HK1061631B - Shelf for supporting items, particularly in refrigerated installations - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a shelf (or tablet) for the storage of articles and intended to be fixed or mounted, in a horizontal or approximately horizontal position, in the frame of a piece of furniture.

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 870 (char 869)

It is also known to form the plastic casing independently of the plate (closed casing) and then to bond the two together by bonding. This method has advantages in terms of simplicity, cost, ease of adaptation, etc. but may pose problems in terms of holding or durability of the assembly and/or aesthetics and/or waterproofing.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide shelves that are improved over the existing shelves as described above. This is achieved by the shelf claimed 1. This shelf includes at least one panel, intended to receive items, and at least one plastic frame (or enclosure) supported by the sound of the panel and/or exerting lateral pressure on the sound of the panel (e.g. holding the panel by compression of its sound or exerting radial pressure on the panel). This adaptation to the contours of the panel and/or compression is achieved by retraction of the plastic (or plastic structure), as explained below.

The shelf panel (or tray or plate) of the invention is usually rectangular, rigid, has a roughly flat surface for the support of items (top face, in the position of use) and is thin in relation to its surface. It is usually made of a single piece (monolithic) but can also be more complex (in the form of, for example, a laminated structure comprising several sheets of glass and/or plastic materials and/or other materials). It may be opaque or translucent but is preferably at least partially transparent for aesthetic and practical reasons; it may also be motifs or decorative or functional layers (e.g. enamel or ink) or be mounted on one of its several faces.

The panel may be made of glass, polycarbonate, and/or polymethyl methacrylate. Preferably, it includes at least or comes in the form of a sheet of glass, material which is advantageous in terms of hygiene, rigidity, durability, etc. For safety reasons, this glass is usually tempered, especially in the case of a monolithic panel. The panel is usually full, but may also include one or more reliefs and/or exposures and/or holes (for example for air circulation) and/or have undergone one or more surface treatments such as sanding, stripping, etc.

The plastic structure (or plastic frame or enclosure) allows the support of the panel and the coating of its sharp edges for more comfortable and safe handling of the shelf. Generally, it comes in the form of a frame, this frame providing one or more supporting surfaces (or supporting surface or base) for the support of the panel, these supporting surfaces, horizontal or approximately horizontal in the position of use, delimiting an area whose dimensions correspond approximately to the dimensions of the bottom face of the panel. These supporting surfaces can be in the form of small plates or sticks protruding from the frame, in the lower position of use and around the central opening where the panel is to be placed; it can also act as a supporting plate or any other supporting surface that supports the bottom face of the panel, for example, in its periphery or in its supporting frame.

The plastic structure may be of low thickness (generally slightly more than the panel) or of greater thickness, for example on some parts of its periphery, with one or more walls on one and/or both sides which may rise above the panel plane and/or rise above the panel plane from below (the shelf being considered in its position of use).

The plastic structure usually borders the panel on its entire periphery, particularly on its canvas (or, in other equivalent terms, its thickness or canvas if each side is considered separately) and possibly on a portion of at least one of the upper and lower faces of the panel (e.g. it may cover the upper face in whole or part of its periphery for a few millimeters wide and have slightly protruding parts on its lower face for supporting the panel, or it may not cover the upper face of the panel and simply cover part, or even all, of its lower face).

The edges or walls of the plastic structure may be straight and uniform or of more complex shape, and may have peripheral parts or extensions for functional or aesthetic purposes. For example, the structure may have an extension forming a handle on its front edge (or on one side of the shelf intended to remain free) and/or may have a backrest, for example on its rear edge, serving in particular as a cover to prevent products stored on the shelf from coming into contact with the wall of a refrigerated furniture enclosing it and/or may have extended side walls or extensions if necessary by means of -wings or screens or sills and attachments to slide on to household media in the walls between the shelves.

In one embodiment, the plastic structure may have or cooperate with lighting (preferably low voltage) means. For example, a light may be located in a housing provided in the plastic structure. A surface (e.g. lower) of the panel may be treated or machined, e.g. sanded or grooved, to amplify the lighting effect by refraction of the light beam emitted by a light source. The electrical power to turn on the light may be associated with opening the door of the container in which the shelf is located or may be associated with the operation of a special push-button switch.

The plastic structure is, as defined above, a part that is not formed directly on the panel but is formed separately (or preformed) before being assembled to the panel.

