TWI429870B - No internal frame refrigeration refrigerated display cabinet internal lighting equipment - Google Patents

Description

Interior lighting without mullion refrigerated display case

The invention relates to an internal lighting device for a refrigerated display case.

The invention is particularly suitable, but not limited, for internal lighting of a refrigerated display case, a refrigerated display cabinet having a mullionless door system or an adjacent set of doors having a mullion, but can also be used for other controls or surroundings Applications include refrigerators and freezers to store food or other items.

The "refrigerated display case" used in the manual shall include, but is not limited to, (i) refrigerated display cases, refrigerators and freezers for the display of refrigerated products, which are placed in supermarkets, grocery stores. Upright multi-level display refrigerators and freezers for fuel stores, bottled goods stores, meat stores, fruit shops, pet food stores, and (ii) all other types of refrigerators, freezers, refrigerators and freezers Display and/or store food or other items (retail or wholesale).

Refrigerated products, including fresh and frozen foods, are typically displayed behind a public display cabinet or glass door, either in a refrigerated display case or in a consumer-controlled environment between rooms or spaces.

In general, these display cases may extend all or part of the length of the walkway and/or wall in a supermarket, retail store, or other retail or wholesale warehouse.

The open display cabinet is not as energy efficient as a display cabinet with glass doors, because the hot air is drawn from the adjacent environment, but it is a hindrance to many retailers using display cases that use glass doors because these retailers consider glass door pairs Their consumers are an obstacle, resulting in reduced sales, and many retailers prefer the “open style” of doorless open display cases, but are still looking for alternatives to energy efficiency.

While glass doors can be retrofitted to existing open display cases, many retailers are concerned about transaction disruptions due to complex installation procedures.

The glass door display cabinet generally has a mullion between the door groups, and the mullion or mullion generally houses at least one vertical lamp and a protective cover(s), all of which protrude rearward into the refrigerating space. When the consumer views the display product along the length of the display, it will hinder the display of the product in the display case.

The mullion is generally provided with a door seal (e.g., a resilient sealing pad/sealing type door seal) against the display cabinet surface to provide a sealed engagement between each door group and its individual mullion.

The retailer must strike a balance between the following: (i) the business damage that the glass door may have with the open display case, and (ii) the reduced size and operating conditions (including reduced power (or other input energy). ) Consumption) In order to maintain the required temperature of the refrigerating/freezing unit in the display cabinet with the door, the door system is set to reduce the hot air from entering the display cabinet from the surrounding environment.

In addition, especially for fresh fruits and vegetables, the temperature and humidity of the air in the display cabinet must be kept within tight control to ensure maximum storage time for fresh food.

The door and mullion devices increase the difficulty of lighting the contents of the refrigerated display case, and the amount of light available outside the display case is reduced.

As discussed above, internal lighting can be placed within the mullion that is susceptible to blocking the "line of sight" of the contents.

Of course, in a door system without a mullion, there is no mullion to install the interior lighting of the cabinet.

To date, this problem has been addressed to include:

a) US 5,937,666 (Trulaske), a lighting assembly mounted on a side structural member of a door frame with a base member disposed between the top and bottom structural members to conceal the lighting device outside the refrigerated display case.

b) EP 1 645 823 (Thermo Glass Door) having LEDs mounted on a bevel of a support member supported by a liner inner edge between spaced glass door panels, the LED being located between the glass panels Within the air gap, the interior of the glass panel is directly conveyed and reflected to illuminate the contents of the interior of the display case.

The Trulaske arrangement shrinks the door to the field of view of the display cabinet. Thermo's glass door arrangement, the door must be removed to replace/maintain the LEDs in the gap.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an interior lighting device (as defined above) for a refrigerated display case that is suitable for "retrofit" in an existing open display case and/or for installation in a new refrigerated display case.

