Flat open display case

Abstract

To provide a flat open showcase capable of inhibiting dew condensation from being generated on an undersurface of a display shelf provided above a case body.SOLUTION: A flat open showcase 1 includes: a case body 2 that is formed in a box shape with an open top face, stores goods inside, and has the inside cooled by an air curtain formed by cool air; and a display shelf 5, provided above the case body 2, on which articles including goods may be displayed. The display shelf 5 includes a shelf body 51 made of synthetic resin or the like and a smooth and glossy metal plate 52 attached to the lower side of the shelf body 51. The undersurface of the display shelf 5 is made of smooth and glossy metal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a flat open showcase whose upper surface is open and can display refrigerated products, frozen products, etc. while cooling them.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an example of this type of flat open showcase. The showcase described in Patent Document 1 is formed in a box shape with an upper opening (upper surface open), and includes a product storage section covered with an air curtain by cold air, and a shelf board supported at an upper position of the product storage section by a support column.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the showcase described in Patent Document 1, condensation may occur on the lower surface of the shelf board, which may wet the products below the shelf board. In addition, since the upper surface of the flat open showcase is open, it is easily affected by the air flow generated by the air conditioning in the store, that is, the external air flow, and there is also a problem that the cooling performance may deteriorate depending on the installation location and the like.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a flat open showcase capable of suppressing the occurrence of condensation on the lower surface of a display shelf (corresponding to the shelf board) provided above the case body (corresponding to the product storage section). Another object of the present invention is to provide a flat open showcase capable of reducing the influence of external air flow and suppressing the deterioration of cooling performance compared with the prior art.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a flat open showcase comprises a case body formed in the shape of a box with an open top, which houses goods inside and cools the inside by forming an air curtain of cold air, and a display shelf provided above the case body on which articles including goods can be displayed. death, The underside of the display shelf is made of smooth or polished metal. The device further includes an air guide provided near the display shelf, which straightens the airflow from the outside toward the inside of the case body so that the airflow flows near the lower surface of the display shelf. .

[0007] Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present invention, the flat open showcase comprises a case body formed in the shape of a box with an open top, which houses goods inside and cools the inside by forming an air curtain of cold air; a display shelf provided above the case body on which articles including goods can be displayed; and an air guide provided near the display shelf to straighten the airflow from the outside toward the inside of the case body so that the airflow flows near the lower surface of the display shelf. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a flat open showcase that can suppress the occurrence of condensation on the underside of the display shelf provided above the case body. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a flat open showcase that can reduce the influence of external airflow and suppress the deterioration of cooling performance. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view of a flat open showcase according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flat open showcase according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows a modified example of the flat open showcase according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic perspective view of a flat open showcase according to the second embodiment. [Figure 5]This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flat open showcase according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a top view of the main parts of a flat open showcase according to the second embodiment, mainly showing the display shelves and air guides. [Figure 7] The results of the airflow analysis in a flat open showcase according to the second embodiment are shown, where (a) is the analysis result when no air guide is provided, and (b) is the analysis result when an air guide is provided. [Figure 8] This figure shows a modified example of the flat open showcase according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure schematically shows a flat open showcase and a modified example thereof according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the attached drawings.

[0011] The flat-type open showcase according to this embodiment is mainly installed inside retail stores such as convenience stores and supermarkets.

[0012] [First Embodiment] Figures 1 and 2 show a flat open showcase 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the flat open showcase 1 according to the first embodiment, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction) of the flat open showcase 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the flat open showcase 1 has a case body 2 with an open top surface. The case body 2 is formed in a rectangular box shape and has two longitudinal side surfaces (the first longitudinal side surface 2a and the second longitudinal side surface 2b) and two transverse side surfaces. The interior of the case body 2 constitutes a storage chamber 3 in which goods are displayed and stored. Further, on the upper part of the case body 2, windshields 4 (here, four windshields 4) made of an acrylic plate or the like and having a predetermined height and being transparent are attached so as to surround the storage chamber 3.