In the shelf according to the invention, the plastic structure marries if necessary the singing of the panel and/or exerts lateral pressure on its singing. This may be all the singing as seen previously or possibly part of the singing. Advantageously, the plastic structure marries at least two parts of singing facing (for example part of each side), and preferably at least two sides facing along their entire length and particularly preferentially marries at least part of the singing on all sides of the tablet (front, sides, back).

This adaptation to the contours of the panel is achieved by retracting the plastic, or by using a plastic structure made of at least two plastic materials (bi-matter structure), one of which is more flexible, intended to be in contact with the panel (especially the panel's sound) and better matching its shape, this more flexible material covering partly, and possibly entirely, the other more rigid material (ensuring the structure's holding).

Alternatively or simultaneously to the adjustment to the contours of the panel, the plastic structure can also squeeze the edge of the panel (or exert radial pressure on the panel). The plastic structure holds (or retains) the panel by compressing its edges (at least in part, especially at least part of 2 facing sides), allowing for better rigidity and durability of the combination. This pressure can be obtained mechanically by forced embedding (i.e. exerted by forcing) and obtained by retraction of the plastic structure, as explained below.

As previously stated, the exact fit to the panel contours and the radial compression retention are obtained by retraction of the plastic (the shelf of the invention being defined by claim 1 in that the panel is made solid to the structure by retraction of the structure (or plastic of said structure). Note that the present invention also covers as a shelf any shelf, including for refrigerator or similar, comprising at least one panel and at least one plastic structure, the shelf being obtained by retraction of the structure, even if this retraction is not sufficient to achieve an exact fit to the contours of the panel. In the case of this lateral case, additional means may be used to strengthen the structure and solidity, such as by stretching or clipping (in the case of plastic, for example, by forming clips or clips, or by forming clips, for example, on the surface of the panel).

Depending on the plastic material or materials used to form the plastic structure, shrinkage may be by cooling and possibly by changing the state of the plastic material (e.g. transition to the semi-crystalline state with internal reorganization of the material) and is more or less significant. The shrinkage sought is usually at least 0.25% (relative to the width and/or length) of the structure, and preferably at least 0.5%, and not more than 2% (preferably not more than 1.5% or even 1.2%, depending on the case) of the said width (and/or width) to avoid visible wall deformation and deterioration or inesthetic appearance of the whole.

The advantages of this retraction and the shelf defined above are numerous: it is not necessary to machine the sides of the panel and parts of the structure to allow a better connection, the plastic structure compensates for the tolerances of the panel (i.e. corrects the differences in the dimensions of the plates relative to the mechanical manufactures of the plates) and ensures better aesthetics or even sealing at the panel/structure junction; in addition, in addition to an economic advantage over the shelves obtained by encapsulation, the shelf according to the invention is also more practical, the surface is useful for supporting objects that may be larger, the plastic material does not necessarily cover a higher part of the panel (whereas the plastic material is also less flexible and offers a particularly satisfactory adaptation to the existing structures).

The present invention also relates to a shelf-making process whereby the plastic structure is formed separately from the panel by hot-forming, with the panel being assembled to the plastic structure out of the mold before the plastic is fully retracted.

The molding of the structure is done, for example, by injecting a plastic material, previously heated and melted, into a closed mold or press, the plastic material being for example and advantageously polypropylene, possibly loaded with talc to improve its mechanical strength, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), etc., the plastic material being chosen according to the characteristics, in particular strength, sought for the structure, but also according to its ability to retract as sought in the invention. Once first molded, the material cools and solidifies, for a time in the mold (or press) to give a semi-finished product that can be extracted without losing its overall shape, after the mold is removed, the shape of the mold or phenol is removed and especially after the mold is removed (but significantly reducing the shape of the mold and the dimensions of the mold).

The advantage is that the panel is assembled onto the plastic structure after the mold has been opened (or pressed out), and preferably outside the mold, preferably before the shrinkage reaches 40% (and preferably 30%) of the total shrinkage.

In the case of intermediate processing, such as the application of a glue to the structure (as explained below), between casting and assembly, and in order to avoid excessive or rapid removal of the plastic, it is also possible to provide for maintenance of the structure at the temperature when leaving the mould or press (e.g. maintenance of the structure at a temperature of the order of 60 °C in the case of polypropylene), for example by providing for a temperature maintenance tunnel on the production line.

