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(11) | EP 1 050 652 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Door for a cool box for carrions |
| (57) The present invention concerns a door for a cool box for carrions, which door consists
of an actual door plate, whereby each side edge of this door plate is connected to
two rods (12-13) by means of hinged joints (14-15) which are connected towards their
other ends (18-19) with the related side walls (3-4) of the cool box (1) by means
of hinged joints (16-17), and whereby the above-mentioned rods (12-13) continue with
the side walls (3-4) past the hinged joints (16-17), to be connected respectively
with an end of a spiral-shaped draw spring (20) and to form a stop from the end (19)
of one rod (13) against the other rod (12). |
[0002] It is known that carrions can be best stored in a cool box with a dry cooling, whereby in other words the relative humidity is kept as low as possible, since a high relative humidity advances the rotting process.
[0003] Known cool boxes for carrions are equipped to this end with one or two doors which hinge open around vertical axes of rotation, whereby these doors are provided with a fastening which, after the doors have been closed, provides for an effective locking of the doors.
[0004] A disadvantage of these known doors is that, when they fall to shut by themselves, said locking is not always carried out, which has for a result that the cool box is not always sealed well, so that the inner room is heated and the relative humidity in this inner room rises.
[0005] Another disadvantage of these known doors of a cool box which is erected outside, is that they can be damaged when they are not sealed well and for example can be blown open by a fierce gust of wind.
[0006] Yet another disadvantage of these known doors is that they require a lot of space when being opened, as they are hinge-mounted to the cool box on one side edge and simply swing open as they are opened.
[0007] These known doors, when they are erected outside, can become wet on the inside when they are opened. This can be an additional disadvantage for cool boxes which are provided with a dry cooling, since the relative humidity in the inner room rises.
[0008] Further, these known doors of cool boxes have to be provided with an extra fastening so as to be able to jam the door in open position, so that they cannot slam shut or cannot be blown shut unintendedly, whereby this extra fastening has the disadvantage that locking it requires some time, so that it is often not carried out, which is then at the cost of safety.
[0009] The present invention aims a door for a cool box which offers a solution for the above-mentioned and other disadvantages.
[0010] To this aim, the door according to the invention mainly consists of an actual door plate, whereby each side edge of this door plate is connected to two rods by means of hinged joints which are connected towards their other ends with the related side walls of the cool box by means of hinged joints, and whereby the above-mentioned rods continue with the side walls past the hinged joints, to be connected with an end of a spiral-shaped draw spring respectively, and to form a stop from the end of one rod against the other rod.
[0011] According to a preferred embodiment, the rods are placed one on top of the other on either side of the cool box, whereby the hinged joints of the lower rod are situated at the lower edge of the door respectively, and at about half the height of the cool box, and the hinged joints of the top rod are situated above the hinged joint of the lower rod respectively and on a place on the side wall of the cool box which is simultaneously situated above and behind the other three hinged joints.
[0012] In order to better explain the characteristics of a cool box according to the invention, the following preferred embodiment is described as an example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
figure 1 represents a view in perspective of a cool box whereby a door according to the invention is applied, and whereby the door of the cool box is in closed position;
figure 2 represents a side view of figure 1;
figure 3 represents a view similar to that in figure 1, but whereby the door is opened;
figure 4 represents a side view of figure 3.
[0013] A cool box 1, as represented in the figures, mainly consists of a bottom plate 2, two side walls 3-4, a back wall 5 and a top wall 6.
[0014] The above-mentioned walls 3 to 6 are made of a thermally insulating material, but of course, according to a variant of the embodiment, thermally insulating material can be provided on the inside or on the outside of non-insulating walls.
[0016] Further, the cool box 1 is provided with a door 7 according to the invention, which can seal the fourth side of the cool box 1, and which is also at least partially made of thermally insulating material.
[0017] In order to insure a good sealing between the door 7 and the side walls 3-4 on the one hand, and the top wall 6 of the cool box 1 on the other hand, the side walls 3-4 and the top wall 6 are provided for example with a rubber sealing strip 8.
[0018] When the door 7 is in closed position, it is connected with its side edges and its top edge against the sealing strip 8 which is provided on the front edges of the side walls 3-4 and the top wall 6 of the cool box 1.
[0019] In order to ensure a good sealing between the bottom plate 2 and the door 7, the door 7 is also provided with a sealing strip 9 at the bottom which is connected to the bottom plate 2 at the bottom of the door 7.
[0020] On the back wall 5 of the cool box 1 for example, is fixed a cooling plant 10 which provides for a dry cooling of the inner room 11.
[0021] The door 7 is suspended to the cool box 1 by means of two pairs of rods 12-13 which are connected to the door 7 by means of hinged joints 14, 15 respectively.
