EP0004921B1 - Dispenser, particularly for a refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a removal compartment, in particular for refrigerated cabinets, with an essentially horizontal storage surface for a plurality of identical or similarly designed objects, lateral guide walls or strips protruding beyond the level of the storage surface, a front stop wall or strip limiting the storage space on the removal side , at least one rear stop which is displaceable in the direction of the removal side and away from it and which can be acted upon with tension cables arranged on opposite sides and under spring tension with a force acting in the direction of the removal side.

Such a removal compartment was known from GB-A-6 97 994.

With table-high storage furniture that has several removal compartments distributed over its height, it is often difficult to remove the objects located in the compartments, especially if they are at the back. These problems occur primarily in refrigerated counters in the catering trade, where bottled beer and lemonade are housed in the extraction areas of the refrigerated counter. In order to remove a bottle, the landlord has to bend down and possibly reach far into the compartment and, if necessary, look for a particular type of bottled beer or lemonade in a stooped position. Not only is the removal work cumbersome and time-consuming, but the door of the refrigerated counter remains open throughout the entire process, so that the cold can escape from the refrigerated counter and additional cooling energy must therefore be expended.

From the aforementioned GB-PS 6 97 994 a removal compartment for cigarette boxes or the like is known, in which the spring force is applied with the aid of a spiral spring. Such a removal compartment is only suitable for feeding light packs over relatively short distances. The known removal compartment is not suitable for use in refrigeration units where heavy masses have to be transported over relatively long distances.

From US-PS 3 008 583 a removal compartment is known in which act on the rear stop two tension springs arranged on opposite sides, which are fastened on the one hand directly to the stop and on the other hand to the front stop. With this removal compartment, only relatively short displacement distances are also possible, the spring force decreasing so much when the compartment is partially empty that heavier objects can no longer be transported.

The invention has for its object to provide a removal compartment, which is also suitable for advancing heavy objects over long displacement distances, so that it can also be used for refrigerated cabinets in order to be able to remove them quickly and conveniently and to access them quickly To enable goods, such as beverage bottles.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the springs are attached at one end to the respective lateral guide wall or strip and with their other end they engage a loose roller or deflection and that the traction rope is guided around this roller in the manner of a pulley block, which is attached at one end to the removal-side end of the respective guide wall or strip, while the other end is guided around a fixed roller or deflection attached to the removal-side end of the guide wall or strip and is connected to the stop.

Due to the construction according to the invention, strong springs, preferably tension springs, can be used, of which only a short spring travel needs to be used in order to be able to move the rear stop with uniform and great force over the entire length of the removal compartment.

To fill the removal compartment, the spring-loaded rear stop must be pushed back. In order to be able to hold the stop in this position, a pivotable lever can be arranged on the bearing block of the loose roller or deflection, which lever serves to lock the bearing block when the stop is completely pushed back.

If the tension spring must be designed extremely strong due to the given structural conditions, a translation can be provided to facilitate tensioning the spring when the compartment is refilled. This can be characterized in that a return cable is fastened to the bearing block of the loose roller or deflection, that the return cable is guided around a spool fastened near the removal side and that the spool has a drivable drive wheel which is coupled to it and has a larger diameter than the coil, is rotatable.

In order to enable the rear stop to be automatically moved into its rearmost position when the tension spring is tensioned, a second pull rope can act on the rear stop in the opposite direction to the first pull rope, the second pull rope via a rear fixed roller or deflection and one second loose roller or deflection provided on the bearing block leads to a fastening point located at the rear compartment end.

If an external pivotable furniture door is assigned to the removal compartment, which can be pivoted open and closed about an axis lying in the level of the storage surface of the compartment or somewhat below this level and at least in an open removal or filling position can be locked, the shelf expediently extends up to the front stop wall or strip, so that the objects in the front row are supported only in their rear areas outside their respective focal points. The front stop wall or strip can be movably attached to the removal compartment and at least partially follow its pivoting movement when the furniture door is opened, such that the objects in the front row tip forward into a removal position when the furniture door is opened or when the furniture door is closed return to their starting position. This type of removal compartment makes the removal considerably easier, since the objects to be removed, for example chilled bottles, tilt forward when the outer door is swung open, so that they are available for immediate access. On the other hand, the opening time of the refrigerator for removing a cooled object can thereby be reduced, and finally this type of refrigerator opening counteracts the cold flowing away from the refrigerator during removal. Because of the easy accessibility, this embodiment is also suitable, for example, for dispensing drinks, in which the operator sits and, if appropriate, simultaneously serves the cash register.

