Refrigerated Case

Abstract

A refrigerated display case has a body (72), at least one door (28; 32) coupled to the body, and an internal refrigerated compartment (24). The case includes a lighted sign apparatus (32) mounted to the body. The apparatus includes a bulb (64), a housing (60), and an at least partially transparent and/or translucent sign (62) carried by the housing. A number of extractable snap fasteners (120) extend through associated holes (150) in the housing and engage the sign to retain the sign in an installed condition.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Benefit is claimed of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/744,048, filed Mar. 31, 2006, and entitled “Refrigerated Case”, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein as if set forth at length.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to refrigerated cases. More particularly, the invention relates to lighted signs for such cases.

In several configurations of refrigerated case (including freezers), a backlit sign is positioned along a header above the case doors. The sign includes an at least partially transparent or translucent panel held in front of one or more lightbulbs. Such panels must often be removed (e.g., to replace the panels or replace the bulbs). Various panel retention mechanisms are known. In one group, the panel is held within a metallic frame. A lip of the frame engages a perimeter portion of the panel front surface/face. A lower edge of the panel may be supported by a bottom portion of the frame. To retain the panel against rearward movement, a plurality of screws extend through the frame. Tip portions of the screws in the interior of the frame engage a perimeter portion of the panel rear surface/face.

To remove the panel for panel or bulb replacement, some or all of the screws are at least partially unscrewed to retract their tip portions and permit disengagement of the tip portions from the panel rear face. The panel may then be rotated and/or translated in a series of movements to permit its removal (optionally including a slight bending/flexing of the panel). Panel replacement/reinstallation may be by a reverse of this process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Such use of screws may have one or more of several disadvantages. Unscrewing and rescrewing may be cumbersome and time-consuming. The potential exists for stripping of the screwhead and/or the frame hole.

Accordingly, one aspect of the invention involves a refrigerated display case having a body, at least one door coupled to the body, and an internal refrigerated compartment. The case includes a lighted sign apparatus mounted to the body. The apparatus includes a bulb, a housing, and an at least partially transparent and/or translucent sign carried by the housing. A number of extractable snap fasteners extend through associated holes in the housing and engage the sign to retain the sign in an installed condition.

In various implementations, the snap fasteners may include a first group along the bottom of the housing and a second group along a top of the housing. The snap fasteners may consist essentially of nylon. The snap fasteners may comprise a head and a transversely-apertured shaft depending from the head. The housing may comprise first and second pieces. The first piece may essentially form a top and first side of the housing and the second piece may essentially form a bottom and second side of the housing. The sign may be replaceable by extracting at least one of the fasteners, removing the sign, replacing the sign with a replacement sign, and replacing the extracted fastener(s). A similar process may be used for bulb replacement.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of a refrigerated case.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a header-mounted sign of the case of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view of a housing of the sign of FIG. 2 with a sign panel exploded forward.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the housing of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the housing of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the housing of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a first member of the housing of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the member of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of a second member of the housing of FIG. 3.

FIG. 10 is a rear view of the member of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a front view of a fastener of the housing of FIG. 3.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the fastener of FIG. 11.

Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a refrigerated case 20 having a housing 22 surrounding an interior compartment 24. In the exemplary case 22, a recirculating airflow is directed from/to the compartment 24 by a refrigeration equipment cassette 26 (e.g., containing the compressor, heat exchangers, expansion device, fans, and the like). The exemplary case 20 has a pair of doors 28 and 30. Above upper edges of the doors, the exemplary case includes a lighted sign 32.

Each exemplary door includes a frame 40 holding one or more glass or other transparent panes 42. Each exemplary door is supported by a pair of upper and lower hinges 44 and 46 and has an opposite handle 48. The door may be held in a closed condition by means of a magnetic seal, biasing spring, or gravity cam device (not shown). An exemplary sign 32 extends essentially full case width and spans the doors. The exemplary sign 32 includes a frame or housing 60 holding a sign panel 62 in front of a lightbulb 64. Via an appropriate combination of opaque, transparent, and translucent areas of different color, opacity, texture, and the like, the panel 62 provides a lighted graphitic having design and/or written elements.

The exemplary bulb 64 is an elongate transversely-extending florescent bulb. FIG. 2 shows the bulb 64 on a fixture 66 mounted to a front surface 68 of a header area 70 of a main housing body 72. FIG. 2 further shows the panel 62 as having front and rear faces 80 and 82 and upper and lower edges 84 and 86. The housing may be formed from one or more sheetmetal (e.g., stainless or coated steel) pieces, cut and bent to shape. An exemplary housing may be formed from one or more sheetmetal pieces (e.g., cut and bent stainless or coated steel) to enclose an interior space 88.

The exemplary housing forms an upper wall 90 and a lower wall 92. A lip 94 extends downward (depends) from a forward edge of the upper wall 90. A similar lip 96 extends upward from a forward edge of the lower wall. A rear end portion of the upper wall 90 overlaps a forward portion of an upper surface 100 of the main housing body 72. To mount the housing 60 to the main housing body 72, screws (e.g., sheetmetal screws) 102 may extend through holes in the overlapping portions. Exemplary screws are self-threading, passing with clearance through apertures in the upper wall 90 and threaded into the apertures in the main housing body 72. Similarly, a rear lip 110 may depend from a rear edge of the lower wall 92. The lip 110 may similarly be secured to the main housing body 72 along the front surface 68.

