EP1633223A1

EP1633223A1 - Support device for food containers

Info

Publication number: EP1633223A1
Application number: EP04702380A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carlo Giulietti
Original assignee: Industrie Scaffalature Arredamenti- ISA SpA
Current assignee: Industrie Scaffalature Arredamenti- ISA SpA
Priority date: 2003-06-04
Filing date: 2004-01-15
Publication date: 2006-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 2024-01-15
Also published as: ES2380974T3; WO2004107929A1; ITUD20030022U1; ATE532436T1; EP1633223B1

Abstract

Support device for containers arranged inside a refrigerated compartment (15) associated with an air conditioning member (25) arranged in a technical compartment (61) adjacent to the refrigerated compartment (15) and separated therefrom. The device comprises a supporting plane (32) on which the containers are arranged, and reciprocal positioning and separation means (43, 143, 243) to reciprocally position and separate the containers. In an intermediate zone of the supporting plane (32), in correspondence with an interspace (50) which separates, in use, adjacent containers, or rows of containers, (12, 112, 212; 13, 113, 213), at least a through aperture (36, 136, 236; 37, 137, 237) is made which puts the refrigerated compartment (15) in communication with the technical compartment (61), in order to allow the passage of the air that has just been refrigerated also in the interspace (50) between adjacent containers.

Description

"SUPPORT DEVICE FOR FOOD CONTAINERS" * * * * *

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns a support device located inside a refrigerated display counter and on which a plurality of containers for food products are arranged, such as tubs, glasses, plates, trays or suchlike.

To be more exact, the invention concerns a support device which facilitates the circulation of air and a correct heat conditioning inside a refrigerated compartment even when the arrangement and number of containers contained therein vary.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Display counters used in public premises for selling food products are known, which comprise a supporting structure, partly closed by panels that define a refrigerated compartment where the containers for the products are arranged on a supporting plane .

To be more exact, the compartment is refrigerated by means of a refrigeration unit, arranged below the supporting plane, which determines the circulation of a flow of air which hits the products located in the containers. Such known display counters have the disadvantage that, depending on the size of the supporting plane and on the configuration of the refrigerated compartment, an unbalance and a non-homogeneous cooling may be created between the food products located nearest the zone where the refrigerating air is introduced compared with those nearest the zone where the air exits and is recycled. This is due to the fact that the air, exchanging heat with the food products, heats up as it circulates and hence cools those products near the exit zone less.

Moreover, it is very difficult to obtain a balanced and constant refrigeration of the products when the containers are replaced by others which are different in size and number, for example when a large number of small containers is replaced by a smaller number of bigger containers. If, on the one hand, the solution of providing support devices with numerous holes, through which the air passes, distributed uniformly on the supporting plane, for example grid-type supports, makes it probable that in every assembly condition of the containers the refrigerated air passes between two adjacent containers, on the other hand it entails considerable losses in the refrigerating capacity.

To make it possible to vary the number and size of the containers, it is also necessary to guarantee, in every condition, that they rest correctly in suspension inside the refrigerated compartment, so as to prevent them from being subjected to unwanted movements, without obliging the assistants to have recourse to specific and differentiated elements which create problems of storage and retrieval . The purpose of the present invention is to achieve a support device for containers for food products, particularly in refrigerated compartments, by means of which it is possible to obtain a balanced and uniform distribution of the refrigerated air, exploiting to the utmost the space available in the compartment and without the aid of auxiliary refrigeration members.

Another purpose is to achieve a support device by means of which it is possible to ensure a complete circulation of the refrigerated air and a balanced and uniform distribution thereof inside the compartment, even if the number or the type/size of the containers is varied.

Another purpose is to achieve a support device by means of which it is possible to vary the number and/or size of the containers extremely easily and quickly, without having recourse to specific and differentiated elements and guaranteeing in any case optimum conditions both in the positioning and stability of the containers and also in the heat conditioning of the food products contained inside them.

Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention in order to obtain these and other purposes and advantages and to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is set forth and characterized in the main claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the present invention. A support device for containers according to the invention, able to be arranged inside a refrigerated compartment below which there is an air conditioning member, comprises a supporting plane on which the containers are arranged, and positioning and separation means able to define a zone of separation between adjacent containers .

