EP0934717B1 - Refrigerated display cabinet - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerated display case of the type comprising essentially a tank mounted on a chassis containing a cold battery, a folding front window attached to the front of the tank and a single loading platform substantially covering the opening surface of the tank, see for example document DE-U-91 14 724.

In general, refrigerated display cases are made from a tank fitted with one or more loading platforms fixed to a chassis and comprising uprights connected at their upper end by a cross member, said crosspieces allowing the fixing of a glass cover falling pivotally around a horizontal axis located substantially along the cross.

One of the disadvantages of the uprights and crosspieces in a refrigerated display case is that they obstruct the passage of a user's arms, especially on the rear side of the display case, to access the products on display on the loading platform.

Another disadvantage of these uprights and crosspieces is that they limit the vision of the products in presentation.

To overcome the drawbacks as described above, we have already proposed a new type of refrigerated display cases in which the uprights and sleepers have been removed, said display case comprising only one tray of loading substantially covering the opening surface of the tank, the refrigeration space being delimited by two side walls and a window front flap pivotally mounted at the front of said tank.

The problem with this type of refrigerated display is that it has a space less protected than a traditional refrigerated display case with uprights and crosspieces of thermal influences outside the display case.

The object of the invention is to propose a technical solution allowing ensure cold for products presented on the loading platform optimum by avoiding as much as possible the loss of cold towards the top of the window.

In accordance with the invention, this result is obtained with a display case refrigerated as defined in claim 1.

Preferably, the deflector element is orientable.

• La figure 1 est une vue schématique latérale en coupe transversale de la cuve d'une vitrine réfrigérée conforme à l'invention,
• La figure 2 illustre une variante perfectionnée et préférée de mise en oeuvre.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a schematic side view in cross section of the tank of a refrigerated display case according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 illustrates an improved and preferred variant of implementation.

A refrigerated display case (1) according to the invention essentially consists a tank (2) for example made of polyester reinforced with glass wool injected with polyurethane with reinforcements (13), an aluminum frame (not shown), a horizontal loading platform (3) for receiving products food (not shown), said loading tray covering substantially the opening surface of the tank (2).

The display case also includes a domed front glass (4) fixed with swivel at the front of the tank for example on the outer wall before the tank by means of a horizontal pivot axis (5) joining the front window (4) and the tank (2). Any other means of pivoting may be used.

The display case (1) can also be fitted with side windows (not shown).

The refrigerated display case (1) further comprises a removable box (6), by example open towards the back of the tank and fixed sliding or pivoting below the loading platform (3); said removable box containing a cold battery (7) mounted in a known manner below the loading platform (3).

The tank (2) further comprises an adjustable deflector element (8) located in upper part along the rear internal longitudinal wall of said tank to allow the creation of a limited cold zone (10).

Preferably, the orientable blowing deflector element (8) is present in the form of strips (9), for example three in number, or horizontal fins, able to pivot about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis longitudinal of the tank (2), said strips being disposed substantially between the rear inner wall (2a) of the tank (2) at the upper level thereof and the rear end (3a) of the loading platform when the latter is in position horizontal.

Advantageously, the strips (9) are fixed at their ends to the inner side walls of the tank by means of pins (not shown) around which can pivot the slats (9) to be oriented.

Thus, the deflector element makes it possible to direct the flow of cold air (12) coming from cold battery (7) to create the limited cold zone encompassing the products in presentation extending slightly above these.

The adjustable deflector element, for example by modifying the inclination of the slats (5), allows the maximum height (H) to be varied from the plane or to the upper surface of the loading platform (3) of the cold zone (10) depending on the nature and size of the products on display in the window. This maximum height can be optimally around 13 cm.

Advantageously, the loading platform (3) is a platform seat (11) pivotally fixed between a horizontal position (A) and a inclined position (B) for example by means of castings (18) integral with the loading platform pivotally fixed by means of pins (14) with two arms of the pivoting support (16) mounted symmetrically in part front of the inner wall of the tank (2).

In known manner, the loading platform is provided with at least one jack hydraulic (15) articulated at one of its ends on an axis (16) integral with the arm of the support and at its other end to an axis (17) integral with the casting (18).

Thus, the positioning of the support arm at the front of the tank has little effect on the air flow (12) rotating substantially from the rear towards the front of the tank above of the plateau and at the origin of the cold zone (10).

In addition, unlike a majority of prior art display cases, the tray of load can be raised by the back of the display case making the bottom and walls of the tank (2) more easily accessible for cleaning especially when the folding window is in the open position.

Even if the embodiment of FIG. 1 is satisfactory, it appeared that the results could still be improved by implementing the device shown in figure 2.

In this device, all other things being equal, the air flow is divided coming out of the cold battery in two parts.

It can be seen in the device of FIG. 1 that the ventilation has tendency to propagate vertically at the outlet of the box, upwards, due to the release of the lifting plate (in the raised position thereof).

In the device of FIG. 2, the air flow leaving the cold coil is divided, for example in the ratio 1 / 2-2 / 3, in order to constitute respectively a low speed flow diagrammed by the arrows (19) and a high speed flow shown schematically by the arrows (20).

The flow (20) is channeled by a section (8 ') also forming a deflector for the slow flow (19), of a certain width at the outlet of the battery, which goes tapering to its outlet end (21) so as to reduce the flow towards the open surface of the box, pressing the flow at low speed below. The substantially laminar flow of high speed therefore completely encloses the flow of lower speed, which contains product storage refrigeration in the low speed zone.

• Une économie d'énergie importante,
• Une conservation des produits sans dessèchement du fait de la faible vitesse.

We thus realize:

• Significant energy savings,
• Preservation of products without drying out due to the low speed.

Claims (7)

1. Refrigerated display cabinet (1) of the type substantially comprising a tank (2) mounted on a frame surrounding a cold battery (7), a tilting front glass (4) being secured in a pivoting manner to the front of the tank (2), and a single loading platform (3) substantially covering the opening surface of the tank, characterised in that:

   the tank (2) comprises a blast-deflecting element (8), which permits a limited cold zone to be created with a maximum height H relative to the plane of the platform and slightly greater than the height of the products presented on said loading platform;

   the loading platform is an adjustable tilting platform at the rear of the display cabinet; and

   the flow of air emerging from the cold battery (7) is divided respectively into a low-speed flow (19) and a high-speed flow (20).
2. Refrigerated display cabinet (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the deflecting element is orientatable.
3. Refrigerated display cabinet according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterised in that the height H is about 13 cm.
4. Refrigerated display cabinet according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the blast-deflecting element (8) is orientatable and comprises pivoting slats (9), which are disposed substantially between the rear internal wall of the tank and the rear end of the loading platform.
5. Refrigerated display cabinet according to claim 4, characterised in that the slats (9) are secured at their lateral ends to the internal lateral walls of the tank by means of spindles about which said slats can pivot in order to be orientated.
6. Refrigerated display cabinet according to claim 1, characterised by a section (8') also forming a deflector for the slow flow (19), having a certain width, at the outlet of the battery, which decreases towards its outlet end (21).
7. Refrigerated display cabinet according to claim 6, characterised in that the flow of air emerging from the cold battery is divided in the ratio 1/3-2/3.

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