Display counter with oscillating containing compartment

Abstract

 Display counter comprising at least a compartment (13) wherein the goods are kept and displayed and a stationary base (12) equipped with supporting means (20) and defining inside a technical compartment (14) suitable to accommodate functioning and control equipment (15), the counter comprising actuator means (19) activated on command and suitable to move said compartment (13) from a first position (13a) of use, wherein it is arranged substantially resting on and closing the base (12), to a second position (13b) of maximum opening with respect to the base (12) so as to allow access to the technical compartment (14), said actuator means (19) also being suitable to position and maintain said compartment (13) in a stable manner in a plurality of intermediate positions (13c, 13d) between said first (13a) and said second (13b) positions.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention concerns a display counter with an oscillating containing compartment as set forth in the main claim.

[0002] The invention is used in display counters for commercial enterprises comprising at least a containing compartment for the goods on sale, associated with a lower base defining a technical compartment which houses the technical equipment for climatization and for conditioning the hygrothermal parameters inside the containing compartment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The state of the art includes display counters, used in commercial enterprises, comprising at least an upper compartment inside which the goods for sale are kept on display, associated with a lower base defining inside a technical compartment.

[0004] The technical compartment accommodates the devices and equipment needed for the functioning and control of the display counter; for example, in the case of refrigerated show cases, the technical compartment contains the refrigerator units and possibly other equipment to control and regulate the temperature.

[0005] Access to the technical compartment, in order to carry out operations of routine or exceptional maintenance, and/or repair work, is normally possible by means of inspection panels or windows, usually located on the rear side, that is to say, on the side where the sales assistant works, and are opened or removed at the moment of the operation.

[0006] This solution is not very practical because it obliges the maintenance worker to assume working positions which are uncomfortable and often it is difficult to reach the various zones of the technical compartment.

[0007] Moreover, a lot of time is wasted in assembling/reassembling the covering panels.

[0008] Various solutions have been proposed which provide to associate the technical compartment to a sliding base which can be opened like a drawer with respect to the structure containing the refrigerated compartment.

[0009] This embodiment, which in itself is an improvement, in practice has shown itself to be often inconvenient to use because of obstacles located behind the display counter, such as for example a foot-rest, or because of the limited space available which does not allow the base to be completely removed.

[0010] The same disadvantages are found in the case that access to the technical compartment is from the front side of the counter, where moreover the visible presence of removable inspection windows or panels is aesthetically displeasing.

[0011] A partial solution to the problem of inspecting the technical compartment has been proposed by US-A-4.635.447, which describes a refrigerated chest comprising a supporting base arranged on the ground and a refrigerated containing element associated with the base by means of supporting legs.

[0012] In US'447 the refrigerated containing element is connected to the base by means of removable attachment pins which clamp the supporting legs to the base frame.

[0013] By removing pairs of pins arranged on the same front piece of the refrigerated module, one side of the containing element is released from the base frame and can be raised manually.

[0014] To inspect the technical compartment underneath the refrigerated containing element, this solution therefore requires first that the two attachment pins are manually removed, and then that a structure - which can be quite heavy - is raised, again manually; lifting the structure may entail risks of the structure overturning, which may be dangerous for the assistants.

[0015] Moreover, even during the inspection there is no way to keep the refrigerated containing element stable in the raised position; it must therefore be maintained manually, with obvious difficulties for the assistants, considering the weights involved and the risks for whoever has to make the inspection.

[0016] Another disadvantage is that US'447 does not propose any method to maintain a position of the refrigerated containing element even only partly inclined with respect to its normal position when clamped by the pins, for example to vary the angle at which the products for sale are displayed or to modify the position in which the sales assistant is working.

[0017] Document AT-B-394487 describes a refrigerated show case comprising a display plane which can oscillate with respect to the supporting surface of the lower container, which is stationary and in turn rests on a supporting frame.

[0018] The present Applicant has designed and embodied this invention to overcome these shortcomings and to obtain further advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The invention is set forth and characterized in the main claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the main embodiment.

[0020] The purpose of the invention is to achieve a display counter equipped with a device which will give easy and complete access to the technical compartment thereof, and thus allow operations of maintenance and/or repairs to be carried out under optimum conditions and with a considerable time saving.

[0021] To be more exact, one of the purposes of the invention is to achieve a display counter wherein the containing element or compartment in which the food products offered for sale are arranged can oscillate in a controlled and desired manner with respect to a lower base containing the technical equipment; this both to allow access to said technical equipment, and to vary the inclination of the display position of the food products and again to vary the working position of the sales assistant.

[0022] One of the purposes of the invention is therefore to obtain a display counter equipped with an oscillating containing compartment which can assume a plurality of stable positions between a first position, substantially parallel to the ground and the lower base, and a second position of maximum inclination which allows easy access to the technical compartment underneath.