According to the invention, in an intermediate position on the supporting plane, in correspondence with a zone of separation between adjacent containers, at least a through aperture is made. In the following description, we shall refer to a through aperture, but this shall also mean a series of apertures arranged, for example, aligned with each other, or in any case in a geometric configuration that will cooperate with containers arranged in a specific configuration inside the refrigerated compartment.

Such through aperture puts the refrigerated compartment in communication with the underlying air conditioning zone, so that the air that has just been refrigerated can pass directly also around and between the containers, especially those which are far from the exit zone of the air. This allows to make the temperature at least partly uniform between containers far from and near to the exit zone. In one embodiment of the invention, at least two apertures, or series of apertures, are made on the supporting plane, able to be selectively opened or closed: a first aperture, or series of apertures, located in correspondence with a zone which separates from each other, in use, containers arranged in a first configuration, and a second aperture, or series of apertures, which is in correspondence with the zone which separates from each other containers arranged in a second configuration.

According to the invention, the through apertures of the supporting plane are made in positions such that, for each of the sizes of the containers and of their positioning configurations provided by the design of the display counter, when the configuration is modified, the intermediate zones of separation between the containers are on each occasion aligned and coincide with a corresponding aperture of the two apertures, or series of apertures.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the reciprocal separation means comprise a spacer element able to keep the adjacent containers at a fixed distance. The spacer element is also movable on the supporting plane in order to modify on each occasion the zone of separation between the adjacent containers, according to the type and number of containers used.

In one embodiment of the invention, the spacer element comprises blades with facing surfaces able to define an interspace between two adjacent containers, which is aligned with the relative aperture made on the supporting plane for the passage of the refrigerating air. At the same time, the blades obstruct the other aperture made on the supporting plane, so that all the refrigerated air is channeled through the interspace.

In a second embodiment, a shutter plate is provided, arranged superimposed above at least part of the supporting plane, and provided with an aperture for the passage of the refrigerated air between two adjacent containers.

This aperture on the shutter plate is aligned with a first aperture made on the supporting plane, in order to channel the air through adjacent containers arranged in a first configuration.

When the configuration and/or size of the containers is changed, the assembly position of the shutter plate is also changed as a result, for example it is tilted; in this way, the aperture on the shutter plate is aligned with the second aperture on the supporting plane, while the first aperture is closed, allowing the refrigerated air to be channeled and to pass only in an intermediate position between the containers arranged in the new configuration. In a further solution, the support device according to the invention comprises a support element for the containers having a conformation such that, when the assembly position is modified, it is able to perform a function of stable support in at least two distinct positioning configurations of the containers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other characteristics of the present invention will become clear from the following description of some preferential forms of embodiment, given as a non- restrictive example, with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a side view of a support device according to the invention arranged inside a refrigerated counter ;

- fig. 2 is an enlarged scale view of the device in fig. 1 in a first operating configuration;

- fig. 3 is a view of the detail in fig. 2 in a second operating configuration;

- fig. 4 is a side view of a first variant of the device in fig. 1 in a first operating configuration;

- fig. 5 is a side view of the device in fig. 4 in a second operating configuration; - fig. 6 is a side view of a second variant of the device in fig. 1 in a first operating configuration;

- fig. 7 is a side view of the device in fig. 6 in a second operating configuration;

- fig. 8 is a three-dimensional view of an enlarged detail of the device in fig. 6 in a first operating configuration;

- fig. 9 is a three-dimensional view of the detail in fig.

8 in an intermediate operating configuration;

- fig. 10 is a three-dimensional view of the detail in fig. 10 in a second operating configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERENTIAL FORMS OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION With reference to figs. 1-3, a support device 10 according to the invention for containers 12 is arranged inside a refrigerated compartment 15 of a display counter 17.

The display counter 17 consists, in this case, of a base body 18 with a horizontal development, having a rear wall 19 and a front wall 21, delimited laterally by sides 20 and at the top and front by a transparent panel 22. It is clear, however, that the display counter 17 can be of any known type, and the size, form and structure thereof are not relevant to the purposes of the present invention. The support device 10 comprises a base wall 32 defining a supporting plane and including spacers 35 at the bottom, which are connected to a box-like structure 40 which supports a fan assembly 28. The support device 10 also comprises a front blade 33, a rear blade 34 and intermediate blades 43, described hereafter, which define the seatings where, in this case in two separate and distinct rows, the containers 12 for the food products, in this case tubs for ice-cream, are arranged. In order to occupy all the space of the refrigerated compartment 15 and prevent unwanted movements of the containers 12, the support device 10 also comprises a further spacer element 45, removable and arranged on the base wall 32. The refrigerated compartment 15 is cooled by a refrigeration unit 25 comprising, in its essential parts, a motor unit, an evaporator, not visible in the drawings, and the fan assembly 28. Part of the refrigeration unit 25, and in particular the fan assembly 28, is housed in a technical compartment 61 arranged adjacent to the refrigerated compartment 15 and separated therefrom, in this case, by the base wall 32.