[0014] Above the case body 2, a display shelf 5 on which articles including goods can be displayed is provided. That is, the flat open showcase 1 has a display shelf 5 provided above the case body 2. The display shelf 5 is formed in a rectangular shape in top view. The display shelf 5 is supported by a pair of columns 6 installed at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the case body 2 and is located above the approximate center in the transverse direction of the case body 2. Although not particularly limited, in the present embodiment, the length of the display shelf 5 in the longitudinal direction is substantially equal to the length of the case body 2 in the longitudinal direction, and the length of the display shelf 5 in the transverse direction is smaller (shorter) than the length of the case body 2 in the transverse direction.

[0015] Inside the case body 2, a deck pan 31, a bottom duct 32, a suction duct 33, and a blow duct 34 are provided.

[0016] The deck pan 31 is installed on the lower side inside the case body 2. The upper surface of the deck pan 31 constitutes the inner bottom surface of the storage chamber 3. The bottom duct 32 is provided below the deck pan 31. In the bottom duct 32, a blower 41, a cooler 42, and the like are arranged.

[0017] The suction duct 33 is provided along the first longitudinal inner surface 2c corresponding to the first longitudinal side surface 2a among the two longitudinal inner surfaces (the first longitudinal inner surface 2c and the second longitudinal inner surface 2d) of the case body 2. The suction duct 33 has a suction port 33a at the upper part, and the lower part communicates with one end of the bottom duct 32.

[0018] The blowing duct 34 is provided along the second longitudinal inner surface 2d corresponding to the second longitudinal side surface 2b among the two longitudinal inner surfaces (the first longitudinal inner surface 2c and the second longitudinal inner surface 2d) of the case body 2 of the flat open showcase 1. The blowing duct 34 has a blowing outlet 34a facing the suction port 33a at the upper part, and the lower part communicates with the other end of the bottom duct 32.

[0019] In the case body 2 of the flat open showcase 1, when the blower 41 and the cooler 42 are driven, the air in the case body 2 is sucked into the suction duct 33 from the suction port 33a. The air sucked into the suction duct 33 passes through the suction duct 33 and enters the bottom duct 32, and is cooled by the cooler 42 when passing through the bottom duct 32. The cooled air further passes through the blowing duct 34 and is blown out from the blowing outlet 34a toward the suction port 33a (see the arrows in FIG. 2). Thereby, an air curtain by cold air is formed at the upper part of the case body 2, and the inside of the case body 2, that is, the storage chamber 3 can be cooled by this air curtain. Therefore, in the flat open showcase 1, refrigerated products, frozen products, etc. that require cooling (including cold storage) are displayed and stored in the storage chamber 3.

[0020] On the other hand, various articles including normal temperature products that do not require cooling can be displayed on the upper surface of the display shelf 5 above the case body 2. That is, in the present embodiment, the display shelf 5 constitutes a so-called normal temperature shelf (also referred to as a non-cooling shelf).

[0021] Here, the lower surface of the display shelf 5 faces the cooled (low-temperature) storage chamber 3. Therefore, dew condensation is likely to occur on the lower surface of the display shelf 5. When dew condensation occurs on the lower surface of the display shelf 5, there is a risk of wetting the products located below the display shelf 5. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of dew condensation on the lower surface of the display shelf 5. For example, by attaching a heater to the display shelf 5 to warm the lower surface of the display shelf 5, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of dew condensation on the lower surface of the display shelf 5. However, doing so is not preferable because it causes an increase in power consumption. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the following measures are taken for the display shelf 5.

