EP0411386A1

EP0411386A1 - Improved shelf, particularly for refrigerated counters

Info

Publication number: EP0411386A1
Application number: EP90113669A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Claudio Bertoli
Original assignee: Criosbanc SpA
Current assignee: Criosbanc SpA
Priority date: 1989-08-04
Filing date: 1990-07-17
Publication date: 1991-02-06
Also published as: IT8930702V0; IT217435Z2

Abstract

An improved shelf particularly for refrigerated counters comprising, adjacent the edge thereof on the side of the public, a longitudinal compartment (19) housing a light source (21) and having an apertured bottom for lighting underlying goods on display and an apertured (23) front for lighting a translucid screen (26) placed in front and provided with releasable binding means for small cards carrying the prices and/or illustrations of said goods.

Description

This invention relates to an improved shelf particularly for refrigerated counters.
Refrigerated counters primarily intended for use by food shops and supermarkets to keep perishable products on display therein are well known.
These counters comprise a thermally insulating structure, usually parallelepipedic in shape with an open front which may be provided with openable glass doors, and a rearward panel holding a number of shelves for displaying the goods on sale.
The bottom portions of said shelves usually accommodate lamps for lighting the goods displayed on the underlying shelf.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved shelf particularly for refrigerated counters, which enables enhanced classified exhibition of the features of the products put on display.
Another object of this invention is to provide a shelf for refrigerated counters which can catch the attention of the potential buyer of the goods on display.
A further object of this invention is to provide a shelf for refrigerated counters having an appealing appearance.
All these and other objects to become apparent from the description that follows are achieved, according to the invention by an improved shelf particularly for refrigerated counters, characterized in that it comprises, adjacent the edge thereof on the side of the public, a longitudinal compartment housing at least one light source and having an apertured bottom for lighting underlying goods on display and an apertured front for lighting a translucid screen placed in front and provided with releasable binding means for small cards carrying the prices and/or illustrations of said goods
This invention will be further explained herein below through a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings, where:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a refrigerated counter according to the invention,
Figure 2 shows a cross-section through a shelf, and
Figure 3 is an enlarged scaleview of the detail enclosed by the dash line in Figure 2.

As may be appreciated from the drawings, a refrigerated counter according to the invention comprises a structure which is substantially parallelepipedic in shape and formed of thermally insulating boards of polyurethane or another insulative material.
The rearward panel 1 of said counter has goods display shelves 3, and side panels 5 and 7 partly replaced with clear glass panes 9.
Housed in a base 13 are the refrigerating system and a fan for re-cycling the counter interior air. Its top is used as a rest surface for goods on display.
The front panel 15 may be formed of constant modules superposed on one another and fitted with a dolly fend-off 17.
The shelves 3 are provided, adjacent their edge on the side of the customer, with a longitudinal compartment 19 housing a series of (neon) lamps 21.
Said compartment 19 is formed with a bottom aperture spanning the full length of the shelf 3 to enable the goods displayed on the underlying shelf to be lit
Said shelves are also provided on the front with a series of holes 23 to let through the ligh beam from the lamp 21.
In addition, the bottom edge of said front portion is provided with a substantially L-shaped structure, an aluminum rib 24 with an arcuate holding flange 25 for a translucid screen 26 being provided at the top.
Interposed between the translucid screen 26 and the bottom edge of the shelf 3, as well as between the translucid screen and the rib 24, are two soft rubber moldings 27.
The inventive shelf operates in the following manner.
The lamp 21, housed in the compartment 19, will lighten the goods displayed on the underlying shelf through the hole beneath.
Said lamp 21 will also lighten, through the holes 23, the translucid screen 26 on which a color band may extend if desired.
Said band may show, as required, the price of a corresponding product displayed above, or carry a tag claiming its main features or other advertisements.
The color band is secured on the shelf by fitting it in between the translucid screen 26, the structure 22, and the flange 25 of the rib 24
The band fitting operation is effected by pushing back the screen 26 which is arranged to bear on the soft rubber moldings 27.
It may be appreciated from the foregoing that the improved shelf particularly for refrigerated counters affords a number of advantages, and in particular that the features of the goods on display can be set off according to their class by alluring potential buyers with a range of colors.
In addition, it enhances the attractiveness of the refrigerated counter as a whole

Claims

1. An improved shelf particularly for refrigerated counters, characterized in that it comprises, adjacent the edge thereof on the side of the public, a longitudinal compartment (19) housing at least one light source (21) and having an apertured bottom for lighting underlying goods on display and an apertured (23) front for lighting a translucid screen (26) placed in front and provided with releasable binding means for small cards carrying the prices and/or illustrations of said goods.

2. An improved shelf according to Claim 1, characterized in that the outward edge thereof is provided with a holding flange (25) for the translucid screen (26) and with elastic means (27) interposed between said screen and said edge.

3. An improved shelf according to Claim 2, characterized in that the elastic means (27) comprise a soft rubber molding.

4. An improved shelf according to Claim 1, characterized in that a rigid sectional member is attached to the front edge of the shelf which has at least one inward rib (24,22) carrying the elastic means (27) and at least one outward rib forming the holding flange (25).