EP3830504B1

EP3830504B1 - Refrigerator with a door frame and counter frame

Info

Publication number: EP3830504B1
Application number: EP19769887.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Claudio CIOFI; Stefano CAIONE
Original assignee: Cisaplast SpA
Current assignee: Cisaplast SpA
Priority date: 2018-08-01
Filing date: 2019-07-22
Publication date: 2023-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 2039-07-22
Also published as: WO2020026066A1; EP3830504A1; ES2954414T3; EP3830504B8; EP3830504C0; IT201800007738A1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to refrigerator cabinets.

PRIOR ART

Refrigerator cabinets are known, for example vertical, or provided with vertical shelves, which have a housing body that defines an internal compartment in which the products to be exhibited to the public are positioned and refrigerated and to which access is gained by means of an access opening made available by the housing body itself.
A known problem of such refrigerator cabinet is the high heat dispersion because the internal compartment of the refrigerator is in communication with the outside environment.
Another known problem of prior art refrigerator cabinets is that each housing body has a specific frame that supports all the panes, as disclosed in document US5255473 , wherein said frame has single vertical uprights between two adjacent transparent panels each adapted to open and close access to the access opening. This kind of structure has the downside of necessitating the design of specific different frames for different cabinets. Moreover that kind of structure makes is difficult, if not impossible, to move the doors from a refrigerator cabinet to another re-frigerator cabinet, for example from an old and small refrigerator cabinet to a new and bigger refrigerator cabinet, without the need to design and produce a new frame to hold the transparent panels.
A purpose of the present invention is to solve said problems of the prior art, within a solution that is simple, rational and has low cost.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention makes available a refrigerator cabinet comprising:

a container body defining an internal compartment adapted to house products to be refrigerated and provided with an access opening, and
a plurality of access doors to the internal compartment, set mutually side by side to cover the access opening, each access door comprising:
- o a counter-frame of rectangular shape fixed to the container body to surround partially the access opening and comprising a first vertical upright, an opposite second vertical up-right, a first horizontal crosspiece and a second horizontal crosspiece, and
- o a panel adapted to cooperate with the counter-frame to close partially the access opening and provided with a plate of insulating and optically transparent material and with a support frame, with quadrangular shape, able to support said plate,
- wherein said panel is movable between a closure position, in which it completely bears on the counter-frame and prevents access to an access opening portion subtended to the counter-frame, and an access position, in which it is at least partially raised from the counter-frame and allows access to the access opening portion identified by the counter-frame,
- wherein the vertical uprights of two adjacent counter-frames are in mutual contact and are rigidly fixed to each other.

