CN112336123A

CN112336123A - Glass assembly for refrigeration equipment

Info

Publication number: CN112336123A
Application number: CN201910734175.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 张朝昌; 田�健
Original assignee: Carrier Corp
Current assignee: Carrier Corp
Priority date: 2019-08-09
Filing date: 2019-08-09
Publication date: 2021-02-09
Also published as: EP4011174A1; WO2021030099A1

Abstract

The application discloses a glass subassembly for refrigeration plant includes: at least first and second spaced apart glass sheets each having opposing first and second edges; a first conductive heating film attached to the first glass plate and a second conductive heating film attached to the second glass plate, first and second terminals provided at one of the first edge and the second edge, the first and second terminals being connected with the first conductive heating film and the second conductive heating film, respectively, the first conductive heating film and the second conductive heating film being connected to each other at the other of the first edge and the second edge.

Description

Glass assembly for refrigeration equipment

Technical Field

The application belongs to the refrigeration field, and in particular relates to a glass component for refrigeration equipment.

Background

Refrigerated and frozen goods are placed in a refrigeration appliance such as a display case for sale and display. Generally, display cases are equipped with glass doors to provide a visible area for the consumer and the consumer has access to the product. Due to the temperature difference between the refrigeration unit and the outside, the warmer air moisture collects on the glass surface of the cooler glass door creating a condensation phenomenon that hinders the consumer from seeing the product in the display case. Therefore, the glass door is additionally provided with a heating film to eliminate the phenomenon.

Fig. 1-2 illustrate the structure and embodiment of a prior art glass door with a heating film disposed thereon. The glazed door comprises a double glazing 1' provided with an opaque frame 2' along the sides of the double glazing 1 '. The frame 2' may be made of aluminium, plastic such as PVC, etc. On the surface of one of the panes is arranged a conductive film 3 'to which two electrodes 4',5 'of the conductive film 3' are connected cables 6', 7'. It can be seen from the figure that the cable 7' connected to the bottom electrode 5' passes through one side of the frame 2 '. Since the frame 2 'is opaque, the interior of the frame 2' provides a threading space for the cables.

Nowadays, a glass door provided with a transparent frame has appeared, and when such a glass door is provided with a heating film in order to prevent the condensation phenomenon, the routing of the cables becomes problematic, because the cables are undesirably visible if they are arranged within the frame.

Disclosure of Invention

The technical problem to be solved by the application is to provide a glass component for refrigeration equipment, which is provided with a transparent frame.

The glass assembly for a refrigeration device comprises:

at least first and second spaced apart glass sheets each having opposing first and second edges;

a first conductive heating film attached to the first glass plate and a second conductive heating film attached to the second glass plate,

first and second terminals provided at one of the first and second edges, the first and second terminals being connected with the first and second conductive heating films, respectively, the first and second conductive heating films being connected with each other at the other of the first and second edges.

The first and second conductive heating films are powered to function to eliminate condensation on the glass assembly. Wherein cables can be led out from the terminals and do not pass through the frame. Here, the term "terminal" is used to connect a cable to supply power to the conductive heating film. The first terminal and the second terminal may be the former being a current input terminal and the latter being a current output terminal or vice versa.

In one embodiment of the glazing assembly, a frame disposed along the sides of the first and second glass sheets, the frame comprising at least one transparent side.

In one embodiment of the glass assembly, the first and second conductive heating films are within a separation space defined by the first and second glass sheets. Optionally, the first conductive heating film and the second conductive heating film are disposed on the surfaces of the first glass plate and the second glass plate facing the space, respectively. Optionally, a first conductive heating film is disposed on an inner surface of the first glass plate and a second conductive heating film is disposed on an inner surface of the second glass plate.

In one embodiment of the glazing assembly, the frame has two mutually parallel first sides and two mutually parallel second sides, the first and second edges being arranged along the first sides, the at least one transparent side being arranged along the second sides.

In one embodiment of the glass assembly, further comprising a conductive structure fixed to the frame, the first conductive heating film and the second conductive heating film being connected to each other through the conductive structure.

In one embodiment of the glass assembly, the at least one transparent side is two and arranged in a vertical direction.

In one embodiment of the glass assembly, the first conductive heating film and the second conductive heating film each have a pair of current bars. The first conductive heating film is provided with a first current bar at the first edge for connecting to the second conductive heating film, and a second current bar at the second edge for connecting to one of the first and second terminals; the second conductive heating film is provided with a third current bar at the first edge in the same connection manner as the first current bar, and is provided with a fourth current bar at the second edge in the same connection manner as the second current bar. Wherein a third current bar is for connecting the first conductive heating film and a fourth current bar is for connecting the other of the first and second terminals.

In one embodiment of the glass unit, the glass unit is used for a door of a refrigerated display case.

