Item rack for refrigerator apparatuses

Abstract

 A food refrigerator (100) is disclosed. The food refrigerator (100) comprises a refrigerator compartment (110), at least one shelf (118) positioned in the compartment, and a rack device (105) coupled to the shelf (118) and suitable to hold at least an elongated item (130). The rack device (105) comprises a frontal bracket (215) and a rear bracket (220) rotatably connected to a frontal edge (122) and a rear edge (124) of the shelf, respectively, so as to be movable, by rotating in opposite directions, between a folded position adjacent to the shelf and an unfolded position spaced apart from the shelf where they are suitable to hold the elongated item.

Description

Background of the invention

Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an item rack for refrigerators, particularly, although not limitatively, for domestic use.

Overview of the related art

[0002] Food refrigerators, hereinafter simply "refrigerators", essentially consist of one or more thermally-insulated compartments for the storage of food and beverage items, and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the refrigerator to its external environment so that the inside of the refrigerator is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room where the appliance is located.

[0003] Food and beverage items may be stored in the refrigerator by placing them on/in storage elements, whose structure depends on the type and the shape of the items. For example, large food items are usually placed on shelves provided in the refrigerator compartment, vegetables are usually placed into crispers located at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment, eggs are usually placed in egg trays in the refrigerator door, and so on.

[0004] Elongated items, such as bottles, are usually placed in vertical orientation on door shelves located on the refrigerator door. In order to avoid that such elongated items fall down when the refrigerator door is opened/closed, door shelves are usually provided with guard rails or lateral walls.

[0005] Since the number of elongated items that can be stored in the door shelves of a refrigerator is quite small, it is known to equip the refrigerator with one or more rack devices specifically designed to hold elongated items. A rack device of this type is usually connected to one of the shelves located in the compartment, preferably suspended under the same. The rack device is structured to hold the elongated items in a substantially horizontal orientation, i.e., with the axis of the elongated item that is substantially parallel to the main surface of the shelf, or with the axis of the elongated item which is slightly slanted with respect to the main surface of the shelf.

[0006] Different types of rack devices for elongated items to be cooled in a refrigerator are known.

[0007] For example, Chinese utility model No. CN201277789 discloses a folding wine bottle rack which comprises a frame and a wine bottle bracket, wherein the wine bottle bracket adopts a staggered design and comprises a left lateral arm, a right lateral arm and a corrugated steel wire, wherein the left lateral arm and the right lateral arm clamp the corrugated steel wire and are respectively connected with the inner sides of a left bracket and a right bracket of the frame; small lug bosses are respectively arranged at the inner sides of the left bracket and the right bracket in front of joints. Limit bayonets are respectively arranged at the inner sides of the left bracket and the right bracket behind the joints. The wine bottle bracket can be put down when bottled drink, such as beer, beverage, and the like needs storing, and all the brackets are fixed by the limit bayonets; the wine bottle bracket is rotated forwards when the wine bottle bracket is not needed, and all the brackets are horizontally supported by the small lug bosses.

[0008] European patent EP No. 1608922 discloses a device for receiving elongate goods which are to be cooled in a refrigerator. Said device comprises a frame with lateral strips. Said frame can be inserted into the refrigerator in a horizontal manner. Said device comprises a support for the goods which are to be cooled. The device comprises at least one first bar and at least one second bar provided with bearing surfaces in order to arrange goods which are to be stored. The first bar can be tilted between a horizontal position and a vertical position. The second bar is rigidly connected to the frame or support for the goods which are to be cooled.

[0009] International patent application No. WO2012022617 discloses a refrigerator which has an intermediate base for subdividing a storage area in the refrigerator, and two holding clips for products to be refrigerated, which holding clips are mounted on the intermediate base such that they can rotate in opposite directions of rotation. Holders are provided, by means of which the holding clips are fixed on the intermediate base, wherein the holders each have a U-shaped portion which surrounds a lateral edge of the intermediate base.

Summary of the invention

[0010] A rack device for holding elongated items in a refrigerator should be designed to be easily installed within the refrigerator compartment and to be easily configurable for supporting a wide range of different elongated item types, at the same time without occupying an excessive amount of space in the compartment.

[0011] However, the solutions known in the art do not appear satisfactory.

