WO2006011115A1

WO2006011115A1 - A cooling device

Info

Publication number: WO2006011115A1
Application number: PCT/IB2005/052394
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mehmet Ali Karasu; Han Iyigun; Nihat Bayiz; Adlihan Tartan
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2004-07-21
Filing date: 2005-07-19
Publication date: 2006-02-02
Also published as: EP1769205A1; ES2344117T3; DE602005021637D1; ATE470118T1; EP1769205B1; TR200700215T1

Abstract

This invention relates to a cooling device (1) which comprises a storage unit (4) designed to ensure that the internal volume of the cooling device (1) is utilized in a most effective manner and to ensure that bottles and cans are stored inside the cooling device (1) safely and, are cooled effectively.

Description

Description A COOLING DEVICE

[001] This invention relates to a cooling device which comprises a storage unit for storing items to be cooled, particularly for storing bottles and cans.

[002] In cooling devices, there is provided one or more than one shelf whereon food containers, beverage bottles or cans are placed. Various difficulties occur when placing cylindrical containers, especially bottles and cans, onto mentioned shelves. The most frequent difficulty is the rolling motion of the containers on the shelf. Moreover, containers placed on a shelf cause the internal volume of the cooling device to be utilized inefficiently. For that reason, it is important to design separate compartments inside the cooling device to store bottles and cans, for using the internal volume of the cooling device efficiently.

[003] There are various applications available to utilize the internal volume of the cooling device in a most efficient manner and to ensure that bottles and cans are stored inside the cooling device safely and, are cooled effectively. The most suitable place to store bottles and cans without occupying much space in the internal volume of the cooling device, is the underneath of shelves attached onto the body, which usually remains as dead volume (unusable space). Various applications for utilization of said underneath space of the shelves, are present in the current state of the art.

[004] In the current state of the art, in the United States Patent Document US 5323917, a description is given of an additional shelf which comprises a housing with appropriate dimensions such that especially a wine bottle can fit and, which is attached onto a shelf inside the cooling device which incorporates a bottom wall preferably inclined from the rear wall towards the front wall, by means of a brace member. Said additional shelf is dimensioned so that beverage cans, egg cartons but especially wine bottles can easily be positioned.

[005] In the current state of the art, in the German Patent Application DEl 9821824, a de¬ scription is given of a bottle holder attached to a shelf, holding both cans and bottles.

[006] The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooling device comprising a storage unit for storing items to be cooled, particularly for storing bottles and cans.

[007] The cooling device designed to fulfill the objectives of the present invention is il¬ lustrated in the attached figures where:

[008] Fig.1 - is a perspective view of a storage unit.

[009] Fig.2 - is a side view of a storage unit.

[010] Fig.3 - is a perspective view of a storage unit, attached onto a shelf and holding a bottle.

[011] Fig.4 - is a perspective view of a storage unit, attached onto a shelf and holding a can. [012] Elements shown in figures are numbered as follows:

1. Cooling device

2. Body

3. Shelf

4. Storage unit

5. Side wall

6. Rear wall

7. Front wall

8. Base

9. Indentation

10. Hook

11. Stopper

12. Support

[013] The cooling device (1), which is the object of the present invention, comprises a body (2), one or more than one shelf (3) placed inside the body (2) and, a storage unit (4) especially for storing wine bottles and tin cans.

[014] The storage unit (4) comprises a rear wall (6), a front wall (7), one or more than one side wall (5) connecting the rear wall (6) and the front wall (7), a base (8) enclosed by all of the mentioned walls, whereby it is enabled that tin cans in the back move forward as one of the loaded tin cans, the one in the front, is taken, by descending from the rear wall (6) towards the front wall (7) and, an indentation (9) along the base (8) which (9) ensures that bottles placed on it are fitted by preventing them from moving and, that the mouth portion of the bottle is higher compared to the bottom portion by ascending from the rear wall (6) towards the front wall (7) providing the bottle not to fall (Figure 1 and Figure 2).

[015] The indentation (9) at the base (8) of the storage unit (4) incorporates a structure in the form of a bottle, partially grasping the bottle, with a slope preferably ascending from the rear wall (6) towards the front wall (7) in order to store especially wine bottles horizontally. The front wall (7) incorporates a housing which is formed on it according to the characteristics of wine bottles and where the neck portion of the bottle can fit. In addition to that, since the indentation (9) ascends from the rear wall (6) towards the front wall (7), the storage unit (4) can easily be utilized to support and store the wine bottle even without the front wall (7) (Figure 3).

