WO2006087008A1

WO2006087008A1 - Method for manufacturing refrigeration cabinets

Info

Publication number: WO2006087008A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/001723
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rüdiger Windrich; Marcus Fuchs
Original assignee: Carrier Corporation
Priority date: 2005-02-18
Filing date: 2005-02-18
Publication date: 2006-08-24

Abstract

Method for manufacturing a wall combination of a display unit, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a flat component (1) which comprises at least two adjacent walls (2, 3, 4, 5) of a single display unit, wherein the two walls (2, 3, 4, 5) are connected with each other by means of a flexible junction (6, 6', 6'); (b) folding the flat component (1) around the flexible junction (6, 6', 6') so that the two walls (2, 3, 4, 5) form a corner and that the relative position thereof corresponds to the relative position thereof in the finished display unit; (c) fixing the two walls (2, 3, 4, 5) relative to each other.

Description

Method for Manufacturing Refrigeration Cabinets

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing joint wall combination, like isolation walls of walls connected to each other, preferably of a display unit, and preferably of a refrigeration or freezer display unit, and to a display unit comprising at least two walls made of a single hollow flat component.

The term "display unit" shall include all kinds of display units, especially islands, cabinets, multideck cabinets, roll-in cabinets, counters etc. The aforementioned display units are well known to persons skilled in the art.

The term "wall" shall include bottom-, top-, front-, rear/back- and side/lateral -walls of display units.

Conventionally display units are put together by at least four or more walls, each of these being made of a single hollow flat component. Hollow flat components consist of either metal(s) or plastic material or a combination of materials. Hollow flat components can be at least partly filled and/or at least partly expanded with an insulating material, especially glass wool, glass fibre, mineral wool, mineral fibre and/or chemical pulp.

Until now each wall or hollow flat component, respectively, is manufactured separately. The walls forming a display unit are arranged within a frame stabilizing them. Afterwards the hollow flat components are - if this should be necessary or wanted - partly or totally filled or expanded with an insulating material as mentioned above. Assembling display units in the way described above is expensive and very time-intensive.

Accordingly, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing the walls of a display unit, which is less expensive and less time-intensive.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the subject is solved by a method for manufacturing a wall combination of a display unit as claimed in claim 1. The wall combination can comprise merely two walls interconnected with each other with the flexible junction but preferably comprises as many walls as possible of the display unit. As compared with the prior art the method of this embodiment of the invention uses a flat component which comprises walls of the display unit which are connected with each other by means of a flexible junction as the starting point for forming the wall combination. Thus, this embodiment of the present invention teaches a manufac- turing method which resembles to the folding of cardboard boxes. This method substantially reduces the manufacturing of the display unit as the individual positioning and securing of the walls to the frame is no longer necessary. By means of the flexible connection a very precise arrangement of the walls is provided for immediately after folding the walls into the desired position. Once the walls are folded in the desired position, they can be fixed to each other by more or less conventional means, like conventional fastening elements, screws, etc., adhesive, but also by means of interlocking elements which are integrally formed with the flat component.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the flat component is at least partially hollow and the method of manufacturing comprises the step of at least partially filling a hollow portion with an insulating material. The insulating material can be glass wool, glass fiber, mineral wool, mineral fiber and/or chemical pulps. One method is to fill a chemical pulp into the hollow portion and let the material expand therein. The hollow portions can be filled before folding the flat component into the desired shape as the insulating material may strengthen the flat component, thus facilitating the assembly thereof. It is also possible to fill the hollow portions only after the manufacturing of the wall combination or even the complete display unit.

In accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention the flat component is manufactured from a plastics material and preferably from two layers of plastics material combined with each other. A preferred manufacturing method is the so-called "twin sheet blow moulding technique". In the blow moulding technique a flat plastic sheet material is brought, for example by heating the sheet material, into a compliant state and subsequently forced into a mould by judiciously applying ambient pressure and/or vacuum to the plastic sheet. In the twin sheet blow moulding technique two such plastic sheets are forced in their respective form and subsequently the plastic sheets are joined or welded to each other so that they form in combination the flat component. By such manufacturing method the flexible junction between two walls can easily be formed integrally during the twin sheet blow moulding in the edge area between two walls.