In order to bring the objects to be removed when opening the outer door in the access position, the front stop wall or strip can have an L-shaped cross section, of which the long leg forms the front boundary of the compartment and the short leg below the plane of the Storage area engages under the front row of objects located in the compartment, the stop wall or strip being pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis lying in the plane of the lower L-leg or a plane lying outside this plane.

Alternatively, a horizontally slidable bracket can also be provided as the front stop, which is held in its front end position by a stop.

According to another embodiment, the front stop wall or strip can be pivoted forward about a lower horizontal axis, which lies approximately in the plane of the storage surface of the compartment, into a predetermined inclined position limited by a stop.

• Fig. 1 in perspektivischer Ansicht ein mit Flaschen und Dosen teilweise gefülltes Entnahmefach,
• Fig. 2 dasselbe Entnahmefach mit einer Positionierung des hinteren Anschlages unmittelbar vor erneuter Füllung des Entnahmefachs,
• Fig. 3 eine Seitenansicht eines anderen Ausführungsbeispiels des Entnahmefachs,
• Fig. 4 in vergrößerter Darstellung einen Schnitt entlang der Linie IV-IV aus Fig. 3,
• Fig. 5 den gleichen Schnitt wie Fig. 4 durch ein anderes Ausführungsbeispiel des Entnahmefachs,
• Fig. 6 einen Schnitt durch den vorderen Teil eines Entnahmefachs für ein Lagermöbel, insbesondere Kühlmöbel, mit einer jedem Fach zugeordneten äußeren Schwenktür,
• Fig. 7a eine Draufsicht auf den vorderen Teil einer anderen Ausführungsform eines Entnahmefachs,
• Fig. 7b eine Seitenansicht des Fachs gemäß Fig. 7a und
• Fig. 8 einen Schnitt durch den vorderen Teil einer weiteren Ausführungsform eines Entnahmefachs. Nach der Zeichnung besteht das Entnahmefach aus einem Korb 1 mit einer unteren horizontalen Abstellfläche 2, seitlichen, über das Niveau der Abstellfläche 2 hinausragenden, parallel zueinander angeordneten Führungswänden 3, einer die Abstellfläche auf der Entnahmeseite begrenzenden vorderen Anschlagseite 4 sowie einer hinteren Abschlußleiste 5. Die untere Abstellfläche ist aus einem Gitterrost gebildet, dessen Gitterstäbe 6 parallel zu den seitlichen Führungswänden 3 verlaufen und somit den auf der Abstellfläche zu verschiebenden Gegenständen nur einen geringen Reibwert entgegensetzen.

The invention is illustrated in the drawing, for example, and described in detail below with reference to the drawing. Show it:

• 1 is a perspective view of a removal compartment partially filled with bottles and cans,
• 2 the same removal compartment with a positioning of the rear stop immediately before the removal compartment is refilled,
• 3 is a side view of another embodiment of the removal compartment,
• 4 shows an enlarged view of a section along the line IV-IV from FIG. 3,
• 5 shows the same section as FIG. 4 through another embodiment of the removal compartment,
• 6 shows a section through the front part of a removal compartment for storage furniture, in particular refrigerated furniture, with an outer pivot door assigned to each compartment,
• 7a is a plan view of the front part of another embodiment of a removal compartment,
• Fig. 7b is a side view of the compartment according to Fig. 7a and
• 8 shows a section through the front part of a further embodiment of a removal compartment. According to the drawing, the removal compartment consists of a basket 1 with a lower horizontal storage surface 2, lateral guide walls 3 projecting above the level of the storage surface 2, arranged parallel to one another, a front stop side 4 which limits the storage surface on the removal side and a rear end strip 5 the lower storage area is formed from a grating, the grating bars 6 of which run parallel to the lateral guide walls 3 and thus only provide a low coefficient of friction against the objects to be moved on the storage area.

Furthermore, the removal compartment has a rear stop bar 7 which is displaceable in the direction of the removal side and away from it. The rear stop bar 7 extends over the entire width of the storage surface 2 and is slidably supported by its ends on the two parallel guide walls 3. It can be moved over the entire depth of the storage surface 2, the displacement path being limited on the removal side by the front stop bar 4 and on the rear side by the connecting bar 5.

In any position, the displaceable stop bar 7 is acted upon by a force acting in the direction of the removal side, so that objects 8 and 9 standing on the shelf 2 in the basket 1 are always pressed towards the removal side and the objects of the front row on the removal side contact stationary stop bar 4.

