EP2142866A1

EP2142866A1 - Refrigerating furniture and method for electrically connecting the same

Info

Publication number: EP2142866A1
Application number: EP07723763A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hans-Jörg HASELBACH; Sascha Vinz; Klaus Engert; Markus Dengler-Harles; Thomas HÄHN
Original assignee: Carrier Corp
Current assignee: Carrier Corp
Priority date: 2007-03-29
Filing date: 2007-03-29
Publication date: 2010-01-13
Also published as: WO2008119361A1

Abstract

A refrigerating furniture for facilitating electrical connection of an external device according to the invention comprises a cable channel part (6) integrated in an exterior shell of the refrigerating furniture (38) and having an opening (8) in a surface (4) of the cable channel part (6); a cable (34) having an electrical connector (36) at its one end, an insert (10) providing at least one chamber (14, 16) accommodating the electrical connector (36) and being shiftable along the cable channel part (6), said insert (10) being shiftable between a hidden position, and a connecting position, and a cover member (22) of the opening (8), said cover member (22) being movable between a covering position and a removed position allowing access to the shiftable insert (10) for its shift and for taking the electrical connector (36) out of the chamber (14, 16) of the insert (10), said cover member (22) having a recess (26) dimensioned to allow passage of said cable (34) when the external device is connected to the refrigerating furniture (38).

Description

REFRIGERATING FURNITURE AND METHOD FOR ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING THE SAME

The invention relates to a refrigerating furniture for facilitating electrical connection of an external device and to a method for electrically connecting a refrigerating fur- niture to an external device.

When refrigerated sales modules are positioned on refrigerated sales chests, freezers or refrigerated sales islands, in particular when such refrigerated sales chests and refrigerated sales islands are retrofitted with such refrigerated sales modules, an electrical connection has to be established therebetween. With conventional refrigerated sales chests and refrigerated sales islands either the bumper/protection strip or the glass cover system has to be removed for getting access to the electrical connections thereof, which makes the establishing of the electrical connection cumbersome and time-consuming.

Having established the electrical connection, the cable routing is often non-satisfactory. Part of the connecting cable remains visible for the client, and accidentally touching and moving the connecting cable cannot be avoided, which sometimes badly affects the electrical connection.

Furthermore, electrical connectors of such electrical connections sometimes get humid in the refrigerated sales chest or in the refrigerated sales island when they are not connected to a refrigerated sales module thus bearing the risk of causing a short circuit. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a refrigerated sales module providing the capability of establishing a reliable electrical connection to an external device in a fast and easy manner.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention include a refrigerating furniture for facilitating electrical connection of an external device, comprising a cable channel part integrated in an exterior shell of the refrigerating furniture and having an opening in a surface of the cable channel part; a cable having an electrical connector at its one end, said cable running at least partly in the cable channel part; an insert pro- viding at least one chamber accommodating the electrical connector and being shiftable along the cable channel part, said insert being shiftable between a hidden position, in which said chamber is laterally offset from the opening, and a connecting position, in which said chamber is positioned at the opening; and a cover member of the opening, said cover member being movable between a covering position and a removed position allowing access to the shiftable insert for its shift and for taking the electrical connector out of the chamber of the insert, said cover member having a recess dimensioned to allow passage of said cable when the external device is connected to the refrigerating furniture.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention further include a method for electrically connecting a refrigerating furniture to an external device, comprising the steps of removing a cover member from an opening in a surface of a cable channel part; shifting an insert from a hidden position to a connecting position in the cable channel part; taking an electrical connector out of the insert; inserting a cable in a re- cess of the cover member; re-inserting the cover member into the opening; and electrically connecting the electrical connector to the external device. Embodiments of the invention are described in greater detail below with reference to the Figures, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of a handrail having a rectangular opening, of a shiftable insert, of a cover member of the rectangular opening and of a cable having an electrical connector at its one end;

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a portion of a freezer comprising the handrail of Fig. 1 and the cover member inserted in a covering position within the rectangular opening;

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the portion of the freezer of Fig. 2, wherein the cover member is being removed from the rectangular opening;

Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the portion of the freezer of Fig. 2, wherein the cover member has been removed and the electrical connector is being taken out of the shiftable insert;

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the portion of the freezer of Fig. 2, wherein the cable is inserted into the groove of the cover member;

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the portion of the freezer of Fig. 2, wherein the cover member is re-inserted into the rectangular opening with the cable running through its groove and with the electrical connector protruding upwardly from the cover member; and

Fig. 7 shows an exploded view of the handrail, the shiftable insert, the cover member and the cable of Figure 1 wherein the left front portion of the shiftable insert is enlarged. Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of a handrail 2 having a rectangular opening 8, of a shiftable insert 10, of a cover member 22 of the rectangular opening 8 and of a cable 34 having an electrical connector 36 at its one end.

The handrail portion 2 is shown dismounted from the freezer to where it is normally fixed by its downwardly protruding rear portion shown in Fig. 1. The handrail portion 2 has a longitudinal shape showing a curved outer surface 4, particularly a convexly curved outer surface 4, into which a rectangular opening 8 is formed. Under this convexly curved outer surface 4, there extends a cable channel part 6 through which electrical cables run. Adjacent to the convexly curved outer surface 4 and protruding downwardly therefrom there is situated a narrow front strip having a substantially vertical surface and a backward projection at its bottom for clamping the handrail portion 2 to the front side of the freezer.

The longitudinal shiftable insert 10 is dimensioned to be insertable into the cable channel part 6 and to be shiftable along it. The shiftable insert 10 comprises a horizontal base plate, a vertical rear wall, a vertical right side wall 20 and a vertical left side wall. The upper edge of the two side walls is slanted downwardly from the rear wall to the base plate according to the contour of the inner side of the cable channel part 6. In the left side wall there is formed a recess 12 for the cable 34. In the center of the shiftable insert 10 there is provided a shallow rib 18 extending on the base plate and the rear wall. This rib 18 divides the shiftable insert 10 into a left chamber 14 and a right chamber 16 that both have approximately the same width.

The cover member 22 of the rectangular opening 8 has an outer surface 24 that is substantially rectangular and convexly curved according to the form of the opening 8 and the contour of the convexly curved outer surface 4. Protruding downwardly from the outer surface 24 is a base element 28 providing a recess 30 at the bot- torn of its left side. At the rear wall of the base element 28 there are disposed altogether four clamping projections 32, one of which is visible in Fig. 1. The clamping projections 32 run vertically along the rear wall of the base element 28 and are disposed over the width of the rear wall. In the covering position of the cover member 22, the clamping projections 32 engage with the rear edge of the rectangular opening 8, therefore reliably fixing the cover member 22 within the rectangular opening 8. A groove 26 for accommodating a section of the cable 34 is formed in the center portion of the rear side of the outer surface 24 and extends downwardly through the rear wall of the base element 28.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a portion of a freezer 38 comprising the handrail 2 with the cover member 22 being inserted in a covering position within the rectangular opening 8.

The handrail portion 2 is mounted in the freezer 38 and forms the transition between the front side of the freezer 38 and its transparent upper side that is formed by sliding glass doors (not shown).

In the covering position of the cover member 22, the convexly curved outer surface 4 of the handrail 2 and the convexly curved outer surface 24 of the cover member 22 are substantially aligned. The shiftable insert 10 is in its hidden posi- tion inserted in the cable channel part 6, where it is positioned such that its left chamber 14, through which the cable 34 runs, lies below the rectangular opening 8 and the right chamber 16, which accommodates the electrical connector 36, is laterally offset to the right hand side and covered by the portion of the cable channel part 6 adjacent to the rectangular opening 8.

With reference to the Figs. 3 to 6, the method for electrically connecting the freezer 38 to an external device, in particular a refrigerated sales module, is explained in detail.

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the portion of the freezer 38, wherein the cover member 22 is being removed from the rectangular opening 8. Altogether four clamping projections 32 disposed over the width of the rear wall of the base element 28 can be seen in Fig. 3.