[0012] The folding wine bottle rack of CN201277789 comprises a substantially rectangular frame that is designed to be hooked under a shelf of the refrigerator. The presence of such frame reduce the free space available in the compartment portion under the shelf.

[0013] The device disclosed in EP 1608922 has a bar that is rigidly connected to the frame and extends under the shelf perpendicularly to the surface of the latter. Thus, this device occupies refrigerator compartment space even if it does not hold any elongated item.

[0014] The device of WO2012022617 cannot be easily installed, since it requires that holders are clamped on lateral edges of the shelf, i.e., the edges thereof that are designed to be in contact with the lateral inner walls of the refrigerator compartment when the shelf is mounted in the refrigerator.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a food refrigerator is disclosed. The food refrigerator comprises a refrigerator compartment, at least one shelf positioned in the compartment, and a rack device coupled to the shelf and suitable to hold at least an elongated item. The rack device comprises a frontal bracket and a rear bracket rotatably connected to a frontal edge and a rear edge of the shelf, respectively, so as to be movable, by rotating in opposite directions, between a folded position adjacent to the shelf and an unfolded position spaced apart from the shelf where they are suitable to hold the elongated item.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator compartment has a frontal opening and a rear wall opposite the frontal opening, the frontal edge of the shelf faces the frontal opening and the rear edge of the shelf faces the rear wall, and the rack device comprises a frontal rack support mounted on the frontal edge of the shelf and a rear rack support mounted on the rear edge of the shelf. The frontal bracket is rotatably connected with the frontal rack support and the rear bracket is rotatably connected with the rear rack support.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the frontal rack support comprises a strip element that extends along the frontal edge of the shelf and the rear rack support comprises a further strip element that extends along the rear edge of the shelf.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention the strip element comprises a longitudinal slit, the frontal rack support being mounted with the frontal edge inserted in said slit, and wherein the further strip element comprises a further longitudinal slit, the rear rack support being mounted with the rear edge inserted in said further slit.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the frontal rack support comprises two frontal bracket coupling elements connected to the strip element and the rear rack support comprises two rear bracket coupling elements connected to the further strip element. The frontal bracket is rotatably connected to the frontal bracket coupling elements. The rear bracket is rotatably connected to the rear bracket coupling elements.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the frontal and rear brackets are substantially U-shaped, and each one comprises two lateral branches connected to a central portion.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, each frontal bracket coupling element and each rear bracket coupling element is provided with a respective hole. The frontal bracket has each lateral branch thereof that has an end rotatably inserted in the hole of a respective frontal bracket coupling element. The rear bracket has each lateral branch thereof that has an end rotatably inserted in the hole of a respective rear bracket coupling element.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rack device comprises a rear stop element for an end of the elongated item.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the stop element is coupled to the rear bracket.

Brief Description of the drawings

[0024] These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent by the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof. The description is provided merely by way of non-limiting example, and makes reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1A is a three-dimensional frontal view of a portion of a refrigerator equipped with a rack device for holding elongated items according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 1B is a three-dimensional frontal view from below of the portion of the refrigerator of Figure 1A;

Figure 1C is a section view of the portion of the refrigerator of Figures 1A and 1B;

Figure 2A is a three-dimensional view of the rack device depicted in Figures 1A-1C in an unfolded configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention, and

Figure 2B is a three-dimensional view of the rack device in depicted in Figures 1A-1C in a folded configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

[0025] Referring to the drawings, in Figure 1A there is shown a three-dimensional frontal view of a portion of a refrigerator 100 equipped with a rack device 105 for holding elongated items according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1B is a three-dimensional frontal view from below of the portion of the refrigerator 100 of Figure 1A and Figure 1C is a section view of the portion of the refrigerator 100 of Figure 1A. In Figures 1A and 1B, the refrigerator 100 is depicted without the door for the sake of clearness.

[0026] The refrigerator 100 comprises a refrigerator compartment 110, having a rear wall 112 and two opposite lateral walls 114. The compartment 110 is accessible by an user through a frontal opening opposite to the rear wall 112 and closable by a door (not illustrated).