[0022] In this embodiment, the underside of the display shelf 5 is made of smooth, glossy metal. Specifically, in this embodiment, the display shelf 5 includes a shelf body 51 made of synthetic resin or the like, and a smooth, glossy metal plate 52, the smooth, glossy metal plate 52 being attached to the underside of the shelf body 51. The shelf body 51 may be formed, for example, hollow. The smooth, glossy metal plate 52 may be, for example, a stainless steel plate with a mirror finish. However, it is not limited to this. The material and shape of the shelf body 51 can be arbitrarily selected. Furthermore, it is sufficient that the underside of the display shelf 5 is made of smooth, glossy metal; for example, the lower part of the shelf body 51 may be covered with a smooth, glossy metal sheet or the like. Furthermore, it is preferable that the entire or most of the underside of the display shelf 5 is made of smooth, glossy metal, but this is not necessarily required, and the range of the underside of the display shelf 5 made of smooth, glossy metal can be appropriately set for each flat open showcase 1.

[0023] According to the flat open showcase 1 of the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0024] In the flat open showcase 1 according to the first embodiment, the underside of the display shelf 5 facing the storage compartment 3 is made of smooth, glossy metal, so that heat radiation from the display shelf 5 is suppressed. As a result, the temperature drop of the underside of the display shelf 5 is suppressed. In addition, dirt on the underside of the display shelf 5 can be removed by relatively simple cleaning. As a result, a state in which there is no so-called "nucleus" on the underside of the display shelf 5 can be maintained, and water droplets that cause condensation are less likely to adhere to the underside of the display shelf 5. Therefore, the occurrence of condensation on the underside of the display shelf 5 can be suppressed.

[0025] Furthermore, since condensation is suppressed on the underside of the display shelf 5, it is possible to relatively easily install a lighting device (e.g., an LED lighting device) 20 that illuminates the storage compartment 3 on the underside of the display shelf 5, as shown in Figure 3. In this case, two lighting devices 20 extending in the longitudinal direction are installed on the underside of the display shelf 5. By installing the lighting devices 20 on the underside of the display shelf 5 in this way, the visibility of the products in the storage compartment 3 can be improved without hindering customers' access to the products in the storage compartment 3. In this case, it is preferable that the control board 21 on which the control circuit that controls the supply of power to the lighting devices 20 is mounted is placed inside the display shelf 5 (shelf body 51). In this way, the heat generated by the electronic components mounted on the control board 21 can be used to warm the underside of the display shelf 5, so that the occurrence of condensation on the underside of the display shelf 5 can be further suppressed.

[0026] [Second Embodiment] Figures 4 and 5 show a flat-type open showcase 10 according to the second embodiment. Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the flat-type open showcase 10 according to the second embodiment, and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction) of the flat-type open showcase 10 according to the second embodiment. Components common to the flat-type open showcase 1 according to the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted. The following description will mainly focus on the configurations that differ from the flat-type open showcase 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0027] As previously mentioned, flat-type open showcases have an open top, making them susceptible to external airflow caused by store air conditioning and other factors, which can lead to reduced cooling performance depending on the installation location. This problem is mainly thought to be caused by external airflow reaching and / or flowing near the air curtain formed at the top of the case, resulting in turbulence in the air curtain.

[0028] In other words, of the external airflow, the problematic airflow is the airflow that may reach and / or flow near the air curtain. In the case of the flat open showcase 10 according to this embodiment, which has a windbreak plate 4 and display shelves 5, the problematic airflow is the airflow that goes from diagonally above the case body 2 towards the inside of the case body 2 (i.e., the storage compartment 3), in particular the diagonally downward airflow (see block arrows and white block arrows in Figure 5) that goes from outside and above the longitudinal side surface (first longitudinal side surface 2a or second longitudinal side surface 2b) of the case body 2 towards the inside of the case body 2 (storage compartment 3).

[0029] Therefore, by properly managing the airflow directed towards the inside of the case body 2 (storage chamber 3) (diagonally downward airflow), it is possible to suppress turbulence of the air curtain due to the influence of external airflow, and consequently, the decrease in the cooling performance of the flat open showcase 1.

