FOOD-HOLDING TRAY WITH REARWARDLY TAPERED GUIDE RAIL, AS WELL AS GUIDING APPARATUS AND HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATION APPLIANCE

Abstract

A food-holding tray for a household refrigeration appliance includes a side wall and a guide rail disposed on an external side of the side wall for coupling the food-holding tray to at least one tray-external guiding apparatus for guiding the food-holding tray in a sliding movement. The guide rail, viewed in the depth direction of the food-holding tray, is tapered in a rear end section. A guiding apparatus and a household refrigeration appliance are also provided.

Claims

1. A food-holding tray for a household refrigeration appliance, the food-holding tray comprising: a side wall having an external side; a guide rail disposed on said external side of said side wall for coupling the food-holding tray to at least one tray-external guiding apparatus for guiding the food-holding tray in a sliding movement; said guide rail having a rear end section being tapered in a depth direction of the food-holding tray.

2. The food-holding tray according to claim 1, wherein at least said rear end section of said guide rail is a hollow profile.

3. The food-holding tray according to claim 1, wherein said rear end section of said guide rail has a ceiling surface and an upwardly raised contact plateau disposed on said ceiling surface.

4. The food-holding tray according to claim 1, wherein said rear end section of said guide rail has a floor surface, and said floor surface has a recess over a partial length measured in the depth direction of the food-holding tray.

5. The food-holding tray according to claim 4, wherein said floor surface is part of a floor wall, and said recess is open on a side facing away from said side wall.

6. The food-holding tray according to claim 4, wherein said end section has a front end, and said recess ends at said front end.

7. The food-holding tray according to claim 4, wherein said recess has a front end and a rear end defining a height difference therebetween, measured in a height direction of the food-holding tray, said height difference being greater than a height of a stop of the at least one tray-external guiding apparatus, permitting the stop to stop the food-holding tray upon the food-holding tray being slid linearly rearward in the household refrigeration appliance relative to the at least one tray-external guiding apparatus.

8. The food-holding tray according to claim 4, wherein said rear end section of said guide rail has a ceiling surface and an upwardly raised contact plateau disposed on said ceiling surface, said contact plateau and said recess overlapping one another in the depth direction of the food-holding tray.

9. The food-holding tray according to claim 1, wherein said tapered end section of said guide rail has a front end with a height and a rear end with a height, and said height of said rear end is between 40% and 60% of said height of said front end.

10. The food-holding tray according to claim 1, wherein: said tapered end section of said guide rail has a front end; said guide rail has a delimiting wall at which said front end of said end section ends; and said delimiting wall is a stop wall for a stop of the at least one tray-external guiding apparatus.

11. The food-holding tray according to claim 10, wherein the stop is a push-in stop of the at least one tray-external guiding apparatus.

12. The food-holding tray according to claim 10, wherein said stop wall is an integral part of a framework structure of said guide rail.

13. The food-holding tray according to claim 1, wherein said side wall has a convexly bulging lower region, and said guide rail is disposed on said convexly bulging lower region.

14. The food-holding tray according to claim 13, wherein an entire height of said guide rail is within said convexly bulging lower region.

15. A guiding apparatus for guiding a food-holding tray of a household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, the guiding apparatus comprising: a guide channel for receiving and guiding said guide rail disposed on said external side of said side wall of said food-holding tray; said guide channel having a ceiling surface and a floor surface; and said guide channel having at least one of a push-in stop for said guide rail disposed in said guide channel or a pull-out stop for said guide rail disposed outside of said guide channel.

16. The guiding apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said ceiling surface is a ceiling surface of a ceiling wall of said guide channel, and said floor surface is a floor surface of a floor wall of said guide channel.

17. The guiding apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said ceiling surface has a downwardly projecting contact plateau disposed on said ceiling surface.

18. The guiding apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said contact plateau is provided in a front third of a length of said ceiling surface.

19. A household refrigeration appliance, comprising a food-holding tray according to claim 1.

20. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 19, which further comprises: at least one guiding apparatus for guiding said food-holding tray, said at least one guiding apparatus including a guide channel for receiving and guiding said guide rail disposed on said external side of said side wall of said food-holding tray; said guide channel having a ceiling surface and a floor surface; and said guide channel having at least one of a push-in stop for said guide rail disposed in said guide channel or a pull-out stop for said guide rail disposed outside of said guide channel.

21. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 20, which further comprises a plate of the household refrigeration appliance forming a compartment base or a lid, said guiding apparatus being disposed on said plate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0039] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a household refrigeration appliance according to the invention;

[0040] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a food-holding tray according to the invention;

[0041] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a segment I in FIG. 2;

[0042] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a guiding apparatus;

[0043] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a guiding apparatus according to the invention for a food-holding tray, which is disposed therein on a lid of a keep-fresh container;

[0044] FIG. 6 is a perspective view in which the food-holding tray according to

[0045] FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 is disposed on a guiding apparatus according to FIGS. 4, 5;

[0046] FIG. 7 is a perspective, sectional view through the configuration according to FIG. 5, in which the food-holding tray is disposed in a pulled-out stop position in relation to the guiding apparatus;

[0047] FIG. 8 is a perspective, sectional view corresponding to FIG. 7, wherein, however, the food-holding tray, starting from the stop position shown in FIG. 7, is raised in the front region;

[0048] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a sub-region in FIG. 8;

[0049] FIG. 10 is a view of a vertical section through the configuration according to FIG. 6, in which the food-holding tray is disposed in its pushed-in end position on the guiding apparatus;

[0050] FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a sub-region III in FIG. 10:

[0051] FIG. 12 is a top-plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a food-holding tray; and

[0052] FIG. 13 is a side-elevational view of the food-holding tray according to FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0053] Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawings, in which identical or functionally identical elements are denoted by the same reference characters,

[0054] and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a diagrammatic representation of a household refrigeration appliance 1. The household refrigeration appliance 1 can be a refrigerator or a freezer or a combined refrigerator-freezer. The household refrigeration appliance 1 is constructed for storing and preserving food. The household refrigeration appliance 1 has a housing 2. The latter has an external housing 3. The housing 2 also has an internal container 4. The internal container 4 is accommodated in the external housing 3 which is separate therefrom. Thermally insulating material is inserted in an intermediate space between the internal container 4 and the external housing 3.

[0055] The internal container 4 has vertical side walls 5, 6, a ceiling wall 7, a back wall 8 and a floor wall 9. These walls 5 to 9 delimit an accommodation space 10 for food.

[0056] The household refrigeration appliance 1 also has a door 11, which is movably disposed on the housing 2. This accommodation space 10 can be closed by the door 11. The accommodation space 10 can be a refrigerated compartment.

[0057] FIG. 1 also shows a diagrammatic representation of a food-holding tray 12. This food-holding tray 12 is a separate component from the internal container 4. The food-holding tray 12 is non-destructively detachably removable from and re-insertable into the accommodation space 10. Furthermore, it is linearly slidable in this accommodation space 10 in the depth direction (z direction). Guiding apparatuses are provided for this purpose. These will be further explained below. In the exemplary embodiment, it can be provided that the household refrigeration appliance 1 has a keep-fresh container 13. This container 13 can have a tray 14 and a lid 15. In the exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the food-holding tray 12 is disposed on the keep-fresh container 13. In particular, the tray 12 is positioned on the lid 15 and is linearly horizontally slidably mounted thereon.

[0058] FIG. 2 shows a perspective representation of an exemplary embodiment of the food-holding tray 12. This food-holding tray 12 has a side wall 16 and an opposing further side wall 17. In addition, a back wall 18 and a floor wall 19 are provided. A front wall 20 is also provided. The food-holding tray 12 forms a food storage space 21 which is accessible from above.

[0059] The food-holding tray 12 preferably has a width (x direction is the width direction) of greater than or equal to 30 cm. In particular, the dimensional construction of the food-holding tray 12 measured in the depth direction is greater than or equal to 30 cm.

[0060] In the exemplary embodiment shown herein, the food-holding tray 12 is constructed in one piece. A longitudinal guide rail 23 is disposed on an external side 22 of the vertical side wall 17. This guide rail is constructed in one piece with the side wall 17. In the exemplary embodiment, the side wall 17 has an upper region 17a. A lower region 17b is constructed so as to adjoin this upper region 17a directly at the bottom. This lower region 17b is uneven. In this case in particular it is convexly bulging at least in regions. However, a different downwardly oriented tapering of the tray could also be provided. This guide rail 23 is integrated on this lower region 17b on this external side 22. In height, it is constructed completely within this lower region 17b. As can be seen, this guide rail 23 extends over at least 50 per cent, in particular at least 60 per cent, in particular at least 70 per cent of the dimensions of the side wall 17 measured in the depth direction. Viewed in the width direction, the guide rail 23 protrudes outwardly from the external side 22. Viewed in this width direction, the guide rail 23 does not, however, extend beyond the overall width of the side wall 17.

