A COOLING DEVICE

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a cooling device comprising a storage unit that provides for the storage of items to be refrigerated and for their easy retrieval.

[0002] Various storage units have been developed with the aim of making it possible to facilitate the storage of items to be refrigerated inside the cooling device, particularly cans and bottles. These storage units can be mounted underneath or on top of the shelves situated in the interior of the cooling device, as well as onto the housing of the cooling device or the door of the cooling device.

[0003] In German Patent number 3039962 within the prior art, a storage unit divided by a wall into two sections is explained, wherein bottles are loaded through a loading aperture located in the upper surface and retrieved from a dispensing aperture in the bottom surface.

[0004] In another patent within the prior art, namely United States Patent number 4368625, a structure is explained that makes it possible for bottles situated in the freezing compartment of the cooling device to pass to an area of the cooling device possessing a higher temperature than the freezing compartment.

[0005] In the storage unit explained in European Patent Application number 0490693, bottles are loaded from above and retrieved from below.

[0006] A further storage unit is known from EP 1 030 141.

[0007] In the dispensers explained in the patents / patent applications mentioned above, the opportunity only exists to retrieve whichever bottle is at the dispensing aperture located in the bottom surface. That is, one cannot choose one bottle from among many.

[0008] The aim of this invention is to develop a cooling device comprising a storage unit which makes it possible to store items to be refrigerated - particularly bottles and cans- and to retrieve items that are desired from among the stored items.

[0009] The cooling device realized in order to attain the object of this invention has been illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a storage unit;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a storage unit with cans placed inside it;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a storage unit, mounted inside the housing and with cans placed inside it;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a storage unit mounted onto a door.

[0010] Parts shown in the drawing numbered one by one as follows:

1. Cooling device

2. Main housing

3. Door

4. Storage unit

5. Housing

6. Dispensing aperture

7. Loading aperture

8. Retainer

9. Barrier

10. Recess

11. Protrusion

[0011] The cooling device (1) comprises a main housing (2), in which items to be refrigerated are placed, a door (3) providing access from the outside to the interior of the main housing (2), and a storage unit (4) including the following: a housing (5), which makes it possible to store items to be refrigerated - especially bottles and / or cans - and which facilitates the retrieval of the particular can desired; a loading aperture (7), positioned on the housing (5), which enables the loading of the cans; and a dispensing aperture (6), which enables the retrieval of a can loaded by the user. The storage unit (4) also includes one or more retainers (8) made from a material that is of such flexibility as to provide one with the opportunity to retrieve one particular can from among those which have been loaded into the housing (5), whereby the aforesaid retainers (8) block the dispensing aperture (6) completely or partially and prevent the cans from becoming separated from each other, without stopping the dispensing process from taking place or preventing one from seeing the loaded products.

[0012] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the retainer (8) comprises one or more recesses (10) and protrusions (11), which only bend in that part situated in front of the one of the cans loaded into the housing (5) that is actually desired, thereby enabling the removal of the can from the housing (5) without the other cans loaded in the housing (5) becoming detached from the housing (5) (Figure 1 and Figure 2).

[0013] The recesses (10) and protrusions (11) are preferably made in the shape of a finger, but they may have any shape, for example, that of a comb, a tooth or suchlike. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the retainer (8) can be cut up and used in pieces.

[0014] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the storage unit (4) has been mounted vertically onto the main housing (2) or door (3) (Figure 3 and Figure 4).

[0015] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, there are one or more barriers (9) on the surface facing the dispensing aperture (6). These help to hold at designated intervals the cans which have been loaded through the loading aperture (7) and make it easy for the user to grasp the can with a finger or hand.

[0016] A can is loaded through the loading aperture (7) into the storage unit (4), which is preferably installed vertically inside the cooling device (1). Having passed through the loading aperture (7), the can drops freely as a consequence of the force of gravity down through the storage unit (4) and falls into place within the storage unit (4). A second can that the user may wish to place in the storage unit (4) undergoes the same movement and falls into place on top of the can inserted previously. Other cans are also placed in this way one on top of the other inside the storage unit (4). When the retrieval of one of the cans loaded into the storage unit (4) by the user is desired, the can can easily be grasped and pulled outwards from inside the storage unit (4). During this pulling process, the protrusions (11) comprised in the retainer (8), which only bend in front of the can that the user wishes to take, facilitate the exit of the can from the storage unit (4) through the dispensing aperture (6). The cans on top take the place of the can discharged to the exterior.

[0017] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the dispensing aperture (6) can also be used as a loading aperture (7).

[0018] In another embodiment of the invention, the storage unit (4) can be fitted in a sloping or horizontal manner, just as it can be fitted vertically onto the main housing (2) or door (3). The planes used in the first case may be the same as, or different from, the planes used in the second case.

[0019] The storage unit (4) can be fixed to the interior of the cooling device (1) - especially to the main housing (2) or door (3) - using screws and similar fastening elements, or it may be fixed with adhesive.

[0020] With the help of the storage unit (4) located inside the present invention, the cooling device, it is possible to store cans in particular and to remove the desired can from the storage unit (4).

Claims

1. A cooling device (1) comprising a main housing (2), in which items to be refrigerated are placed, and a door (3) providing access from the outside to the interior of the main housing (2); and characterised by a storage unit (4) enabling the storage of items to be refrigerated, especially bottles and / or cans and the retrieval of the can desired, said storage unit (4) comprises a housing (5), a dispensing aperture (6) which enables retrieval of the can loaded by the user, one or more retainers (8) made of a material that is of such flexibility as to provide one with the opportunity to retrieve the particular desired can from among those loaded into the housing (5), whereby the aforesaid retainers (8) block the dispensing aperture (6) completely or partially and prevent the cans from becoming separated from each other without stopping the dispensing process from taking place or preventing one from seeing the loaded products.