According to Fig. 3, a screwdriver or a similar oblong element (not shown) is put in the groove 26, and the cover member 22, in particular its clamping projections 32, is/are levered out of the rectangular opening 8. Having levered the cover member 22 out of the rectangular opening 8, it can be grasped and removed completely to its removed position.

Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the portion of the freezer 38, wherein the cover member 22 has been removed and wherein the electrical connector 36 is being taken out of the shiftable insert 10.

According to Fig. 4, the shiftable insert 10 is manually moved such that the right chamber 16 is shifted from its hidden position to a connecting position, in which the electrical connector 36 accommodated in the right chamber 16 appear below at the rectangular opening 8.

In particular, a fixed stop can be provided within the cable channel part 6 defining a fixed position for the shiftable insert 10, and the shiftable insert 10 can be moved against this fixed stop.

In the connecting position, the electrical connector 36 or the section of the cable 34 adjacent thereto can be grasped and the electrical connector 36 can be taken out of the right chamber 16, as is shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the portion of the freezer 38, wherein the cable 34 is inserted into the groove 26 of the cover member 22. According to Fig. 5, a section of the cable 34 adjacent to the electrical connector 36 is inserted into the groove 26 of the cover member 22. When being inserted into the groove 26, a friction fit is attained between the cable 34 and the groove 26, whereby the cable 34 is securely held and a strain relief is provided for the ca- ble 36.

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the portion of the freezer 38, wherein the cover member 22 is re-inserted into the rectangular opening 8 with the cable 34 running through its groove 26 and with the electrical connector 36 protruding upwardly from the cover member 22.

According to Fig. 6, the cover member 22 with the cable 34 inserted into the groove 26 is re-inserted into the rectangular opening 8 by pressing the cover member 22 into the rectangular opening 8.

Finally, the electrical connector 36 is connected to a corresponding electrical connector of an external device to be disposed on the top of the freezer 38 (not shown).

Similarly, an external device, in particular a refrigerated sales module, is disconnected from the freezer 38 by electrically disconnecting the electrical connector 38 from the external device, by removing the cover member 22 from the rectangular opening 8, by removing the cable 34 of the electrical connector 36 from the groove 26, by putting the electrical connector 36 back into the shiftable insert 10, in partic- ular into the right chamber 16 thereof, by shifting the shiftable insert 10 from the connecting position to the hidden position in the cable channel part 6 and by re-inserting the cover member 22 into the rectangular opening 8.

Optionally, the shiftable insert 10 can be moved or shifted into a defined position before re-inserting the cover member 22 into the rectangular opening 8. In an alternative embodiment, the opening in the outer surface 24, from which the groove 26 extends, can initially be covered by a break-away member. This breakaway member can be broken out when the cover member 22 is removed for the first time for electrical connection of the electrical connector 36 disposed thereun- der.

Fig. 7 shows an exploded view of the handrail 2, the shiftable insert 10, the cover member 22 and the cable 34 wherein the left front portion of the shiftable insert 10 is enlarged.

The front of the horizontal base plate of the shiftable insert 10 is formed by a narrow longitudinal runoff strip 15 having protrusions 17 at the left and right end thereof and in its center portion at the position of the rib 18. The runoff strip 15 and the protrusions 17 are inclined downwardly including an angle of 20 to 60 degrees, particularly an angle of 40 to 50 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane. The runoff strip 15 can also have a convex downwardly bended surface. By this inclination, water runs off from the chambers 14 and 16. At the front of the handrail 2 and/or the refrigerating furniture slots or channels (not shown) can be provided leading the water to the outside of the refrigerating furniture.

The protrusions 17 run in corresponding grooves formed in the cable channel part 6 and thus guide the lateral movement of the shiftable insert 10. By providing grooves with a defined length, a left stop and a right stop for the protrusions 17 and thus for the shiftable insert 10 can be attained.

