FOODSTUFF STORAGE UNIT WITH SPECIFIC BOTTLE STORAGE RAIL, PULL-OUT DEVICE AND HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE

Abstract

A foodstuff storage unit for a household appliance embodied to store foodstuffs having a plate-like foodstuff storage base forming a horizontal storage level. The foodstuff storage unit has a bottle storage rail which is arranged on a front edge of the foodstuff storage base and is embodied to store a bottle. A pull-out device and a household appliance are embodied to carry such a foodstuff storage unit.

Claims

1. A foodstuff storage unit for a household appliance embodied to store foodstuffs, the foodstuff storage unit comprising: a plate-shaped foodstuff storage base forming a horizontal storage level and having a front edge; and a bottle storage rail disposed on said front edge of said plate-shaped foodstuff storage base and is embodied to store a bottle.

2. The foodstuff storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said bottle storage rail is separate from said plate-shaped foodstuff storage base and is disposed on said front edge in a non-destructive detachable manner by means of a connection.

3. The foodstuff storage unit according to claim 2, wherein said connection is a plug-in connection, a snap-on connection and/or a hook-in connection.

4. The foodstuff storage unit according to claim 1, wherein a length of said bottle storage rail dimensioned in a width direction of the foodstuff storage unit is equal to a width of said front edge, which is also dimensioned in the width direction.

5. The foodstuff storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said bottle storage rail has a support channel formed therein into which the bottle can be placed.

6. The foodstuff storage unit according to claim 5, wherein said bottle storage rail has at least one opening formed therein which is a ventilation slot.

7. The foodstuff storage unit according to claim 6, wherein said ventilation slot is oriented in a width direction of the foodstuff storage unit.

8. The foodstuff storage unit according to claim 6, wherein said ventilation slot is embodied in said support channel.

9. The foodstuff storage unit according to claim 6, wherein said bottle storage rail has a thickening bar on an underside that delimits said ventilation slot on one side so that a delimiting wall thus formed is larger than a rest of a delimiting wall of said ventilation slot.

10. The foodstuff storage unit according to claim 6, wherein said ventilation slot has an upper slot outlet embodied in a rear half of said support channel in a depth direction of the foodstuff storage unit.

11. The foodstuff storage unit according to claim 10, wherein said slot outlet is embodied such that an air flow flowing therefrom flows in a direction of a front side of said bottle storage rail.

12. The foodstuff storage unit according to claim 10, wherein said plate-shaped foodstuff storage base is an uninterrupted shelf or a storage grid.

13. The foodstuff storage unit according to claim 1, wherein the foodstuff storage unit is exclusively intended to be used for a storage of bottles.

14. A pull-out device for a household appliance embodied to store foodstuffs on different levels, the pull-out device comprising: a first foodstuff storage unit on a first level, being mounted displaceably in a pull-out direction; a second foodstuff storage unit disposed on a second level different from the first level; and a coupling device with which movements of said first and second foodstuff storage units can be coupled and in a movement-coupled state can be pulled out together in the pull-out direction, wherein at least one of said first and second foodstuff storage units is embodied in accordance with claim 1.

15. A household refrigerating appliance, comprising: a housing having at least one receiving space for foodstuffs; and at least one foodstuff storage unit according to claim 1 and/or a pull-out device according to claim 14 disposed displaceably in said at least one receiving space in a depth direction of the household refrigerating appliance.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0045] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, perspective depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a household appliance;

[0046] FIG. 2 a perspective depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a pull-out device;

[0047] FIG. 3 is a perspective depiction of sub-components of the arrangement according to FIG. 2 in a different perspective to that in FIG. 2;

[0048] FIG. 4 a perspective depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle storage rail of a foodstuff storage unit from above;

[0049] FIG. 5 is a perspective depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle storage rail of a foodstuff storage unit from below;

[0050] FIG. 6 is a sectional depiction through the bottle storage rail according to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5; and

[0051] FIG. 7 is a sectional depiction through a sub-region of the household refrigerating appliance according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0052] In the figures, the same or functionally equivalent elements are given the same reference numbers.

[0053] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a household appliance. This shows as an exemplary embodiment a household refrigeration appliance 1 embodied to store and preserve foodstuffs. In the exemplary embodiment, the household refrigeration appliance 1 is a combined fridge-freezer appliance. The household refrigeration appliance 1 has a housing 2 in which a plurality of separate receiving spaces for foodstuffs are embodied. In this context, a first receiving space 3 is embodied, which in the present exemplary embodiment is embodied as a cooling compartment. Moreover, the household refrigeration appliance 1 has a receiving space 4 embodied therebelow in the vertical direction (y-direction), which can, for example, represent a partial volume of the receiving space 3. In one exemplary embodiment, it is possible to set an atmospheric humidity and/or a temperature in the receiving space 4 that are different from those in the rest of the partial volume of the receiving space 3 disposed thereabove. It can in particular also be provided that the receiving space 4 is embodied as a receiving space separate from the receiving space 3. The receiving space can, for example, also a be a bottle storage space, in particular for wine bottles.

