Cover for a refrigerated merchandising unit and a merchandising unit with the same

Abstract

A cover for a merchandising display unit ( 1 ) disclosed. The cover of the rectangular top opening of the storage compartment includes displaceable lids ( 9 ) arranged in two rows along opposing longer sides ( 2,4 ) of the storage unit so that access is provided to the storage compartment from both sides of the storage unit. The cover has a stationary cover plate ( 6 ) along a mid section of the storage unit and a rail system ( 5 ) with a number of parallel transverse rails between the two longer sides, and the lids ( 9 ) mounted between separate tracks in adjacent rails and are displaceable in a direction perpendicular to the longer sides ( 2,4 ).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A merchandising storage unit for displaying goods comprising:
 a storage compartment having a top opening and first and second opposing elongated sides disposed parallel to a longitudinal axis; 
 a stationary cover plate extending along the longitudinal axis and adjacent a mid section of the storage unit; 
 a first plurality of displaceable lids arranged generally horizontally along the first elongated side of the storage compartment and a second plurality of displaceable lids arranged generally horizontally along the second elongated side of the storage compartment, each of said lids including first and second opposing ends arranged generally transverse to the longitudinal axis; and 
 a plurality of rails extending from the first elongated side to the second elongated side and having a convex curvature, each of said rails including at least three parallel tracks, wherein said at least three parallel tracks are arranged vertically relative to one another to form an upper track, a middle track, and a lower track, said tracks extending from the first elongated side to the second elongated side and following the convex curvature of said rails, 
 wherein the cover plate is received and retained within the upper track of the plurality of rails and the first and second opposing ends of each of the displaceable lids are received and retained within corresponding middle tracks or lower tracks of the plurality of rails such that the displaceable lids are slidable along the convex curvature of the tracks in overlapping fashion underneath the cover plate. 
 
     
     
       2. A merchandising storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the storage compartment is divided into two sections by a wall member arranged parallel to the longer sides. 
     
     
       3. A merchandising storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein an end storage unit is arranged at an end section of the merchandising storage unit, the end storage unit comprising a number of displaceable lids, which may be displaced away from an outer side of the end storage unit and towards an inner side of the end storage unit for opening thereof. 
     
     
       4. A merchandising storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the lids covers approximately ⅓ of a width of the top opening. 
     
     
       5. A merchandising storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the lids are configured to shift completely underneath said cover plate. 
     
     
       6. A merchandising storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein a display device is mounted on said cover plate. 
     
     
       7. A merchandising storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said cover plate is flat. 
     
     
       8. A storage unit, comprising:
 a storage compartment having a first elongated side and a second elongated side opposite the first side, wherein the first and second sides are generally parallel with each other and define, at least in part, a rectangular top opening;   a stationary cover plate extending lengthwise along a longitudinal axis at a mid section of the storage compartment and parallel with the first and second elongated sides;   first displaceable lids arranged in a first row along the first elongated side and second displaceable lids arranged in a second row along the second elongated side, wherein the first and second lids are configured to provide access to the storage compartment from both the first and second elongated sides of the storage compartment; and   a rail system with a number of parallel mounted transverse rails between the first elongated side and the second elongated side, wherein the rails have a convex curvature,   wherein
 the individual rails comprise two or more separate parallel tracks for the corresponding first and second lids in each of the rows, 
 the first and second lids are displaceably mounted between adjacent rails of the rail system, and 
 the first and second lids in the first and second rows, respectively, are configured to be displaceable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.  
   
     
     
       9. The storage unit of claim 8 wherein each rail comprises a first track and a second track, and wherein the first and second tracks extend from the first elongated side to the second elongated side following the convex curvature of the corresponding rails.  
     
     
       10. The storage unit of claim 8 wherein:
 the individual rails include at least three parallel tracks arranged vertically relative to one another to define a first track, a second track, and a third track,   the cover plate is received and retained within the first tracks of the rails; and   the first and second opposing ends of each of the displaceable lids are received and retained within corresponding second tracks or third tracks of the plurality of rails such that the displaceable lids are configured to be slidable along the convex curvature of the second and third tracks in overlapping fashion underneath the cover plate.    
     
     
       11. The storage unit of claim 8 wherein the cover plate has a curved shape.  
     
     
       12. The storage unit of claim 8 wherein the first and second lids are transparent.  
     
     
       13. The storage unit of claim 8 wherein the cover plate is transparent.  
     
     
       14. The storage unit of claim 8 wherein the top opening has a width, and wherein:
 each first lid covers approximately ⅓ of the width of the top opening; and   each second lid covers approximately ⅓ of the width of the top opening.    
     
     
       15. A storage unit for displaying goods, the storage unit comprising:
 a storage compartment having a top opening and first and second opposing elongated sides, wherein the first and second elongated sides are disposed parallel to a longitudinal axis; a stationary cover plate extending lengthwise along the longitudinal axis and adjacent a mid section of the storage compartment;   a plurality of first lids arranged along the first elongated side of the storage compartment, wherein individual first lids include opposing ends extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis;   a plurality of second lids arranged along the second elongated side of the storage compartment, wherein individual second lids include opposing ends extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis; and   a plurality of rails extending from the first elongated side to the second elongated side and having a convex curvature, wherein individual rails include at least two parallel tracks arranged vertically relative to one another to define a first track and a second track,   wherein the cover plate is received and retained within corresponding first tracks of the plurality of rails and the opposing ends of each of the first and second lids are received and retained within corresponding second tracks of the plurality of rails such that the first and second lids are configured to be slidably displaceable along the tracks in overlapping fashion underneath the cover plate.