EP2237706B1 - Shelf for shop fitting - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a shelf, in particular for shopfitting, which is composed of two uprights, which are provided on one side or both sides with holes for insertion of support arms, from several pairs of support arms, which are inserted into the holes of the uprights, and out several shelves, each supported by a pair of brackets.

Shelves of this type are known, see, for example, patent document EP 0 589 783 A1 , If the shelf is on a wall of a room, then the standpipes can be held on the wall via fastening means in a vertical position in such a wall shelf. Also, the uprights can be fixed by means of appropriate fasteners on the floor in a vertical position. With an adjustable shelf that is free in the room, the stanchions must be connected to a footboard that holds the stanchions in a vertical position. In this embodiment, the shelf can also be designed as a double shelf, in which the uprights have holes on two opposite sides for insertion of the support arms.

The standpipes are hollow sections with rectangular, square or even round cross section. Also, the uprights can have a substantially rectangular cross-section, in which a narrow side is open.

The invention has for its object to provide a shelf in which to claim without additional space, primarily the space in which these shelves are but also indirectly or directly the products stored on these shelves products such as food, fruits, vegetables , Beverages, Tobacco, books and the like can be kept at an optimum temperature or humidity for these products by cooling or by heating.

This object is achieved in that in the narrow space between the uprights at least one large, mat-shaped heat exchanger is arranged, which is connected to a liquid cooling or heating means feeding line and the cooling or heating means after passing the heat exchanger laxative line.

The shelf according to the invention is intended in particular for shop fitting. Department stores, supermarkets, boutiques can be equipped with these shelves. With the help of the shelves according to the invention can be a simple space without cooling or heating system in a showroom for temperature-sensitive goods or a refrigerator or transformed into a heated warehouse. The relatively large area between the standpipes of the shelf is used for cooling or heating of the room in which these shelves are placed. Also, libraries can be equipped with these shelves that regulate the room temperature and humidity. The heat exchangers of the shelves may be connected in series or in parallel to a conduit supplying the coolant or the heating means. With a larger number of such shelves, the cooling or heating means should be supplied in parallel to the individual shelves. The pipe or hose lines for supplying and discharging the cooling or heating liquid, in particular cold or hot water, can in Floor or on the floor on which the shelves are placed. These lines can also be attached to the ceiling of a room or be led over the uprights of adjacent shelves.

Preferably, the mat-shaped heat exchanger tube mats are made of plastic, each tube mat having a manifold, a manifold and numerous, between manifold and manifold extending thin and flexible tubes whose distance from each other is smaller than two to six times its diameter, for example 1 cm or 2 cm.

If the mat-shaped heat exchangers are charged with a cooling liquid, in particular a brine, whose temperature is lower than the dew point temperature, then the air passing the heat exchangers is cooled below the dew point, so that condensation takes place at the heat exchangers and the air is dehumidified , If not only a cooling, but also a dehumidification of the air take place, then the drop-like condensation water collecting and laxative gutter is arranged under the mat-shaped heat exchangers.

The air movement along the heat exchanger is due to the thermals on the heat exchangers. If the water passed through the heat exchangers is colder than the ambient air, then the air which cools down at the heat exchangers sinks down and draws up further ambient air above. When heating it is the other way around. The air heating at the heat exchangers rises and draws down cooler air of the environment.

By means of a fan arranged above or below the heat exchangers, the flow through the narrow space between the standpipes can be accelerated.

Because in the so-called countercurrent, the exchanged amount of heat is greatest and in the cooling mode, the ambient air is the heat-releasing fluid and the cooling water in the heat exchanger, the heat-absorbing fluid, the cooling fluid is entered from below into the heat exchanger and leaves the heat exchanger above, while the air to be cooled the environment supplied at the top of the heat exchanger and leaves the heat exchanger below. In heating mode, it is the other way around. The air to be heated flows from bottom to top, while the hot or hot fluid flows through the heat exchanger from top to bottom.

Because of their robustness, plastic tube mats are particularly suitable as heat exchangers. In these tube mats, in each case behind the inlet for the heat receiving or dispensing liquid to a manifold on which at a small distance next to each other numerous thin, long and flexible plastic pipes are connected, leading to a manifold and then to the outlet. The thin and long plastic tubes have an outer diameter of, for example, about 4 mm and an inner diameter of about 3 mm and a length that is dependent on the height of the shelf and, for example, 1600 mm or 2000 mm. The distance between these thin tubes is preferably 8 to 20 mm. In the narrow space between the stanchions of a shelf two to four such pipe mats can be accommodated parallel to each other. The distributor tubes of the two to four tube mats are combined and connected to an inlet for the cooling or warming fluid. Likewise, the headers of the Heat exchanger combined and connected to the cooling or heating medium laxative line.

