Refrigerator shelf

Abstract

A shelf (20) for a refrigerated cabinet has a first curved surface or formation (25) on the underside of the shelf (20) adjacent the front (22) of the shelf (20) and a second curved surface or formation (24) on the underside of the shelf (20) adjacent the rear (23) of the shelf (20). The first curved surface or formation (25) is configured so that air flowing along the underside of the shelf (20) towards the front (22) of the shelf (20) is deflected in a generally downward direction. The second curved surface or formation (24) is configured so that air flowing generally upwardly towards the shelf (20) is deflected to flow along the underside of the shelf (20).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to refrigerator shelves. In particular, the invention is directed to an improved design for a refrigerator shelf which improves airflow and thereby provides more efficient and uniform cooling of the contents of a refrigerator in which the shelf is used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] Upright refrigerated display cabinets, such as commercial refrigerators, typically have several vertically spaced shelves mounted in a cabinet chamber, each shelf being adapted to hold several rows of products to be refrigerated. Cooled air is circulated through the cabinet chamber to provide as uniform cooling of the contents as possible. The airflow is typically created by a fan which draws air from the cabinet chamber and blows it through the evaporator of a refrigerating mechanism. The air, after being cooled by its passage through the evaporator, flows back into the chamber to cool the products in the cabinet.

[0003] FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art open refrigerated display cabinet in cross-section. The cabinet has an open front and a plurality of vertically spaced shelves, each shelf having a substantially planar top and bottom. The open configuration leads to thermal losses due to heat exchange between the refrigerated contents on the shelf and the outside air. Consequently, open refrigerated merchandising cabinets require greater refrigeration capacity than closed cabinets. As shown by the arrows in FIG. 1, it is known to direct the flow of cooled air down the front opening of the cabinet to create an air curtain. The air curtain reduces heat exchange between the outside air and the shelf contents. Nevertheless, the refrigeration capacity of such open cabinets must still be comparatively higher in order to perform satisfactorily.

[0004] Another problem with the known shelf and airflow arrangement of FIG. 1 is that the products stored on the shelves are not uniformly cooled.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved shelf for a refrigerated cabinet that substantially overcomes, or at least ameliorates, one or more of the deficiencies of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a shelf for a refrigerated cabinet, the shelf being configured to deflect air flowing along the shelf.

[0007] Preferably, the shelf has a first curved surface or formation on the underside of the shelf adjacent the front edge of the shelf. The first curved surface or formation is configured to provide a generally smooth directional change for air flowing along the underside of the shelf.

[0008] Preferably, the first curved surface or formation is configured so that air flowing along the underside of the shelf towards the front of the shelf is deflected in a generally downward direction.

[0009] Preferably, the shelf has a second curved surface or formation on the underside of the shelf adjacent the rear of the shelf. The second curved surface or formation is configured to provide a generally smooth directional change for air flowing generally upwardly towards the underside of the shelf.

[0010] Preferably, the second curved surface or formation is configured so that air flowing towards the shelf is deflected to flow along the underside of the shelf.

[0011] The shelf may be mounted within the refrigerated cabinet in a horizontal or an inclined manner.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a refrigerated cabinet having:

[0013] a chamber having an internal rear wall;

[0014] a shelf extending from the internal rear wall into the chamber, the shelf having a first curved surface or formation on the underside thereof adjacent the front of the shelf, wherein the first curved surface or formation is configured to provide a generally smooth directional change for air flowing along the underside of the shelf.

[0015] According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a refrigerated cabinet having:

[0016] a chamber having a foraminous internal rear wall;

[0017] an air duct configured to direct a flow of air into the chamber through the internal rear wall;

[0018] a shelf extending from the internal rear wall into the chamber, the shelf having a first curved surface or formation on the underside of the shelf adjacent the front of the shelf, wherein the first curved surface or formation is configured to provide a generally smooth directional change for air flowing along the underside of the shelf.

[0019] In one embodiment of the invention, cooled air is delivered to the chamber by the delivery duct which is located at the rear of the shelf. Some of the cooled air from the duct flows along the underside of the shelf. The curved surface or formation adjacent the front of the shelf deflects the airflow positively down the face of the product on the shelf or shelves below, and towards a return grill of the cabinet.

[0020] The shelves therefore create a downward flow of air at the face of the product. This curtain of air helps reduce thermal losses and provides more effective and efficient cooling by convection.

[0021] In order that the invention may be more fully understood and put into practice, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of a prior art refrigerated cabinet,

[0023] FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation of an open refrigerated cabinet with horizontal shelves according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and

[0024] FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation of an open refrigerated cabinet with inclined shelves according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The open refrigerated display cabinet 10 illustrated in FIG. 2 includes a housing 11 defining a chamber 12 with an opening 13.

[0026] A refrigeration mechanism is located under the chamber 12. The refrigerating mechanism includes an evaporator 14, typically of grid-like form and/or with cooling fins to maximise heat exchange with air passing through or along the evaporator 14. A fan 15 is provided to draw air from the chamber 12 and pass it through or along the evaporator 14 to thereby cool the air.