[0023] Another purpose of the invention is to completely automate the pre-disposition of the display counter both for those operations of maintenance and repairs which are to be made in the technical compartment, and also for the oscillation of the containing compartment according to the most correct position to be assumed.

[0024] The invention comprises actuator means, integrated with the display counter, suitable to automatically move the compartment containing the goods so as to allow access to the technical compartment underneath, to vary the angle of display of the food products and to modify the working position of the sales assistant.

[0025] In a first embodiment of the invention, the actuator means are suitable to partly tip over, around a substantially horizontal axis of rotation, the compartment containing the goods towards the customer side, or towards the side at which the sales assistant operates.

[0026] In this embodiment, the vertical projection of the center of gravity of the compartment containing the goods in its tipped over condition, wherein it assumes said second position of maximum opening, is in any case maintained within the support elements of the lower base, in order to prevent an excessive unbalancing of the display counter which could cause it to overturn completely.

[0027] According to another embodiment, said actuator means are suitable to vertically lift the compartment containing the goods.

[0028] According to the invention, the compartment containing the products is moved automatically and the actuator means are driven by appropriate commands.

[0029] The invention provides that the commands of the actuator means are accessible only to the personnel authorised to carry out the operations of maintenance and repairs, since they are suitable to be locked, for example by means of a secret code, an electronic or mechanical security key, an element which can be opened only by means of a tool, or other similar system.

[0030] In a preferential embodiment, the actuator means comprise electrically activated jacks located between the lower base and the refrigerated compartment. According to a variant, the jacks are of the hydraulic type.

[0031] According to a variant, the actuators are of the mechanical type such as racks, belts or otherwise.

[0032] The invention therefore allows the technical compartment to be pre-disposed for operations of maintenance and repairs simply by means of activating the appropriate commands, allowing the repairmen/maintenance men to do their work in ideal conditions and with a minimum loss of time.

[0033] Moreover, the invention also allows to incline the compartment containing the products only partly, in order to vary the angle of display of said products, so as to give the customers a greater or lesser view thereof.

[0034] By displacing the position of the serving counter located on the assistant's side, this inclination also allows to vary the height of said serving counter according to the height of the assistant him/herself, allowing the display counter to be personalized and adapted to the assistant's characteristics and facilitating his/her operating ability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] These and other characteristics of the invention will become clear from the following description of a preferred form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example, with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

Fig. 1

is a cross section of a display counter with an oscillating containing compartment according to the invention;

Fig. 2

is a diagram of the display counter shown in Fig. 1 in the position for access to the technical compartment where the containing compartment is in its position of maximum opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0036] With reference to the attached Figures, the number 10 denotes generally a display counter comprising a structure defining a containing compartment 13, to conserve and display goods, and a lower base 12 defining inside a technical compartment 14 containing equipment for the functioning and control 15 of the counter 10.

[0037] In this case, the display counter 10 is of the refrigerator type, normally used in ice cream parlours.

[0038] The counter 10 comprises a refrigerated compartment 13, which accommodates the tubs 16 containing the ice cream, comprising on the rear side a serving counter 21 for the sales assistant and on the front side a transparent front piece 11 which allows customers to view the products contained inside the refrigerated compartment 13.

[0039] Below the refrigerated compartment 13 there is the lower base 12 resting on the ground which defines inside itself a technical compartment 14 wherein the functioning and control equipment 15 comprises at least the refrigerator units and the equipment to control and regulate the climatic conditions of the compartment 13.

[0040] Obviously, the invention can be applied to all equipment comprising a compartment to conserve and display foodstuffs and a base accommodating functioning equipment such as compressors, motors, pumps, electric panels, etc.

[0041] The display counter 10 comprises actuator means 19 suitable to move the compartment 13 with respect to the base 12, which remains stationary, to give easy and convenient access to the technical compartment 14, in order to allow operations of maintenance and/or repairs to be carried out on the equipment 15.

[0042] By means of the actuator means 19, the compartment 13 is moved from a first position 13a, which it assumes under conditions of normal use and in which it is arranged resting on and closing the lower base 12, to a second position 13b of maximum opening in which it is raised from the base 12 and allows easy access to the technical compartment 14 underneath.

[0043] The actuator means 19 also allow to position, in a stable manner, the containing compartment 13 in any oscillated position whatsoever between said first position 13a of normal use, substantially parallel to the ground, and said position 13b of maximum opening.

[0044] Some of these possible intermediate positions are indicated with a line of dashes as 13c, 13d, etc.

[0045] The intermediate positions can be assumed by the containing compartment 13 in order to modify the angle of display of the food products contained inside the compartment 13 and facing towards the transparent front piece 11.

[0046] This is to allow a better visibility of the products according to specific circumstances.

