WO2016050293A1

WO2016050293A1 - Space-saving foldable modular egg storage assembly for a refrigeration appliance

Info

Publication number: WO2016050293A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/071052
Authority: WO
Inventors: Salih Pelin; Ahmet KECECI; Murat YETILMEZSOY; Necat OZCELIK; Murat Ungor
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2014-10-01
Filing date: 2014-10-01
Publication date: 2016-04-07
Anticipated expiration: 2017-04-01

Abstract

The present invention relates to an egg storage assembly in a refrigeration appliance. The refrigeration appliance conventionally has an interior refrigeration cabin enclosed by a heat-insulating housing and a refrigeration cabin door, said refrigeration cabin door comprising at least one door shelf for accommodating containers. The invention more particularly relates to an egg case (1) comprising a plurality of egg cell units (3), each egg cell unit (3) with a transverse edge (4) perpendicular to the refrigeration cabin door surface and a longitudinal edge (5) in parallel thereto.

Description

[Title established by the ISA under Rule 37.2] SPACE-SAVING FOLDABLE MODULAR EGG STORAGE ASSEMBLY FOR A REFRIGERATION APPLIANCE

The present invention relates to a space-saving egg storage assembly in a refrigeration appliance.

In refrigeration appliances, inner storing area efficiency is one of the most important concerns for the consumer. There are different solutions provided for storing eggs in the state of art. To this end, various designs for egg storage assemblies are proposed, having different sizes and structures.

The structure and size of egg storage assemblies may complicate efficient use of the storage area in the refrigeration appliances because such assemblies themselves generally require a storage area and may be stored in the door shelves in the form of specifically adapted egg cases. This placement has the disadvantage that the egg case occupies the storage space in the door shelf originally dedicated to other items and containers, which would otherwise serve for storing them.

To provide a stable storing in the refrigeration appliances for eggs, the storage area in the door shelves should therefore be used in an efficient manner with minimal interaction with the storage space not originally reserved for storing eggs. Another inconvenience caused by egg cases placed in the door shelves originates from the fact that these cases, although occupying the shelf space, may remain empty from time to time because eggs may be sold in special packages, which can contain and preserve eggs in a convenient manner. Such packages may then be placed in the refrigeration cabin with the eggs inside.

One of the prior art documents in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as DE102012202947, disclosing an egg carrier having an egg-supporting base for accommodating the eggs. A grasp device is connected with the egg-supporting base for engaging and supporting an egg carrier portion. The grasp device is extended away from the egg-supporting base. A work area is formed in the grasp device. A stretching region and the egg-supporting base are spaced apart from each other such that egg is accommodated between the stretching region and egg-supporting base.

The present invention provides a foldable modular egg case occupying a limited amount of space in the refrigeration appliance as defined by the characterizing features in Claim 1 and subsequent Claims.

Primary object of the present invention is hence to provide an egg case which can be conveniently used such that only a desired number of egg cells are usable and the shelf space is used in a space-saving manner, resulting in that the door shelves are used to fulfill their primary function.

The present invention provides an egg case with a plurality of egg cell units having an equal or longer longitudinal dimension compared to the transverse dimension. Two egg cell units neighboring each other on the longitudinal axis are releasably connected to each other through a hinging line. Therefore, the hinging line being both releasable and providing a folding line, a very flexible space arrangement is possible.

Each egg cell unit is hinge-attached to another egg cell unit in the longitudinal direction. This provides that they are foldable one over another by means of at least one hinging means. The hinging means advantageously provides two parallel hinging axes, each in cooperation with coupling egg cell units. It enables an easy to manufacture, simple yet effective hinging mechanism by which both a releasable and symmetrically foldable structure is achievable.

Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying an egg case for a refrigeration appliance, whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained in brief hereinafter.

The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in said claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.

Fig. 1a demonstrates a perspective view of a refrigeration appliance foldable egg case in open position while hinging means components are in dismantled condition according to the present invention. Fig. 1b demonstrates an enlarged view of detail A of Fig. 1a.

