Drawer storage

• US 20040065579A1
• Filed: 09/12/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Design And Engineering Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Applied Design And Engineering Ltd.
• Inventors: Wood, Ian David
• Granted Patent: US 7,159,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/545
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/487 with rollers, ball bearings, wheels, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/493 with rollers, ball bearings, wheels, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/497 with other guiding mechanisms, e.g. scissor mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/126 by rigid element, e.g. lid
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/00 Auxiliary measures taken, or devices used, in connection with loading or unloading by means incorporated in, or operatively associated with, conveyors B65G47/00; preventing fire A62C3/00; in vehicles, see the relevant subclasses, e.g., B60P1/58, B61D7/32, B62D33/00, B63B25/00, B64D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/003 Transport containers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/045 Air flow control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/047 Pressure equalising devices
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/04 Preventing the formation of frost or condensate
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2321/1411 using compressor heat
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/30 Quick freezing
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/005 using containers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/025 Drawers

Abstract

A cold-storage appliance (2) includes an open-topped insulating container defining an external surface; an insulating lid (22) adapted to close the open top of the container (16); a cooling means (24) adapted to cool the interior of the container (16); and a structure supporting the container (16), the lid and the cooling means; wherein the container (16) is mounted to the structure (4) for movement relative to the structure (6) and the lid (22) to open the container (16) and afford access to its interior or to close the container (16). A major component to open or close the drawer (4) and a minor component (114) transverse to the major component to separate the drawer (4) from the lid (22) at opening.

Claims

1. A storage unit including:

an open-topped drawer;

a lid adapted to close the open top of the drawer; and

a structure supporting the drawer and the lid;

wherein the drawer is mounted to the structure for movement relative to the structure and the lid to open the drawer and afford access to its interior or to close the drawer, and wherein said movement of the drawer includes;

a major component to open the drawer and afford access to its interior or to close the drawer; and

a minor component, transverse to the major component, to separate the drawer from the lid at the beginning of said major component upon opening or to bring the drawer and the lid together at the end of said major component upon closing.

2. The unit of claim 1, embodied as a cold storage appliance comprising:

an open-topped insulating container being the drawer;

an insulating lid adapted to close the open top of the container;

a cooling means adapted to cool the interior of the container; and

a structure supporting the container, the lid and the cooling means;

wherein the container is mounted to the structure for movement relative to the structure and the lid to open the container and afford access to its interior or to close the container, and wherein said movement of the container includes;

a major component to open the container and afford access to its interior or to close the container; and

a minor component, transverse to the major component, to free the container from the lid at the beginning of said major component upon opening or to bring the container and the lid together at the end of said major component upon closing.

3. The unit of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the minor component takes place before the major component upon opening and after the major component upon closing.

4. The unit of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the minor component takes place during initial movement in the direction of the major component upon opening and during final movement in the direction of the major component upon closing.

5. The unit of any preceding claim, comprising support means movable to support the drawer during the major component and transport means between the support means and the drawer that responds to movement of the support means to effect the minor component.

6. The unit of claim 5, further including locking means for releasably locking the transport means to prevent movement of the drawer in the direction of the minor component.

7. The unit of claim 6, wherein the locking means is responsive to the position of the drawer in the direction of the major component and locks the transport means during part of a range of movement of the support means in the direction of the major component.

8. The unit of claim 7, wherein the locking means unlocks the transport means during initial movement in the direction of the major component upon opening and during final movement in the direction of the major component upon closing.

9. The unit of any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the support means is movable independently of the drawer and the transport means is responsive to relative movement between the support means and the drawer.

10. The unit of claim 9, wherein the transport means is responsive to movement of the support means before the major component of movement of the drawer begins or to continued movement of the support means after the major component of movement of the drawer has been completed.

11. The unit of claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the transport means includes a first part movable with the support means and a second part movable with the drawer, wherein relative movement between the parts accommodates said continued movement of the support means.

12. The unit of claim 11, wherein said relative movement between the parts causes the minor component of movement of the drawer.

13. The unit of claim 11 or claim 12, wherein one part includes a ramp and the other part includes a ramp follower.

14. The unit of claim 13, wherein the ramp is associated with stops or buffers to limit relative movement of the ramp follower.

15. The unit of claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the ramp follower is a wheel.

16. The unit of claim 15, wherein the wheel is one of a pair of wheels, a first wheel of the pair being for rolling load-transmitting contact with the ramp and a second wheel of the pair being for rolling load-transmitting contact with the structure while also being in rolling load-transmitting contact with the first wheel.

17. The unit of claim 15, wherein the wheel is supported by one or more auxiliary rollers opposed to the ramp.

18. The unit of claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the ramp follower is an opposed ramp such that relative sliding movement between the ramps during movement in the direction of the major component causes the minor component of movement of the drawer.

19. The unit of claim 18, wherein each ramp terminates in a peak at one end and a trough at the other end

20. The unit of claim 19, wherein relative movement between the ramps brings the peaks of the ramps into alignment with each other to bring the drawer and the lid together.

21. The unit of claim 19 or claim 20, wherein relative movement between the ramps brings the peaks of the ramps into alignment with the opposed troughs to separate the drawer from the lid.