[0061] As can furthermore also be seen in FIG. 2, the back wall 18 also has a lower region 18b, which adjoins an upper region 18a. This lower region 18b is also of a convexly bulging construction. The convex bulges of the lower regions 17b and 18b merge with one another. The side wall 16 corresponds in construction to the side wall 17. A guide rail 23 is likewise integrated on an external side of a lower region of the side wall 16.

[0062] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the guide rail 23 is constructed as a ribbed structure or framework structure. This means that it is not a bar of a solid and hollow-cavity-free construction. Rather, this elongated guide rail 23, which is oriented in the depth direction, is constructed with multiple hollow cavities.

[0063] Viewed in the depth direction, this guide rail 23 has a rear end section 24. This end section 24 is of a tapered construction. This means that a thickness measured in the height direction decreases, in particular continuously decreases, from a (viewed in the depth direction) front end 25 to a (viewed in the depth direction) rear end 26.

[0064] FIG. 3 shows in this connection an enlarged representation of a segment I in FIG. 2. This rear end section 24 can be seen. In addition, a roof wall 27 of the guide rail 23 is shown. A contact plateau 29 is constructed on a ceiling surface 28 of this roof wall 27. This contact plateau 29 is a raised sub-region which projects upwardly relative to the rest of the surface region of the ceiling surface 28. It extends in particular over the entire width of this roof wall 27. In one exemplary embodiment, the roof wall 27 is horizontally oriented. This means that in one exemplary embodiment it is not inclined relative to the horizontal plane.

[0065] Furthermore, the guide rail 23 has, in particular in the tapered end section 24, a floor wall 30 with a top which is a floor surface. The latter is constructed so as to be spaced in the height direction from the roof wall 27. As a result, the end section 24 is formed as a hollow-cavity profile.

[0066] In one exemplary embodiment, the floor wall 30 has a recess 31. The recess 31 is open at the edge. This means that it is constructed so as to be open on the side facing away from the external side 22. The floor wall 30 consequently has a non-uniform width due to this recess 31. The recess 31 has a front end 31a. This end 31a ends at the front end 25 of the end section 24. A rear end 31b of the recess 31 is forwardly offset relative to the rear end 26 of the tapered end section 24. This means that a length of the recess 31 measured in the depth direction is less than the length of this tapered end section 24 measured in the depth direction.

[0067] It can furthermore be seen in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 that the floor wall 30 is obliquely oriented. This means that, starting from its front end 25, it rises upwardly to its rear end 26. In particular, a continuous rise is provided for in this respect. Viewed in the height direction, the end section 24 is consequently narrowest at the rear end 26. It is thickest in this respect at the front end 25.

[0068] Furthermore, FIG. 3 also shows a delimiting wall 32. At the front, this delimiting wall 32 directly adjoins the tapered end section 24. The delimiting wall 32 is vertically oriented. It extends in the width direction over the entire width of the guide rail 23. Due to the construction with the recess 31, this delimiting wall 32 also forms a stop wall for a tray-external stop. The stop is in particular an integral part of a guiding apparatus. Due to the recess 31, the floor wall 30 is narrower at this front end 25 of the end section 24 than the delimiting wall 32. The delimiting wall 32 directly closes off the recess 31 on the front side.

[0069] Viewed in the depth direction, the delimiting wall 32 is a rear delimiting wall. It delimits a further hollow-cavity region 33 of the guide rail 23. Viewed in the depth direction, this hollow-cavity region 33 is delimited at the front by a further delimiting wall 34 (FIG. 2). This front delimiting wall 34 cannot be seen in FIG. 3. This front delimiting wall 34 also protrudes further outward in the width direction than the forwardly continued floor wall 30 of the guide rail 23.