Thanks to this solution is possible to provide a modular system of doors each having a respective counter-frame fastened to the container body of the refrigerator cabinet, wherein said modular system allows to rapidly assembly refrigerator cabinets of different lengths (that is to say, having a different number of panels) without the need to design and produce for each container body a specific frame that supports all the panes. Moreover, that solution allows to move each door from a refrigerator cabinet to another refrigerator cabinet, for example from an old and small refrigerator cabinet to a new and bigger refrigerator cabinet, without the need to design of a new frame to hold the transparent panels.
Thanks to this solution, energy wastage is reduced, because when a user does not have to remove a product from the cabinet, chilled air is prevented from escaping.
According to one aspect, the door may comprise a heating apparatus of the plate.
In this way, the fogging of the plate is reduced, always assuring a correct vision of the products present in the cabinet.
According to another aspect of the invention, the heating apparatus of the plate may comprise four independent heating elements, each fixed to a respective side of the counter-frame.
In this way, the anti-fogging effect is assured even if a heating element fails, because the plate continues to be heated by the other heating elements.
Alternatively or additionally, the invention can provide for the heating apparatus of the plate comprises four independent heating elements, each fixed to a respective side of the support frame.
In particular, each heating element is able to be connected to a source of electricity so as to obtain a circuit in parallel with the other heating elements.
According to another aspect of the invention, the panel is movable between a closure position, in which it prevents access to the access opening portion identified by the counter-frame, and an access position, in which it allows access to the access opening portion identified by the counter-frame, and said heating apparatus of the plate comprises at least one heating element, fixed to one between the counter-frame and the support frame, and a control device configured to interrupt the power supply to the heating element when the panel is in the access position.
In this way, energy wastage is further reduced.
For example, said control device can comprise a switch configured to interrupt the power supply to the heating element when the panel is in the access position.
In this way, control is achieved in a simple, but at the same time reliable manner.
Thanks to this solution, it is possible to prevent energy dispersion even in re-frigerator cabinets of considerable dimensions, with a simple and modular solution. Moreover, if the heating elements are present, given the use of independent heating elements, the failure of one of these elements in one door does not entail malfunctions in the other doors.
According to an aspect of the invention, the refrigerator cabinet comprising a quick-release fastening assembly, configured to fasten the counter-frames of the adjacent doors to each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention shall become readily apparent from reading the following description provided by way of non-limiting indication, with the aid of the figures illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerating cabinet.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a refrigerating cabinet according to the invention.
Figure 3 is a detailed view of the refrigerator according to the invention.
Figure 4 is a detailed view of the refrigerator according to the invention.
Figure 5 is a schematic representation of a counter-frame of a door of the re-frigerator cabinet provided with a heating apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With particular reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 globally designates a refrigerator cabinet, which is provided with a container body that defines an internal compartment V for housing products to be refrigerated, said internal compartment being in communication with the environment external to the refrigerator cabinet 1 by means of an access opening A.
The refrigerator cabinet 1 is of the vertical type, or it has inside the internal compartment V at least one shelf that defines a substantially horizontal support surface.
The refrigerator cabinet 1 comprises a door 10 adapted to close selectively, and at least partially, the access opening A to the internal compartment V.
Said door 10 comprises a counter-frame 11 fixed, for example rigidly, to the container body to surround at least partially the access opening A.
The counter-frame 11 has rectangular shape, i.e. it is shaped as a rectangular frame that comprises a first vertical upright 111, an opposite second vertical upright 112, a first horizontal crosspiece 113 and a second horizontal crosspiece 114.
The door 10 also comprises a panel 12 associated with the counter-frame, for example hinged to the counter-frame 11, and configured to cooperate with the counter-frame to close the access opening at least partially.
Said panel 12 is movable between a closure position, in which it completely bears on the counter-frame 11 and prevents access to an access opening portion A subtended to the counter-frame, and an access position, in which it is at least partially raised from the counter-frame and allows access to the access opening portion identified by the counter-frame.
The panel comprises a plate 13, of thermally insulating and optically transparent material, and a support frame 14 of the plate.
The support frame 14 is directly associated with the counter-frame 11, for example by means of hinges 15.
The support frame 14 has rectangular shape, i.e. it is shaped as a rectangular frame that comprises a first vertical upright 141, an opposite second vertical upright 142, a first horizontal crosspiece 143 and a second horizontal crosspiece 144.
The panel 12 can comprise a plurality of plates 13, fixed by the support frame 14 so as to form at least one sealed chamber between the two plates 13 facing each other.
The panel 12 comprises a handle 15 fixed to the support frame 14.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the refrigerator cabinet comprises a plurality of doors 10, which altogether close the access opening A of the refrigerator cabinet 1.
In practice, the refrigerator cabinet comprises a plurality of counter-frames 11 set mutually side by side along the respective vertical uprights (so as to globally surround the access opening) and a plurality of panels 12, each associated with a respective counter-frame 11.
The counter-frames 11 are fixed to the container body and to each other, for example the vertical uprights of two adjacent counter-frames are in mutual contact and they are rigidly fixed to each other, preferably by quick-release means. The meaning of the term "quick-release means" is means that do not need dedicated tools to be actuated.
Both in the example of Figure 1 and in the example of Figure 2, each door 10 can comprise a heating apparatus 16.
The heating apparatus 16 comprises at least four independent heating elements 17.
The heating apparatus 16 comprises at least four heating elements 17, each of which is electrically connected in parallel with respect to the others to a source of electricity.
In practice, each heating element 17 comprises an electrical resistor and an electrical connector 19 connected independently with respect to the connectors of the other heating elements to a power supply circuit associated with the source of electricity.
The four heating elements 17 can be positioned in the four sides of the counter-frame or of the support frame.
The heating elements positioned in the four sides are schematically shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5, however they can be present in all figures.
For example, these heating elements, or the electrical resistors of the heating elements, have substantially equal extension to that of the respective side of the frame or of the counter-frame.
It is also possible that the heating apparatus 16 can comprise at least eight heating elements 17, of which four are positioned in the four sides of the counter-frame 11 and four positioned in the four sides of the support frame 14.
In particular, the first vertical upright 111, the second vertical upright 112, each of the first horizontal crosspiece 113 and of the second horizontal crosspiece 114 of the counter-frame 11 has a seat for housing a heating element 17.
Each of the first vertical upright 141, the second vertical upright 142, the first horizontal crosspiece 143 and the second horizontal crosspiece 144 of the counter-frame 12 also has a seat for housing a heating element 17.
The heating apparatus 16 also comprises a control device configured to interrupt the power supply to heating elements 17 when the panel 12 is detected to be in the access position.
For example, said control device comprises a switch 18 adapted to be interposed between the support frame 14 and the counter-frame 11.
In particular, said switch 18 has a portion that is integral with the support frame 14 and a portion integral with the counter-frame 11.
Said switch is, for example, a lamina switch that is closed in the presence of a magnetic field. However, the switch may be any type of electro-mechanical or optical switch suitable for the purpose.
The invention thus conceived is susceptible to many modifications and variants, all falling within the same inventive concept.
In practice, the materials used, as well as their shapes and dimensions, can be of any type according to the technical requirements without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the following claims.