It is a preferred object of the present invention to provide a lighting device that reduces the visual field of the consumer, clearly sees the display product within the refrigerated display case and still maintains a high degree of thermal efficiency.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device for providing display products Effective lighting, controlled operation, the lighting is turned off when the door is opened, easy to install and repair.

Other preferred objects of the present invention are as follows: In the first aspect, the present invention pertains to an interior lighting device without a mullion refrigerated display case, comprising: a door of a display cabinet having a door frame and a pair a vertical frame strip, and optionally at least one transparent glazing is mounted within the door frame; and at least one rearward light source assembly is in or on one or both of the vertical frame strips; the or each light source assembly is coupled to the The energy source operatively illuminates the interior of the display cabinet when the door is attached to the display case.

Preferably, the door frame is a surrounding frame having top and bottom rails interconnected with the vertical frame strip; and at least one other rearward light source assembly is mounted in or on the top and/or bottom rail.

Preferably, the LED is preferred as the light source component because of its compactness and low heat generation, and other suitable lamps such as LEDs, LCDs, light bars, covered projection lamps or halogen lamps, and/or other suitable lamps (low heat generation) or light sources Can also be used.

Preferably, the or each light source assembly is coupled to a door switch that de-energizes the or each light source assembly when the door is opened.

Preferably, the surrounding frame of the glass door is made of metal (e.g., aluminum or stainless steel), plastic, fiberglass or other composite structure, or both or more of these materials.

Preferably, the or each light source assembly is mounted in a rearward recess, groove or channel behind the respective vertical or top rail or bottom rail.

Preferably, the or each light source assembly is selectively covered by a transparent panel or housing, the transparent panel being selectively color and/or patterned to illuminate the contents of the display case, such as Pink is used for display cabinets of meat, and/or has a pattern combined or placed thereon to project a glamorous pattern on the contents of the display case.

In a second aspect, the present invention pertains to a mullionless refrigerated display case having at least one door assembly having at least one of the above described light source assemblies.

In a third aspect, the present invention is directed to a mullionless refrigerated display cabinet comprising: a display cabinet body and a display cabinet frame; at least one door hinged to the top and bottom frame members of the display cabinet frame, the or each door Having a door frame and a pair of vertical frame strips, and optionally having at least one transparent glazing installed within the door frame; and at least one other rearward light source assembly mounted in or on one or both of the vertical frame strips; Or each light source component is coupled to an energy source that is operable to illuminate the interior of the display cabinet when the door is in a closed position relative to the display cabinet body.

Referring to the first figure, a refrigerated display case (10) has a body (11), generally made of sheet metal/expanded polystyrene foam (and/or Made of other insulating foam)/metal sheet structure, one or both of which may be made of stainless steel, or one or both of the surfaces of the metal sheets may be made of steel or aluminum sheets, wherein the metal The surface is exposed with a suitable protective and/or glamorous finish.

In front of the display cabinet body (11), a mullionless display cabinet frame (12) is disposed in the display cabinet (10) for mounting the door and its combined interior lighting device of the present invention described below. .

In this embodiment, the display cabinet frame (12) has top and bottom (horizontal) frame members (13), (14) interconnected by a pair of vertical end members (15), (16), Door mullion.

The display cabinet body (11) is provided with a plurality of shelves (17), for example a number four, and can be vertically adjusted to vary the number of shelves (17) and/or the spacing between vertical adjustments.

Note: those skilled in the art understand that the different numbers of the shelves (17) and the vertical spacing therebetween can be set according to the length of the display cabinet body (11), for different products stored and displayed in the display cabinet (10) (such as fresh Fruits and vegetables, daily products, meat, etc.) to achieve the best display configuration.

The second figure is a similar view of the refrigerated display case (10). In this example, the display cabinet frame (12) is provided with four doors (20), and the interval between adjacent door groups (20) is The sealing element (30) is sealed.