The refrigerated air is introduced into the refrigerated compartment 15 through a first introduction channel 30, circulates above the containers 12 and is picked up by a second channel 31, opposite the first, in order to be again conditioned by the refrigeration unit 25.

The base wall 32 has a first through aperture 36 made in correspondence with the zone of separation between the two rows of containers 12, which allows the cold air arriving directly from the fan assembly 28 to pass towards the refrigerated compartment 15. As we said before, the term through aperture 36 also means a plurality, or series, of apertures arranged aligned in a row, so that the refrigerated air can in any case be channeled through an interspace 50 which is created between two adjacent rows of containers 12. The cold air thus also envelopes the containers 12 that are farthest from the first introduction channel 30 and also mixes with the warmer air that circulates above, keeping the refrigerating temperature substantially constant in all the refrigerated compartment 15. On the base wall 32 there is a second through aperture 37 made in this case in correspondence with a zone of separation between two adjacent rows of other containers 13

(fig. 3), which are arranged on the base wall 32 instead of the containers 12, with a different configuration from them.

The intermediate blades 43 (fig. 2) keep the two adjacent rows of containers 12 at a fixed distance, so as to ensure the intermediate passage of the air that has just been refrigerated arriving from the first through aperture 36. The intermediate blades 43 are bent at a right angle and have facing surfaces defining the interspace 50, which is aligned and has a width substantially equal to that of the first through aperture 36. The facing surfaces are joined in segments, in a single body, by connection rods 49, which keep their reciprocal distance fixed.

The intermediate blades 43 also function as a support element for the containers 12, raising them from the base wall 32, and comprise in this case fins 52, made in a single piece, which support mating protruding edges 53 of the containers 12.

The containers 13 are smaller than the containers 12 and are arranged in three rows. The second through aperture 37 is made in correspondence with the two rows of containers 13 located farthest from the first introduction channel 30. It is clear that the size of the containers 12 and 13 and the position of the two through apertures 36, 37 on the base wall 32 are functionally correlated so that, when the containers are replaced, the zone which separates, in use, the containers 12, 13 on each occasion is aligned respectively with the first or second through aperture 36, 37. In this way, even if the configuration of the containers 12, 13 is varied, a uniform circulation of the air that has just been refrigerated is in any case ensured.

To facilitate the replacement, the intermediate blades 43 are made to slide on the base wall 32, so that in the first configuration (fig. 2) the interspace 50 is aligned with the first through aperture 36, and in the second configuration (fig. 3) the interspace 50 is aligned with the second through aperture 37.

In the embodiment shown here, the plane portions of the intermediate blades 43 that rest on the base wall 32 are longer than the distance between the first and the second through aperture 36 and 37. In this way, in the first configuration an intermediate blade 43 directly closes the second through aperture 37 and the first through aperture 36 is open, while in the second operating position the other intermediate blade 43 closes the first through aperture 36 (fig. 3) and the second through aperture 37 is open.

In this way, with the change in configuration of the containers 12, 13 and with the displacement of the intermediate blades 43, the through aperture 36, 37 not being used is also closed, thus channeling the refrigerated air only in the specific aperture.

In this case, in order to occupy all the space available, when the containers 12 are replaced by the containers 13, the first spacer element 45, arranged at the rear, is also removed and is replaced by a second spacer element 46, arranged between the two rows of containers 13 wherein no passage of air is provided. According to a variant shown in fig. 4, a support device 110 comprises a pair of flat intermediate blades 143 which do not have, as in the previous embodiment, the function of supporting the containers 112, but simply define their positioning seating. The intermediate blades 143 are inserted, in use, into corresponding longitudinal grooves 145 made on the base wall 32, so that the containers 112 rest directly thereon.