[0070] FIG. 4 shows a perspective representation of an exemplary embodiment of a guiding apparatus 35. The guiding apparatus 35 is a separate component from the food-holding tray 12. The guiding apparatus 35 is constructed in this case as a rail. It has a base plate 36, which is of a strip-shaped construction. In this connection, the linear guiding apparatus 35 has a guide channel 37. When the food-holding tray 12 is coupled to the guiding apparatus 35, the guide rail 23 of the food-holding tray 12 is guided in this guide channel 37. This base plate 36 also in part forms a floor wall 38 with a top as the floor surface of this guide channel 37. Moreover, the guide channel 37 is delimited upwardly by a ceiling surface, in particular a roof wall 39. Outwardly, it is delimited at the side by a side surface, in particular a side wall 40. Inwardly, the guide channel 37 is constructed so as to be open over its entire length. Inside the guide channel 37, and thus inside the air space, which is delimited by the floor wall 38, the roof wall 39 and the side wall 40, a stop 41 is provided. The stop 41 is constructed in one piece with the guiding apparatus 35. It is constructed directly on the floor surface of the floor wall 38. It adjoins the side wall 40. The stop 41 is a push-in stop. This means that when the food-holding tray 12 is pushed in in the depth direction, the guide rail 23 abuts against it, thereby defining a push-in position. In particular, the lower delimiting wall 32, coming from the front, abuts against this stop 41. A rear push-in position of the food-holding tray 12 is thereby defined.

[0071] As is furthermore shown in FIG. 4, a downwardly projecting contact plateau 39a is provided on the ceiling surface. The contact plateau 39a is constructed in the front region of the roof wall 39. This contact plateau 39a is a tilt protection for the food-holding tray 12 when the latter is pulled relatively far forward in relation to the guiding apparatus 35. In particular, the contact plateaus 29 and 39a can then also rest against one another. In particular, the food-holding tray 12 can thereby be held horizontally, in particular in the pull-out position shown in FIG. 7.

[0072] In particular, the contact plateau 29 does not rest directly against the ceiling surface when the food-holding tray 12 is in a position in which the contact plateaus 29 and 39a do not overlap in the depth direction. In particular, a small air gap is then formed.

[0073] In particular, the guiding apparatus 32 has a further stop 42. This further stop 42 is provided on the base plate 36. In particular, it is constructed in one piece therewith. This additional front (viewed in the depth direction) stop 42 is disposed outside the guide channel 37. It is forwardly offset relative to this guide channel 37. This further stop 42 forms a pull-out stop for the food-holding tray 12. When the food-holding tray 12 is pulled out and consequently when the food-holding tray 12 is pulled forward relative to the guiding apparatus 35, the preferably present front delimiting wall 34 coming from the rear stops against this further stop 42.

[0074] In particular, the guiding apparatus 35 is constructed as a one-piece component, in particular made of plastic.

[0075] The guiding apparatus 35 can, as shown in the perspective representation in FIG. 5, be part of a configuration 43. The configuration 43 can include the guiding apparatus 35 and a plate 44 separate therefrom. The plate 44 can be a partition wall or a compartment base. The plate 44 can, however, also be a lid of a keep-fresh container. In particular, the plate 44 can be the lid 15.

[0076] As can be seen in FIG. 5, two guiding apparatuses 35 are provided in this case on opposite sides. They are in particular non-destructively detachably disposed on the plate 44. They can be disposed for example so as to be snapped thereon. However, a non-destructively detachable configuration of the guiding apparatuses 35 on the plate 44 can also be provided.

[0077] FIG. 6 shows a configuration 45 in which the food-holding tray 12 is disposed on the configuration 43. In particular, a mechanical coupling is implemented in this case between the guide rail 23 or the guide rails 23 disposed respectively on the external sides of the opposing side walls 16 and 17 and the two guiding apparatuses 35.

[0078] As can be seen in this connection, the side wall 17 has, viewed in the depth direction, in particular also in the lower region 17b, not only a bulge downwards, but also a bulge 17c in the width direction inwards. This can also be seen in the plan view of the food-holding tray 12 in FIG. 12. This therefore means generally speaking that the side wall 17, in particular also the opposing further side wall 16, bulges downwardly in the lower region and also, viewed in the width direction, bulges inwardly in the rear region.

[0079] FIG. 7 shows a perspective vertical sectional representation of the system or the configuration 45 according to FIG. 6. In this case, a sectional representation in the region of the guide rail 23 is shown, but nearer to the side wall 17, so that the recess 31 is not yet intersected. Furthermore, the food-holding tray 12 is shown in a maximum pull-out position. This means, as has already been explained above, that the front delimiting wall 34 coming from behind has stopped on the front stop 42. In this pull-out position, this front stop 42 serves as a pull-out stop. The guide rail 23 is disposed at least with its end section 24 still inside the guide channel 37 when this pull-out position is reached at the pull-out stop. As can be seen, the contact plateau 29 rests against the underside of the roof wall 39. It therefore rests against the ceiling surface of the roof wall 39. A reduction in tilting is achieved in this way.

