WO2017025549A1

WO2017025549A1 - Display or storage device and method of operating such display or storage device

Info

Publication number: WO2017025549A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/069006
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kurt Aldén
Original assignee: Resemino System AB
Current assignee: Resemino System AB
Priority date: 2015-08-11
Filing date: 2016-08-10
Publication date: 2017-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 2018-02-11
Also published as: SE539605C2; SE1551064A1

Abstract

This document discloses a display or storage device (1), comprising a frame (101, 102, 103), a storage space (S), defined by the frame, and a lid (20). The lid (20) is movable between a first position (P1), wherein the lid at least partially prevents access to the storage space, and a second position (P2), wherein the lid is spaced from the storage space (S) and thus allows access to the storage space, and the lid (20) is movable along a guide (104). The lid (20) presents substantially the same orientation in the first and second positions (P1, P2), and the guide (104) provides an angle relative to the lid, which causes the lid, when moving from the first position (P1) to the second position (P2), to move away from the first position both vertically and horizontally. Disclosed is also a method for operating a display or storage device and a system of devices.

Description

DISPLAY OR STORAGE DEVICE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SUCH DISPLAY OR STORAGE DEVICE

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a display or storage device having a lid and to a method of operating a lid for a display or storage device.

Background

Display or storage devices with lids are widely used in, e.g. retail stores to display products which are sold in bulk, such as candy, nuts, berries or fruits.

Such display or storage devices should preferably have an appealing appearance and handling.

The emergence of new, light sandwich based materials, typically comprising a pair of laminated facing sheets and a paper based fluted core with flutes extending at an angle to the facing sheets, provides new

opportunities for creating attractive display units. However, they also present some challenges, as new mounting devices, hinges, etc need to be

developed that can be connected to the units in a sufficiently sturdy and attractive manner.

Hence, there is a need for a display or storage device having lids which can close sufficiently tight against a product receptacle to prevent e.g. dust from entering the receptacle, while at the same time being easy to operate and preferably also operate in a way that appeal to users.

Summary

It is a general object of the present disclosure to provide an improved display or storage device. In particular, a display or storage device should be provided, which is easy to operate and which operates in a way that is perceived as "elegant" by users. The invention is defined by the appended independent claims, with embodiments being set forth in the appended dependent claims, in the following description and in the drawings.

According to a first aspect, there is provided a display or storage device comprising a frame, a storage space, defined by the frame, and a lid. The lid is movable between a first position, wherein the lid at least partially prevents access to the storage space, and a second position, wherein the lid is spaced from the storage space and thus allows access to the storage space, and the lid is movable along a guide. The lid presents substantially the same orientation in the first and second positions, and the guide provides an angle relative to the lid, which causes the lid, when moving from the first position to the second position, to move away from the first position both vertically and horizontally.

The term orientation indicates the angular orientation of the lid in space.

The term "substantially the same orientation" means that the lid presents the same orientation, i.e. its orientations are parallel +/- 10^°, preferably +/- 5^° or +/- 1 ^° in any direction.

By retaining the lid's orientation, a more elegant lid operation is provided as compared to normal hinged lids. The lid can be made to slide completely out of the way, e.g. by giving the impression of disappearing into the display or storage device.

This type of storage and display device may be suitable for containing bulk items, such as candies or other small loose items.

The device may be fixedly installed on a wall, a rack or a display stand, maintaining a static position during use. This may provide for simpler use, since the device may not move while pushing the lid open. The type of storage device may also be for use as a large container, for instance an in- store refrigerator and/or freezer.

The guide may comprise a damper arrangement, such that at least part of the movement between the first and second positions is dampened. Hence, all or part of the movement from the first position to the second position may be dampened and/or all or part of the movement from the second position to the first position may be dampened.

The damper arrangement may comprise a linear grippable member extending along the guide and a rotatable gripping member adapted for engaging the grippable member.

The gripping member may comprise a radially outer gripping

arrangement for engaging the grippable member and a radially inner gripping arrangement for engaging a rotatable damper.

One of the gripping arrangements may be designed for gripping only in one direction. In this way, dampening may be provided for instance during the closing of the lid so that the closing motion is smooth and slow. In that way, there is reduced risk that the lid closes quickly or hard, which would risk causing injury.

