Flat display case

Abstract

To provide a flat show case whose corner cover is fixed with screws capable of preventing design property (appearance) from being impaired by making the screws invisible, and improving cleanness and sanitary property by preventing agglutination of dirt around the screws.SOLUTION: A flat show case includes: a corner cap 21 mounted on a pillar 19 so as to cover a top face and an outside face of the pillar 19 and each outside face of an abutment part of a transparent plate 14; a corner cover 20 provided on an upper end face of a case body 1 on the base end outside of the pillar 19 and fixed to an abutment part of adjacent handrail moldings 15 and 15; and a cover screw 42 screwed from the upper part of the corner cover 20 for fastening and fixing the corner cover 20 onto the upper end face of the case body 1. When the corner cap 21 is mounted onto the pillar 19, an operation head 42a of the cover screw 42 positioned on the top face of the corner cover 20 is covered and hidden by the corner cap 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a flat showcase, and particularly to a flat showcase in which a transparent plate is provided upright on the upper end surface of a case body having an upper opening. Background Art

[0002] Providing a transparent plate upright in a flat showcase is known, for example, from Patent Document 1. In the flat showcase disclosed in Patent Document 1, transparent plates (transparent walls) are respectively provided upright on each side of the opening edge of a case body (main body) that defines a storage compartment, and a handrail molding (handrail) is attached to the outer side of the base end portion of each transparent plate. At the abutting portions of adjacent transparent plates and adjacent handrail moldings, that is, at each corner portion of the case body, there are provided a support post that supports the transparent plates, and a corner cover that covers the outer side of the abutting portion of the handrail moldings. The outer side of the support post is covered with a corner cap, and the corner cap is fixed to the support post by a screw screwed into the upper end of the support post from the storage compartment side. The corner cover engages with the handrail and is further pressed from above by the corner cap, thereby being fixed to the abutting portion of the handrail. A flat showcase having a similar configuration is also disclosed in Patent Document 2, and the corner cover of Patent Document 2 is fixed to the handrail molding with a screw from the outer surface side of the cover. Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

[0003] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-196980 Patent Document 2 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 3-106310 Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] This type of corner cover is intended to protect the corners of a flat display case, and is therefore prone to contact with shoppers and shopping carts. However, in the flat display case described in Patent Document 1, if the corner cover is subjected to impact from contact, the engagement structure that secures the corner cover to the handrail molding may be released, potentially causing the corner cover to detach. The corner cover of the flat display case described in Patent Document 2 is secured with screws, making it less likely to detach even if the corner cover is subjected to impact. However, the screws screwed into the outer surface of the corner cover are visible to shoppers, which detracts from the aesthetic appeal of the flat display case. Furthermore, dirt tends to accumulate in the corners between the fastening surface of the corner cover and the operating head of the screw, as well as in the operating groove of the screw, making cleaning time-consuming and unsanitary.

[0005] The present invention aims to prevent damage to the aesthetics (appearance) of a flat display case in which the corner cover is fixed with screws by concealing the screws, and to improve cleanability and hygiene by preventing dirt from accumulating around the screws. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The flat-type showcase of the present invention comprises a case body 1 having a square-shaped upper opening, and a square frame-shaped A transparent plate 14 is erected along each side of the upper end surface of the case body 1, and the base end of the transparent plate 14 A handrail molding 15 is fixed to the upper end surface of the case body 1 along the outside, and the upper end of the case body 1 Supports are provided at each corner of the surface to support the abutting portions of adjacent transparent plates 14, 14. The column 19, the top and outer surfaces of the support column 19, and the outer surfaces of the butt joints of the transparent plates 14, 14. A corner cap 21 is attached to the support column 19 so as to cover it, and the outer part of the base end of the support column 19 - Provided on the upper end surface of the main body 1 and fixed to the abutting portion of adjacent handrail moldings 15, 15. The corner cover 20 is screwed in from above the corner cover 20, It includes cover screws 42 for fastening and fixing the cover 20 to the upper end surface of the case body 1. When the corner cap 21 is attached to the support column 19, the corner cap 2 1 covers the operating head 42a of the cover screw 42 located on the upper surface of the corner cover 20. It is configured in such a way 。

[0007] The handrail molding 15 has a main molding wall 15a that covers the upper end surface of the case body 1, and a cover bracket 41 into which cover screws 42 are screwed is provided at the abutting portion of the handrail moldings 15, 15. The cover bracket 41 is provided so as to straddle the ends of each main molding wall 15a, 15a at the abutting portion of the handrail moldings 15, 15, and is positioned on the lower side of the main molding wall 15a. The corner cover 20 has a main cover wall 39 that overlaps the ends of each main molding wall 15a, 15a from above and covers the upper end surface of the case body 1. The corner cover 20 is fastened and fixed to the cover bracket 41 with cover screws 42, with the main cover wall 39 and the cover bracket 41 sandwiching each main molding wall 15a, 15a at the abutting portion of the handrail moldings 15, 15 from above.

