Patent Description:
Refrigerated and frozen goods are placed in refrigeration devices such as display cabinets for sales and display. In general, display cabinets are equipped with glass doors to provide consumers with a visible area so that the consumers can access the products. Due to a temperature difference between the refrigeration device and the outside, hot air moisture gathers on a glass surface of the cold glass door to produce condensation, which prevents the consumers from seeing the products in the display cabinet. For this reason, a heating film is added to the glass door to eliminate the above phenomenon.

<FIG> show the structure and embodiment of an existing glass door on which a heating film is arranged. The glass door includes a double-layer glass <NUM>', and an opaque frame <NUM>' disposed along the side of the double-layer glass <NUM>'. The frame <NUM>' may be made of materials such as aluminum and plastics, e.g., PVC. A conductive film <NUM>' is provided on the surface of one piece of glass, and cables <NUM>', <NUM>' are connected to two electrodes <NUM>', <NUM>' of the conductive film <NUM>'. As can be seen from the figures, the cable <NUM>' connected to the bottom electrode <NUM>' passes through one side of the frame <NUM>'. Since the frame <NUM>' is opaque, the inside of the frame <NUM>' provides space for cables to pass through.

Nowadays, there emerges a glass door equipped with a transparent frame. When this glass door is provided with a heating film to prevent condensation, the wiring of cables becomes a problem, since the cables will be seen if they are arranged inside the frame, which is undesirable.

<CIT> discloses a heated glass system and insulating glass unit, and a sheet of low emissivity glass with a resistive coating which is connected to a power source.

<CIT> discloses a safety device for a refrigerator door containing a conductive-coated tempered glass panel.

The technical problem to be solved by the present application is to provide a glass assembly for a refrigeration device equipped with a transparent frame.

Viewed from a first aspect, the present invention provides a glass assembly for a refrigeration device as claimed in claim <NUM>.

The first and second conductive heating films function after being powered to eliminate condensation on the glass assembly. Cables can be led out from the terminals, and the cables do not pass through the frame. Herein, the term "terminal" is used to connect the cable to power the conductive heating film. As to the first terminal and the second terminal, the former may be a current input terminal, and the latter may be a current output terminal; or the former may be the current output terminal, and the latter may be the current input terminal.

In an embodiment of the glass assembly, the first conductive heating film and the second conductive heating film are located within a separation space defined by the first glass sheet and the second glass sheet. Optionally, the first conductive heating film and the second conductive heating film are disposed on a corresponding surface of the first glass sheet that faces the separation space and a corresponding surface of the second glass sheet that faces the separation space. Optionally, the first conductive heating film is disposed on an inner surface of the first glass sheet, and the second conductive heating film is disposed on an inner surface of the second glass sheet.

In an embodiment of the glass assembly, it further includes a conductive structure fixed on the frame, and the first conductive heating film and the second conductive heating film are connected to each other through the conductive structure.

In an embodiment of the glass assembly, the first conductive heating film and the second conductive heating film each have a pair of current bars. The first conductive heating film is provided with a first current bar at the first edge for connecting with the second conductive heating film, and is provided with a second current bar at the second edge for connecting with one of the first and second terminals; the second conductive heating film is provided at the first edge with a third current bar having the same connection mode as the first current bar, and is provided at the second edge with a fourth current bar having the same connection mode as the second current bar; wherein the third current bar is used to connect with the first conductive heating film, and the fourth current bar is used to connect with the other one of the first and second terminals.

In an embodiment of the glass assembly, the glass assembly is used to a door of a refrigerating display cabinet.

The present application adopts the technical solution of two conductive heating films, in which cables are directly led out from terminals of the conductive heating films, and the cables do not pass through the transparent frame. The first terminal and the second terminal are disposed at the same edge, the cables are led out from the same side, which is convenient for wiring, and the two conductive heating films are connected on the other side. The solution of the present application thus eliminates the need to dispose cables inside the frame. The present application not only adds the heating films to the transparent glass assembly to solve the problem of condensation, but also improves the aesthetics of the glass assembly. Consumers can see the products displayed inside the refrigeration device through a larger field of view. The solution of the present application also saves wiring work and improves the assembly efficiency of the glass assembly.

