Abstract: A display case having lenses mounted in the case that distribute or direct light emitted by fluorescent tubes located near the ends of display shelves toward the shelves in order to provide a more uniform light distribution along the length of the shelves. The lenses facilitate the illumination of items placed on the shelves near the front and middle of the shelves. Light-directing portions of the lenses distribute or direct light emitted from the fluorescent tubes located inside the lenses toward the display case shelves. In another embodiment of the display case, the lenses are mounted horizontally inside the case, and used to direct light toward the interior of the case and toward the shelves inside the case. In still another embodiment of the display case, the lenses are mounted vertically inside the case and at the corners of the case.

Abstract: A display case lighting system having a lens positioned inside a display case adjacent a light source inside the case for directing light across a viewing plane within the case and reducing contrasting illumination of items displayed within the viewing plane.

Abstract: A light fixture is disclosed including a receptacle for receiving a light source and a support for the receptacle. At least one baffle supported adjacent the light source inhibits passage of light from the light source past the at least one baffle. An enclosure surrounds the light sources and engages the support in such a way that airflow from outside the enclosure to the light source is substantially prevented. A display case is also disclosed having a product support within a frame for supporting the product to be displayed within the display case and a light fixture for receiving and supporting a light source. At least one baffle element is positioned adjacent to light fixture and between the fixture and the product support for reducing the amount of light from the light source that passes from the light source outside of the display case.

Abstract: A ballast can having at least one of an opening which faces in a direction other than toward the rear of the refrigeration unit in which it is mounted and a ballast mounted on the can's cover. The ballast can may include resilient members for attaching the can to a refrigeration unit frame.

Abstract: A product advance mechanism is described and includes a product contact element for contacting a product and for moving so as to push the product. A track is included for supporting and guiding the product contact element as the contact element moves. A bias element biases the product contact element in a direction along the track, and a brake mechanism controls the amount of bias applied to the product element.

Abstract: A refrigerator door construction is disclosed which includes door rail elements formed from a foamed polymeric substance. At least one substantially transparent panel is supported, retained by and sealed in the door rail. Connection elements are provided for connecting the door rail elements. At least one hinge is provided for allowing pivotal movement of the door about an axis. The foam rail element may also form one or more spacer elements between adjacent panels so that separate, discrete spacer bars may be eliminated.

Abstract: A refrigerator door construction is disclosed which includes door rail elements formed from a foamed polymeric substance. At least one substantially transparent panel is supported, retained by and sealed in the door rail. Connection elements are provided for connecting the door rail elements. At least one hinge is provided for allowing pivotal movement of the door about an axis. The foam rail element may also form one or more spacer elements between adjacent panels so that separate, discrete spacer bars may be eliminated.

Abstract: An insulator is applied to the ends of a fluorescent lamp which operates in a cold environment. The insulator retains the heat generated by the fluorescent lamp in order to reduce the energy which must be applied to cause the lamp to fire.

Abstract: A lock assembly is described for a door, the assembly including a gib having at least one flange. A locking unit has a first wall including an edge portion on the wall for sliding into the gib and for engaging the flange on the gib such that the locking unit is retained by the gib. A locking latch is movable between an unlocked position in the locking unit and a locked position such that the locking latch engages a wall in a frame when in the locked position. A second wall extends from the first wall of the locking unit in a direction substantially non-parallel to the first wall of the locking unit to keep the door closed when the locking latch is in the locked position.

Abstract: A display case having lenses mounted in the case that distribute or direct light emitted by fluorescent tubes located near the ends of display shelves toward the shelves in order to provide a more uniform light distribution along the length of the shelves. The lenses facilitate the illumination of items placed on the shelves near the front and middle of the shelves. Light-directing portions of the lenses distribute or direct light emitted from the fluorescent tubes located inside the lenses toward the display case shelves.

Abstract: A display case having shaped lighted shelves which facilitate the illumination of lighting items placed on the shelves near the front and middle of the shelves. One such shaped shelf has a curved plate or rod attached at the front of the shelf which positions items placed near the front and middle of the shelf a selected distance toward the back of the shelf. As a result, items placed near the front and middle of the shaped shelves are illuminated better by fluorescent lighting tubes, mounted inside the display case near the ends of the shelves, than items placed near the front and middle of unshaped shelves. The display case may have shaped shelves having different degrees of curvature. Alternatively, the display case may have shelves that are shaped and unshaped.

