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(11) | EP 1 703 237 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
Improved refrigerated exhibitor Verbessertes Kühlmöbel Vitrine réfrigérée améliorée |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
[0001] The present invention refers to an improved refrigerated exhibitor, such as those used in particular for exhibiting beverages or the like.
[0002] As known, there are refrigerated exhibitors equipped with one or more sliding doors: such exhibitors however have a series of inconveniences; in case of exhibitors equipped with a single sliding door, such door needs a supplementary lateral space in which it can slide when opening, with a consequent and clear waste of space; moreover, in case of exhibitors equipped with at least two sliding doors, it is known that such doors, when opening, are overlapped, allowing to access always and only inside part of the exhibitor. In order to solve such problems, the art has provided refrigerated exhibitors with a totally or partially circular plan equipped with arc-shaped sliding doors, so that such doors can slide when opening along the similarly arc-shaped walls of the exhibitor, consequently not needing the lateral space required by traditional sliding doors for their opening. In such exhibitors, however, the use of arc-shaped sliding rails has always created problems or even prevented the use of efficient sealing and insulating systems, such as traditional gaskets or other devices, with consequent negative effects on exhibitors heat efficiency and on related energy consumptions for keeping the desired temperatures.
[0003] The art further provides for refrigerated exhibitors with sliding doors connected to a mechanical closing system comprising a vertically sliding counterweight in a guide which is typically provided along exhibitor opening risers, such counterweight being suitably connected and transmitted to the door so that, when the door is opened, the counterweight rises, while, when the open sliding door is free from constraints, the fall movement of the counterweight due to gravity makes it close; such mechanical system however compels the user who wishes to take foodstuff from inside the exhibitor, to take care, during such operation, to impair the door closure, for example with his hand, arm or shoulder, the door otherwise being closed by itself due to the counterweight fall, thereby being uncomfortable and scarcely useful.
[0004] A counterweight-type mechanical system is typically used only in refrigerated exhibitors with linearly sliding doors, due to the easiness with which it is possible to arrange the transmission cable along the rectilinar opening lintel; in fact, no refrigerated exhibitors are known with arc-shaped sliding doors equipped with a mechanical closing system as previously described. Patent applications JP 2005 009698 A and GB 1 287 916 A disclose refrigerator exhibitors according to the above prior art and the preamble of Claim 1.
[0005] Therefore, object of the present invention is solving the above prior art problems, by providing an improved refrigerated exhibitor comprising at least one door assembly with arc-shaped sliding door equipped with a mechanical automatic closing system.
[0006] Another object of the present invention is providing an improved refrigerated exhibitor equipped with a mechanical automatic closing system and a sliding door blocking device.
[0007] Moreover, an object of the present invention is providing an improved refrigerated exhibitor comprising at least one arc-shaped sliding door equipped with an improved thermal sealing member.
[0008] The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will appear from the following description, are reached with an improved refrigerated exhibitor as claimed in claim 1. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.
[0009] The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, provided as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:
- FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the improved refrigerated exhibitor according to the present invention;
- FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the improved refrigerated exhibitor of FIG. 1 free from its external cover;
- FIG. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the door assembly of the improved refrigerated exhibitor of FIG. 1 and 2;
- FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective view of a part of the door assembly in FIG. 3;
- FIG. 5 shows another exploded perspective view of a part of the door assembly in FIG. 3;
- FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a part of the improved refrigerated exhibitor in FIG. 2; and
- FIG. 7 shows another perspective view of a part of the improved refrigerated exhibitor in FIG. 2.