Welding processes are well known in the state of the art; they create long- living and reliable flexible junctions. Alternatively, all kinds of hinges can be realized to create the afore-mentioned flexible junctions.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention the flexible junction is or the flexible junctions, respectively, are formed in a way that after the walls are brought into their final positions they are interlocking and/or they are connected frictional. To this end additional interlocking or friction elements can be provided. 90 In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention at least one of the following features can be formed in the course of forming the flat component: A seat for attaching components of the display device; through openings, bosses, rips or other protrusions for attaching and supporting shelves; holes or grooves for inserting shelves, glass panels, seals, connecting elements or a

95 separate flexible junction. It is particularly preferred to integrally form attachment means for supporting the support structure or frame of the display cabinet. Such attachment means can be formed so as to allow for "click- insertion" of the respective parts.

loo In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the method further includes the step of interlocking adjacent walls of the display device in the folded position. It is generally preferred and might even be required in some applications to connect with each other adjacent walls which are not in connection with each other by means of flexible junction. It is generally possible to fix these walls to

105 each other with conventional means like screws, adhesive, etc. but it is preferred in accordance with an embodiment of the invention to provide interlocking means for example tabs, protrusions and recesses, at the respective edges of the walls so as to interlock the edges with each other in the folded position of the walls. Such positive interlocking or mechanical interlocking can no be additionally glued together with a suitable adhesive.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a display unit comprising one or more walls, that can be assembled in a faster and cheaper way.

115

This embodiment of the present invention allows the realization of a faster and more economic process of assembling the walls of a single display unit. Furthermore, the production costs per display unit can be reduced. Additionally, less mistakes and errors will occur during the process of assem- 120 bling the walls of a single display unit.

An other embodiment of the present invention relates to a fiat component as claimed in claim 9 and a display cabinet as claimed in claim 15.

125 In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the hollow flat component is at least partly filled and/or at least partly expanded with an insulating material. Preferred insulating materials are glass wools, glass fibres, mineral wools, mineral fibres and/or chemical pulps. The insulating material is preferrably added to the hollow flat component immediately after the

130 manufacture of the hollow flat component is finished.

. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention all connections, junctions and/or elements, by which the walls are fixed to each other and/or additonal features are linked to the hollow flat component, are integrated in the 135 hollow flat component.

This preferred embodiment of the present invention reduces the time- consuming work of adding the afore- mentioned connections, junctions and/or elements, which until now has to be done after the assembling of the walls is 140 completed.

In accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the present invention the hollow flat component comprises a support structure, wherein the support structure is preferably a frame made of metal or a plastic material. This support 145 structure leads to a more robust and reliable display unit. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the inner edges of the walls joining each other are formed to build a seal channel, in which a sealing media and/or adhesive can be filled.

Further characteristics and advantages of the afore- mentioned embodiments of the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed descriptions of the attached figures, in which

155 Figs. 1 to 4 demonstrate the assembling of a multideck cabinet in a sequence of four schematic perspective views;

Fig. 5 shows a schematic section of a preferred embodiment;

160 Fig. 6 shows a schematic section similar to Fig. 5 with an alternative construction of the flexible joint portion;

Fig. 7 shows the folding operation in accordance with a preferred embodiment;

165

Fig. 8 shows a detail of the edge construction of the embodiment of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 shows a section through the flexible joint portion of a flat component;

170 Fig. 10 shows an alternative embodiment section of the flexible joint portion similar to Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a lateral view of a flat component for a multideck display device;

175 Fig. 12 is a lateral view of the multideck display device including the flat component of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a section through part of the multideck display device of Fig. 12 in the direction of arrows 13-13;

180 Fig. 14 is a plan view for flat component for an island display device;

Fig. 15 is a lateral view of the flat component of Fig 14; and

185 Fig. 16 is a plan view detail of the connection between two lateral walls of the island display device.

In Fig. 1 four walls 2, 3, 4 and 5 are shown; these walls 2, 3, 4 and 5 are made of a single hollow flat component 1. Wall 2 constitutes the top wall of the 190 multideck cabinet, while wall 3 constitutes the rear/back wall, wall 4 the bottom wall and wall 5 the front wall of the multideck cabinet. Futhermore, the single hollow flat component 1 comprises three flexible junctions 6, 6' and 6".

As can be seen from Fig. 2 first of all the top wall 2 is brought into its final 195 position with respect to the rear/back wall 3 and - if necessary or wanted - is fixed to the wall 3, e. g. by screwing together walls 2 and 3.

Fig. 3 shows the next step, in which the rear/back wall 3 is erected and brought into its final position with respect to the bottom wall 4. Once again, the walls 3 200 and 4 might be fixed by screwing them together.