[0030] The inventors conducted extensive experiments and found that by placing an air guide near the display shelf 5 and using this air guide to straighten the airflow toward the inside of the case body 2 (storage chamber 3) so that the airflow flows near the underside of the display shelf 5, turbulence in the air curtain and, consequently, a decrease in the cooling performance of the flat open showcase 1 can be suppressed. Based on this finding, the flat open showcase 10 according to the second embodiment has an air guide placed near the display shelf 5. The air guide will be described below.

[0031] In this specification, "rectifying the airflow directed towards the interior of the case body 2 (storage chamber 3) so that the airflow flows near the lower surface of the display shelf 5" primarily means directing the airflow directed towards the interior of the case body 2 (storage chamber 3) to flow closer to the lower surface of the display shelf 5 than the place where the airflow would normally flow (i.e., if there were no air guide).

[0032] Figure 6 is a top view of the main parts of the flat open showcase 10 according to the second embodiment, mainly showing the display shelves 5 and air guides. The dashed line in Figure 6 shows the outer shape of the case body 2.

[0033] Referring to Figures 4 to 6, the flat open showcase 10 according to the second embodiment has two air guides (first air guide 7A and second air guide 7B). The first air guide 7A is provided at a distance from and along the first longitudinal edge 5a on the first longitudinal side surface 2a side of the case body 2, which is one of the two longitudinal edges (first longitudinal edge 5a and second longitudinal edge 5b) of the display shelf 5. The second air guide 7B is provided at a distance from and along the second longitudinal edge 5b on the second longitudinal side surface 2b side of the case body 2, which is one of the two longitudinal edges (first longitudinal edge 5a and second longitudinal edge 5b) of the display shelf 5.

[0034] In this embodiment, the first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B are formed as rectangular plate-shaped members having a length approximately the same as the longitudinal length of the display shelf 5. In other words, the first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B have the same shape. Furthermore, the first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B have a plurality of mounting parts 71 for attaching themselves to the display shelf 5 detachably using fastening parts such as screws (not shown).

[0035] The first air guide 7A is attached to the display shelf 5 via a plurality of mounting parts 71 at a predetermined distance from the first longitudinal edge 5a of the display shelf 5, and is inclined to gradually approach the display shelf 5 (the first longitudinal edge 5a) from the top to the bottom. The second air guide 7B is attached to the display shelf 5 via a plurality of mounting parts 71 at a predetermined distance from the second longitudinal edge 5b of the display shelf 5, and is inclined to gradually approach the display shelf 5 (the second longitudinal edge 5b) from the top to the bottom. In this embodiment, the lower parts of the first air guide 7A and the lower parts of the second air guide 7B are located at approximately the same height as the display board 5 (the bottom surface) (see Figure 5).

[0036] In this embodiment, the first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B are mainly made of synthetic resin and are translucent to at least a portion, preferably all, of them in order to prevent the inside of the case body 2 from becoming dark. In other words, the first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B are made at least a portion, preferably all, of transparent resin or translucent resin.

[0037] Next, the operation of the flat open showcase 10 according to the second embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 7. In Figure 7, multiple PET bottle beverages are placed on the top surface of the display shelf 5.

[0038] Figure 7 shows the results of an airflow analysis in a flat open showcase 10 when an airflow is generated on the outside of the first longitudinal side surface 2a of the case body 2 and diagonally downward (block arrow) toward the inside of the case body 2 (storage chamber 3). Figure 7(a) shows the analysis results for a flat open showcase 10 without an air guide, and Figure 7(b) shows the analysis results for a flat open showcase 10 with an air guide. The shades of gray in the figures indicate the magnitude (speed) of the airflow velocity.

[0039] As shown in Figure 7(a), in the case of a flat open showcase 10 without an air guide, most of the airflow flows away from the bottom surface of the display shelf 5, in other words, close to the air curtain (see A1). This is thought to be due to airflow separation occurring at the first longitudinal edge 5a of the display shelf 5. Because most of the airflow flows close to the air curtain, the turbulence on the upper surface of the air curtain is large (see B1), and outside air is also drawn in large quantities on the discharge side (see C1). As a result, this leads to a decrease in the cooling performance of the flat open showcase and the occurrence of excessive frost on the intake side.