[0010] As it is possible to note with reference to FIG. 1 and 2, the improved refrigerated exhibitor 1 according to the present invention has a configuration having a substantially circular or partially arc-shaped plan at least in its front part; obviously, the improved refrigerated exhibitor 1 comprises a refrigerating cell 5 contained in a support structure substantially composed of arc-shaped lateral walls 7 defining, above and below the refrigerating cell 5, room 9 for housing the refrigerating system components which, since they are known, will not be described below. The support structure is then covered by arc-shaped external covering panels 3 and an upper cover 4. The refrigerating cell 5 interior, containing a plurality of shelves 6 aimed to support the exposed goods, is accessible through a door assembly 10 comprising an arc-shaped sliding door 11, whose radius of curvature is substantially complying with the one of arc-shaped side walls 7, equipped with a mechanical automatic closing system and a blocking device. With particular reference then to FIG. 3, it is possible to note that the door assembly 10 comprises:
- the arc-shaped sliding door 11 preferably composed of an arc-shaped insulating transparent panel supported by an external frame, such frame preferably comprising an arc-shaped lower frame section 12b and two side frame sections, respectively a left one 12c and a right one 12d, the lower frame section 12b being equipped with sliding rollers 14 described below; the arc-shaped insulating transparent panel can obviously, as known, be of the double-later type with internal thermal insulating chamber; moreover, the left side frame section 12c can be equipped with a handle 12 in order to make sliding door 11 opening and closing operations easier, and possibly with a lock (not shown);
- an arc-shaped upper guide 15 and an arc-shaped lower guide 16, suitably connected, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 2, 6 and 7, to the support structure of the improved refrigerated exhibitor 1, substantially above and below the access opening of the refrigerating cell 5, such guides 15, 16 shaped in such a way as to guide the circular sliding of the sliding door 11 around a rotation axis Z between arc-shaped lateral wall 7 and related external covering panel 3; the arc-shaped lower guide 16 further supports an arc-shaped rail 17 for sliding the small rollers 14; the arc-shaped rail 17, as is possible to note in particular in FIG. 5 and 6, is further connected to the arc-shaped lateral wall 7 by interposing small supporting blocks 19; in order to make the sliding door 11 sliding easier, also the upper frame section 12a can be equipped with small rollers 14 adapted to slide along the arc-shaped upper guide 15;
- a sliding door blocking device 11; in particular, such blocking device can be realised as a magnetic plate 18a placed on a bracket 18, externally connected to the arc-shaped lateral wall 7 next to the opening radial limit stroke of the sliding door 11, adapted to be magnetically connected to a respective metallic plate 18b suitably placed along the right lateral frame section 12d; obviously, it is possible to provide for the placement of the metallic plate 18b on the bracket 18 and the magnetic plate 18a along the right lateral frame section 12d;
- a mechanical automatic closing system; with particular reference to FIG. 4, it is possible to note that such system comprises a cable 21, an end of which is connected to the upper frame section 12a, preferably through a connection bracket 23, while the other end thereof is connected, by suitably transmitting the cable 21 through a transmission member 27, to a counterweight, suitably sized depending on the sliding door 11 weight, adapted to vertically slide in a sliding channel 25 placed along the arc-shaped lateral wall 7, preferably next to the sliding door 11 abutment risers: in this way, when the sliding door 11 is opened, the counterweight rides along the sliding channel 25 and the cable 21 is guided in an arc-shaped trajectory by the transmission member 27 and the arc-shaped upper guide 15, in such a way as not to operatively interfere with other door assembly 10 components; at the end of its opening stroke, the sliding door 11 is advantageously kept open by the blocking device, this allowing to easily access the refrigerating cell 5 to take therefrom or place therein goods without having to manually retain it; after having ended all operations, it is enough to unlock the sliding door 11 from the blocking device by applying a slight traction and the fall movement of the counterweight due to gravity drags it towards its closing position.
[0011] As can be seen in particular from FIG. 5, in order to guarantee and improve the thermal seal of the refrigerating cell 5, a vertical rib 28 is provided, placed under the lower frame section 12b, which by sliding almost in contact with or skimming the arc-shaped rail 17, very highly reduces thermal exchanges and air passage between outside and inside the cell 5, consequently increasing the global thermal efficiency of the improved refrigerated exhibitor 1 according to the present invention. Similarly, also the upper frame section 12a is equipped with the vertical rib 28.
[0012] Moreover, the upper frame section 12a and possibly the upper 12b and lateral 12c, 12d frame sections are equipped with an internal net-shaped or honeycomb-shaped structure for structural reinforcement.
[0013] As described, the door assembly 10 members like the sections composing the sliding door 11 frame, the upper 15 and lower 16 guides, the small supporting blocks 19 and the support structure of the improved refrigerated exhibitor 1 can be easily manufactured in plastic material through molding, injection or extrusion, thereby resulting in an inexpensive realisation and an easy assembling, though they keep a high use practicality and a high operating efficiency.
- a door assembly (10) comprising an arc-shaped sliding door (11) equipped with small sliding rollers (14), an arc-shaped upper guide (15) and an arc-shaped lower guide (16) for sliding said sliding door (11) along said arc-shaped lateral wall (7), said arc-shaped lower guide (16) being equipped with an arc-shaped rail (17) for sliding said small rollers (14);
- a mechanical closing system for said sliding door (11) adapted to automatically operate; and
- a blocking device for said sliding door (11)
characterised in that:- said mechanical closing system comprises a cable (21), an end of which is connected to said sliding door (11) and another end of which is connected to a counterweight adapted to vertically slide in a sliding channel (25) along said arc-shaped lateral wall (7);
- said sliding door (11) comprises an external support frame of an arc-shaped insulating transparent panel, said support frame being composed of an arc-shaped upper frame section (12a), an arc-shaped lower frame section (12b) and two lateral frame sections (12c; 12d), said lower frame section (12b) being equipped with said small sliding rollers (14), said lower frame section (12b) being also equipped with a vertical rib (28) adapted to slide when skimming said arc-shaped rail (17), said upper frame section (12a) being also equipped with said vertical rib (28); and
- said lower frame section (12b) is equipped with an internal net-shaped or an honeycomb-shaped structure, and said upper frame section (12a) and/or said lateral frame sections (12c; 12d) are also equipped with said internal net-shaped or honeycomb-shaped structure.
