The invention relates to an apparatus for pivoting movement of a disk of the type recited in the preamble of claim 1. Such devices typically are found used at bar counters, in particular with refrigerator, sales, or self-service counters. The goods are thereby offered in the interior of the bar counter and are made visible for potential customers by the use of a transparent plate. For loading or cleaning of the counter, the counter needs to be made easily accessible to the operating personnel. In particular when used in the food industry, good and simple hygienic cleaning is very important. The plate is rotated about a horizontal axis in order to make the interior of the counter available to the operating personnel. This way the plate can be brought out of its usual lowered position into a raised position.
In order to allow the pivoting of the plate, a hinge part is provided, which carries the plate, as well as a stationary bearing part, wherein the hinge member is articulated to the stationary bearing. The bearing member may be a part of the bar counter itself or be connected to the counter. A force storage serves as booster help in order to facilitate the lifting of the plate for the operating personnel, wherein the force storage exhibits two connecting ends, which connecting ends are each arranged with a mating terminal end of the articulated part and of the bearing part. Here both the terminal ends as well as the counter-connection ends are formed as parts of ball joints.
A known device of this type is described in the German Patent DE 44 02 727 C1. Two force storage elements serve as a booster help in the subject of the German Patent document, which force storage elements are articulated by means of ball and socket joints on the bearing part and the hinge member. Here, the terminal ends of the energy storage are formed as ball joints, while the ball joints are arranged on the articulated part or on the bearing part. The energy storage elements used in the above-mentioned patent application are typically furnished as gas pressure springs. It may now occur during the operating lifetime of the energy storage that the gas pressure spring loses pressure, for example due to leakage or also when used in very cold ambient temperatures. In this case, the energy storage can no longer carry the weight of the plate in its raised position, and the plate can swing down unintentionally. This can lead to accidents. Further, it may happen that the ball heads of the force storage slip out of the ball sockets, as the ball heads are not further secured in the ball sockets, but the ball heads are supported only by the pressure of the force storage. At a pressure drop, the force storage can then fall into the goods contained in the counter, which can lead to damage or contamination of the goods. Therefore, it is an object of the invention to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide a device of the kind, wherein the energy storage is safely supported on the bearing part or on the articulated part, and cannot fall out inadvertently. This objective is achieved according to the present invention by the characterizing features of claim 1, which features have the special meaning in the following. At least one of the terminal ends of the force storage is formed as a ball socket, while the associated ball head is formed as a mating terminal end of the articulated part or, respectively, on the bearing part. Furthermore, a securing element is provided, which securing element secures the two parts of at least one ball joint of the respective energy storage when installed and incorporated together. This securing element takes care therefore that the ball head cannot slip out of the ball socket and thus the energy storage falls out, possibly in the displayed goods. A secure support of the energy storage is therefore present.
Furthermore, it is provided that the two connecting ends of the force storage are constructed differently and thus to only one of the connecting ends at the joint ball part or at the bearing part can be brought into mechanical operative connection. This is particularly advantageous when using energy storage elements, which are filled with a liquid, such as a hydraulic oil. In this case a mounting direction is given, which ensures that the sealing gasket furnished at the energy storage is normally always wetted with liquid, so that the sealing gasket does not dry out and become brittle and thus airtight. If the two terminal ends of the energy storage are made of identical construction, then it is possible to incorporate the energy storage reversely, whereby embrittlement of the seal can occur. The energy storage then becomes leaky and unusable and must be replaced. If now the two connection ends provided at the energy storage are furnished differently, then the orientation is predetermined by the counter-terminal ends and an erroneous assembly can be avoided.
An example of such a different form of the terminal ends of the energy storage comprises to furnish one terminal end of the energy storage as a ball socket, and the other terminal end as a ball head. The counter-connection points, which are arranged on the articulated part and on the bearing part, then also each has a respective ball head and a ball socket. During installation of the force storage then the connection point formed as a ball head with the mating counter connection point formed as a ball socket is brought into operative connection and vice versa. Thus the correct arrangement of the force storage is realized on the device.
Another alternative is to form the terminal ends of the energy storage different such that the energy storage device is mounted in the correct direction and comprises that the two terminal ends of the energy storage are furnished as ball sockets and the counter-connection points on the articulation part and on the bearing part are then furnished as ball heads. In order to ensure correct assembly of the force storage, the two then as ball heads formed mating connection points have different diameters, wherein the two connection points serving as ball sockets are each adapted to one of these two diameters. This likewise avoids an erroneous assembly, since in each case only one ball head can be brought in active connection with one ball socket. Preferably piston-like components such as gas pressure cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, gas springs, etc. are used as a force storage.
Further advantages and embodiments will become apparent from the dependent claims, the following description and the drawings. In the figures, the object of the invention is illustrated in two embodiments. There are shown:
Finally, it should be noted that the embodiments illustrated herein are exemplary implementations of the invention only. The invention is not limited thereto. Rather, there are still changes and modifications possible. In particular it is also possible to form the locking or securing element differently. The exact form of ball head and ball socket can be performed differently.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2010/003953 | 6/30/2010 | WO | 00 | 12/19/2012 |