AU2007202694A1

AU2007202694A1 - Showcase

Info

Publication number: AU2007202694A1
Application number: AU2007202694A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Keizo Kashiwabara
Original assignee: Sanyo Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Sanyo Electric Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-06-29
Filing date: 2007-06-12
Publication date: 2008-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 2027-06-12
Also published as: JP2008006055A; CN101095588A; AU2007202694B2; JP5033363B2; CN101095588B

Description

S&FRef: 812489

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., of 2-5-5, Keihan-hondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka, Japan Keizo Kashiwabara Spruson Ferguson St Martins Tower Level 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 (CCN 3710000177) Showcase The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5845c(824296_1)

SPECIFICATION

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

SHOWCASE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION D The present invention relates to a showcase having a O power cord drawn from a main body and a bumper attached to San outer surface of the main body.

CI Heretofore, a plurality of devices such as a refrigeration device including a compressor, a blower for a cooler and an illuminative lamp which require a power supply are incorporated in a showcase, and a power is supplied to electric units via a power cord drawn from a main body. In general, the showcase is installed on a wall surface in a store, the center of a passage of the store and the like for use, but a distance between the main body and an outlet for the power supply differs with the showcase. Therefore, a length of the power cord to be drawn from the main body of the showcase is required to be set to a length suitable for practical use, and the cord is bunched via a band or the like during movement.

However, in a case where the cord is not appropriately bunched or the band is detached, a movement operation is performed in a state in which the power cord is dragged along a floor surface, and there is a problem that the power cord is damaged and disconnected.

To solve the problem, there are proposed a showcase 2 (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-174457) including a storage chamber which is disposed at a base constituting the showcase and in which the power cord is stored, and a showcase (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-304051) including a cord winding frame which can be stored between an insulating wall and an outer panel constituting the showcase.

On the other hand, a mechanical chamber in which the compressor and a condenser are to be arranged is sometimes disposed at a lower part of the showcase. In this case, outside air is sucked from a front part of the mechanical chamber, and air including waste heat is discharged from a back surface of the chamber. Therefore, when the showcase is installed along the wall surface of the store, a predetermined space needs to be provided between the back surface of the showcase and the wall surface of the store.

To surely store the space, a back plate which retains the space is sometimes attached to the back surface of the showcase.

The above-mentioned back plate is formed of a material of a steel plate. Therefore, when the showcase is installed close to the wall surface of the store, there is a problem that the wall surface of the store is damaged by the back plate. In this case, the back plate itself is sometimes deformed or damaged otherwise.

On the other hand, a storage device of the power cord according to the above related arts has to be 3 particularly provided with a storage chamber which is disposed at the showcase main body and in which the power cord is to be stored, and means for storing the cord.

Since the number of components increases and an assembling operation becomes laborious, there has been a problem that cost increase is incurred.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been developed to solve a conventional technical problem, and an object thereof is to provide a showcase capable of securely winding up and storing a power cord drawn from a main body of the showcase and protecting a back surface of the main body from any impact.

A first invention is a showcase comprising a bumper attached to an outer surface of a main body of the showcase, wherein the bumper has winding portions which wind up a power cord drawn from the main body.

According to a second invention, in the above invention, the winding portions include outer winding portions constituted at an outer surface of the bumper, and inner winding portions which are constituted in the bumper so as to communicate with the outer winding portions and around which the power cord is wound.

According to a third invention, in the above inventions, the bumper includes plug storage portions which communicate with the winding portions and in which a plug 4 C provided at a tip end of the power cord is stored.

According to the first invention, in the showcase comprising the bumper attached to the outer surface of the main body of the showcase, the bumper has the winding portions which wind up the power cord drawn from the main D body. In consequence, the power cord drawn from the main body can appropriately be wound around the winding portions Sof the power cord. Protection of protrusions provided on CI the outer surface of the main body and appropriate storage of the power cord can be realized with one component.

In consequence, it is possible to avoid a disadvantage that the power cord is dragged and disconnected during carrying-in of the showcase and a movement operation and a disadvantage that the cord obstructs the operation. Since the power cord can be stored in the bumper for preventing the main body of the showcase from being impacted, the number of the components can be reduced, cost can be reduced and assembling operability can be improved.

