DRAWER FOR A REFRIGERATING APPARATUS

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a drawer for a refrigerating apparatus according to the preamble of claim 1.

Drawers of this type are intended for storing foodstuffs, e.g. fruits or vegetables, which can then be taken out by a user; for this reason, they are usually arranged in a cell of a refrigerating apparatus, whether a refrigerator or a freezer.

These drawers are typically quite tall, so that searching for a certain food stored therein requires the door of the refrigerating apparatus to stay open for a long time, thereby causing a temperature rise within the refrigerating apparatus and therefore a higher energy consumption. American patent US 6,565,169 to Comercial Acros Whirlpool S.A. de CV. describes a special type of drawer that comprises a lower container part and an upper cover part, wherein the cover also works as a container, e.g. for small or loose vegetables; both the container and the cover are extractable and are provided each with slide tracks arranged on a track support, which is itself mounted to the walls of the refrigerating compartment. According to this solution, the container and the cover can be extracted independently of each other. Therefore, in order to verify the presence of a certain food in one or the other container, a user must first open the door of the refrigerated cell and then extract the two containers one at a time, thus keeping the door open for a long time; alternatively, he/she has to grip them together and extract them both, which gesture is however quite uncomfortable. Therefore, if on the one hand the solution proposed by patent US 6,565,169 has the merit of subdividing the available volume of a drawer into two separate volumes, i.e. the cover and the container, on the other hand it is not an optimal solution because the door of the refrigerating apparatus must still remain open for a long time, unless the user is willing to carry out a rather uneasy manoeuvre.

This problem is felt even more in freezers, which according to the latest trend of household refrigerators are arranged below the refrigerating cell: freezers are normally provided with several independently extractable drawer-type containers; in this case, the drawers are arranged in the lower portion of the apparatus and are not therefore comfortably accessible, so that it is not always easy to see what is inside of them.

Moreover, due to the very low temperatures of freezers, it is preferable that the door opening times are kept as short as possible, so as to always maintain a uniform low temperature inside.

The present invention aims at overcoming the above-mentioned drawbacks as well as other problems related to the drawers for refrigerating apparatuses known in the art.

This object is achieved by a drawer having the features set out in the appended claims.

This drawer comprises a cover and a container, and can be extracted with a single simple manoeuvre. The cover includes a compartment for storing foodstuffs, thus optimizing the use of the available volume.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a refrigerating apparatus comprising a drawer as described above and as claimed in the appended claims.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the annexed drawings, which are supplied by way of non-limiting example, wherein:

Fig.l is a perspective view of a drawer according to the present invention, with the cell door;

Fig.2 is a sectional view of the drawer of Fig.l within the cell of a freezer;

Fig.3 shows the cover of the drawer of Fig. 1;

Fig.4 shows the container of the drawer of Fig.l with the cell door;

Fig.5 is a sectional view of the engagement insert provided on the cover underside;

Fig.6 is a side view of the retracted drawer;

Fig.7 is a side view of the extracted drawer;

Fig.8 is a side view of the drawer with the cover in a partially retracted position and the container in the extracted position;

Fig.9 is a side view of the drawer with the cover in the retracted position and the container in the extracted position;

Fig.10 shows an embodiment of the means used for coupling the cover to the freezer door in a condition of mutual engagement;

Fig.11 shows the coupling means of Fig. 8 in the disengaged condition;

Fig.12 shows an alternative embodiment of the drawer of Fig.l.

With reference to Figs.1,2, 3 and 4, there is shown a drawer 1 according to the invention.

In the illustrated example, drawer 1 comprises a container 3 arranged under a cover 2, which includes itself a compartment adapted to store food or drinks; drawer 1 is shown complete

with a door 4 adapted to close the compartment of the refrigerating apparatus that contains drawer 1.

The present invention is based on the idea that cover 2 slides between a closed position of container 3, wherein cover 2 rests on container 3, and an open position of container 3, wherein cover 2 is shifted away from container 3 in the direction of extraction of the drawer from the refrigerating apparatus; in particular, in the closed condition cover 2 is integral with container

3, so that it can be extracted together with the latter from the refrigerating apparatus.

Cover 2 rests on container 3 and slides thereon from a condition in which cover 2 overlaps container 3 to a condition in which cover 2 is in a remote position relative to container 3.

This feature is ensured by slide tracks arranged between cover 2 and container 3, which consist of coplanar surfaces of cover 2 and container 3.

In the first example shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the slide track between cover 2 and container 3 consists of a lower gill 5 A projecting from each side wall 2C of cover 2, which, when cover 2 overlaps container 3, rests orthogonally on supporting gill 6 projecting from each side wall 3C of container 3.

As will be described later on, in a second embodiment shown in Fig.12 the slide track between cover 2 and container 3 consists of an enlargement of the side wall of cover 2 whose surface is coplanar to supporting gill 6 of underlying container 3.