[0008] The main wall 15a of the handrail molding 15 and the main cover wall 39 of the corner cover 20 are composed of flat, horizontal walls.

[0009] The corner cap 21 comprises an upper cap wall 48 that covers the upper surface of the support column 19 and the upper surfaces of the abutting portions of the transparent plates 14, 14; an outer cap wall 49 that extends downward from the upper cap wall 48 and covers the outer surface of the support column 19 and the outer surface of the abutting portions of the transparent plates 14, 14; a fixing piece 50 that extends downward from the upper cap wall 48 and covers the inner surface of the support column 19; and an engaging claw 51 that extends below the lower end surface of the outer cap wall 49. The corner cover 20 has an engagement hole 55 into which the engaging claw 51 is inserted and engaged from above. The corner cap 21 is fixed to the support column 19 by a cap screw 54 that is screwed into the support column 19 via the fixing piece 50, and is also fixed to the corner cover 20 by the engaging claw 51 that engages with the engagement hole 55, with the lower end surface of the outer cap wall 49 in close contact with the upper surface of the corner cover 20.

[0010] The support column 19 is erected from the upper end surface of the case body 1 and comprises a column body 24 that contacts the inner ends of the abutting portions of the transparent plates 14, 14, a retaining plate 25 that is movable relative to the column body 24 in the direction of approaching and separating from each other and contacts the outer ends of the abutting portions of the transparent plates 14, 14, and a tightening structure that operates the retaining plate 25 relative to the column body 24 in the direction of approaching and separating from each other. The transparent plates 14, 14 are supported by the support column 19 by being sandwiched between the retaining plate 25, which is pulled towards the column body 24 by the tightening structure, and the column body 24.

[0011] The fastening structure includes a screw hole 34 provided in the retaining plate 25 and a fastening screw 35 that is screwed into the screw hole 34 by passing horizontally through a screw hole 36 provided in the column body 24 from the inner side of the support column 19, with the operating head 35a of the fastening screw 35 positioned on the surface of the column body 24 on the inner side of the support column 19. An inner cover 59 is provided on the support column 19 that covers and conceals the surface of the column body 24 on the inner side of the support column 19, including the operating head 35a of the fastening screw 35. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] As in the present invention, when a corner cap 21 is attached to the support column 19, if the corner cap 21 is configured to cover the operating head 42a of the cover screw 42 located on the upper surface of the corner cover 20, the operating head 42a of the cover screw 42 will not be exposed on the outer surface of the flat showcase, thus preventing a decrease in aesthetic appeal due to the cover screw 42 fixing the corner cover 20 being visible. Since the corner cap 21 that covers the outer surface of the support column 19 is used without providing a separate dedicated member, it is also possible to prevent the structure from becoming complicated. Since the part where dirt tends to adhere is not exposed on the outer surface, the effort required for cleaning is reduced and dirt residue is prevented, improving cleanability. Since the adhesion of dirt can be prevented, hygiene can also be improved. In summary, according to the present invention, in a flat showcase in which the corner cover 20 is fixed with cover screws 42, it is possible to prevent a decrease in aesthetic appeal (appearance) and to improve cleanability and hygiene by preventing dirt from adhering around the screws.

[0013] For example, if the corner cover is directly fastened to the handrail molding, there is a risk that the handrail molding may shift or be damaged when a large impact is applied to the corner cover. In contrast, as in the present invention, the corner cover 20 is fastened to the cover bracket 41 with cover screws 42 while the main wall 39 of the corner cover 20 and the cover bracket 41 sandwich the main walls 15a of the handrail moldings 15a 15a at the abutting portion of the handrail moldings 15a 15a from above and below. This allows the corner cover 20 to shift relative to the handrail molding 15 in a direction perpendicular to the clamping direction, thus preventing the impact acting on the corner cover 20 from directly affecting the handrail molding 15. This prevents the handrail molding 15 from shifting or being damaged.