Fig. 2a and 2b respectively demonstrate a side and perspective views of a refrigeration appliance foldable egg case according to the present invention. Fig. 2c demonstrates an enlarged view of detail B of Fig. 2b.

Fig. 3a and 3b respectively demonstrate a side and perspective view of a refrigeration appliance foldable egg case while being folded around a hinging line according to the present invention.

Fig. 4a and 4b respectively demonstrate a side and perspective view of a refrigeration appliance foldable egg case in folded position according to the present invention.

The following numerals are assigned to different parts demonstrated in the drawings:

Egg case
Egg cell
Egg cell unit
Transverse edge
Longitudinal edge
Hinging means
Hinge retention means
Tubular hinge body
Connection element
Hinging line
Support and enclosing means
Enclosure wall

The present invention relates to a household appliance and more particularly a refrigeration appliance having an interior refrigeration cabin being enclosed by a heat-insulating housing.

The refrigeration appliance may typically have a main body with a multitude of storage chambers and doors opening and closing a front side of the main body. A refrigerating cabin as well as a freezing cabin may be disposed so as to provide separate divisions within the inside of the main body. The refrigerating cabin of the invention may comprise a plurality of shelves as well as withdrawable storage containers generally designated as a storage space for food items such as vegetables and fruits. The refrigerating cabin typically has a refrigeration cabin door.

In accordance with the invention, a certain number of door shelves are conventionally disposed on the inner side of the refrigeration cabin door, generally accommodating bottles, jars and other similar generally cylindrical containers.

The door shelves usually dimensioned to provide usability along a certain distance from the inner surface of the cabin door can generally accommodate an egg case (1) with two egg cells (2) in the direction perpendicular to the inner surface. Therefore, an egg case (1) with two egg cells (2) in the direction perpendicular to the door surface will occupy the entire transverse dimension of the door shelf. In the event that the egg case (1) placed in the shelf space contains a limited number of eggs, the non-used egg cells (2) will unnecessarily occupy the shelf space, which would otherwise accommodate additional containers.

As the regular shelf space is designed to have a transverse dimension corresponding to receive only two egg cells (2) and larger standard containers such as jars or canned substances may usually require a transverse space larger than one egg cell’s (2) transverse dimension, the egg case (1) according to the present invention is designed to be foldable around a transverse line such that the emptied space in the shelf can accommodate such standard size containers as will be delineated hereinafter.

According to the present invention, the egg case (1) comprises a plurality of egg cell units (3), each egg cell unit (3) comprising a transverse edge (4) and a longitudinal edge (5). Number of the egg cells (2) along the longitudinal axis of an egg cell unit (3) is equal to or greater than the number of the egg cells (2) along the transverse axis of the same.

In accordance with the present invention, two egg cell units (3) neighboring each other on the longitudinal axis are releasably connected to each other by means of at least one hinging means (6). The hinging means (6) establishes a releasable connection between two egg cell units (3) being neighboring on the longitudinal axis in the manner that one of the egg cell units (3) can be removed, if desired, to obtain additional space, and can be reinstalled to be folded over the existing egg cell unit (3) on the longitudinal axis. Therefore, additional space can be obtained either by removing one of the egg cell units (3) or folding the same over the other one in the couple.

The hinging means (6) of the invention involves two hinge retention means (7) attached to a respective one of the coupled egg cell units (3), said hinge retention means (7) in association with each egg cell unit (3) being rotatable around a respective tubular hinge body (8). Therefore two tubular hinge bodies (8) are connected to each other by a connection element (9) and each of them is rotatably entrapped and retained within said hinge retention means (7) being associated with a respective egg cell unit (3) in the couple. When one of the egg cell units (3) is removed by separating the respective hinge retention means (7) from the associated tubular hinge body (8) by way of flexing the respective hinge retention means (7), the hinging means (6) will remain attached to the other remaining egg cell unit (3) as the other tubular hinge body (8) is still connected thereto. Preferably two hinging means (6) are provided along a hinging line (14).