[0054] In the exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the receiving space 3 can be closed by a plurality of separate doors arranged at the front. In this context, the receiving space 4 can be closed by a door 5, which is here a front wall of a drawer that is linearly displaceable in the depth direction (z-direction). The rest of the partial volume of the receiving space 3 can be closed by two further separate doors 6 and 7 which can be pivoted separately and independently of one another about vertical axes and hence axes oriented in the vertical direction. This embodiment on the one hand enables the rest of the partial volume of the receiving space 3 that is not formed by the receiving space 4 to be opened and closed independently of the receiving space 4—this is done by pivoting the doors 6 and/or 7 appropriately. Once again independently of this, the receiving space 4 can be opened in that the door 5 is opened and hence the drawer is pulled out.

[0055] In the exemplary embodiment, the household refrigeration appliance 1 has two further separate receiving spaces 8 and 9 which are freezer compartments. It is also possible for only one freezer compartment to be provided or for neither of the freezer compartments to be provided.

[0056] The two freezer compartments can also in turn be closed by separate doors 10 and 11, wherein here in the exemplary embodiment shown these doors 10 and 11 are also front walls of drawers that are linearly displaceable in the depth direction. It is shown by way of example that the lower freezer compartment can be closed by the front wall of a drawer 12 embodied as a door 11, wherein here this drawer 12 is shown in the pulled-out state.

[0057] The receiving spaces 3, 4, 8 and 9 are delimited by an inner container, which is in particular made of plastic.

[0058] In the following explanation, it is provided in the exemplary embodiment that a pull-out device 13 is arranged in the receiving space 4. In the exemplary embodiment, the pull-out device 13 is embodied to store foodstuffs, here in the form of bottles, in particular wine bottles. The pull-out device 13 is mounted linearly displaceably in the receiving space 3 in the depth direction. Here, the pull-out device 13 is embodied as a drawer and, in addition to the front wall formed by the door 5, preferably has two foodstuff storage units 14 and 15. Viewed in the vertical direction, the first foodstuff storage unit 14 is the lower foodstuff storage unit. The first foodstuff storage unit 14 has a storage plate or a foodstuff storage base. Hence, the storage plate is hence embodied as a panel or tray. In the exemplary embodiment shown, it is embodied as a strut structure to enable the bottles to be placed thereupon in a roll-proof manner.

[0059] Viewed in the vertical direction, here the second foodstuff storage unit 15 represents the upper foodstuff storage unit. In the exemplary embodiment, it is also embodied with a storage plate or foodstuff storage base and hence as a panel or tray. Here, this is preferably embodied as a strut structure. In the exemplary embodiment shown, by way of example two bottles 16 and 17 are arranged horizontally on this upper foodstuff storage unit 15.

[0060] The first foodstuff storage unit 14 is preferably permanently connected to the door 5. As can be identified in FIG. 3, which shows sub-components of the depiction in FIG. 2 in a different perspective, the pull-out device 13 has carrier parts 18 and 19. The carrier parts 18 and 19 simultaneously represent side walls delimiting a storage space between the lower first foodstuff storage unit 14 and the upper second foodstuff storage unit 15 in the width direction on opposite sides. These carrier parts 18 and 19 are connected at side edges to the first foodstuff storage unit 14, in particular also to the door 5. As can be identified in FIG. 3, a pull-out rail 20, in particular a telescopic pull-out system, is arranged on an outer side of the carrier part 19. This enables the pull-out device 13 to be inserted and withdrawn linearly in the depth direction and hence displaced in the pull-out direction (positive z-direction) and against this pull-out direction.

[0061] Moreover, the second foodstuff storage unit 15 also has a separate pull-out rail 21, which is preferably also a telescopic pull-out system. This pull-out rail 21, which is correspondingly also embodied on the opposite side, enables the foodstuff storage unit 15, viewed in the depth direction, to be inserted back and forth, in particular also independently of the first foodstuff storage unit 14. Correspondingly, a pull-out rail 20 is also arranged on the opposite carrier part 18, which is not identifiable in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

[0062] The pull-out rails 20 and 21 are preferably arranged on inner sides and vertical side walls of an inner container delimiting the receiving space 4. They preferably in each case have a fixed rail permanently attached to these side walls and a sliding rail that is movable for this purpose.

[0063] As can be identified in FIG. 3, said specifications are designed as storage plates such that at least one trough, in particular an opening 24, is embodied between two in each case parallel crossbars 22 and 23. A bottle introduced or placed on such a receiving region 25 or storage region is hence then positioned in a slip-proof and roll-proof manner.

