Patent Description:
A climatization container comprises a container suitable for keeping contents stored therein under particular climatic conditions, for instance within a predetermined temperature or humidity range. Climatization containers are commonly used for storing products such as food and beverages. Particular examples include refrigerators and freezers where the primary requirement is to store food and beverages within a predetermined temperature range. Where in the present document reference is made to a particular example of a climatization container, for instance a refrigerator, this should be understood to include all types of climatization containers unless the context requires that it is limited to the particular example.

A climatization container may comprise a compartment defined by walls and closable by a door. Within the compartment is a shelf support, or series of shelf supports, supporting one or more shelves. On each shelf products, for instance food and beverage products, may be stored. The dimensions, particularly the thickness, of a shelf may be determined in part based on the weight of the products to be supported. It is known to form a shelf from a sheet of metal or plastic and then fold the outer edges of the shelf to increase the rigidity of the sheet and thus allow a thinner sheet material to be used. Particularly, the edges of the sheet may be bent downwards approximately at <NUM>° to the main part of the shelf. However, it will be appreciated that folding over the edges of a sheet increases the apparent thickness of the shelf.

Products stored within a climatization container may be typically viewed from a first direction, a side of the container which is closed by a door. The door may be opened to view products, or the door may be transparent. Where multiple shelves are positioned within the compartment the products and the shelves may be closely packed. In such a situation when a user of the climatization container looks into the container, particularly when looking downwards at an angle into a container with a vertical door, each shelf may partially occlude the view of products on the shelf below. This restriction of the field of view of the user is proportional to the thickness of the shelf: a thicker shelf restricts the field of view for products below the shelf more than a thin shelf.

It would be advantageous to provide an alternative form of shelf that improves the view of products positioned on the shelves.

<CIT> discloses a shelf support in which lateral folded bent sections are formed by multiply folding sheet metal to reinforce the shelf support. <CIT> discloses a climatization container according to the preamble of claim <NUM>.

The present invention provides a climatization container according to claim <NUM>, including a shelf comprising: a sheet comprising a shelf surface and a first folded portion at a front edge of the shelf; wherein the first folded portion is folded relative the shelf surface such that the shelf surface and the first folded portion meet at an acute angle.

Advantageously, because the front edge of each shelf is folded underneath such that it forms an acute angle with the shelf surface, the shelf appears thinner and improves the visibility of products positioned below the shelf. Thus, the field of view of a user looking into the container for products is increased without any significant reduction in strength or rigidity of the shelf. The angle between the shelf surface and the first folded portion may be between <NUM>° and <NUM>°, preferably <NUM>°. Advantageously, an angle of <NUM>° (or close thereto) has been found to give a suitable balance between optimum viewing angle when looking into the fridge and required rigidity.

Referring to <FIG>, these illustrate respectively a refrigerator <NUM> according to the prior art and a refrigerator <NUM> according to an example of the present invention by inclusion of a shelf according to the present invention. The following description refers to refrigerators as examples of climatization containers including shelves according to the present invention. The invention is not limited only to refrigerators.

The refrigerator <NUM> in each of <FIG> comprises a compartment <NUM> defined by side walls <NUM>, <NUM>, top wall <NUM>, rear wall <NUM> and bottom wall <NUM>. The compartment <NUM> is closable at the front by doors <NUM>. The refrigerator <NUM> in each figure is viewed in perspective showing the doors <NUM>, top <NUM> and side <NUM>.

In <FIG> the doors <NUM> comprise sliding doors that may slide along rails <NUM> at the front of the top and bottom walls <NUM>, <NUM>. It will be appreciated that the shape and configuration of the refrigerator <NUM> may vary, including by the position and arrangement of doors <NUM>. As an example, the or each door <NUM> may be hinged.