22. The unit of any of claims 18 to 21 and including means for limiting relative movement between the ramps to transmit from one part of the transport means to the other a force in the direction of the major component.

23. The unit of any of claims 11 to 22, wherein the parts can be separated on removing the drawer from the support means.

24. The unit of any of claims 5 to 23, wherein the support means bears the weight of the drawer during movement of the drawer other than during initial movement in the direction of the major component upon opening and during final movement in the direction of the major component upon closing, the structure bearing the weight of the drawer directly during said initial and final movements and when the drawer is closed.

25. The unit of any of claims 5 to 24, further comprising a damper extensible and retractable in response to movement of the support means with respect to the structure.

26. The unit of claim 25, wherein the damper has variable resistance to movement of the support means.

27. The unit of claim 26, wherein the resistance of the damper increases with increasing speed of movement of the support means.

28. The unit of claim 26 or claim 27, wherein the resistance of the damper increases approaching at least one end of its stroke.

29. The unit of any of claims 25 to 28, wherein the damper resists movement of the support means by pumping air through a restricted orifice.

30. The unit of any of claims 25 to 29, wherein the damper comprises an outer cylinder sealed to a hollow and elongate piston movable within the outer cylinder to pressurise and depressurise air within the outer cylinder, the piston including a plurality of orifices spaced apart along its length and communicating with each other through the hollow interior of the piston, whereby the piston can be positioned within the outer cylinder to expose at least one of said plurality of orifices to the interior of the outer cylinder while simultaneously exposing at least one other of said plurality of orifices to atmosphere outside the outer cylinder.

31. The unit of any of claims 5 to 30, further comprising restraining means to slow movement of the support means or the drawer with respect to the structure.

32. The unit of claim 31, wherein the restraining means is unidirectional in its effect.

33. The unit of claim 31 or claim 32, wherein the restraining means acts to slow the support means or the drawer when the support means or the drawer are at one or more predetermined locations in their range of movement with respect to the structure.

34. The unit of any of claims 31 to 33, wherein the restraining means acts to slow the support means or the drawer when the support means or the drawer approach an end of said range or movement.

35. The unit of any of claims 31 to 34, wherein the restraining means comprises a first part in fixed relation to the structure and a second part in fixed relation to the support means or the drawer, the parts encountering one another during relative movement between the structure and the support means or the drawer and at least one of the parts deflecting resiliently to allow the parts to pass one another upon continued relative movement.

36. The unit of any of claims 5 to 35, wherein the support means is fixed to a stabilising means to resist lateral sway of the drawer during the major component of movement.

37. The unit of claim 36, wherein the stabilising means includes at least one extending member attached to the structure and being auxiliary to and movable with the support means.

38. The unit of claim 37, wherein the major component is generally horizontal and the extending member is relatively stiff in a generally horizontal direction transverse to the direction of the major component.

39. The unit of claim 38, wherein the or each extending member is laterally offset with respect to the direction of the major component.

40. The unit of any of claims 36 to 39, wherein the extending member is a telescopic runner.

41. The unit of claim 36, wherein the stabilising means includes pinions movable with the support means, the pinions being engaged with respective laterally-spaced racks extending in the direction of the major component.

42. A storage unit including:

an open-topped drawer;

a lid adapted to close the open top of the drawer; and

a structure supporting the drawer and the lid;

wherein the drawer is mounted to the structure for movement relative to the structure and the lid to open the drawer and afford access to its interior or to close the drawer, and wherein the lid is mounted to the structure for movement relative to the structure and the drawer to separate the lid from the drawer before said movement of the drawer upon opening or to bring together the drawer and the lid after said movement of the drawer upon closing.

43. The unit of claim 42, embodied as a cold storage appliance comprising:

an open-topped insulating container being the drawer;

an insulating lid adapted to close the open top of the container;

a cooling means adapted to cool the interior of the container; and

a structure supporting the container, the lid and the cooling means;

wherein the container is mounted to the structure for movement relative to the structure and the lid to open the container and afford access to its interior or to close the container, and wherein the lid is mounted to the structure for movement relative to the structure and the container to free the container from the lid before said movement of the container upon opening or to bring the container and the lid together after said movement of the container upon closing.

44. The unit of claim 42 or claim 43, wherein the lid can be tilted relative to the structure and the drawer.

45. The unit of claim 44, wherein the lid is hinged to the structure, the hinge defining a pivot axis horizontally spaced from the drawer.

46. The unit of any of claims 42 to 45, wherein the lid is movable transverse to the direction of movement of the drawer.

47. The unit of any of claims 42 to 46, including lid transport means responsive to movement of the drawer or of a support means movable to support the drawer during said movement.

48. The unit of claim 47, wherein the lid transport means moves the lid before the drawer starts moving upon opening and after the drawer has stopped moving upon closing.

49. The unit of claim 47 or claim 48 and comprising support means movable to support the drawer during said movement and lid transport means between the support means and the lid that responds to movement of the support means to move the lid.

50. The unit of claim 49, wherein the support means is movable independently of the drawer and the lid transport means is responsive to relative movement between the support means and the drawer.

51. The unit of claim 50, wherein the lid transport means is responsive to continued movement of the support means after movement of the drawer has ceased.