US20070114232A1

US20070114232A1 - Show case for food

Info

Publication number: US20070114232A1
Application number: US11/317,312
Authority: US
Inventors: Jae Hwang
Original assignee: Paris Croissant Co Ltd
Current assignee: Paris Croissant Co Ltd
Priority date: 2005-11-24
Filing date: 2005-12-23
Publication date: 2007-05-24
Also published as: KR100722958B1; KR20070054988A

Abstract

A show case for food is provided. The show case includes a case having an opening part provided at one side; a door hinge-coupled to the opening part of the case; a carriage installed at an inner bottom of the case; and a carriage unit installed between the case and the carriage such that the carriage opens and closes the door while being slidingly carried inside and outside of the case.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a show case for food, and more particularly, to a show case for food, for preventing infiltration of a foreign material such as a dust and facilitating to promptly take out food kept.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, in a shop selling food, the food is displayed and exhibited to promote a consumer's purchase desire. It is in a true circumstance that the food is kept and displayed in a separate show case in order to prevent a foreign material such as a dust from being infiltrated into the displayed food while preventing food smell from being leaked out.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional show case for food. As shown, the show case 10 mainly includes a lower case 20 having a frame bent at a predetermined height to house the food; and an upper case 30 formed of transparent material, and having a frame placed on a bottom surface of the lower case 20 and having a handle 40 provided on its upper surface.
However, in case where a consumer directly selects a displayed food such as confectionary bread, the selected food is put in a separate container and had in a shop, or is packed and distributed. The conventional show case 10 is constructed to simply place the food on the lower case 20, and cover the food with the upper case 30 for keeping. Therefore, when the consumer intends to take the food out from the show case 10, he/she should hold the upper case 30 in one hand or put the upper case 30 in a separate space for a while, and put the food in the container or a bag and then back again cover the lower case 20 with the upper case 30. Accordingly, a considerable inconvenience is caused in taking the food out from the show case 10, and there is a drawback in that a space for separately putting the upper case 30 should be secured.
Further, there is a drawback in that a handle 40 portion formed on an upper surface through protrusion or depression to facilitate to hold the upper case 30 with hands makes it impossible to clearly confirm the internal food due to a deflection of light, for reasons of a characteristic of its bent shape.
On the other hand, FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional another show case 10′ for overcoming the above defects. As shown, an opening part 50 is provided at one side of the upper case 30, and it is constructed to take food out through the opening part 50. However, the show case 10′ has an inconvenience in that the consumer puts hands deeply into or from the show case 10′, and has a drawback in that since a foreign material such as a dust is frequently infiltrated through the opening part 50, a sanitation for the food is deteriorated, and a reliability for a product and a shop is lost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a show case for food that substantially overcomes one or more of the limitations and disadvantages of the conventional art.
One object of the present invention is to provide a show case for food, for preventing infiltration of a foreign material such as a dust and facilitating to promptly take out food kept.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a show case for food, for enhancing space utilization.
A further another object of the present invention is to provide a show case for food, for greatly improving an acknowledgement quality of kept-in food.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve the above and other objects and advantages, and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a show case for food, the show case including: a case having an opening part provided at one side; a door hinge-coupled to the opening part of the case; a carriage installed at an inner bottom of the case; and a carriage unit installed between the case and the carriage such that the carriage opens and closes the door while being slidingly carried inside and outside of the case.
The case includes a base plate; and an outer cover fixingly installed at the base plate, and forming a food housing chamber.
The door is installed to slant upwardly.
The door comprises a cushioning part inside thereof for absorbing and relieving impact resulting from its opening and closing.
The carriage includes a slider plate having a catching jaw protruded downward at its front end, and having anti-mobility jaws disposed on its front and rear top surfaces; and opening and closing frames 320 are fixed and installed on both-side top surfaces of the slider plate, respectively, and opening and closing the door 500 depending on a movement of the slider plate.
The slider plate includes a handle at its front end for facilitating to hold the drawn-out carriage.
The opening and closing frame is rounded at its corner being in a drawn-out direction.
The opening and closing frame is slantingly bent at its corner being in a drawn-out direction.
The opening and closing frame has a roller installed at its corner being in a drawn-out direction to smooth a surface contact with the door.
The show case further includes a link arm rotatably connected to the opening and closing frame and the door at both ends, respectively, to open and close the door at a predetermined angle.
The carriage unit includes an outer member fixed to both sides of a bottom surface of the case; a middle member slidably coupled to the outer member; an inner member slidably coupled at its one side to the middle member, and fixed at the other side to a bottom surface of the carriage; and ball bearings provided between the outer member and the middle member, and the middle member and the inner member, respectively, and allowing a smooth sliding.
The case and the door are formed of a transparent material.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing summary and the following detailed description of the present invention are merely exemplary and intended for explanatory purposes only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to aid in understanding the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a conventional show case for food;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a conventional another show case for food;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a show case for food according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an operation state of a show case for food according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating an operation state of a show case for food according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a carriage according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line C-C′ of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating a show case for food according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating a show case for food according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating a show case for food according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating a show case for food according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