[0064] The pull-out device 13 moreover has a coupling device 26. The coupling device 26 enables the foodstuff storage units 14 and 15 to be coupled with one another in specific positions and hence movement-coupled as a result.

[0065] The coupling device 26 in particular achieves that, in the completely inserted state, the two foodstuff storage units 14 and 15 are decoupled. If the first foodstuff storage unit 14 is pulled out of this inserted end position in the pull-out direction, in particular by gripping and pulling out the door 5, coupling with the second foodstuff storage unit 15 is automatically achieved from a particularly defined pull-out position provided for this first foodstuff storage unit 14. From this movement-coupled state, when pulled further out in the pull-out direction, these two foodstuff storage units 14 and 15 are pulled out together.

[0066] As can be identified here, the pull-out device 13 has a carrier part 27 arranged as a separate component on the plate-like carrier part 18, in particular on an upper edge. In this exemplary embodiment, the carrier part 27 is preferably L-shaped. It has an integrated first stop 45 (FIG. 3) which is part of the coupling device 26. A further coupling element is arranged on the second foodstuff storage unit 15, in particular arranged movably, preferably pivotably, thereon. The pivot axis is oriented in the width direction. Viewed in the width direction, this further coupling element is arranged at least partially overlapping this first stop 45. Hence, when the first foodstuff storage unit 14 is pulled out, the stop 45 on its trajectory can then contact the upstream further coupling element in the depth direction since this is located in the trajectory of the first stop 45. When contact has been achieved, the coupled state between the foodstuff storage units 14 and 15 is established.

[0067] The coupling element is a one-piece bracket 28. The bracket 28 is intrinsically elastically deformable and hence embodied as intrinsically resilient. The bracket 28 is in particular made of plastic, in particular POM. The bracket 28 is preferably V-shaped, which in particular generally also includes a notch-like or channel-like shape, in particular also a U-shape. The bracket 28 has a first bracket leg that protrudes downward from the second foodstuff storage unit 15 in the direction of the first foodstuff storage unit 14. A second bracket leg is arranged in the second foodstuff storage unit 15 and arranged in contact with a support. In particular, this creates a counterforce to the intrinsic deformation. The first bracket leg is in particular curved.

[0068] FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show an exemplary embodiment of a complete pull-out device 13.

[0069] In each case, this is an exemplary embodiment of a foodstuff storage unit 14. This foodstuff storage unit 14 has the foodstuff storage base 29 as shown in FIG. 3 and mentioned above. This foodstuff storage base 29 is embodied as plate-like. It can be a shelf. However, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, this can also be a storage grid. In particular, it is embodied as quadrangular. It has an upper side representing a storage level 30. Stored goods can be placed on this storage level 30. In the exemplary embodiment shown, it is provided that the storage level 30 is embodied to store bottles. In particular it is embodied to be intended only to be used to store bottles. In particular it is embodied only for the horizontal storage of such bottles.

[0070] Moreover, the foodstuff storage unit 14 has a bottle storage rail 31. The bottle storage rail 31 is arranged on a front edge 32 of the foodstuff storage base 29. Hence, it directly adjoins the front of this foodstuff storage base 30 in the depth direction (z-direction).

[0071] In particular, the bottle storage rail 31 is a separate component from the foodstuff storage base 29. In one advantageous embodiment, the foodstuff storage base 29 and the bottle storage rail 31 can be connected by a mechanical connection 33. In particular, this provides a non-destructive detachable connection. This mechanical connection 33 can, for example, have a plug-in connection and/or a snap-on connection and/or a hook-in connection. In particular, it is also additionally possible for a magnetic connection to be provided.

[0072] It may be recognized in FIG. 3 that, in the width direction (x-direction), the bottle storage rail of the foodstuff storage unit 14 extends over the same width as the front edge 32.

[0073] The bottle storage rail 31 is embodied for the horizontal storage of a bottle. The bottle storage rail 31 has a support channel 35 on an upper side 34. In one advantageous embodiment, the support channel 35 extends over the entire length of the bottle storage rail 31. This length is dimensioned in the x-direction. The longitudinal axis of the bottle storage rail 31 is also oriented in this width direction.

[0074] A bottle can be placed horizontally from above in this support channel 35. It then lies completely in front of the foodstuff storage base 29. In this context, the bottle storage rail 31 also forms a presentation rail thus enabling a bottle to be arranged in a very exposed manner at the front and hence presented. Hence, it represents a unit for exhibiting the bottle.

[0075] It is also possible to display any stored goods that may also possibly be placed therebehind on the foodstuff storage base 29. This in particular is also very advantageous in regard of the accessibility of this bottle on the bottle storage rail 31.

