Opening system with sliding plates for counters and display units for the sale of food products

Abstract

 The system in question can be validly employed in the field of counters, refrigerated or non-refrigerated counters, for the retail sale of food products such as meat, cheese, pastries, etc..
Plates (1, 2) move longitudinally on the customer's side between an upper bar (3) and a lower bar (4). One or more plates (1) have the possibility of moving both longitudinally and transversally and they are held by upper (22) and lower bars (23) directly or indirectly connected with rolling items that run along four slideways (6, 7, 11 and 12) placed as a track with longitudinal development.
The remaining plates (2), movable only longitudinally, are fixed to other bars (26 and 27) directly or indirectly connected with rolling items that run along single slideway (8) placed at a lower level along upper bar (3) and along single slideway (13) placed at an upper level along lower bar (4).
All installed plates (1 and 2) are movable and, when they are at rest, they perfectly match one another.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The device in question is validly employed in the field of counters, refrigerated and non-refrigerated counters, used for the retail sale of food products such as meat, cheese, pastries, etc..

Background art

[0002] As known, counters and display units for the sale of food products have always some plates, glass plates or plastic plates, variously locked to frames supported by posts, whose purpose is to insulate food products inside them from external environment.

[0003] The plates located on the customer's side are often very large and consequently heavy. Notwithstanding, they need to be moved at least twice a day so as to clean the inside of the counter or display unit and to insert or remove food they contain.

[0004] Various systems to move such plates are known; however, the most widespread is that of removing them from their frames and place them on the floor, or, to hinge them on the upper or lower side and make use of gas-operated pistons as well as springs to accompany upward movements.

[0005] However, both these solutions have some disadvantages: strain for operators, possibility of getting hurt on the head when the plates are in the upward position, too high costs of production.

[0006] Anyway, a technique of using sliding glass plates is also known in this field. The movement of plates is longitudinal and, therefore, there is no strain on operators who are not endangered in any way.

[0007] But unfortunately, each employed plate runs along its own slideway and, as a consequence, the edges of various plates are superimposed. Thus, they never meet each other. Then, insects and dust can intrude into the gap created between them.

Disclosure of invention

[0008] The aim of the invention in question is to provide operators with a system that is able to allow for a longitudinal movement of glass plates or plexiglas plates of counters and display units as ell as to make the edges of the various crystal glasses meet.

[0009] A further aim is to reduce costs and production times as well as maintenance of such structures.

[0010] These aims, as well as others, are attained by the opening system, which makes up the object in the patent hereof, which entails the longitudinal sliding of plates on the customer's side.

[0011] Independently from their number, the plates move along two bars of any length, of which one is the upper bar, the other is the lower bar; the upper bar is the load bearing one, and it is supported by posts placed at its ends and/or in any other position.

[0012] Profiles of both bars are shaped in order to feature three slideways developing longitudinally, two of which for each bar, are placed at the same level, and so as to form a track. The third slideway, still horizontal and with a longitudinal development, is located at a lower level, along the upper bar and at an upper level along the lower bar.

[0013] Along the aforesaid sided slideways, some rolling items, sustaining one or more carriages, can run along longitudinally, both within the upper bar and the lower bar. Some bars are, directly or indirectly, associated to the latter, which, two by two (one upper, the other lower) block the plate itself by means of small grooves, tightening clamps or other securing means.

[0014] The plates and the items they are hinged with, can slide along longitudinally, thus moving away from the load bearing bar. This is made possible by the horizontal and longitudinal movement of other rolling items on carriages or by the longitudinal movement of carriages themselves.

[0015] These rolling items move along inside depressions that have been created in the basically horizontal and more developed portion of bars; the latter work as carriages, and have quite approximately been moulded into a "T" shape, whose vertical arm end makes up a securing sliding element, within a further slideway with longitudinal development, which is formed by the two branches of the upper bar. Said slideway has been created between sided slideways. The two items have a tongue and groove type fitting.

[0016] Further bars block the remaining plates, by use of small grooves, tightening clamps or other securing means. To said bars, other rolling items are hinged so that they are free to slide along longitudinally into the slideway placed at the lowest height along the upper bearing bar or the highest height along the lower bar with respect to the one where the above mentioned track slideways have been made.

[0017] The load bearing bar also features some housings for a lamp socket, the protection of the lamp made of a proper material as well as for the bar that acts as the upper and rear cover. The latter can be equipped with slots where sliding plates can be lodged on the vendor's side. The two bars working as covers can be lifted up (and remain in such a position thanks to proper securing devices) when plates have to be moved.

[0018] One or more plates are attached to sliding carriages in the four slideways (two upper and two lower) placed in a track form, whereas all the remaining one or ones move along inside the same two remaining single slideways ( one upper one lower) placed at a lower or higher level.