The tubular hinge bodies (8) forming a parallelly extending double-axis structure while being rotatably retained within separate hinge retention means (7), are easily removable from inside the hinge retention means (7) due to the at least half-circular structure of the latter. The parallelly extending double-axis structure affords a practical and easily manufactured solution for providing a fully overlapping and accurately aligned as well as centered folding structure into which eggs are placeable in a convenient manner in the folded position. The hinging means (6) making up a hinging line (10) is advantageously made of plastics material by common manufacturing processes. Particularly the hinge retention means (7) manufactured integrally with the egg cell units (3) out of plastics affords a practical production. Likewise, the connection elements (9) can be easily manufactured as separate single piece units.

A hinging line (10) comprising at least one hinging means (6) in accordance with the invention therefore establishes a releasable connection between two egg cell units (3) being neighboring on the longitudinal axis in the manner that one of the egg cell units (3) is either removable or foldable to obtain additional space.

In accordance with the invention, as the shelf space is structured to have a transverse dimension corresponding to receive only two egg cells (2) and larger standard containers fit inside the shelf so as to occupy the same transverse space occupied by two egg cells (2), the present invention provides that number of the egg cells (2) along the transverse axis of an egg cell unit (3) is two and number of the egg cells (2) along the longitudinal axis is preferably two or three. Therefore two egg cell units (3) neighboring in the longitudinal direction will have a hinging line (10) through which the two units engage with each other in a foldable manner. Each of the longitudinally neighboring and releasably interconnected egg cell units (3) will be hinge-attached to each other so that any of said two longitudinally neighboring egg cell units (3) can be removed or folded over the neighboring egg cell unit (3) to obtain a transversely free space in which standard containers can fit.

To this end, the present invention ensures that the user can arrange the shelf space according to his/her current needs in a substantially flexible manner. An egg cell unit (3) can be folded over another egg cell unit in a convenient manner or removed by way of using the releasable hinge structure. The invention therefore advantageously provides that an egg case (1) can be folded.

The egg case (1) is designed such that each egg cell unit (3) is provided with specific support and enclosing means (11) supporting the unit uniformly in a level manner extending from the lower side corners thereof. Therefore, an egg cell unit (3) itself can also be used alone while isolated from the other couplable part. Further, enclosure walls (12) laterally enclose and protect eggs when one egg cell unit (3) is folded over another to provide additional space. Support and enclosing means (11) at neighboring corners integrally join to each other to form the enclosure walls (12).

In a nutshell, the present invention proposes a refrigeration appliance having an interior refrigeration cabin enclosed by a heat-insulating housing and a refrigeration cabin door, said refrigeration cabin door comprising at least one door shelf for accommodating containers, said refrigeration cabin door further comprising an egg case (1) for receiving eggs in egg cells (2).

In one embodiment of the present invention, said egg case (1) comprises a plurality of egg cell units (3), each egg cell unit (3) comprising a transverse edge (4) perpendicular to the refrigeration cabin door surface and a longitudinal edge (5) in parallel thereto, number of the egg cells (2) along the longitudinal axis of an egg cell unit (3) being equal to or greater than the number of the egg cells (2) along the transverse axis of the same and; two egg cell units (3) neighboring each other on the longitudinal axis are releasably connected to each other through a hinging line (10).

In another embodiment of the present invention, a releasably established and foldable hinging line (14) is provided between two longitudinally neighboring egg cell units (3).

In a further embodiment of the present invention, number of the egg cells (2) along the transverse axis of an egg cell unit (3) is two and number of the egg cells (2) along the longitudinal axis is at least two.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, each of the longitudinally neighboring egg cell units (3) is foldable one over another by means of at least one hinging means (6).

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the egg case (1) comprises one egg cell unit (3) in the transverse direction.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the hinging means (6) comprises respective hinge retention means (7) attached to each of the coupling egg cell units (3), each hinge retention means (7) in association with an egg cell unit (3) being rotatable around a respective tubular hinge body (8).

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the hinge retention means (7) is integral to the associated egg cell unit (3).