[0027] A lowermost shelf 16 is located in the chamber 12 and extends from a rear internal wall 17 to close to the front of the cabinet. The lowermost shelf 16 is a solid, i.e. continuous, shelf. A grill (not shown) covers an opening 9 between the bottom shelf 16 and the front wall of the cabinet. This opening 9 communicates with a duct-like passage formed between the shelf 16 and the bottom wall 18 of the cabinet housing.

[0028] The fan 15 drives air through the opening 9 and blows it along or through the evaporator 14 to be cooled. The cooled air is directed upwardly into a vertical air duct 19 formed between the internal rear wall 17 and the rear wall of the housing. The internal wall 17 is a perforated or otherwise foraminous wall.

[0029] Cooled air in the vertical duct 19 passes through apertures in the internal rear wall 17 and is directed along the shelves 20 which are vertically spaced along the rear wall 17. The spacing of the shelves 20, while not being constrained by any products stored on the shelves 20 or apertures in the rear wall 17, can be adjusted in a vertical direction.

[0030] Each shelf 20 has a lower surface or underside 21, a front 22, a rear 23 and a flat upper surface upon which products are placed. A rear portion 24 of the underside of each shelf nearest the rear wall 17 is upwardly curved while a front portion 25 nearest the opening 13 of the chamber 12 is downwardly curved. Thus, as the cooled air flows generally upwardly out of the rear wall 17, it is directed generally along the lower surface or underside of each shelf 20 towards the front thereof, and is then directed downwardly.

[0031] The curved configuration at the front of the underside of each shelf deflects the air down the face of any products that are stored on lower shelves and back to the return opening 9, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0032] The shelf 20 can be mounted within the cabinet 10 in a horizontal manner (as illustrated in FIG. 2) or in an inclined manner (as illustrated in FIG. 3) without any loss or detriment to the air flow pattern created along the underside of each shelf 20.

[0033] It has been found that the shelves described above provide superior control over airflow to that of conventional shelves, and improve cabinet performance significantly.

[0034] The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention, and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0035] For example, it should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited in its application to open refrigerated display cabinets as it can also be used in closed refrigerated display cabinets, as well as freezer cabinets.

Claims

1. A shelf for a refrigerated cabinet, the shelf being configured to deflect air flowing along the shelf.

2. The shelf of claim 1 having a first curved surface or formation on the underside of the shelf adjacent the front of the shelf, wherein the first curved surface or formation is configured to provide a generally smooth directional change for air flowing along the underside of the shelf.

3. The shelf of claim 2, wherein the first curved surface or formation is configured so that air flowing along the underside of the shelf towards the front of the shelf is deflected in a generally downward direction.

4. The shelf of claim 3 further having a second curved surface or formation on the underside of the shelf adjacent the rear of the shelf, wherein the second curved surface or formation is configured to provide a generally smooth directional change for air flowing generally upwardly towards the underside of the shelf.

5. The shelf of claim 4, wherein the second curved surface or formation is configured so that air flowing generally upwardly towards the shelf is deflected to flow along the underside of the shelf.

6. The shelf of claim 1, wherein the shelf is mountable within the refrigerated cabinet in a horizontal manner.

7. The shelf of claim 1, wherein the shelf is mountable within the refrigerated cabinet in an inclined manner.

8. A refrigerated cabinet having:

a chamber having an internal rear wall;

a shelf extending from the internal rear wall into the chamber, the shelf having a first curved surface or formation on the underside thereof adjacent the front of the shelf, wherein the first curved surface or formation is configured to provide a generally smooth directional change for air flowing along the underside of the shelf.

9. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 8, wherein the first curved surface or formation is configured so that air flowing along the underside of the shelf towards the front of the shelf is deflected in a generally downward direction.

10. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 9 further having a second curved surface or formation on the underside of the shelf adjacent the rear of the shelf and the internal rear wall, wherein the second curved surface or formation is configured to provide a generally smooth directional change for air flowing generally upwardly towards the underside of the shelf.

11. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 10, wherein the second curved surface or formation is configured so that air flowing generally upwardly towards the underside of the shelf is deflected to flow along the underside of the shelf towards the front thereof.

12. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 8, wherein the shelf is mounted within the chamber in a horizontal manner.

13. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 8, wherein the shelf is mounted within the chamber in an inclined manner.

14. A refrigerated cabinet having:

a chamber having a foraminous internal rear wall;

an air duct configured to direct a flow of air into the chamber through the internal rear wall;

a shelf extending from the internal rear wall into the chamber, the shelf having a first curved surface or formation on the underside of the shelf adjacent the front of the shelf, wherein the first curved surface or formation is configured to provide a generally smooth directional change for air flowing along the underside of the shelf.

15. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 14, wherein the first curved surface or formation is configured so that air flowing along the underside of the shelf towards the front of the shelf is deflected in a generally downward direction.

16. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 15 further having a second curved surface or formation on the underside of the shelf adjacent the rear of the shelf and the internal rear wall, wherein the second curved surface or formation is configured to provide a generally smooth directional change for air flowing through the internal rear wall generally upwardly towards the shelf.

17. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 16, wherein the second curved surface or formation is configured so that air flowing from the internal rear wall towards the underside of the shelf is deflected to flow along the underside of the shelf.

18. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 14, wherein the air duct is substantially vertical.

19. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 14, wherein the shelf is mounted within the chamber in a horizontal manner.

20. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 14, wherein the shelf is mounted within the chamber in an inclined inclined manner.