Device for the swiveling movement of a sheet, in particular in refrigeration counters or merchandise counters

• US 5,618,089 A
• Filed: 01/24/1995
• Issued: 04/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GERD und Bernd Vieler KG
• Original Assignee: GERD und Bernd Vieler KG
• Inventors: Stenemann, Bruno
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US08/377,441
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 312/114, 312/116, 312/140.1, 312/140.4, 312/401, 312/405, 16/66, 49/386
• US Class Current: 312/116
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 2003/008 with pivoting front glass panel
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/007 Cases or cabinets of the counter type
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1091 with a gas spring E05F1/1292 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/416 for counterbalancing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/40 Mounting location; Visibility of the elements
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/21 of identical elements, e.g. of identical compression springs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/242 arranged in parallel relationship
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/204 for display counters
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/306 for freezers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/024 Door hinges
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/10 Refrigerator top-coolers

Abstract

A device for the swiveling movement of a sheet is described. A stationary bearing part supports an articulated part in a swivelable manner. The articulated part supports the sheet and is movable about a substantially horizontal swivel axis. The sheet is accordingly movable between a lowered position and a raised position, the direction of this movement being determined by a vertical swiveling plane. Energy accumulators, e.g., pneumatic springs, serve as auxiliary lifting means for raising the sheet. These energy accumulators have two connection ends which are loaded in opposite directions and determine the effective direction of force of the energy accumulator. For the purpose of an advantageous arrangement of the device which economizes on space, it is proposed that the energy accumulator be arranged with its effective direction of force substantially transverse to the swiveling plane of the sheet. The two connection ends of the energy accumulator are constructed as three-dimensionally acting rolling joints.

Claims

1. In a device for swiveling a sheet, in particular in refrigeration counters and/or merchandise counters, having a stationary bearing part for supporting an articulated part which supports the sheet and allows the sheet to swivel about a substantially horizontal axis between a lowered position and a raised position in a substantially vertical swiveling plane, and having an energy accumulator serving as auxiliary lifting means for lifting the sheet, wherein the energy accumulator has two connection ends which are loaded so as to move away from one another and which determine an effective direction of force of the energy accumulator, one connection end being articulated at the articulated part so as to participate in its movement, while the other connection end is articulated in a stationary manner, wherein

the energy accumulator is arranged with its effective direction of force substantially transverse to the swiveling plane of the sheet;

and

the two connection ends of the energy accumulator are constructed as three-dimensionally acting joints each with three rotational degrees of freedom.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said substantially horizontal axis is a swivel axis and wherein the effective direction of force of the energy accumulator extends substantially parallel to the swivel axis in the lowered position of the sheet and at an angle to the swivel axis in the raised position.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein one of said connection ends is an inner connection end of the energy accumulator which participates in movement acts on a lateral surface of the articulated part facing in a direction of the swivel axis.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the lateral surface of the articulated part forms a spherical socket of a ball joint, while a spherical head is arranged at the connection end of the energy accumulator.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein a common articulated part is arranged between two energy accumulators and inner connection ends of the two energy accumulators act on opposite lateral surfaces of the articulated part.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the two energy accumulators are arranged in a mirror-inverted manner relative to one another and exert a substantially identical force load.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the articulated part is formed by a profiled part with a rectangular profile, where opposite sides of the profiled part are acted upon by two bearing pans via aligned bearing pins as well as by at least one energy accumulator, specifically in end regions of these sides.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the articulated pan and its two bearing parts determining the swivel axis, and at least one support part providing stationary articulation of the energy accumulator are arranged jointly on a mounting base and this mounting base, together with the energy accumulator mounted between the articulated pan and the support part, form a constructional unit which is fastened to a substantially horizontally extending carrier.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the mounting base is formed by a portion cut out from a section bar.

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein the mounting base has at least one guide which extends substantially parallel to the swivel axis and serves for adjustable mounting of the support part for the energy accumulator and/or the bearing parts for the articulated part.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the guide is formed by a longitudinal rail which is formed on and which is integral with the mounting base.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the support part is mounted on its guide and engages behind a profile strip with its bracket arm, which profile strip can be a component part of the guide for the bearing parts.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein the mounting base has an angular section with two legs, one leg serves for fastening the constructional unit and for mounting the support part, while the other leg has a continuous bore hole and is partially cut out, wherein this cut out portion receives the articulated part via two pins which engage in the bore holes of the two adjoining leg parts, these two leg parts directly forming the bearing parts for the articulated part.

14. The device according to claim 8, wherein the carrier serving for the attachment of the constructional unit extends parallel to the swivel axis of the sheet and an underside of the carrier supports longitudinally extending light-directing shades in which illumination means are arranged.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the constructional unit is fastened at the underside of the carrier parallel to the light-directing shades and an upper side of the carrier serves as a so-called sales countertop of a merchandise counter.

16. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the carrier is formed by an extruded section in which the light-directing shade is integrated.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein the light-directing shade has a section piece which is formed on integrally therewith and serves for fastening the constructional unit to the carrier.

18. The device according to claim 14, wherein the constructional unit is fastened to the upper side of the carrier, while the light-directing shade is mounted at the underside of the carrier.

19. The device according to claim 14, wherein guides for the at least one support part and/or bearing parts and, where appropriate, longitudinally extending bore holes for receiving bearing pins for the articulated part are integrated directly at the carrier or section piece of the light-directing shades.

20. The device according to claim 1, wherein the articulated part has a holding groove extending parallel to its swivel axis for receiving an edge region of the sheet.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein the holding groove has a holding profile which tapers in a wedge-shaped manner and receives the edge region of the sheet and at least one holding strip with a wedge-shaped cross section, wherein a sequence of arrangement of the sheet and holding strip in the holding groove can be reversed.