The glass assembly involved in the present application has a wider range of application, especially under environmental conditions with high humidity. For example, the refrigeration device equipped with the glass assembly involved in the present application can be used in an environment with a temperature of <NUM> and a humidity of <NUM>%.

Also described herein is a glass assembly for a refrigeration device, which includes:.

In the glass assembly, the conductive heating film may be disposed on one side or both sides of the intermediate glass sheet.

The present application adopts the technical solution of a plurality of conductive heating films, in which cables are directly led out from terminals of the conductive heating films, and the cables do not pass through the transparent frame.

Other aspects and features of the present application will become apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the drawings. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are intended for purposes of illustration only, rather than defining the scope of the present application, which should be determined with reference to the appended claims. It should also be understood that the drawings are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structure and flowchart described herein, and it is not necessary to draw the figures to the scale, unless otherwise specified.

The present application will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of specific embodiments with reference to the drawings, in which identical elements are denoted by identical reference signs throughout the drawings, in which:.

To help those skilled in the art precisely understand the subject matter of the present application, specific embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The glass assembly according to the present application is used for glass doors of refrigeration devices such as refrigeration cabinets, display cabinets and the like. Herein, the refrigeration cabinets and the display cabinets may be vertical or horizontal. The glass door may be a rotatable door or a sliding door.

<FIG> show schematic views of an embodiment of a glass assembly according to the present application. The glass assembly includes a first glass sheet <NUM> and a second glass sheet <NUM>. The first glass sheet <NUM> and the second glass sheet <NUM> are spaced apart, and a separation space <NUM> is defined between the first glass sheet <NUM> and the second glass sheet <NUM>. The first glass sheet <NUM> and the second glass sheet <NUM> are both rectangular, each having four sides, and the frame <NUM> is arranged along these sides, whereby the frame <NUM> constitutes a support for the glass assembly. The frame <NUM> includes two opposed first sides <NUM> and two opposed second sides <NUM>. The first glass sheet <NUM> and the second glass sheet <NUM> each have a first edge <NUM> and a second edge <NUM> that are parallel to the first sides <NUM>.

A first conductive heating film <NUM> and a second conductive heating film <NUM> are provided on a surface of the first glass sheet <NUM> that faces the separation space <NUM> and a surface of the second glass sheet <NUM> that faces the separation space <NUM>, respectively. The first conductive heating film <NUM> and the second conductive heating film <NUM> may be prepared and plated onto the corresponding glass sheets through a known process. The films are thin films with certain conductivity, high visible-light transmittance, high mechanical hardness and good chemical stability. When energized, the films can emit heat to generate thermal energy.

Terminals are provided at one of the first and second edges <NUM>, <NUM> to connect with the first conductive heating film <NUM> and the second conductive heating film <NUM> respectively. As shown, the terminals include a first terminal <NUM> and a second terminal <NUM>, both of which are provided at the second edge <NUM>. The first terminal <NUM> is connected with the first conductive heating film <NUM>, and the second terminal <NUM> is connected with the second conductive heating film <NUM>. At the first edge <NUM>, the first conductive heating film <NUM> and the second conductive heating film <NUM> are connected. In the illustrated embodiment, the first conductive heating film <NUM> is provided with a set of current bars at the first edge <NUM> and the second edge <NUM> to realize the above connection. The set of current bars includes a first current bar <NUM> and a second current bar <NUM>. The first current bar <NUM> is used to connect with the second conductive heating film <NUM> near the first edge <NUM>, and the second current bar <NUM> is used to connect with the first terminal <NUM> near the second edge <NUM>. The same connection mode applies to the second conductive heating film <NUM>. The current bars of the second conductive heating film <NUM> include a third current bar <NUM> and a fourth current bar <NUM>. The third current bar <NUM> is used to connect with the first conductive heating film <NUM> near the first edge <NUM>, and the fourth current bar <NUM> is used to connect with the second terminal <NUM> near the second edge <NUM>.

The first terminal <NUM> and the second terminal <NUM> are used to connect with cables, wherein one of them may be a current input terminal, and the other one may be a current output terminal, or one of them may be the current output terminal, and the other one may be the current input terminal. For alternate current, the input and output terminals can be connected to live wire and neutral wire; and for direct current, the input and output terminals are positive and negative electrodes.