The rear faces of the lips 94 and 96 engage adjacent perimeter portions of the front face 80 of the panel 62. Perimeter portions of the rear face 82 may be retained by upper and lower arrays of snap fasteners 120 extending through the upper and lower walls, respectively. Exemplary snap fasteners are “arrow clips” available from Micro Plastics, Inc, Flippin, Ark. Gaps may be provided in one or both of the overlapping portion of the top wall or the rear lip 110 to accommodate, for example, adjacent hinges, latches, and the like.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the housing 60 as including respective left and right sidewalls 122 and 124 (left being viewed from the point of view of the case rather than a person facing the case).

FIGS. 7-10 show an exemplary housing formed of two metal pieces, a first piece 130 (FIGS. 7 and 8) forms the upper wall 90 and lip 94 as well as the left sidewall 122 and associated front lip. Similarly, the second piece 140 (FIGS. 9 and 10) forms the lower wall 92 and its associated lips as well as the right sidewall 124 and an associated front lip. The two pieces may be secured to each other (e.g., by screwing, riveting, tack welding, or the like). The upper wall 94 and lower wall 92 include pluralities of holes/apertures 150 for receiving the fasteners 120.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show the snap fasteners having a head 200 and a shaft 202 depending from the head and extending to a tip 204. The exemplary shaft has a transverse central aperture 206 which may provide a resilient bias for shaft branches along either side of the aperture. The exemplary branch outer surfaces 210 have a first relaxed separation at a central location, tapering both distally and proximally therefrom to provide for snap fit insertion and removable extraction through a complementary hole 150 in the housing. The exemplary complementary hole 150 is elongate to correspond to the elongate cross-section of the fastener. The exemplary fasteners are non-barbed to provide non-destructive removability (e.g., by placing a fork-like tool between the head and the housing and prying). The non-destructability allows for re-insertion. Alternative embodiments may involve fasteners which are destroyed or damaged and may be replaced with replacement fasteners. Exemplary fasteners are of a polymeric or plastic material such as nylon. For easy tool access, the holes may be oriented longitudinally (i.e., with their longer dimension front-to-back).

One or more embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the principles may be applied in the retrofit of an existing case or the reengineering of an existing case configuration. In an exemplary retrofit or reengineering situation, existing screw holes may be enlarged to form the snap fastener holes or may be replaced or supplemented. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A refrigerated display case (20) comprising:

a body (72);

at least one door (28; 32) coupled to the body;

an internal refrigerated compartment (24);

a lighted sign apparatus (32) mounted to the body and comprising: a bulb (64); a housing (60); an at least partially transparent and/or translucent sign (62) carried by the housing; and a plurality of extractable snap fasteners (120) extending through associated holes (150) in the housing and engaging the sign (62) to retain the sign in an installed condition.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein:

the plurality of snap fasteners (120) include: a first group along a bottom of the housing; and a second group along a top of the housing.

3. The case of claim 1 wherein:

the snap fasteners (120) consist essentially of nylon.

4. The case of claim 3 wherein:

the snap fasteners comprise: a head (200); and a transversely-apertured (206) shaft (202).

5. The case of claim 1 wherein:

the housing comprises first and second pieces, the first piece (130) essentially forming a top (90) and first side (122) of the housing (60) and the second piece (140) essentially forming a bottom (92) and second side (124) of the housing.

6. With the case of claim 1, a method for replacing the sign comprising:

extracting at least one of the fasteners (120);

removing the sign (62);

replacing the sign with a replacement sign (62); and

replacing the extracted fasteners (120).

7. With the case of claim 1, a method for replacing the bulb comprising:

extracting at least one of the fasteners (120);

removing the sign (62);

removing the bulb (64);

replacing the bulb (64) with a replacement bulb (64);

replacing the sign (62); and

replacing the extracted fasteners (120).

8. A method for forming the case (20) of claim 1 comprising:

removing screws from the holes (150) or hole precursors thereof; and

replacing the screws with the snap fasteners (120).

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

enlarging the hole precursors to form the holes (150).

10. The method of claim 8 wherein:

the snap fasteners comprise: a head (200); and a transversely-apertured (206) shaft (202).

11. The case of claim 2 wherein:

the snap fasteners consist essentially of nylon and comprise: a head (200); and a transversely-apertured (206) shaft (202).

12. The case of claim 1 wherein:

the snap fasteners comprise: a head (200); and a transversely-apertured (206) shaft (202).

13. A refrigerated display case (20) comprising:

a body (72);

at least one door (28; 32) coupled to the body;

an internal refrigerated compartment (24);

a lighted sign apparatus (32) mounted to the body and comprising: a bulb (64); a housing (60); an at least partially transparent and/or translucent sign (62) carried by the housing; and non-screw means (120; 150) for retaining the sign in an installed condition.