Refrigerator Case Wall Structure
A refrigerated case has a base and a number of supports extending upward from the base. A number of structural uprights are coupled to the supports. At least one insulated panel is positioned between the uprights and the supports and is secured to the uprights and the supports. A refrigeration apparatus is positioned to cool an interior of the case. At least the first of the panels has front and rear liner sheets. A transversely extending polymeric layer is at least partially between the liner sheets. An insulative foam layer is between the front and rear liner sheets. A number of fasteners secure at least some of the supports to the polymeric member and at least some of the uprights to the polymeric member.
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The invention relates to refrigerator cases. More particularly, the invention relates to structural integration of insulated panels in walls of such cases.
Refrigerator cases (generically including freezers) are used in a variety of commercial situations. One key use is for retail display and vending. Many such cases include a closed rear wall and either an open front or a glass door front.
Insulation of the compartment of such cases relative to their external structure is important for a number of reasons. In addition to basic efficiency concerns, insulation may be appropriate to avoid or control condensation on components external to the compartment. This may be motivated by sanitary considerations in addition to refrigerator case longevity.
In refrigerator case engineering and manufacturing, modularity has been a relevant consideration. It is advantageous to be able to use at least some of the same components when producing a variety of sizes and/or configurations of case. Configurations have been developed that include combinations of external and internal structural components. These components can be coupled to each other through insulated panels. An exemplary configuration is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,826. In that patent, one or more insulated panels intervene between external and internal structural members. Studded dog bone-shaped mounting elements are embedded within the foam panels with the studs protruding from surfaces of the panels. The studs may be engaged to internal and external structural members to structurally couple such members.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, one aspect of the invention involves a refrigerated case having a base and a number of supports extending upward from the base. A number of structural uprights are coupled to the supports. At least one insulated panel is positioned between the uprights and the supports and is secured to the uprights and the supports. A refrigeration apparatus is positioned to cool an interior of the case. At least the first of the panels has front and rear liner sheets. A transversely extending polymeric layer is at least partially between the liner sheets. An insulative foam layer is between the front and rear liner sheets. A number of fasteners secure at least some of the supports to the polymeric member and at least some of the uprights to the polymeric member.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe exemplary base 30 includes front and back transverse rails 50 and 52 for supporting the remainder of the base and, therethrough, the remainder of the case atop a ground/floor surface. The exemplary base 30 contains the refrigeration equipment (e.g., an evaporator, and the like shown schematically as 60 in
It is advantageous to structurally couple the supports 90 to the uprights 70, 72, and 74 so that the supports can maintain the uprights vertical against torque and resultant bending associated with the cantilevering of loaded shelves 38. Advantageously, however, the coupling limits heat transmission from the supports to the uprights or otherwise through the panel assembly 84.
Opposite the insert 100 along the panel upper edge are a pair of end-to-end aligned insert strips 130 and 132. Along the left and right edges of the panel between the insert 100 and the insert strips 130 and 132 are lateral edge insert strips 134 and 136. The exemplary insert strips have a rectangular section elongate between the sheets and are formed of a polystyrene foam. The strips and insert 100 may be assembled to the sheets by applying adhesive between the strips and insert and the inboard faces of the sheets adjacent the perimeter of each sheet. This may leave an empty interior volume between the sheets. A gap may be left between the strips 130 and 132 through which the barrel of a foam gun may be inserted. As the foam is introduced through the gun, the gun may be swept to allow the foam to completely fill the interior space to form the core 108 upon hardening. A filler block 138 may then be inserted into the gap and secured by adhesive. In alternative embodiments, one or more holes may be drilled in the insert and/or strips through which one or more guns are inserted to introduce the foam.
