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EP 1 718 188 B1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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17.06.2009 Bulletin 2009/25 |
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Date of filing: 17.02.2005 |
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International Patent Classification (IPC):
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International application number: |
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PCT/EP2005/001646 |
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International publication number: |
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WO 2005/079634 (01.09.2005 Gazette 2005/35) |
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REFRIGERATED CABINET WITH ROLLING NIGHT BLIND
KÜHLTRUHE MIT NACHT-ROLLO
ARMOIRE FRIGORIFIQUE A VOLET ROULANT DE NUIT
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Designated Contracting States: |
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AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI
SK TR |
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Priority: |
20.02.2004 DE 102004008396
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Date of publication of application: |
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08.11.2006 Bulletin 2006/45 |
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Proprietor: Linde Kältetechnik GmbH |
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50999 Köln (DE) |
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Inventors: |
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- MERKER, Oliver
55116 Mainz (DE)
- MOELLER, Bernhard
65468 Astheim (DE)
- STRUPP, Stefan
65510 Idstein (DE)
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Representative: Klunker . Schmitt-Nilson . Hirsch |
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Destouchesstrasse 68 80796 München 80796 München (DE) |
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References cited: :
EP-A- 0 630 601 DE-U1- 9 321 027
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DE-A1- 4 127 995 US-A- 4 801 180
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- PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 2000, no. 25, 12 April 2001 (2001-04-12) & JP 2001
231666 A (OKAMURA CORP), 28 August 2001 (2001-08-28)
- PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 018, no. 043 (C-1156), 24 January 1994 (1994-01-24)
& JP 05 269033 A (FUJI ELECTRIC CO LTD), 19 October 1993 (1993-10-19)
- PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 2000, no. 04, 31 August 2000 (2000-08-31) -& JP 2000
018804 A (RAISEN:KK), 18 January 2000 (2000-01-18)
- PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 2000, no. 22, 9 March 2001 (2001-03-09) -& JP 2001
123766 A (RAISEN:KK), 8 May 2001 (2001-05-08)
- PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 2003, no. 12, 5 December 2003 (2003-12-05) -& JP 2003
302152 A (NOMURA AKIRA), 24 October 2003 (2003-10-24)
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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).
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[0001] The invention relates to a refrigerated cabinet comprising at least one goods compartment
opening adapted to be closed by a rolling night blind, such as e.g. a refrigerated
(freezer) chest or a refrigerated (freezer) shelf cabinet, in which the rolling night
blind(s) is/are held in a rolled-up state in their inoperative position.
[0002] In a multiplicity of goods display or refrigerated cabinets, the goods compartment
openings are closed by means of one or more rolling night blinds during shop closing
times in order to save energy. Depending on the type of refrigerated cabinet or furniture,
the rolling night blinds are stored in different portions of the refrigerated furniture
during shop opening times. In case of a refrigerated chest or island, such storage
preferably takes place in the rear wall portion or central partition of the refrigerated
chest or island, whereas in case of refrigerated shelf cabinets, the night blinds
are stored in the top region (see e.g.
DE 4 127 995 A1).
[0003] For the purpose of closing the goods compartment opening(s), the night blinds are
unrolled in front of the goods compartment openings. Materials used for rolling night
blinds are films/foils, fabric etc.
[0004] The prior art as well as the disadvantages involved by the same will be elucidated
in more detail hereinafter in exemplary manner by way of a refrigerated shelf cabinet.
However, it will be obvious to the expert that the disadvantages mentioned are equally
present in all known types of refrigerated cabinets in identical or at least similar
manner.
[0005] To prevent warmer ambient air from penetrating the goods compartment of a refrigerated
shelf cabinet, a curtain of cooling air is generated along the opening of the goods
compartment. This curtain may be single- or multilayered. In case of conventional
refrigerated shelf cabinets with rolling night blinds, there are as a rule gaps left
between the night blind(s) in the covering position thereof and the side walls of
the refrigerated shelf cabinet body - with the width of these gaps ranging from 5
to 40 mm. These gaps are due to the supports used so far for rolling night blinds,
with these supports permitting the night blind(s) to be guided or arranged in gap-free
manner with unreasonably high technical expenditure only, or not at all.