[0047] Moreover, the partial inclination of the compartment 13 allows to vary the height of the serving counter 21 (for example in positions 21a, 21b, etc.) according for example to the height of the sales assistants to facilitate their operating ability.

[0048] All the intermediate positions which the compartment assumes between and including position 13a and position 13b are extremely stable, safe, and can be obtained automatically simply by activating the actuator means 19, without any preparatory manual action and without any effort for the assistants.

[0049] In the embodiment shown here, the actuator means 19 comprise a pair of electrically driven jacks 18, of which only one is visible in the drawings, located on the two opposite sides of the counter 10 and arranged inclined inside the technical compartment 14.

[0050] The jacks 18 are pinned with their lower end on the lower base 12 and with their upper end on the compartment 13.

[0051] The compartment 13 is constrained to the lower base 12 by means of a hinge 17 with a horizontal axis of rotation 17a and, in this case, arranged in correspondence with the front side of the display counter 10.

[0052] The invention functions thus: the jacks 18 are activated in order to position the compartment 13 in its second position 13b, or in the other intermediate positions 13c, 13d, etc., by means of the appropriate commands, which are not shown here and are advantageously arranged in correspondence with the side where the sales assistant works, or in the upper part of the counter 10.

[0053] To be more exact, when it is necessary to carry out maintenance and/or repairs inside the technical compartment 14, or when it is necessary for other reasons to modify the inclination of the compartment 13 with respect to the base 12, the jacks 18 are activated to thrust the compartment 13 which, rotating around the hinge 17, is tipped over towards the front side, thus assuming the second position 13b.

[0054] The travel of the jacks 18 is such that, also in the second position 13b of maximum opening, the vertical projection of the center of gravity "P" of the compartment 13 falls within the front supporting feet 20 of the lower base 12, preventing an excessive unbalancing of the display counter 10.

[0055] When the maintenance-repairs operations are complete, the jacks 18 are retracted, returning the compartment 13 to its first position 13a.

[0056] In a preferential form of embodiment of the invention, in order to prevent dangerous handling, the commands to activate the jacks 18 are accessible only to authorised personnel, and can be locked by means of a secret code, a security key or other appropriate system.

[0057] According to a variant, instead of the jacks 18, the display counter 10 comprises actuator means 19 of a mechanical type, for example consisting of rack-type organs cooperating with driven sprockets.

Claims

1. Display counter comprising at least a compartment (13) wherein the goods are kept and displayed and a stationary base (12) equipped with supporting means (20) and defining inside a technical compartment (14) suitable to accommodate functioning and control equipment (15), the display counter being characterized in that it comprises actuator means (19) activated on command and suitable to move said compartment (13) from a first position (13a) of use, wherein it is arranged substantially resting on and closing the base (12), to a second position (13b) of maximum opening with respect to the base (12) so as to allow access to the technical compartment (14), said actuator means (19) also being suitable to position and maintain said compartment (13) in a stable manner in a plurality of intermediate positions (13c, 13d) between said first (13a) and said second (13b) positions.

2. Display counter as in Claim 1, characterized in that the compartment (13) is associated with the base (12) by means of a hinge (17) defining a substantially horizontal axis of rotation.

3. Display counter as in Claim 1, characterized in that, in the second position (13b) of maximum opening, said actuator means (19) are suitable to determine and maintain a stable position of the compartment (13) wherein the vertical projection of its center of gravity ("P") falls within the supporting means (20) of the base (12).

4. Display counter as in Claim 1, characterized in that said actuator means (19) are suitable to vertically lift the compartment (13) with respect to the base (12).

5. Display counter as in Claim 1, characterized in that said actuator means (19) consist of jacks (18) comprising a first end attached to the lower base (12) and another end attached to the compartment (13).

6. Display counter as in Claim 1, characterized in that said actuator means (19) comprise movement organs of a mechanical type.

7. Display counter as in Claim 1, characterized in that said actuator means (19) are driven by means of commands associated with security systems and/or accident prevention systems.

8. Display counter as in Claim 7, characterized in that said security and/or accident prevention systems comprise mechanical or electronic unlocking keys.

9. Display counter as in Claim 7, characterized in that said security and/or accident prevention systems comprise locking elements accessible by means of a tool.

10. Display counter as in Claim 1, also comprising a serving counter (21) arranged on the rear side and usable by the sales assistant, characterized in that said actuator means (19) are suitable to move and maintain said compartment (13) in an intermediate position between said positions (13a, 13b) to vary the working height at which said serving counter (21) is located.

11. Display counter as in Claim 1, also comprising a transparent front piece (11) arranged on the front side and usable to view the products, characterized in that said actuator means (19) are suitable to move and maintain said compartment (13) in an intermediate position between said positions (13a, 13b) to vary the angle of display of said products facing towards said transparent front piece (11).

Drawing