First Embodiment

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a show case for food according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are a perspective view and a side view illustrating an operation state of the show case for the food according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the inventive show case 100 mainly includes a case 200, a carriage 300, a door 500, and a carriage unit 400.
The case 200 is to cover the food housed within the show case 100. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the case 200 includes a base plate 210 forming a bottom surface, and an outer cover 220 forming an opening part functioning as an inlet/outlet port at a front side is fixingly installed at the base plate 210, and guides for a sliding movement of the carriage 300.
A door 500 is installed and coupled with an upper end of the opening part of the outer cover 220, using a hinge 510, such that, as the carriage 300 moves, the door 500 is rotated about the hinge 510 while being opened and closed. The case 200 and the door 500 are formed of a transparent material such that a user can clearly check the kept-in food and also, the food itself can appear to be remarkable.
It is desirable that the door 500 is installed to slant upward. That is why the door 500 is coupled to both slant surfaces 222 of the outer cover 220 in a slant state, thereby allowing the door 500 to be opened and closed with more easiness and quickness and, in addition, the case 200 can be maintained to be in an airtight contact state by a self weight of the door 500, thereby preventing the door 500 from getting loose and causing a gap.
It is desirable that a cushioning part 520 is provided at an inner frame of the door 500. This is to sufficiently absorb and relieve an impact sound generated when the door 500 is closed by the self weight and collided with the outer cover 220, such that the door 500 can be opened and closed stably and quietly.
The carriage 300 is slidingly moved to the front to allow the food put on the carriage 300 to be easily taken out from the case 200. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the carriage 300 includes a slider plate 310 having a catching jaw 312 protruded downward at its front end, and having anti-mobility jaws 314 disposed on its front and rear top surfaces. Opening and closing frames 320 are fixed and installed on both-side top surfaces of the slider plate 310, respectively, such that the door 500 can be opened and closed depending on a movement of the slider plate 310.
The opening and closing frame 320 is bent at a right angle to provide bent portions at both sides, and includes a reinforcing frame 322 connecting the bent portions and reinforcing the opening and closing frame 320. Accordingly, the food put on the slider plate 310 is prevented from being moved and escaped with aids of the anti-mobility jaw 314, the opening and closing frame 320, and the reinforcing frame 322. When the slider plate 310 is pushed into, the catching jaw 312 can be caught at a front end of the base plate 210 of the case 200, thereby securing a stable operation of the slider plate 310.
The slider plate 310 is quickly pulled out from the case 200 depending on a user's pulling operation to be in an opened state. Therefore, even the food put on and deep inside of the, slide plate 310 can be taken out with no difficulty without interruption. It is desirable that the slider plate 310 includes a handle-330 in its front so that the carriage 300 can be quickly drawn and inserted with no difficulty.
The carriage unit 400 is to allow the carriage 300 to be slidingly moved. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the carriage unit 400 employs a slide rail. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the slide rail 400 includes an outer member 410 fixed to a top surface of the base plate 210; a middle member 420 slidably coupled to the outer member 410; and an inner member 430 slidably coupled at one side to the middle member 420, and fixed at the other side to the bottom surface of the slider plate 310.
Ball bearings 440 are restrained by a retainer 450 and provided at both sides between the outer member 410 and the middle member 420, and the middle member 420 and the inner member 430, respectively, thereby reducing a frictional resistance and making the sliding motion smooth. Stoppers 460 are provided at both ends of the outer member 410, the middle member 420, and the inner member 430, respectively, to prevent mutual separation. Accordingly, the carriage 300 is easily and quickly drawn or inserted through a stable and smooth sliding motion of the slide rail 400 without being separated from the case 200

Second Embodiment

FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating a show case for food according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same or like parts as the first embodiment of the present invention, and their duplicate descriptions will be omitted. As shown, an opening and closing frame 320 constituting a carriage 300 is rounded at its front and top corner. This is to allow a more smooth opening and closing operation of a door 500, together with a movement of the carriage 300, by smoothly rounding the front and top corner of the opening and closing frame 320 being in contact with the door 500.

Third Embodiment

FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating a show case for food according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same or like parts as the first embodiment of the present invention, and their duplicate descriptions will be omitted. As shown, an opening and closing frame 320 constituting a carriage 300 is slantingly bent at its front and top corner. This provides a similar effect with that of the second embodiment of the present invention and therefore, its detailed description will be omitted.