Still with reference to Figs. 1 to 5, a further advantage is that whole drawer 1 can be extracted with a single gesture by acting only on either cover 2 or container 3, or else, according to an alternative embodiment shown in Figs.10 and 11, by acting only on door panel 4.

In the example illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, lower gill 5A supports cover 2 when the latter comes out of the refrigerating apparatus by following container 3 as drawer 1 is being extracted, as diagrammatically shown in Figs. 6 to 9.

In this embodiment, cover 2 slides and is removably engaged with container 3; this means that it is dragged out along with container 3 when the latter is extracted. Cover 2 can be disengaged from its sliding connection with container 3 through a simple manoeuvre that requires a slight raising of cover 2, as will be described later on.

In order to slide and engage cover 2 with container 3 in a removable manner, cover 2 has at least one engagement protrusion 7 projecting from the bottom wall of cover 2 towards container 3, as shown in detail in Fig.5, which clearly illustrates that each engagement

protrusion 7 has such a height that it interferes with back wall 3 A of container 3, abutting on the upper edge of said back wall. In particular, cover 2 has a pair of symmetric engagement protrusions 7 cooperating with the back wall of container 3 for the purpose of slidably engaging cover 2. At least in those portions which cooperate with the pair of engagement protrusions, container 3 has a certain elasticity (due to its shape or material) adapted to compensate for mutual positioning tolerances between cover 2 and container 3 along the vertical, caused by differences in the load placed onto cover 2 (such compensation may also be obtained through the engagement protrusions themselves, if they are somewhat elastic).

Engagement protrusion 7 may have a double-ramp profile, consisting of the illustrated shape having two converging flat faces 7 A and 7B, for making it easier to couple and decouple it from back wall 3 A of container 3: in fact, the double-ramp profile facilitates the movement of the insert over the upper edge of wall 3 A, while preventing engagement protrusion 7 from stopping against it.

When cover 2 is on top of container 3, as in Fig. 1 or 2, back wall 3 A abuts on flat face 7A, so that, when container 3 is extracted, its back wall 3A interferes with engagement protrusion 7, thereby pushing out cover 2 as well.

When a user wants to access container 3, he/she may simply raise the cover slightly while pushing it towards the cell and disengaging engagement protrusions 7 from back wall 3A of container 3, thus releasing cover 2.

In order to restore the mutual engagement condition, it will be sufficient to raise cover 2 again and move back wall 3 A of container 3 under engagement protrusions 7; as described below, the mutual engagement condition will be restored automatically when drawer 1 is inserted.

Cover 2 and container 3 are supported against the walls of a refrigerating apparatus through side tracks arranged on the flank of both units.

In the illustrated example, the side tracks of cover 2 consist of upper gills 5 resting onto matching supports 12 provided on the inner walls of the refrigerating apparatus, whereas the side tracks of container 3 consist of the very same supporting gills 6, which hang container 3 to two horizontal telescopic arms 11, the latter being also mounted to the inner walls of the refrigerating apparatus.

In the illustrated example, telescopic arms 11 also act as supports and tracks for door 4.

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 show four conditions of container 3 and cover 2 for the purpose of

clarifying the operation thereof: with reference to Fig. 6, door 4 is closed and drawer 1 is inserted in the refrigerating cell, cover 2 lies on top of container 3 and rests through upper gills 5 on supports 12 and through lower gills 5A on supporting gills 6 of container 3, which in turn rest on telescopic arms 11 that support door 4.

Fig. 7 shows drawer 1 with door 4 open: telescopic arms 11 are extended and drawer 1 is in the extracted position. Container 3 is supported by supporting gills 6 on telescopic arms 11 ; since it is out of the cell, cover 2 is also in the extracted position and is only supported by lower gills 5 A resting on supporting gills 6 of container 3; during the transition from the condition of Fig. 6 to the one of Fig. 7, cover 2 is brought to the extracted condition thanks to engagement protrusions 7 that interfere with back wall 3 A of container 3. Fig. 8 illustrates an intermediate instant between the condition of Fig.7, wherein both container 3 and cover 2 are in the extracted condition, and the condition of Fig.9, wherein cover 2 is in a remote position relative to container 3; in particular, it can be seen in Fig.8 that cover 2 is resting partially on supports 12 through upper gills 5, and partially on supporting gills 6 of container 3 through lower gills 5 A. During the transition from the condition of Fig. 7 and the one of Fig. 8, cover 2 is raised slightly and pushed towards the cell, so as to disengage engagement protrusions 7 from back wall 3 A of container 3, thus letting cover 2 slide over container 3.

In Fig.8, in fact, cover 2, after having been released from container 3, is inserted in the refrigerating cell and is only resting on supports 12 through upper gills 5. Container 3 is still resting on telescopic arms 11 through supporting gills 6.