Within each refrigerator <NUM> there is provide one or more shelves <NUM>. In each of <FIG> there is illustrated two shelves <NUM>, but there may be more or fewer. Each shelf <NUM> is supported by shelf supports <NUM>. The shelf supports <NUM> comprise vertical rails attached to the side walls <NUM>, <NUM> within the compartment defining a series of locating holes within which may be positioned clips (not visible in <FIG>) to support the shelves <NUM>.

Shelves <NUM> differ between the prior art of <FIG> and the example of the present invention of <FIG> according to the shape of front edge <NUM>. In <FIG> the front edge <NUM> of the prior art shelf is bent downwards at approximately <NUM>°, whereas in <FIG> the front edge <NUM> of the shelf is bent downwards and backwards such that it forms an acute angle with the shelf surface <NUM>, for instance approximately <NUM>°.

The doors <NUM> are transparent, for instance glass or plastic, so that a user can see into the refrigerator <NUM>. As an example, the refrigerator <NUM> may comprise an under counter refrigerator for use in a cafe, restaurant, pub or bar for storing beverage containers, for instance bottles. The perspective view of <FIG> thus comprises a typical viewing angle for someone looking into the refrigerator. It can be seen that the acute fold in the front edge <NUM> of the shelves <NUM> in <FIG> has the effect of causing the shelf to appear thinner (despite the body of the shelves <NUM> retaining the same thickness throughout) and thus increases the field of view of products on lower shelves <NUM>.

Referring now to <FIG>, cross sectional views of the refrigerators of <FIG> are presented such that the features of a shelf <NUM> according to an example of the present invention may be more clearly seen. <FIG> comprises a vertical cross section from front to back of the refrigerator of <FIG>. <FIG> comprises a vertical cross section from front to back of the refrigerator of <FIG>. <FIG> are identical except for the features of the shelves. Doors <NUM> are at the left-hand side of each figure. Each of <FIG> further illustrates a refrigeration system <NUM>, the details of which may be entirely conventional and will not be described here. Shelf supports <NUM> comprise a pair of vertical rails upon the inner of each sidewall <NUM>, <NUM>. Details of the clips supporting the shelves are occluded by the shelves themselves. The clips may be configured to engage slots within the vertical rails and to present a bracket to support the weight of the shelf <NUM> and include a pin to engage a corresponding hole within the shelf <NUM> to limit movement of the shelf front and back.

<FIG> comprise enlarged views of the front edge <NUM> of an upper shelf in <FIG> respectively: <FIG> shows the detail of the front edge <NUM> of a shelf according to an embodiment of the present invention. Each shelf <NUM> comprises a sheet <NUM> comprising a shelf surface <NUM>. Each sheet <NUM> further comprises a first folded portion <NUM>. Folds provided along the sides of sheet <NUM> serves to increase the rigidity of the sheet <NUM> and thus allow a thinner sheet material to be used.

Comparison of <FIG> reveals that for the prior art shelf <NUM> of <FIG> the first folded portion <NUM> is bent downwards from the plane of the shelf surface by approximately <NUM>°, whereas the first folded portion <NUM> for the prior art shelf <NUM> of <FIG> is bent downwards and backwards (towards the middle of sheet <NUM>) such that the angle between the shelf surface <NUM> and the first folded portion <NUM> is approximately <NUM>°. In certain examples the angle between the shelf surface <NUM> and the first folded portion <NUM> may be between <NUM>° and <NUM>°, for instance between <NUM>° and <NUM>° or between <NUM>° and <NUM>°. In some situations a fold angle greater than or equal to <NUM>° is beneficial to give the required degree of strength and rigidity to the shelf. This difference in fold angle provides the improvement in field of view discussed above. Each of <FIG> further includes line <NUM> which indicates the viewing angle of someone looking into the refrigerator from above. Comparison of <FIG> with <FIG> reveals how the proportion of a lower shelf <NUM> that can be viewed is increased through use of an upper shelf <NUM> according to a present invention. Advantageously, an angle of <NUM>° (or close thereto) has been found to give a suitable balance between optimum viewing angle when looking into the fridge and required rigidity. For an example application of the present invention, when the shelf is used in a fridge storing beverage bottles, the maximum shelf rating may be <NUM>. An angle of <NUM>° has been found to suffice to support such a load. Another factor that may affect shelf strength is the number of and arrangement of shelf supports. Another factor affecting shelf strength is the length of the front edge of the shelf.

