EP2190320B1

EP2190320B1 - Refrigerated sales furniture module

Info

Publication number: EP2190320B1
Application number: EP07786472.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Stefan Schmuck; Armin Grom
Original assignee: Carrier Corp
Current assignee: Carrier Corp
Priority date: 2007-07-31
Filing date: 2007-07-31
Publication date: 2014-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 2027-07-31
Also published as: WO2009015673A1; EP2190320A1

Description

The invention relates to a refrigerated sales furniture module, to a refrigerated sales furniture and to a method for fabricating a refrigerated sales furniture module.
Conventionally, refrigerated sales shelf modules are disposed side by side at the point of sale in the supermarkets, wherein the outermost refrigerated sales shelves have side walls.
EP 0 382 963 A2 discloses a refrigerator door assembly having a thermally efficient door mounting frame which includes a forward structural frame member mounted within the opening of a refrigerator cabinet for providing an attractive finished appearance for the frame, a separate rear structural frame member for establishing a door closure sealing surface against which doors of the assembly close and which may be made of less expensive and/or less heat conductive material than the forward structural frame member, and a flexible plastic barrier sheet interposed between the forward and rear structural members for thermally insulating the structural members from each other.; Stitch like connections are formed from adjacent connecting flanges of the forward and rear structural members for rigidly coupling the structural members together with out substantial contact therebetween. Various magnetically attract-able sealing strip arrangements are disclosed that are adapted for use in low temperature refrigeration units without condensation or frost build up.
EP 0 283 843 A2 discloses a sealing arrangement for refrigerated cabinets, with a circumferential, elastically deformable sealing bellows, is described, in which, to render opening the door easier, the sealing bellows is divided into an outer and an inner bellows region and the inner bellows region is welded off at the corners, while the outer bellows region always brings about a circumferential seal.
DE 86 31 174 U1 discloses a frame made made of rigid material for defining the upper edge of a refrigerating chest and for providing a good sealing with the corresponding cover in its closed position. Coextruded sealing elements made of soft material are formed at the frame. The sealing elements are formed as projecting strips, which elastically accommodate under the pressure exerted by the cover.
To obtain a general purpose freezing/refrigerating showcase in which the end frame of a thermal insulation panel forming the showcase body can be manufactured easily and inexpensively even if it has an intricate shape and the size of the end frame itself can be adjusted easily JP 2001 280 778 A discloses an end frame of a thermal insulation panel at the part for forming a cooling compartment at the lower section of a showcase body formed of the thermal insulation panel made of a foamed synthetic resin molding and divided into integrally molded corner members and a coupling member which are coupled through fitting.
In the fabrication of such refrigerated sales furnitures modules, insulating plastics foam is filled into the space between the inner and outer sheets for thermal insulation. Conventionally, rigid PVC profiled sections and PS strips have been used for closing the lateral openings or apertures of the space between the inner and outer sheets. However, such PVC profiled sections and PS strips do sometimes not seal the apertures and openings sufficiently resulting in an undesired foam leakage which causes subsequent work and insufficient insulation properties.
The transitions between the laterally adjacent refrigerated sales furniture modules are sealed with respect to each other by means of sealing bands or sealing compounds. Applying the sealing compound and mounting the sealing band is often cumbersome and time-consuming, and sometimes leakages occur in such sealings.
Accordingly it would be beneficial to provide a refrigerated sales furniture module that has improved sealing properties and that can both be easily fabricated and mounted at the point of sale.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention include a refrigerated sales furniture module as defined in claim 1.
Further exemplary embodiments of the invention include an arrangement of at least two such refrigerated sales furniture modules being disposed side by side such that adjacent sealing lips are pressed against each other and thereby seal the refrigerated sales furniture modules laterally.
Further exemplary embodiments of the invention include a method for fabricating a refrigerated sales furniture module comprising a base furniture portion, a rear furniture portion, and a top furniture portion, wherein at least one of said furniture portions is a special furniture portion having a first lateral end and a second lateral end and comprising an inner sheet, an outer sheet, and an insulating plastics foam filling a major portion of the space between the inner and outer sheets, at least one first lateral end of at least one of the inner and outer sheets being bent towards the middle plane of the special furniture portion, wherein said special furniture portion is provided with a sealing strip at at least one of its first and second lateral ends, wherein said sealing strip comprises an anchoring portion located in an inner section of the special furniture portion adjacent to the respective lateral end of the special furniture portion, and a flexible sealing lip, and wherein a recess is provided between the anchoring portion and the flexible sealing lip, and the said bent lateral end of the respective sheet is accommodated in the recess, the method comprising the steps of placing said sealing strip of the respective special furniture portion such that its recess accommodates the said band lateral end of the respective sheet; putting the inner and outer sheets of the respective special furniture portion in the mounting position, and filling the insulating plastics foam in the space between the inner and outer sheets.
Further exemplary embodiments of the invention include a method for fabricating a refrigerated sales furniture module, comprising a base furniture portion, a rear furniture portion, and a top furniture portion; wherein at least one of said furniture portions is a special furniture portion having a first lateral end and a second lateral end and comprising an inner sheet, an outer sheet, and an insulating plastics foam filling a major portion of the space between the inner and outer sheets, at least one first lateral end of at least one of the inner and outer sheets being bent to-wards the middle plane of the special furniture portion; wherein said special furniture portion is provided with a sealing strip at at least one of its first and second lateral ends; wherein said sealing strip comprises an anchoring portion located in an inner section of the special furniture portion adjacent to the respective lateral end of the special furniture portion, and a flexible sealing lip, and wherein a recess is provided between the anchoring portion and the flexible sealing lip and the said bent lateral end of the respective sheet is accommodated in the recess; the method comprising the steps of placing said sealing strip in the space between the inner and outer sheets at a lateral end of the respective special furniture portion and putting the inner and outer sheets of the respective special furniture portion in the mounting position; filling the insulating plastics foam in the space between the inner and outer sheets; and moving said sealing strip outwardly, in a lateral direction, until its recess accommodates the said bent lateral end of the respective sheet.