As an alternative or supplement, at least one guide may comprise an inertial drive unit, adapted for causing the lid to continue or conclude a motion between the first and second positions in response to the lid having been set in motion by a user. The inertial drive unit may be the type of drive that uses the moment of inertia to at least partly conclude a motion once it has been set in motion. Such drive unit may for instance include a flywheel, which has an area and mass that determines the moment of inertia. The technique behind the inertial drive is that once energy is applied to the flywheel, for instance by rotating it, the flywheel stores the energy applied to it until the moment of inertia has been superseded, i.e. set in motion. The stored energy is subsequently consumed by continuing its motion until it stops by itself or is stopped by an external force. Thereby, the drive that includes a flywheel, or some other suitable drive that may store energy, may be suitable. Another type of inertial drive may include a pendulum or the like. The direction may be sloping upwards. The return direction may thus be sloping downwards, and therefore consume energy partly from gravity, but also partly from the stored energy. In that way, a user may for instance open a lid by pushing it in an upward sloping direction. The lid may return to its closed position by consuming the stored energy and/or on its own by gravity. The damper unit and/or the inertial drive unit may be at least partially recessed into a frame wall.

The guide may comprise at least one pair of parallel grooves or tracks. The guide may comprise two pairs of grooves or tracks.

The frame may include a fluted core sandwiched between a pair of facing sheets.

The display or storage device may be suitable for bulk items, such as large quantities of candy or snacks in a shop, for instance for sell-by-weight products. The device may also be suitable for hardware store items, such as screws, bolts and other loose items.

The frame and the lid of the device may delimit a volume of at least 1 dm³.

According to a second aspect, there is provided a method of operating a display or storage device comprising a frame defining a display or storage space and a lid arranged to cover the display or storage space. The method comprises pushing the lid backwards and upwardly while substantially retaining its orientation, such that the lid is moved from a closed position to an open position.

The method may further comprise releasing the lid, whereby the lid returns by gravity to the closed position.

The method may further comprise dampening the movement of the lid at least in a direction from the open position towards the closed position.

According to a third aspect, there is provided a system comprising at least a first and a second display and storage device. The devices are installed relative to each other so that the plane of the lid of the first device is arranged parallel to the plane of the lid of the second device.

In that way, a number of display and storage devices may be arranged for instance on a wall, a rack or a display stand. This may be an advantage since a retail store may offer a number of items but of different kind. For instance candies in a pick-and-mix range, or screws and bolts with different dimensions. In that case each device may be suitable for one

flavor/type/variant. There may be a plurality of devices. The devices may be arranged either in a parallel direction and in a horizontal direction or both. The devices may thus form an array of devices. This may provide a clear overview of the content stored in the devices. Another example of uses may be for instance in-store refrigerators and/or freezer, wherein a number of containers may be arranged next to each other, having one or more lids covering the refrigerated area.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 a is a schematic perspective view of a display and/or storage device with a lid in a closed position.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a partially exploded view of the display or storage device.

Figs 3a and 3b schematically show exploded views of the damper arrangement as seen from a front side and a rear side, respectively. Detailed Description

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a display or storage device 1 having frame 10, a lid 20, which is movable between an open position P2 and a closed position P1 .

The lid 20 comprises a cover member 201 , a number of mounting devices 202 and a number of pins 203.

The frame 10 may comprise a plurality of parts 101 , 102, 103, including at least two parts 101 , 102 which extend in parallel planes.

The frame may comprise two or more guides 104.

Each of the pins 203 may be arranged to engage a respective guide 104. The cover member may be adapted to fit an opening of an upwardly open receptacle 300, which may be fixedly or releasably arranged in the frame 10 of the display or storage device.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cover member 201 may be transparent and substantially planar, optionally but for upwardly angled portions at the front and rear edges. Such angled portions may facilitate a user's grip when operating the lid and/or the engagement of the lid to the receptacle. Bearings, not shown, may attach to the cover member by mounting devices providing a connector portion, a respective pin and fasteners, here in the form of screws, for fastening the connector portion to the cover member.

The pin may be adapted to engage a guide provided on the frame. The guide may be provided in the form of a groove that may be recessed in a surface of the frame. It may, but need not, extend through the frame wall.

As an alternative, the guide may be provided as a groove that may be provided in the form of a separate member which is attached to the frame.

