The present invention relates to a light fitting for use in a refrigerator or freezer space, said space having at least one door arrangement of the type found in convenience goods stores for display of merchandise. The light fitting is attached along a door post which is part of the door arrangement, along a side of said post that is turned towards the refrigerator or freezer space.

One example of prior-art light fittings of this type is illustrated schematically in a sectional view from above in the accompanying Fig. 1. The light fitting generally designated by reference 2, is located on the side 3 of the door post 1 that is turned towards the refrigerator or freezer space. The door post side 4 is turned towards a warmer space, which could for instance be store premises. The door post may be disposed between two door openings 5,6 closed by doors 7 and 8, respectively, said doors preferably being at least partly transparent. The refrigerator or freezer space may contain several shelves 9, 10 arranged in superposted position on which shelves refrigerated or frozen merchandise 11 is positioned and exposed and accessible through the doors 7, 8. The shelves 9, 10 may be separated by a post 12 on which the shelves 9, 10 are secured. The light fitting 2 comprises an essentially transparent cover 13 which is removable attached to the door post 1. In addition, a light unit, generally designated by 14, and preferably comprising a fluorescent lamp and two fluorescent lamp holders are provided. The light unit 14 is electrically connected to a reactor (not shown) for turning the lamp on and off and for energising the light unit 14.

A disadvantage inherent in light fittings of this type is the considerable surface of exposure of the cover 13 towards the cold refrigerator or freezer space. As a result, the temperature adjacent the light unit becomes comparatively low, which in turn negatively affects the efficiency of the light unit. The device illustrated in Fig. 1 illuminates also the area behind the light fitting in such a manner that this area is felt as being brighter than the area intermediate to door post by a person viewing the merchandise displayed on the shelves 9, 10. In order to reduce this problem prior-art solutions suggest the use of various screens, lenses or prisms (not shown) that screen off, filter and/or refract the light generated by the light unit 14 in such a manner that the shelves 9, 10 intermediate adjacent door posts are illuminated more evenly. In covers comprising lenses or prisms serving to refract the light, light losses do, however, arise in the lenses and in the prisms, respectively. In order to compensate for such light losses special fluorescent lamps are used in some light fittings in accordance with the prior-art technology, these special lamps being of a type having a higher illuminating power and being more expensive than standard type of fluorescent lamps. This may cause problems when the fluorescent lamps are to be exchanged, since the wrong kind of fluorescent lamps may be inserted in the fitting. It is also easily understood that covers formed with lenses or prisms are comparatively expensive to manufacture. In light fittings in accordance to the prior-art it is also difficult to replace or service components forming part of the light unit 14. The space between the cover 13 and a shelf arrangement disposed behind the cover 13 often is small. For instance, the cover 13 may be attached by some snap-fastening method or by means of yokes projecting from the door post 1. It is easily understood that it is difficult both to remove the cover

13, to e.g. exchange a fluorescent lamp, and to re-attach the cover 13 in the narrow space available. It is likewise easily understood that the temperature in the refrigerator or freezer space also negatively affects the fine motor ability of a person charged with the task of performing this measures.

The light fittings in accordance with the prior-art also comprise a comparatively large space interiorly of the cover 13 that is not occupied by the light unit 14. This space must be heated by the light unit 14 in order to increase the efficiency of the latter.

One object of the present invention therefore is to provide a light fitting allowing simple servicing of the light units and giving an even illumination of the display surfaces inside the refrigerator or freezer space.

This object is achieved in accordance with the present invention by means of a light fitting comprising at least one light unit for use in a refrigerator or freezer space as defined in the appended claims.

Other particularities and advantageous embodiments will appear from the following description.

In the following currently preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates schematically in a sectional view from above one example of a light fitting arrangement in accordance with the prior-art.

Fig. 2 illustrates schematically in a sectional view from above an inventive light fitting arrangement in accordance with a first embodiment.

Fig. 3 illustrates schematically an inventive light fitting in an exploded view.

Identical or similar components appearing in the different drawing figures have received the same numeral references.

Fig. 2 illustrates two door posts 1, and two doors 7, 8 schematically. The doors 7, 8 may include frame portions 15 between which a preferably transparent unit 16, for instance comprising glass panes is provided. At the left-hand part of the door 7 in Fig. 2 a hinge arrangement 17 is illustrated schematically. The door structure allows merchandise 11 to be displayed through the units 16 to be viewed for instance by a customer in a store, and also allows for instance the customer to open the door 7 or 8 to select merchandise 11 from the shelves 9 and 10.

