Abstract:
A chest refrigerator and/or freezer with a carcass and a cover movable relative to the carcass, includes a pane, preferably a pane of glass or plastics, or is formed by the pane, with a heating element provided by which the pane can be heated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a chest refrigerator and/or freezer with a carcass and a cover movable relative to the carcass, which includes a pane, preferably a pane of glass or plastics. 
     Such chest refrigerators and/or freezers are known as commercial chests, such as ice chests. In general, they include a carcass for receiving the goods to be refrigerated and/or frozen, the top side of which can be closed for instance by a slidable cover, which includes a preferably transparent pane, preferably a pane of glass or plastics. One disadvantage of such chests consists in that in particular with increased atmospheric moisture it can occur that the moisture can be deposited on the comparatively cold cover of the chest and hence also on its pane. Such dewing of the cover, however, is undesirable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is the object of the invention to develop a chest as mentioned above such that said problem of dewing of the pane of the cover is avoided. 
     This object is solved by a chest refrigerator and/or freezer with the features herein. Accordingly, it is provided that the chest includes a heating means, by means of which the pane can be heated. In this way, it is possible to prevent dewing of the pane. The type and arrangement of the heating means largely can be chosen as desired. It is conceivable, for instance, to provide an electrically operated, i.e. current-carrying heating means. In an advantageous aspect of the invention, the carcass and the cover of the chest refrigerator and/or freezer include contact elements, by means of which the heating means can be connected with a power source. In such an embodiment, a flow of current, possibly upon actuation of a further switching element, requires that the one or more contact elements of the cover are electrically connected with those of the carcass. Depending on the arrangement of the contact elements, an embodiment can be realized, in which an electrically conducting connection between the contact elements only is effected when the cover completely or at least largely is in its closed position. 
     Accordingly, it can be provided that in the closed or largely closed condition of the cover the contact elements of the cover are in electrically conducting contact with the contact elements of the carcass. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that one or more contact elements are designed such that their position and/or shape can be varied in dependence on the position of the cover. It is conceivable, for instance, to use linearly movable contact elements or resilient tabs, which are moved, bent or tensioned when making contact. 
     A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is obtained in that at least one contact element is a movable contact pin. The contact pin(s) can be spring-loaded (spring contact). It can be provided that the contact pin(s) is(are) retracted when the cover is closed, and is(are) extended by the spring force when the cover is opened. The contact elements can be arranged such that their direction of movement corresponds to that of the cover. When the cover is a sliding cover, it can thus be provided that the direction of movement of the contact pins corresponds to the direction in which the cover is slidable. 
     In a further aspect of the invention it is provided that at least one contact element is a plate. It is conceivable, for instance, that the cover includes one or more such plates, which in the closed position of the cover or just before reaching the same make an electrically conducting connection with contact pins disposed on the carcass of the chest. 
     Accordingly, it can be provided that on the carcass or cover of the chest refrigerator and/or freezer two movable pin or spring-loaded contact elements are disposed and on the other part two plate contact elements are disposed. 
     In a further aspect of the invention a switch is provided, which will only be closed in the closed condition of the cover and in this position closes the electric circuit for energizing the heating means. The switch preferably is disposed on the carcass. Such aspect of the invention effects that a flow of current does not occur already when the contact elements of the cover are connected with those of the carcass, but only when the switch is actuated, which preferably constitutes a microswitch. 
     Closing the electric circuit by means of a switch only after closing the cover involves the advantage that the contact elements are spared considerably, which leads to a corresponding extension of the useful life. 
     An embodiment where a flow of current only is effected in the closed condition of the cover also provides an increased safety, as in this embodiment of the invention a flow of current preferably as a result of the switch only closed with closed cover only is effected when the cover is closed and the contact elements no longer are accessible. 
     As stated above, the type of heating means largely can be chosen as desired. It can be formed for instance by a current-carrying conductor or by a heating foil (nano coating) of the pane. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained in detail with reference to an embodiment illustrated in the drawing, in which: 
         FIG. 1 : shows a cross-sectional view of the cover of a chest refrigerator and/or freezer and of the region of the carcass of the chest refrigerator and/or freezer in which the cover rests in the closed condition, and 
         FIG. 2 : shows a longitudinal sectional view of the cover and of the region of the carcass as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows a cross-sectional view of the terminal region of the cover  10  of a chest refrigerator and/or freezer. The cover  10  is slidably mounted and in its closed position closes the carcass of the chest refrigerator and/or freezer. The cover  10  includes a glass plate  20 , in whose terminal region shown on the right a handle strip  30  is disposed. 
     On the upper surface of the glass plate  20 , the heating foil or nano coating  22  is provided, which serves as heating means. The same is electrically connected with two contact plates  40  which are provided in the terminal region of the cover  10 , which forms the closing region. As is furthermore shown in  FIG. 1 , the lead connecting the contact plate  40  with the nano coating  22  extends through a bore of the handle strip  30 . 
       FIG. 1  furthermore shows the upper terminal region  50  of the carcass or of a frame of the carcass of the chest refrigerator and/or freezer, in which the cover  10  rests in its closed position. The terminal region  50  includes a step-shaped shoulder  52 , against which the cover  10  rests in its closed position. In the vertical wall  54  of the shoulder  52 , a spring-loaded contact pin  60  is provided, which is received in a housing located in the terminal region  50  of the carcass. The contact pin  60  is designed to be linearly movable in horizontal direction and in all positions is electrically connected with the supply line  70  which connects the contact pin  60  with a power source (e.g. 12 V d.c.). 
       FIG. 2  shows the arrangement of  FIG. 1  in a longitudinal sectional view.  FIG. 2  clearly illustrates that for forming an electric circuit, the cover  10  includes two contact plates  40  and the terminal region  50  of the carcass includes two spring-loaded contact pins  60 . 
       FIG. 2  furthermore shows that the terminal region  50  of the carcass includes a microswitch  80 , which is arranged such that it is actuated in the closed position of the cover  10  and closes the electric circuit. The switch  80  is disposed in the line  72  which connects one of the contact pins  60  with the power source. 
     When the cover  10  is moved to the right from its position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , i.e. in the direction of its closed position, the two contact plates  40  of the cover  10  come in contact with the contact pins  60  disposed on the carcass of the chest refrigerator and/or freezer. Thereby, the contact pins  60  are retracted into their housing, i.e. moved to the right, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . However, a flow of current and thus a heating of the glass plate  20  only is effected when the cover  10  or its handle strip  30  actuates the microswitch  80 , which is the case when the cover  10  snaps into its end position. When the switch  80  is actuated, the electric circuit is closed and the current flows through the heating foil or nano coating  22  of the glass plate  20  via the contact pins  60  or the contact plates  40 .