The first conductive heating film <NUM> and the second conductive heating film <NUM> are connected in series at the first edge <NUM>, such as by a conductive structure <NUM> as shown, which is fixed on the frame <NUM>. The conductive structure <NUM> may be in various known forms of electrical connection. At the second edge <NUM>, the first conductive heating film <NUM> is connected to the cable such as a first cable <NUM> through the first terminal <NUM>, and the second conductive heating film <NUM> is connected to the cable such as a second cable <NUM> through the second terminal <NUM>, respectively. Therefore, the current from the second cable <NUM> flows through the second conductive heating film <NUM>, the conductive structure <NUM> and the first conductive heating film <NUM> in sequence, and flows out of the first cable <NUM>. Since the cables <NUM> and <NUM> are both disposed at the same edge, a power supply may be disposed nearby at the second edge <NUM> for facilitating connection.

The frame <NUM> has at least one transparent side <NUM>. As shown, the two second sides <NUM> of the frame <NUM> are transparent, so the transparent area is increased on the basis of the transparent area defined by the first and second glass sheets <NUM>, <NUM>. That is, the area of the visible field that can be seen through the glass assembly is the total area covered by the first/second glass sheet <NUM> (<NUM>) and the two second sides <NUM>. The transparent side <NUM> may be made of polymethyl methacrylate material (PMMA), for example. The cables <NUM>, <NUM> are led out from the first and second terminals <NUM>, <NUM> at the second edge <NUM> without passing through the transparent second sides <NUM>.

When the surface temperature of the glass is lower than the dew point temperature of the air in contact with the surface, condensed mist is formed on the glass surface. The condensed mist is a product of the combination of the surface temperature and moisture from the surrounding air. Providing the conductive heating films on the glass sheet can eliminate this phenomenon. When the second sides <NUM> of the frame are made transparent, the cable has nowhere to hide since if the cables pass through the interior of the second sides <NUM>, they will affect the field of view of the observer and the aesthetics of the glass assembly. According to the concept of the present application, the cables are all provided at the edges, thereby avoiding the use of cables inside the frame <NUM>.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first sides <NUM> of the frame are horizontal and opaque, the second sides <NUM> are vertical and transparent, and the cables <NUM>, <NUM> are led out at the second edge <NUM> which is along the first side <NUM>; or the first sides <NUM> of the frame are transparent, the second sides <NUM> are opaque, and the cables <NUM>, <NUM> are led out at an other edge which is along the second side <NUM>.

In the illustrated embodiment, the glass assembly is double glass sheets, and the two conductive heating films <NUM>, <NUM> are disposed on the inner surfaces of the two glass sheets <NUM>, <NUM> respectively. Of course, the glass assembly may also be composed of more glass sheets. Condensed mist appears on the outermost glass sheet and the innermost glass sheet, such as the first glass sheet <NUM> and the second glass sheet <NUM> in the illustrated embodiment (when the door is opened, the innermost glass sheet has a chance to contact the outside at a higher temperature, so there may be condensed mist on the innermost glass sheet). The conductive heating film may be applied to the glass sheet where condensed mist may appear. For example, without limitation, in the case of three glass sheets, two conductive heating films are disposed on the outermost glass sheet and the innermost glass sheet respectively.

According to the concept of the present application, a plurality of conductive heating films are provided, and the current flows through these conductive heating films sequentially to supply power to them, thereby avoiding the arrangement of cables inside the frame. <FIG> shows another embodiment of the glass assembly according to the present application. The glass assembly includes a first glass sheet <NUM>, a second glass sheet <NUM>, and an intermediate glass sheet <NUM>. The first glass sheet <NUM> and the second glass sheet <NUM> are spaced apart from each other, and the intermediate glass sheet <NUM> is disposed in the separation space <NUM> between the first and second glass sheets <NUM> and <NUM>, and is also spaced apart from the first glass sheet <NUM> and the second glass sheet <NUM> respectively. A total of three conductive heating films are provided, namely, the first conductive heating film <NUM> on a surface of the first glass sheet <NUM> that faces the separation space <NUM>, the second conductive heating film <NUM> on a surface of the second glass sheet <NUM> that faces the separation space <NUM>, and a third conductive heating film <NUM> facing the second conductive heating film <NUM> on the intermediate glass sheet <NUM>. The first conductive heating film <NUM> is connected to the first terminal <NUM> through the first current bar <NUM> at the first edge <NUM>, and the second conductive heating film <NUM> is connected to the second terminal <NUM> through the fourth current bar <NUM> at the second edge <NUM>. The first conductive heating film <NUM> is connected to the third conductive heating film <NUM> through the second current bar <NUM> and a sixth current bar <NUM> at the second edge <NUM>, and the second conductive heating film <NUM> is connected to the third conductive heating film <NUM> through the third current bar <NUM> and a fifth current bar <NUM> at the first edge <NUM>. Therefore, the first conductive heating film <NUM>, the third conductive heating film <NUM> and the second conductive heating film <NUM> are connected sequentially in series, and constitute a loop with an external power supply (not shown) through the first terminal <NUM> and the second terminal <NUM>.

