WO2009133006A2

WO2009133006A2 - A cooling device

Info

Publication number: WO2009133006A2
Application number: PCT/EP2009/054828
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hakan Demir; Sati Mutlu; Faruk Hosgor
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2008-05-02
Filing date: 2009-04-22
Publication date: 2009-11-05
Also published as: WO2009133006A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling device (1) which comprises a body (2), a top compartment (3) and a bottom compartment (4) arranged in the body (2), an intermediate wall (5) between compartments (3 and 4), at least one door (6) enabling access to the interior of the top compartment (3) and at least one cover (7) enabling access to the interior of the bottom compartment (4), the depth of the top compartment being less than that of bottom compartment.

Description

A COOLING DEVICE

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device wherein interior volume is easily accessible.

[0002] Cooling devices consist of a body where foods to be cooled are placed and doors enabling the access to the interior of the body and/or drawers. Manufacturers have started to manufacture larger, deeper and higher cooling devices in line with the demand of extended families and users who do not have much time for shopping. Users who do shopping once a week or even a month can keep all the foods in the cooling device with spacious interior.

[0003] In order to access the desired compartments by grouping foods, cooling devices are preferred to be divided into more than one compartment. For example, drawers are designated for vegetables and door shelves for drinks so that it is sufficient to open the specific drawer or door to access to the desired compartment, thus cold air in remaining compartments is kept. However, accessing foods at rear end is difficult because those compartments are quite deep.

[0004] In state of the art, European Patent Document No EP1813895 a cooling device divided into many compartments by drawers to make access to foods easier and to isolate the cooling device interior from outside much more is mentioned. This built in cooling device requires to be taken out of its cabinet by means of a rail mechanism on it in order to access drawers on the sidewalls.

[0005] The aim of present invention is the realization of a cooling device wherein interior volume is easily accessible.

[0006] The cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises compartments which divide the body of the cooling device into top and bottom volumes, an intermediate wall enabling isolation between compartments, and their doors.

[0007] Top compartment of the cooling device forming an L shaped body is narrower than the bottom compartment and outer surfaces of top compartment and bottom compartment doors form an almost aligned plane.

[0008] Furthermore, the cooling device looks like other cooling devices when looked from outside, all kinds of foods can be loaded on all the shelves because top compartment door shelves are approximately as deep as top compartment shelves. Thus, interior volume of top compartment is effectively used and all the foods in it are easily accessible.

[0009] In an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device has a storage volume inside the intermediate wall. This storage volume is of at least one opening for access from top when top compartment door is opened or from front when bottom compartment door is opened.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention where cooling device is inside a cabinet, the cooling device comprises two top compartment doors opening to both sides placed in the top compartment of the cooling device. In this embodiment of the invention, each of the top compartment doors comprises at least one gasket on the surface contacting with the body as well as on the surfaces contacting to each other. Gaskets isolate interior from outside completely when top compartment doors are closed.

[0011] In the embodiment of the present invention, by means of the top compartment door having a deeper depth, accessing the top compartment shelf easily is enabled, also most of the foods desired to be kept in top compartment volume can be stored in top compartment door.

[0012] A cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0013] Figure 1 - is the perspective view of the cooling device of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 2 - is the perspective view of the built in cooling device when the cabinet is taken out in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 3 - is perspective view of cooling device when storage volume is accessed from top in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 4 - is perspective view of the cooling device when storage volume is accessed from the front in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Elements shown in figures are numbered as follows: 1. Cooling device

2. Body

3. Top compartment

4. Bottom compartment

5. Intermediate Wall

6. Door

7. Cover

8. Storage volume

9. Gasket

[0018] The cooling device (1) comprises a body (2), a top compartment (3) and a bottom compartment (4) arranged inside the body (2), an intermediate wall (5) between compartments (3 and 4), at least one door (6) allowing access to interior of top compartment (3) and at least one cover (7) enabling access to interior of the bottom compartment (4).

[0019] The cooling device (1) furthermore comprises:

[0020] - a top compartment (3) depth of which is less than the depth of bottom compartment (4) (D1<D2) and

[0021] - a cover (7) outer surface of which is almost an aligned plane with the outer surface of door (6) (D1 +K1 =D2+K2).