Such separate member may be mounted on a surface of the frame, or it may be wholly or partially recessed into the wall of the frame.

The guides may be provided as a front pair and a rear pair. Each pair of guides may extend in parallel.

Front and rear guides may also present substantially identical extents. For example, they may be parallel as illustrated.

One or more of the guides may be provided with a linear damper arrangement 400, i.e. a damping arrangement which is adapted for damping a linear motion. Typically, the front pair and/or the rear pair of guides may be provided with damping arrangements 400.

A damping arrangement 400 may comprise a damper frame 401 , a gear wheel 402 and a toothed rack 403, with which the gear wheel 402 may mesh.

It is noted that instead of toothed rack and gear wheels, friction arrangements may be used.

Referring to Fig 2 in combination with Fig 1 , in the illustrated examples, the linear damping arrangement 400 comprises a gear wheel 402 which is damped rotatable relative to the rear right mounting arrangement 404.

The damper frame 401 may be mounted on a wall 102 of the frame, or it may be received in a recess 105 in the wall 102.

The dampening may be provided by a friction engagement or by a member moving in a liquid or gel filled enclosure.

A toothed rack 403 may be provided along the guide, with which the gear wheel 402 may engage. Hence, when the lid 20 is caused to slide along the guide, the gear wheel will dampen its motion both in the upward and downward directions.

It is possible to provide one-way dampening, e.g. such that the upward motion of the lid is non-dampened while the downward motion is dampened.

As yet another alternative, it is possible to provide a locking function, which may cause the lid to lock in the upper position with a possibility of releasing it by e.g. pushing it briefly further upwardly.

Another alternative is to provide an inertial drive or flywheel type drive device, in which case the lid may be caused to continue, or merely to conclude, its opening or closing motion after having been set in motion by a user.

While the grooved guides may be provided as cutouts in the walls of the frame, the dampened guide may be provided as a separate component, which is mounted in a larger recess in the frame wall. Optionally, the dampened guide may be attached by screws which may attach to reinforcing inserts provided in the frame wall.

Referring to Figs 3a-3b, there is disclosed an exploded perspective view of a damper device 400. The damper device 400 comprises a damper frame 401 providing the grooved guide 104, a toothed rack 403, a gear wheel 402 having an outer gear 4021 for meshing with the toothed rack 403 and an inner ratchet 4022 for meshing with one or more engagement members 407.

The engagement members 407 may comprise a respective hinge portion 4071 and a meshing portion 4072.

The damper device may further comprise a hub 406, which may be rotatable relative to the gear wheel 402 and adapted to be at least partially received inside the gear wheel 402. The hub 406 may comprise radial openings 4061 through which the engagement members may be caused to protrude for engaging the ratchet 4022.

The engagement members 407 may be radially biased towards the ratchet 4022. Alternatively, the engagement members may be radially movable by gravity, such that they will "fall out" of the respective radial opening when the hub 406 is in a predetermined rotational position. It is understood that this principle may be used with one or more engagement members 406; however, the lower the number of engagement members, the greater undampened reverse rotation will be allowed.

The hub 406 may further comprise an axial protrusion 4062 adapted for protruding through a central portion of the gear wheel 402 and to engage a lid mounting device 404.

The lid mounting device 404 may present a lid engaging portion and an axial protrusion 4041 for engaging the axial protrusion 4062 of the hub.

In the illustrated example, the axial protrusions 4062, 4041 are formed as sleeves, with one of the sleeves begin adapted to axially receive the other one of the sleeve.

For example, the axial protrusion 4041 of the lid mounting device 404 may be adapted to receive the axial protrusion 4062 of the hub.

A rotationally damping element 405 may be received in the hub or in the lid mounting device 404. Such rotationally damping elements 405 are known as such and can be provided with different damping characteristics. For example, dampening characteristics causing the lid to move 200 mm in approximately 1 minute have been found to be suitable. In general, dampening characteristics allowing the lid to move 0.001 -0.01 m/s are contemplated.

The rotationally damping element may thus comprise a housing 4051 and rotor 4052, which is movable relative to the housing with a dampened motion.

