Refrigerator display cabinet with thermally insulated pivotable all glass front window panel
First Claim
1. A refrigerator display case comprising a cabinet for containing refrigerated items, said cabinet having a front opening, a plurality of window panels disposed in side-by-side relation, means supporting said panels for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis between a lowered position closing said cabinet opening and a raised position for permitting access to the interior of said cabinet through said opening, said panels each having an outer glass pane and inner glass pane, said glass panes of each panel being disposed in side-by-side relation with a spacer interposed therebetween for maintaining said glass panes in parallel relation with an air space therebetween, said spacer of each panel including a pair of side spacer members disposed between said glass panes adjacent opposite peripheral sides of the glass panes and upper and lower spacer members disposed between the glass panes adjacent upper and lower peripheral ends thereof, said upper spacer member being in the form of a pivot bar disposed partially between said outer and inner glass panes, said pivot bar having at least one hinge mounting section disposed below said outer glass pane but extending beyond the upper peripheral end of said inner glass pane so as to define an exposed mounting surface, and said panel supporting means including at least one hinge assembly for each panel, and said hinge assembly having a pivotally mounted hinge plate secured to said exposed mounting surface of said pivot bar hinge mounting section, including a side sealing member secured to at least one side spacer member of each window panel with a sealing portion extending outwardly from between the glass panes beyond side peripheral edges of the glass panes of the panel for side-by-side sealing engagement with the side sealing member of an adjacent panel when said panels are in the closed position.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A refrigerator display case having a plurality of insulated glass window panels mounted in side-by-side relation for pivotal movement about an upper horizontal pivot axis. Each of the window panels has a substantially all glass front appearance, unencumbered by external hardware, trim or moldings. To achieve such appearance, the upper spacer element of the window panel is in the form of a pivot bar completely concealed by an outer glass pane of the panel, but which has an exposed underside mounting surface to which a hinge plate is connected. Each window panel has side sealing members secured to respective side spacers and with a blade portion extending outwardly from the peripheral edges of the glass panes of the window panel for side-by-side sealing engagement with the side sealing members of adjacent window panels when the window panels are in a closed position. Such side sealing members permit the window panels to be mounted in relatively closely spaced adjacent relation, further contributing to the all glass appearance of the panels.
44 Citations
26 Claims
- 1. A refrigerator display case comprising a cabinet for containing refrigerated items, said cabinet having a front opening, a plurality of window panels disposed in side-by-side relation, means supporting said panels for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis between a lowered position closing said cabinet opening and a raised position for permitting access to the interior of said cabinet through said opening, said panels each having an outer glass pane and inner glass pane, said glass panes of each panel being disposed in side-by-side relation with a spacer interposed therebetween for maintaining said glass panes in parallel relation with an air space therebetween, said spacer of each panel including a pair of side spacer members disposed between said glass panes adjacent opposite peripheral sides of the glass panes and upper and lower spacer members disposed between the glass panes adjacent upper and lower peripheral ends thereof, said upper spacer member being in the form of a pivot bar disposed partially between said outer and inner glass panes, said pivot bar having at least one hinge mounting section disposed below said outer glass pane but extending beyond the upper peripheral end of said inner glass pane so as to define an exposed mounting surface, and said panel supporting means including at least one hinge assembly for each panel, and said hinge assembly having a pivotally mounted hinge plate secured to said exposed mounting surface of said pivot bar hinge mounting section, including a side sealing member secured to at least one side spacer member of each window panel with a sealing portion extending outwardly from between the glass panes beyond side peripheral edges of the glass panes of the panel for side-by-side sealing engagement with the side sealing member of an adjacent panel when said panels are in the closed position.
- 15. A refrigerator display case comprising a cabinet for containing refrigerated items, said cabinet having a front opening, a plurality of window panels disposed in side-by-side relation with a side of one panel in closely spaced relation to a side of an adjacent panel, means supporting said panels for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis between a lowered position closing said cabinet opening and a raised position for permitting access to the interior of said cabinet through said opening, said panels each including a pair of glass panes disposed in side-by-side relation with a spacer interposed between said panes for maintaining said panes in parallel relation with an air space therebetween, said spacer including a pair of side spacer members disposed between said glass panes adjacent opposite peripheral sides thereof and upper and lower spacer members disposed between said glass panes adjacent upper and lower peripheral ends thereof respectively, and a side sealing member secured to at least one side spacer member of each window panel with a sealing portion extending outwardly from between the glass panes beyond side peripheral edges of the glass panes of the panel for side-by-side sealing engagement with the side sealing member of an adjacent panel when said panels are in the closed position.
Specification