The right-hand light fitting illustrated in Fig. 2, generally designated by reference 20, has a frame generally designated by 21, which in accordance with the shown embodiment comprises a reflector portion 22 and a top portion 23. The reflector portion 22 is preferably by means of snap-fastening means attached to the door post 1. As appears from Fig. 2, the top portion 23 is formed with a groove in which the upper part of the reflector portion 22 is securely received. The frame 21 likewise comprises lateral members 29 which are attached to the end walls of the light fitting 20. Fig. 3 illustrates schematically the manner of attachment of one lateral member 29 to one end wall of a light fitting. For reasons of clarity the lateral member to be attached to the opposite end wall of the light fitting is not illustrated.

Reference is again made to Fig. 2. The light fitting 20 in accordance with the embodiment shown therein comprises two essentially transparent holders 24 which preferably are hingedly connected to the top portion 23 by means of hinges 25. The hinges 25 are spaced from the door post 1, and in accordance with the embodiment shown they extend essentially in parallel with the door post 1. The hinges 25 are produced by inserting the holders 24 in grooves formed in the top portion 23, an arrangement

which produces a simple and inexpensive hinge construction.

To each holder is attached at least one light unit generally designated by reference 26. Preferably, the light unit 26 comprises a fluorescent lamp 37 (see Fig. 3) , which in a manner known per se is connected to fluorescent lamps sockets 27, one at each end, said lamp socket 27 inturn, in a manner known per se, for instance by means of lines 28, being electrically connected to a reactor and contact means (not shown) to turn the lamp on and off and to supply the lamp unit 26 with electricity. Fig. 3 illustrates schematically one example of the attachment of fluorescent lamp 37 in a lamp socket 27 comprising fluorescent lamp contact of standard type, which is attached to an angle iron which in turn is attached to the holder 24. For reasons of clarity the drawing figure only illustrates the attachment of the light unit 26 at the left-hand part of the light fitting. However, it is easily understood that a corresponding attachment arrangement may be used to attach a light unit at the right-hand part of the light fitting. For reasons of clarity the electrical connections of the light unit 26 to, for instance, the above-mentioned reactor and contact means are not either shown in Fig. 3. Once again reference is made to Fig. 2. The light unit 26 is disposed between the holder 24 and the frame 21, and in accordance with the shown embodiment the holder 24 is hingedly movable between the position in which the holder is pivoted inwards (see left-hand part of the light fitting 20 in Fig. 2) , in which position the holder 24 forms a cover over the light unit 26 sealing it with respect to the frame 21, and a position wherein is pivoted outwards (see right-hand part of the light fitting 20 in Fig. 2), and the light unit 26 is accessible to facilitate servicing and the like.

The holder 24 has a glare shield element arranged to filter light produced by the light unit 26 and directed

towards the door opening 5, 6 when the holder 26 assumes its inwards pivoted position, in order to avoid reflections in the door 7, 8. The glare shield element serves to reduce e.g. the risks that a customer in a store looking at the light fitting 20 will be blinded when the holder 24 assumes its said inwardly pivoted position. The glare shield element 30 may for instance filter off all visible light produced by the light unit and directed towards the door opening 5, 6 or may allow passage-through of a fraction of that light. Preferably, the glare shield element 30 extends along the entire holder 24. The glare shield element 30 may be an integrated part of the holder 24 as illustrated in Fig. 2, in which case it may be enamelled, be semi- transparent, or provided with a non-transparent tape. It is easily understood that the glare shield element 30 may be a part that is stationarily connected to the frame 21 or the door post 1.

The holder 24 likewise comprises a handle member 30 to facilitate shifting of the holder 24 between the inwards and outwards pivoted positions. In accordance with the illustrated preferred embodiment, the glare shield element 30 also forms the handle member 30. Preferably, a fastening means 31 removably secures the holder 24 in the inwards pivoted position. Preferably, the fastener 31 is of snap-fastener type and the handle member 30 preferably is a lever arranged to facilitate actuation of the fastener 31 upon shifting of the holder 24 to and from the inwards pivoted secured position. The reflector portion 22 has a reflector means 32 on its face turned towards the light unit 26. The reflector means 32 are arranged to reflect the light from the light units 26 to provide increased illuminating power and even illumination along the whole of the shelves 9, 10. The result is an increased display of merchandise 11. The reflector means 32 may be a separate unit that is attached to the reflector portion 22 or, as illustrated

in Fig. 2 it may be an integrated part of the reflector portion 22.