In the illustrated example, the housing 4051 is fixedly received in a receptacle 4042 in the lid mounting device 404 whereas the rotor 4052 is allowed to engage an axial end portion 4063 of the axially protruding part 4062 of the hub. To this end, the rotor and the axial end portion 4063 may be arranged to engage each other in a form fit manner.

The damper arrangement 400 illustrated in Figs 3a-3b will operate as follows.

When the lid is pushed upwardly, from the closed position P1 towards the open position P2, the gear wheel 402 will rotate clockwise, while the meshing portions 4072 of the gripping members 407 will slide over the ratchet 4022 teeth, so as not to engage the latter. Hence, the hub 406 will rotate relative to the gear wheel 402.

Once the lid is released, gravity will cause the lowermost of the engagement members 407 to fall out of the related opening 4061 to engage a ratchet 4022 tooth. Hence, relative rotation between the hub 406 and the gear wheel 402 is prevented.

At this point, the gear wheel 402 and the hub 406 may still rotate relative to the mounting device 404. However, this rotation is controlled by the rotary damper 405.

Hence, the gear wheel 402 and the hub 406 will perform a dampened motion relative to the mounting device 404 and will thus, due to the

engagement between the gear wheel 402 and the toothed rack 403 return slowly move towards the closed position P1 .

It is noted that, as an alternative, the damper may be operable in both directions.

As yet another alternative, an inertial drive may be provided such that a brief push of the lid towards the open position will cause the lid to continue moving towards the open position P2.

The groove may be replaced by a track or a similar arrangement.

The toothed rack and the gear wheel may be replaced by a frictionally engaging device.

Other types of damping or inertial drive arrangements may be used.

Claims

1 . A display or storage device (1 ), comprising:

a frame (101 , 102, 103),

a storage space (S), defined by the frame, and

a lid (20),

wherein the lid (20) is movable between a first position (P1 ), wherein the lid at least partially prevents access to the storage space, and a second position (P2), wherein the lid (20) is spaced from the storage space (S) and thus allows access to the storage space, and

wherein the lid is movable along a guide (104),

characterized in that

the lid presents substantially the same orientation in the first and second positions (P1 , P2), and

the guide (104) provides an angle relative to the lid (20), which causes the lid, when moving from the first position to the second position, to move away from the first position both vertically and horizontally.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the guide comprises a damper arrangement (400), such that at least part of the movement between the first and second positions (P1 , P2) is dampened.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the damper arrangement comprises a linear grippable member (403) extending along the guide and a rotatable gripping member (402) adapted for engaging the grippable member (403).

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the gripping member comprises a radially outer gripping arrangement (4021 ) for engaging the grippable member (403) and a radially inner gripping arrangement (4022) for engaging a rotatable damper (405).

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of the gripping arrangements (4021 , 4022) is designed for gripping only in one direction.

6. The device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one guide (104) comprises an inertial drive unit, adapted for causing the lid (20) to continue or conclude a motion between the first and second positions (P1 , P2) in response to the lid having been set in motion by a user.

7. The device as claimed in any one of claims 2-6, wherein the damper unit (400) and/or the inertial drive unit is at least partially recessed into a frame wall (102).

8. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inertial drive unit is a flywheel type drive.

9. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide (104) comprises at least one pair of parallel grooves or tracks.

10. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide (104) comprises two pairs of grooves or tracks.

1 1 . The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame (101 , 102, 103) includes a fluted core sandwiched between a pair of facing sheets.

12. Device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the frame (101 , 102, 103) and lid (20) delimits a volume of at least 1 dm³.

13. A method of operating a display or storage device comprising a frame (101 , 102, 103) defining a display or storage space (S) and a lid (20) arranged to cover the display or storage space (S) and movable between a closed position and an open position, the method comprising: pushing the lid (20) backwards an upwardly along a guide while substantially retaining its orientation, such that the lid (20) is moved from a closed position (P1 ) to an open position (P2), and

releasing the lid, whereby the lid (20) returns by gravity to the closed position (P1 ).

14. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising

dampening the movement of the lid (20) at least in a direction from the open position (P2) towards the closed position (P1 ).

15. A system comprising at least a first and a second display and storage device (1 ) as claimed in any of claims 1 -12, wherein the first and second devices (1 ) is being installed relative to each other so that the plane of the lid (20) of the first device is arranged parallel to the plane of the lid (20) of the second device.