The retraction of the plastic allows for better fit to the contours of the panel but may not be sufficient to ensure the durability of the assembly (there may still be play in some places at the interface of the structure and the panel or insufficient radial compression to hold the panel). In this case in particular, the holding of the assembly in terms of mechanical strength and/or waterproofing can be ensured jointly or alternatively by other means such as clipping and/or bonding.In an advantageous assembly mode, the tabs or nipples are located at the bottom of the structure and also serve as a support surface for the panel, the panel being inserted (usually in force) on the side of the structure constituting the bottom face of the shelf in the use position (the structure in this case being either turned over during assembly or possibly coming out of the mold in the inverted position).

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 813 (char 812)

Note that in the assembly method where the assembly is done using both shrinkage, clipping and bonding, the structure, after leaving the mould and possibly being transferred into a temperature-control tunnel, is glued at the appropriate places before the panel is clipped and the plastic is completely shrink.

As mentioned above, the plastic structure can also be formed from at least two plastic materials (bi-matter structure) of which one is more flexible covering the other more rigid and intended to be in contact with the panel in order to better match its shape, the flexible material being crushed when combining the panel and the structure (cold from the formed structure and the panel, or hot as in the process described above) for better contact and sealing between the panel and the plastic structure.

Alternatively to the glue and/or the plastic structure, or in addition, one or more insulating cords or seals, whether or not adhesive, may be used in the form of foam (or hot melt adhesive inflated with air bubbles) or not; the deposited glue or cord may also be given a particular shape (e.g. conical) for better contact when the joint or glue is mechanically pressed between the panel and the plastic structure. The surface of the panel may have been pre-treated (at least partially), e.g. sanded, to improve its adhesion holding, and/or the plastic structure, after opening and applying the adhesive, may have undergone a surface treatment (on the surface) or a further treatment (on the surface of the plastic or plastic) to create a glue or glue between the parts intended to receive a glue or glue (on the surface of the plastic or plastic) or to increase the adhesion (on the surface of the glue or glue) or to allow the formation of a glue or glue (on the surface of the plastic or other material) - such as a glue or glue - may be used to create a glue or glue (on the surface of the surface of the glue or plastic) or a glue or glue (on the surface of the surface of the plastic or other material) or glue - such a glue or glue may be used to create a glue or glue (on the surface of the surface of the surface of the plastic or glue or glue) or glue or glue or glue - a glue - a glue - may be used to form a glue or glue or glue - a glue or glue - a glue - a glue or glue - or glue - a glue - or glue - a glue - or glue - or glue - a glue - or glue - a glue - or glue - or glue - a glue - or glue - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As mentioned above, the assembly may be done on the lower side of the structure; it may also be done on the upper side, with the upper side of the panel remaining uncovered or coming into clips or protruding parts. In the absence of such protruding parts, the retraction of the plastic or additional heat treatment may also result in the appearance of a small bolt pressing on the upper side of the panel (in the working position) and if necessary on the joint and/or the flexible and/or soft material of the plastic structure to ensure additional adhesion. Depending on the plastic material used, the preheating may also be obtained only after additional heat treatment of the plastic structure (e.g. after moulding) or after moulding the structure, and possibly an additional heat treatment is applied to the plastic structure/assembly, depending on the preheating and the plastic material used.

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 170 (char 169)

In connection with certain uses of the shelf according to the invention, the invention also proposes shelf assembly (or mounting) elements in furniture (e.g. for false door mountings), these assembly elements being fixed by clipping (or hanging, especially being mechanically fixed by means of nesting such as protrusions and/or protrusions, teeth, studs) on the plastic structure of the shelf (more precisely below, as a general rule) and having advantageously at least three parts. These elements are initially (each) in the form of a straight sheet (oulette or pad), usually metallic, and are intended (e.g. by folding) to present an approximate shape in the form of aThe panel is against a vertical wall of the plastic structure protruding from the bottom of the panel, and at least one part (second part of the element) of the other L-wing is intended to be clipped under the supporting surface of the plastic structure. These elements also have initially at one of their (longitudinal) ends a hook for the possible mounting of the shelf in a piece of furniture. The third part is formed by the end of a wing; depending on the mounting method envisaged, this end is either folded so as to overlap another part of the shelf, in particular the plastic structure (the three parts therefore hold the shelf in this case in three directions,The adjustment of the third part of the assembly elements and the possible cutting of the hook can - advantageously - be done at the last moment depending on the type of attachment required. The same means (for example, a metal frame cooperating with the assembly elements) can be used for any type of attachment (for example, without the need for a main attachment on the walls of the furniture,The above-mentioned assemblies are also useful for any shelf type other than that of the invention.