[0027] Shelf supports 116 are provided on the lateral walls 114 of the compartment 110 for supporting one or more shelves 118 (only one visible in the figures) each one comprising a flat rest element 119 on which food and beverage items to be cooled could be placed. For example, the rest element 119 may be a glass plate, a plastic plate, a plastic mesh or a metallic mesh. Preferably, the rest element 119 has the shape of a generally rectangular plate, comprising a frontal edge 122 facing the frontal opening of the compartment 110, a rear edge 124 parallel to the frontal edge 122 and facing the rear wall 112, and two side edges 126 parallel to one another and facing the two lateral walls 114. The shelf supports 116 support the shelf 118 at the side edges 126 of its rest element 119.

[0028] The rack device 105 according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to a shelf 118 so as to be suspended under the latter, i.e. so as to be positioned underneath the shelf. The rack device 105 is designed to hold elongated items 130 (e.g., bottles) to be cooled under the shelf 118. In the exemplary case illustrated in the figures, held by the rack device 105 is a single elongated item 130, for example a bottle of wine. Thanks to the rack device 105, elongated items 130 may be expediently stored in a portion of the compartment 110 which generally is unused.

[0029] As will described in the following, the rack device 105 according to an embodiment of the present invention is adapted to be switched between an unfolded (i.e. open) configuration, for receiving and holding elongated items 130, and a folded (i.e. closed) configuration, in which the rack device 105 is folded so as to save space in the compartment 110 when the rack device 105 is unused. Figures 1A-1C illustrate the rack device 105 in the unfolded configuration.

[0030] Figure 2A is a three-dimensional view of the rack device 105 in the unfolded configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2B is a three-dimensional view of the rack device 105 in the folded configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rack device 105 comprises a frontal rack support 205 and a rear rack support 210. A frontal bracket 215 is rotatably connected with the frontal rack support 205 in such a way to be rotatable with respect to the surface of the rest element 119, and a rear bracket 220 is rotatably connected with the rear rack support 210 in such a way to be rotatable with respect to the surface of the rest element 119. The frontal and rear brackets 215, 220 are adapted to support elongated items 130 when the rack device 105 is in the unfolded configuration.

[0032] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the frontal bracket 215 and the rear bracket 220 are made of a metal wire substantially U-shaped, with two lateral branches 221 connected to a central portion 222. The central portion 222 of the brackets 215, 220 is provided with arc-shaped sections 223 (four, in the example illustrated in the figures) each one adapted to support an elongated item 130. Each arc-shaped section 223 in the frontal bracket 215 is aligned, along the direction perpendicular to the frontal and rear edges 122, 124, with a corresponding arc-shaped section 223 in the rear bracket 220. Accordingly, the frontal bracket 215 and the rear bracket 220 are wave supporting bars defining waved supports for elongated items.

[0033] Similar considerations apply in case the brackets are made in a different material (such as plastic) and/or have a different shape.

[0034] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the frontal rack support 205 is mounted on the frontal edge 122 of the rest element 119. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the frontal rack support 205 comprises a strip 230 that extends along the frontal edge 122, for example along all the length thereof. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the strip 230 is structured to include a longitudinal slit that allows the frontal rack support 205 to be mounted on the rest element 119 with the frontal edge 122 inserted in said slit.

[0035] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rear rack support 210 is mounted on the rear edge 124 of the rest element 119. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rear rack support 210 as well comprises a strip 235 that extends along the rear edge 124, for example along all the length thereof, and includes a longitudinal slit that allows the rear rack support 210 to be mounted on the rest element 119 with the rear edge 124 inserted in said slit.

[0036] The concepts of the present invention also apply in case the frontal and/or the rear rack supports are mounted on the frontal/rear edges of the rest element in a different way, such as for example by means of pins, pivots, hooks, snap-fit engagements or by gluing or soldering.

[0037] The frontal rack support 205 comprises two frontal bracket coupling elements 255, for example protruding downward from the strip 230 perpendicularly to the surface of the rest element 119. The two frontal bracket coupling elements 255 are spaced to one another by a distance corresponding to the width of the frontal bracket 215, i.e., to the length of the central portion 222 thereof. For example, the two frontal bracket coupling elements 255 are located at the ends of the strip 230. Each frontal bracket coupling element 255 is provided with a respective hole. The frontal bracket 215 is rotatably connected to the two frontal bracket coupling elements 255, with each lateral branch 221 thereof that has an end rotatably inserted in the hole of a respective frontal bracket coupling element 255.