In another embodiment of the refrigerated display case (10), not shown, the display case frame has continuous top and bottom frame members that are not joined by vertical end members or door stiles. In this embodiment, the display cabinet is extended over a full length of a wall, and the wall is connected to a pair of spaced walls, or The door system is placed in the refrigerating compartment (for example, for alcoholic beverages), and the consumer can see or obtain any product on the rack from inside or outside the refrigerator compartment.

As shown in the third, sixth, and ninth figures, the doors (20) have a "slim outline" surrounding frame (21) and slender vertical frame strips (23), (24) for mounting. Light source assembly (40) as described below.

The doors (20) have a transparent glazing (22), for example made of a single or multiple layers of glass, a single or multiple layers of plastic material, or a multiple layer of glass/plastic combination, preferably having an air gap Alternatively, the vacuum gap is spaced to reduce the amount of hot gas that is delivered to the interior of the display case (10).

The surrounding frame (21) for each door (20) has first and second vertical frame strips (23), (24) interconnected by top and bottom rails (25), (26), and may be metal, Plastic, fiberglass or other composite structure, or a combination of these materials (such as a set of interconnected stainless steel or aluminum extrusion) or a combination thereof.

As shown in the eighth figure, each vertical frame strip (23), (24) is provided with an inner flange (28) and an inclined wall portion (29) to define a rearward channel (27).

A light source strip (40) in combination with a plurality of LED lamps (41) (or other lamps/light sources) is mounted to the rearward channel of one or both of the vertical frame strips (23), (24) (27) Inside, when the door (20) is closed, it is used to illuminate the interior of the display case (10).

By mounting the light source strip (40) on the inclined wall portion (29), the light source strip will directly illuminate the interior of the display cabinet (10) behind the door (20).

As shown in the fourth, eighth, tenth, and eleventh views, the light source strip (40) extends the full height of the door (20).

As shown in the fourth and eighth figures, the light source strip (40) is enclosed in a transparent sleeve or body (50) by suitable clips or with the vertical frame strips (23), (24) side Preferably, the transparent sleeve or body (50) is releasably mounted to the rear of the vertical frame strips (23), (24).

Preferably, the transparent sleeve or the body is formed of a transparent plastic material, which may have a color, such as a pink display cabinet (10) for meat, and/or has a pattern combined or placed thereon to project a charm. The picture is on the contents of the display case.

Each light source strip (40) in the door (20) is coupled to a door switch (60) on the top rail (25) to cause an LED light in the light source strip (40) when the door (20) is opened ( 41) Power off.

The door switch (60) may have a magnetically controlled relay that moves from the display cabinet frame (12) a predetermined distance when the door (20) is opened, the relay opening, when the door ( 20) When the relay is turned off, the LED (41) is turned off, or the relay is controlled by a finger (61).

With the interior lighting design of the display cabinet (10) in the vertical frame strips (23), (24), the illumination of each light source assembly (40) is directly inside the display cabinet (10), limiting the field of view of the display cabinet. An additional light source housing is not required.

Those skilled in the art should understand that in the present invention, by omitting the mullion And using the door system of the present invention, when the doors (20) are opened, the present invention can see the display cabinet with maximum view when compared with the current refrigerated display cabinet in combination with the door mullion to seal the adjacent door groups. (10) Products within.

Furthermore, by illuminating the light source components (40) on the back side of the vertical frame strips (23), (24) of the surrounding frames (21), and more particularly if a thin light source component such as a light source strip (40) The combination of LED lamps (41) is selected to further reduce the effective field of view of the contents of the display case (10) viewed by the doors (20).

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the interior lighting apparatus of the present invention can also be applied to a single mullion of each door group of the display frame using the aforementioned door (20).

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention provides a high efficiency interior lighting device for a refrigerated display case (10) that can be applied to today's refrigerated display cases by "retrofit" or by "original equipment manufacturing." The company (OEM) is made into a new refrigerated display case.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the interior lighting apparatus of the present invention can be installed in refrigerated cabinets, freezers, refrigerating compartments, and freezer compartments for displaying and/or storing food or other items that must be maintained at an existing temperature for illumination. Internal (and the items inside it).