On the base wall 32 there are made a first through aperture 136, in correspondence with the intermediate zone between the two rows of containers 112, and a second through aperture 137, which, unlike in the previous embodiment, is closed directly by the container 112. In this case too, the containers 112 can be replaced by containers 113 (fig. 5), which in this case are much smaller.

In this case, the containers 113 are arranged in four rows and are sized so that, once arranged on the base wall 32, their intermediate zone of separation coincides both with the first through aperture 136 and also with the second through aperture 137. The intermediate blades 143 are therefore not removed from the first through aperture 136, but others are added in correspondence with the second through aperture 137, thus to allow a double passage in parallel of the refrigerated air, between the rows of containers 113 nearest the second channel 31 through which the refrigerated air exits from the refrigerated compartment 15.

Consequently, in this embodiment of the invention, by varying the configuration of the containers 112, 113, the passage of refrigerating air is also increased.

In the embodiment shown in figs. 6 to 10, the support device according to the present invention is indicated in its entirety by the reference number 210 and comprises a plurality of covering plates 55, 57 and 58 arranged adjacent and above the base wall 32.

Together the covering plates 55, 57 and 58 define a plane and visible supporting surface in the display counter 17, which gives a high aesthetic quality to the display counter 17 wherein the device 210 is installed.

The intermediate covering plate 55 is superimposed over the base wall 32 in correspondence with the through apertures 236 and 237 of the latter, and itself has a through aperture 56 mating in shape and size with those of the through apertures 236 and 237.

The covering plate 55 performs the function of a shutter plate since it selectively allows the passage of refrigerated air through one of the through apertures 236 and 237, obstructing said passage through the other of said apertures .

To be more exact, in a first configuration (figs. 6 and

8), the through aperture 56 of the covering plate 55 is aligned with the first through aperture 236 of the base wall 32, while the passage of air through the other through aperture 237 is obstructed.

In this way, the refrigerated air passes only through the first through aperture 236 and consequently through the interspace 50 defined by the intermediate blades 243 between the two rows of containers 212.

When the two rows of containers 212 are replaced by three rows of smaller containers 213, the covering plate 55 is raised from the base wall 32, rotated by 180° (fig. 9), and repositioned on the base wall 32, to be thus arranged in its second operating configuration (figs. 7 and 10), with its through aperture 56 aligned with the second through aperture 237 of the base wall 32. In this condition, the first through aperture 236 is obstructed by the covering plate 55.

The intermediate blades 243 also function as a support for the containers 212 and 213 and do not rest on the base wall 32, but are housed inside the through aperture 56 of the covering plate 55, so that the interspace 50 formed is perfectly aligned with the specific through aperture 236 or 237.

In this form of embodiment, to compensate the different overall width occupied by the containers 212 and 213 in the different configurations, a support element is provided comprising two brackets 59, substantially S-shaped and arranged at the sides with respect to the base wall 32, which support a transverse bar 60.

In the event that the containers 212 are provided (fig. 6), the support element is mounted so that the transverse bar 60 acts as a rear support to a second of the two containers 212; in the event that the containers 213 are provided (fig. 7), the support element is mounted rotated by 180° with respect to the first position, so that the transverse bar 60 assumes an intermediate position inside the compartment and functions as an intermediate support between the second and third of the three containers 213.

In this way, the stable and centered positioning of the containers 212 and 213 is guaranteed, simply and quickly, and without needing to make specific and differentiated support elements in the different expositive configurations .

It is clear, however, that modifications and/or additions of parts can be made to the device as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. Support device for containers (12, 112, 212; 13, 113, 213) arranged inside a refrigerated compartment (15) associated with an air conditioning member (25) arranged in a technical compartment (61) adjacent to said refrigerated compartment (15) and separated therefrom, said device comprising a supporting plane (32) on which said containers

(12, 112, 212; 13, 113, 213) are arranged, and reciprocal positioning and separation means (43, 143, 243) to reciprocally position and separate said containers (12, 112, 212; 13, 113, 213), characterized in that in an intermediate zone of said supporting plane (32), in correspondence with an interspace (50) which separates, in use, adjacent containers or rows of containers (12, 112, 212; 13, 113, 213), at least a through aperture (36, 136, 236; 37, 137, 237) is made which is able to put said refrigerated compartment (15) in communication with said technical compartment (61), in order to allow the passage of the air that has just been refrigerated also in said interspace (50) between said adjacent containers (12, 112, 212; 13, 113, 213) .

