WO2000045678A1

WO2000045678A1 - A sliding lid for a freezer or refrigerator

Info

Publication number: WO2000045678A1
Application number: PCT/DK2000/000041
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lasse Lykke Espersen; Bent Jensen; Leif Madsen Holm
Original assignee: Derby A/S
Priority date: 1999-02-02
Filing date: 2000-02-01
Publication date: 2000-08-10
Also published as: DK199900125A; DK173227B1

Abstract

The invention pertains to a sliding lid (2) for a chest freezer (1). The lid is formed by a glass section (3) provided with an edge moulding (4). The edge moulding serves as slide fitting on a supporting moulding (5) in the freezer. In order to achieve a clear insight without risk of mist formation, the glass section (3) is provided with an electrically conducting coating. This coating has contact with a sliding strip (15) which is in contact with a leaf spring (14) in the freezer. The leaf spring is connected with a voltage source so that an electric circuit is established via the coating of the lid, thereby preventing mist formation.

Description

A SLIDING LID FOR A FREEZER OR REFRIGERATOR

Background of the invention

The present invention concerns a sliding lid for a freezer or refrigerator provided with a profiled moulding in which the lid is sealingly sliding suspended, where the lid is formed by a glass section fitted with an annular edge moulding which at two opposite sides of the lid serve as slide fitting in the supporting moulding of the freezer or refrigerator.

The prior art freezers or refrigerators may have a sliding lid with plane or curved glass surfaces. The sliding lid is usually composed of two lid sections supported at two different horizontal levels in the supporting moulding of the freezer or refrigerator. The lid sections are thus arranged for displacing in over or under each other when opening the freezer or refrigerator.

In the prior art freezers or refrigerators, the lid is sealed against the supporting moulding of the freezer or refrigerator by means of sealing strips fitted at the edge moulding. It is important to establish as sure sealing as possible due to energy consumption. Furthermore, leaks in the sealing established between the lid and the freezer or refrigerator will cause frosting. When the frosting increases, there will be a risk of the lid being lifted off its sealing engagement so that a still larger degree of leaking will occur between the lid and the supporting moulding. The prior art freezers or refrigerators provided with glass lids are commonly used as display and/or sales compartments in shops. Here it is important that the customer gets an unhindered overview of the wares in the freezer or refrigerator. A leakage giving rise to mist formation is hence unwanted. In order to solve this problem, it is known to provide the sliding lid with a coating in order to reduce the mist formation.

Electric coating of glass sections in doors in cold storage furniture in order to avoid mist formation is common, cf. for example DE Al 2,0617.439 or US patent

4.206.615. In the known sliding lids with curved glass sections, the mounting of the edge moulding is difficult. A method for mounting such an edge moulding is known, for example from the description of WO 97/17587. Here it is described how a U-shaped edge moulding is provided with adhesive and placed around the glass section. The lid thus formed is then placed in a fixture to stand until the time for hardening is finished.

In connection with the lid made according to this publication, there is also directions for making the edge moulding from one long moulding which is provided with notches for bending the moulding around the corners of the glass section. The notches are provided for forming a mitre joint at the corners. However, in the prior art constructions in such a mitre joint there will appear a slot causing the unwanted leaking between the lid and the supporting moulding of the freezer or refrigerator.

The purpose of the present invention is to indicate a sliding lid for a freezer or refrig- erator which is simple to manufacture and which in addition may be kept free from mist in order to establish a clear insight into the freezer or refrigerator, and which also makes possible to establish a sealing between the lid and the supporting moulding of the freezer or refrigerator in a secure way.

According to the present invention, this is achieved by a sliding lid of the kind mentioned in the introduction, which is peculiar in that the glass section is provided with electrically conducting coating, that the slide fittings are resilient, that electrically conducting means are provided in the slide fittings which directly interact with supporting mouldings, and that the conducting means in the supporting moulding are connected with a voltage source establishing an electric circuit via the coating of the lid.