[0006] Through these gaps, cold air in the lower portion of the refrigerated shelf cabinet
drops from the refrigerated goods compartment. In case of wider refrigerated shelf
cabinets as well as in case of several refrigerated shelf cabinets coupled with each
other, there are usually employed several juxtaposed rolling night blinds, with a
gap remaining between these as well. This outflow of cool air and inflow of warm air
leads to a quite considerable and undesired disturbance of the cooling air curtain.
[0007] It is the object underlying the present invention to provide a refrigerated cabinet
of the type indicated at the outset, in which the disadvantages described hereinbefore
are avoided.
[0008] This object is met by a refrigerated cabinet according to the generic clause, which
is characterized in that the support of the or of at least one rolling night blind
has at least one loose bearing such that the rolling night blind or at least one of
the rolling night blinds can be supported so as to be slidable along the longitudinal
axis of its blind carrier shaft.
[0009] It is now rendered possible by the invention to integrate rolling night blinds in
a refrigerated cabinet in such a manner that the gaps between the night blinds and
the refrigerated cabinet side portions and - if several night blinds are used in juxtaposed
manner - the gaps between two adjacent night blinds can be avoided. For example, when
the invention is realized in a refrigerated shelf cabinet having one rolling night
blind only, a supporting structure can be realized in case of support of the night
blind solely by means of loose bearings in which there are no more gaps left between
the rolling night blind and the refrigerated cabinet side portions.
[0010] The invention thus permits to dispense with the lateral rolling night blind supports
used so far.
[0011] Support of a rolling night blind so as to be slidable along the longitudinal axis
of the blind carrier shaft can be realized easily by way of the afore-mentioned loose
bearings.
[0012] When the rolling night blinds of the refrigerated cabinets according to the invention
are now brought into the position(s) closing the opening(s) of the goods compartment(s),
these blinds may subsequently be brought into a (partially) overlapping state - by
slidably moving at least one night blind. The effect achieved thereby is that the
gaps left between two night blinds each are closed. The possibilities for outflow
of cold air and inflow of warm air are thus reduced, and this results in a reduction
of the energy required for refrigerating the goods compartment(s).
[0013] According to a development of the refrigerated cabinet according to the invention,
it is suggested that the rolling night blinds, at least at their adjoining side portions,
have means for connecting the same.
[0014] These means for connecting the night blinds are preferably in the form of adhesive
tape, hook-and-loop-type closure, zip fastener etc.
[0015] The refrigerated cabinet according to the invention as well as additional developments
thereof will be described in more detail by way of the embodiments illustrated in
Figs. 1, 2a and 2b.
[0016] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a lateral sectional view of the upper front portion of
a refrigerated shelf cabinet 2 serving among other things for supporting or storing
a rolling night blind 1 - represented by the roll 3.
[0017] According to the invention, the rolling night blind 1 now is supported so as to be
slidable along the longitudinal axis of the roller blind shaft 4. As illustrated in
Fig. 1, this can be achieved in that the roll 3 now loosely rests on, or is supported
by, bearings 5 in a groove-like recess of the refrigerated shelf cabinet portion 2.
[0018] The bearings 5 permit rolling up and unrolling of the night blind 1 from its roll
3 and in addition thereto a sliding motion of the roll 3 along the longitudinal axis
thereof or the longitudinal axis of the roller blind shaft 4.
[0019] To realize the idea according to the invention, it is possible to make use of all
bearing possibilities for rolls 3 that permit a sliding motion of the roll(s) 3 along
the longitudinal axis of the roller blind shaft 4.
[0020] Due to the fact that the night blinds described hereinbefore as a rule are rolled
up and unrolled automatically, the drive used for driving the night blind - which
usually is an electric motor - either has to be slidable as well or needs to be connected
to the roller blind shaft 4 via suitable, length-adjustable devices.
[0021] Figure 2a illustrates merely schematically the current prior art in which a gap 6 is left between
two unrolled night blinds 1 and 1', through which cold air drops from the refrigerated
cabinet interior and warm ambient air enters into the refrigerated cabinet interior.
Schematically shown is furthermore the longitudinal axis of the roller blind shaft
4.