Further exemplary embodiments of the invention include a method for fabricating a refrigerated sales furniture module, comprising a base furniture portion, a rear fur-niture portion, and a top furniture portion; wherein at least one of said furniture portions is a special furniture portion having a first lateral end and a second lateral end and comprising an inner sheet, an outer sheet, and an insulating plastics foam filling a major portion of the space between the inner and outer sheets, at least one first lateral end of at least one of the inner and outer sheets being bent towards the middle plane of the special furniture portion; wherein said special furniture portion is provided with a sealing strip at at least one of its first and second lateral ends; wherein said sealing strip comprises an anchoring portion located in an inner section of the special furniture portion adjacent to the respective lateral end of the special furniture portion, and an exchangeable portion, in which at least one sealing lip is formed, wherein said anchoring portion and said exchangeable portion are fixed together, and wherein a recess is provided between the anchoring portion and the flexible sealing lip, and the said bent lateral end of the respective sheet is accommodated in the recess; the method comprising the steps of:_ placing said anchoring portion in the space between the inner and outer sheets at a lateral end of the respective special furniture portion and putting the inner and outer sheets of the respective special furniture portion in the mounting position; filling the insulating plastics foam in the space between the inner and outer sheets; and fixing said exchangeable portion to said anchoring portion such that the recess formed therebetween accommodates the said bent lateral end of the respective sheet.
Embodiments of the invention are described in greater detail below with reference to the Figures, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first refrigerated sales furniture module;
Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the base portion of the first refrigerated sales furniture module taken along the line A-A in Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a second refrigerated sales furniture module;
Figure 4 shows a sectional view of the base portion of the second refrigerated sales furniture module taken along the line B-B in Figure 3;
Figure 5 shows a sectional view of the base furniture portion of the second refrigerated sales furniture module taken along the line B-B in Figure 3 according to an alternative embodiment; and
Figure 6 shows a sectional view of the base furniture portion of the first refrigerated sales furniture module taken along the line A-A in figure 1, according to an alternative embodiment;
Figure 7 shows a sectional view of the base portion of the first refrigerated sales furniture module taken along the line A-A in figure 1, according to an alternative embodiment; and
Figure 8 shows by means of two sectional views an alternative embodiment of the method for fabricating the refrigerated sales furniture module as shown in figure 1.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first refrigerated sales furniture module 2.
The shelf-type first refrigerated sales furniture module 2 comprises a substantially horizontal base furniture portion 4, a substantially vertical rear furniture portion 10, and a substantially horizontal top furniture portion 16, all having the same width.
The base furniture portion 4 comprises a bottom sheet 6 forming the underside of the base furniture portion 4, an inner base sheet 8 forming the upper surface of the base furniture portion 4 in which,a drain pan having a central drain opening, several run-off gutters, and two refrigerant conduits openings are formed, and a substantially vertical front part. The rear furniture portion 10 is attached to the rear end of the base furniture portion 4, and it comprises a rear wall 12 and an inner rear sheet 14. The top furniture portion 16 is attached to the top end of the rear furniture portion 10, it extends in a forward direction therefrom, and it comprises a top sheet 18, an inner top sheet 20, and a front part.
At the lateral ends, i.e. at the left end and at the right end of the base furniture portion 4, the rear furniture portion 10 and the top furniture portion 16 there is provided a respective continuous sealing strip, the left continuous sealing strip 26 of which is visible in Figure 1. The left continuous sealing strip 26 is C-formed, and it extends from the front part of the base furniture portion 4 over the entire length of the base furniture portion 4, the rear furniture portion 10 and the top furniture portion 16 to the front part of the top furniture portion 16.
The left continuous sealing strip 26 covers a main part of the height of the base furniture portion 4 between the bottom sheet 6 and the inner base sheet 8, of the width of the rear furniture portion 10 between the rear wall 12 and the inner rear sheet 14 and of the height of the top furniture portion 16 between the top sheet 18 and the inner top sheet 20. The space between the inner sheets 8, 14, 20, the outer sheets 6, 12, 18, the left continuous sealing strip 26 and the right continuous sealing strip is filled with an insulating plastics foam (not visible in Figure 1). The lateral ends of the inner sheets 8, 14, and 20, and the outer sheets 6, 12, 18 are bent towards the middle plane of the respective furniture portion 4, 10, 16 (not visible in Figure 1). Below the underside of the bottom sheet 6 there are arranged four stands, the left two of which are visible in Figure 1.
A horizontal intersection line A-A extends through the left end of the base furniture portion 4 in a rear portion thereof behind the drain pan in front of the rear furniture portion 10.
Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the base portion 4 of the first refrigerated sales furniture module 2 taken along the line A-A in Figure 1.
According to the sectional view of Figure 2, the left end 22 of the bottom sheet 6 is bent upwardly and extends over approximately a fourth of the entire height of the base furniture portion 4. Likewise, the left end 24 of the inner base sheet 8 is bent downwardly and extends over approximately one fourth of the entire height of the base furniture portion 4. The left continuous sealing strip 26 comprises an anchoring portion located in the inner section of the base furniture portion 4 adjacent to the lateral end thereof. The anchoring portion 28 extends from the bottom sheet 6 to the inner base sheet 8, and it has altogether eight oblong ribs 40, two lower ribs of which that are oriented downwardly stand on the bottom sheet 6, two lower ribs that are oriented to the left are spaced apart from the bent bottom sheet end 22 at a small distance, two upper ribs of which that are oriented to the left are spaced apart from the bent inner base sheet end 24 at a small distance and two upper ribs of which that are oriented upwardly support the inner base sheet 8. Interspaces are provided between respective adjacent oblong ribs 40.