The application of force to the displaceable stop bar 7 takes place via tension springs 10, which transmit their force to the stop bar 4 via tension cables 11. So that the bar 7 can be acted upon by the force of the springs 10 over the entire depth of the basket 1, the traction cables 11 are guided in the manner of a pulley block around rollers 12 and deflections 13, so that with a small spring travel, a larger displacement path of the stop bar 7 is achieved.

On the two outer sides of the side guide walls 3, a tension spring 10 is provided, which is attached at one end to the end of the guide wall 3 facing away from the removal side, while the the other end is connected to a bearing block 14 of a loose roller 12. The respective traction cable 11 is also fastened to the outside of the respective lateral guide wall 3, the fastening point 15 being on the removal side. From the attachment point 15, the pull rope 11 thus initially runs in the direction of the rear region of the basket 1, is then guided around the loose roller 12 and runs back to the removal side, where it is again a fixed deflection 13 provided at a distance above the attachment point is deflected in the opposite direction to the rear of the basket 1. The free end 16 of the pull cable 11 is then attached to the respective lateral end of the movable stop bar 7.

The bearing block 14 connected to the respective tension spring 10 moves parallel to the lateral guide walls 3 when the rear stop bar 7 is displaced in the opposite direction thereof. Due to the pulley-like arrangement, the bearing block moves only half the distance which the stop bar 7 travels. Since the movement of the bearing block corresponds to the change in elongation of the spring 10, the maximum spring travel need only be equal to half the basket depth in order to apply its force to the stop bar over the entire basket depth.

When the rear stop bar 7 for filling the basket 1 is brought into its rearwardly shifted position, in which it rests on the rear end bar 5, the bearing block 14 assumes its position shifted furthest towards the removal side, in which the spring 10 experiences its greatest stretch. In order to be able to fill the basket 1 comfortably in this position without having to hold the rear stop bar 7 in place, it can be locked. The locking takes place in that the bearing block 14 is fixed in its front position, so that the rear stop bar 7 is no longer subjected to force. To fix the bearing block 14, a pivotable lever 17 is provided at its front end, which can be pivoted in front of the front stop bar 4 and thus absorbs the tensile force of the spring 10. This position in which the basket can be refilled is illustrated in FIG. 2.

If the stop bar 7 is to be acted upon again by the spring force after the basket 1 has been filled, the lever 17 is pivoted from the locking position shown in FIG. 2 into the upward position shown in FIG. 1, so that the spring force is now applied the rear stop bar 7 can act. If objects are then removed from the basket 1 on the removal side, the rear stop bar 7 pushes the other objects further forward until they abut the front stop bar 4 and are ready for removal there.

If objects of different types or shapes are to be accommodated in a removal compartment, the storage surface 2 can be subdivided by a separable strip 18 which runs parallel to the lateral guide walls 3. The separating strip 18 can be conveniently attached between the front stop strip 4 and the rear connecting strip 5 by simply being hooked into corresponding slots 19 and 20 which are provided for this in the two strips 4 and 5. Across the width of the basket 1, a plurality of slits 19 and 20 arranged next to one another can be provided in the strips 4 and 5, so that either the partition 18 can be hung at different points or a plurality of partitions 18 can be used. In order to ensure that the rear stop bar 7 can move freely even when the dividing bars 18 are inserted, recesses 21 are provided in the stop bar 7 at the corresponding points, through which the dividing bars 18 extend with play.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, only one separating strip 18 is inserted in a position displaced from the center, so that the storage surface 2 is divided into two areas of different sizes. Objects of the group that are removed more frequently, for example beer bottles 8, are then accommodated on the larger area of the storage surface, while lemonade cans 9 can be placed on the smaller area, for example.

Removal compartments of the type described above can be used in conjunction with any type of refrigeration furniture or the like.

They can be designed as drawers or simply placed on existing intermediate shelves, so that retrofitting of existing refrigeration units with such removal compartments is also possible.

In the figures 3 to 5 of the drawing, in which the same structural parts are provided with the same item numbers, alternative constructions are shown with which the tensioning of the spring 10 can be facilitated. Here, a return cable 22 is fastened to the bearing block 14a provided on the respective outer side of the guide walls 3, which is guided to a spool 23 which is rotatably mounted near the removal side of the compartment and can be wound onto the spool when the spool rotates. According to FIGS. 3 and 4, the coil 23 is fixedly connected to a drive wheel 24, which has an approximately four times larger diameter than the coil 23. A toothed rack 25 is used to drive the drive wheel 24, which toothing 26 is provided in a toothing 26 provided on the outside of the drive wheel 24 intervenes. By moving the rack 25 in the direction of the removal side, the drive wheel 24 and at the same time the spool 23 are moved in such a way that the return cable 22 winds up on the spool 23 and thus moves the bearing block 14a against the force of the spring 10 toward the removal side, so that the stop 7 is relieved and can be pushed back. In view of the large transmission ratio, several strokes of the rack 25 are required in order to bring the bearing block 14a into its foremost position, in which the stop 7 abuts directly on the rear side of the compartment.