In a further embodiment of the present invention, two tubular hinge bodies (8) are connected to each other by means of a connection element (9) and each of them is rotatably entrapped and retained within said hinge retention means (7) associated with a respective egg cell unit (3) in a couple thereof.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the two tubular hinge bodies (8) form a parallelly extending double-axis structure with each tubular hinge body (8) being rotatably retained within a respective hinge retention means (7)

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the hinge retention means (7) has at least a half-circular structure in cross-section.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, each egg cell unit (3) is provided with specific support and enclosing means (11) supporting the unit uniformly in a level manner.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, an enclosure wall (12) is provided to laterally enclose eggs when one egg cell unit (3) is folded over another egg cell unit (3).

In a further embodiment of the present invention, support and enclosing means (11) at neighboring corners integrally join to each other to form the enclosure walls (12).

In a further embodiment of the present invention, a planar closure surface (not shown) is provided to be attached to the end parts of the support and enclosing means (11) of the egg cell units (3) such that a closed housing is obtainable when one egg cell unit (3) is folded over another. This is particularly advantageous for protecting eggs in a closed box-like housing when taking to a distant location for consumption.

The present invention therefore provides an egg storing arrangement for a refrigerator door shelf. The egg case (1) of the invention flexibly provides alternative space for use as an optional storage space for other food items. The alternative space of the door shelf is therefore used in a more efficient manner, allowing efficient space arrangement for containers.

Claims

A refrigeration appliance having an interior refrigeration cabin enclosed by a heat-insulating housing and a refrigeration cabin door, said refrigeration cabin door comprising at least one door shelf for accommodating containers and an egg case (1) for receiving eggs in egg cells (2), characterized in that

said egg case (1) comprising a plurality of egg cell units (3), each egg cell unit (3) comprising a transverse edge (4) perpendicular to the refrigeration cabin door surface and a longitudinal edge (5) in parallel thereto, number of the egg cells (2) along the longitudinal axis of an egg cell unit (3) being equal to or greater than the number of the egg cells (2) along the transverse axis of the same and

two egg cell units (3) neighboring each other on the longitudinal axis are releasably connected to each other through a hinging line (10).
A refrigeration appliance as in Claim 1, characterized in that a releasably established and foldable hinging line (14) is provided between two longitudinally neighboring egg cell units (3).
A refrigeration appliance as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that number of the egg cells (2) along the transverse axis of an egg cell unit (3) is two and number of the egg cells (2) along the longitudinal axis is at least two.
A refrigeration appliance as in Claim 3, characterized in that each of the longitudinally neighboring egg cell units (3) is foldable one over another by means of at least one hinging means (6).
A refrigeration appliance as in any preceding Claims, characterized in that the egg case (1) comprising one egg cell unit (3) in the transverse direction.
A refrigeration appliance as in Claim 4, characterized in that the hinging means (6) comprising respective hinge retention means (7) attached to each of the coupling egg cell units (3), each hinge retention means (7) in association with an egg cell unit (3) being rotatable around a respective tubular hinge body (8).
A refrigeration appliance as in Claim 6, characterized in that the hinge retention means (7) is integral to the associated egg cell unit (3).
A refrigeration appliance as in Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that two tubular hinge bodies (8) are connected to each other by means of a connection element (9) and each of them is rotatably entrapped and retained within a hinge retention means (7) associated with a respective egg cell unit (3).
A refrigeration appliance as Claim 8, characterized in that the two tubular hinge bodies (8) form a parallelly extending double-axis structure with each tubular hinge body (8) being rotatably retained within a respective hinge retention means (7).
A refrigeration appliance as Claim 6, 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the hinge retention means (7) has at least a half-circular structure in cross-section.
A refrigeration appliance as in any preceding Claims, characterized in that each egg cell unit (3) is provided with specific support and enclosing means (11) supporting said unit uniformly in a level manner.
A refrigeration appliance as in Claim 11, characterized in that an enclosure wall (12) is provided to laterally enclose eggs when one egg cell unit (3) is folded over another egg cell unit (3).
A refrigeration appliance as in Claim 11 and 12, characterized in that support and enclosing means (11) at neighboring corners integrally join to each other to form the enclosure walls (12).
A refrigeration appliance as in Claim 11, 12 or 13, characterized in that a closure surface is provided to be attached to the support and enclosing means (11) of the egg cell units (3) such that a closed housing is obtainable when one egg cell unit (3) is folded over another.