[0080] FIG. 8 shows a perspective sectional representation corresponding to that shown in FIG. 7. The food-holding tray 12, however, starting from the pull-out position reached in FIG. 7, is raised upward or tilted upward in the front region. This is enabled by the tapered construction of the end section 24. It can be seen herein that the floor wall 30 of this end section 24 sits on the floor surface of the floor wall 38. This upward tilting achieves, in the region of the front delimiting wall 34, a lifting height which is greater than the height, viewed in the height direction, of the front stop 42. In this upwardly tilted position, the food-holding tray 12 can thus be obliquely forwardly pulled out of and inserted into the guide channel 37.

[0081] In this regard, an enlarged representation of a segment II in FIG. 8 is shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show, in this connection, a different vertical sectional plane from that in FIG. 7. A section is shown herein in the region of the recess 39.

[0082] FIG. 10 shows a vertical sectional representation of the configuration 45. In this case, the food-holding tray 12 is shown in a pushed-in end position. It can be seen in this regard that the rear delimiting wall 32 coming from the front rests against the stop 41 of the guiding apparatus 35. Further rearward pushing of the food-holding tray 12 is therefore not possible.

[0083] FIG. 11 shows in turn an enlarged representation of a sub-region III in FIG. 10. As can also be seen in FIG. 11, the height h1 of this rear stop 41, measured in the height direction, is less than a height difference measured in this height direction between the bottom edge 25a of the front end 25 of the end section 24 and a bottom edge 31c of a rear end 31b of the recess 31. This means that at this rear end 31b the tapering of the end section 24 is such that when the guide rail 23 coming from the front is pushed beyond the rear stop 41, no mechanical contact thereof with the stop 41 hindering the sliding occurs. When the food-holding tray 12 is pushed beyond it, the stop 41 consequently dips contactlessly into the recess 31. In spite of the tapered construction of the end section 24, the stop 41 consequently does not hit the floor wall 30. In this respect, this recess 31 also serves as a clearance for sliding in and guiding the end section 24 beyond the stop 41 unhindered.

[0084] FIG. 12 shows the food-holding tray 12 from above. The side walls 16 and 17, which in the rear region run inwardly in the width direction, can be seen. This inward bulge 17c is implemented in the embodiment shown herein not only in the lower region 17b, but also in the upper region 17a.

[0085] FIG. 13 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the food-holding tray 12. It can be seen that the tapered end section 24 extends in the regions 17b and 17c.

[0086] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0087] 1 household refrigeration appliance [0088] 2 housing [0089] 3 external housing [0090] 4 internal container [0091] 5 vertical side wall [0092] 6 vertical side wall [0093] 7 ceiling wall [0094] 8 back wall [0095] 9 floor wall [0096] 10 accommodation space [0097] 11 door [0098] 12 food-holding tray [0099] 13 keep-fresh container [0100] 14 tray [0101] 15 lid [0102] 16 side wall [0103] 17 side wall [0104] 17a upper region [0105] 17b lower region [0106] 17c inward bulge [0107] 18 back wall [0108] 18a upper region [0109] 18b lower region [0110] 19 floor wall [0111] 20 front wall [0112] 21 food storage space [0113] 22 external side [0114] 23 guide rail [0115] 24 rear end section [0116] 25 front end [0117] 25a lower edge [0118] 26 rear end [0119] 27 roof wall [0120] 28 ceiling surface [0121] 29 contact plateau [0122] 30 floor wall [0123] 31 recess [0124] 31a front end [0125] 31b rear end [0126] 31c lower edge [0127] 32 delimiting wall [0128] 33 hollow-cavity region [0129] 34 delimiting wall [0130] 35 guiding apparatus [0131] 36 base plate [0132] 37 guide channel [0133] 38 floor wall [0134] 39 roof wall [0135] 39a contact plateau [0136] 40 side wall [0137] 41 stop [0138] 42 stop [0139] 43 configuration [0140] 44 plate [0141] 45 configuration [0142] h1 height [0143] x width direction [0144] z depth direction [0145] y height direction