Panel for cabling cables and wires

Abstract

 Panel (10) for cabling electric cables and wires (11), provided with a front surface (12) on which supporting elements (15) are arranged to display products. The front surface (12) cooperates with an electrically fed member (13). The panel (10) defines a containing compartment (16) arranged on the rear of the front surface (12), and inside which the electric cables and wires (11) arriving from the member (13) are cabled. The panel (10) also comprises a plurality of apertures (22) which allow the electric cables and wires (11) to pass from the front to the back of the panel (10) itself.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention concerns a panel for cabling cables and wires, for example of the type able to be installed in display cases, cabinets or glass show cases, advantageously but not exclusively to contain food products, which comprise members or devices which need electric feed such as lights, signs, means to condition temperature or humidity, means to display atmospheric parameters, clocks/date displays, etc.

[0002] The cabling panel according to the present invention is able to define at least a housing compartment which is able to house and conceal cables and wires which connect the members or devices to the respective feed sockets, and has at the front part a plurality of apertures which allow said cables and wires to pass from the front to the back of the panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The state of the art includes display cases for food products, for example of the refrigerated type, such as cabinets, glass cases, fridge blocks etc. Such display cases normally comprise an internal containing structure having one or more panels on which the elements to support the food products are mounted, such as shelves, brackets, drawers or otherwise. In more advanced display cases, the shelves or brackets are provided with, or are associated with, members and devices which require electric feed, such as lights, acoustic warning signals, luminous panels or signs, thermostat elements, displays, clocks or otherwise.

[0004] The function of such members and devices can simply be of illumination, and/or to attract the attention of a user to a particular product displayed, or again to signal possible anomalies to the sales assistants. Such members can also perform the function of displaying the preservation conditions or other desired parameters relating to the goods contained inside the display case.

[0005] One of the main shortcomings of conventional display cases is that they do not provide any dedicated space for cabling the electric cables arriving from the shelves provided with said members or devices.

[0006] As a consequence of this shortcoming, the cables are cabled in a functionally and aesthetically inconvenient manner due to the fact that the cables are normally arranged on the side of the shelf and attached visibly, by means of bands, insulating tape or other, to the supporting panel, to be conveyed to the feed socket, which is also normally visible.

[0007] Another shortcoming is that in conventional embodiments the position of the feed sockets, arranged on the visible side of the panel, imposes a substantially fixed position of the relative shelves, possibly illuminated, which cannot be displaced so as not to show long segments of exposed cables or wires.

[0008] Moreover, in conventional embodiments there is also the risk that the cables will rapidly wear, since they are not arranged in a protected position with respect to humidity, high temperature differences or mechanical stresses.

[0009] Another shortcoming is that, since they are exposed on the front of the display case, the cables can be inadvertently touched both by the users and also by the sales assistants, with the consequent risks of electric shocks or damage to the food products.

[0010] A further shortcoming is that conventional solutions entail difficulties in adding or removing the shelves to/from the supporting panel at a later moment.

[0011] US-A-5,994,644 discloses a design for modular furniture in which vertical raceways are arranged on a side of a plurality of shelves. These raceways include resilient brushes to partly retain electrical wires. This solution, however, cannot reliably hide from outside, and protect, the wires to be connected with some electrical devices located on the shelves.

[0012] EP-A-650.228 discloses a openable casing for electric wires.

[0013] Applicant has devised and embodied the present invention to overcome these shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain further advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention is set forth and characterized essentially in the main claim, while the dependent claims describe other innovative characteristics of the invention.

[0015] The purpose of the invention is to achieve a panel for cabling electric cables and wires in display cases for food products able to define a dedicated space wherein said cables and wires are arranged for the most part in a hidden position, where they are protected from external degrading agents and are kept separate both from the products on display and also from possible contact with users.

[0016] Another purpose is to allow to position shelves, brackets or other elements to support and display the food products in a desired manner along the entire height of the panel, without limits caused by the position of the feed sockets.

[0017] Another purpose is to make the structure of the display case flexible, making it easy to add, replace or eliminate the shelves/brackets, even at a later moment, and even when there are electric members/devices such as lights or suchlike assembled thereon.

[0018] In accordance with these purposes, the panel for cabling cables and wires according to the present invention comprises a front surface provided with means suitable to cooperate in supporting a plurality of supporting elements such as shelves, brackets, drawers or suchlike, for the display of products, for example food products. The panel is able to define at least a containing compartment, located at least partly concealed behind said front surface, inside which the electric cables and wires arriving from the supporting elements are cabled.

[0019] In cooperation with the containing compartment, also concealed behind the panel, a plurality of feed sockets for the electric cables and wires are provided.

[0020] The panel also includes, advantageously along a lateral side, or in another desired position, a plurality of apertures which allow the cables and wires to pass from the front to the back of the panel.

[0021] In a preferential embodiment, the apertures are made with a very close pitch, so that the shelves or brackets can be displaced substantially into any position whatsoever on the height of the panel and find in any case a relatively near aperture through which the cables can pass. Thanks to this, the segment of cable/wire remaining visible on the front of the panel is very little.

[0022] According to a variant, the apertures consist of one or more substantially continuous grooves, arranged in the direction of the height of the panel.