According to the technical scheme of the two conductive heating films, the cable is directly led out from the wiring end of the conductive heating film and does not pass through the transparent frame part. The first wiring terminal and the second wiring terminal are arranged on the same edge, the cable is led out from the same side, wiring is facilitated, and the two conductive heating films are connected on the other side. The scheme of this application has saved from this and has worn the cable in the frame inside, has both increased the heating film for transparent glass unit in order to solve the condensation problem, has also promoted glass unit aesthetic measure, and the commodity of display in the refrigeration plant can be seen through bigger vision field to the consumer. The scheme of this application has still saved wiring work, has improved glass unit's packaging efficiency.

The glass assembly has wider application range, and particularly has larger humidity environment condition, for example, a refrigeration device provided with the glass assembly can be used in an environment with the temperature of 27 ℃ and the humidity of 70%.

Another aspect of the present application is directed to a glass assembly for a refrigeration appliance, comprising:

a first glass sheet and a second glass sheet spaced apart from each other and at least one intermediate glass sheet disposed in spaced relation between the first glass sheet and the second glass sheet, the first glass sheet and the second glass sheet each having opposing edges;

the conductive heating film comprises a plurality of conductive heating films attached to the first glass plate, the second glass plate and the middle glass plate, and two terminals arranged at the edges, wherein the conductive heating films are sequentially connected in series at the edges and form a loop with a power supply through the two terminals.

In one embodiment of the glass assembly, a conductive heating film is provided on one or both sides of the intermediate glass sheet.

This application is through the technical scheme of polylith conductive heating membrane, and the cable is directly drawn forth from conductive heating membrane's wiring end to the cable does not pass through transparent frame part.

Other aspects and features of the present application will become apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the application, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein, and that, unless otherwise indicated, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Drawings

The present application will be more fully understood from the detailed description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the views. Wherein:

FIGS. 1-2 show schematic structural views of a prior art glass assembly, wherein FIG. 1 is a side view and FIG. 2 is a front view;

FIGS. 3-4 are schematic structural views illustrating one embodiment of a glass assembly to which the present application relates, wherein FIG. 3 is a side view and FIG. 4 is a front view;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of another embodiment of a glass assembly to which the present application relates;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of yet another embodiment of a glass assembly to which the present application relates.

Detailed Description

To assist those skilled in the art in understanding the subject matter claimed herein, specific embodiments thereof are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The glass component is used for glass doors of refrigeration equipment such as refrigerated cabinets, display cabinets and the like. Here, the refrigerated merchandiser and the display case may be of a vertical type or a horizontal type. The glass door can be a rotatable door, a sliding door or the like.

Fig. 3-4 show schematic views of one embodiment of a glass assembly to which the present application relates. The glass assembly includes a first glass sheet 12 and a second glass sheet 14. The first glass piece 12 is spaced apart from the second glass piece 14 to define a spacing space 16 between the first glass piece 12 and the second glass piece 14. The first glass pane 12 and the second glass pane 14 are rectangular and each have four sides, along which sides a frame 20 is arranged, whereby the frame 20 constitutes a support for the glass assembly. The frame 20 includes two opposing first sides 22 and two opposing second sides 24. The first glass piece 12 and the second glass piece 14 each have a first edge 13 and a second edge 15 parallel to the first side 22.

A first conductive heating film 42 and a second conductive heating film 43 are respectively provided on the surface of the first glass plate 12 facing the interspace 16 and on the surface of the second glass plate 14 facing the interspace 16. The first conductive heating film 42 and the second conductive heating film 43 may be prepared to be plated on the corresponding glass plates by a known process. The film has certain conductivity, high visible light transmittance, high mechanical hardness and good chemical stability. In the case of energization, heat may be generated to generate heat.

A terminal is provided at one of the first and

second edges

13,15 to connect the first conductive heating film 42 and the second conductive heating film 43, respectively. As shown, the terminals include a first terminal 18 and a second terminal 19, and are both disposed at the second edge 15. The first terminal 18 is connected to the first conductive heating film 42, and the second terminal 19 is connected to the second conductive heating film 43. At the first edge 13, the first conductive heating film 42 and the second conductive heating film 43 are connected. In the illustrated embodiment, the first conductive heating film 42 achieves this by providing a set of current strips at the first edge 13 and the second edge 15. The set of current bars comprises a first current bar 31 near the first edge 13 for connection with the second conductive heating film 43 and a second current bar 32 near the second edge 15 for connection with the first terminal 18. The second conductive heating film 43 is connected in the same manner, and the current bars thereof include a third current bar 33 and a fourth current bar 34, wherein the third current bar 33 is near the first edge 13 for connection with the first conductive heating film 42, and the fourth current bar 34 is near the second edge 15 for connection with the second terminal 19.