[0022] As shown in
Figure 2b, either both night blinds 1 and 1' or at least one of the night blinds 1 is now slidably
displaceable such that the night blinds 1 and 1' partially overlap after such sliding
motion. The gap 6 left before is closed thereby.
[0023] The prior art reveals rolling night blinds made of air impermeable materials as well
as rolling night blinds formed with perforations substantially across the entire area
of the same - what is meant here is the area spanning the opening of the goods compartment
to be covered.
[0024] In addition thereto, there are known rolling night blinds - e.g. from
DE 298 04 329 U1 -in which the perforation is designed such that the perforation in the upper portion
of the night blind in the operative or covering position of the same is of larger
size than in the lower portion thereof. This differing perforation may be achieved
by providing more and/or larger holes in the upper portion.
[0025] In case of perforated rolling night blinds, cold air flows out from the refrigerated
goods compartment of the refrigerated cabinet via the perforation provided in the
lower portion of the night blinds. The amount of air leaving the refrigerated cabinet,
however, is compensated by warm ambient air entering the refrigerated goods compartment
of the refrigerated cabinet via the perforation provided in the upper portion of the
night blind, due to the vacuum pressure arising within the refrigerated cabinet goods
compartment.
[0026] Perforated night blinds, with regard to the problems of "air exchange between the
refrigerated goods compartment and the furniture surroundings" as well as "formation
of condensed water", have superior properties as compared to unperforated night blinds;
however, it is disadvantageous that the manufacture thereof involves higher costs
and that they involve a higher loss of energy than in case of unperforated night blinds.
However, in numerous applications the latter undesirably involve the formation of
condensed water in the refrigerated goods compartment and in addition thereto have
the afore-mentioned problem concerning the inflow of warm ambient air via the lateral
gaps.
[0027] The applicant has already suggested rolling night blinds which have holes or are
perforated in the upper portions thereof only. For many applications, these types
of rolling night blinds constitute a good trade-off between unperforated night blinds
and night blinds perforated across the entire area thereof.
[0028] It is to be emphasized that the idea underlying the invention can be realized with
all known types of rolling night blinds.
1. A refrigerated cabinet comprising a rolling night blind or blinds (1, 1') and at least
one goods compartment opening adapted to be closed by means of the rolling night blind
or blinds (1, 1'), said refrigerated cabinet being e.g. a refrigerated chest, a freezer
chest, a refrigerated shelf cabinet or a freezer shelf cabinet, in which the rolling
night blind or blinds (1, 1') are held in the rolled-up state in the inoperative position
thereof,
characterized in that the support of the rolling night blind or of at least one of the rolling night blinds
(1, 1') comprises at least one loose bearing (5) such that the rolling night blind
or at least one of the rolling night blinds (1, 1') can be supported so as to be slidable
along the longitudinal axis of its blind carrier shaft (4).
2. A refrigerated cabinet according to claim 1, comprising two or more rolling night
blinds (1, 1'),
characterized in that the rolling night blinds (1, 1'), at least at the adjoining side portions thereof,
have means for connecting the night blinds (1, 1'),
3. A refrigerated cabinet according to claim 2,
characterized in that the means for connecting the rolling night blinds (1, 1') are in the form of adhesive
tape, hook-and-loop-type closure, zip fastener etc.
4. A refrigerated cabinet according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that the or at least one of the rolling night blinds (1, 1') has holes and/or is perforated.
5. A refrigerated cabinet according to claim 4,
characterized in that the or at least one of the rolling night blinds (1, 1') is perforated in different
manner across the area thereof.
6. A refrigerated cabinet according to claim 4,
characterized in that the or at least one of the rolling night blinds (1, 1)') is formed with holes and/or
perforations in the upper portion thereof only.
7. A refrigerated cabinet according to any of the preceding claims 4 to 6,
characterized in that the holes are formed by perforating the night covering (1, 1') and/or by the material
chosen for the night covering (1, 1').