The above-described assemblies may, as appropriate, be considered independent of the shelf or as part of it and may be permanently or detachably attached to the shelf. They not only ensure that the shelf is attached to the wall, but may also help to strengthen the shelf. Generally, at least two assemblies are required for the mounting of the shelf in a furniture when this shelf is to be mounted in a false doorway, these elements being generally attached to the side sides of the shelves. As mentioned earlier, these elements may also slide on a frame attached to the furniture, this frame or slide being advantageously formed into a single mould (for example, a wall moulding) is generally an advantage and for better strength. In this case, an additional role is played by supporting the structure directly between the metal and the plastic supporting elements, and the assembly frame and the supporting structure.

As mentioned above, when the shelf is intended to be mounted in a false door on the back wall of the piece of furniture, the shelf shall have at least two protruding parts on its back side (from the assembly elements when the shelf is intended to be mounted in a fixed way or from the additional frame when the shelf is intended to be mounted in a sliding way), which serve as hooks or teeth to be attached to (and stuck in) steps or holes in rails fixed on the back wall of the piece of furniture so that the shelf is facing forward on that wall.

The shelf may also be fixed to the side walls of a container or may rest or slide on supporting or guiding surfaces placed on the sides of the container by means of its plastic structure, and without the need for the assembly elements described above.

The shelf is usually mounted detachably and/or sliding on at least one wall of the furniture or refrigerator. In one embodiment, the shelf or the assembly elements or additional frame may also have or cooperate with anti-retraction safety devices, designed to prevent the shelf from e.g. slipping off the rails on which it is fixed or sliding.

Other types of assembly or intermediate elements than those described above may also be mounted on the shelf according to the invention, such elements may include, for example, plastic parts (or be made of one or more plastic and/or metal materials) or parts integrated into the plastic structure.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be described in the following description of non-limiting embodiments of the invention by reference to the attached drawings in which: Figure 1 represents a partial schematic view in perspective of a shelf of the invention and of assembly elements for mounting on the back wall of a refrigerator;Figure 2 represents a partial schematic view in cut-off of the shelf before and after retraction of the frame;Figure 3 represents the shelf of Figure 1 inverted (schematic view from below) in perspective;Figure 4 represents a partial schematic view in perspective of a similar shelf with this time assembly elements and the associated slide for mounting in sliding version on the back wall of a refrigerator.

The shelf described in Figures 1 to 4 is suitable for the storage of articles in a refrigerator and consists of a glass panel 1 (possibly with an enamelled edge to hide the junction with the plastic structure, the side walls also concealing this junction by their projected shadow if necessary), with a structure (or enclosure or frame) of polypropylene 2. This assembly is obtained as follows: polypropylene pellets (preferably talc-laden to increase the mechanical strength of the polypropylene) are heated in a plasticizing chamber of a press at a temperature of half a degree sufficient to inject the plastic material and the finished material is injected into the mold or mold to obtain a retraction of the plastic structure by the press 2.The material is cooled in the mold and solidifies at 160°C as a semi-crystalline product. When the mold is opened to remove the molded frame, the plastic reaches about 70°C. The removal of the plastic then begins to take place significantly. Within 4 minutes (and preferably within 1-2 minutes) after the mold has been removed, the surface 4 of the frame on which the panel is to rest is possibly surface treated (e.g. plasma type), is preferably glued (the manipulations can be automated) with an elastic glue (possibly a strip - not represented - can be provided to receive the glue on the surface) and the panel is placed on the frame (position is represented in glass strips and ends drawn on Figure 2).The removal then continues (about 75% of the removal takes place in the first 15 minutes, the final removal can take a few hours) until the frame reaches its final shape (position b of the frame is shown in thick strokes in Figure 2). In this state, the frame mechanically locks and holds the glass on its 3rd sheet, with a compressive force of, for example, 9 MPa on the glass sheet.The resulting assembly is particularly strong and meets safety standards.

The frame here comprises a supporting surface 4 in the form of a frame, two side walls 5 with a top part 6 forming a small ledge protruding from the top of the panel and a bottom part 7 below the bottom of the panel, a front extension 8 forming a handle for handling the shelf, a rear extension with possibly a channel 9 for retaining or draining liquids in the event of spilling onto the shelf and with a backrest 10 to prevent contact of the articles with the rear wall of the refrigerator.

