GB2154856A

GB2154856A - Illuminated refrigerated display stand

Info

Publication number: GB2154856A
Application number: GB08503985A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jurgen Schmidt
Original assignee: Linde GmbH
Current assignee: Linde GmbH
Priority date: 1984-02-17
Filing date: 1985-02-15
Publication date: 1985-09-18
Also published as: FR2559658B1; DE3405836C2; GB2154856B; GB8503985D0; FR2559658A1; IT1183197B; IT8519523A0; NL8500436A; DE3405836A1

Abstract

An illuminated refrigerated display stand is disclosed which has a plurality of shelves (6) and an illuminating device (7) located within an open-fronted cabinet. The illuminating device (7) is disposed in front of the shelves and extends vertically over at least two adjacent shelves. The illuminating device is provided with an anti-glare means in the form of a shield (9) directed towards the front of the display stand. Two or more laterally spaced illuminating devices (7) may be provided with an advertising sign disposed therebetween. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Illuminated refrigerated display stand The invention relates to an illuminated refrigerated display stand and more particularly to the type of such a stand having an illumination means and shelves which are disposed within an open-fronted cabinet frame.

Refrigerated display stands are used in central consumer markets and retail shops for the storage and presentation of goods which have to be stored at temperatures below the ambient temperature, such as dairy and meat products. A temperature of, for example, between 5 and 1 0 C may be maintained in the refrigerated display stand.

It is essential to the turnover of goods that those in the display stand are clearly displayed and well illuminated. Refrigerated display stands are usually illuminated by one or more fluorescent strip lamps located under a top cover of the cabinet frame. In the commercially available refrigerated display stands, the cover extends further forward than the front edges of the shelves and its front region embodies the illuminating device.

Although this arrangement illuminates all the shelves and the goods located thereon, it is inevitable that the goods located on the upper shelves are more highly illuminated than those located on the lower shelves. For this reason, it has already been proposed to provide additional illuminating devices on the underside of a shelf located in the bottom region of the refrigerated display stand to provide additional illumination to the lower region of the stand. These additional illuminating devices have the disadvantage that they reduce the space (height) which can be used for goods.

Hence, the object of the present invention is to develop a refrigerated display stand of the type described which enables the clear presentation of goods and whose space for the storage of goods is not restricted by illumination means.

According to the present invention, in an illuminated refrigerated display stand an illuminating device extends vertically in front of the shelves and its height is at least equal to the distance between two adjacent shelves.

Such a stand in conveniently illuminated by the device which extends over two or more shelves, without reducing the space (height) available for the storage of goods. According to requirements the illuminating device is only disposed in those regions of the refrigerated display stand to which attention is particularly to be drawn, but alternatively it may extend throughout the height of all the shelves.

In a preferred embodiment, the illuminating device comprises a fluorescent strip lamp which carries an anti-dazzle or anti-glare means shielding towards the open front of the cabinet frame.

Preferably the anti-glare means has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and the ends of the limbs of the U are directed towards the front edges of the shelves. Hence, the fluorescent strip lamp is surrounded on three sides by the anti-dazzle means or shield which is open only towards the interior of the refrigerated display stand. Good illumination of the refrigerated display stand and the goods therein is achieved, without the customers being dazzled by the illuminating device.

Conveniently the anti-glare means are optically contrasted with the cabinet frame.

The optical contrast results in a particularly eye-catching sub-division of the refrigerated display stand, hence enabling a clear lay-out of the goods offered for sale. At the same time, an eye-catching display, promoting the sale of particular goods can be achieved. The optical contrast is obtained by, for example, a different surface finish, the use of different materials, or a different colouring.

It is preferred to provide two laterally spaced illuminating devices, with an advertising or informtion sign being disposed therebetween.

Particularly uniform illumination of the storage spaces for goods is achieved by the use of two illuminating devices, particularly in refrigerated display stands of substantial width such as are often used in supermarkets. The region of the spaces for the storage of goods located between the two illumination devices can be rendered particularly eye-catching by the provision of a sign between the two illuminating devices.

Furthermore, two frame elements spaced one above the other may be provided beteween two illuminating devices which are spaced laterally apart.

The frame elements may comprise, for example, two horizontal signs by which a portion of the part of the goods storage space located between the two illuminating devices is rendered particularly eye-catching. By way of example, special offers or delicacies are located in this part of the display so as to be particularly prominent.

Conveniently the illuminating device may extend upwardiy to a top cover of the cabinet frame and its top end be secured thereto.

Moreover, the bottom end of the illuminating device may be secured in the region of the bottom edge of the front-opening of the cabinet frame.

