Fiber optically illuminated display cabinet and a fiber optic cable light distribution assembly therefor
First Claim
1. A door subassembly for illuminating a product display area comprising a frame defining an access opening, said frame including at least upper, lower and opposite side frame portions, at least one of said frame portions defining a raceway chamber, a fiber optic cable having a light-receiving end portion and a light-emitting end portion, and said fiber optic cable light-receiving end portion being at least partially disposed in said raceway chamber and said fiber optic cable light-emitting end portion being disposed along another of said frame portions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A display cabinet includes a fiber optic cable having a first fiber optic cable portion introduced into a raceway of a door frame which is divided into fiber optic cable groups each exiting the raceway and being connected to light distributors located along vertical mullions/end frame members of the door frame to illuminate an interior area of the cabinet and products therein. Terminal end portions of individual fiber optic elements of each group are fastened relative to light-emitting holes of individual light distributors. Each light distributor includes a pair of wall portions at opposite sides of a bisecting plane of the light distributor with the light-emitting holes on either side being disposed with axes thereof at two acute though substantially different angles. A pair of ribs at a rear side of the light distributor effect reinforcement thereof and cooperate to fasten terminal ends of each fiber optic element thereto.
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Citations
79 Claims
- 1. A door subassembly for illuminating a product display area comprising a frame defining an access opening, said frame including at least upper, lower and opposite side frame portions, at least one of said frame portions defining a raceway chamber, a fiber optic cable having a light-receiving end portion and a light-emitting end portion, and said fiber optic cable light-receiving end portion being at least partially disposed in said raceway chamber and said fiber optic cable light-emitting end portion being disposed along another of said frame portions.
- 24. A display case for illuminating a product display area comprising a housing defining a product display area, said housing including a frame defining an access opening of said housing, said frame including at least upper, lower and opposite side frame portions, at least one of said frame portions defining a raceway chamber, a fiber optic cable having a light-receiving end portion and a light-emitting end portion, and said fiber optic cable light-receiving end portion being at least partially disposed in said raceway chamber and said fiber optic cable light-emitting end portion being disposed along at least one of said frame portions.
- 37. A fiber optic light distribution assembly for illuminating a product display area comprising a support member, a plurality of holes in said support member disposed in spaced relationship to each other, a plurality of fiber optic elements each having a terminal end portion associated with one of said plurality of holes, and means for securing each fiber optic element terminal end portion relative to its associated hole.
- 55. A fiber optic cable light distributor comprising an elongated support member, said elongated support member including at least two elongated wall portions one to each side of a longitudinally bisecting plane of said elongated support member, a plurality of first and second holes along said elongated wall portions, the plurality of first and second holes each include an axis, the axes of said plurality of first and second holes each set off an acute angle to said bisecting plane, and the acute angles differ from each other.
- 65. A fiber optic cable light distributor comprising an elongated support member including front and rear sides, means along said rear side for reinforcing said elongated support member along the length thereof, and a plurality of light-emitting holes along the length of said elongated support member.
- 69. A fiber optic cable light distributor comprising an elongated support member including front and rear sides, at least one pair of rear walls projecting rearward from said rear side and defining a channel, light-emitting holes in said elongated support member opening into said channel, said rear walls each include innermost adjacent and outermost remote surfaces, and means associated with at least one of said innermost and outermost rear wall surfaces for fastening a fiber optic cable terminal end portion thereto relative to each light-emitting hole.
- 76. A fiber optic cable light distributor comprising a substantially elongated member of a substantially transverse U-shaped cross-section, a plurality of light-emitting holes in said elongated member adapted to each receive a fiber optic cable terminal end portion from which light is emitted, said U-shaped elongated member having a pair of terminal leg portions, and said pair of terminal leg portions each having means for snap-securing said terminal leg portions to opposing cooperative vertically disposed supports.
Specification