2. Support device as in claim 1, characterized in that said at least one through aperture (36, 136, 236; 37, 137, 237) is made in correspondence with a portion of said supporting plane (32) which is near an exit zone (31) of the air from said refrigerated compartment (15) .

3. Support device as in claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that on said supporting plane (32) at least two through apertures, or series of apertures, (36, 136, 236; 37, 137, 237) are made, a first through aperture, or series of apertures, (36, 136, 236) being arranged in correspondence with a first zone which separates, in use, containers (12, 112, 212) of determinate size and/or shape and arranged according to a first configuration, and a second through aperture, or series of apertures, (37, 137, 237) being arranged in correspondence with a second zone which separates, in use, containers (13, 113, 213) of different size and/or shape and/or arranged in a second configuration .

4. Device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said reciprocal positioning and separation means comprise spacers (43, 143, 243) arranged between said containers (12, 112, 212; 13, 113, 213) in order to keep them at a fixed reciprocal distance.

5. Device as in claim 4, characterized in that said spacers (43, 143, 243) are movable on said supporting plane (32) in order to displace on each occasion the intermediate zone which separates, in use, said containers (12, 112, 212; 13, 113, 213) in correspondence with a relative aperture, or series of apertures, (36, 136, 236; 37, 137, 237) .

6. Device as in claim 5, characterized in that said spacers comprise blades (43, 143, 243) having facing surfaces distanced so as to define said interspace (50), which is able to be associated with said first through aperture (36, 136, 236) and/or said second through aperture (37, 137, 237) for the passage of the air that has just been refrigerated .

7. Device as in claim 6, characterized in that said blades (43, 143) are connected in a single body by connecting elements (49, 149) arranged in segments along the respective facing surfaces.

8. Device as in claim 6 or 7 , characterized in that each of said blades (43, 143) is bent longitudinally in an L and comprises a plane portion arranged on said supporting plane (32) and sized so as to extend in length for a segment of said supporting plane (32) between the first through aperture (36) and the second through aperture (37) .

9. Device as in claim 8, characterized in that, in said first configuration, said interspace (50) is aligned with said first through aperture (36) and said second through aperture (37) is closed by the plane portion of one of the two blades (43), whereas in said second configuration said interspace (50) is aligned with said second through aperture (37) and said first through aperture (36) is closed by the plane portion of the other blade (43) .

10. Device as in any claim from 6 to 9 inclusive, characterized in that said blades (43, 143, 243) are provided with support means (52) able to support said containers (12, 112, 212; 13, 113, 213) in a raised position with respect to said supporting plane (32).

11. Device as in claim 10, characterized in that said support means comprise fins (52) made in a piece on said blades (43, 143, 243) .

12. Device as in claim 6, characterized in that said blades (143) are able to be inserted in mating grooves (145) made on said supporting plane (32) in correspondence with said first aperture and/or said second through aperture (136, 137) .

13. Device as in claim 3, characterized in that it comprises plate means (55) able to be arranged on said supporting plane (32) in correspondence with said through apertures (236, 237), said plate means (55) including a through aperture, or series of apertures, (56) able to be selectively aligned with one or another of said through apertures (236, 237) of said supporting plane (32) in order to allow the passage of refrigerated air through one of said through apertures (236 or 237), and obstruct the passage of said refrigerated air through the other of said through apertures (237 or 236) .

14. Device as in claim 13, characterized in that said plate means (55) have a first assembly position having said through aperture (56) aligned with a first (236 or 237) of said through apertures of said supporting plane (32), and a second assembly configuration, tilted by 180° with respect to the first configuration, having said through aperture (56) aligned with the second (237 or 236) of said through apertures .

15. Device as in claims 6 and 13, characterized in that said blades (243) are housed inside said through aperture

(56) of said plate means (55), so that said interspace (50) is perfectly aligned with the specific through aperture (236, 237) of said supporting plane (32).

16. Device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it comprises support means (59, 60) having a first assembly configuration wherein they perform a rear supporting function for a first type of said containers (12, 112, 212), and a second assembly configuration, tilted by 180° with respect to said first configuration, wherein they perform an intermediate supporting function for a second type of said containers (13, 113, 213).