The frame may also be fitted with means of attachment (and/or restraint and/or locking) 11 (as shown in Figure 3), in the form of protruding, clipping, stopping, etc. bolts, for example, allowing the mounting of assembly elements 12 (Figure 1) or 12' (Figure 4). These elements, for example metal plates obtained by stamping, have a first part (or wing) 13 initially fitted at one end with a hook 14 for mounting on rails intended for the rear wall of the refrigerated compartment (this hook being cut for the sliding version shown in Figure 4), a second part 15,in relation to the first (the assembly having a straight L-section), the first part being clipped on the inner wall 16 of the lower part of a side wall 5 of the frame, the second part being clipped under the supporting surface 4, the clipping (or fixing or nesting) of the assembly elements to the frame by means complementary to those provided for on the frame (in particular the projections 17), and a third part 18, 18', being folded (Figure 1) in relation to the second part to follow the contours of the supporting surface (for example covering part of its thickness 19),Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 264 (char 263)

The shelf is fitted with at least two assembly elements, each of which is mounted under one of the side walls of the shelf, e.g. after storage and possible drying, of the shelf obtained as described above and according to the method of attachment sought.

The sliding version shown in Figure 4 also uses a metal support 20 or slide, formed in one piece e.g. by stamping, with hooks 21 for attachment to the back wall of a refrigerator, and having 22 or sliding surfaces designed to cooperate with the corresponding 18' slides of the assembly elements to allow the tablet to slide.

The shelf described above may be considered as simply consisting of the panel and frame (the frame being possibly shaped so that it can be slid down its sides in the side slides of a refrigerator) or may be considered as having the assembly elements, see also the additional frame described above.

The shelf of the invention is particularly suitable for supporting articles and items in a refrigerated or refrigerated compartment (a refrigerator equipped with this shelf is also covered by the invention) but may also be suitable for supporting other types of articles in other types of furniture.

Claims (16)

1. Shelf, particularly for a refrigerator or the like, comprising at least one panel and at least one attached plastic structure characterized in that the panel is secured to the structure by shrinking said structure after the panel and the structure have been assembled.
2. Shelf, according to Claim 1, characterized in that the attached plastic structure mates with and/or exerts lateral pressure on the edge of the panel.
3. Shelf, according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the plastic structure is formed with at least two plastics, one of which is more flexible and intended to be in contact with the panel and at least partly covering the other which is more rigid.
4. Shelf according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the panel is also secured to the structure by clipping and/or bonding.
5. Shelf according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it further comprises at least one elastic adhesive and/or at least one flexible insulating gasket.
6. Shelf, according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it further comprises at least one assembly element having at least a first part clipped under the panel against a vertical wall of the plastic structure, a second part clipped under the supporting surface of the plastic structure, and a third part which is bent so that it borders another part of the shelf or fashioned to form a runner intended to collaborate with additional means for the cantilever mounting in a unit.
7. Shelf, according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it slides with respect to a support formed as a single piece.
8. Shelf, according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the plastic structure is obtained by air moulding.
9. Method of manufacturing a shelf, particularly for a refrigerator or the like, this shelf comprising at least one panel and one plastic structure, according to which the plastic structure is formed separately from the panel by hot moulding, the panel being assembled with the plastic structure before the plastic has fully shrunk.
10. Method according to Claim 9, characterized in that the panel is assembled with the plastic structure after the mould has been opened, and preferably outside the mould, before shrinkage has reached 40% of the total shrinkage.
11. Method according to either of Claims 9 and 10, characterized in that the panel is assembled on the underside or top face of the structure, the panel possibly also being held in place by clipping.
12. Method according to one of Claims 9 to 11, characterized in that, prior to assembly, (an) elastic adhesive(s) and/or at least one flexible insulating gasket is/are deposited on at least part of the structure that is to be in contact with the panel.
13. Method according to Claim 12, characterized in that the adhesive or the gasket deposited has a conical shape and/or in that the surface of the panel is pretreated, prior to the application of the adhesive, for example by sandblasting, grooving, goffering, forming roughnesses or by plasma treatment so as to increase the area for contact between the plastic and the adhesive or the gasket and/or so as to create other attachment points.
14. Method according to one of Claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the plastic structure is formed by two-shot injection moulding.
15. Method according to one of Claims 9 to 14, characterized in that the plastic structure is formed by air moulding.
16. Refrigerator comprising at least one shelf according to Claims 1 to 8.