[0014] If the main wall 15a of the handrail molding 15 and the main cover wall 39 of the corner cover 20 are made of flat horizontal walls, the appearance of the upper end surface of the case body 1 can be made sharper and simpler compared to when they are made of curved walls that protrude outwards or are recessed inwards, thereby improving the design of the flat-type showcase.

[0015] The corner cap 21 comprises an upper cap wall 48 that covers the upper surface of the support column 19 and the upper surfaces of the abutting portions of the transparent plates 14, 14; an outer cap wall 49 that extends downward from the upper cap wall 48 and covers the outer surface of the support column 19 and the outer surface of the abutting portions of the transparent plates 14, 14; a fixing piece 50 that extends downward from the upper cap wall 48 and covers the inner surface of the support column 19; and an engaging claw 51 that extends downward from the lower end surface of the outer cap wall 49. The corner cover 20 has an engaging hole 55 into which the engaging claw 51 is inserted and engaged from above. The corner cap 21 can be fixed to the support column 19 by a cap screw 54 that is screwed into the support column 19 via the fixing piece 50, and can also be fixed to the corner cover 20 by the engaging claw 51 that engages with the engaging hole 55, with the lower end surface of the outer cap wall 49 in close contact with the upper surface of the corner cover 20. With this configuration, the corner cap 21 can be firmly fixed to the support column 19 by fixing the fixing pieces 50, which are positioned inside and outside the support column 19, to the outer cap wall 49. Furthermore, even if an external force is applied to the corner cap 21, the engaging claws 51 that engage with the engaging holes 55 prevent the lower end of the outer cap wall 49 from lifting away from the corner cover 20, thus preventing a decrease in aesthetic appeal due to the formation of a gap between the lower end of the outer cap wall 49 and the corner cover 20.

[0016] The support column 19 comprises: a column body 24 erected from the upper end surface of the case body 1 and abutting against each inner end of the butted portion of the transparent plates 14, 14; a pressing plate 25 provided movably toward and away from the column body 24 and abutting against each outer end of the butted portion of the transparent plates 14, 14; and a tightening structure that operates the pressing plate 25 toward and away from the column body 24. With this configuration, after the distance between the column body 24 and the pressing plate 25 is set slightly larger than the thickness of the transparent plate 14 by the tightening structure, the transparent plate 14 can be temporarily held relative to the support column 19 simply by arranging the transparent plate 14 between the pressing plate 25 and the column body 24. Further, since the transparent plates 14, 14 are configured to be supported by the support column 19 by being clamped inside and outside between the pressing plate 25 pulled toward the column body 24 side by the tightening structure and the column body 24, by pulling the pressing plate 25 toward the column body 24 side using the tightening structure from the temporary holding state, the transparent plate 14 can be clamped between the column body 24 and the pressing plate 25, and the transparent plate 14 can be fixed to the support column 19. Therefore, a series of assembling work of the transparent plate 14 to the support column 19 can be easily performed.

[0017] The tightening structure includes a screw hole 34 provided in the pressing plate 25, and a tightening screw 35 that horizontally penetrates a screw through hole 36 provided in the column body 24 from the inner surface side of the support column 19 and is screwed into the screw hole 34. An operating head 35a of the tightening screw 35 is arranged on the surface of the column body 24 on the inner surface side of the support column 19. When an inner cover 59 that covers the surface of the column body 24 on the inner surface side of the support column 19 including the operating head 35a of the tightening screw 35 is provided on the support column 19, the inner surface side of the support column 19 including the operating head 35a of the tightening screw 35 constituting the tightening structure can be concealed by the inner cover 59, so that the design (appearance) of the inner surface side of the support column 19 can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a longitudinal sectional view of the flat-type showcase according to the embodiment of the present invention, showing the cross-section taken along line A-A in FIG. 4. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing the whole of the flat-type showcase, and an enlarged view of a corner portion thereof. [Figure 3] It is a vertical cross-sectional view of the flat showcase, showing a cross-section along line B-B in FIG. 4. [Figure 4] It is a transverse plan view of a corner portion of the flat showcase. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view showing an exploded state of a support column and a corner cover. [Figure 6] It is a transverse plan view of the corner portion before a corner cap is assembled. [Figure 7] It is a transverse plan view of the corner portion in a state where a corner bracket is arranged. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view showing an exploded state of the corner cap. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0019] (Embodiment) FIGS. 1 to 8 show an embodiment of a flat showcase according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, the terms front-rear, left-right, and up-down follow the cross arrows shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and the front-rear, left-right, and up-down indications marked near each arrow. As shown in FIG. 2, the flat showcase includes a case body 1 formed of a heat-insulating box body having an upward opening of a rectangular shape (quadrangular shape) elongated in the left-right direction, and a gantry 2 arranged below the case body 1. In the internal space surrounded by the case body 1, a partition wall 3 with a U-shaped cross-section facing the front wall, bottom wall, and rear wall of the case body 1 is provided. The inner space of the partition wall 3 constitutes a product display chamber 4, and a cold air duct 5 is formed between the case body 1 and the partition wall 3. An air outlet 6 is provided at an upper portion of the front wall of the partition wall 3, and a suction inlet 7 is provided at an upper portion of the rear wall of the partition wall 3.