Abstract: A sliding door lock having a latch plate, which slidably engages a channel in one leg of a corner piece. The corner piece is mounted in a door frame. A stud is attached to the slider plate so that a person may grasp the stud and slide the plate up and down. The stud has internal threads. A small screw is threaded into the internal threads of the stud. The sliding door lock is used by grasping the stud, which extends through an elongated slot in the door frame, and using the stud to move the latch plate upward so that it extends past the top of the door frame. The small screw is then used to hold the latch plate in an upward position. A tool is used to thread the small screw past the end of the stud so that the end of the small screw is in frictional contact with the corner piece, thus holding the latch plate in the upward position.

Abstract: A self return mechanism for automatically closing or opening a closure, preferably having a movable door supported during movement by a door frame, the door having a braking element mounted to the top edge of the door, and a door return element. The door return element has one end coupled to the door frame structure and its other end coupled to the door and has an intermediate segment oriented to pass through the braking element and around a portion of the grooved circumference of a pulley wheel. The door return element is preferably an elastic element having an outer dimension that changes as the door moves from an opened position to a closed position. The self return mechanism controls the acceleration and deceleration of the door as it is automatically closed, returns the sliding door to its closed position when it is opened only partially, allows for easy removal and replacement of the door from the door frame structure and is inexpensive to manufacture and simple to assemble.

Abstract: A railless refrigerator display door constructed with two or more glass panels and having a peripheral door frame extending around the sides of the door and at the inside of the door without covering the outside glass surface of the door. Sealant is used to bond the glass panels to peripheral spacers separating the panels and to C-section structures which extend peripherally around the sides of the door. The door frame is also bonded to the C-section structures and glass panels by the sealant. Rubber bumpers attached to the C-section structures reduce heat transfer from the inside glass panel to the outside glass panel. As such, mechanical fasteners such as nuts, bolts or screws are not needed for the purpose of holding the refrigerator door together.

Abstract: A glass refrigerator door structure constructed with two or more glass panels and having a peripheral door frame extending around the sides of the door structure and at the inside of the door without covering the outside glass surface of the door. Sealant is used to bond the glass panels to peripheral spacers separating the panels and to pipe-like structures which extend peripherally around the sides of the door structure. The door frame is connected to the pipe-like structures by a peripheral extension from the frame which engages elongated slots in the pipe-like structures. As such, mechanical fasteners such as nuts, bolts or screws are not needed for the purpose of holding the refrigerator door structure together.

Abstract: A self-closing door is disclosed being hinged at the top and at the bottom to swing between open and closed positions. A torque rod is aligned in the pivot axis of the door and is anchored at the bottom to a device secured to the cabinet frame. This device receives the end of the torque rod and serves as both the bottom hinge socket for the door's hinge pin associated with the torque rod assembly and as the bottom anchor for the torque rod. This device is provided with a worm wheel adjustable by a worm to provide the desired torque to the torque rod. The device is also provided with an apparatus to laterally adjust the bottom hinge socket so as to adjust the vertical alignment of the door's pivot axis to compensate for sag in the door and to insure that the horizontal frame members of the door are aligned with the cabinet.

Abstract: A substantially transparent single-pane insulating structure, positionable between a warmer region and a colder region having a substantially transparent pane wherein one surface is exposed in use to the warmer region and the opposed surface in use facing the cold region and a reflecting material applied to the surface of the pane which faces the colder region for reflecting a substantial portion of infrared radiation incident on the reflecting material through the pane to the surface of the pane exposed in use to the warmer region to restrict substantial transmission of infrared radiation from the warmer region to the colder region and to heat the surface of the pane exposed in use to the warmer region sufficiently to prevent formation of a visibility-impeding layer thereon without using electrical energy therefor and wherein the reflected infrared radiation is reradiated into the warmer region so as to inhibit reradiation thereof into the colder region and for transmitting a substantial portion of visible l

Abstract: A railless refrigerator display door constructed with two or more glass panels and having a peripheral door frame extending around the sides of The door and at the inside of the door without covering the outside glass surface of the door. Sealant is used to bond the glass panels to peripheral spacers separating the panels and to C-section structures which extend peripherally around the sides of the door. The door frame is also bonded to the C-section structures and glass panels by the sealant. Rubber bumpers attached to the C-section structures reduce heat transfer from the inside glass panel to the outside glass panel. As such, mechanical fasteners such as nuts, bolts or screws are not needed for the purpose of holding the refrigerator door together.

Abstract: A glass refrigerator door structure constructed with two or more glass panels and having a peripheral door frame extending around the sides of the door structure and at the inside of the door without covering the outside glass surface of the door. Sealant is used to bond the glass panels to peripheral spacers separating the panels and to pipe-like structures which extend peripherally around the sides of the door structure. The door frame is connected to the pipe-like structures by a peripheral extension from the frame which engages elongated slots in the pipe-like structures. As such, mechanical fasteners such as nuts, bolts or screws are not needed for the purpose of holding the refrigerator door structure together.