[0019] All the installed plates are of a mobile kind and they perfectly meet each other while at rest.

[0020] Whenever plates have to be moved, the one (or ones) hinged to bars with possibility of longitudinal movement, is snapped towards the customer's side of counter or display unit. Such a plate (or plates) can therefore move longitudinally above the remaining plates since the latter do no meet laterally anymore.

[0021] Each plate can also be placed at the end of its longitudinal movement, no longer in the position it originally had, but also in the position that another plate had before.

[0022] Each upper carriage cannot run out of its slideways thanks to the fitting of a securing item into its slideway, and thus it prevents the same plate, connected to such a carriage, from toppling over onto the customer's side in case of a too forceful pull.

[0023] However, in order to avoid excessive complexity of details to be used (with subsequent costs) and the possibility that, as time goes by, the securing item determines greater and greater frictions, if not, even seizures, such securing item and slideway can be eliminated.

Brief description of the drawings

[0024] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the description of two forms, preferred but not necessarily sole, of embodiment of the sliding plates system in question, which are illustrated for indicative and not restrictive purpose in the enclosed drawings in which:

• figures 1 and 2 show the cross-section respectively of upper and lower part of the structure of a counter or display unit (and plates), in a first form of embodiment during the stage in which the plate is lifted up;
• figures 3 and 4 illustrate the cross-sections of the same parts of the structure of a counter or display unit (or plates) in the stage in which the plates are at a rest position;
• figure 5 is a perspective view of the two plates and related bars during movement;
• figure 6 illustrates the cross-section of the upper part of the structure of a counter or a display unit (and of plates) in a second form of embodiment at a stage where plates are moved.
• figure 7 illustrates the cross-section of the lower part of the same structure at a stage where plates are moved.

Mode for carrying out the invention

[0025] More specifically, in the first example, the system for counters and display units in question entails the use of two glass plates 1 and 2, placed on the customer's side, of an upper bearing bar 3 and of a lower bar 4. The upper bar 3 is supported by posts 5 at its ends.

[0026] The upper bar 3 features three longitudinal slideways 6, 7, 8, which have a horizontal base, two of which 6, 7 are placed at the same height. Some wheels 9 run longitudinally along sided slideways 6, 7; wheels 10 run along the third slideway, whose base is placed at a lower level with respect to the same, making up the base of slideways 6, 7. The lower bar 4 has three similar slideways 11, 12, 13; the bases of the slideways 11, 12 are placed at the same level, whereas the third single slideway 13 is placed at a higher level. Wheels 14 run along sided slideways 11 and 12 whose base is on the same horizontal level; wheels 15 are housed in the remaining slideway 13.

[0027] Between slideways 6 and 7, lie two branches of the upper bar 3 forming a longitudinal, U-shaped slideway 16, in which a cylindrical rod is lodged; the latter makes up the lower tip of a vertical arm of a third bar 18. Such bar 18 is a T-shaped one and is used as a carriage. Wheels 9 are actually attached to it, and, as a consequence, bar 18 is free to move longitudinally for the whole length of bar 3.

[0028] A similarly shaped bar 19 is used as a carriage in the lower bar 4. Such bar 19 is provided with said wheels 14 that run longitudinally along slideways 11 and 12, whose base is placed at the same height.

[0029] Both carriages have the same shape: they actually have two depressions 18.1, 18.2 and 19.1, 19.2 in their basically horizontal part, separated by a relief 18.3, 19.3.

[0030] Rollers 20 and 21 are lodged into inner depressions 18.1, 19.1 or into outer depressions 18.2, 19.2, and they are fixed to inner ends of two further bars 22, 23, provided with small grooves 24, 25, in which plate 1 is inserted and locked. Two other bars 26, 27 hold, by means of small grooves 28, 29 located at their ends, the second plate 2. Wheels 10, 15 are constrained at inner ends of such bars 26, 27, which are free to run within single slideways 8 and 13.

[0031] Plate 2 is free to slide along bars 3 and 4 thanks to wheels 10 and 15, lodged in slideways 8 and 13, but it is hindered in such a movement by the presence of plate 1, with which it is matches laterally. When the two plates 1 and 2 are side by side, bars 22 and 23 holding plate 1, are actually adherent with bars 3 and 4; rollers 20 and 21 of bars 22 and 23 are placed into inner depressions 18.1, 19.1 of bars 18, 19 which function as carriages.