By providing the handrail portion, the shiftable insert and the cover member, a fast and easy electrical connection to external devices, in particular to refrigerated sales modules to be positioned on the freezer, can be attained without having to dismount whole parts of the refrigerating furniture, like a protection strip or a glass door system in a cumbersome and time-consuming manner. The same holds for electrically disconnecting an existing electrical connection to an external device which can be realized fast and easily as well without having to dismount whole units of the refrigerating furniture.

This advantage renders the invention particularly appropriate for the use with plug- in, ready-to-use refrigerated sales furnitures which can be customized fast and easily by providing additional refrigerating sales modules and electrically connecting them thereto.

When the surface of the cable channel part and the outer surface of the cover member are substantially convexly curved, and the opening and the cover member are substantially rectangular, the cable channel part is safely integrated and disguised in the handrail portion, the cover member is well fitted into the refrigerated furniture, and visible gaps, apertures, and openings are avoided that both badly influence the optical appearance and provide a risk for the consumer since objects might fall into such gaps, apertures, and openings and a consumer e.g. with a necklace or a brooch could snag in such gaps, apertures, and openings.

By the provision of the shiftable insert, the electrical connector can be positioned in a laterally offset hidden position when it is not needed. In this hidden position, the electrical connector is safely positioned and prevented from humidity which might get to the portion of the cable channel part positioned at the rectangular opening.

By providing two adjacent chambers it is ensured that a certain length of the cable needed for leading it out of the rectangular opening is provided.

By providing two chambers in the shiftable insert separated from each other by a shallow rib, the protection of the electrical connector can further be improved.

By the provision of a runoff strip at the front of the horizontal base plate of the shiftable insert, which is inclined downwardly including an angle of 20 to 60 de- grees, particularly an angle of 40 to 50 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane, water can run off from the shiftable insert.

By forming protrusions at the front of at least one of the runoff strip or the horizon- tal base plate of the shiftable insert and at least one corresponding groove in the cable channel part the shiftable insert can reliably guided within the cable channel part.

When the groove in the cable channel part has a defined length a left stop and a right stop for the corresponding protrusion and thus for the shiftable insert can be provided.

By guiding the cable through a groove in the cover member, a secure position and a stress relief of the cable are attained.

When the groove is dimensioned to provide a friction fit of the cable within the groove, when the cable passes through the groove, the secure positioning and the strain relief for the cable are even improved.

By providing a recess for the cable in one side wall of the insert, the guidance of the cable is improved.

By dimensioning the recess such that the electrical connector does not fit through, vanishing of the electrical connector in the cable channel part can be prevented.

By providing the cover member with a groove for accommodating a section of the cable that leads out of the cable channel part, when the external device is connected to the refrigerating furniture, a defined position for the cable and a strain relief for the cable are provided. The strain relief for the cable can even be enhanced when the groove is dimensioned such that it provides a friction fit for the cable. By the provision of clamping projections/clamping noses on the cover member, in particular on the rear portion of the cover member for engaging with a side wall of the opening of the cable channel part, the cover member can be reliably and at the same time fast and easily fixed to the cable channel part. Such clamping projec- tions can be made e.g. from a suitable flexible plastic material, like e.g. polyethylene PET. Such a cover member comprising clamping projections can easily be removed from the opening by levering it out of the opening.

Alternatively, other devices for removably fixing the cover member to the cable channel part can be provided, like an eccentric fastener or at least one hole in the cover member, at least one corresponding thread in the shiftable insert and at least on corresponding screw extending through the respective hole and engaging in the thread so as to fix the cover member detachably to the shiftable insert and thus to the refrigerating furniture. Other fixing or fastening means are also conceiv- able.

When the cable channel part is located at the transition between the upper side and the front side or between the upper side and the rear side of the refrigerating furniture, a variety of connecting possibilities are provided.

The same features as described with respect to the refrigerating furniture also apply, in terms of corresponding method steps, for the method for electrically connecting a refrigerated furniture to an external device and for a method for electrically disconnecting a refrigerating furniture from an external device. When provid- ing these features in terms of method steps, the corresponding advantages as described above apply. However, these features and advantages are not repeated in order to avoid redundancy.