The right end of the anchoring portion 28 is formed by two oblique end faces 41 that are slanted in an inner direction at an angle of approximately 20 degrees with respect to a plane standing perpendicularly on the middle plane of the base furniture portion 4. The transition between the end faces 41 in the center portion of the right end of the anchoring portion 28 is rounded. The insulating plastics foam 42 abuts on the end faces 41 of the anchoring portion 28.
The left continuous sealing strip 26 further comprises a lower flexible sealing lip 30, an upper flexible sealing lip 34, and a stop boss 38 arranged therebetween at the left end face of the left continuous sealing strip 26. The lower flexible sealing lip 30 is slanted outwardly at an angle of 15 degrees to the plane standing perpendicularly to the middle plate of the base furniture portion 4. Between the lower part of the anchoring portion 28 and the lower flexible sealing lip 30 a lower recess 32 is formed and the bent bottom sheet and 22 extends into this lower recess 32.
Likewise the upper flexible sealing lip 34 is slanted outwardly at an angle of approximately 15 degrees to the plane standing perpendicularly to the middle plane of the base furniture portion 4, and an upper recess 36 is formed between the upper part of the anchoring portion 28 and the upper flexible sealing lip 34, into which upper recess 36 the bent inner base sheet end 24 extends.
The lower sealing lip 30 extends to a height position directly above the border sheet 6, and the upper sealing lip 34 extends to a height position directly below the inner base sheet 8. The lower recess 32 makes up approximately 30% of the height of the left continuous sealing strip 26, and so does the upper recess 36.
A rounded stop boss 38 is positioned at the middle portion of the left end face of the left continuous sealing strip 26.
In Figure 2 the left continuous sealing strip 26 is shown in the uncompressed state, when no refrigerated sales furniture module is positioned at the left side of the first refrigerated sales furniture module 2. In the compressed state, the flexible sealing lips 30 and 34 are pressed to the right such that they form a smaller angle with respect to the plane standing perpendicularly to the middle plate of the base furniture portion 4 or such that they even extend vertically and abut to the bent sheet ends 22 and 24, thereby providing a reliable lateral sealing of the first refrigerated sales furniture module 2.
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a second refrigerated sales furniture module 44.
The second refrigerated sales furniture 44 comprises a substantially horizontal base furniture portion 46, a substantially vertical rear furniture portion 54 and a substantially horizontal furniture portion 62.
The base furniture portion 46 comprises a bottom sheet 48, an inner base sheet 52 comprising a drain pan and a substantially vertical front part in accordance with the first refrigerated sales furniture module 2 and two lateral lower beams extending from front to back and being disposed in between the bottom sheet 48 and the inner base sheet 52, the left lower beam 50 of which is visible in Figure 3.
The rear furniture portion 54 comprises a rear wall 56, an inner rear sheet 58, and two upright deck support stanchions 60 which are fixed to the lateral lower beams and which extend between the base furniture portion 46 and the top furniture portion 62 at the left side and at the right side of the second refrigerated sales furniture module 44. The upright deck support stanchions 60 comprise a number of holes into which goods display decks can be hooked for fixing them in relation to the upright deck support stanchions 60.
The top furniture portion 62 comprises a top sheet 64, an inner top sheet 66, a left upper beam 68, and a right upper beam 70 being fixed to the respective deck support stanchion 60 and extending horizontally to the front side of the top furniture portion 62.
The left lower beam 50, the left deck support stanchion 60, and the left upper beam 68 as well as the right lower beam, the right deck support stanchion 60, and the right upper beam 70 have a C-form and they serve both for an enhanced stability of the second refrigerated sales furniture module 44 and for fixing the goods display decks reliably within the second refrigerated sales furniture module 44.
In accordance with the first refrigerated sales furniture module 2, the second refrigerated sales furniture module 44 comprises C-formed continuous sealing strips 74 at the lateral end, i.e. the left end and the right end of the furniture portions 46, 54, and 62, the left continuous sealing strip 74 of which is visible in Figure 3.
An intersection line B-B extends through the left side of the base furniture portion 46 in a rear portion thereof behind the drain pan, but before the inner rear sheet 58.
Figure 4 shows a sectional view of the base portion 46 of the second refrigerated sales furniture module 44 taken along the line B-B in Figure 3.
In accordance with the bottom sheet 6 of Figure 2, the bottom sheet 48 has an upwardly bent bottom sheet end 72. The left lower beam 50 has a horizontal underside and a upwardly bent right end portion on which the bent end portion of the left deck support stanchion 60 rests. The inner base sheet 52 is supported by the bent lower end portion of the left deck support stanchion 60, and it has a straight end. The horizontal underside of the left lower beam 50 is positioned below the height position of the inner base sheet 52 approximately in the middle between the bottom sheet 48 and the inner base sheet 52. The left continuous sealing strip 74 comprises an anchoring portion 76 extending between the bottom sheet 48 and the underside of the left lower beam 50. The upper side of the left continuous sealing strip 74 supports the left lower beam 50, and it is dimensioned such that approximately 80% of the width of the underside of the left lower beam 50 rest on it.
The right side of the anchoring portion 76 is slanted to the right at an angle of approximately 25 degrees with respect to a plane standing perpendicularly to the middle plane of the base furniture portion 46. The anchoring portion 76 comprises four oblong ribs 84, the two lower ribs of which that are oriented downwardly the anchoring portion 76 standing on the bottom sheet 48, and the left two ribs of which that are oriented to the left being spaced apart from the bent bottom sheet end 72 at a small distance. Interspaces are provided between laterally adjacent oblong ribs 84.
The left continuous sealing strip 74 further comprises a flexible sealing lip 78 at the left side of the bent bottom sheet end 72 and a rounded stop boss 82 arranged above it. A recess 80 is formed between the anchoring portion 76 and the flexible sealing lip 78, into which recess 80 the bent bottom sheet end 72 extends. This recess 80 makes up approximately one half of the height of the left continuous sealing strip 74.