Claims

A refrigerator cabinet (1) comprising:
- a container body defining an internal compartment (V) adapted to house products to be refrigerated and provided with an access opening (A), and

- a plurality of access doors (10) to the internal compartment (V), set mutually side by side to cover the access opening (A), each access door (10) comprising
∘ a counter-frame (11) of rectangular shape fixed to the container body to surround partially the access opening (A) and comprising a first vertical upright (111), an opposite second vertical upright (112), a first horizontal crosspiece (113) and a second horizontal crosspiece (114), and

∘ a panel (12) adapted to cooperate with the counter-frame (11) to close partially the access opening (A) and provided with a plate (13) of insulating and optically transparent material and with a support frame (14), with quadrangular shape, able to support said plate (13),

wherein said panel (12) is movable between a closure position, in which it completely bears on the counter-frame (11) and prevents access to an access opening portion (A) subtended to the counter-frame, and an access position, in which it is at least partially raised from the counter-frame and allows access to the access opening portion identified by the counter-frame, characterized in that the vertical uprights of two adjacent counter-frames are in mutual contact and are rigidly fixed to each other.
The refrigerator cabinet (1) according to claim 1, comprising a quick-release fastening assembly configured to fasten the counter-frames (11) of the adjacent doors (10) to each other.
The refrigerator cabinet (1) according to claim 2, wherein the vertical uprights of two adjacent counter-frames are in mutual contact and are rigidly fixed to each other by quick-release means.
The refrigerator cabinet (1) according to claim 1, wherein each door comprises a heating apparatus (16) of the plate (13).
The refrigerator cabinet (1) according to claim 4, wherein the heating apparatus (16) of the plate (13) comprises four heating elements (17), each independent and fastened to a respective side of the counter-frame (11).
The refrigerator cabinet (1) according to claim 4, wherein the heating apparatus (16) of the plate (13) comprises four heating elements (17), each independent and fastened to a respective side of the support frame (14).
The refrigerator cabinet (1) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein each heating element (17) is adapted to be connected to a source of electricity so as to obtain a circuit in parallel with the other heating elements (17).
The refrigerator cabinet (1) according to claim 4, wherein the panel (12) is movable between a closure position, in which it prevents access to the access opening portion (A) identified by the counter-frame (11), and an access position, in which it allows access to the access opening portion (A) identified by the counter-frame (11), and in which said heating apparatus (16) of the plate (13) comprises at least one heating element (17), fixed to one between the counter-frame (11) and the support frame (14), and a control device configured to interrupt the power supply to the heating element (17) when the panel (12) is in the access position.
The refrigerator cabinet (1) according to claim 8, wherein the control device comprises a switch (18) configured to interrupt the power supply to the heating element (17) when the panel (12) is in the access position.