[0020] The gantry 2 also serves as a machine room for accommodating refrigeration equipment, and inside the gantry 2, a compressor and a condenser which are not shown in the drawings, a cooling fan for cooling the compressor and the condenser, and the like are installed. An evaporator, which constitutes a refrigeration apparatus together with these devices, is provided in the cold air duct 5 together with a circulation fan. When the circulation fan is driven, the air in the display chamber 4 sucked from the suction inlet 7 undergoes heat exchange in the evaporator to be cooled, and the cooled air is blown out from the air outlet 6 into the display chamber 4.

[0021] As shown in Figure 3, the case body 1 consists of a rectangular outer box 10 and an inner box 11 with an upper opening, and an insulating material 12 filled between these two boxes 10 and 11. A stepped portion 13 is provided around the upper end surface of the rectangular frame of the case body 1, with the inner box 11 side being one step lower. Transparent plates 14 are erected upward along each side of the upper end surface of the case body 1, and a handrail molding 15 is fixed to the outside of the base end of each transparent plate 14 so as to follow the transparent plate 14 (see Figure 2). The transparent plate 14 is made of a horizontally elongated rectangular glass plate and is supported by a support frame 16 with an L-shaped cross-section that is integrally formed on the upper end of the inner box 11. The support frame 16 receives and supports the lower surface of the transparent plate 14 with its horizontal wall and the lower outer side of the transparent plate 14 with its vertical wall. In Figure 2, etc., reference numeral 14a indicates a protective molding that protects the upper end of the transparent plate 14.

[0022] The handrail molding 15 is made of an extruded aluminum product and is formed in a horizontal E-shape in cross-section with a main molding wall 15a consisting of a horizontal wall and three reinforcing walls 15b extending downward from the inner and outer ends and the middle section in the inner and outer directions on the lower surface of the main molding wall 15a to ensure the strength of the handrail molding 15 (see Figure 5). The handrail molding 15 is fixed to the case body 1 with fasteners (not shown) so that the main molding wall 15a covers the upper end surface of the case body 1 between the outside of the transparent plate 14 and the outer box 10, so as to cover the gap between the upper edges of the two boxes 10 and 11. The reinforcing wall 15b in the middle section in the inner and outer directions is formed to be longer than the other reinforcing walls 15b, and its tip side bites into the insulation material 12. In addition, the reinforcing wall 15b at the inner end abuts against the transparent plate 14, and the reinforcing wall 15b at the outer end overlaps the outer surface of the upper end of the outer box 10.

[0023] As shown in Figure 4, the transparent plates 14 and handrail moldings 15, which are provided along each edge of the upper end surface of the case body 1, are butted together at each corner of the upper end surface of the case body 1, with their extension directions tolerating at right angles. At each corner, a support column 19 is provided at the butt joint of the transparent plates 14, and a corner cover 20 is provided at the butt joint of the handrail moldings 15, to protect the upper end of the corner of the case body 1. Corner caps 21 are also attached to the support columns 19. The corner cover 20 is placed over the gap between the upper edges of the two boxes 10, 11 at the corner. Since the configuration of each corner is the same for all four corners, the corner of the right front part of the case body 1 will be described below.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the support column 19 is erected on the upper end surface of the case body 1 and comprises a column body 24 that contacts the inner ends of the abutting portions of the transparent plates 14, 14, and a retaining plate 25 that is movable relative to the column body 24 in the direction of approaching and separating (inward and outward direction) and contacts the outer ends of the abutting portions of the transparent plates 14, 14. The column body 24 comprises a fixing portion 26 with a V-shaped cross-section that is responsible for fixing to the case body 1, a support portion 27 that supports the transparent plates 14 together with the retaining plate 25, and a seat portion 28 provided between the fixing portion 26 and the support portion 27 and received by the case body 1. The fixing portion 26 and the support portion 27 extend vertically on different axes inward and outward, and are connected by the seat portion 28 to form an integral structure.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 and 6, the support portion 27 comprises a pair of vertically extending receiving walls 27a and 27a, and a connecting wall 27b that connects the two walls 27a and 27a. One receiving wall 27a has wall surfaces on the front and rear sides, with its front wall surface in contact with the inner right end of the front transparent plate 14. The other receiving wall 27a has wall surfaces on the left and right sides, with its right wall surface in contact with the inner front end of the transparent plate 14. The connecting wall 27b is formed as an inclined wall that is inclined relative to the pair of receiving walls 27a and 27a. The support column 19 is fixed to the case body 1 at the corner portion of the case body 1, with its seat portion 28 receiving and supported by the lower surface of the stepped portion 13, i.e., the horizontal wall of the support frame 16 of the inner box 11, and its fixing portion 26 fastened and fixed to the inner box 11 below the stepped portion 13 by fixing screws 29 (see Figure 3). With the partition wall 3 installed, the fixing portion 26 and the seat portion 28 are covered and hidden by the partition wall 3.