The series connection may be achieved by a conductive structure. That is, a first conductive structure <NUM> is disposed between the second current bar <NUM> and the sixth current bar <NUM> at the second edge <NUM>, and a second conductive structure <NUM> is disposed between the fifth current bar <NUM> and the third current bar <NUM> at the first edge <NUM>.

In the illustrated embodiment, there is still no need to arrange the cables inside the frame. At the outside, the cables <NUM>, <NUM> are connected to the first terminal <NUM> and the second terminal <NUM> only, and at the inside, several conductive heating films <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> are connected to each other.

The intermediate glass sheet <NUM> may be provided with a conductive heating film on one side as shown in <FIG>, or may be provided with conductive heating films on both sides as shown in <FIG>, which illustrates yet another embodiment of the glass assembly according to the present application.

As shown in <FIG>, a fourth conductive heating film <NUM> is added. The first conductive heating film <NUM> and the second conductive heating film <NUM> are connected with the first terminal <NUM> and the second terminal <NUM> respectively so as to be further connected to an external power supply (not shown). Internally, the first conductive heating film <NUM> is connected with the fourth conductive heating film <NUM>, the fourth conductive heating film <NUM> is additionally connected with the third conductive heating film <NUM>, and the third conductive heating film <NUM> is additionally connected with the second conductive heating film <NUM>. The conductive structure includes a first conductive structure <NUM> connecting the first current bar <NUM> and a seventh current bar <NUM>, a second conductive structure <NUM> connecting an eighth current bar <NUM> and the sixth current bar <NUM>, and a third conductive structure <NUM> connecting the fifth current bar <NUM> and the third current bar <NUM>.

The second conductive structure <NUM> connecting the third and fourth conductive heating films <NUM> and <NUM> on the intermediate glass sheet <NUM> may also be replaced by other series connection methods. For example, without limitation, cables may be led out from the sixth current bar <NUM> and the eighth current bar <NUM> respectively and may be connected to each other. The advantage of this type of connection is that it is not necessary to provide holes in the intermediate glass sheet <NUM> to implement serial connection.

According to the concept of the present application, by analogy, more glass intermediate sheets and more conductive heating films may be disposed in the glass assembly.

Claim 1:
A glass assembly for a refrigeration device, comprising:
at least a first glass sheet (<NUM>) and a second glass sheet (<NUM>) that are spaced apart from each other, the first glass sheet (<NUM>) and the second glass sheet (<NUM>) each having a first edge (<NUM>) and an opposed second edge (<NUM>);
a first conductive heating film (<NUM>) attached to the first glass sheet (<NUM>) and a second conductive heating film (<NUM>) attached to the second glass sheet (<NUM>); and
first and second terminals disposed at one of the first edge (<NUM>) and the second edge (<NUM>), the first and second terminals being respectively connected to the first conductive heating film (<NUM>) and the second conductive heating film (<NUM>), and the first conductive heating film (<NUM>) and the second conductive heating film (<NUM>) being connected to each other at the other one of the first edge (<NUM>) and the second edge (<NUM>);
wherein a frame (<NUM>) is disposed along the sides of the first glass sheet (<NUM>) and the second glass sheet (<NUM>),
wherein the frame (<NUM>) has two mutually parallel first sides (<NUM>) and two mutually parallel second sides (<NUM>), and the first edge (<NUM>) and the second edge (<NUM>) are arranged along the first sides (<NUM>),
characterised in that the frame (<NUM>) comprises two transparent sides (<NUM>) arranged in a vertical direction along the second sides (<NUM>).