[0038] Likewise, the rear rack support 210 comprises two rear bracket coupling elements 260, for example protruding downward from the strip 235 perpendicularly to the surface of the rest element 119. The two rear bracket coupling elements 260 are spaced to one another by a distance corresponding to the width of the rear bracket 220, i.e., to the length of the central portion 222 thereof. For example, the two rear bracket coupling elements 260 are located at the ends of the strip 235. Each rear bracket coupling element 260 is provided with a respective hole. The rear bracket 220 is rotatably connected to the two rear bracket coupling elements 260, with each lateral branch 221 thereof that has an end rotatably inserted in the hole of a respective rear bracket coupling element 260.

[0039] In the unfolded configuration (Figure 2A), the frontal and rear brackets 215, 220 are in an unfolded position under the rest element 119. In the unfolded position, the frontal and rear brackets 215, 220 are such that each one forms a corresponding angle (different than zero) with respect to the surface of the rest element 119. The orientations of the frontal and rear brackets 215, 220 in the unfolded configuration are such to allow an elongated item 130 to be inserted astride an arc-shaped section 223 in the frontal bracket 215 and the arc-shaped section 223 in the rear bracket 220 corresponding (i.e., aligned) to said arc-shaped section 223 in the frontal bracket 215, so as to be suspended under the shelf 118.

[0040] In the folded configuration (Figure 2B), the frontal and rear brackets 215, 220 are in a folded position. In the folded position, the frontal and rear brackets 215, 220 are parallel to the surface of the rest element 119, below the latter.

[0041] The rack device 105 may be switched from the unfolded configuration (Figure 2A) to the folded configuration (Figure 2B) by pivoting the frontal bracket 215 and the rear bracket 220 toward the rest element 119 of the shelf 118; the rack device 105 may be switched from the folded configuration (Figure 2B) to the unfolded configuration (Figure 2A) by pivoting the frontal bracket 215 and the rear bracket 220 moving away from the rest element 119 of the shelf 118.

[0042] The frontal a rear bracket 215, 220 are therefore rotatably connected to the frontal edge and a rear edge of the shelf 118, respectively, so as to be movable, by rotating in opposite directions, between the folded position adjacent to the shelf and the unfolded position spaced apart from the shelf where they are suitable to hold the elongated item 130.

[0043] Advantageously, clew elements (not illustrated) may be provided on the frontal and/or rear coupling elements 255, 260 to keep the frontal 215 and/or the rear bracket 220 in their respective unfolded positions when the rack device 105 is in the unfolded configuration.

[0044] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rear bracket 220 is provided with a stop element 280 adapted to avoid that an elongated item 130 held by the rack device 105 comes into contact with the rear wall 112 of the refrigerator compartment 110. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the stop element 280 is a metal wire substantially U-shaped, connected between the lateral branches 221 of the rear bracket 220. In this way, when an elongated item 130 is inserted in the rack device 105 (in the unfolded configuration), the elongated item 130 is free to slide astride an arc-shaped section 223 of the frontal bracket 215 and astride the corresponding arc-shaped section 223 of the rear bracket 220 until one of its ends (e.g., the bottom) enters in contact with the stop element 280. In the example illustrated in Figures 1A-1C, wherein the elongated item 130 is a bottle of wine, the bottom of the bottle rests against the stop element 280.

[0045] The stop element 280 is orientated with respect to the rear bracket 220 so as to extend under the shelf 118 perpendicularly to the surface of the rest element 119 when the rack device 105 is in the folded configuration (see Figure 2B). Advantageously, the stop element 280 is positioned on the rear bracket 220 so as to be located close to the rear wall 112 of the refrigerator compartment 110 when the rack device 105 is in the folded configuration, thus avoiding to occupy an excessive space in the compartment 110 when the rack device 105 is unused.

[0046] Similar considerations apply in case the stop element 280 is made in a different material (such as plastic) and/or have a different shape.