[0032] If one wishes to move plates 1 and 2 from their position, the plate bearing bar 22 must be gripped from the top (thanks to a purposely made indented portion) and must be pulled towards the customer's side. Thus, rollers 20, 21 are forced to run transversally with respect to the counter or the display unit and, after having overcome relieves 18.3 and 19.3, they end up with lodging themselves into outer depressions 18.2 and 19.2 of bars 18, 19. Therefore, bars 22 and 23 holding plate 1 detach themselves from bars 3 and 4. At this point, it is possible to have plates 18, 19, working as carriages, move along the whole length of bars 3, 4 thanks to wheels 9, 14 which are lodged in outer slideways 7, 12, by moving plate 1 over plate 2. The shifting of plate 1 from its initial position allows for access to the corresponding intemal location of the counter or display unit to carry out routine daily operations. Afterwards, the two plates 1, 2, being coupled and superimposed, are slid as far as the position initially occupied by plate 1, thus freeing the second half of the counter or display unit. Once the cleaning operations and/or insertion/removal of food products has been completed also for this half, plate 1 or plate 2 is moved longitudinally as far as it occupies the free portion of the counter or the display unit.

[0033] To reposition plate 1, the plate bearing bar 22 must be gripped from the top and pushed towards the vendor's side. Thus rollers 20 and 21 are forced to move transversally and, after having overcome relieves 18.3, 19.3, they are once again lodged into inner depressions 18.1 and 19.1 of bars 18 and 19. Bars 22, 23 holding plate 1, once again meet up with bars 3 and 4, preventing any further movement of plate 1 and 2 and making the latter match again. Plate 1 can also be positioned no longer in the position it initially occupied, but also in the position that plate 2 had before.

[0034] Bar 8, functioning as a carriage, cannot topple onto the operator in case of excessive force towards the customer's side of plate, 1 thanks to cylindrical rod 17 that is held by U-shaped slideway 16 which has also the function of directing bar 18 along its longitudinal movements.

[0035] The special shape of relieves 18.3, 19.3 provides a certain amount of resistance during the opening stage of plate 1; this is due to the fact that it must be possible to reposition plate 1 easily into its rest position in case of accidental or incorrect opening.

[0036] Once relieves 18.3 and 19.3 have been overcome, rollers 20 and 21 of bars 18 and 19 lie by themselves into their own outer always in the same way each time plates are opened.

[0037] In the second form of embodiment, some ball-bearing carriages 30, movable thanks to their own balls which are lodged into one of the sided slideways 6 and 7, move along the upper bar 3. Similarly, ball-bearing carriages 31 run longitudinally within one of the sided slideways 11 and 12, along the lower bar 4. Bar 3 and bar 4 are without the longitudinal slideways 16 between the sided slideways 6, 7 and 11, 12; only a flat section is actually present between said slideways 6, 7 and 11, 12.

[0038] Some ball-bearing carriages 32 run longitudinally in the third slideway 8 of upper bar 3, placed at a lower height with respect to the height of slideways 6 and 7; similarly, some ball-bearing carriages 33 run longitudinally within slideway 13 placed at a higher level with respect to slideways 11 and 12 of lower bar 4.

[0039] Inner ends of the two bars 22 and 23 are directly fixed to ball-bearing carriages 30 and 31 that slide along sided slideways 6, 7, 11 and 12; at their outer ends, they are equipped with tightening clamps with variable angle 34 and 35 in which plate 1 is inserted and blocked.

[0040] Two further bars 26 and 27 hold, by means of tightening clamps with variable angle 36 and 37 fixed at their ends, the second plate. The inner ends of said bars 26 and 27 are constrained to ball-bearing carriages 32 and 33 that slide along slideways 8 and 13.

[0041] In this case too, plate 2 can freely slide longitudinally along bars 3 and 4 thanks to carriages 32 and 33 that slide along slideways 8 and 13. Balls of carriages 30 and 31, whose bars 22 and 23 hold plate 1, are positioned in inner slideway 6 and 11 when plate 1 is at rest.

[0042] Differently from what previously described, however, if one wishes to move plates 1 and 2 by gripping bar 22 and pulling it towards the customer's side, this entails a transversal movement of balls of carriages 30 and 31 which, thus, are forced to lodge within outer slideways 7 and 12.

[0043] In other words, bars 18 and 19 working as carriages, which only allowed for longitudinal movements of plates 1 and 2, and rollers 20 and 21, which rested on said bars 18 and 19, enabling them to move only transversally, turn out to be replaced by ball-bearing carriages 30 and 31 that allow for both movements.

[0044] Load bearing bar 3 has also housings for the socket 38 of lamp 39, for the protection 40 of the latter in methacrylate and for bar 41 that works as a cover. Such bars 41 can also have housings for rear plexiglas doors or they can have a different shape and be lifted up (they can stay in such a position thanks to proper holding devices) when plates 1 and 2 have to be moved.

[0045] Thus conceived, said systems can be variously modified and changed, but always all of them fall under the sphere of the initial concept. Furthermore, all details can be replaced by others technically equivalent.