Starting from the condition of Fig.8, the condition of Fig.6 can be restored by pushing container 3 towards the cell: in fact, in the condition of Fig.8 flat face 7B of engagement protrusion 7 is abutting on back wall 3A of the container, and when the latter is pushed against engagement protrusion 7, the interference and relative sliding between the two elements causes cover 2 to rise slightly and the engaged condition of Fig.6 to be restored, wherein the face abutting on back wall 3A of container 3 is flat face 7A of engagement protrusion 7.

In order to facilitate the raising of cover 2, which is necessary for carrying out the above- described engagement and disengagement manoeuvres, it is appropriate that the distance between gills 5 and gills 5 A is slightly greater than the height of support 12, so as to allow for

a small vertical translation, or tilting, of cover 2.

Supporting gills 6 of container 3 are simply laid on two telescopic arms 11 , so that container 3 hangs from the latter: when the telescopic arms are extended as door 4 is opened, container 3 can slide out and rest on telescopic arms 11.

It is barely worth mentioning that container 3 may either slide freely over telescopic arms 11 or be constrained thereto: if it can slide freely, when a user opens door 4 drawer 1 may also stay in the inserted position, in which case the user may extract it by acting upon container 3. If, on the contrary, the container is constrained to the portion of telescopic arms 11 that comes out of the cell, e.g. secured to telescopic arms 11 by means of screws, when a user opens door 4 he/she will also extract container 3, which in turn will drag along cover 2. As an alternative to the removable coupling between cover 2 and container 3, obtained through the aforementioned engagement protrusions 7, it is possible to provide that, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, container 3 and cover 2 are extracted together by means of an open hook 9 arranged on front wall 2D of cover 2 and an interference profile 8 provided on front wall 3B of container 3.

Both open hook 9 and interference profile 8 cooperate with matching seats 9A and 8A obtained in the inner wall of door 4: during its extraction movement, door 4 drags out, i.e. to the open position, both lower container 3 and cover 2 by means of interference profile 8 and open hook 9.

As provided in the first embodiment, open hook 9 can be disengaged from matching seat 9A by raising cover 2 slightly, thus releasing cover 2, which can then slide freely. An alternative embodiment of the slide tracks is illustrated in Fig.12, wherein upper gills 5 A are replaced with an enlargement of the planimetric extension of cover 2 providing the same function.

At least a portion of step-like enlargement 5B is coplanar to supporting gills 6, thus providing the slide track between cover 2 and container 3.

According to an advantageous feature which is applicable to all of the above embodiments, cover 2 is subdivided into a first (upper) part 2A and a second (lower) part 2B. The first part 2 A has a larger planimetric extension than the second part 2B; more specifically, the first part 2 A has the same planimetric dimensions as underlying container 3, whereas the second part 2B has smaller planimetric dimensions than container 3, so that, when cover 2 overlaps

container 3, the former occupies a portion of the volume of the latter, thereby increasing the capacity of cover 2 to the detriment of the capacity of container 3, thus allowing for an optimal utilization of the available room: in fact, both cover 2 and container 3, while still using the entire available volume, have a limited depth and can be accessed and explored easily.

The best advantages are obtained by arranging drawer 1 in the refrigerating apparatus in the region adjacent to compressor 15, shown in Fig.2 in its typical mounting position: a normal drawer according to the prior art, when mounted in this position, is very tall and cannot therefore be explored easily, thus compelling the user to keep the door open for a long time; on the contrary, by using a drawer 1 in this position it is possible to optimize the available volume by subdividing it into two compartments, one consisting of cover 2 and the other consisting of container 3, both of which have a limited height and can be easily extracted and inspected, thereby offering the advantage that searching for a certain food becomes much simpler, resulting in shorter door opening times.

Another advantage is obtained when cover 2 is made of a transparent or translucent material, thus further facilitating the visual inspection of underlying container 3.

In order to facilitate the manoeuvre for raising cover 2, the latter may comprise a handle 20 on its front wall, such as the one shown by way of example in Fig.12.

It is barely worth mentioning that telescopic arms 11 may either support and guide door 4 or support drawer 1 only, for example because door 4 is a traditional one pivoted to one side.

The presence of the outwardly extending telescopic arms 11 advantageously allows drawer 1 to come completely out of the cell of the refrigerating apparatus, thus making inspections easier.

A big advantage is obtained from the fact that, in the open position, container 3 can be completely extracted from the refrigerating apparatus due to cover 2 resting on container 3, thus making inspections even simpler.

It is also particularly advantageous to provide a refrigerating apparatus like the one shown in

Fig. 12, i.e. comprising an additional drawer 21 which is identical to cover 2 of drawer 1 as described above.

This allows to cut down the production costs of drawers 2 and 21 of the refrigerating apparatus, since they are identical; furthermore, their interchangeability allows the user to

move foodstuffs higher or lower in the refrigerating apparatus by simply exchanging the positions of cover 2 and of additional drawer 21.

Of course, by following the teachings of the present invention it is possible to provide a further alternative by replacing engagement protrusions 7 with analogous removable engagement means having the same function, just like it is possible to provide that the cover and the container can be extracted together by acting upon the cover instead of the container.