cross-braces running in the width direction of the body, of which a rear example  15  is partially visible in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 , and two longitudinal braces  16 , of which the left-hand example is partially visible in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 . The cross- and longitudinal braces  15 ,  16  can be formed integrally or in one piece around the base plate  14 . 
       FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  in each case show a section through the left-hand longitudinal brace  16  along a vertical plane designated VI-VI or, respectively, a horizontal plane designated VII-VII in  FIG. 5 . In its rear area, the longitudinal brace  16  has a vertically oriented base plate  17  of large area, from which two ribs  18  project on one side, which delimit a groove accommodating the edge of the base plate  14 . Two studs  19  projecting on the opposite side of the base plate  17  enclose in a friction-fitted manner a metal plate  20 , in the present case embodied in stainless steel, from whose rear flank  21  protrude two downward curved hooks  22 ,  23 . 
     The steel plate  20  is fixed to the base plate  17  with the aid of a screw  24 , which penetrates the steel plate  20  and the base plate  17  and engages in a thread of the rear cross-brace  15 . By means of the screw connection on the one hand and the friction-fitted enclosure of the edges of the steel plate  20  by the studs  19  on then other hand, a load-bearing joint is created between the steel plate  20  and the longitudinal brace  16 . 
     The hooks  22 ,  23  are provided in order to engage in through-openings  9  of the strip  8  of one of the carrier rails  6 . As shown in the detailed view in  FIG. 4 , the hooks  22 ,  23  are of different shape, and the rear flank  21  does not abut the strip  8  over its entire length. Rather it maintains a distance of at least approx. 0.4 mm from the strip  8  over a section between the hooks  22 ,  23  and touches these only in an area  25  lying below the lower hooks  23 . The lower hook  23  has a horizontal lower edge  26 , which rests on the edge of a through-opening  9 . A corresponding lower edge  26  of the upper hook  22  is spaced at a distance from the lower edge of the through-opening  9  through which this hook reaches. Only a downward oriented free tip  27  of the upper hook  22  abuts the rear side of the strip  8 . These three points of contact between carrier arm and strip  8  are sufficient to bear the weight of the shelf and items placed upon it and a torque created thereby. 
     The recesses delimited by the hooks  22 ,  23  and open towards the bottom, in which the strip  8  engages, are significantly wider than the thickness of the material of the strip  8 . Openings  28  are in each case embodied on the rear flank  21  of both hooks  22 ,  23 , which permit the carrier arm in each case to be pivoted slightly in the counterclockwise direction, in opposition to the torque of a load placed on the shelf, prior to suspension from the carrier rail  6 , thus loosening possible encrustations between carrier arm and carrier rail or releasing jams. The fact that the carrier arm is integrally molded with the shelf to form a rigid unit reduces the risk of jamming. 
     In order to prevent incorrect suspension of the carrier arms on the strip, the distance between an upper edge  29  of the hook  23  and a lower corner  30  of the section  25  is greater than the height of the through-opening  9 . Thus the hook  23  and the lower corner  30  cannot be inserted in a through-opening  9  at the same time.