DOOR CLOSING CONTROL AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTIVITY SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATED CASE

• US 20110304254A1
• Filed: 05/09/2011
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill Phoenix Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hill Phoenix Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Stubblefield, Steven O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,845,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/405
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0426 Details
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/08 for use in suspensions comprising two spigots placed at opposite edges of the wing, especially at the top and the bottom, e.g. trunnions E05D15/266 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/081 the pivot axis of the wing being situated near one edge of the wing, especially at the top and bottom, e.g. trunnions
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/1011 biased by free springs E05D7/1016 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1025 with a compression or traction spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/202 for display cabinets, e.g. for refrigerated cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/024 Door hinges

Abstract

A temperature-controlled case is provided including a frame and a door coupled to the frame and pivotable about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position. The door includes a passage that interchangeably receives a door closure control assembly at one of the top or the bottom of the door, and an electrical connectivity system at the other of the top or the bottom of the door. The electrical connectivity system includes a first electrical connector coupled to the door, and a second electrical connector coupled to the frame so that the first and second electrical connectors are engaged when the door is coupled to the frame. The door closure control assembly includes a torsion spring that is fixed at one end to the door and fixed at another end to the frame, so that when the door is opened the torsion spring provides an increasing force to urge the door toward the closed position.

Claims

1. A temperature-controlled case, comprising:

a frame at least partially defining a temperature-controlled space;

a modular door, the modular door movable about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position for providing access to the temperature-controlled space;

a door closing control configured to bias the modular door toward the closed position, the door closing control comprising;

a hinge coupled to the frame, the hinge including a rotatable portion with a first cam surface and a non-rotatable portion having a second cam surface, the rotatable portion and the non-rotatable portion axially aligned with one another along the pivot axis, and a spring biasing the non-rotatable portion toward the rotatable portion so that the first and second cam surfaces engage one another;

a torque transfer coupling including a first element removably coupled to a second element, the first element coupled to the door and the second element coupled to the hinge;

a first electrical connector at least partially disposed within the first element and a second electrical connector at least partially disposed within the second element, wherein coupling the first element and the second element electrically couples the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector to one another;

at least one compartment separate from and adjacent to the modular door; and

one or more electrical devices disposed in the compartment, an electrical connection between the electrical devices in the compartment and the modular door being formed when the first element and second element of the torque transfer coupling are coupled to one another.

2. The temperature-controlled case of claim 1, wherein the hinge is disposed within the compartment, and the compartment at least partially supports the modular door.

3. The temperature-controlled case of claim 1, wherein the rotatable portion and the non-rotatable portion are substantially cylindrical and the first and second cam surfaces are at least partially defined as ellipses that are slidably engagable with one another.

4. The temperature-controlled case of claim 1, wherein the spring comprises a coil spring axially aligned with the pivot axis.

5. The temperature-controlled case of claim 1, wherein the electrical devices comprise at least one of a ballast and a power supply associated with one or more lighting devices within the temperature-controlled space.

6. The temperature-controlled case of claim 1, wherein the first element of the torque control device is removably coupled to the door and the second element of the torque control device is removably coupled to the hinge, to permit interchangeable replacement of one modular door with another modular door.

7. The temperature-controlled case of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second elements comprise one or more keys and the other of the first and second elements comprising one or more keyways, the keys engagable with the keyways so that the first element is capable of transferring torque to the second element.

8. A temperature-controlled case, comprising:

a frame at least partially defining a temperature-controlled space;

a door pivotable about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position, the door including a passage at least partially along the pivot axis;

a door closure device having an elongated bar configured to bias the door toward the closed position, and the door closure device coupled to one of a top or a bottom of the door and to the frame; and

an electrical connectivity system including a first electrical connector coupled to the other of the top or the bottom of the door and configured to engage a second electrical connector coupled to the frame.

9. The temperature-controlled case of claim 8, further comprising at least one compartment within the frame, and one or more electrical devices disposed in the compartment, an electrical connection between the electrical devices in the compartment and the door being formed when the first electrical connector is coupled to the second electrical connector.

10. The temperature-controlled case of claim 8, wherein the elongated bar is torsionally pre-loaded to bias the door to the closed position when the door is in the open position and when the door is in the closed position.

11. The temperature-controlled case of claim 10, further comprising a preload device having a disc that is rotatable to, and lockable in, one of a plurality of preload positions.

12. The temperature-controlled case of claim 8, wherein the first and second electrical connectors and the elongated bar are aligned along or parallel to the pivot axis when the door is coupled to the frame.

13. The temperature-controlled case of claim 8, wherein the electrical connectivity system further comprises a first coupling device having a bore that receives the first electrical connector and a second coupling device having a bore that receives the second electrical connector, the first coupling device and the second coupling device being removably engageable with one another.

14. The temperature-controlled case of claim 8, wherein the door closure device and the electrical connectivity system are interchangeably adaptable for engagement with the top of the door and the bottom of the door.

15. The temperature-controlled case of claim 14, wherein the door is a modular door and can be configured for use as a right-hand door or a left-hand door by reversing the orientation of the door closure device and the electrical connectivity system from the top of the door to the bottom of the door.

16. The temperature-controlled case of claim 8, wherein the door closure device further comprises a spring-biased plunger coupled to the elongated bar.

17. A temperature-controlled case, comprising:

a frame;

a door coupleable to the frame and pivotable about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position;

at least one compartment separate from and adjacent to the modular door, the compartment housing one or more electrical devices;

an electrical connectivity system including a first coupling device removably engagable with a second coupling device; and

a first electrical connector disposed within the first coupling device and a second electrical connector disposed within the second coupling device;

wherein coupling the first coupling device to the second coupling device also couples the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector; and

wherein coupling the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector forms an electrical connection between the one or more electrical devices disposed in the compartment and the door.