The cabinet frame may have a trough-like lower region whose front edge is located further forward than the front edge of the shelves. The cabinet frame may be provided with a cover which is located above the shelves and which likewise extends forwardly beyond the front edges of the shelves. The cover and the front edge of the trough-like part of the cabinet frame will then define the top and bottom of the front opening of the cabinet frame. The entire height of the refrigerating display stand is uniformly illuminated by securing the illuminating element in the front region of the cover and possibly to the front edge of the trough of the cabinet frame.

The illuminating device may comprise a plurality of individually switchable lighting fixtures which are disposed one above the other.

By virtue of this arrangement, the intensity of illumination of individual shelves can be varied, and individual goods or groups of goods can be rendered particularly eye-catching by highlighting.

The invention will now be further described with reference to accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a refrigerated display stand in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a vertical cross section to a larger scale through the refrigerated display stand of Fig. 1, taken long the line ll-ll thereof and, Figure 3 is a cross section through illumination means, also to a larger scale.

The refrigerated display stand illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 has a cabinet frame 1 whose bottom, trough-like portion contains apparatus 2, 3 for the cooling and circulation of air through the cabinet. The top of the cabinet frame is defined by a cover 4 whose front edge is located approximately vertically above the front edge of the trough.

The refrigerated display stand contains a plurality of shelves 6 disposed on brackets 5.

Two vertically-extending illuminating devices 7 are located in front of the shelves 6 and are secured to the cover 4 and to the front edge of the trough of the cabinet frame 1. Instead of extending across the full height of the open front the illuminating devices 7 may extend over only some of the shelves 6.

The illuminating devices 7, one of which is shown in cross section in Fig. 3, comprises a fluorescent strip lamp 8 and a substantially Ushaped anti-glare shield 9 whose limbs are bent outwardly at the ends thereof. The antiglare shield 9 surrounds the fluorescent strip lamp 8 on three sides and is only open facing the interior of the refrigerated display stand.

While it is sufficient to provide only one illuminating device 7 in the case of narrow refrigerated display stands, it has been found to be advantageous to provide two laterally spaced illuminating devices 7 in the case of wider refrigerated display stands as illustrated in Fig. 1, since this results in particularly uniform illumination of the goods displayed.

The use of two illuminating devices 7 especially renders it possible to emphasize or draw particular attention to that section of the goods storage spaces which is located between the illuminating devices 7 by means of an advertising or informational sign 10 which extends between the two illuminating devices.

Further prominence may be given to an individual storage area by two frame elements 11 which extend between the illuminating devices 7 and which, in conjunction with the latter, frame, for example, the space between two shelves and hence the goods carried by the lower of those two shelves.

In order to achieve a more pronounced visual sub-division of the refrigerating display stand, the illuminating devices 7 and/or the sign 10 and/or the frame elements 11 can be optically contrasted with the cabinet frame 1 by special colouring, a different surface finish or the use of a different material.

Each illuminating device 7 comprises either a continuous fluorescent strip lamp 8 or a plurality of smaller fluorescent strip lamps each extending over a portion of the height of the illuminating device 7. In the latter case, it is advantageous if the fluorescent strip lamps can be switched off and on individually.

Claims

1. An illuminated refrigerated display stand having illumination means and shelves which are disposed within an open-fronted cabinet frame, wherein an illuminating device extends vertically in front of the shelves and its height is at least equal to the distance between two adjacent shelves.

2. An illuminated refrigerated display stand as claimed in claim 1, wherein the illuminating device comprises a fluorescent strip lamp which carries an anti-glare shield facing the open front of the cabinet frame.

3. An illuminated refrigerated display stand as claimed in claim 2, wherein the antiglare shield is of substantially U-shaped cross section, and the ends of the limbs of the U are directed towards the front edges of the shelves.

4. An illuminated refrigerated display stand as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the anti-glare shield is optically contrasted with the cabinet frame.

5. An illuminated refrigerated display stand as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, having two illuminating devices spaced apart laterally, and an advertising or informational sign disposed therebetween.

6. An illuminated refrigerated display stand as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, having two illuminating devices spaced apart laterally, and two horizontal frame elements spaced apart one above the other and extending between the illuminating devices.

7. An illuminated refrigerated display stand as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the illuminating device extends upwardly to a top cover of the cabinet frame and its upper end is secured thereto.

8. An illuminated refrigerated display stand as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the bottom end of the illuminating device is secured in the region of the bottom edge of the open front.

9. An illuminated refrigerated display stand as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, the illuminating device comprises a plurality of lighting fixtures which are disposed one above the other and which are individually switchable.

10. An illuminated refrigerated display stand substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.