Refrigerator Ice Cream Showcase With Reduced Energetic Consumption And With Increased Protection Of The Contained Products

Abstract

Refrigerator ice cream showcase with reduced energetic consumption and with increased protection of the contained products, is provided with two thermo-insulating transparent panels ( 7 ) and ( 8 ) placed above basins ( 4 ) and ( 5 ), to which may be extended in order to cover the whole refrigerated place or superimposed towards the external edge to free the basins internal row and in this position, if required, can be raised by rotation, to keep accessible all the basins. The movements can be manually impressed or by motor means or actuators means.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A refrigerator ice cream showcase providing reduced energetic consumption and increased protection of products contained therein, the showcase comprising:
 a cooling system;   a space refrigerated by said cooling system, said refrigerated space including at least one internal row ( 4 ) and at least one external row ( 5 ) of basins for containing the products;   a first thermal-insulation panel ( 7 ) and a second thermal-insulation panel ( 8 ) placed over a top of the refrigerated space, and being extendable over the internal and external rows ( 4 ,  5 ), the first thermal-insulating panel being slidable above the second thermal-insulating panel from     1 ), a closing condition (C), in which the first and second thermal-insulating panels ( 7 ,  8 ) extend over and cover the entire refrigerated space, to     2 ), an intermediate condition (I), in which the first thermal-insulating panel ( 7 ) is slid over and overlaps the second thermal-insulating panel ( 8 ) thus making accessible at least the internal row ( 4 ), the overlapped panels being blocked at an external inferior edge of the refrigerated space by engagement with a longitudinal bar ( 21 ), the longitudinal bar being hinged to the external inferior edge by hinge means, and to     3 ) an opening condition (A) in which the overlapped thermal insulating panels ( 7 ,  8 ) residing in engagement with the longitudinal bar are both raised upwardly by rotating the longitudinal bar ( 21 ) around the hinge means ( 22 ,  28 ), thus allowing access to the entire refrigerated space and both the at least one internal row and the at least one external row ( 4 ,  5 ) contained therein.   
     
     
         12 . The showcase according to  claim 11  wherein the first thermal-insulation panel ( 7 ) slides on guides ( 20 ) fixed to opposite sides of the refrigerated space at a height corresponding to an upper surface of the second thermal-insulating panel ( 8 ) to allow overlapping of the two panels ( 7 ,  8 ). 
     
     
         13 . The showcase according to  claim 11  wherein the longitudinal bar ( 21 ) has a groove ( 29 ) for receiving edges of the overlapped first ( 7 ) and second ( 8 ) panels therein. 
     
     
         14 . The showcase according to  claim 11  further comprising at least one extendable gas piston ( 23 ) interposed between the refrigerated space and the second panel ( 8 ), the gas piston facilitating the raising of the two overlapped panels by compensating for a portion of a weight thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The showcase according to  claim 11  wherein the movement of the first and second thermal-insulation panels ( 7 ,  8 ) from the closing condition (C) to the intermediate condition (I) to the opening condition (A) and vice versa is done manually. 
     
     
         16 . The showcase according to  claim 11  further comprising an upper handle ( 26 ) located on the first panel to facilitate the sliding of the first panel ( 7 ) onto the second panel ( 8 ), and an inferior handle ( 27 ) located on an inner side of the second panel to facilitate the raising of the two overlapped panels. 
     
     
         17 . The showcase according to  claim 11  further comprising motor means ( 30 ) engaged with the hinge means ( 28 ) for moving the two thermal-insulation panels ( 7 ,  8 ) from the intermediate overlapped condition (I) to the opening condition (A) and vice versa. 
     
     
         18 . The showcase according to  claim 17  further comprising a sensor ( 31 ) for automatically activating the motor means ( 30 ) when the two panels are overlapped. 
     
     
         19 . The showcase according to  claim 11  wherein the first thermal-insulation panel and the second thermal-insulating panel are each composed of glass. 
     
     
         20 . The showcase according to  claim 11  wherein the first thermal-insulation panel and the second thermal-insulating panel are each transparent.