In accordance with the lower flexible sealing lip 30 of Figure 2, the flexible sealing lip 78 is slanted outwardly including an angle of approximately 15 degrees with respect to a plane standing perpendicularly to the middle plane of the base furniture portion 46. The left continuous sealing strip 74 is shown in the uncompressed state with no refrigerated sales furniture module positioned laterally adjacent to the second refrigerated sales furniture module 44.
Insulating plastics foam 86 fills the space between the bottom sheet 48 and the inner base sheet 52 and it abuts on the end face 85 of the left continuous sealing strip 74, on the upwardly bent end section of the left lower beam 50 and on the bent end section of the left deck support stanchion 60.
Figure 5 shows a sectional view of the base furniture portion 46 of the second refrigerated sales furniture module 44 taken along the line B-B in Figure 3 according to an alternative embodiment.
In Figure 5 the left lower beam 50 has a wave-formed base portion 88 incorporating a channel 89 in its underside. In accordance with Figure 4, the right end of the left lower beam 50 is bent upwardly and supports the bent lower end of the left deck support stanchion 60, on which left deck support stanchion 60 the left straight end of the inner base sheet 52 rests.
The left continuous sealing strip 90 basically corresponds to the left continuous sealing strip 74, wherein there is arranged a protrusion 102 at the upper side of the anchoring portion 92 that engages in the channel 89 of the left lower beam 50. The other features correspond to the features of the embodiment depicted in Figure 4, they are not repeated in order to avoid redundancy.
Figure 6 shows a sectional view of the base furniture portion 4 of the first refrigerated sales furniture module 2 taken along the line A-A in figure 1.
The left continuous sealing strip 104 comprises an anchoring block 106 and an exchangeable portion having a lower flexible sealing lip 110 and an upper flexible sealing lip 114 substantially corresponding to the sealing lips 30 and 34 of the sealing strip 26 depicted in figure 2. The anchoring block 106 is placed at the left end of the inner space between the bottom sheet 6 and the inner base sheet 8 such that it fills the whole height therebetween and it closes the space therebetween to the left-hand side, and the upper and lower portions of its left side abut against the bent bottom sheet end 22 and the bent inner base sheet end 24. In the middle of that left side, a fixing hole 108 extends horizontally into the anchoring block 106. In alignment with that fixing hole 108, a fixing hole 109 is provided in the exchangeable portion, and a fixing screw 118 extends through the fixing hole 109 and partly into the fixing hole 108 and thus fixes the exchangeable portion and the anchoring block 106 with respect to each other, such that the bent sheet ends 22 and 24 are accommodated in the respective lower and upper recesses 112 and 116.
With this modular assembly of the left continuous sealing strip 104, only the anchoring block 106 has to be integrated in the space between the bottom sheet 6 and the inner base sheet 8 in the fabrication process, wherein the exchangeable portion comprising the actual sealing lips 110 and 114 can be attached thereto in a subsequent fabrication step, and damaged sealing lips can be replaced fast and easily. A costly and cumbersome replacement of the whole sealing strip 104 in case of damage of one sealing lip can be avoided.
Alternatively to providing fixing holes 108 and 109 beforehand, such fixing holes can also be cut into the exchangeable portion and the anchoring block 106 by means of a screw or a dowel having an appropriate thread.
Figure 7 shows a sectional view of the base portion 4 of the.first refrigerated sales furniture module taken 2 along the line A-A in figure 1.
The left continuous sealing strip 120 comprises an anchoring plate 122 extending over the entire height between the bottom sheet 6 and the inner base sheet 8 and closing the space therebetween to the left-hand side. The upper and lower portions of the left side of the anchoring plate 122 abut against the bent bottom sheet end 22 and the bent inner base sheet end 24. A rod extends through a central hole of the anchoring plate 122 and forms an anchoring root 124 at the inner side of the anchoring plate 122, said anchoring root 124 having the form of a Christmas tree. By the anchoring root 124 the left continuous sealing strip 120 is firmly embedded and reliably positioned within the insulating plastics foam 42. The rod protrudes outwardly, in a lateral direction, from the anchoring plate 122, forming a fixing protrusion 126 onto which the exchangeable portion of the left continuous sealing strip 120 having a central fixing hole 129 formed therein is put. This exchangeable portion comprises a lower flexible sealing lip 128 and an upper flexible sealing lip 132 which correspond to the sealing lips 30 and 34 of figure 2, respectively. The bent bottom sheet end 22 is accommodated within the lower recess 130 between the lower flexible sealing lip 128 and the lower portion of the anchoring plate 122, and likewise, the bent inner base sheet end 24 is accommodated within the upper recess 134 between the upper flexible sealing lip 132 and the upper portion of the anchoring plate 122.
By the left continuous sealing strip 120 a reliable position of the left continuous sealing strip 120 and a fast and easy removal and exchange of the exchangeable portion comprising the sealing lips 128 and 132 is attained. Only the anchoring portion comprising the anchoring plate 122 and the anchoring root 124 have to be placed in the space between the bottom sheet 6 and the inner base sheet 8 during the fabrication process. The exchangeable portion comprising the sealing lips 128 and 132 can be put on after the actual fabrication process. If the anchoring root 124 is provided with apertures, the insulating plastics foam can fill the places between the arms of the anchoring root 124 more effectively, and thereby a particularly uniform and reliable embedding of the anchoring root 124 within the insulating plastics foam 42 can be attained.
Figure 8 shows by means of two sectional views an alternative embodiment of the method for fabricating the refrigerated sales furniture module 2.
The continuous sealing strip 26 depicted in figure 8 basically corresponds to the continuous sealing strip depicted in figure 2, wherein it has one vertical end face instead of two oblique end faces, and it has a fixing hole 39 formed centrally in its outer surface.
The upper drawing of figure 8 shows the position of the continuous sealing strip 26 during the step of filling the insulating plastics foam 42 into the space between the bottom sheet 6 and the inner base sheet 8. In this position, the entire continuous sealing strip 26 including its sealing lips 30 and 34 is positioned in the space between the bottom sheet 6 and the inner base sheet 8, and the sealing lips 30 and 34 are protected from outside influences by the bent sheet ends 22 and 24. In this position, the anchoring portion 28 fills the entire height between the bottom sheet 6 and inner base sheet 8 and it thereby avoids insulating plastics foam 42 flowing out of the space between the bottom sheet 6 and the inner base sheet 8.