Fourth Embodiment

FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating a show case for food according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same or like parts as the first embodiment of the present invention, and their duplicate descriptions will be omitted. As shown, a roller 324 is installed at a corner of an opening and closing frame 320 being in the direction where a carriage 300 is drawn, to allow a smooth surface contact with the door 500. By doing so, a sliding friction occurring when the opening and closing frame 320 is in contact with the door 500 is changed into a rotation friction, thereby greatly reducing resistance against a motion. Accordingly, the door 500 can be opened and closed more stably and smoothly.

Fifth Embodiment

FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating a show case for food according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. The same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same or like parts as the first embodiment of the present invention, and their duplicate descriptions will be omitted. As shown, a link arm 326 is installed at an opening and closing frame 320 constituting a carriage 300. The link arm 326 is rotatably connected at both ends to the opening and closing frame 320 and the door 500, respectively, such that the door 500 can be opened and closed at a predetermined angle. By doing so, the opening and closing frame 320, which is reciprocatively carried together with a slider plate 310, can be changed from a straight-line motion into a rotation motion.
In other words, the link arm 326 connected to the opening and closing frame 320 resultantly pushes up or pulls down the door 500 about a hinge 510 depending on drawing and inserting operations of the′ slider plate 310 such that the door 500 is rotated while being opened and closed. Therefore, the carriage 300 can be more smoothly drawn and inserted since interference of such as a frictional resistance generated when the opening and closing frame 320 is in contact with the door 500 can be remarkably reduced.
The present invention is outstandingly applicable to a shop displaying and selling the foods such as confectionary bread, in particular, to a place where a consumer can directly select and have or pact the displayed foods.
As described above, the above-constructed inventive show case can be installed inside of the case housing the food, and the food can be displayed and kept on the carriage slidingly carried through the slide rail while being drawn and inserted. Accordingly, the present invention has a very useful effect in that the foreign material such as the dust is not only prevented from being infiltrated into the food, but also the kept food can be easily and promptly taken out from the case.
Further, the present invention has an effect in that since the carriage upwardly opens and closes the door while exposing the food seated on the carriage, outside of the case, the show case can be maximized in space efficiency depending on its installation.
Furthermore, the present invention has an effect in that the door installed at the opening part of the case for taking out the food is opened and closed at the same time of the movement of the carriage, thereby making a separate handle for opening the case unnecessary. Accordingly, there is an effect in that, since a deflection phenomenon of light is prevented from being generated due to a bent shape of a protrusion or a depression for forming the handle on the case, the acknowledgement quality of the food kept inside of the show case can be greatly improved.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A show case for food, the case comprising:

a case having an opening part provided at one side;

a door hinge-coupled to the opening part of the case;

a carriage installed at an inner bottom of the case; and

a carriage unit installed between the case and the carriage such that the carriage opens and closes the door while being slidingly carried inside and outside of the case.

2. The show case according to claim 1, wherein the case comprises:

a base plate; and

an outer cover fixingly installed at the base plate, and forming a food housing chamber.

3. The show case according to claim 1, wherein the door is installed to slant upwardly.

4. The show case according to claim 1, wherein the door comprises a cushioning part inside thereof for absorbing and relieving impact resulting from its opening and closing.

5. The show case according to claim 1, wherein the carriage comprises:

a slider plate having a catching jaw protruded downward at its front end, and having anti-mobility jaws disposed on its front and rear top surfaces; and

opening and closing frames 320 are fixed and installed on both-side top surfaces of the slider plate, respectively, and opening and closing the door 500 depending on a movement of the slider plate.

6. The show case according to claim 5, wherein the slider plate comprises a handle at its front end for facilitating to hold the drawn-out carriage.

7. The show case according to claim 5, wherein the opening and closing frame is rounded at its corner being in a drawn-out direction. 19,

8. The show case according to claim 5, wherein the opening and closing frame is slantingly bent at its corner being in a drawn-out direction.

9. The show case according to claim 5, wherein the opening and closing frame has a roller installed at its corner being in a drawn-out direction to smooth a surface contact with the door.

10. The show case according to claim 5, wherein further comprising a link arm rotatably connected to the opening and closing frame and the door at both ends, respectively, to open and close the door at a predetermined angle.

11. The show case according to claim 1, wherein the carriage unit comprises:

an outer member fixed to both sides of a bottom surface of the case;

a middle member slidably coupled to the outer member;

an inner member slidably coupled at its one side to the middle member, and fixed at the other side to a bottom surface of the carriage; and

ball bearings provided between the outer member and the middle member, and the middle member and the inner member, respectively, and allowing a smooth sliding.

12. The show case according to claim 1, wherein the case and the door are formed of a transparent material.