The invention relates to a storage element com¬ prising at least two substantially vertically extending walls, a plurality of shelves extending substantially horizontally between the walls, shelf supports for sup¬ porting the shelves and coupling means connected to the walls for coupling the shelf supports to the walls. Such a storage element is generally known, for instance in the form of modular furniture, wherein the shelf supports are formed by pins and the coupling means by holes formed in the walls. The shelf supports in the form of the pins are inserted into the coupling means in the form of the holes, wherein finally the shelves are placed on the shelf supports.

Systems are further known in refrigerators or freezers wherein substantially vertically extending strips are arranged against the walls, which strips fulfil the function of coupling element and are connected to the walls by means of screw connections, wherein in the strips are arranged holes into which hooks can be placed on which the shelves can be arranged. These hooks thus fulfil the function of shelf supports.

It is noted here that by the term "shelf supports" must be understood not only wooden support elements or elements manufactured from wood-like products but also metal or plastic support elements which may for instance have an open structure, for instance in grid form. By side walls are not only understood closed structures but also open structures which can be manufactured from any random material, for instance steel uprights.

These strips of the prior art are awkward to clean; for proper cleaning they must be detached and cleaned separately. In the storing of perishable goods, as is generally the case in refrigerators and freezers, this cleaning problem is of great importance,- some legal

regulations require regular cleaning, wherein it some¬ times even mandatory that it must be possible to dis¬ mantle specific parts.

The object of the present invention is to provide such a storage element which can be easily cleaned and wherein good adjustability of the shelves is nevertheless ensured.

This object is achieved in that the shelf supports can be coupled in diverse positions to the coupling means.

As a result of these steps it is thus possible to have the shelves supported at diverse positions by the same coupling means and shelf supports. In contrast to the strips provided with holes, this provides a great reduction in the number of shelf supports and coupling means, whereby cleaning can take place more easily. The coupling means as well as the shelf supports can moreover be embodied such that they are easy to clean.

The adjustability further provides the possibility of making the shelf supports so that they can be coupled at a number of, for instance twelve, different positions to the coupling means, thus obtaining a large degree of adjustability.

The invention will be elucidated hereinbelow with reference to the annexed drawings, in which: figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention; figure 2 is a perspective view of a second em¬ bodiment of the invention; figure 3 shows a schematic front view of a shelf support according to the invention arranged in the coupling means; figure 4 shows a front view of a storage element according to the invention, wherein shelf supports are arranged in different positions; and figure 5 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention.

In figure 1 is shown a side wall 1 of a storage element, which side wall 1 is formed by an internal layer

2 and an external layer 3. Arranged in the external layer

3 is an opening in which a bush 4 is arranged which extends into a cavity arranged in the internal layer 2. Bush 4 comprises a rear plate 5, a cylindrical outer surface part 6 and a front plate 7. The cylindrical part 6 is wholly cylindrical on its outside but is provided on its inside with an undulating wall 8. Arranged in the rear wall 5 for fixing of the bush are two screw apertures 9 through which screws 10 can be placed for fixing in the wall 2. In the middle of rear wall 5 is arranged an elevation 11 in which a hole 12 provided with screw thread is arranged. Also shown in figure 1 is a shelf support which is designated as a whole with 13. The shelf support 13 is formed by a substantially elongate flat plate 14 which is provided at one of its ends on a first side with a shelf support protrusion 15 which is provided on its end with a thickening 16.

On the other side of the flat plate is arranged a plug 17 which is substantially cylindrical and wherein the outer surface 18 takes an undulating form. In the middle of plug 17 is arranged a recess 19 which, when shelf support 13 is arranged in place in bush 4, is filled by the elevation 11. The undulating inner wall of the cylindrical surface of the bush herein engages onto the undulating outer surface 18 of plug 17. To save weight the plug 17 is provided with an annular recess 20. It will be apparent that, as shown in figure 3, the shelf support 13 can be fixed in bush 4 in a large number of different ways. This number depends on the number of corrugations arranged in the pattern of the walls 8 and 18. In the present case the corrugation pattern has a period of 30° so that a full rotation comprises twelve corrugations. The shelf support according to figure 1 can therefore be arranged in twelve different ways in the bush 4.

In figure 2 is shown a following embodiment of the invention, wherein the coupling means are formed by a plug 21 arranged against the wall 1 and provided with an undulating outer surface 22. Further arranged in plug 21 are two openings through which screws 10 can be screwed into the wall 1 for fixing purposes. On the rear side of the plug is arranged a recess in which a nut 23 is accom¬ modated, wherein an opening 24 extends to the nut 23. Shelf support 25 otherwise corresponds with shelf support 13 of the foregoing embodiment, with the understanding that plug 17 is replaced by an annulus 26 provided on its inside with an undulating wall 27, the pattern of which corresponds with the pattern of wall 22.

For fixation purposes use is made of a screw 28 which extends through the hole 29 arranged in the flat plate 14. It will be apparent that this embodiment of the shelf support, like the embodiment of figure 1, can also be connected in twelve different ways to the plug 21.

Figure 3 shows how the plate 14 of a shelf support 13 can be connected at twelve different positions to the coupling means arranged in the wall. The position of shelf support 13 is drawn in the uppermost position in full lines, while the other positions are shown in dashed lines. It is thus possible with the described embodiment to adjust seven different heights of the shelf resting on the shelf support in relation to the coupling means. The difference between the uppermost and the lowest position is indicated with arrow 30.

Figure 4 shows how the different positions of the shelf supports result in differing heights of the shelves. In the embodiment shown in figure 4 each shelf support can be arranged in the side wall in eight different ways with the coupling means, so that five different levels are possible. This embodiment also shows that with equidistant placing of the coupling means the distances between the shelves can be made to vary widely. It will be apparent that the above described in-

vention can be varied in diverse ways. It is thus possible to give the substantially cylindrical walls 8,18, respectively 22 and 27, which in the above described embodiments are substantially cylindrical, for example a conical form. Cleaning will be hereby facilitated because the surfaces acquire a smoother character.

It is also possible to replace the undulating pattern with other patterns, for instance serrated or rectangular or trapezium block-shaped. It is furthermore also possible to arrange the pattern in the end wall instead of in the side wall. An example hereof is shown in figure 5. Herein even the plug is omitted and the shelf support is provided with a plurality of holes ordered in a regular pattern of a circle and the bush 4 is provided with a plurality of bumps 32 ordered in the same regular pattern as the holes 31 in rear side of the shelf support.

It will be apparent that herewith the effect of the invention can likewise be obtained. It will also be apparent that such means can likewise be arranged in the surface 5 of bush 4, respectively on the surfaces 21 of the embodiment shown in figure 2.