The lower panel 88 may be identical to the upper panel 86. This may be so even if no fasteners are secured through the insert 100 of the lower panel. This use of the lower panel may be justified by economy of scale manufacturing considerations. Alternatively, in the lower panel 88, the strip 100 may be replaced by one or more polystyrene foam strips (e.g., identical to the strips 130, 132, and block 138 for similar economies of scale). In the exemplary embodiment, the strip 130 is shown shorter than the strip 132. This is merely another artifact of economy of scale manufacture. By providing strips of two different lengths, different combinations of such strips may be used to assembly panels of different lengths. For example, the panel length may be associated with the length of two of the shorter strips, two of the longer strips, or one of either strip. With such permutations, the block 138 may serve to facilitate panel length not exactly the length of a given strip or combination.
One or more embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the foregoing teachings may be applied in the reengineering of an existing case configuration. In such a reengineering, details of the existing configuration will influence or dictate details of any particular implementation. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A refrigerated case apparatus (20) comprising: wherein:
- a base (30);
- a plurality of supports (92) extending upward from the base;
- a plurality of structural uprights (70; 72; 74) coupled to the supports;
- at least one insulated panel (86; 88) between the uprights and the supports and secured to the uprights and the supports; and
- a refrigeration apparatus (60) positioned to cool an interior (36) of the case,
- at least a first (86) of the panels comprises: a front liner sheet (104); a rear liner sheet (106); a transversely extending polymeric member (100) at least partially between the front and rear liner sheets; and an insulative foam layer (108) between the front and rear liner sheets; and
- a plurality of fasteners (110; 112) secure at least some of the supports to the polymeric member and at least some of the uprights to the polymeric member.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
- the polymeric member (100) consists essentially of cellular PVC;
- the insulative foam layer (108) consists essentially of polyurethane;
- the front (104) and rear (106) liner sheets comprise steel; and
- the fasteners (110; 112) comprise screws.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
- the polymeric member extends along a majority of a transverse length of the first panel.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
- the first panel has only a single said polymeric member, although optionally including one or more other polymeric members differing from the polymeric member (100) in at least one of composition and configuration.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
- the first panel (86) individually is transversely elongate and essentially rectangular;
- the first panel (86) individually has a thickness of 2-10 cm.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
- the first panel (86) individually is transversely elongate and essentially rectangular;
- the first panel (86) individually has a length of at least 60 cm, a height of at least 50 cm, and thickness of 4-6 cm.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
- the first panel (86) individually is transversely elongate and essentially rectangular;
- the first panel (86) individually has a length of 1.5-4.0 m, a height of 0.8-1.0 m, and thickness of 4-6 cm.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a transverse cross-section of the polymeric member (100) is substantially characterized by a rectangle centrally recessed (114) along a single long side, said single long side being an inboard side.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the platform comprises:
- a plurality of transverse base rails (50; 52); and
- a plurality of front-to-back braces (90) secured atop the base rails.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each support (92) has a height no greater than 60% of a height of the apparatus.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each support (92) has a height no greater than 80% of a height of each upright.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
- said plurality of supports (92) include: a left support; a right support; and a plurality of intermediate supports;
- said plurality of uprights include: a left upright (70); a right upright (72); and a plurality of intermediate uprights (74); and
- said plurality of fasteners (110; 112) include: a single screw securing the left upright to the polymeric member; a single screw securing the right upright to the polymeric member; and a plurality of pairs of screws, each remaining upright being secured to the polymeric member by a single such pair and each support being secured to the polymeric member by a single such pair.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
- a plurality of shelves, each shelf mounted to at least two of the uprights.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
- at least some of the uprights are not transversely aligned with any of the supports; and
- at least some of the supports are not transversely aligned with any of the uprights.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
- at least some of the supports have a rearwardly-open channel cross-section; and
- at least some of the uprights have a generally I-shaped cross-section.
16.-22. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 27, 2005
Publication Date: Sep 4, 2008
Applicant: CARRIER CORPORATION (Farmington, CT)
Inventors: Daren M. Decker (Midlothian, TX), Jamie Lorzadeh (Carrollton, TX)
Application Number: 11/911,114
International Classification: A47F 3/04 (20060101);