According to the second invention, in addition to the above invention, the winding portions include the outer winding portions constituted at the outer surface of the bumper, and the inner winding portions which are constituted in the bumper so as to communicate with the outer winding portions and around which the power cord can be wound. Therefore, to wind up the power cord, the cord can be wound around the outer winding portions and the 5 inner winding portions. A remaining part of the power cord is not easily produced, and the power cord can securely be wound up.

In consequence, it is possible to avoid a disadvantage that the power cord halfway hangs from the winding portions, and the hanging power cord obstructs the movement operation or the like; a disadvantage that the plug attached to the tip end of the power cord collides with an external part and is broken and the like.

Moreover, according to the third invention, in addition to the above inventions, the bumper includes the plug storage portions which communicate with the winding portions and in which the plug provided at the tip end of the power cord can be stored. Therefore, after winding the power cord around the winding portions of the bumper, the plug attached to the tip end of the power cord can be stored in the plug storage portions of the bumper.

In consequence, the plug provided at the tip end of the cord does not protrude from the bumper. The unwound remaining part of the power cord or the plug provided at the tip end of the cord does not obstruct the movement of the showcase or the like, and the operation is easily performed. Since the plug is securely stored in the plug storage portions of the bumper, a disadvantage such as the breakage can be avoided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 6 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a back surface of a

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Sshowcase of an embodiment to which the present invention is

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C applied; FIG. 2 is a side view showing an installed state of the showcase of FIG. 1; .O FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bumper of the O showcase shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a plan view of the bumper of FIG. 3; N FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the bumper of FIG. 3; FIG. 6 is a back view of the bumper of FIG. 3; and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the bumper of FIG. 3 in a state in which a power cord is wound around the bumper.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a back surface of a showcase 1 of an embodiment to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a side View showing an installed state of the showcase 1 of FIG. i.

The showcase 1 of the present embodiment is a lowtemperature showcase which is installed in a store such as a supermarket or a convenience store to cool and display commodities, and includes an insulation box member 2 having an opening at a front surface of the member and a door (having glass through which the inside can be seen) 3 which openably closes the opening.

7 In the insulation box member 2, a showroom (not shown) is formed, and the showroom is provided with a plurality of stages of shelves. Moreover, illuminative devices which illuminate the showroom are disposed above the showroom, at a lower surface of a front end of each shelf and the like.

Moreover, in the showroom, a cooler and a blower for circulation of cooling air constituting a cooling device (not shown) are arranged. In consequence, the inside of the showroom is cooled at a predetermined temperature.

On the other hand, a mechanical chamber (not shown) is formed under a bottom wall of the insulation box member 2, and the cooler, a condenser constituting a refrigerant circuit of the cooling device, a compressor and the like are arranged in this mechanical chamber. Moreover, a blower for the condenser is attached behind this condenser.

A front surface of the mechanical chamber is provided with a front panel 4, air is supplied from an air suction port (not shown) formed at the front panel 4, and waste heat is discharged from an exhaust port (not shown) formed behind the mechanical chamber.

Moreover, a power cord 5 for supplying a power to electric units such as the compressor, the blower for circulation of the cooling air, the blower for the condenser and the illuminative device of the showcase 1 is drawn from a back surface 2A of the insulation box member 2 constituting a main body. This power cord 5 has a 8 predetermined length, and a tip end of the cord is connected to a plug 6 to be connected to an outlet as external power supply means.

Next, a bumper 7 of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7. FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the bumper 7, FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the bumper 7 of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 shows a sectional view cut along the A-A line of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 shows a back view of the bumper 7 and FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the bumper 7 around which the power cord 5 is wound.

The bumper 7 of the present embodiment is attached to the back surface (an outer surface of the main body) 2A of the insulation box member 2 constituting the main body of the showcase i. When the showcase 1 is installed, to protect protrusions (not shown) disposed at the back surface 2A, the bumper is formed of a material having a predetermined strength, for example, a hard synthetic resin.

The bumper 7 of the present embodiment includes a bumper main body 8 having a laterally long oblong-like appearance, and the surface (a bumper bottom surface 9) of the bumper which abuts on the back surface 2A of the showcase 1 is provided with fixing holes 10 positioned on opposite side portions of the bumper, respectively, and which fix the bumper to the back surface 2A with screws 11 (shown in FIG. 7 only).

