SELF-OPENING COOLER COMPRISING THREE DOOR PARTS

Abstract

An automatic sliding door system includes a door frame having a first end and an opposite second end, configured and adapted for placement at a housing of a cooler; an at least three-parting door connected to the door frame, the at least three-part door including a first door part, a second door part and a third door part, each door part slidably connected to the door frame and in some cases each door part having a rectangular shape; and at least one drive element configured and adapted for moving the first, second and/or third door part. The present disclosure also relates to a cooler with such an automatic sliding door system.

Claims

1. An automatic sliding door system, comprising: door frame having a first end and an opposite second end, wherein the door frame is configured and adapted for placement at a housing of a cooler; an at least three-part door connected to said door frame, said at least three-part door comprising a first door part, a second door part and a third door part, each door part slidably connected to said door frame; and at least one drive element configured and adapted for moving the first, second and/or third door part.

2. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 1, further comprising: a) at least a first guide rail element having a first end and an opposite second end, wherein the sliding of the first door part is guided by said first guide rail element; and at least a second guide rail element having a first end and an opposite second end, wherein the sliding of the second door part and the third door part is guided by said second guide rail element; wherein the first and the second guide rail elements are arranged at or integrated in the door frame, or b) at least a first guide rail element having a first end and an opposite second end, wherein the sliding of the first door part is guided by said first guide rail element; and at least a second guide rail element having a first end and an opposite second end, wherein the sliding of the second door part is guided by said second guide rail element; and at least a third guide rail element having a first end and an opposite second end, wherein the sliding of the third door part is guided by said third guide rail element; wherein the first, the second and the third guide rail elements are arranged at or integrated in the door frame.

3. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 2, wherein the first door part has surface that is at least partially curved, and the first guide rail element is, at least in sections, curved.

4. The automatic sliding door system according claim 2, wherein the second guide rail element and the third guide rail element are, at least in sections, arranged spaced apart from and, at least in sections, parallel to each other, wherein the second guide rail element has a length of at least a sum of respective heights or widths of the second door part and the third door part, and the third guide rail element has a length of at least the height or the width of third door part.

4. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 2, wherein the first end of the first guide rail element is arranged at or next to the first end of the door frame and/or the second end of the second guide rail element and/or the second end of the third guide rail element are arranged at or next to the second end of the door frame, wherein the first end of the door frame is arranged at the side of the door frame opposite to the second end of the door frame.

6. The automatic sliding door system according claim 2, wherein the second end of the first guide rail element is arranged adjacent to the first end of the second guide rail element and the first end of the third guide rail element is spaced apart from the second end of the first guide rail element and from the first end of the second guide rail element.

7. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 1, wherein in a closed state of the automatic sliding door system, a second edge of the first door part is arranged adjacent to or adjoining or overlapping a first edge of the second door part, and a first edge of the third door part is arranged adjacent to or adjoining or overlapping a second edge of the second door part, wherein the first edge and the second edge of the second door part are opposite edges of the second door part, wherein the second edge of the first door part is opposite its first edge, said first edge of the first door part being closer to the first end of the door frame than the second edge of the first door part, and wherein the first edge of the third door part is opposite its second edge, said second edge of t he third door part being closer to the second end of the door frame than the first edge of the third door part.

8. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 1, wherein a sliding direction for opening the automatic sliding door system of the first door part is opposite to a sliding direction of the second and the third door part.

9. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 2, wherein, in an open state of the automatic sliding door system, a first edge of the first door part is arranged at or next to the first end of the first guide rail element and second edges of the second and the third door parts are arranged at or next to the second end of the second and the third guide rail elements respectively.

10. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor unit coupled to a controller configured and adapted for activating a movement of the first, second and/or third door part, wherein said sensor unit comprises a motion sensor.

11. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 10, wherein the sensor unit is configured and adapted to generate a motion detection signal that causes the controller to activate an opening of the first, the second and/or the third door part.

12. The automatic sliding door system according claim 10, wherein the sensor unit is configured and adapted to generate a motion detection signal only when detecting motion towards the automatic sliding door system.

13. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 10, wherein the sensor unit comprises at least one optical detector, at least one infrared sensor, at least one ultrasonic sensor and/or at least one heat sensor.

14. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 2, wherein the first, the second and/or the third guide rail elements comprise a pair of guide rails to guide two opposite sides of the first, the second and/or the third door part, respectively.

15. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drive element comprises at least one electric motor configured and adapted to move the first, the second or the third door part, or the first, the second and the third door part, from an open state to or towards a closed state and/or vice versa.

16. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drive element comprises at least one electric motor configured and adapted to move the second door part.

17. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 16, wherein the first and/or third door part are connected to the second door part so that the first and/or third door part are moved from the open state to the closed state and/or vice versa corresponding to the movement of the second door part.

18. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 17, wherein the connection between the second door part and the first door part is configured and adapted in such a manner that the second and the first door part move in opposite directions both during closing and opening movement, and that the connection between the second door part and the third door part is configured and adapted in such a manner that the second and the third door part move in the same direction both during closing and opening movement.

19. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 1, further comprising an arrester for the first door part configured and adapted to block a further movement of the first door part towards the second end of the door frame.

20. A cooler comprising at least one automatic sliding door system according to claim 1.

21. The cooler according to claim 20, wherein the door frame is attached to or integrated with the cooler, such that the first door part on the one hand and the second and third door part on the other hand are configured and adapted to move in opposite directions during closing and opening movement.

22. The cooler according to claim 21, wherein the door frame is attached to or integrated with the cooler essentially vertically such that the first door part is configured and adapted to open upwardly and to close downwardly and the second and the third door parts are configured and adapted to opened downwardly and to close upwardly.

23. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 1, wherein the door frame is an insulated door frame.

24. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 3, wherein the first guide rail element is, at least in sections, curved corresponding to said curved surface of the first door part.

25. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 6, wherein the first end of the third guide rail element is spaced apart from the second end of the first guide rail element and from the first end of the second guide rail element at a distance of and/or corresponding to the length or width of the second door part.

26. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 9, wherein the second and the third door parts are arranged at least partially in parallel to each other.

27. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to activate a closing of the first, the second and/or the third door part after a predetermined time interval without receiving a motion detection signal.

28. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 12, wherein the sensor unit is configured and adapted to, after having detected motion towards the automatic sliding door system, continue to generate a motion detection signal until motion in at least one direction or in in any direction is no longer detected.

29. The automatic sliding door system according to claim 16, wherein the at least one electric motor is configured and adapted to move the second door part from an open state to or towards a closed state and/or vice versa.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] In the following description, the present disclosure is explained in more detail by means of a rather suitable embodiment relating to the enclosed drawings, wherein:

[0044] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an automatic sliding door system according to the present disclosure with closed door parts;

[0045] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an automatic sliding door system according to the present disclosure with partly opened door parts;

[0046] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an automatic sliding door system according to the present disclosure with opened door parts;

[0047] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a cooler comprising an automatic sliding door system according to the present disclosure with closed door parts; and

[0048] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a cooler comprising an automatic sliding door system according to the present disclosure with semi-opened door parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] FIGS. 1 to 3 show schematic views of an embodiment of an automatic sliding door system according to the present disclosure with closed, semi-opened and opened door parts respectively.

[0050] The automatic sliding door system 1 comprises a insulated door frame 3. A three-part door 5 comprising a first door part 7, a second door part 9 and a third door part 11 is connected to said door frame 3, wherein each of the separate three door parts 7, 9, 11 are slidably connected to said door frame 3, and a drive element (not shown) is configured and adapted for moving the first, second and/or third door part 7, 9, 11.

[0051] A first guide rail element 13 to guide the sliding of the first door part 7, a second guide rail element 15 to guide the sliding of the second door part 9, and a third guide rail element 17 to guide the sliding of the third door part 11 is provided, wherein the first, the second and the third guide rail elements 13, 15, 17 are integrated within the door frame 3. Each guide rail element 13, 15, 17 may comprise a pair of guide grooves 13a, 13b; 15a, 15b; and 17a, 17b, respectively, as indicated in the figures. In the following, for the sake of brevity, said pair of guide grooves will be referred to as a guide rail element. It is also possible, and for most applications even rather suitable, that the second and third door parts 9 and 11 are guided by the second guide rail element 15 only.

[0052] The first door part 7 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 has a curved surface and the first guide rail element 13 is curved correspondingly to said curved surface of the first door part. This allows, as exemplarily shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an upward opening of the first door part 7 in direction of the top of the door frame 3, i.e., towards the first end 21 of the door frame 3.

[0053] The second guide rail element 15 and the third guide rail element 17 are, over a section, arranged spaced apart or adjacent from and parallel to each other. The second guide rail element 15 extends spaced apart at a first distance from the bottom of the door frame 3 next to the bottom end of the first door part 7 in the closed state of the same.

[0054] A first end 19 of the first guide rail element 13 is arranged at or adjacent to a first, i.e., top end 21 of the door frame and the second ends 23, 25 of the second and the third guide rail element 15, 17 are arranged at a or next to a second, i.e., bottom end 27 of the door frame 3, wherein the first, i.e., top end 21 of the door frame 3 is arranged at the opposite side of the door frame 3 than the second, i.e., bottom end 27.

[0055] Second, i.e., the bottom or lower, ends 29, 23, 25 of the first, the second and/or the third guide rail elements 13, 15, 17 are arranged opposite to the first ends 19, 31, 33, respectively, and the second end 29 of the first guide rail element 13 is arranged adjacent to the first end 31 of the second guide rail element 15. The first end 33 of the third guide rail element 17 is spaced apart from the second end 29 of the first guide rail element 13 and also from the first end 31 of the second guide rail elements 15, in some cases at a distance corresponding to the length or height of the second door part 7.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 1, in a closed state of the automatic sliding door system 1, the second edge of the first door part 7 is arranged adjacent to or adjoining the first edge of the second door part 9 and a first edge of the third door part 11 is arranged adjacent to or adjoining the second edge of the second door part 9 to provide an insulation between the chilled interior of a cooler (not shown) and the warmer outside environment.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 2, the sliding direction for opening the automatic sliding door system 1 of the first door part 7 is opposite to the sliding direction of the second and the third door parts 9, 11.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 3, in an open state of the automatic sliding door system 1, the first door part 7 is arranged at the first end 19 of the first guide rail element 13 and the second and the third door parts 9, 11 are arranged at or adjacent to the first end of the second and the third guide rail elements 23, 25 respectively, in some cases their respective second edges, and the second and the third door parts 9, 11 are arranged essentially in parallel to each other.

[0059] With the help of a not shown sensor unit coupled to a not shown controller, the opening and closing of the door parts 7, 9, 11 can be controlled.

[0060] FIG. 4 shows a cooler 50 having an automatic sliding door system 1 according to FIGS. 1 to 3 in the closed state. FIG. 5 shows the cooler 50 of FIG. 4 with the door parts 7, 9, 11 partially opened.

[0061] The features of the present disclosure disclosed in the description above, in the claims and in the drawings can be used for implementing the present disclosure in its different embodiments both individually and in every possible combination thereof.