2. A cooling device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that the storage unit (4) comprises the retainer (8) including one or more recesses (10) and protrusions (11) which only bend in that part situated in front of that one of the cans loaded into the housing (5) that is actually desired, thereby enabling the removal of the can from the housing (5) without the other cans loaded in the housing (5) becoming detached from the housing.

3. A cooling device (1) according to any of the above claims, characterised in that the storage unit (4) comprises a loading aperture (7) that is located on the housing (5) and that provides for the loading of the cans and one or more barriers (9) on the surface facing the dispensing aperture (6), said barriers (9) which help to hold at designated intervals the cans that have been loaded through the loading aperture (7) and which make it easy for the user to grasp a can with a finger or hand.

4. A cooling device (1) according to any of the above claims, characterised in that the storage unit (4) is fitted vertically onto the main housing (2) or door (3).

Ansprüche

1. Kühlvorrichtung (1), umfassend ein Hauptgehäuse (2), in das die zu kühlenden Gegenstände gelegt werden, und eine Tür (3), die von außen Zugang zum Inneren des Hauptgehäuses (2) bietet; und gekennzeichnet durch eine Aufbewahrungseinheit (4), die das Aufbewahren von zu kühlenden Gegenständen ermöglicht, insbesondere Flaschen und/oder Dosen, und das Zurückerhalten der gewünschten Dose, wobei die genannte Aufbewahrungseinheit (4) ein Gehäuse (5), eine Ausgabeöffnung (6), die das Zurückerhalten der Dose ermöglicht, die von dem Benutzer hineingelegt wurde, und eine oder mehrere Halterungen (8) umfasst, die aus einem Material hergestellt sind, das eine derartige Flexibilität aufweist, dass es die Möglichkeit bietet, die jeweilige gewünschte Dose unter den in das Gehäuse (5) gelegten Dosen zurückzuerhalten, wobei die obengenannten Halterungen (8) die Ausgabeöffnung (6) vollständig oder teilweise blockieren und verhindern, dass die Dosen sich voneinander trennen, ohne das Stattfinden des Ausgabevorgangs zu unterbrechen, oder zu verhindern, dass die eingefüllten Produkte gesehen werden können.

2. Kühlvorrichtung (1) nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Halterung (8) der Aufbewahrungseinheit (4) eine oder mehrere Vertiefungen (10) und Vorsprünge (11) aufweist, die sich nur an dem Teil biegen, der vor derjenigen Dose unter den in das Gehäuse (5) gelegten Dosen angeordnet ist, die tatsächlich gewünscht wird, wodurch ein Herausnehmen der Dose aus dem Gehäuse (5) ermöglicht wird, ohne dass sich andere in das Gehäuse (5) gelegte Dosen vom Gehäuse lösen.

3. Kühlvorrichtung (1) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Aufbewahrungseinheit (4) eine Ladeöffnung (7) umfasst, die am Gehäuse (5) angeordnet ist, und die das Laden der Dosen vorsieht, und eine oder mehrere Barrieren (9) an der Fläche, die der Ausgabeöffnung (6) zugewandt ist, wobei die genannten Barrieren (9) dazu beitragen, die Dosen, die durch die Ladeöffnung (7) geladen wurden, in vorbestimmten Abständen voneinander zu halten, und es dem Benutzer erleichtern, eine Dose mit einem Finger oder einer Hand zu ergreifen.

4. Kühlvorrichtung (1) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Aufbewahrungseinheit (4) vertikal am Hauptgehäuse (2) oder an der Tür (3) angebracht ist.

Revendications

1. Un dispositif de refroidissement (1) comprenant un boîtier principal (2), dans lequel sont placés les objets à réfrigérer, et une porte (3) permettant d'accéder l'extérieur à l'intérieur du boîtier principal (2) ; et caractérisé par une unité de stockage (4) permettant le stockage des objets à réfrigérer, notamment de bouteilles et/ou de canettes et facilitant l'extraction de la canette voulue, ladite unité de stockage (4) comprenant un boîtier (5), un orifice de distribution (6) qui permet l'extraction de la canette chargé par l'utilisateur, un ou plusieurs dispositifs de retenue (8) faits d'un matériel qui est d'une telle flexibilité de permettre à l'utilisateur d'extraire la canette particulière voulue d'entre celles qui sont chargées dans le boîtier (5), où lesdits dispositifs de retenue (8) bloquent complètement ou partiellement l'orifice de distribution (6) et empêchent les canettes de se séparer les unes des autres sans arrêter le processus de distribution ou empêcher l'utilisateur de voir les objets chargés.

2. Un dispositif de refroidissement (1) selon la Revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'unité de stockage (4) comprend le dispositif de retenue (8) comprenant un ou plusieurs évidements (10) et saillies (11) qui se courbe seulement à cette partie située en face de l'une des canettes chargées dans le boîtier (5) qui est réellement voulue, ainsi permettant l'extraction de la canette du boîtier (5) sans que les autres canettes chargées dans le boîtier (5) se détachent du boîtier.

3. Un dispositif de refroidissement (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que l'unité de stockage (4) comprend un orifice de chargement (7) qui est situé sur le boîtier (5) et qui permet le chargement des canettes et un ou plusieurs barrières (9) sur la surface en face de l'orifice de distribution (6), lesdites barrières (9) qui aident à maintenir les canettes chargées par l'orifice de chargement (7) aux intervalles déterminés et qui le rend facile pour l'utilisateur de saisir une canette avec un doigt ou une main.

4. Un dispositif de refroidissement (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que l'unité de stockage (4) est monté verticalement sur le boîtier principal (2) ou la porte (3).

Drawing