[0047] The rack device 105 according to the embodiments of the present invention is installable within the refrigerator compartment 110 with ease, since the supports for the brackets (i.e., the frontal rack support 205 and the rear rack support 210) are located at the frontal and rear edges 122, 124 of the rest element 119 of the shelves 118 only, leaving the side edges 126 thereof free. In this way, when a shelf 180 provided with the rack device 105 is installed in the refrigerator compartment 110, the shelf 180 does not risk wedging with the shelf supports 116 provided on the lateral walls 114 of the compartments.

[0048] Moreover, the rack device 105 according to the embodiments of the present invention does not occupy an excessive amount of space in the refrigerator compartment 110, even in the case in which the stop element 280 is provided.

[0049] In the foregoing, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been described. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that several modifications to the described embodiments are possible.

[0050] For example, in alternative embodiments the arc-shaped sections of the brackets may be replaced by support elements having different shapes.

[0051] Moreover, the strips of the frontal and/or rear rack supports may have different shapes and/or different lengths, for example lower than the length of the frontal and rear edges of the rest element.

[0052] Furthermore, the bracket coupling elements may have a different shape and may be located in different locations on the corresponding strip, other than the ends thereof.

[0053] Although in the description reference has been made to a shelf provided with a single rack device, similar considerations apply in case two or more rack devices are mounted on a same shelf.

Claims

1. Food refrigerator (100) comprising:

- a refrigerator compartment (110);

- at least one shelf (118) positioned in the compartment;

- a rack device (105) coupled to the shelf (118) and suitable to hold at least an elongated item (130);
characterized in that the rack device (105) comprises a frontal bracket (215) and a rear bracket (220) rotatably connected to a frontal edge (122) and a rear edge (124) of the shelf, respectively, so as to be movable, by rotating in opposite directions, between a folded position adjacent to the shelf and an unfolded position spaced apart from the shelf where they are suitable to hold the elongated item.

2. Food refrigerator (100) of claim 1, wherein:

- the refrigerator compartment (110) has a frontal opening and a rear wall (112) opposite the frontal opening,

- the frontal edge (122) of the shelf faces the frontal opening and the rear edge (124) of the shelf faces the rear wall (112),

- the rack device (105) comprises a frontal rack support (205) mounted on the frontal edge (122) of the shelf (118) and a rear rack support (210) mounted on the rear edge (124) of the shelf (118), the frontal bracket (215) being rotatably connected with the frontal rack support (205) and the rear bracket (220) being rotatably connected with the rear rack support (210).

3. Food refrigerator (100) of claim 2, wherein the frontal rack support (205) comprises a strip element (230) that extends along the frontal edge (122) of the shelf (118) and the rear rack support (210) comprises a further strip element (235) that extends along the rear edge (124) of the shelf (118).

4. Food refrigerator (100) of claim 3, wherein the strip element (230) comprises a longitudinal slit, the frontal rack support (205) being mounted with the frontal edge (122) inserted in said slit, and wherein the further strip element (235) comprises a further longitudinal slit, the rear rack support (210) being mounted with the rear edge (124) inserted in said further slit.

5. Food refrigerator (100) of claim 3 or 4, wherein:

- the frontal rack support (205) comprises two frontal bracket coupling elements (255) connected to the strip element (230), the frontal bracket (215) being rotatably connected to the frontal bracket coupling elements (255) and

- the rear rack support (210) comprises two rear bracket coupling elements (260) connected to the further strip element (235), the rear bracket (220) being rotatably connected to the rear bracket coupling elements (260).

6. Food refrigerator (100) of claim 5, wherein the frontal and rear brackets (215, 220) are substantially U-shaped, and each one comprises two lateral branches (221) connected to a central portion (222).

7. Food refrigerator (100) of claim 6, wherein each frontal bracket coupling element (255) and each rear bracket coupling element (260) is provided with a respective hole, the frontal bracket (215) having each lateral branch (221) thereof that has an end rotatably inserted in the hole of a respective frontal bracket coupling element (255), and the rear bracket (220) having each lateral branch (221) thereof that has an end rotatably inserted in the hole of a respective rear bracket coupling element (260).

8. Food refrigerator (100) of any one among the preceding claims, wherein the rack device (105) comprises a rear stop element (280) for an end of the elongated item (130).

9. Food refrigerator (100) of claim 8, wherein the stop element (280) is coupled to the rear bracket (220).

Drawing