- eine Türeinheit (10) mit einer gebogenen Schiebetür (11), die mit Gleitrollen (14) ausgestattet ist, eine gebogene obere Führung (15) und eine gebogene untere Führung (16) für das Gleiten der genannten Schiebetür (11) entlang der genannten gebogenen Seitentür (7), die genannte gebogene untere Führung (16) ist mit einer gebogenen Schiene (17) für das Gleiten der genannten Rollen (14) ausgestattet;
- ein mechanisches Verschlusssystem der genannten Schiebetür (11), das dazu dient, automatisch zu funktionieren; und
- eine Blockiervorrichtung für die genannte Schiebetür (11);
und ist dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass:- das genannte mechanische Verschlusssystem ein Kabel (21) enthält, dessen Endstück mit der genannten Schiebetür (11) verbunden ist und dessen anderes Endstück mit einem Gegengewicht verbunden ist, das dazu dient, vertikal in einem Gleitkanal (25) entlang der genannten gebogenen Seitenwand (7) zu gleiten;
- die genannte Schiebetür (11) einen externen Trägerrahmen aus einer gebogenen transparenten Isolierplatte enthält, der genannte Trägerrahmen ist aus einem gebogenen oberen Rahmenabschnitt (12a), aus einem gebogenen unteren Rahmenabschnitt (12b) und zwei seitlichen Rahmenabschnitten (12c; 12d) zusammengesetzt, der genannte untere Rahmenabschnitt (12b) ist mit den genannten Gleitrollen (14) ausgestattet, der genannte untere Rahmenabschnitt (12b) ist auch mit einer vertikalen Rippe (28) ausgestattet, die dazu dient, nahe an der genannten gebogenen Schiene (17) entlang zu gleiten, auch der genannte obere Rahmenabschnitt (12a) ist mit der genannten vertikalen Rippe (28) ausgestattet; und
- der genannte untere Rahmenabschnitt (12b) mit einer netzförmigen oder bienennestartigen Innenstruktur ausgestattet ist, und auch der genannte obere Rahmenabschnitt (12a) und/oder die genannten seitlichen Rahmenabschnitte (12c; 12d) mit der genannten netzförmigen oder bienennetzartigen Innenstruktur ausgestattet sind.
- un groupe porte (10) comprenant une porte coulissante courbe (11) munie de galets de roulement (14), une glissière supérieure courbe (15) et une glissière inférieure courbe (16) pour le glissement de ladite porte coulissante (11) le long de ladite paroi courbe (7), ladite glissière inférieure courbe (16) étant munie d'une glissière courbe (17) pour le glissement desdits galets (14);
- un système mécanique de fermeture pour ladite porte coulissante (11) capable de fonctionner en mode automatique; et
- un dispositif di blocage pour ladite porte coulissante (11);
caractérisée en ce que- ledit système mécanique de fermeture comprend un câble (21), une extrémité duquel est reliée à ladite porte coulissante (11) et une autre extrémité étant reliée à un contrepoids pouvant coulisser verticalement dans rail de coulissement (25) le long de ladite paroi latérale courbe (7);
- ladite porte coulissante (11) comprend un cadre extérieur de support d'un panneau transparent isolant courbe, ledit cadre extérieur de support étant composé d'un tronçon de cadre supérieur courbe (12a), d'un tronçon de cadre inférieur courbe (12b) et de deux tronçons de cadre latéraux (12c; 12d), ledit tronçon de cadre inférieur (12b) étant pourvu desdits galets (14) de roulement, ledit tronçon de cadre inférieur (12b) étant encore pourvu d'une nervure verticale (28) capable de coulisser à effleurement de ladite glissière courbe (17), ledit tronçon de cadre supérieur (12a) étant également pourvu d'une nervure verticale (28); et
- ledit tronçon de cadre inférieur (12b) présentant une structure interne réticulaire ou à nid d'abeille, et ledit tronçon de cadre supérieur (12a) et/ou lesdits tronçons de cadre latéraux (12c; 12d) étant également pourvus de ladite structure interne réticulaire ou à nid d'abeille.
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description