[0076] In one advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the bottle storage rail 31 has an opening which is a ventilation slot 36. This enables an air flow from below the bottle storage rail 31 to enter through this ventilation slot 36. This enables particularly efficient temperature control of a bottle stored on the bottle storage rail 31.

[0077] FIG. 4 is a perspective depiction of a bottle storage rail 31 with a view of the upper side 34.

[0078] FIG. 5 shows the bottle storage rail 31 in a further perspective depiction, but with a view of an underside 37. The continuous ventilation slot 36 is identifiable. It extends without any interruptions. It is oriented in the direction of the longitudinal axis A of the bottle storage rail 31.

[0079] The bottle storage rail 31 is in particular a one-piece component. It can, for example, be made of plastic or wood.

[0080] As can be identified in FIG. 5, the bottle storage rail 31 has a thickening bar 38. This is embodied on the underside 37. It extends over the entire length of the ventilation slot 36. In particular, it forms a delimiting wall 39 of this ventilation slot 36. On the other hand, it ends at a rear edge 40 of the bottle storage rail 31. This thickening bar 39 partially thickens or enlarges the delimiting wall that circumferentially delimits the ventilation slot 36. Hence, in particular a rear delimiting wall 39 of the ventilation slot 36 is larger or higher than a further front delimiting wall 41, viewed in the depth direction, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6.

[0081] FIG. 6 is a sectional depiction of the bottle storage rail 31 along the line of intersection VI in FIG. 4. The sectional plane is hence perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. It may be identified here that, in one advantageous embodiment, in the depth direction, this ventilation slot 36 is embodied in the rear half 35a of the contour of the support channel 35. A front half 35b of the contour is also plotted in FIG. 6. In the depiction in FIG. 6, it is formed on the left-hand side of the vertical dashed center line. In particular, the ventilation slot 36 is completely embodied in this rear half 35a of the support channel 35. It is in particular provided that a slot outlet 42 representing an upper slot outlet is embodied in the contour of the support channel 35. The advantageous embodiment of the slot outlet 42 embodied in the rear half 35a of the contour of the support channel 35 also has the result that, as advantageously shown here, a rear contour section 42a in the depth direction that delimits the slot outlet is higher in the vertical direction than a front contour section 42b in this regard. This also advantageously contributes to the fact that an air flow P that enters the ventilation slot 36 from below exits the slot outlet 42 and is automatically directed forward to the front half 35b. In particular, this results in the air flow P being diverted from the slot outlet 42 toward a front end 43 of the bottle storage rail 31.

[0082] FIG. 7 is a vertical depiction of a sub-region of the household refrigerating appliance 1 according to FIG. 1. Here, the door 11 is shown in the closed state. It may be identified that this bottle storage rail 31 directly adjoins an inner side 44 of this door 11. Moreover, the advantageous air flow P guided through the ventilation slot 36 is identifiable. Hence, it is also achieved that this air flow P also flows onto this inner side 44. This enables the possibility of condensation on this inner side 44 and hence misting of this inner side 44 to be at least reduced, in particular prevented. A bottle that is then preferably also stored and presented on the bottle storage rail 31 can hence also particularly advantageously be viewed from the outside in the closed state of the door 11. In particular when the door 11 has at least one display window.

[0083] In particular, the rear side 40 of the bottle storage rail 31 lies directly on and flush with the front edge 33.

[0084] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention: [0085] 1 Household refrigeration appliance [0086] 2 Housing [0087] 3 Receiving space [0088] 4 Receiving space [0089] 5 Door [0090] 6 Door [0091] 7 Door [0092] 8 Receiving space [0093] 9 Receiving space [0094] 10 Door [0095] 11 Door [0096] 12 Drawer [0097] 13 Pull-out device [0098] 14 First foodstuff storage unit [0099] 15 Second foodstuff storage unit [0100] 16 Bottle [0101] 17 Bottle [0102] 18 Carrier part [0103] 19 Carrier part [0104] 20 Pull-out rail [0105] 21 Pull-out rail [0106] 22 Crossbar [0107] 23 Crossbar [0108] 24 Opening [0109] 25 Receiving region [0110] 26 Coupling device [0111] 27 Carrier part [0112] 28 Bracket [0113] 29 Foodstuff storage base [0114] 30 Storage level [0115] 31 Bottle storage rail [0116] 32 Front edge [0117] 33 Connection [0118] 34 Upper side [0119] 35 Support channel [0120] 35a Rear half [0121] 35b Front half [0122] 36 Ventilation slot [0123] 37 Underside [0124] 38 Thickening bar [0125] 39 Delimiting wall [0126] 40 Rear side [0127] 41 Delimiting wall [0128] 42 Slot outlet [0129] 42a Contour section [0130] 42b Contour section [0131] 43 End [0132] 44 Inner side [0133] 45 Stop