The first terminal 18 and the second terminal 19 are used for connecting cables, one of them may be a current input terminal and the other may be a current output terminal, or vice versa. For alternating current, the input and output terminals can be connected with a live wire and a neutral wire; for direct current, the input and output terminals are positive and negative.

The first conductive heating film 42 and the second conductive heating film 43 are connected in series at the first edge 13, as by one conductive structure 39 shown in the figure, which conductive structure 39 is fixed to the frame 20. The conductive structure 39 may be in various known forms of electrical connection. At the second edge 15, the first conductive heating film 42 is connected to cables, such as the first cable 51 and the second cable 52, via the first terminal 18 and the second conductive heating film 43 via the second terminal 19, respectively, whereby the current flows from the second cable 52, through the second conductive heating film 43, the conductive structure 39, the first conductive heating film 42 in this order, and out of the first cable 51. Since both

cables

51,52 are arranged at the same edge, the power supply can be arranged close to the second edge 15, facilitating the connection.

The frame 20 has at least one transparent side 25. As shown, the two second sides 24 of the frame 20 are transparent, so that the transparent area is increased based on the transparent area defined by the first and

second glass plates

12,14, i.e. the viewing area visible through the glass assembly is the total area covered by the first/second glass plates 12(14) plus the two second sides 24. The transparent side 25 may be made of, for example, polymethylmethacrylate material (PMMA). The

cables

51,52 exit from the first and

second terminals

18,19 at the second edge 15 without passing through the transparent second side 24.

When the surface temperature of the glass is below the dew point temperature of the air in contact with the surface, a condensation forms on the glass surface. Mist is the combination of surface temperature and moisture of the surrounding air. The provision of a conductive heating film on the glass plate can eliminate this phenomenon. When the second side 24 of the frame is made transparent, the cables are hidden from view because if the cables were to pass through the second side 24, they would interfere with the viewer's view and the aesthetics of the glass assembly. According to the concept of the present application, the cables are all arranged at the edges, thereby avoiding the use of cables within the frame 20.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first side 22 of the frame is horizontally oriented and opaque, the second side 24 is vertically oriented and transparent, and the

cables

51,52 exit at the second edge 15 along the first side 22; or the first side 22 of the frame may be transparent and the second side 24 may be opaque, and the

cables

51,52 may exit at other edges along the second side 24.

In the illustrated embodiment, the glass assembly is a double-glazing panel, and the two

conductive heating films

42,43 are disposed on respective inner surfaces of the two

glazing panels

12, 14. Of course, the glass assembly can also consist of more glass plates. The condensation mist occurs on the outermost glass sheet and the innermost glass sheet, such as the first glass sheet 12 and the second glass sheet 14 in the embodiment shown in the drawings (when the door is opened, the innermost glass sheet has a chance to come into contact with the environment having a higher temperature, and therefore the condensation mist may also occur on the innermost glass sheet). The conductive heating film may be optionally applied to a glass plate where condensation may occur. For example, but not limiting to, in the case of three glass plates, two conductive heating films are disposed on the outermost glass plate and the innermost glass plate, respectively.

According to the concept of the present application, a plurality of conductive heating films are provided, from which an electric current flows in sequence to supply power thereto, thereby avoiding the arrangement of cables inside the frame. FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of a glass assembly to which the present application relates. The glass assembly includes a first glass plate 12, a second glass plate 14, and an intermediate glass plate 13. The first glass plate 12 and the second glass plate 14 are spaced apart from each other, and the intermediate glass plate 13 is disposed in the spacing space 16 between the first and

second glass plates

12,14 and is also spaced apart from the first glass plate 12 and the second glass plate 14, respectively. Three conductive heating films are provided in total, a first conductive heating film 42 on the surface of the first glass plate 12 facing the interval space 16, a second conductive heating film 43 on the surface of the second glass plate 14 facing the interval space 16, and a third conductive heating film 44 on the intermediate glass plate 13 facing the second conductive heating film 43. First conductive heating film 42 is connected at first edge 13 to first terminal 18 via first current bar 31, and second conductive heating film 43 is connected at second edge 15 to second terminal 19 via fourth current bar 34. The first conductive heating film 42 is connected to the third conductive heating film 44 at the second edge 15 via the second and sixth

current bars

32, 36, and the second conductive heating film 43 is connected to the third conductive heating film 44 at the first edge 13 via the third and fifth

current bars

33, 35. Thus, the first conductive heating film 42, the third conductive heating film 44, and the second conductive heating film 43 are connected in series in this order, and form a loop with an external power source (not shown) through the first terminal 18 and the second terminal 19.