The electric circuit established through the lid will be based upon a low voltage circuit with low amperage. In practice, there will thus be no safety risk for the user of the freezer or refrigerator. As the glass section is provided with an electrically conducting coating, it is possible to establish an electric circuit via the electric means in the edge moulding and the supporting moulding. Hereby there is generated sufficient heat in the lid to avoid mist formation. Thus the risk of mist formation obstructing insight into the freezer or re- frigerator no longer exists.

In order to avoid reflections in plane glass limiting the insight, especially when the freezer or refrigerator is provided with a sloping lid, it is usually preferred to use a curved lid. The curved lid will thus have an upward directed curvature in the width of the freezer or refrigerator, whereas the lid will have a plane extension in the longitudinal direction of the freezer or refrigerator corresponding to the direction of displacement of the lids.

The edge moulding is preferably designed with conducting means in the shape of a sliding strip interacting with the conducting means of the freezer or refrigerator which preferably is provided in the form of a single point of contact. Such a sliding strip will be situated in a central, U-shaped recess at the underside of a first leg of the edge moulding. The edge areas adjacent to this recess will have a relatively limited extension and serve as direct contact and thereby serve as direct sealing means against the supporting moulding of the freezer or refrigerator. Thus the need of fastening separate sealing strips or the like at the edge moulding of the lid is thus avoided.

In order to ensure provision of an electric circuit covering all of the surface of the lid, there is provided an electrically conducting web extending over the whole length of the lid and which is brought in contact with the conducting means of the lid, preferably in the shape of the sliding strip. The electrically conducting web. which has direct contact with the electrically conducting coating on the lid. will preferably be provided within or be covered by the edge moulding of the lid. The electrically conducting web may be a film that is provided optionally at the upper side or the underside of the lid.

There is provided an efficient sealing by means of the edge areas of the U-shaped recess as the edge moulding of the lid is provided in one piece, where U-shaped notches are provided in the said first leg. The edge moulding is thus bent at the notches at a position opposite to one corner of the U-shaped notches. The U-shaped notches have a width corresponding the width of the first leg. Hereby the edge moulding may be swung into the U-shaped notch as the swinging takes place about a second leg posi- tioned outward in relation to the lid. Hereby the edge areas along the U-shaped recess will have an extension throughout the whole length of the lid.

When the continuous edge moulding has been provided in parallel with the direction of displacement of the lid, there will thus be established a sealing precluding the risk of leakages at corner joints known from traditional mitre joints.

By using flexible, angular edge mouldings, where double-sided tape is provided at an angle between the two legs of the edge moulding in which the glass section is accommodated, it appears possible to achieve a very simple and fast production of the lid. Thus it is possible to make the angular edge moulding in endless lengths which are provided with notches and with double-sided tape at the upper side of the first leg. The second leg will have a very little thickness and small height so that it is easily adjusted to the curvature of traditional, curve sliding lids.

Thus it is possible to mount the edge moulding (after removing a protective film on the double-sided tape) just by pressing the edge moulding against the glass section. There will be no need of fixture as known from traditional edge mouldings where the U-shaped sections are to be squeezed around the glass section, and where relatively long standing time in fixtures with the purpose of hardening the applied adhesive oc- cur.

The making of a sliding lid according to the present invention is simplified as it is possible to store the edge moulding provided with tape and ready for use after removal of protective film. No long hardening time will occur, and the process is therefore suitable for assembly line production where glass lids fitted with edge mouldings are produced concurrently with the making of the freezers or refrigerators. Subsequent to the edge moulding being glued firmly to the glass section, contact between the coating of the glass section and the conducting means of the edge moulding is established by bending the sliding strip for contact with coating by soldering on a wire or by gluing on an electrically conducting film which at the same time is brought into contact with the sliding strip and the coating of the glass section.