[0026] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the retaining plate 25 comprises a pair of vertically elongated pressing plates 32 that, together with the support portion 27, support the transparent plate 14, and a fastening plate 33 formed between the two pressing plates 32-32 and responsible for fixing to the support column 19. One pressing plate 32 has plate surfaces at the front and rear, with the rear plate surface in contact with the outer right end of the front transparent plate 14, while the other pressing plate 32 has plate surfaces on the left and right, with its left plate surface in contact with the outer front end of the transparent plate 14. The fastening plate 33 is formed of an inclined wall that is inclined relative to this pair of pressing plates 32-32. A screw hole 34 is formed in the center of the fastening plate 33, which constitutes a fastening structure for supporting the transparent plate 14.

[0027] The retaining plate 25 is provided so as to be movable toward or toward the column body 24 of the support column 19 by fastening screws 35 that, together with the screw holes 34, constitute a fastening structure. The fastening screws 35 are screwed into the screw holes 34 by passing horizontally through screw holes 36 formed in the connecting wall 27b, and by tightening or loosening the fastening screws 35 in the screw holes 34 while maintaining the position of the retaining plate 25, the retaining plate 25 can be moved toward or toward the column body 24. With the distance between the column body 24 and the retaining plate 25 set to be slightly greater than the thickness of the transparent plate 14 by operating the fastening screws 35, the transparent plate 14 can be inserted from above between the receiving wall 27a and the pressing plate 32 and received and supported by the support frame 16, thereby temporarily holding the transparent plate 14 upright between the column body 24 and the retaining plate 25. Furthermore, by tightening the fastening screws 35 from this temporary holding state, the retaining plate 25 is moved closer to the column body 24, allowing the transparent plate 14 to be supported on the column 19 while being sandwiched between the two (receiving wall 27a and pressing plate 32). In Figure 6, etc., reference numeral 37 indicates a spacer made of sponge placed between the connecting wall 27b and the fastening plate 33.

[0028] In Figure 5, the corner cover 20 is made of a molded aluminum product and comprises a main cover wall 39 made of a horizontal plate and a skirt wall 40 extending downward from the edge of the main cover wall 39. The main cover wall 39 is formed in a substantially L-shape that matches the corner portion of the upper end of the case body 1 in a plan view, and the skirt wall 40 is provided on the outer edge of the case body 1 facing the outer casing 10. The corner cover 20 is fixed to the upper end surface of the case body 1 by a cover bracket 41 provided at the abutting portion of the handrail moldings 15, 15 and cover screws 42 that are screwed into the cover bracket 41. The main cover wall 39 has two screw holes 43 for the cover screws 42.

[0029] The cover bracket 41 consists of a metal fitting that has a U-shaped cross-section and is formed in an L-shape in plan view. The upper wall of each end of the cover bracket 41 has a screw hole 44 into which a cover screw 42 is screwed, and a relief notch 45 to avoid contact with the reinforcing wall 15b in the middle of the handrail molding 15 in the inward and outward directions during installation. The corner cover 20 is fixed to the case body 1 by fastening the cover 20 and the cover bracket 41 together with cover screws 42, sandwiching the ends of the main walls 15a of the handrail molding 15 at the abutting portion of the handrail molding 15 from above and below. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the cover bracket 41 is positioned at the corner so that each end of the cover bracket 41 is located on the lower surface side of the main wall 15a (handrail molding 15). Next, the corner cover 20 is placed on the handrail molding 15 so as to overlap the ends of each molding main wall 15a, and the two cover screws 42 are screwed into the screw holes 44 through the screw holes 43 and fastened to the cover bracket 41. Thus, as shown in Figure 7, the corner cover 20 can be fixed to the case body 1 via the handrail molding 15 with the cover main wall 39 and the cover bracket 41 sandwiching the abutting molding main walls 15a, 15a from above and below. The operating head 42a of the cover screw 42 is positioned on the upper surface of the cover main wall 39 (corner cover 20).