While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt the particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will in- elude all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

List of Reference Numerals

2 handrail portion

4 convexly curved outer surface 6 cable channel part

8 rectangular opening

10 first shiftable insert

12 recess

14 left chamber 15 runoff strip

16 right chamber

17 protrusions

18 rib

20 side wall 22 cover member

24 outer surface

26 groove

28 base element

30 recess 32 clamping projections

34 cable

36 electrical connector

38 freezer

Claims

1. Refrigerating furniture (38) for facilitating electrical connection of an external device, comprising a cable channel part (6) integrated in an exterior shell of the refrigerating furniture (38) and having an opening (8) in a surface (4) of the cable channel part (6); a cable (34) having an electrical connector (36) at its one end, said cable (34) running at least partly in the cable channel part (6); an insert (10) providing at least one chamber (14, 16) accommodating the electrical connector (36) and being shiftable along the cable channel part (6), said insert (10) being shiftable between a hidden position, in which said chamber (14, 16) is laterally offset from the opening (8), and a connecting position, in which said chamber (14, 16) is positioned at the opening (8); and a cover member (22) of the opening (8), said cover member (22) being movable between a covering position and a removed position allowing access to the shiftable insert (10) for its shift and for taking the electrical connector (36) out of the chamber (14, 16) of the insert (10), said cover member (22) having a recess (26) dimensioned to allow passage of said cable (34) when the external device is connected to the refrigerating furniture (38).

2. Refrigerating furniture (38) of claim 1 , wherein the contour of the outer surface (24) of the cover member (22) substantially conforms to the contour of the surface (4) of the cable channel part (6).

3. Refrigerating furniture (38) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the insert (10) comprises two adjacent chambers (14, 16)

4. Refrigerating furniture (38) of claim 3, wherein a rib (18) is provided between the two adjacent chambers (14, 16).

5. Refrigerating furniture (38) of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein a runoff strip (15) is formed at the front of the horizontal base plate of the shiftable insert (10), the runoff strip (15) being inclined downwardly including an angle of 20 to 60 degrees, particularly an angle of 40 to 50 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane for run- ning off water from the shiftable insert (10).

6. Refrigerating furniture (38) of any of claims 1 to 5, further comprising protrusions (17) at the front of at least one of the runoff strip (15) or the horizontal base plate of the shiftable insert (10) and at least one corresponding groove in the cable channel part (6) for guiding the shiftable insert (10) within the cable channel part (6).

7. Refrigerating furniture (38) of claim 6, wherein the groove in the cable channel part (6) has a defined length providing a left stop and a right stop for the corre- sponding protrusion (17) and thus for the shiftable insert (10).

8. Refrigerating furniture (38) of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the insert (10) comprises a recess (12) for the cable (34) in one side wall.

9. Refrigerating furniture (38) of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cover member (22) comprises a groove (26) accommodating a section of the cable (34), when the external device is connected to the refrigerating furniture (38).

10. Refrigerating furniture (38) of claim 9, wherein the groove (26) is dimensioned to provide a friction fit of the cable (34) within the groove (26) when the cable (36) passes through the groove (26).

11. Refrigerating furniture (38) of any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the cover member (22) comprises clamping projections (32) for fixing it to the cable channel part.

12. Refrigerating furniture (38) of any of claims 1 to 11 , wherein the surface (4) of the cable channel part (6) and the outer surface (24) of the cover member (22) are substantially curved, in particular convexly curved, and the opening (8) and the cover member (22) are substantially rectangular.

13. Refrigerating furniture (38) of any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the cable channel part (6) is located at the transition between the upper side and the front side of the refrigerating furniture (38).

14. Method for electrically connecting a refrigerating furniture (38) to an external device, comprising the steps of: removing a cover member (22) from an opening (8) in a surface (4) of a cable channel part (6); shifting a shiftable insert (10) from a hidden position to a connecting position in the cable channel part (6); taking an electrical connector (36) out of the shiftable insert (10); inserting the cable (34) in a recess (26) of the cover member (22); re-inserting the cover member (22) into the opening (8); and electrically connecting the electrical connector (36) to the external device.