Description of the drawing

The invention will hereafter be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a chest freezer with a sliding lid according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side view of the freezer shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a partial, sectional view for illustrating details of the slide fittings and the supporting mouldings of the freezer, Fig. 4 is an illustration of an edge moulding provided with notches for bending around a glass section for forming a sliding lid according to the invention,

Fig. 5 is a plane view of a sliding lid for the freezer shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is an end view of the sliding lid shown in Fig. 5, and

Figs. 7-10 are partial, sectional views for illustrating details on the sliding lid shown in Fig. 5.

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a freezer or refrigerator 1 provided with a sliding lid 2 according to the invention. In the embodiment shown, the sliding lid is provided with a curved glass section 3 and with two overlapping sliding lids 2 arranged for displacing in over each other when the freezer 1 is opened. Each sliding lid 2 is provided with an edge moulding 4 (see Fig. 5) provided along the edge area of the glass section 3. The edge area 4 is slidingly suspended by a supporting moulding 5 (see Figs. 3 and 4) fitted at the edge area of the upward facing opening 7 of the freezer which is covered by the sliding lid 2.

The parts of the edge moulding 4 which is disposed at two opposite sides indicated by

8,9 serve as slide fittings for the lid. Thus the lid 2 slides upon these parts of the edge moulding 4 by direct contact to the supporting moulding 5. In Fig. 3 an enlarged detail is seen illustrating the interaction between the supporting moulding 5 and the edge moulding 4. The supporting moulding 5 has a contact surface 10 at a first level interacting with the edge moulding 4 on an upper lid 1 1. The supporting moulding 5 has furthermore a contact surface 12 at a lower level for interact- ing with the edge moulding 4 on a lower lid 13. In the shown embodiment, the edge moulding 4 on upper lid and lower lid is shown in different embodiments. However, the edge mouldings 4 may be provided according to the same embodiment both in upper and lower lids 1 1,13.

In the supporting moulding 5 there is provided an electrically conducting means in the shape of a leaf spring 14 interacting with a sliding strip 15,16 which extends throughout the longitudinal side of the lid 2. The leaf spring 14 is disposed at a position approximately at the centre of the freezer 1 so that there is established a continuous connection by displacement of the lid 2 between an open and a closed position. The leaf spring 14 is connected to a voltage source (not shown). The sliding strip 15,16 is disposed in electric contact with an electrically conducting coating provided at the glass section 3 of the lid. This will be explained more closely in the following.

As it appears especially from Figs. 5-10, an edge moulding 4 is made with a largely angular shape. The edge moulding 4 comprises a first leg 17 and a second leg 18. The glass section 3 is intended to be fastened in the angle between the two legs 17, 18 by means of double-sided tape 19 fitted at the upper side 20 of the first leg 17. At the underside 21 of the first leg 17 there is provided a central, longitudinal recess 22 in which the sliding strip 15 is fitted. At the sides of the recess 22 there is provided in- ward directed edge areas 23 so that notches 24 are formed into which the sliding strip

15 may be pressed.

The edge areas 23 have a small extension serving as direct contact to the upper side of the surfaces 10.12 in the supporting moulding for establishing a sealing. As it appears from Fig. 9. the sliding strip 15 is bent around a first leg 17 and placed at the upper side of the adhesive 19. and it will thus be brought into direct contact with the under- side of the glass section 3. Hereby is established an electrically conducting contact with a coating at the underside of the glass section 3.

Alternatively, the electric contact between a sliding strip 15 and a coating may occur by soldering on an electric conductor passing through or around the edge moulding 4 in order to create contact with the electrically conducting coating.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated a second embodiment of the edge moulding 4 in connection with the lower lid 13. In this embodiment, the edge moulding at the underside of the first leg 17 has a recess 25 with greater depth, and hence the sliding strip 16 in the lower lid will have greater thickness. However, for the lower lid 13 there may be used an edge moulding 4 which is identical with the edge moulding in the upper lid 4. The shape of the edge mouldings 4 with different height depends on the difference in level between the supporting surfaces 10,12 in the supporting moulding 5.