[0040] On the other hand, in the case of the flat open showcase 10 according to the embodiment in which an air guide is provided, as shown in Figure 7(b), the airflow flows closer to the bottom surface of the display shelf 5, in other words, further away from the air curtain, and at a faster speed, compared to the case in which no air guide is provided (Figure 7(a)) (see section A2). This is thought to be because the first air guide 7A suppresses the separation of the airflow at the first longitudinal edge 5a of the display shelf 5, causing the airflow to flow along the bottom surface of the display shelf 5. Because the airflow flows further away from the air curtain, the turbulence on the upper surface of the air curtain is small (see section B2), and the entrainment of outside air on the discharge side is also smaller compared to the case in which no air guide is provided (see section C2). In addition, a relatively thick layer of slow-flowing air is formed just above the air curtain (see section D2).

[0041] Note that we will omit the explanation for the case where an airflow is generated on the outside of the second longitudinal side surface 2b of the case body 2 and from above toward the inside of the case body 2 (storage chamber 3) (see the white block arrow in Figure 2). In principle, however, the first longitudinal edge 5a in the above explanation should be read as the second longitudinal edge 5b, and the first air guide 7A as the second air guide 7B.

[0042] According to the flat open showcase 10 of the second embodiment, in addition to the same effects as the flat open showcase 1 of the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0043] The flat open showcase 10 according to the second embodiment includes a first air guide 7A provided at a distance from the first longitudinal edge 5a of the display shelf 5 and along the first longitudinal edge 5a, and a second air guide 7B provided at a distance from the second longitudinal edge 5b of the display shelf 5 and along the second longitudinal edge 5b. The first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B are configured to straighten the airflow from the outside toward the inside of the case body 2 (storage chamber 3) so that the airflow flows near the lower surface of the display shelf 5, in other words, so that the airflow flows along the lower surface of the display shelf 5. As a result, turbulence caused by the external airflow in the air curtain formed on the upper part of the case body 2 is suppressed, and a decrease in cooling performance can be suppressed.

[0044] Here, within a store, it is rare for an airflow to occur simultaneously on the outside of the first longitudinal side 2a of the case body 2, moving diagonally downward from above towards the inside of the case body 2 (storage compartment 3) (see block arrow in Figure 5), and on the outside of the second longitudinal side 2b of the case body 2, moving diagonally downward from above towards the inside of the case body 2 (storage compartment 3) (see white block arrow in Figure 5). Therefore, it is sufficient to selectively provide either the first air guide 7A or the second air guide 7B depending on the generated airflow, and the flat open showcase 10 does not necessarily need to have both the first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B. However, it is more convenient for the flat open showcase 10 to have both the first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B, as this allows it to cope with changes in airflow within the store.

[0045] In this embodiment, the case body is formed in the shape of a rectangular box with an open top, and the display shelf is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The air guides (first air guide 7A, second air guide 7B) are provided at a distance from the longitudinal edges (first longitudinal edge 5a, second longitudinal edge 5b) of the display shelf 5 and along the longitudinal edges. However, the invention is not limited to this. The air guides are provided at a distance from a predetermined edge of the display shelf and along the predetermined edge, and are configured to straighten the airflow from the outside toward the inside of the case body so that the airflow flows near the lower surface of the display shelf.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lower surface of the display shelf 5 is made of smooth, glossy metal, similar to the flat open showcase 1 according to the first embodiment. That is, the display shelf 5 includes a shelf body 51 made of, for example, synthetic resin, and a smooth, glossy metal plate 52 attached to the underside of the shelf body 51. However, it is not limited to this. As shown in Figure 8 as a modified example, the display shelf 5 may be mainly made of synthetic resin, and the lower surface of the display shelf 5 may not be made of smooth, glossy metal (it may not have a smooth, glossy metal plate 52). This is because the airflow along the lower surface of the display shelf 5 can suppress the occurrence of condensation on the lower surface of the display shelf 5. However, it goes without saying that the occurrence of condensation on the lower surface of the display shelf 5 can be prevented more effectively if the lower surface of the display shelf 5 is made of smooth, glossy metal.