The series connection may be achieved by conductive structures, i.e. a first conductive structure 391 is arranged between the second 32 and sixth 36 current bars at the second edge 15 and a second conductive structure 392 is arranged between the fifth 35 and third 33 current bars at the first edge 13.

In the illustrated embodiment, threading within the frame is still not required. The

cables

51,52 are externally connected only to the first terminal 18 and the second terminal 19, and internally connected to each other by several

conductive heating films

42,44, 43.

The intermediate glass plate 13 may be provided with a conductive heating film on one side as shown in fig. 5, or may be provided with a conductive heating film on both sides as shown in fig. 6 according to still another embodiment of the glass assembly to which the present application relates.

As shown in fig. 6, a fourth conductive heating film 45 is added. The first conductive heating film 42 and the second conductive heating film 43 are connected to the first terminal 18 and the second terminal 19, respectively, to be further connected to an external power source (not shown). Inside, the first conductive heating film 42 is connected to the fourth conductive heating film 45, the fourth conductive heating film 45 is additionally connected to the third conductive heating film 44, and the third conductive heating film 44 is additionally connected to the second conductive heating film 43. The conductive structures include a first conductive structure 391 connecting the first current bar 31 and the seventh current bar 37, a second conductive structure 392 connecting the eighth current bar 38 and the sixth current bar 36, and a third conductive structure 393 connecting the fifth current bar 35 and the third current bar 33.

The second conductive structure 392, in which the third and fourth

conductive heating films

44,45 on the intermediate glass plate 13 are connected, may also be replaced by other series connection means. For example and without limitation, the sixth current bar 36, the eighth current bar 38 may be individually wired out of cables and the cables connected to each other. This has the advantage that no holes have to be made in the intermediate glass plate 13 to pass through the series connection.

According to the concept of the present application, more glass intermediate plates and more conductive heating films can be arranged in the glass assembly by analogy.

While specific embodiments of the present application have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the principles of the application, it will be understood that the application may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

Claims

1. A glass unit for a refrigeration appliance, comprising:

at least a first glass plate (12) and a second glass plate (14) spaced apart from each other, the first glass plate (12) and the second glass plate (14) each having opposing first (13) and second (15) edges;

a first conductive heating film (42) attached to the first glass plate (12) and a second conductive heating film (43) attached to the second glass plate (14),

first and second terminals provided at one of the first edge (13) and the second edge (15), the first and second terminals being connected with the first conductive heating film (42) and the second conductive heating film (43), respectively, the first conductive heating film (42) and the second conductive heating film (43) being connected to each other at the other of the first edge (13) and the second edge (15).

2. The glass assembly of claim 1, wherein: a frame (20) disposed along sides of the first glass pane (12) and the second glass pane (14), the frame (20) including at least one transparent side (25).

3. Glass assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: the first conductive heating film (42) and the second conductive heating film (43) are within a separation space (16) defined by the first glass sheet (12) and the second glass sheet (14).

4. The glass unit as set forth in claim 2, wherein: the frame (20) has two mutually parallel first sides (22) and two mutually parallel second sides (24), the first edge (13) and the second edge (15) being arranged along the first sides (22), the at least one transparent side (25) being arranged along the second sides (24).

5. Glass assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: further comprising an electrically conductive structure (39) fixed to the frame (20), the first conductive heating film (42) and the second conductive heating film (43) being connected to each other by the electrically conductive structure (39).

6. The glass unit as set forth in claim 4, wherein: the at least one transparent side portion (25) is two and arranged in a vertical direction.

7. Glass assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: the first conductive heating film (42) and the second conductive heating film (43) have a pair of current bars, respectively; -the first conductive heating film (42) is provided with a first current bar (31) at the first edge (13) for connecting the second conductive heating film (43), and a second current bar (32) at the second edge (15) for connecting one of the first and second terminals; the second conductive heating film (43) is provided with a third current bar (33) at the first edge (13) in the same connection as the first current bar and with a fourth current bar (34) at the second edge (15) in the same connection as the second current bar.

8. Glass assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: the glass component is used for a door of the refrigeration display cabinet.

9. A glass unit for a refrigeration appliance, comprising:

a first glass plate (12) and a second glass plate (14) spaced apart from each other and at least one intermediate glass plate (13) disposed in spaced relation between the first glass plate (12) and the second glass plate (14), the first glass plate (12) and the second glass plate (14) each having opposing edges;

the heating device comprises a plurality of conductive heating films attached to the first glass plate (12), the second glass plate (14) and the middle glass plate (13), and two terminals arranged at the edges, wherein the plurality of conductive heating films are sequentially connected in series at the edges and form a loop with a power supply through the two terminals.

10. The glass unit as set forth in claim 9, wherein: and a conductive heating film is arranged on one side or two sides of the middle glass plate (13).