The last step - as shown in Fig. 4 - is to bring the front wall 5 into its final position with respect to the other walls 2 to 4 and - if necessary or wanted - fixing them by screwing them together.

205

Not shown in figures 1 to 4 is a support structure, e. g. a metal frame, which supports the walls 2 to 5 in their (final) positions.

According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 the rear/back wall 3 and bottom 2io wall 4 are connected to each other via the flexible junction 6'. The inner edges of both walls are formed in a way to build a seal channel 7, in which a sealing media and/or adhesive can be filled to strengthen the connection between these two walls 3 and 4.

215 Fig. 6 is an alternative construction of the corner area as shown in Fig. 5. With this particular solution, the sealing between the bottom wall 4 and the lateral or back wall 3 is of less importance as water present on the bottom wall 4 can not flow downwardly towards the flexible joint 6. Particularly, this preferred to provide the inner surface of the bottom wall 4 with an inclination so that any

220 water or other fluid or liquid will flow downwardly along the inclined portion. Nevertheless, a sealing can easily be provided with the embodiment of Fig. 6 for example by attaching a sealing strip 10, for example with an adhesive, to the bottom wall 4 before folding wall 3 in the desired position thereof. In the final folded position nose 12 can cooperate with sealing strip 10.

225

Fig. 7 shows an alternative sealing solution as compared to the sealing solution of Fig. 5. Particularly, a separate sealing strip 14 can be fixed in the lateral wall 3 of the flat component 1 before folding it to the desired position. The respective receptions, particularly groove 16, is preferably integrally formed in the course 230 of forming the flat component 1. The sealing strips 10, 14 can be of any suitable material, like rubber material, flexible plastics, etc. Engagement enhancement means 18 like rips, etc. can be provided for attaching the strip 18 in a respective opening, like groove 16. The construction of Fig. 7 is shown in Fig. 8 in an enlarged representation.

235

Fig. 9 shows a lateral section through a flat component 1 adjacent to the flexible joint 6. In this embodiment, the flexible joint 6 is integrally formed from the same material as the walls 4 and 3. Hollow portions 20 are formed between the upper and lower plastic sheet. The hollow portion 20 can be filled with an 240 insulating material, particularly in case of deep temperature or freezer applications.

Fig. 10 is an embodiment similar to the Fig. 9 with the main difference that the flexible joint 6 is formed as a separate component for example of a flexible 245 plastic material or rubber and inserted in respective openings 26, like grooves, etc. of the individual walls 3, 4. Other ways to attach the separate flexible joint 6 to the walls 3 and 4 are possible, for example by means of gluing, fixing by fasteners, etc.

250 Fig. 11 is a lateral view of a flat component 1 similar to the flat component 1 as shown in Fig. 1 in perspective view. The respective explanations as given with respect to Fig. 1 hold true for this embodiment. One may particularly see that the inner surface 28 of the bottom wall 4 is inclined towards a central location. A through hole 30 serving as an outlet for liquid for particularly water, as

255 provided at this central position. It is to be noted that the outlet does not necessarily have to be absolutely in the center but can also be near a peripheral portion of the bottom wall 4. V- grooves between adjacent walls 2, 3, 4 and 5 allow for folding up the walls with respect to each other so that the lateral walls of the V finally come in contact with each other and form respective support

260 surfaces. Other shapes of the grooves between adjacent walls 2, 3, 4, 5 like mating step arrangements are possible as well.

In Fig. 12 a lateral view of the flat component 1 as folded in the final position is shown. The respective display cabinet is a so— called multideck cabinet. In Fig. 265 12 an inner fairing 32 is shown schematically. Inner fairing 32 is attached, for example by screws to attachment bosses 34 at the respective walls. Between the inner fairing 32 and the inner surfaces of the walls 2, 3 a fluid channel for flowing cooling air is provided. It is possible to form the inner surface of the respective walls, for example in the twin sheet moulding process so that they form flow channels for cool air. The raised portions between flow channels can 270 slo be used for attaching the fairing.

The section of Fig. 13 shows bottom wall 4 and lateral cutouts 36 therein. As can be seen on the right side of Fig. 13 part of a support structure 38, which is particularly a support frame comprising horizontal members 40 a standoff 42 is 275 attached into such cutout 36. Conventional fasteners 44 like screws etc. can be used to this effect.

With respect to Fig. 12 it is to be noted that in the area 46 next to bottom wall 4 the respective element of the cooling apparatus or a complete cooling 280 apparatus can be mounted. The cooling apparatus may comprise any or all of a compressor, condenser, expansion device and liquid/air heat exchanger as well as the respective ventilation means or blower feeding air over the fluid/air heat exchanger and forcing the cooling air towards the presentation zone 48 of the display cabinet.