To start a new stroke of the rack 25, the teeth 27 must be uncoupled. This is done in that the round rack 25 is rotated by pivoting the handle 28 into the position shown in Fig. 4, in which the teeth 27 are no longer engaged with the teeth 26 of the drive wheel 24. In this position, the rack 25, which is guided in bearings 29 and 30, can be pushed back and forth without the drive wheel 24 being carried along and the spool 23 thereby being rotated. In order to prevent the driving wheel 24 and the coil 23 from turning back after the uncoupling, a pawl 31 is provided which is pulled into the respective gap between two teeth 26 of the driving wheel 24 via a tension spring 32 indicated in FIG. 3 and a turning back of the driving wheel prevented. In the operating state in which the coil 23 and thus the drive wheel 24 must be rotatable so that the stop 7 is spring-loaded, the pawl 31 is automatically pivoted into an inactive position. This is done in that the handle 28 of the rack 25 comes to rest on the counter lever 33 of the pivotable pawl 31 and lifts it off the teeth 26 of the drive wheel 24.

For the common mounting of the coil 23 and the drive wheel 24, a rigid axle 34 is used, which is fastened on the one hand to the side wall 3 and on the other hand to a cover plate 35 shown in dash-dotted lines in FIG. 4 and arranged at a distance from the side wall 3.

In order to ensure that the rear stop 7 is automatically pushed backwards when the bearing bracket 14a is pulled forward, a second pull rope 36 is provided, which acts on the stop 7 in the opposite direction to the first pull rope 11 and via a rear fixed deflection 37 and one second deflection 38 provided on the bearing block 14a is guided to a fastening point 39 located at the rear compartment end. When the bearing block 14a is displaced, the stop 7 is therefore automatically taken along in both directions.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the mechanism formed by the coil 23a and the drive wheel 24a is constructed somewhat differently. In this embodiment, the pull cord attached to the loose bracket 14a is wound onto the spool 23a, just as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this exemplary embodiment, however, the coil 23a is not rigidly attached to the drive wheel 24a, but is connected to it via a freewheel 40, which can be designed, for example, as a clamping roller clutch. The pawl 31, not shown in FIG. 5, must therefore engage in this embodiment on the coil 23a, which is provided with teeth 41 on the right-hand side for this purpose.

In this embodiment, a pull cord 42, which is wound on the outer circumference of the drive wheel 24a, serves to drive the drive wheel. In order to be able to return the drive wheel 24a to the starting position after each stroke, a spiral return spring 43 is provided which acts counter to the force applied with the pull cord 42.

In this embodiment, the pull cord could also be replaced by a rack, as used in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Because of the one-way clutch, it would not be necessary in this exemplary embodiment to disengage the rack after each stroke.

3 to 8 show three exemplary embodiments of a removal compartment in which the front stop wall or strip, in contrast to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2, is arranged to be movable. These three exemplary embodiments of the removal compartment are particularly suitable for refrigerated cabinets 44 with outer pivoting doors 45 which can be pivoted open and closed about an axis lying in the plane of the storage surface 46 of the compartment or somewhat below this level. When the outer pivot door 45 is opened, the front bottles 47, which are constantly pushed forward via the rear pressurized stop, can tip into an inclined position which is inclined at approximately 30 ° to the vertical and offers good access for removing the bottles.

In the removal compartment 48 shown in FIG. 6, the front stop wall 49 has an L-shaped cross section, of which the long leg 50 forms the front boundary of the compartment 48 and the short leg 51 below the plane of the storage surface 46 under the front row of the bottles 47 located in the compartment engages. When the outer swing door 45 is opened, the L-shaped front stop wall 49 also tilts forward and brings the bottles 47 into the inclined removal position. The outer swing door can also be kept open for a longer period of time, for example during the entire business hours in which goods from the refrigerator are sold.

In order to prevent heat exchange as far as possible, the free space between the upper edge of the outer swing door 45 and the front wall of the furniture 44 is closed with an easily removable cover 63. This allows quick access to the objects 47 without actuating the swing door 45.

In the removal compartment 52 shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b, a bracket 53 horizontally displaceable perpendicularly to the pivot axis of the outer door 45 is provided as the front stop, which is mounted on the outer surfaces of the side walls 54 in two eyelets 55 one behind the other. At both ends of the bracket 53 there are thickened portions 56 which come into contact with the eyelets 55 when the bracket is pushed forward and which define the end position of the bracket shown in FIG. 7b. When opening the outer swing door 45, the bottles 47 tilt forward and are then held by the bracket 53 in the slightly tilted removal position even when the outer swing door 45 is opened further.