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 and 8, the corner cap 21 attached to the support column 19 is formed in a hollow shape, comprising an irregularly shaped octagonal upper cap wall 48 that constitutes the upper surface, an outer cap wall 49 extending downward from multiple sides of the upper cap wall 48 facing the corner cover 20, and a fixing piece 50 extending downward from the side of the upper cap wall 48 facing the outer cap wall 49. An engaging claw 51 is formed at the lower end of the outer cap wall 49. When the corner cap 21 is attached to the support column 19, the upper surface of the support column 19 and the upper surfaces of the abutting portions of the transparent plates 14, 14 are covered from above by the upper cap wall 48. In this attached state, the outer surface of the support column 19 and the outer surface of the abutting portions of the transparent plates 14, 14 are covered by the outer cap wall 49.

[0031] The fixing piece 50 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate extending downward from the edge of the upper cap wall 48 facing the outer cap wall 49, and a screw hole 52 penetrating in the thickness direction is provided in its center. The engaging claws 51 are formed to extend from the inside of the lower end of the outer cap wall 49 downward from below the lower end surface of the outer cap wall 49. The engaging claws 51 are formed in a total of three locations: on the edges located at the front and right, and on the edge located between these edges. The main cover wall 39 of the corner cover 20 has engaging holes 55 formed in which the engaging claws 51 are inserted and engaged, corresponding to each engaging claw 51. In Figure 6, etc., reference numeral 56 indicates a relief hole that prevents the engaging claw 51 inserted into the engaging hole 55 from contacting the cover bracket 41.

[0032] As shown in Figures 4 and 8, an inner cover 59 is provided between the fixing piece 50 and the support column 19, covering the inner surface (display room 4 side) of the support portion 27 of the support column 19. The inner cover 59 comprises a covering wall 60 that covers the inner surface of the support portion 27 and mounting walls 61 formed by bending from both side edges of the covering wall 60, and is fastened together with the fixing piece 50 to the support column 19 by cap screws 54. The covering wall 60 is provided with screw holes 62 through which the cap screws 54 are inserted. The inner cover 59 and corner caps 21 are attached after the transparent plate 14 is supported by the support column 19, the corner covers 20 are attached, and the partition wall 3 is fixed to the internal space of the case body 1.

[0033] The corner cap 21 is fixed to the corner cover 20 by the engagement claws 51 engaging with the edge of the engagement hole 55, and is fixed to the support column 19 by screwing a cap screw 54 into a screw hole 53 provided in the connecting wall 27b of the support column 19 via a screw through hole 52.

[0034] Specifically, with the inner cover 59 attached to the inner surface of the support portion 27 of the support column 19, the corner cap 21 is placed over the support column 19 and inner cover 59 from above, and each engaging claw 51 is inserted into the engaging hole 55 to engage the engaging claw 51 with the engaging hole 55. Next, the cap screw 54 is inserted through the screw holes 52 and 62 from the display chamber 4 side and screwed into the screw hole 53. In this way, the corner cap 21 is attached to the support column 19 such that the lower end surface of the outer cap wall 49 is in close contact with the upper surface of the main cover wall 39 (corner cover 20), and covers a part of the upper surface of the main cover wall 39, including the operating head 42a of the cover screw 42. To remove the corner cap 21, the cap screw 54 is loosened and separated, and the outer cap wall 49 is bent inward. This releases the engagement of the engaging claw 51 with respect to the engaging hole 55, allowing the corner cap 21 to be separated from the support column 19.

[0035] As described above, in this embodiment, when the corner cap 21 is attached to the support column 19, the corner cap 21 is configured to cover and conceal the operating head 42a of the cover screw 42 located on the upper surface of the corner cover 20. This eliminates the exposure of the operating head 42a of the cover screw 42 to the outer surface of the flat showcase, thus preventing a decrease in aesthetic appeal due to the cover screw 42 fixing the corner cover 20 being visible. Since the corner cap 21 that covers the outer surface of the support column 19 is used without providing a separate dedicated member, it is also possible to prevent the structure from becoming complicated. Since the part where dirt tends to adhere is not exposed to the outer surface, the effort required for cleaning is reduced and dirt residue is prevented, improving cleanability. Since the adhesion of dirt can be prevented, hygiene can also be improved. In summary, according to this embodiment, in a flat showcase in which the corner cover 20 is fixed with cover screws 42, it is possible to prevent a decrease in aesthetic appeal (appearance) and to improve cleanability and hygiene by preventing dirt from adhering around the screws.