[0023] With the cabling panel according to the present invention, it is therefore possible to convey all the electric cables and wires inside a dedicated containing compartment without the cables and wires remaining in a visible position, except for a very short segment where they connect with the electric member or device. Moreover, the containing compartment creates a shelter for the electric cables and wires from contact with the products displayed and substantially eliminates the danger of electric shocks for users and assistants. The use of the cabling panel according to the present invention also allows to keep the aesthetic quality of the display case substantially unchanged and to reduce the preparation and installation costs and times to a minimum, at the same time increasing the flexibility and practicality of installing the shelves/brackets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

• fig. 1 is an axonometric projection of a panel for cabling cables and wires according to the present invention, associated with relative shelves;
• fig. 2 shows a first detail seen from below of fig. 1;
• fig. 3 shows a detail of the panel in fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL EMBODIMENT

[0025] With reference to the attached drawings, a panel 10 according to the present invention for cabling electric cables and wires 11, is applied to a display case for products, advantageously but not exclusively food products, not shown in detail here.

[0026] The panel 10 comprises a front surface 12 on which a plurality of supporting elements are able to be arranged, for example in this case shelves 15. In display cases of a more advanced type, the shelves 15 are associated with members or devices 13 which need electric feed by means of respective cables or wires 11, such as for example lights, signs or otherwise, which can be installed both on the shelves 15 and also directly on the front surface 12 of the panel 10.

[0027] On the front surface 12, to be more exact in a zone near the lateral edges, a plurality of snap-in holes 14 are made, inside which attachment elements, not visible in the drawings, are able to be arranged, provided on the rear part of the shelves 15, so as to attach the latter, arranging them substantially perpendicular or inclined with respect to the front surface 12, in any position whatsoever on the height of the panel 10. Behind the front surface 12 of the panel 10 there is also a containing compartment 16, inside which a plurality of electric feed sockets 17 are arranged, by means of which it is possible to connect the electric cables and wires 11 to a source of power.

[0028] The containing compartment 16 can be completely concealed from sight using a covering element 19 which is attached on a plurality of transverse strips 18 made on the front surface 12. The containing compartment 16 defines a hidden space, dedicated and insulated for the cabling of the electric cables and wires 11, preventing the latter from interfering with the arrangement of the shelves 15 on the height of the panel 10, which can thus be chosen and modified as desired, or from coming into contact with the food products displayed or with the users.

[0029] In the embodiment shown here, the covering element 19 is attached by means of screws 20, advantageously with a countersunk head, able to be screwed into corresponding threaded holes 21 made on some of the transverse strips 18.

[0030] According to a characteristic of the present invention, along the edge of the containing compartment 16 there are a plurality of apertures 22, advantageously equidistant from each other, and with a very close pitch, which put the front of the panel 10 into communication with the containing compartment 16 located at the rear, and allow the passage of the electric cables and wires 11 of the relative shelf 15 or of the member 13 located elsewhere, as far as the feed sockets 17.

[0031] The presence of the apertures 22 allows to locate the shelf 15 where desired, substantially over the whole height of the panel 10, in any case finding an aperture 22 near enough to introduce the relative cable 11 and position it hidden in the containing compartment 16. The only part of the cable 11 which remains in view on the front of the panel 10 is a short segment which goes from the electric member 13 to the nearest aperture 22. Moreover, this visible segment of cable 11 does not entail any problem to the assembly and positioning of the shelves 15.

[0032] It is clear however that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the panel 10 as described heretofore, but these shall remain within the field and scope of the present invention.

[0033] For example, according to a variant, the covering element 19 can be attached to the front surface 12 by means of insertion and lock-in grooves made along the lateral edges of the covering element 19 and cooperating with corresponding grooves made along the edges of the containing compartment 16.

[0034] According to another variant, the apertures 22, or at least some of them, are made on the covering element 19.

[0035] According to another variant, between the front surface 12 and the covering element 19 one or more grooves are provided arranged in the direction of the height of the panel 10, through which the cables or wires 11 can emerge and run; this groove can be partly closed by one or more flexible lips.

[0036] It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific examples, a person of skill shall certainly be able to achieve other forms of panel for cabling cables and wires, all of which shall come within the field of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. Panel for cabling electric cables and wires (11), comprising at least a front surface (12) on which supporting elements (15) are able to be arranged in order to display products and cooperating with at least one member (13) able to be fed electrically, characterized in that it comprises at least a containing compartment (16) arranged on the rear of said front surface (12), and inside which said electric cables and wires (11) arriving from said at least one member (13) are able to be cabled, and a plurality of apertures (22), distributed over a substantial part of the height of the panel (10), which allow said electric cables and wires (11) to pass from the front part of said panel (10) to a hidden position arranged in the back of said panel (10) itself.

2. Panel as in claim 1, characterized in that in said containing compartment (16) a plurality of feed sockets (17) are arranged to connect said electric cables and wires (11) to a power source.

3. Panel as in claim 2, characterized in that said containing compartment (16) is able to be at least partly covered by means of covering means (19) so as to define a dedicated and insulated area wherein said electric cables and wires (11) are cabled.

4. Panel as in claim 1, characterized in that said apertures (22) are arranged close together with a very low pitch so the segment of cable/wire (11) remaining visible on the front of said panel (10) is very little.

5. Panel as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of anchoring means (14) made on said front surface (12), with which corresponding attachment elements are able to cooperate in order to attach said supporting elements (15) to said panel (10) in a position close to one of said apertures (22).

6. Panel as in claim 3, characterized in that it comprises transverse strips (18) on which a covering element (19) is able to be attached which at least partly covers said containing compartment (16).

7. Panel as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said apertures (22) are made in said front surface (12).

8. Panel as in claim 6, characterized in that said apertures (22) are made, at least partly, on said covering element (19).

9. Panel as in claim 6, characterized in that said apertures (22) are defined by one or more longitudinal grooves made between said front surface (12) and said covering element (19).

Drawing