[016] Whereas the base (8) incorporates a structure ascending from the front wall (7) towards the rear wall (6) so that tin cans where especially beverages are stored can be reached easily as they slide to the front of the storage unit (4), the indentation (9) on the base (8) ascends from the rear wall (6) towards the front wall (7) so that the wine bottle is prevented from falling to front and that the mouth portion of the bottle is positioned a bit higher than the bottom portion. The base (8) comprises one or more than one stopper (11) in the form of a projection, formed in order to prevent the cans placed on it from falling from the storage unit (4) while sliding (Figure 4).

[017] The storage unit (4) comprises a hook (10) whereby it is attached onto the shelf (3) inside the body (2), which hook (10) extends parallel to the side wall (5) and in¬ corporates a fitting surface with a width suitable to fit the upper surface of the shelf (3). There is provided a gap on the edge where the shelf (3) fits to the body (2) or, between mentioned edge and the body (2), so that the hook (10) can pass therethrough.

[018] The storage unit (4) is attached onto the shelf (3) by passing the hook (10) through the gap which is either positioned on the edge of the shelf (3) or between the shelf (3) and body (2). The length of the hook (10) are such that at least one bottle can be placed to the storage unit (10). Thereby, between the storage unit (4) and the shelf (3), there is a distance enabling at least one bottle to be placed to the storage unit (4).

[019] The storage unit (4) comprises one or more than one support (12) at the outer surfaces of its side walls (5), whereby the storage unit (4) is supported to be kept horizontal as the center of gravity of the storage unit (4) changes due to loaded bottles and cans, by bearing to the body (2) while the storage unit (4) is attached onto the shelf (3) by means of the hook (10).

[020] The storage unit (4) can be detached by the user when it is not used. Thereby, it is achieved that the internal volume of the cooling device (1) is utilized more effectively by detaching the storage unit (4) when not using it.

[021] By utilizing the storage unit (4) which is the object of the present invention, it is ac¬ complished to utilize the internal volume of the cooling device (1) in a most effective manner and to ensure that bottles and cans are stored inside the cooling device (1) safely and, are cooled effectively.

Claims

[001] A cooling device (1) comprising, a body (2) and; one or more than one shelf (3) located inside the body (2); and characterized by a storage unit (4) which comprises a rear wall (6), a front wall (7), one or more than one side wall (5) connecting the rear wall (6) and the front wall (7), a base (8) enclosed by all of the mentioned walls, whereby it is enabled that tin cans in the back move forward as one of the loaded tin cans, the one in the front, is taken, by descending from the rear wall (6) towards the front wall (7) and, an indentation (9) along the base (8) which (9) ensures that bottles placed on it are fitted by preventing them from moving and, that the mouth portion of the bottle is higher compared to the bottom portion by ascending from the rear wall (6) towards the front wall (7) and so that the bottle does not fall.

[002] A cooling device (1) as described in Claim 1, characterized by a storage unit (4) which comprises one or more than one support (12) whereby the storage unit (4) is supported to be kept horizontal as the center of gravity of the storage unit (4) changes due to loaded bottles and cans and whereby the inclinations of the base (8) and indentation (9) do not change, by bearing to the body

(2) while said storage unit (4) is attached onto the shelf

(3).

[003] A cooling device (1) as described in Claims 1, 2, characterized by a storage unit

(4) which comprises a base (8) that incorporates one or more than one stopper (11) in the form of a projection, formed in order to prevent the bottles and cans placed on it from falling from the storage unit (4) by sliding.

[004] A cooling device (1) as described in Claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized by a storage unit (4) which comprises a hook (10) whereby it is attached onto the shelf (3), which extends parallel to the side wall (5) and, incorporates a fitting surface with a width suitable to fit the upper surface of the shelf (3).

[005] A cooling device (1) as described in Claim 4, characterized by a shelf (3) which comprises a gap that is either positioned on its edge where said shelf (3) fits to the body (2) or between the edge and body (2) so that the hook (10) can pass there through.