1. Kühlmöbel mit einem oder mehreren Nachtrollos (1, 1') und mit wenigstens einer mittels
des oder der Nachtrollos (1, 1') verschließbaren Warenraumöffnung, wobei es sich bei
dem Kühlmöbel z.B. um eine Kühltruhe, eine Tiefkühltruhe, ein Kühlregal oder ein Tiefkühlregal
handelt, bei der bzw. dem das oder die Nachtrollos (1, 1') in ihrer Ruheposition aufgerollt
gelagert sind,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Halterung des Nachtrollos oder zumindest eines Nachtrollos (1, 1') wenigstens
ein loses Lager (5) aufweist, so dass das Nachtrollo oder zumindest eines der Nachtrollos
(1, 1') entlang der Längsachse seiner Rolloträgerwelle (4) verschiebbar gelagert ist.
2. Kühlmöbel nach Anspruch 1, das zwei oder mehr Nachtrollos (1, 1') aufweist,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Nachtrollos (1, 1') zumindest an ihren aneinander grenzenden Seitenbereichen
Mittel zum Verbinden der Nachtrollos (1, 1') aufweisen.
3. Kühlmöbel nach Anspruch 2,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Mittel zum Verbinden der Nachtrollos (1, 1') als Klebeband, Klettverschluss,
Reißverschluss etc. ausgebildet sind.
4. Kühlmöbel nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das oder zumindest eines der Nachtrollos (1, 1') Öffnungen aufweist und/oder perforiert
ausgebildet ist.
5. Kühlmöbel nach Anspruch 4,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das oder zumindest eines der Nachtrollos (1, 1') über seine Fläche unterschiedlich
perforiert ausgebildet ist.
6. Kühlmöbel nach Anspruch 4,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das oder zumindest eines der Nachtrollos (1, 1') lediglich in seinem oberen Bereich
Öffnungen aufweist und/oder perforiert ausgebildet ist.
7. Kühlmöbel nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche 4 bis 6,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Öffnungen durch Perforierung der Nachtabdeckung (1, 1') und/oder durch das gewählte
Material der Nachtabdeckung (1, 1') gebildet sind.
1. Armoire frigorifique comportant un ou des volet(s) roulant(s) de nuit (1, 1') et au
moins une ouverture de compartiment à marchandises pouvant être fermée au moyen du
ou des volet(s) roulant(s) de nuit (1, 1'), ladite armoire frigorifique étant par
exemple un coffre réfrigéré, un congélateur, une armoire d'étagère réfrigérée ou un
congélateur d'étagère, dans lequel le ou les volet(s) roulant(s) de nuit (1, 1') sont
maintenus à l'état relevé dans la position de repos,
caractérisée en ce que le support du volet roulant de nuit ou d'au moins l'un des volets roulants de nuit
(1, 1') comporte au moins un palier mobile (5) de sorte que le volet roulant de nuit
ou au moins l'un des volets roulants (1, 1') puisse être supporté pour coulisser le
long de l'axe longitudinal de son arbre portant le volet (4).
2. Armoire frigorifique selon la revendication 1, comportant deux ou plus de volets roulants
de nuit (1, 1'),
caractérisée en ce que les volets roulants de nuit (1, 1') ont des moyens pour relier les volets roulants
de nuit (1, 1') au moins sur leur parties latérale contiguës.
3. Armoire frigorifique selon la revendication 2,
caractérisée en ce que les moyens pour relier les volets roulants de nuit (1, 1') sont sous forme de bandes
adhésives, de bandes auto agri pantes, de fermetures à glissière, ...etc.
4. Armoire frigorifique selon l'une des revendications 1 à 3, caractérisée en ce qu'au moins l'un des volets roulants de nuit (1, 1')a des trous ou est perforé.
5. Armoire frigorifique selon la revendication 4, caractérisée en ce que le volet roulant de nuit ou au moins l'un des volets roulants de nuit (1, 1') est
perforé de manières différentes au travers de sa surface.
6. Armoire frigorifique selon la revendication 4, caractérisée en ce que le volet roulant de nuit ou au moins l'un des volets roulants de nuit (1, 1') est
pourvu de trous et/ou de perforations seulement dans sa partie supérieure.
7. Armoire frigorifique selon l'une des revendications 4 à 6, caractérisée en ce que les trous sont pratiqués en perforant la couverture de nuit (1, 1') et/ou sur le
matériau choisi pour faire la couverture de nuit (1, 1').
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