In the removal compartment 57 shown in FIG. 8, the front stop is designed as a strip or wall 58 which can be pivoted forward about a lower horizontal axis lying approximately in the plane of the storage surface 46 of the compartment into a predetermined inclined position. The swung-in end position of the wall 58 is limited by lateral brackets 59 which are guided in eyelets 61 provided on the side walls 60 and are provided at their ends with thickenings 62 which come into contact with the eyelets 61 in the swung-in end position. In the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, too, the outer swing door can be kept open during use, the free cross section being able to be provided with a cover in the same way as in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 6.

Claims (9)

1. Removable shelf, especially for domestic refrigerators, with a substantially horizontal standing surface (2) for a plurality of identical or similarly shaped articles (8, 9), with lateral guide walls (3) or guide strips projecting above the level of the standing surface (2), with a front stop wall or stop strip (4) limiting the standing surface on the removal side, with at least one rear stop (7) which can be moved towards the removal side and away from this and which can be subjected, by means of traction cables (11) located on opposite sides and standing under spring tension, to a force acting in the direction of the removal side, characterised in that the springs (10) are fastened with their one end to the respective lateral guide wall (3) or guide strip and engage with their other end on a loose roller (12) or direction-change device, and in that the traction cable (11) is guided round this roller in the manner of a block and tackle, said traction cable being fastened with one end to the end of the respective guide wall (3) or guide strip on the removal side, whilst the other end is guided round a fixed roller or direction-change devise (13) fastened to the end of the guide wall (3) or guide strip on the removal side, and is connected to the stop (7).

2. Removable shelf according to Claim 1, characterised in that the spring is a tension spring (10) which is fastened to the end of the guide wall (3) or guide strip facing away from the removal side.

3. Removable shelf according to Claim 2, characterised in that located on the bearing block (14) of the loose roller (12) or direction-change device is a pivotable lever (17) which, when the stop (7) is pushed back fully, serves for locking the bearing block (14).

4. Removable shelf according to Claim 2 or 3, characterised in that a return cable (22) is fastened to the bearing block (14a) of the loose roller or direction-change device, in that the return table (22) is guided round a reel (23; 23a) fastened near the removal side, and in that the reel (23; 23a) can be rotated via a drivable drive wheel (24; 24a) which is coupled to the latter and which has a larger diameter than the reel.

5. Removable shelf according to one of Claims 2 to 4, characterised in that a second traction cable (36) engages on the rear stop (7) in the opposite direction to the first traction cable (11), and in that the second traction cable (36) leads via a rear fixed roller or direction-change device (37) and a second loose roller or direction-change device (38) provided on the bearing block (14a) to a fastening point (39) located at the rear end of the shelf.

6. Removable shelf according to one of the preceding claims, an outer pivotable refrigerator door (45) which can be swung open and closed about an axis lying in the plane of the standing surface of the shelf or somewhat beneath this plane and which can be locked at least in an opened removal or filling position being assigned to the shelf, characterised in that the standing surface (46) does not reach up to the front stop wall or stop strip (49; 53; 58) and supports the articles (47) of the foremost row in their rear regions only, outside their respective centres of gravity, and in that the front stop wall or stop strip (49; 53; 58) is fastened movably to the removable shelf (48; 52; 57) and when the refrigerator door (45) is opened, follows at least partially the pivoting movement of the latter, in such a way that, when the refrigerator door (45) is opened, the articles of the front row tilt forwards into a removal position or, when the refrigerator door is closed, return to their original position.

7. Removable shelf according to Claim 6, characterised in that the front stop wall or stop strip has a L-shaped cross-section, the long leg (50) of which constitutes the front limitation of the shelf and the short leg (51) of which engages underneath the plane of the standing surface (46) under the front row of the articles (47) located in the shelf, and in that the stop wall or stop strip is mounted pivotably about a horizontal axis lying in the plane of the lower leg of the L or somewhat beneath this plane.

8. Removable shelf according to Claim 6, characterised in that a shackle (53) which is mounted so as to be horizontally displaceable and which is held in its front end position by a stop (56) is provided as the front stop.

9. Removable shelf according to Claim 6, characterised in that the front stop wall or stop strip (58) can pivot forwards, about a lower horizontal axis lying approximately in the plane of the standing surface (46) of the shelf (57), into a predetermined inclined position limited by a stop (62).

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