In essence, it is these numerous thin and long plastic tubes that absorb heat to cool the air or release heat to heat the air. The larger the surface of these thin tubes and the greater the temperature difference between the air to be cooled or heated, the greater the cooling or heating capacity of the heat exchanger.

Because the long and thin plastic pipes of the pipe mat are very flexible, the pipe mat can be folded, so that in the narrow space between the two standpipes, for example, two pipe mats are housed, extending from manifold to the manifold thin tubes, for example, 4 m long, and these pipe mats are folded once at a distance of 2 m, and these folded pipe mats are used in a 2 m high shelf. The folding of the tube mat is done in such a way that the thin long tubes are not kinked, but form loops by lateral offset and torsion of the thin plastic tubes. The once folded tube mat has the advantage that inlet and outlet are approximately at the same height, so both can be arranged above or below the shelf.

In the space between the stanchions also a twice folded tube mat can be used with running in three levels thin tubes.

The provided for a shelf mat-shaped heat exchanger can be summarized as a preassembled unit and plugged by means of plugs on the standpipes. The connectors correspond the standard sizes of the usual shelves. In this way, the previously customary shelves can be retrofitted with a preassembled heat exchanger unit.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Wandregals nach der Erfindung,

Fig. 2

eine Schnittansicht des Wandregals;

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Doppelregals nach der Erfindung;

Fig. 4 u.5

Teilansichten einer vormontierten Wärmetauscher-Einheit;

Fig. 6

eine einmal gefaltete Rohrmatte;

Fig. 7 u.8

höhenversetzte Anordnung von vier hintereinander angeordneten Rohrmatten;

Fig. 9

Frontansicht eines Regals ohne Fachböden mit Wandelementen und Rohrmatten mit vertikal angeordneten Verteil- und Sammelrohren;

Fig. 10-15

unterschiedliche Anschlüsse der Wärmetauscher an Versorgungsleitungen.

In the following description, embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. The drawings show in:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a wall shelf according to the invention,

Fig. 2

a sectional view of the wall shelf;

Fig. 3

a perspective view of a double shelf according to the invention;

Fig. 4 u.5

Partial views of a preassembled heat exchanger unit;

Fig. 6

a once folded tube mat;

Fig. 7 u.8

height-offset arrangement of four tubular mats arranged one behind the other;

Fig. 9

Front view of a shelf without shelves with wall elements and tubular mats with vertically arranged distribution and collecting pipes;

Fig. 10-15

different connections of the heat exchanger to supply lines.

The end Fig. 1 apparent shelf is a 2 m high wall shelf with two standpipes 1 and 2, the distance from each other is usually 1 m to 1.50 m. At the front of the uprights 1 and 2 holes 11 are arranged in the support arms 3 are used in different heights. On each one used at the same height pair of support arms 3, a shelf 4 is arranged. The standpipes 1 and 2 are held by a foot 10 in a vertical position. In the only a few centimeters wide space 5 between the stanchions 1,2 mat-shaped heat exchanger 6 are arranged, which extend substantially over the surface between the uprights 1 and 2 and are traversed by a liquid coolant. These heat exchangers 6 cool the air passing past them so that it sinks down and draws air from the environment. While the cooling medium flows from the bottom to the top through the heat exchanger 6, the air at the heat exchanger 6 is cooled down from top to bottom. Under the mat-shaped heat exchangers 6, a channel 12 is arranged, which absorbs the condensate dripping from the heat exchangers 6 and dissipates.

If the shelves are used to heat the room air, then the mat-shaped heat exchanger 6 is flowed through by a heating fluid from top to bottom, so that the heating of the heat exchanger 6 air flows from bottom to top.

Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of a wall shelf, in which between the uprights 1 and 2 plastic pipe mats 6 are arranged as a heat exchanger. In cooling operation, the distributor tubes 7 are arranged at the bottom, which distribute the inflowing coolant to the long and thin tubes 9 which are arranged at a small distance from each other. These thin and about 1.80 m long tubes 9 give the cold to the sweeping from top to bottom passing air. The air to be cooled thus flows from above into the space 5 between the uprights 1 and 2. The air cooling on the tube mats 6 sinks downwards and flows outward under the base. The shelf has a rear wall 13, which may consist of sheet metal, cardboard, plywood or even fabric. Also on the back of the shelf, a corresponding wall 13 may be arranged. Under the pipe mats 6, a groove 12 is arranged, which collects and drains the dripping of the pipe mats 6 condensation.