In the lower drawing of figure 8, the anchoring portion 28 is drawn out, in a lateral direction, from the space between the bottom sheet 6 and the inner base sheet 8, such that the sealing lips 30 and 34 are moved over the bent sheet ends 22 and 24 and accommodate these bent sheet ends 22 and 24.
In this fabrication process, the continuous sealing strip has to have a certain flexibility.
In further embodiments of the invention, the sealing strip is made from rubber, a rubber mixture, an elastomere, or an elastomere mixture.
In further embodiments of the invention, the sealing strip is formed as a sandwich or a labyrinth sealing.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention, as described above, allow for a reliable sealing of the lateral ends of the furniture portions both during their mounting, especially during the filling of the space between the inner and outer sheets with insulating plastics foam, and at the transition or at the joint between the refrigerated sales furniture modules, when they are disposed at the point of sale in the supermarket. Attaching sealing or adhesive bands at the lateral ends of the furniture portions during the fabricating process in order to prevent leakage of the insulating plastics foam when filled into the space between the inner and outer sheets is no more necessary. Moreover, no adhesive or sealing bands have to be attached or sealing compound have to be applied at the lateral transitions or joints of adjacent refrigerated sales furniture modules when mounting the refrigerated sales furniture at the point of sale in the supermarket. The refrigerated furniture sales modules according to the invention are rather self-sealing. Due to the configuration of the lateral ends of the furniture portions and especially due to the configuration of the lateral ends of the inner and outer sheets and the sealing strips disposed thereat, the sealing strips are reliably held in space, and they seal the lateral ends of the furniture portions without requiring any further tools or mounting elements. Adhesive bands for fixing PVC profile sections and PS strips during mounting and filling insulating plastics foam into the space between are no more necessary. All necessary parts are formed integrally in the refrigerated sales furniture module and they are self-fixing both during pre-assembly and final assembly. Therefore assembling of the refrigerated sales furniture modules and coupling of such elements at the point of sale can be effected more rapidly and more reliably.
The apertures to which the insulating plastics foam is filled into the space between the inner and outer sheets are not depicted in the Figures, they can either be positioned at non-visible regions, or they can even be covered or closed after the filling step.
When the flexible sealing lip is slanted in regard to a plane which stands perpendicularly to the middle plane of the respective special furniture portion, a particularly reliable lateral sealing of laterally adjacent refrigerated sales furniture modules can be effected. In the compressed state, when a further refrigerated sales furniture module is disposed side by side to the refrigerated sales furniture module, the slanting angle of the sealing lip is reduced or even gets zero such that the flexible sealing lip extends vertically.
When the flexible sealing lip comprises a lateral stop boss which is especially oriented in an sideward direction, the mounting of the refrigerated sales furniture modules at the point of sale can be facilitated. The refrigerated sales furniture modules have to be moved towards each other until the lateral stop bosses rest against each other.
When the anchoring portion of the sealing strip has an end face abutting to the insulating plastics foam, the entire space between the outer and inner sheets and the end faces of the lateral sealing strips can be reliably filled with insulating plastics foam thereby providing the maximum possible insulation.
By providing the anchoring portion of the sealing strip with at least one oblong strip abutting on the respective sheet, leaking of insulating plastics foam during the filling step can reliably be avoided. Such oblong ribs form barriers for the insulating plastics foam reliably avoiding its leakage. Such oblong ribs can be oriented towards the outer sheet, the inner sheet or towards the inwardly bent ends thereof.
For enhancing the sealing properties on the same lateral end of the special furniture portion both lateral ends of the inner and outer sheets can be bent towards the middle plane of the special furniture portion. In this embodiment the sealing strip can be provided with a first flexible sealing lip and a second flexible sealing lip, wherein the first recess is provided between the anchoring portion and the first flexible sealing lip, said first recess accommodating the bent lateral end of the outer sheet, and wherein a second recess is provided between the anchoring portion and the second flexible sealing lip, said second recess accommodating the bent lateral end of the inner sheet. By the provision of two such sealing strips the sealing properties of two laterally adjacent refrigerated sales furniture modules are further improved.
When the anchoring portion of the sealing strip extends between the inner and outer sheets of the respective special furniture portion and is especially clamped therebetween, the sealing strip is held in position very reliably and a shifting of the sealing strip is prevented. Further, such a sealing strip reliably avoids lateral leakage of insulating plastics foam when being filled into the space between the inner and outer sheets.
When the sealing strip comprises the anchoring portion and an exchangeable portion in which the at least one sealing lip is formed and when said portions are fixed together, a simple and fast exchange of the sealing lips can be effected. Differently from the embodiment where the sealing lips and the anchoring portion form an integral element, for such an exchange only the exchangeable portion has to be replaced, whereas the anchoring portion can maintain in its clamped position between the inner and outer sheets. This modular assembly is especially useful for exchanging damaged sealing lips.
In a simple and easy-to-implement configuration of this modular assembly both, the anchoring and the exchangeable portion comprise, respectively, a fixing hole, through which a fixing member, i. e. a screw, a nut or a nail can extend and fix said portions together.
According to a particularly reliable embodiment, the anchoring portion is an anchoring block which abuts against at least one bent lateral end of a respective sheet.
According to an alternative embodiment, the anchoring portion comprises an anchoring plate, which abuts against the bent lateral end of the respective sheet.
For fixing the exchangeable portion with the anchoring portion, the anchoring portion can comprise a fixing protrusion extending outwardly, in a lateral direction from the space between the inner and outer sheets. The exchangeable portion can be put, stuck or screwed on such a fixing protrusion.
When the anchoring portion comprises an anchoring root protruding into the space between the inner and outer sheets and being embedded in the insulating plastics foam, a particularly firm and stable construction can be attained, and the sealing strip is safely positioned in regard to the refrigerated sales furniture module.
