Fridge loading: an operation that is far from trivial
Let’s discover how to make product storing practical, simple, fast and convenient. A common goal to manufacturers of refrigerated display units and users.
The re-filling of display units
The activity of loading done in retailer shops is frequent and regular and therefore cannot be underestimated. The need to close refrigerated display units with ports for the known reasons of energy saving and environmental comfort, creates discomfort for the operator who performs the refilling, including:
- Little space for operations
- Having to keep the door open
- Longer time spent on the task and therefore greater disturbance to the public.
The management of fridge doors
In order to solve the above mentioned inconvenience, possible solutions are door locking systems that involve the use of lock springs, keys and other systems. These are functional solu.ons that are implemented quite often nowadays, in a market that tends to make a virtue out of necessity; however, they are undeniably impractical and that also hide reliability problems.
During the various phases of the loading, often characterized by a sense of hurry and briskness, the operator does not usually pay particular attention to the fridge-door-hinge system. Glass can be broken quite frequently, most of the time by falling to the floor, due to:
- Collisions with loading carts
- Excessive thrust on the glass to keep the door open
- Damage to hinges and door-frame systems, caused by forced extra stroke, may even make the unit unusable.
Possible technical solutions
An aid for the prevention and limitation of the above men.oned problems can be found in the use of a hinge with a natural stop posi.on at 95 degrees. These hinges guarantee:
- The automatic locking of the door in the open position: this eliminates the need to maintain active forces on the door and on the hinge itself
- Full access light on the shelves for the loading
- A thrust dampening system at the end of the stroke
- A mechanical stop that prevents the collision with the next adjacent door or its edge while the latter is also open.
Hinges with such solutions represent recent innovative solutions, that will surely get a foothold in the next few years.
Results at 360°
It’s common knowledge: when the user of a system finds the operations easy and simple, they will remember the positive experience and the resulting satisfaction:
- The operator will therefore work better, save energy, experience less fatigue and perform the task with a good attitude.
- This way, the customer will have a pleasant shopping experience that will, with all probability, lead them to come back again in the future.
These are precious features that can widely improve the whole retail store: why not include them in your service range to customers and employees? In a vision of continuous improvement, these aspects are definitely worth considering.