Moreover, this bumper main body 8 is provided with 9 Q)side wall portions 13, 13 raised from opposite sides (left Sand right side portions outside the fixing holes 10 in the

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present embodiment) while obliquely enlarging externally therefrom. Furthermore, outer abutment portions 14, 14 are bent and protruded externally from tip ends of the side NO wall portions 13. Outer surfaces of these side wall O portions 13 and back surfaces (outer surfaces) of the outer abutment portions 14 constitute outer winding portions (Ni (shown by broken lines in FIG. In the present embodiment, since the left and right side portions of the bumper main body 8 are provided with the side wall portions 13 and the outer abutment portions 14, the outer winding portions 20 are positioned at the left and right side portions.

It is to be noted that width dimensions of the bumper bottom surface 9, the side wall portions 13 and the outer abutment portions 14 constitute a thickness dimension of the bumper 7. Therefore, it is preferable that the width dimensions are such dimensions that the protrusions disposed at the back surface 2A during the installation of the showcase 1 can be protected and that the waste heat from the mechanical chamber can efficiently be discharged upwards from a gap between the back surface 2A and a wall W.

Moreover, left and right inner abutment portions 15 are raised at a space surrounded with the side wall portions 13, respectively. Around the inner abutment portions 15, inner winding portions 21 are constituted (as 10 O shown by broken lines of FIG. It is to be noted that Stwo left and right inner abutment portions 15, 15 are disposed with a predetermined space therebetween.

Therefore, two inner winding portions 21 are constituted.

The outer surfaces of the inner abutment portions NO 15 are substantially formed on the same plane as that of Sthe outer surfaces of the outer abutment portions 14.

Furthermore, spaces constituted between the inner CI abutment portions 15 and the side wall portions 13 constitute plug storage portions 22 of the plug 6 provided at the tip end of the power cord 5 wound around the bumper 7 (as shown by broken lines of FIG. 4).

In addition, the inside of the bumper main body 8 communicates with the outside above and below the gap between the side wall portions 13 and 13. In consequence, the outer winding portions 20 also communicate with the inner winding portions 21 and further the plug storage portions 22 At this time, gaps having predetermined dimensions are formed between endportions of the opposite side wall portions 13, 13 on a communication side and the bumper main body 8, and constitute engagement portions 16 which engage with the power cord 5 wound around the outer winding portions 20 and then drawn into the bumper main body 8. Furthermore, gaps having predetermined dimensions are formed between the end portions of the side wall portions and lower portions of the inner abutment portions that is, the bottom surface 9, and constitute 11 C engagement portions 17 which engage with the power cord wound around the inner winding portions 21.

According to the above constitution, to store the power cord 5 drawn from the back surface 2A of the insulation box member 2, first the power cord 5 is ND alternately wound around the left and right outer winding portions 20 constituted at the bumper 7. Specifically, after winding the power cord 5 around the gap between the CI outer surface of the side wall portion 13 and the back surface of the outer abutment portion 14 on one side, the power cord 5 is wound around the gap between the outer surface of the other side wall portion 13 and the back surface of the outer abutment portion 14. This is repeated a plurality of times. Since these outer winding portions 20 have a comparatively large diameter, the power cord can almost entirely be wound around the outer winding portions.

Subsequently, the remaining part of the power cord is drawn into the bumper main body 8 from a communication portion formed between the side wall portions 13, and the power cord 5 is wound around the inner winding portions 21.

At this time, the power cord 5 is wound around the inner winding portions 21 in accordance with a length of the remaining part of the power cord. When the remaining part is long, the cord is wound around the left and right inner winding portions 21 a plurality of times. When the remaining part of the power cord 5 is long, the cord may be 12 wound around only one inner winding portion 21.

Moreover, a tip end portion of the power cord wound around the inner winding portions 21, which is provided with the plug 6, is engaged with the engagement portions 17 formed at the inner abutment portions 15 or the engagement portions 16 formed at the side wall portions 13.

In consequence, the plug 6 provided at the tip end of the power cord 5 can be stored in the plug storage portions 22 surrounded with the side wall portion 13 and the inner abutment portions Furthermore, in a case where the length of the remaining part of the power cord 5 wound around the inner winding portions 21 is not such a length that the cord is easily stored in the plug storage portions 22, the cord may be engaged with the engagement portions 16 formed at the side wall portions 13 externally from the bumper main body 8, and the plug 6 may be stored at the back surfaces of the side wall portions 13.