Claims

1. Opening system with sliding plates for counters and display units for the sale of food products, in which plates (1 and 2) made of any material, move longitudinally along the customer's side between an upper load bearing bar (3) and a lower bar (4), both of any length; bar (3) is sustained by posts (5) at its ends and/or in any other position; said system is characterised by the fact that, independently from the number of employed plates (1 and 2), said upper bar (3) is shaped, in profile, in such a way that it features three slideways (6, 7, 8) with a longitudinal development, of which two slideways (6 and 7) are placed at the same height and therefore they form a track and that, similarly, said lower bar (4) is shaped, in profile, in such a way that it has three slideways (11, 12, 13) with longitudinal development, of which two slideways (11 and 12) are placed at the same height and therefore they form a track; the third slideway (13) of lower bar (4) is situated at a higher level with respect to the one occupied by sided slideways (11 and 12); within said sided slideways (6, 7 and 11, 12) rolling items such as wheels (9 and 14), rollers or balls bearing one or more carriages, slide longitudinally both within upper bar (4) and lower bar (3); some bars (22 and 23) that, two by two ( upper and lower) block, by means of small grooves (24 and 25), tightening clamps (34 and 35) or other holding devices, located at their outer ends, the same plate (1), are directly or indirectly associated to said carriages; one or more upper bar ( 26) and a corresponding number of lower bars ( 27) hold, by means of small grooves (28, 29) with distance deformation, tightening clamps (36, 37) or other holding devices, located at their outer ends, the remaining plates (2); rolling items, such as wheels (10), rollers or balls fixed or not to carriages (32) which can slide longitudinally within single slideway (8), are locked to these last upper bars (26); rolling items, such as wheels (15), rollers or balls fixed or not to carriages (32) which can slide longitudinally within single slideway (13), are locked to lower bars (27).

2. Opening system with sliding plates, as by Claim 1, characterised by the fact that transversal movement of at least one plate (1) and bars (22 and 23) holding it, is made possible by a transversal movement of rolling items such as wheels, rollers (20 and 21) or balls along an upper bar (18) and along a lower bar (19) both working as carriages; said rolling items move along outer longitudinal depressions (18.2 and 19.2); said depressions (18.1, 18.2 and 19.1, 19.2) are separated by a relief (18.3 and 19.3) and are located at the basically horizontal and more developed portion of said bars (18 and 19); rolling items such as wheels (9 and 14), rollers or balls are held to said bars (18 and 19), which are very approximately shaped in a "T" form, and they run longitudinally within said slideways (6, 7 and 11, 12) placed at the same height along upper bar (3) and lower bar (4); inner ends of bars (22 and 23) holding plate (1), are held by said rolling items; the length of bar (18 and 19) is equal to or less than the length of a plate (1).

3. Opening system with sliding plates, as by Claims 1 and 2, characterised by the fact that the end of vertical arm of said upper bar (18) working as a carriage, represents a holding device (17) that slides within a slideway (16) with longitudinal development and is formed by two branches of upper bar (3) between sided slideways (6 and 7); said slideway (16) is shaped in such a way as to allow for sliding of said holding device (17) within it, yet preventing said holding device from running off the slideway (16); the two items have a tongue and groove type fitting.

4. Opening system with sliding plates, as by Claim 1, characterised by the fact that the transversal movement of at least one plate (1) and of bars (22 and 23) that hold it, is made possible by the transversal movement of balls attached to ball-bearing carriages (30 and 31) which move between inner slideways (6 and 11) and outer slideways (7 and 12); inner ends of two bars (22 and 23) are directly fixed to said ball-bearing carriages (30 and 31), which, at their outer ends, are equipped with small grooves with distance deformation, tightening clamps with variable angle (34 and 35) or other holding devices that hold at least one plate (1).

5. Opening system with sliding plates, as by Claims 1, 2 and 4, characterised by the fact that one or more plates (1) movable both longitudinally and transversally, are fixed to bars (22 and 23) connected with, directly or indirectly, rolling items running within four slideways (6, 7, 11 and 12) placed as a track, whereas the remaining plates (2) movable only longitudinally, are fixed to bars (26 and 27) connected with, directly or indirectly, rolling items that run within single slideway (8) located at a lower level along upper bar (3) and along single slideway (13) located at a higher level along lower bar (4).

6. Opening system with sliding plates, as by Claims 1, 2 and 4, characterised by the fact that load-bearing upper bar (3) has also housings for the socket (38) of lamp (39), for the protection (40) of the latter in proper material and for bar (41) that works as a cover; said upper bar (41) working as a cover, has some housings in proper material for sliding plates (42) on the vendor's side.

7. Opening system with sliding plates, as by Claims 1, 2, 4 and 6, characterised by the fact that upper and lower bars (41), working as covers, can be lifted up (and stay in such a position thanks to holding mechanisms) when plates (1 and 2) have to be moved.

Drawing