In accordance with the shown embodiment the reflector means 32 has a concave configuration serving to orientate the light to produce a directional effect of the light generated by the light unit 26. The side of the light unit 24 that is turned towards the reflector means 32 has an essentially convex configuration in accordance with the embodiment illustrated. The configuration of the reflector means 32 and of the light unit 25 allows the space between the frame 21 and the holder 24 to be essentially wholly occupied by the light unit 26. The efficiency of light units 26 of fluorescent-lamp type decreases at low temperatures and an advantageous operating temperature of light units 26 of this type may be about +35°C. Conseguently, it is advantageous that the space between the frame 21 and the holder 24 is essentially wholly occupied by the light unit 26, with the result that only a reduced space need to be heated by the light unit 26.

In accordance with the illustrated preferred embodiment the light fitting 20 has an essentially symmetrical configuration about the plane indicated by reference A, and in accordance with the shown embodiment it comprises a first holder 24' and a second holder 24" between which the frame 21 is disposed, the light unit 26' appertaining to the first holder 24' being arranged to illuminate merchandise displayed through a first door opening and the light unit 26" appertaining to the second holder 24" being arranged to illuminate merchandise being displayed through the second door opening 6. Because the two light units 26', 26" of the light fitting 20 are disposed in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2 the surface that is exposed towards the cold area in the refrigerator or freezer space and that affects the temperature around and thus the efficiency of the light units 26' and 26", respectively, is comparatively small. Since the light

units 26' and 26" are juxtaposed in the inwards pivoted position, a further advantage is gained in that they heat one another to increase the efficiency of the light units 26' and 26". The reflector portion 22, the top portion 23, and the holder preferably are manufactured as extruded profile sections.

The left-hand part of Fig. 2 illustrates a light fitting generally designated by reference 34. The right- hand part of this fitting 34 is constructed in a manner similar to the right-hand part of the fitting 20. Since it is disposed on an end door post, the fitting 34 does not comprise a light unit 26 at its left-hand side. Instead, an insulating means 35 may for instance be located in the space between a left-hand holder 36 and the reflector portion 22. Insulating means 35 are arranged to thermally insulate this space in order to increase the possibilities of the light unit 26 of also this light fitting 34 to operate in temperature conditions that are conducive to high efficiency. The holder 36 may have a configuration identical to that of the holder 24 but could also, as illustrated in Fig. 2, be configured without the glare shield/handle member in order to reguire less space. In the area beneath the reflector portion 22 a space 33 is formed in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the fittings 20, 34, in which space may be accommodated e.g. electrical lines 28. This space is limited in the illustrated embodiment by a recess formed in the door post 1 and by the lower part of the reflector portion 22 in the area of the light fittings 20, 34. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, this space 33 is limited by a protective cap (not shown) along portions of the door post 1 not occupied by the light fitting 20, 34. Owing to this arrangement the chilling effects of the space 33 on the light fittings 20, 34 are reduced.

Because the hinges 25 are spaced from the door post 1 and because the light unit 26 is attached to the holder 24, servicing and repairs of the light unit 26 become easy, because in the outwards pivoted position it is easily accessible through the door openings 5, 6. Owing to the provision of the handle member 30 and the snap fastening arrangement 31 it is also easy to shift the holder 24 between the inwards and the outwards pivoted positions. Owing to the reflecting arrangement of the fittings 20, 34 the shelves 9, 10 are evenly illuminated without unnecessary light losses contrary to the case when prisms, lenses and the like are used. The construction of the inventive light fittings, for instance as regards the narrow space between the holder 24 and the frame 21 and as regards the fact that each light unit 26 presents a small surface area towards the cool zone in the refrigerator or freezer space, is such that the light unit 26 may operate under such temperature conditions that high efficiency thereof is ensured.

Since the light fittings 20, 34 are manufactured from a reduced number of parts they are also inexpensive to manufacture and simple to assemble.

It is easily understood that it is possible to deviate somewhat from the described embodiments. For instance, the fittings 20, 34 need not be disposed along an essential vertical door post 1 but could also be disposed for instance along essentially horizontal door posts. The holders 24 need not either be attached to the respective frame 21 by means of hinges 25 but could be attached to the frame 21 in any convenient manner, provided they may be moved aside from the frame 21 in a manner facilitating servicing, repairs or the like of the corresponding light unit 26. It is also easily understood that e.g. the reflector portion 22 and the top portion 23 could be manufactured as one single piece instead of as two components, as is the case in the illustrated

embodiments. All varieties and modifications comprised by the basic inventive idea should be regarded to fall within the scope of the appended claims.