[0047] In the modified example shown in Figure 8, the display shelf 5 may be formed to be translucent in part, preferably entirely, in order to prevent the inside of the case body 2 from becoming dark. In other words, the display shelf 5 may be formed in part, preferably entirely, of transparent resin or translucent resin. If all or most of the display shelf 5 is translucent, a non-display area where no goods are displayed may be provided on a part of the upper surface of the display shelf 5. The non-display area may be formed, for example, as an upwardly convex curved surface, and preferably multiple such areas are provided spaced apart from each other. In this way, light can be provided to the inside of the case body 2 (storage chamber 3) through the non-display area, so that the inside of the case body 2 (storage chamber 3) does not become dark.

[0048] Furthermore, although not shown in the illustration, in the modified example shown in Figure 8, relatively small lighting components such as LED lights that illuminate the inside of the case body 2 (storage chamber 3) may be attached to the lower ends of the first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B. This is to suppress the reduction in visibility inside the case body 2 (storage chamber 3) caused by the provision of the first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B.

[0049] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B have a plurality of mounting parts 71 and are detachably attached to the display shelf 5 via the plurality of mounting parts 71. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the first air guide 7A and / or the second air guide 7B may be formed integrally with the display shelf 5 (non-detachably attached). Alternatively, the first air guide 7A or the second air guide 7B and the plurality of mounting parts 71 may be formed separately, and the orientation of the plurality of mounting parts 71 and the first air guide 7A or the second air guide 7B relative to the display shelf 5 may be changed. In the latter case, it becomes possible to adjust the orientation and angle of the first air guide 7A and / or the second air guide 7B according to the airflow actually generated.

[0050] In this embodiment as well, similar to the flat open showcase 1 according to the first embodiment, a lighting device (for example, an LED lighting device) 20 for illuminating the storage compartment 3 may be installed on the underside of the display shelf 5. In this case, it is preferable that the control board 21 on which the control circuit of the lighting device 20 is mounted is located inside the display shelf 5 (shelf body 51).

[0051] Furthermore, in the flat open showcase 10 according to the second embodiment, it is sufficient that the airflow from the outside toward the inside of the case body 2 (storage chamber 3) is straightened so that the airflow flows near the lower surface of the display shelf 5, and the shape, arrangement, and number of air guides can be arbitrarily set. Below, some of the configurable configurations will be described as modified examples of the flat open showcase 10 according to the second embodiment with reference to Figure 9. Figure 9 schematically shows a cross-section of the flat open showcase, Figure 9(a) is a diagram showing the flat open showcase 10 according to the second embodiment, and Figures 9(b) to (f) are diagrams showing modified examples of the flat open showcase 10 according to the second embodiment.

[0052] (Variation 1) Figure 9(b) shows Modification 1. In Modification 1, multiple (two in this case) first air guides 7A are arranged horizontally spaced apart from each other, and multiple (two in this case) second air guides 7B are arranged horizontally spaced apart from each other. In Modification 1, it becomes possible to straighten more airflow compared to the embodiment described above.

[0053] (Modification 2) Figure 9(c) shows Modification 2. In Modification 2, the lower parts of the first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B are located below the bottom surface of the display shelf 5. In this case, the lower parts of the first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B may be located outside the display shelf 5 or below the display shelf 5. Compared to the above embodiment, Modification 2 further suppresses airflow separation at the longitudinal edges 5a and 5b of the display shelf 5, and the airflow flows more along the bottom surface of the display shelf 5, thus further improving the effect.