[0036] For example, if the corner cover is directly fastened to the handrail molding, there is a risk that the handrail molding may shift or be damaged when a large impact is applied to the corner cover. In contrast, as in this embodiment, the corner cover 20 is fastened to the cover bracket 41 with cover screws 42 while the main wall 39 of the corner cover 20 and the cover bracket 41 sandwich the main walls 15a of the handrail moldings 15a 15a at the abutting portion of the handrail moldings 15a 15a from above and below. This allows the corner cover 20 to shift relative to the handrail molding 15 in a direction perpendicular to the clamping direction, thus preventing the impact acting on the corner cover 20 from directly affecting the handrail molding 15. This prevents the handrail molding 15 from shifting or being damaged.

[0037] Since the main wall 15a of the handrail molding 15 and the main cover wall 39 of the corner cover 20 are made of flat horizontal walls, the appearance of the upper end surface of the case body 1 is made sharper and simpler compared to when they are formed of outwardly protruding or inwardly recessed curved walls, thereby improving the design of the flat-type showcase.

[0038] The corner cap 21 is fixed to the support column 19 with a cap screw 54 that is screwed into the support column 19 via a fixing piece 50, and the lower end surface of the outer cap wall 49 is fixed to the corner cover 20 with an engaging claw 51 that engages with an engaging hole 55, so that it is in close contact with the upper surface of the corner cover 20. With this configuration, the corner cap 21 can be firmly fixed to the support column 19 by fixing the outer cap wall 49 to the fixing piece 50 which is positioned inside and outside the support column 19. Furthermore, even if an external force is applied to the corner cap 21, the engaging claw 51 that engages with the engaging hole 55 prevents the lower end of the outer cap wall 49 from lifting away from the corner cover 20, thus preventing a decrease in aesthetic appeal due to the formation of a gap between the lower end of the outer cap wall 49 and the corner cover 20.

[0039] The support column 19 is erected from the upper end surface of the case body 1 and comprises a column body 24 that contacts the inner ends of the abutting portions of the transparent plates 14, 14, a retaining plate 25 that is movable relative to the column body 24 in the direction of approaching and separating from each other and contacts the outer ends of the abutting portions of the transparent plates 14, 14, and a tightening structure that operates the retaining plate 25 relative to the column body 24 in the direction of approaching and separating from each other. The transparent plates 14, 14 are supported by the support column 19 by being sandwiched between the retaining plate 25, which is pulled towards the column body 24 by the tightening structure, and the column body 24. With this configuration, when assembling the transparent plates 14, the distance between the column body 24 and the retaining plate 25 is made slightly larger than the thickness of the transparent plate 14 by the tightening structure, and the transparent plate 14 is placed between these two 24, 25 to temporarily hold the transparent plate 14 with the support column 19. Furthermore, the transparent plate 14, which is in a temporarily held state, is secured to the support column 19 by being clamped between the column body 24 and the retaining plate 25, as the retaining plate 25 is pulled towards the column body 24 by the tightening structure. Therefore, the series of assembly operations of the transparent plate 14 to the support column 19 can be easily performed.

[0040] The fastening structure includes a screw hole 34 provided in the retaining plate 25 and a fastening screw 35 that is screwed into the screw hole 34 by passing horizontally through a screw hole 36 provided in the column body 24 from the inner side of the support column 19. Furthermore, the operating head 35a of the fastening screw 35 is positioned on the inner surface of the column body 24 of the support column 19, and an inner cover 59 is provided on the support column 19 that covers and conceals the inner surface of the column body 24 of the support column 19, including the operating head 35a of the fastening screw 35. This makes it possible to conceal the inner surface of the support column 19, including the operating head 35a of the fastening screw 35 that constitutes the fastening structure, with the inner cover 59, thereby improving the aesthetic appearance of the inner surface of the support column 19. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0041] 1 Case body 14 Transparent plate 15 Handrail molding 15a Main wall of the molding 19 Posts 20 Corner Covers 21 Corner caps 24 Main pillar 25. Pressing plate 34 screw holes 35 fastening screws 35a Operating head of fastening screw 36 Screw holes 39 Cover main wall 41 Cover Bracket 42 Cover screws 42a Cover screw operating head 48 Upper cap wall 49 Outer cap wall 50 Fixed piece 51 Engaging claw 54 Cap screws 55 Engagement holes 59 Inner cover