In an alternative embodiment, a screw or a dowel having a thread is cut into the insulating plastics foam.
According to further embodiments of the invention the refrigerated sales furniture module further comprises at least one lateral lower beam, particularly two lateral lower beams at the left and right side of the base furniture portion, the lateral lower beam(s) running at least partly from front to back and being supported by the outer sheet of the base furniture portion.
According to a further embodiment of the invention the refrigerated sales furniture module further comprises at least one lateral upper beam, particularly one left upper beam and one right upper beam running at least partly from front to back and being fixed to the top furniture portion.
According to a further embodiment of the invention the refrigerated sales furniture further comprises at least one upright stanchion supporting at least one goods display deck, said upright stanchion extending between the base furniture portion and the top furniture portion at the left side or at the right side of the refrigerated sales furniture. In particular the refrigerated sales furniture can comprise one left upright stanchion and one right upright stanchion.
When the refrigerated sales furniture module comprises such beams and stanchions, the anchoring portion of the respective sealing strip can extend between the outer sheet of the respective special furniture portion and the respective lateral beam or the respective upright stanchion, and is particularly clamped therebetween. Thereby a reliable sealing of the lateral ends of the respective special furniture portion can be effected both during the pre-assembly and in the final assembly at the point of sale.
When the anchoring portion of the sealing strip comprises at least one protrusion and the respective lateral beam or the respective upright stanchion comprises a channel, into which the protrusion of the anchoring portion engages, the sealing strip can be positioned even further reliably and a shifting of the sealing strip can be avoided.
The sealing strip can be made of any flexible material, in particular a rubber or plastics material. The sealing strip can in particular comprise an extruded PU foam or an extruded PE foam.
According to the invention the refrigerated sales furniture module can only comprise one special furniture portion, which is either the base or the rear or the top furniture portion, sealing this special furniture portion reliably according to the invention, wherein the sealings at the other furniture portion can be of conventional kind.
According to a further embodiment of the invention at least two adjacent furniture portions are special furniture portions, especially the adjacent base and rear furniture portions or the adjacent rear an top furniture portions. In particular all three base, rear, and top furniture portions can be special furniture portions.
A continuous sealing strip can extend over the at least one lateral end of the at least two adjacent furniture portions. This continuous sealing strip can have bent or tilted ends at the transitions between the respective two adjacent furniture portions. By this continuous sealing strip the respective furniture portions can safely be sealed both during pre-assembly and final assembly at the point of sale.
Alternatively to the continuous sealing strip, separate sealing strips can be provided for each lateral end of the at least two adjacent furniture portions. Such sealing strips can be manufactured easily by extrusion and by cutting the sealing strips into the desired length. For forming the transitions between adjacent sealing strips either an intermediate piece can be provided at such transitions, or the adjacent edges of two adjacent sealing strips can be cut to have oblique abutting end faces, which in particular include an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the middle plane of the respective special furniture portion.
According to exemplary embodiments of the refrigerated sales furniture comprising at least two refrigerated sales furniture modules as described above that are disposed side by side, the adjacent sealing lips are pressed against each other into a compressed condition and thereby seal the refrigerated sales furniture modules laterally. Further to the advantages of the refrigerated sales furniture modules that are described above and that also apply for such a refrigerated sales furniture according to the invention as a matter of course, such a refrigerated sales furniture is fast and easy to put up at the point of sale and requires only little space, since the transition between its refrigerated sales furniture modules are formed by the sealing strips according to the invention and no separate sealing bands or sealing compounds are necessary. Such a refrigerated sales furniture can easily be put up, by moving the adjacent refrigerated sales furniture modules towards each other such that their sealing lips contact each other and thereby seal them laterally. By the provision of stop bosses at the adjacent sealing strips, a predetermined transition width can be attained.
By the exemplary embodiments of the method for fabricating a refrigerated sales furniture module, a fast and reliable fabrication of a refrigerated sales furniture module can be attained, and the space between the inner and outer sheets and the lateral side strips can be filled entirely with an insulated plastics foam in order to attain the maximum insulating properties. At the same time lateral leakage of the insulating plastics foam can reliably be avoided without further action like fixing the sealing strips or attaching fixing or adhesive bands to be taken, since the sealing strips according to the invention are rather self-sealing and self-fixing. At the stage of filling the foam into the space between the inner and outer sheets under pressure, the foam is liquid, and by the form of the lateral ends of the inner and outer sheets and particularly by the form of the sealing strip the lateral leakage of the foam is reliably avoided.
The embodiments, features and advantages of the refrigerated sales furniture module are also valid for the method for fabricating a refrigerated sales furniture, and they are not repeated in order to avoid redundancy.
The refrigerated sales furniture module and the refrigerated sales furnitures according to this invention can have open goods access portions as well as pivotable or sliding doors in their fronts.
As a matter of course, the refrigerated sales furniture modules according to the invention can be freezing elements working at freezing temperatures below zero degrees Celsius as well as refrigerating elements working at cooling temperatures above zero degrees Celsius. For the refrigeration all conventional techniques can be used, like cyclic refrigeration, in particular vapor compression cycle refrigeration, non-cyclic refrigeration and thermoelectric refrigeration, in particular Peltier cooling.
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 include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Refrigerated sales furniture module (2), comprising:
a base furniture portion (4), a rear furniture portion (10), and a top furniture portion (16);