The front edge <NUM> of the shelf <NUM> in <FIG> according the present invention can be seen to further comprise a second folded portion <NUM> which is bent from the first folded portion so that it returns underneath the shelf surface <NUM> approximately parallel to the plane of the shelf surface <NUM>. The edge of the sheet <NUM> is turned back on itself at the edge of the second folded portion <NUM> such that the sheet edge <NUM> is between the shelf surface <NUM> and the second folded portion <NUM>.

Also visible, particularly in <FIG>, the side edges of sheet <NUM> are bent downwards at approximately <NUM>° to the plane of the shelf surface <NUM> and then turned inwards. This may take the same form as the front edge <NUM> in <FIG>. Although not visible in <FIG>, the shelf <NUM> is rectangular and the rear edge takes the same form as the side edges.

Turning to <FIG>, this illustrates a perspective view of part of a shelf <NUM> according to the example of the present invention illustrated in <FIG>. Front edge <NUM>, and particularly first folded portion <NUM> can be seen folded back underneath the shelf surface <NUM>. Also visible is a first side edge <NUM> and a rear edge <NUM> which comprise folded portions folded down from the shelf surface at approximately <NUM>°. At corner <NUM> it can be seen that the folded portions of the front edge <NUM> and the side edge <NUM> come together to form a corner seam where portions of the sheet <NUM> abut one another.

Referring now to <FIG> this illustrates engineering drawings for production of a shelf <NUM> according to an example of the present invention. The upper part illustrates the shape required to be cut to form sheet <NUM> prior to folding, viewed from underneath. The lower left part illustrates shelf <NUM> once sheet <NUM> is folded. Cross sections and detailed views are also provided. Measurements given are in millimetres. The sheet <NUM> may be cut from <NUM> PVC coated steel sheet. Other materials may be selected as required to meet strength and aesthetic requirements.

Claim 1:
A climatization container comprising:
- a compartment (<NUM>) for storage of products, the compartment (<NUM>) being defined by walls (<NUM>-<NUM>) and closable by a door (<NUM>),
- at least one shelf (<NUM>) to support the products wherein the shelf (<NUM>) comprises a sheet (<NUM>) comprising a shelf surface (<NUM>) and a first folded portion (<NUM>) at a front edge (<NUM>) of the shelf (<NUM>), and
- a shelf support (<NUM>) to support each shelf (<NUM>) in the compartment such that in use the first folded portion (<NUM>) extends downwards from the shelf surface (<NUM>) and the front edge (<NUM>) of each shelf (<NUM>) is proximal to the door (<NUM>);
wherein the shelf (<NUM>) is rectangular and further defined by side edges (<NUM>) and a rear edge (<NUM>); and
characterized in that the first folded portion (<NUM>) is folded relative to the shelf surface such that the shelf surface (<NUM>) and the first folded portion (<NUM>) meet at an acute angle, wherein at each side and rear edge the sheet further comprises a third folded portion (<NUM>) and a fourth folded portion (<NUM>); and
wherein each third folded portion (<NUM>) is folded relative to the shelf surface (<NUM>) in the same direction as the first folded portion (<NUM>) such that the angle between the shelf surface (<NUM>) and the third folded portion (<NUM>) is approximately <NUM>°; and
wherein each fourth folded portion (<NUM>) is folded relative to the third folded portion (<NUM>) such that a plane of the fourth folded portion (<NUM>) is approximately parallel to a plane of the shelf surface (<NUM>).