Claims

1. A case body (1) having a square-shaped upper opening, A transparent plate (14) is erected along each side of the upper end surface of the rectangular frame-shaped case body (1), A handrail molding (15) is fixed to the upper end surface of the case body (1) along the outer side of the base end of the transparent plate (14), Support columns (19) are provided at each corner of the upper end surface of the case body (1) to support the abutting portions of adjacent transparent plates (14, 14), Corner caps (21) are attached to the support column (19) so as to cover the top surface and outer surface of the support column (19) and the outer surface of the butt joint portion of the transparent plates (14, 14), A corner cover (20) is provided on the upper end surface of the case body (1) on the outer base end of the support column (19) and is fixed to the abutting portion of adjacent handrail moldings (15, 15), A cover screw (42) is screwed in from above the corner cover (20) to fasten and secure the corner cover (20) to the upper end surface of the case body (1), Equipped with, When the corner cap (21) is attached to the support column (19), the corner cap (21) is configured to cover the operating head (42a) of the cover screw (42) located on the upper surface of the corner cover (20). The handrail molding (15) is provided with a molding main wall (15a) that covers the upper end surface of the case body (1), A cover bracket (41) into which a cover screw (42) is screwed is provided at the joint portion of the handrail molding (15, 15). The cover bracket (41) is provided so as to straddle the ends of each main wall (15a, 15a) of the handrail molding (15, 15) at the abutting portion, and is positioned on the lower side of the main wall (15a). The corner cover (20) is provided with a main cover wall (39) that overlaps the ends of each molding main wall (15a, 15a) from above and covers the upper end surface of the case body (1). A flat-type showcase characterized in that the corner cover (20) is fastened and fixed to the cover bracket (41) with cover screws (42) while the main cover wall (39) and cover bracket (41) sandwich the main molding walls (15a, 15a) of the handrail molding (15, 15) at the abutting portions of the moldings from above and below.

2. The flat-type showcase according to Claim 1, wherein the main wall (15a) of the handrail molding (15) and the main cover wall (39) of the corner cover (20) are made of flat horizontal walls.

3. The corner cap (21) comprises an upper cap wall (48) that covers the upper surface of the support column (19) and the upper surface of the abutting portion of the transparent plates (14, 14), an outer cap wall (49) that extends downward from the upper cap wall (48) and covers the outer surface of the support column (19) and the abutting portion of the transparent plates (14, 14), a fixing piece (50) that extends downward from the upper cap wall (48) and covers the inner surface of the support column (19), and an engaging claw (51) that extends below the lower end surface of the outer cap wall (49), The corner cover (20) has an engagement hole (55) into which the engaging claw (51) is inserted from above and engaged. The flat display case according to claim 1, wherein the corner cap (21) is fixed to the support column (19) by a cap screw (54) that is screwed into the support column (19) via a fixing piece (50), and the lower end surface of the outer cap wall (49) is in close contact with the upper surface of the corner cover (20) and is fixed to the corner cover (20) by an engaging claw (51) that engages with an engaging hole (55).

4. The support column (19) is erected from the upper end surface of the case body (1) and comprises a column body (24) that contacts each inner end of the abutting portion of the transparent plates (14, 14), a retaining plate (25) that is movable in the direction of approaching and separating from the column body (24) and contacts each outer end of the abutting portion of the transparent plates (14, 14), and a tightening structure that operates the retaining plate (25) in the direction of approaching and separating from the column body (24), The flat-type showcase according to claim 1, wherein the transparent plates (14, 14) are supported by the support column (19) by being sandwiched between the retaining plate (25), which is pulled towards the column body (24) by a tightening structure, and the column body (24).

5. The fastening structure includes a screw hole (34) provided in the retaining plate (25) and a fastening screw (35) that is screwed into the screw hole (34) by passing horizontally through a screw hole (36) provided in the column body (24) from the inner side of the support column (19), wherein the operating head (35a) of the fastening screw (35) is positioned on the surface of the column body (24) on the inner side of the support column (19), The flat-type showcase according to claim 4, wherein an inner cover (59) is provided on the support column (19) that covers and conceals the surface of the column body (24) on the inner side of the support column (19), including the operating head (35a) of the fastening screw (35).

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