[0054] (Variation 3) Figure 9(d) shows Modification 3. In Modification 3, the entirety of the first air guide 7A and the entirety of the second air guide 7B are located below the display shelf 5. In Modification 3, the same effects as the above-described embodiment are obtained, but compared to the above-described embodiment, there is the advantage that it is easier for customers to pick up products placed on the top surface of the display shelf 5.

[0055] (Modification 4) Figure 9(e) shows Modification 4. In Modification 4, the first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B are formed in a curved shape so that their lower sides wrap around to the underside of the display shelf 5. In this case, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 8(e), multiple first air guides 7A and multiple second air guides 7B may be arranged at intervals from each other. In Modification 4, as with Modification 2, compared to the above-described embodiment, airflow separation at the longitudinal edges 5a and 5b of the display shelf 5 is further suppressed, and the airflow flows more along the underside of the display shelf 5, thus further improving the effect.

[0056] (Variation 5) Figure 9(f) shows Modification 5. In Modification 5, the first air guide 7A, located upstream of the diagonally downward airflow (see block arrow) from the outside towards the inside of the case body 2 (storage chamber 3), is positioned to gradually approach the display shelf 5 (the first longitudinal edge 5a) from the top to the bottom, similar to the embodiment described above. On the other hand, the second air guide 7B, located downstream of the diagonally downward airflow from the outside towards the inside of the case body 2 (storage chamber 3), is positioned to gradually move away from the display shelf 5 (the second longitudinal edge 5b) from the top to the bottom. The same effects as in the embodiment described above can be obtained even with Modification 5.

[0057] Although not shown in the diagram, the first air guide 7A and the second air guide 7B may also have cavities for straightening the flow (such as honeycomb-shaped cavities or corrugated cavities).

[0058] Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, the underside of the display shelf 5 may be formed as a curved surface that is convex downwards. In this case, the airflow that flows along the underside of the display shelf 5 will flow diagonally upwards downstream, and the entire airflow can be pulled upwards, especially downstream, thereby further improving the effect.

[0059] Although embodiments and variations of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and variations described above, and further modifications and changes are possible based on the technical concept of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0060] 1.10…Flat open showcase, 2…Case body, 3…Storage compartment, 4…Windbreak plate, 5…Display shelf, 5a…First longitudinal edge, 5b…Second longitudinal edge, 7A…First air guide, 7B…Second air guide, 51…Shelf body, 52…Metal plate, 71…Mounting part

Claims

1. A case body formed in the shape of a box with an open top, which houses goods inside and forms an air curtain of cold air to cool the inside, A display shelf is provided above the case body on which articles, including goods, can be displayed, It has, The lower surface of the display shelf is made of smooth, glossy metal. The present invention further includes an air guide provided near the display shelf, which straightens the airflow from the outside toward the inside of the case body so that the airflow flows near the lower surface of the display shelf. Flat, open display case.

2. The case body is formed in a box shape with an open top, and while the contents are stored inside, an air curtain is formed by cold air to cool the interior. A display shelf is provided above the case body on which articles, including goods, can be displayed, An air guide is provided near the display shelf to straighten the airflow from the outside toward the inside of the case body so that the airflow flows near the lower surface of the display shelf. A flat, open display case.

3. The flat open showcase according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air guide is provided at a distance from and along a predetermined edge of the display shelf.

4. The aforementioned display shelf is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The predetermined edge of the display shelf is the longitudinal edge of the display shelf. The flat open showcase according to claim 3.

5. The flat open showcase according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the air guide is arranged to gradually approach the predetermined edge of the display shelf from the top to the bottom.

6. The flat open showcase according to claim 5, wherein the lower part of the air guide is located below the display shelf.

7. The flat open showcase according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the lower end of the air guide is located below the lower surface of the display shelf.

8. The flat open showcase according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the air guide is formed by curving or bending so that its lower side wraps around to the underside of the lower surface of the display shelf.

9. The flat open showcase according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the air guide is detachably attached to the display shelf.

10. The flat open showcase according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein at least a portion of the air guide is translucent.

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