Each lid 2 is provided with a handle 26. The handle 26 is mounted in a simple way by means of double-sided tape 27. The handle 26 is provided by a flexible plastic section which is easily adjusted to the curvature of the curved glass section 3. In order to create sealing at the ends of each lid, sealing brushes 28 known per se are fastened by gluing.

As it appears from Fig. 4, an edge moulding 4 is made of a continuous section provided with a number of largely U-shaped notches 29 which are disposed in the first leg 17 of the section. Furthermore, in the second leg of the section there are provided cut- tings 30 indicating the position for bending around a corner of the glass section 3. By bending the edge moulding 4, an adjoining end part 31 of the first leg is swung into the notch 29 by bending about the point 30. Thus the narrow edge areas 23 at the underside of the first leg 17 will extend completely out to and adjoin the second leg 18 at a corner area as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. Hereby and in a secure way there is es- tablished a sealing extending along the side edges of the lid so that the outer end 32 adjacent to a notch 29 abuts on the inner side 33 of the second leg 18 at the bottom of the notch 29. Thus there will be no risk of leakages at the corners of the formed lid. An edge moulding as illustrated in Fig. 4 is assembled with one end 34 in contact with the other end 35 by means of a connecting piece 36 illustrated in Fig. 7. The connecting piece 36 is placed in the hollow inner 37 of the first leg 17 of the edge moulding 4.

Claims

1. A sliding lid for a freezer or refrigerator provided with a profiled moulding in which the lid is sealingly sliding suspended, where the lid is formed by a glass section fitted with an annular edge moulding which at two opposite sides of the lid serve as slide fitting in the supporting moulding of the freezer or refrigerator, characterised in that the glass section is provided with electrically conducting coating, that the slide fittings are resilient, that electrically conducting means are provided in the slide fittings which directly interact with supporting mouldings, and that the conducting means in the supporting moulding are connected with a voltage source establishing an electric circuit via the coating of the lid.

2. A sliding lid according to claim 1, characterised in that the conducting means in the lid are provided in the shape of a sliding strip fitted in the edge mould- ing, and that the conducting means of the freezer or refrigerator are provided in the shape of a single point of contact arranged so that contact with the sliding strip is established during possible displacement of the lid.

3. A sliding lid according to claim 1, characterised in that the conducting means in the freezer or refrigerator are provided in the shape of a sliding strip fitted in the supporting moulding, and that the conducting means of the lid are provided in the shape of a single point of contact arranged so that contact with the sliding strip is established during possible displacement of the lid.

4. A sliding lid according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the point of contact is provided in the shape of a leaf spring bearing against the sliding strip which is embedded in a groove in the slide fitting or the supporting moulding, respectively.

5. A sliding lid according to any preceding claim, characterised in that it consist of a plurality of superposed lids, preferably two sections constituting an upper lid and a lower lid, and that these superposed lids are intended for displacing in over each other as the lids rest in supporting mouldings disposed at different levels.

6. A sliding lid according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the edge moulding at the underside of a first leg has a central U-shaped recess for accommodating the conducting means, and that the edges of this recess themselves serve as sealing means against the support of the freezer or refrigerator.

7. A sliding lid according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the edge moulding of the lid is provided with an angular section for accommodating the glass section and is formed in one piece, and that it is provided with notches at the points bent around the corners of the sliding lid.

8. A sliding lid according to claim 7, characterised in that the notches are provided as U-shaped notches in the first of the legs of the edge moulding, that the moulding is bent at a position located opposite to one corner of the U-shaped notch, and that the U-shaped notch has a width corresponding the width of the first leg of the section.

9. A sliding lid according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the glass section is fastened to the edge moulding by means of double-sided tape.

10. A sliding lid according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the glass sections are curved in direction perpendicular to the direction of displacement as the lids are arched upward.