wherein at least one of said furniture portions (4, 10, 16) is a special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) having a first lateral end and a second lateral end and comprising an inner sheet (8, 14, 20), an outer sheet (6, 12, 18), and an insulating plastics foam (42) filling a major portion of the space between the inner and outer sheets (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18), at least one first lateral end (22, 24) of at least one of the inner and outer sheets (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18) being bent towards the middle plane of the special furniture portion (4, 10, 16);

wherein said special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) is provided with a sealing strip (26), which extends at at least one of the special furniture portion's (4, 10, 16) first and second lateral ends from the front part of the base furniture portion (4) over the base furniture portion (4), the rear furniture portion (10) and the top furniture portion (16) to the front part of the top furniture portion (16);

wherein said sealing strip (26) comprises an anchoring portion (28) located in an inner section of the special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) adjacent to the respective lateral end of the special furniture portion (4, 10, 16), and a flexible sealing lip (30), and

wherein a recess (32) is provided between the anchoring portion (28) and the flexible sealing lip (30), and the said bent lateral end (22, 24) of the respective sheet (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18) is accommodated in the recess (32).
Refrigerated sales furniture module (2) of claim 1,
wherein the flexible sealing strip (26) comprises a lateral stop boss (38).
Refrigerated sales furniture module (2) of claim 1 or 2,
wherein, on the same lateral end of the special furniture portion (4, 10, 16), both lateral ends (22, 24) of the inner and outer sheets (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18) are bent towards the middle plane of the special furniture portion (4, 10, 16).
Refrigerated sales furniture module (2) of claim 3,
wherein the sealing strip (26) comprises a first flexible sealing lip (30) and a second flexible sealing lip (34), and
wherein a first recess (32) is provided between the anchoring portion (28) and the first flexible sealing lip (30), and the bent lateral end (22) of the outer sheet (6, 12, 18) is accommodated in the first recess (32); and
wherein a second recess (36) is provided between the anchoring portion (28) and the second flexible sealing lip (34), and the bent lateral end (24) of the inner sheet (8, 14, 20) is accommodated in the second recess (36).
Refrigerated sales furniture module (2) of any of claims 1 to 4,
wherein the anchoring portion (28) of the sealing strip (26) extends between the inner sheet (8, 14, 20) and the outer sheet (6, 12, 18) of the respective special furniture portion (4, 10, 16),
wherein the anchoring portion (28) of the sealing strip (26) is preferably clamped between the inner sheet (8, 14, 20) and the outer sheet (6, 12, 18) of the respective special furniture portion (4, 10, 16).
Refrigerated sales furniture module (44) of any of the preceding claims,
further comprising at least one lateral lower beam (50) running at least partly from front to back and being supported by the outer sheet (48) of the base furniture portion (46),
at least one lateral upper beam (68, 70) running at least partly from front to back and being fixed to the top furniture portion (62), and/or
at least one upright stanchion (60) supporting at least one goods display deck, said upright stanchion (60) extending between the base furniture portion (46) and the top furniture portion (62) at the left side or at the right side of the refrigerated sales furniture module (44) and
wherein the anchoring portion (76) of the respective sealing strip (74) extends between the outer sheet (48) of the respective special furniture portion (46, 54, 62) and the respective lateral beam (50, 68, 70) or the respective upright stanchion (60).
Refrigerated sales furniture module (44) of claim 6,
wherein the anchoring portion (76) of the respective sealing strip (74) is clamped between the outer sheet (48) of the respective special furniture portion (46, 54, 62) and the respective lateral beam (50, 68, 70) or the respective upright stanchion (60).
Refrigerated sales furniture module (90) of any of claims 6 or 7,
wherein the anchoring portion (92) of the sealing strip (90) comprises at least one protrusion (102) engaging in a channel of the respective lateral beam (50, 68, 70) or the respective upright stanchion (60).
Refrigerated sales furniture module (2) of any of the preceding claims,
wherein the sealing strip (26) is a continuous sealing strip (26).
Refrigerated sales furniture module (2) of any of the preceding claims,
wherein at least two adjacent furniture portions (4, 10, 16) are special furniture portions (4, 10, 16); and
wherein separate sealing strips (26) are provided for each lateral end of the at least two adjacent furniture portions (4, 10, 16),
wherein preferably an intermediate piece is provided at at least one transition between two adjacent sealing strips (26).
Refrigerated sales furniture module (2) of claim 10,
wherein the adjacent edges of two adjacent sealing strips (26) have oblique abuting end faces, which in particular include an angle of 45° with respect to the middle plane of a respective special furniture portion (4, 10, 16).
Refrigerated sales furniture comprising at least two refrigerated sales furniture modules (2) of any of the preceding claims, disposed side by side such that adjacent sealing lips (30) contact each other and thereby seal the refrigerated sales furniture modules (2) laterally.
Method for fabricating a refrigerated sales furniture module (2), comprising:
a base furniture portion (4), a rear furniture portion (10), and a top furniture portion (16);