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is understood that the invention is not limited by the foregoing, but may be modified in various other forms without departing from the scope of the invention. Spirit and scope.

(10)‧‧‧Display cabinet

(11) ‧‧‧ Ontology

(12) ‧‧‧Framework

(13), (14) ‧‧‧Frame components

(15), (16) ‧ ‧ end components

(17)‧‧‧Shelf

(20) ‧ ‧ ‧

(21)‧‧‧ surrounding frames

(22)‧‧‧clear glass windows

(23), (24) ‧ ‧ vertical frame

(25)‧‧‧Top rails

(26)‧‧‧Bottom rails

(27) ‧‧‧ channels

(28) ‧ ‧ inner flange

(29) ‧‧‧ wall

(30)‧‧‧Sealing components

(40) ‧‧‧Light source components

(41)‧‧‧LED lights

(50)‧‧‧彀 Body

(60)‧‧‧Door switch

(61) ‧ ‧ fingers

The invention can be fully understood by the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a front view of the refrigerated display cabinet before the installation of the door and the interior lighting device of the present invention; A similar view of the mullion-free refrigerated display cabinet after the door installation; the third view is a rear view of one of the doors; the fourth view is an enlarged view of the circle A in the third figure; and the fifth figure is the third figure. An enlarged view of the circle B; a sixth view is a rear view of the door; a seventh view is a cross-sectional view of the line CC in the sixth figure; the eighth figure is an enlarged view of the circle D in the seventh figure; A cross-sectional side view of the line EE; a tenth view is an enlarged view of the circle F in the ninth figure; and an eleventh figure is an enlarged view of the circle G in the ninth figure.

(20) ‧ ‧ ‧

(22)‧‧‧clear glass windows

(23), (24) ‧ ‧ vertical frame

(25)‧‧‧Top rails

(27) ‧‧‧ channels

(28) ‧ ‧ inner flange

(30)‧‧‧Sealing components

(40) ‧‧‧Light source components

(50)‧‧‧彀 Body

Claims (7)

An interior lighting device without a mullion refrigerated display case, comprising: a door of a display cabinet having a door frame and a pair of vertical frame strips, and optionally having at least one transparent glazing installed within the door frame; At least one rearward light source assembly is mounted in a rearward groove, groove or channel behind one or both of the vertical frame strips; the or each light source component is coupled to an energy source when the door is sleeved The light source assembly is operable to illuminate the interior of the display case when the display case is in use. The interior lighting device of claim 1, wherein: the door frame is a surrounding frame having top and bottom rails interconnected with the vertical frame strips; and at least another rearward light source assembly is mounted to the top And/or a rearward groove, groove or channel behind the bottom rail. The internal lighting device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the or each light source component is selected from the group consisting of an LED, an LCD, a light bar, a covered projection lamp or a halogen lamp, and/or other suitable lamps. Or light source. The internal lighting device of claim 1, wherein the or each light source assembly is coupled to a door switch that de-energizes the or each light source assembly when the door is opened. An internal lighting device as described in claim 1 of the patent application, Medium: the or each light source assembly is selectively covered by a transparent panel or housing that is selectively color and/or patterned to illuminate the display with a selected color and/or pattern The contents of the cabinet. A mullion-free refrigerated display cabinet has at least one door, and at least one light source assembly is provided to provide a display cabinet internal lighting device as described in claim 1. A mullion-free refrigerated display cabinet includes: a display cabinet body and a display cabinet frame; at least one door hinged to the top and bottom frame members of the display cabinet frame, the or each door having a door frame and a pair of vertical frame strips And optionally having at least one transparent glazing mounted within the door frame; and at least one other rearward light source assembly mounted to a rearward groove, groove or channel behind one or both of the vertical frame strips The light source assembly is operatively illuminating the interior of the display cabinet when the door is in a closed position relative to the display cabinet body.