285

Fig. 14 shows a flat component 1 for an island display cabinet having a bottom wall 4 and lateral walls 31. As can be seen in Fig. 15, a lateral groove 50 is provided for attaching a glass wall or glass panel thereto. Such lateral groove 50 can also be integrally formed when forming the flat component 1.

290

Fig. 16 shows in plan view the edge connection between two lateral walls 31. As can be noted from Fig. 14, there is typically no flexible joint at the contact corner between such lateral walls 31. Lateral walls 31 can be attached to each other by means of a screw connection 52. A connection profile 54 can be 295 provided. The lateral edges 56, 58 of the lateral walls 31 are matingly formed so as to form an interlocking engagement. It is also possible to form other interlocking feature like dovetail connection or a firtree connection. It is also possible to use quick fastening elements like flexible plastics or rubber dowels which are inserted in respective openings in the respective walls 2, 3, 4, 5 to be fixed with each other.

Claims

305 1. Method for manufacturing a wall combination of a display unit, comprising the following steps:

(a) providing a flat component (1) which comprises at least two adjacent walls (2, 3, 4, 5) of a single display unit, wherein the two walls (2, 3, 4, 5) are connected with each other by means of a flexible junction (6, 6', 6"); 310 (b) folding the flat component (1) around the flexible junction (6, 6', 6") so that the two walls (2, 3, 4, 5) form a corner and that the relative position thereof corresponds to the relative position thereof in the finished display unit;

(c) fixing the two walls (2, 3, 4, 5) relative to each other.

315

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the flat component () is at least partially hollow and further comprising the step of at least partially filling a hollow portion with an insulating material.

320 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein step (a) comprises the manufacturing of the flat component (1) in the twin sheet blow moulding technique from a plastics material.

4. Method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein step (a) comprises 325 integrally forming the flexible junction (6, 6', 6") while manufacturing the flat component (1).

5. Method according to any of claims 1 to 4, further comprising forming a seal which is between the two walls (2, 3, 4, 5) in the folded state. 330

6. Method according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein step (a) further includes forming a seat (36) for attaching components of the display device, and further including the step of attaching components to the display device.

335 7. Method according to any of claims 1 to 6, further including forming all the walls (2, 3, 4, 5) of the display device with a single flat component (1).

8. Method according to any of claims 1 to 7, further including the step of interlocking adjacent walls (2, 3, 4, 5) of the display device in the folded

340 position.

9. Flat component (1) for a wall combination of a display unit comprising at least two adjacent walls (2, 3, 4, 5) of a single display unit connected with each other by means of a flexible junction (6, 6', 6").

345

10. Flat component (1) according to claim 9, wherein the flat component (1) is at least partially hollow.

1 1. Flat component (1) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the flat component 350 (1) is made from plastics material in a twin sheet blow molding technique.

12. Flat component (1) according to any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the flexible junction (6, 6', 6") is integral with the material of the two adjacent walls (2, 3, 4, 5).

355

13. Flat component (1) according to any of claims 9 to 12, further comprising at least one of a through hole (30), a seat (36) and interlocking elements (56; 58).

360 14. Flat component (1) according to any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the flat component comprises all the walls (2, 3, 4, 5) of the display cabinet.

15. Display cabinet (11) comprising a folded flat component (1) according to any of claims 9 to 14.

365

16. Display cabinet (11) according to claim 15, comprising a seal (10, 14) for sealing between adjacent walls (2, 3, 4, 5).

17. Display cabinet (11) according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the hollow portion 370 of the flat component (1) is at least partly filled with an insulating material.

18. Display cabinet (11 ) according to any of claims 15 to 17, wherein connections, junctions and/or elements, by which the walls (2, 3, 4, 5) are fixed to each other and/or additional features are linked to the flat component (1),

375 are integrated in the flat component (1).

19. Display cabinet (11) according to any of claims 15 to 18, further comprising a support structure (38) attached to at least one seat (36) or connection (34) of the folded flat component (1).

380

20. Display cabinet (11) according to claim 19, wherein the support structure (38) is a frame made of metal or a plastic material.

21. Display cabinet (11) according to any of claims 15 to 20, wherein inner 385 edges of two walls (2, 3, 4, 5) joining each other are formed to build a seal channel (7), in which a sealing media and/or adhesive can be filled.