wherein at least one of said furniture portions (4, 10, 16) is a special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) having a first lateral end and a second lateral end and comprising an inner sheet (8, 14, 20), an outer sheet (6, 12, 18), and an insulating plastics foam (42) filling a major portion of the space between the inner and outer sheets (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18), at least one first lateral end (22, 24) of at least one of the inner and outer sheets (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18) being bent towards the middle plane of the special furniture portion (4, 10, 16);

wherein said special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) is provided with a sealing strip (26) at at least one of its first and second lateral ends;

wherein said sealing strip (26) comprises an anchoring portion (28) located in an inner section of the special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) adjacent to the respective lateral end of the special furniture portion (4, 10, 16), and a flexible sealing lip (30), and

wherein a recess (32) is provided between the anchoring portion (28) and the flexible sealing lip (30) and the said bent lateral end (22, 24) of the respective sheet (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18) is accommodated in the recess (32);

the method comprising the steps of:
placing said sealing strip (26) of the respective special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) such that its recess (32) accommodates the said bent lateral end (22, 24) of the respective sheet (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18);

putting the inner and outer sheets (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18) of the respective special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) in the mounting position; and

filling the insulating plastics foam (42) in the space between the inner and outer sheets (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18).
Method for fabricating a refrigerated sales furniture module (2), comprising:
a base furniture portion (4), a rear furniture portion (10), and a top furniture portion (16);

wherein at least one of said furniture portions (4, 10, 16) is a special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) having a first lateral end and a second lateral end and comprising an inner sheet (8, 14, 20), an outer sheet (6, 12, 18), and an insulating plastics foam (42) filling a major portion of the space between the inner and outer sheets (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18), at least one first lateral end (22, 24) of at least one of the inner and outer sheets (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18) being bent towards the middle plane of the special furniture portion (4, 10, 16);

wherein said special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) is provided with a sealing strip (26) at at least one of its first and second lateral ends;

wherein said sealing strip (26) comprises an anchoring portion (28) located in an inner section of the special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) adjacent to the respective lateral end of the special furniture portion (4, 10, 16), and a flexible sealing lip (30), and

wherein a recess (32) is provided between the anchoring portion (28) and the flexible sealing lip (30) and the said bent lateral end (22, 24) of the respective sheet (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18) is accommodated in the recess (32);

the method comprising the steps of:
placing said sealing strip (26) in the space between the inner and outer sheets (8; 6) at a lateral end of the respective special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) and putting the inner and outer sheets (8; 6) of the respective special furniture portion (4) in the mounting position;

filling the insulating plastics foam (42) in the space between the inner and outer sheets (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18); and

moving said sealing strip (26) outwardly, in a lateral direction, until its recess (32) accommodates the said bent lateral end (22, 24) of the respective sheet (8; 6).
Method for fabricating a refrigerated sales furniture module (2), comprising:
a base furniture portion (4), a rear furniture portion (10), and a top furniture portion (16);

wherein at least one of said furniture portions (4, 10, 16) is a special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) having a first lateral end and a second lateral end and comprising an inner sheet (8, 14, 20), an outer sheet (6, 12, 18), and an insulating plastics foam (42) filling a major portion of the space between the inner and outer sheets (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18), at least one first lateral end (22, 24) of at least one of the inner and outer sheets (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18) being bent towards the middle plane of the special furniture portion (4, 10, 16);

wherein said special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) is provided with a sealing strip (26) at at least one of its first and second lateral ends;

wherein said sealing strip (26) comprises an anchoring portion (28) located in an inner section of the special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) adjacent to the respective lateral end of the special furniture portion (4, 10, 16), and an exchangeable portion, in which at least one sealing lip (110, 114; 128, 132) is formed, wherein said anchoring portion (106; 122, 124) and said exchangeable portion are fixed together, and

wherein a recess (32) is provided between the anchoring portion (28) and the flexible sealing lip (30) and the said bent lateral end (22, 24) of the respective sheet (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18) is accommodated in the recess (32);

the method comprising the steps of:
placing said anchoring portion (28) in the space between the inner and outer sheets (8; 6) at a lateral end of the respective special furniture portion (4, 10, 16) and putting the inner and outer sheets (8; 6) of the respective special furniture portion (4) in the mounting position;

filling the insulating plastics foam (42) in the space between the inner and outer sheets (8, 14, 20; 6, 12, 18); and

fixing said exchangeable portion to said anchoring portion (28) such that the recess (32) formed therebetween accommodates the said bent lateral end (22, 24) of the respective sheet (8; 6).