The Fig. 3 shows a double shelf, in which 13 tubular mats 6 are arranged between the uprights 1 and 2 and the rack walls. If it is desired that not only the space in which these shelves are cooled, but also specifically on the base shelf 4 'designed goods, such as food, then it may be advantageous, the rear wall 13 in the lower area with outlet openings 23rd to be provided so that the cooled air at least partially exits the base shelf 4 '.

The 4 and 5 show partial views of a heat exchanger unit 15, which can be plugged by means of plug 14 on the uprights 1 and 2 of a shelf. The plugs 14 are adapted to the profile of the uprights 1 and 2 so that the plug 16 fits into the interior of the uprights 1 and 2. The two connectors 14 are connected to each other via a strut 26 so that their distance from each other corresponds to the standard distance of the uprights 1 and 2. The headers 8 of the three tube mats are combined by a collector 18 which is connectable to a laxative line. The distribution pipes 7 of the three pipe mats are combined via a manifold 17. The distributor 17 can be connected to a line supplying the cooling liquid.

The lines 24, 25, which supply the cooling or heating liquid to the heat exchangers 6 and which discharge the liquid after passing through the heat exchangers 6, can be laid in the ground or on the ground. For shelves with baseboards 10 may be in the way, if you want to lay these lines in the longitudinal direction of a series of shelves. In this case, the lines 24,25 can be placed over the uprights 1 and 2 of the shelves. Conveniently, the plug 14 with open-topped recesses provided, which receive the feeding and discharging lines. These connectors 14 are further provided with holes or hooks to which the mat-shaped heat exchanger 6 attached, for example, can be hung.

For transporting or shipping the preassembled heat exchanger unit 15 with the laterally arranged plugs 14, the long, thin tubes 9 of the three tube mats 6 can be wound around the interconnected manifolds 8 or distribution tubes 7 to a diameter, for example, 50 cm in size or roll to a Package to be folded.

The Fig. 6 shows a pipe mat made of plastic, the thin and long tubes 9 are held by spacers 21 at a uniform distance and are folded over half their length so that loops 22 form. Through the loops 22, a rope can be performed, with which the folded tube mat is suspended from the uprights 1,2 or the plugs 14. In a tube mat folded only once, the manifold 7 and the manifold 8 are either both below or above or right or left in the narrow space between the stanchions 1 and 2.

So that as many pipe mats 6 can be accommodated in the narrow space 5 between the uprights 1 and 2, without affecting the flow area for the air to be cooled or heated, it is advantageous, the distribution pipes 7 and the manifolds 8 of the pipe mat 6 not - as in Fig. 2 and 5 represented - to arrange at the same height, but how Fig. 7 shows so offset in height to arrange that between the distribution pipes 7 and the manifolds 8 adjacent pipe mats 6 is a distance which is greater than half the radius - preferably greater than half Diameter - the distribution and collection pipes 7,8. The distance of the pipe mats 6 from each other can then be smaller than the diameter of the distribution or collecting pipes 7,8. The tubular mats 6 can then be arranged so close together that the thin, long tubes 9 touch the distribution or manifolds 7.8 of the adjacent tube mat 6.

In Fig. 8 the tube mats 6 are also arranged offset in height, but the distribution tubes 7 and the manifolds 8 are located on straight lines which are inclined at an angle of approximately 45 ° to the horizontal. The greater this inclination angle, the denser the pipe mats 6 are arranged in the narrow space 5.

The Fig. 9 shows a shelf without support arms 3 and without shelves 4 and 4 '. As shown, the tubular mats 6 can be arranged vertically with their distribution and collecting pipes 7,8, so that the numerous thin, long tubes 9 extend horizontally. This arrangement of the tubular mats has the advantage that the significantly larger in diameter distribution and manifolds 7.8 does not affect the flow area of the heat exchanger.

The wall of the shelf is composed of about 40 cm high wall elements 13 'together, which consist of sheet metal and which are folded on the sides and are hooked into the holes 11 of the uprights 1,2. The wall elements 13 'may also consist of wood and on both sides have angles or hooks made of sheet metal, with which the wall elements 13 can be inserted into the perforation 11 of the standpipes 1,2.

The 10 to 15 show different connections of the heat exchanger to the supply lines 24,25. In cooling mode is the Coolant supplied to the heat exchangers below and returned to the top of the cooling unit. Accordingly, the distributor tubes 7 of the tube mats 6 are arranged at the bottom and the collecting tubes 8 at the top. In 10 and 11 is the line 24 for the flow and the line 25 for the return through a standpipe 1 out. In the FIGS. 12 and 13 These lines 24,25 are attached to the inside of the standpipe 1. In the Fig. 10 to 13 the supply and return of the refrigerant or the heating medium takes place from above.