As the case may be, without using any inner winding portion 21, the cord may be engaged with the engagement portions 16 formed at the side wall portions 13 so that the plug 6 is positioned in the bumper main body 8.

In consequence, the power cord 5 drawn from the main body (the mechanical chamber or the insulation box member 2) of the showcase 1 can appropriately be wound around the winding portions 20 or 21 of the bumper 7, and the protection of the protrusions provided at the outer surface 13 of the main body and the appropriate storage of the power

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Scord 5 can be realized with one component.

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Therefore, it is possible to avoid a disadvantage that the power cord 5 is dragged and disconnected during carrying-in of the showcase 1 and a movement operation of NO the showcase and a disadvantage that the cord obstructs the ooperation Since the power cord 5 can be stored in the bumper 7 for preventing the main body of the showcase 1 (N from being impacted, the number of the components can be reduced, cost can be reduced and assembling operability can be improved.

Furthermore, when the power cord 5 drawn from the main body of the showcase 1 is wound up, the cord can be wound around the outer winding portions 20 and the inner winding portions 21. Therefore, the remaining part of the power cord 5 is not easily produced, and the power cord can securely be wound up.

Moreover, the power cord 5 is engaged with either of the engagement portions 16, 17 in accordance with the length of the remaining part of the power cord wound up by the bumper 7, and the plug 6 provided at the tip end of the power cord 5 can be stored in the plug storage portions 22 of the bumper 7 or at the back surfaces of the side wall portions 13.

In consequence, it is possible to avoid a disadvantage that the power cord 5 halfway hangs from the winding portions, and the hanging power cord 5 obstructs 14 the movement operation or the like; a disadvantage that the Spower cord 5 disconnects or the plug 6 attached to the tip

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end of the power cord 5 collides with an external part and is broken and the like.

Therefore, the plug 6 disposed at the tip end of the NO power cord 5 does not protrude from the bumper 7, the o remaining part of the power cord 5 and the plug 6 provided at the tip end of the cord does not obstruct the movement (N operation of the showcase 1 or the like, and the operation is easily performed. Since the plug 6 is securely stored at the back surfaces of the plug storage portions 22 and the side wall portions 13 of the bumper main body 8, a disadvantage such as the breakage can be avoided.

Moreover, since the bumper 7 of the present embodiment is fixed to the back surface 2A of the showcase 1 via the fixing holes 10, 10 provided at the opposite side portions of the bumper, an attachment strength of the bumper 7 itself can be improved as compared with one portion of the bumper 7 is fixed. Therefore, even if a winding operation of the power cord 5 around the winding portions 20, 21 of the bumper 7, the bumper 7 itself does not drop down, and the power cord 5 can steadily be wound up.

Furthermore, to install the showcase 1 provided with the bumper 7 along the wall of the store, as shown in FIG.

2, the bumper 7 attached to the back surface 2A is allowed to abut on a wall W of the store, and arranged.

15 Here, the bumper 7 has the predetermined thickness dimension as described above. Therefore, even when the showcase 1 is installed close to the wall W of the store, the wall W abuts on the outer abutment portions 14 and the outer surfaces of the inner abutment portions constituting the bumper 7. Therefore, a predetermined space can be formed between the back surface 2A and the wall W, and the waste heat discharged from behind the mechanical chamber can be discharged upwards via the space.

In consequence, even when the showcase 1 is installed along the wall W, the waste heat can efficiently be treated, and a predetermined cooling capability can be secured. Even if the back surface 2A is provided with the other protrusions, the bumper 7 first abuts on the wall W. Therefore, the protrusions can be protected.

Moreover, since the bumper 7 is formed of a hard synthetic resin, the wall is not easily damaged. Even if the bumper collides with the external part, the bumper might not be deformed. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently secure a function of the bumper.

Claims

1. A showcase comprising a bumper attached to an outer surface of a main body of the showcase, C1 wherein the bumper has winding portions which wind up a power cord drawn from the main body.

2. The showcase according to claim 1, wherein the winding portions Sinclude outer winding portions constituted at an outer surface of the bumper, and inner i winding portions which are constituted in the bumper so as to communicate with the outer winding portions and around which the power cord is wound.

3. The showcase according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bumper includes plug storage portions which communicate with the winding portions and in which a plug provided at a tip end of the power cord is stored.

4. A showcase substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated 8 June, 2007 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON 821254 1:TCW