# US 4,400,046 A · Refrigerated showcase

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- Number: US 4,400,046 A
- Document ID: US4400046A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/243,454
- Filed: 1981-03-13
- Granted: 1983-08-23
- Earliest claimed: 1981-02-06
- Inventors: Masashi Karashima
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4400046A

## CPC

- A47F 3/0469: {Details, e.g. night covers}
- A47F: SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS

## Abstract

A refrigerated showcase characterized in that curtains superposed on each other in a plurality of layers so that an air layer or layers may intervene therebetween, are equipped along a front surface of a path of a cold air flow for refrigerating goods within the showcase, across the front opening of the body of the refrigerated showcase. Spacers are provided on the curtains in order to maintain the curtains in spaced relationship.

## Claims

### Claim 1

In a refrigerated showcase, having a front opening, in which a cold air flow for refrigerating goods within the showcase is provided along a front surface thereof across the front opening, the improvement comprising:
a plurality of spaced flexible continuous gas-impermeable curtains having mutually facing surfaces, respectively freely hanging from the showcase along a top edge thereof, each extending across the entire front opening of the showcase so as to prevent fluid communication between the interior of the showcase, including the cold air flow, and the environmental atmosphere exterior to the showcase; and
spacer means, fixed to and movable with one of the curtains at the facing surface thereof for separating the plurality of curtains from each other so as to maintain a continuous air space therebetween.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

In a refrigerated showcase as in claim 1, the improvement wherein the spacer means comprises a plurality of vertically spaced spacers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

In a refrigerated showcase as in claim 2, the improvement wherein each of the plurality of spacers comprise a tuck sewn from the fabric of one of the plurality of curtains, extending horizontally across the front of the opening.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

In a refrigerated showcase as in claim 2, the improvement wherein each of the plurality of spacers comprises a tuck-shaped member sewn onto the fabric of the curtain to which it is fixed, extending horizontally across the front of the opening.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

In a refrigerated showcase as in claim 1, the improvement wherein the facing surfaces of the plurality of curtains have central portions and free outer, side and bottom edges which bound the central portions, the spacer means extending across the central portion of the one of the curtains so as to separate the central portions of each of the plurality of curtains.

### Claim 6

In a refrigerated showcase having a front opening, in which cold air flow for refrigerating goods within the showcase is provided along a front surface thereof across the front opening, the improvement comprising:
a plurality of spaced flexible continuous gas-impermeable curtains having mutually facing surfaces, respectively freely suspended from the showcase alone a top edge thereof, each curtain extending across the entire front opening of the showcase so as to prevent fluid communication between the interior of the showcase, including the cold air flow, and the environmental atmosphere exterior of the showcase; and
spacer means, fixed to and movable with at least one of the curtains at the facing surface thereof, for preventing the cold air flow from blowing any of the plurality of curtains into contact with another, so as to maintain a continuous air space between each pair of adjacent ones of the plurality of curtains.

### Claim 7

In a refrigerated showcase having a horizontal upper edge and a horizontal lower edge below and horizontally outward displaced with respect to the upper edge, the upper and lower edges defining front opening therebetween in which cold air flow for refrigerating goods within the showcase is provided along a front surface thereof extending inclined to the vertical across the front opening, the improvement comprising:
a plurality of spaced flexible continuous gas-impermeable curtains, including an outer curtain and an inner curtain, having mutually facing surfaces, respectively connected to the showcase along a top edge thereof, each curtain extending across the entire front opening of the showcase so as to prevent fluid communication between the interior of the showcase, including the cold air flow, and the environmental atmosphere exterior to the showcase, the outer curtain at its bottom end being draped across the lower edge of the showcase, the inner curtain hanging freely behind the outer curtain, whereby the cold air flow is prevented from blowing the inner curtain into contact with the outer curtain, so as to maintain a continuous air space between the inner curtain and the outer curtain.