In Fig. 14 the supply and return of the refrigerant takes place from below.

In Fig. 15 the refrigerant is supplied at the bottom and returned at the top.

If the room air is to be heated with the help of the shelves, then the hot liquid is supplied to the top of the heat exchangers and returned down to the heating unit. The headers 8 in the 10 and 11 and 14 and 15 then become distribution pipes and the distribution pipes 7 become collecting pipes and the heating liquid flows through the pipe mats from top to bottom.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

standpipe

2

standpipe

3

Beam

4

Fold bottom

4 '

base shelf

5

Space between the stanchions

6

mat-shaped heat exchanger, tube mat

7

distributor

8th

manifold

9

thin pipes

10

footboard

11

perforation

12

gutter

13

wall

13 '

wall section

14

plug

15

preassembled heat exchanger unit

16

plug

17

distributor

18

collector

19

inlet

20

outlet

21

spacer

22

loop

23

outlet openings

24

feeding pipe, supply

25

laxative line, return line

26

strut

Claims (13)

1. A shelf unit, in particular for shopfitting, which is composed of two tubular support members (1, 2) which are provided at one side or both sides with holes (11) for the insertion of carrier arms (3), a plurality of pairs of carrier arms (3) which can be inserted into the holes (11) in the tubular support members (1, 2), and a plurality of shelf members (4) carried by a respective pair of carrier arms (3), characterised in that arranged in the space (5) between the tubular support members (1, 2) is at least one heat exchanger (6) in mat form, which can be connected to a conduit (24) supplying fluid cooling or heating agent and a conduit (25) discharging the cooling or heating agent after passing through the heat exchanger (6).
2. A shelf unit according to claim 1 characterised in that the heat exchanger (6) is formed from a tubular mat or a plurality of tubular mats of plastic material and each tubular mat has a distributor tube (7), a collecting tube (8) and numerous long thin elastic tubes (9) extending between the distributor tube (7) and the collecting tube (8).
3. A shelf unit according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that a channel (12) for catching and carrying away the condensate water is arranged under the heat exchangers (6) in mat form.
4. A shelf unit according to one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the heat exchangers (6) in mat form are covered by a wall (13) at least at the visible side.
5. A shelf unit according to claim 4 characterised in that the wall (13) is composed of wall elements (13') which can be hooked with lateral hooks into the holes (11) in the tubular support members (1, 2).
6. A shelf unit according to claim 4 or claim 5 characterised in that the wall elements (13') are partially apertured with holes.
7. A shelf unit according to one of claims 1 to 6 characterised in that the heat exchangers (6) in mat form are combined together at the upper end to afford a pre-assembled unit (15) and said unit (15) is supported on the upper ends of the two tubular support members (1 and 2).
8. A shelf unit according to claim 7 characterised in that the pre-assembled unit (15), at the spacing of the standard width of the shelf unit, has plug elements (14) which are adapted to the hollow profile of the tubular support members (1, 2) and which can be inserted with their insertion portion (15) into the upper ends of the tubular support members (1, 2).
9. A shelf unit according to one of claims 1 to 8 characterised in that the tubular mats (6) disposed in the narrow space (5) between the tubular support members (1, 2), with their distributor and collecting tubes (7, 8) arranged horizontally, are arranged displaced in respect of height in such a way that between the distributor tubes (7) and the collecting tubes (8) there is a spacing which is greater than half the radius of said tubes (7, 8).
10. A shelf unit according to claim 9 characterised in that, in the case of tubular mats (6) which are arranged in parallel mutually juxtaposed relationship but displaced in respect of height, the spacing of the tubular mats (6) from each other is less than the diameter of the distributor tubes (7) and the collecting tubes (8).
11. A shelf unit according to claim 9 or claim 10 characterised in that the distributor and collecting tubes (7, 8) are arranged on inclined straight lines with an angle of inclination of 30° to 70°.
12. A shelf unit according to claim 10 or claim 11 characterised in that at the top the distributor or collecting tubes (7 or 8) of the respectively lower arranged tubular mats (6) touch the long thin tubes of the respectively higher arranged tubular mats (6) and at the bottom the distributor or collecting tubes (7, 8) of the respective higher arranged tubular mats (6) touch the long thin tubes (9) of the respectively lower arranged tubular mats (6).
13. A shelf unit according to one of claims 1 to 8 characterised in that the tubular mats (6) are arranged with their distributor and collecting tubes (7 and 8) vertically in the immediate proximity of the tubular support members (1 and 2) and with their numerous thin tubes (9) horizontally.

Images