[0022] Depth of the door (6) (K1 ) is around half of overall depth of top compartment (3) (K1 +D1). That means shelves on top compartment (3) and the shelves on its door (6) are of almost equal depth. Thus, when user opens the door (6), the user can easily reach all of the top compartment (3) shelves as well as door (6) shelves, which is almost the same depth. At the same time, the depth of top compartment (3) (D1) is almost half of the depth of bottom compartment (4) (D2) (D1 »D2/2). Therefore, the body (2) is in the shape of L, horizontal leg of which is bottom compartment (4) and the vertical leg is the top compartment (3). (Figure 2)

[0023] In an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises a storage volume (8) which is in the bottom part of the door (6) and in the intermediate wall (5). This storage volume (8) may be used to store some articles such as medications, and vacuuming devices to be taken out when necessary. [0024] In an embodiment of the present invention, user can access the storage volume (8) which is under the top compartment (3) door (6) by opening the top compartment door (6).

[0025] In another embodiment of the present invention, when the cover (7) is closed, it conceals the front part of the intermediate wall (5). User can access the storage volume (8) from the front part of the intermediate wall

(5) when the user opens the cover (7).

[0026] By means of these embodiments, a storage volume (8) is obtained in the intermediate wall (5) without narrowing the cooling area of the compartments (3 and 4).

[0027] In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) is an built in cooling device (1) which is located in a cabinet in kitchen furniture. The cooling device (1) has a rail mechanism, which enables the cooling device (1) to be pulled forward so that the top compartment door

(6) in a cabinet can be opened. When the user pulls the door (6) towards himself/herself or pushes a button for an automatic rail mechanism, the cooling device (1) moves forward out of the cabinet through the rail mechanism as long as the depth (D1) of the door (6). Thus, it is easy to access the interior of the top compartment (3) which is getting forward by its door (6) opening. Besides, any dust and dirt is prevented from accumulating between the body (2) and the cabinet by not leaving a gap therein. Built in cooling device (1) is taken out of the cabinet by means of a rail mechanism in order to prevent deeper door (6) from colliding with the walls of cabinet when it is being opened. (Figure 4)

[0028] In an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises two top compartment (3) doors (6), which are opened to the sides. Thus, when the user pulls two of the doors (6) together, the cooling device (1) can be pulled out through the rail mechanism in a stable way. In this embodiment of the present invention, the doors (6) comprise gaskets (9) which enable isolation from outside on the surfaces, where they contact each other and the body (2).

[0029] The embodiment of the present invention enables accessing to top compartment (3) shelves easily by means of the deeper door (6), and most of the foods to be stored in top compartment (3) can be stored on its door (6). Besides, the storage volume of the intermediate wall (5) under the door (6) provides an additional storage area.

Claims

1. A cooling device (1 ) comprising a body (2), a top compartment (3) and a bottom compartment (4), which are located in the body (2), a intermediate wall (5) between compartments (3 and 4), at least one door (6) enabling access to interior of top compartment (3) and at least one cover (7) enabling access to interior of bottom compartment (4); characterized by a top compartment (3), depth (D1) of which is less than the depth (D2) of bottom compartment (4) and a cover (7), outer surface of which is an almost aligned plane with the outer surface of (6)

2. A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1 , characterized by a body (2) which forms an L shape; horizontal leg of which is the bottom compartment (4) and vertical leg of which is the top compartment (3) and a door (6) on the bottom compartment (4) constituting the horizontal leg of the L shape.

3. A cooling device (1) as in Claims 1 and 2, characterized by the body where depth (D1) of top compartment (3) is almost half of the depth (D2) of bottom compartment (4).

4. A cooling device (1) as in Claims 1 , 2 and 3, characterized by the body (2), door (6) depth (K1) of which is more than cover (7) depth (K2).

5. A cooling device (1) as in any of the above Claims, characterized by the body (2) which contains a storage volume (8) in the intermediate wall (5), at the lower part of the door (6)

6. A cooling device (1) as in any of the above Claims, characterized by a body (2) comprising the storage volume (8) that can be accessed from the top when the door (6) is opened.

7. A cooling device (1) as in any of the above Claim, characterized by the body (2) comprising the storage volume (8) that can be accessed from front when the cover (7) is opened.

8. A cooling device (1) as in any of the above Claim, characterized by the body (2) comprising two doors (6) opened to the sides and gaskets (9) on the surfaces where doors (6) contact to each other and the body (2).

9. A cooling device (1 ) as in any of the above Claims, which is built in.