[0022] At their other ends, the rods 12 and 13 are further connected to the side walls 3-4 by means of hinged joints 16, 17 respectively.
[0023] The hinged joints 14, 15, 16 and 17 are situated such that, when the door 7 is closed, the hinged joint 15 is situated above the hinged joint 14, whereas the hinged joint 17 is situated higher than the hinged joints 14, 15 and 16.
[0024] The rods 12 and 13 are made such that they contain a free end 18, 19 respectively, which extends past the respective hinged joints 16 and 17.
[0025] At the free end of the rod 12 is provided a spiral-shaped draw spring 20, which is fixed with its second end to a point which is situated at the height of the floor of the cool box 1, so as to make it easier to open the door 7 of the cool box 1.
[0026] When the door 7 of the cool box 1 is closed, the spiral-shaped draw spring 20 is taut, as represented in figures 1 and 2.
[0027] The rods 12 and 13 are preferably placed in the same vertical plane and on top of one another, whereby the free end 19 of the rod 13 is bevelled such that, when the door 7 of the cool box 1 is entirely opened, the rod 12 forms a stop for this end 19, as is represented in figures 3 and 4, so that the door 7 is supported by the rods 12 and 13 and as a result of which is prevented that the door 7 rests entirely on the top wall 6 of the cool box 1, which would make it more difficult to close the door 7 again.
[0028] When the door 7 of the cool box 1 is closed, this door 7 is pressed down against the bottom 2 by its own weight, and it is drawn against the front edges of the side walls 3 and 4 and the top wall 6, so that the inner room 11 is hermetically sealed by means of sealing strips 8 and 9.
[0029] The door 7 is simply opened by pulling the handle 21 forward and upward, whereby the spiral-shaped draw spring 20 makes it easier to open it.
[0030] In the position in which the door 7 is entirely opened, it is so to say locked by its own weight. Indeed, the centre of gravity of the door 7 is at that moment situated behind the hinged joints 16 and 17, as becomes clear from figures 3 and 4.
[0031] The door 7 can be closed by pulling the handle 21, which is fixed at the bottom of the door 7, forward until the centre of gravity of the door 7 is situated before the hinged joints 16 and 17, after which the door 7 will automatically slam further shut under the influence of its own weight, whereby the spiral draw spring 20 is tightened.
[0032] Moreover, the door 7 according to the invention offers the advantage that its inside is always protected against precipitation, so that the relative humidity in the inner room 11 is not unnecessarily increased. For this is disadvantageous in case of a dry cooling, as is preferably applied in cool boxes for carrions.
[0033] It is clear that in this manner is obtained a door for a cool box whereby little space is required to open the door, and whereby the door is simultaneously closed automatically on the one hand and is automatically locked in its open position on the other hand, without an extra lock being required.
1. Door for a cool box for carrions, characterised in that it consists of an actual door
plate, whereby each side edge of this door plate is connected to two rods (12-13)
by means of hinged joints (14-15) which are connected towards their other ends (18-19)
with the related side walls (3-4) of the cool box (1) by means of hinged joints (16-17),
and whereby the above-mentioned rods (12-13) continue with the side walls (3-4) past
the hinged joints (16-17), to be connected respectively with an end of a spiral-shaped
draw spring (20) and to form a stop from the end (19) of one rod (13) against the
other rod (12).
2. Door according to claim 1, characterised in that the rods (12-13) are placed on top
of one another on each side of the cool box (1).
3. Door according to claim 2, characterised in that, when the door (7) is in its closed
position, the hinged joints (14-16) of the lower rod (12) are situated at the lower
edge of the door (7) respectively, and at about half the height of the cool box (1).
4. Door according to claim 2, characterised in that, when the door (7) is in its closed
position, the hinged joints (15-17) of the top rod (13) are situated above the hinged
joint (14) of the lower rod (12) respectively and at a place of the side wall (3-4)
of the cool box (1) which is simultaneously situated above and behind the other three
hinged joints (14-15-16).
5. Door according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the spiral-shaped
draw spring (20) is fixed with its second end to a point which is situated at the
height of the floor of the cool box (1).
6. Door according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the spiral-shaped draw
spring (20) extends forward towards the bottom.
7. Door according to claim 2, characterised in that the end of the rod (13) which continues
past the hinged joint (17) is bevelled.
8. Door according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that its centre of
gravity, when it is in opened position, is situated behind the hinged joints (14-16-17).
9. Door according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that, when it is in
closed position, it is connected with its side edges and its top edge against a sealing
strip (8) which is provided on the front edges of the side walls (3-4) and the top
wall (6) of the cool box (1).
10. Door according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is provided
with a sealing strip (9) at the bottom.