18. The temperature-controlled case of claim 17, wherein the electrical devices in the compartment are accessible by moving or removing a panel from the compartment.

19. The temperature-controlled case of claim 17, wherein the compartment is disposed substantially along one of an upper side of the temperature-controlled case located generally above the door or a lower side of the temperature-controlled case located generally below the door.

20. The temperature-controlled case of claim 17, wherein the door is configured to remain closed and assembled during maintenance of the electrical devices.

21. The temperature-controlled case of claim 17, wherein the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are at least partially disposed within centrally-located cavities in the first and the second coupling devices, respectively.

22. The temperature-controlled case of claim 21, wherein the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are overmolded into sleeves that are preassembled into the cavities of the first coupling device and the second coupling device.

23. A temperature-controlled case, comprising:

a frame;

a door pivotable about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position; and

a door closing control assembly configured to bias the door toward the closed position, comprising;

an elongated bar having a first end removably received within a passage in the door and rotationally fixed to the door, and a second end that is removably received within an aperture in the frame and rotationally fixed to the frame, so that the elongated bar increasingly twists as the door is moved from the closed position toward the open position.

24. The temperature-controlled case of claim 23, wherein the second end of the elongated bar further comprises a plunger that is axially biased toward the aperture in the frame.

25. The temperature-controlled case of claim 24, wherein the aperture is provided in a rotatable disc that is coupled to the frame.

26. The temperature-controlled case of claim 25, wherein when the plunger is received in the aperture, the plunger is rotationally fixed to the disc, and the plunger and the disc are rotatably movable to, and lockable at, one of a plurality of preload positions.

27. The temperature-controlled case of claim 23, wherein the door closing control assembly is interchangeably receiveable within the passage at a top of the door and a bottom of the door.

28. The temperature-controlled case of claim 23, further comprising an electrical connectivity system including a first coupling device removably coupleable to a second coupling device, a first electrical connector substantially annularly aligned within the first coupling device and a second electrical connector substantially annularly aligned within the second coupling device, wherein coupling the first coupling device to the second coupling device also couples the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector.

29. The temperature-controlled case of claim 28, wherein the electrical connectivity system is interchangeably receivable with the passage at a top of the door and a bottom of the door.

30. The temperature-controlled case of claim 29, wherein the door is a plug-and-play modular door that is interchangeable from a right-hand orientation to a left-hand orientation by interchangeably moving the door closure control assembly and the electrical connectivity system from between the top of the door and the bottom of the door.

31. A temperature-controlled case having a door pivotable between an open position and a closed position, comprising:

a hinge for transforming pivotal motion into linear motion, the hinge including a spring;

a first coupling device including a first element removably coupleable to a second element, wherein pivoting one of the first element and second element of the first coupling device imparts pivotal motion to the other element;

wherein, when the door is coupled to the frame and in the open position, the spring is compressed a first distance in a first direction and provides a translational force in a second direction opposite the first direction, the translational force operably imparting a rotational force on the door in the direction to move the door from the open position to the closed position.

32. The temperature-controlled case of claim 31, wherein the hinge further includes a first cam rotatable relative to a second cam.

33. The temperature-controlled case of claim 31, further comprising a second coupling device, the second coupling device configured to couple a first end of the door to a frame and the first coupling device configured to couple a second end of the door generally opposite the first end of the door to the frame.

34. The temperature-controlled case of claim 33, wherein the second coupling device is a spring-loaded pin assembly.

35. A temperature-controlled case, comprising:

a frame;

a door coupled to the frame and pivotable about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position, the door including a passage that interchangeably receives a door closure control assembly at one of the top or the bottom of the door, and an electrical connectivity system at the other of the top or the bottom of the door;

the electrical connectivity system includes a first electrical connector coupled to the door, and a second electrical connector coupled to the frame so that the first and second electrical connectors are engaged when the door is coupled to the frame;

the door closure control assembly comprising a torsion spring that is fixed at one end to the door and fixed at another end to the frame, so that when the door is opened the torsion spring provides an increasing force to urge the door toward the closed position.

36. A temperature-controlled case, comprising:

a frame;

a door coupled to the frame and pivotable about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position, the door including a passage that interchangeably receives a door closure control assembly at one of the top or the bottom of the door, and an electrical connectivity system at the other of the top or the bottom of the door;

the electrical connectivity system including a first coupling device removably coupleable to a second coupling device, a first electrical connector disposed within the first coupling device and a second electrical connector disposed within the second coupling device, wherein coupling the first coupling device to the second coupling device also couples the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector.

37. A door for a temperature-controlled case, comprising:

a frame;

a first coupling device and a second coupling device removably engagable with one another, the first coupling device connected to the frame and the second coupling device connectible to the temperature-controlled case;

a first electrical connector disposed at least partially within the first coupling device and a second electrical connector disposed at least partially within the second coupling device;

wherein coupling the first coupling device to the second coupling device also couples the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector; and

wherein coupling the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector forms an electrical connection between one or more electrical devices disposed in or on the door, and an electrical power source associated with the temperature-controlled case.

38. The door of claim 37 wherein the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are axially aligned with one another and axially aligned with a pivot axis of the frame.

39. The door of claim 38 wherein the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are spring-biased toward one another.

40. The door of claim 37, wherein the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are at least partially disposed within centrally-located cavities in the first and the second coupling devices, respectively.

41. The door of claim 40, wherein the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are overmolded into sleeves that are preassembled into the cavities of the first coupling device and the second coupling device.

42. The door of claim 37 wherein the electrical devices comprise LED lighting devices.

43. The door of claim 37 wherein the electrical devices comprise anti-fog or anti-condensation heating elements.