TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED STORAGE AND DISPLAY DEVICE
A tank-less refrigerated display device having an open floor is configured to sit directly upon a floor in a facility such as a supermarket or other food product retail facility. The tank-less and floorless display device includes a front wall section that is substantially free of fans or other electrical components. The front wall section may be readily removable to permit convenient roll-in and roll-out of food product display devices. A cooling coil is mounted in a lower portion of a rear wall. A single set of fans are configured to push air to be chilled through the cooling coil and into a chilled air distribution system. The chilled air distribution system includes a rear wall flue having a vertical profile that is at least partially tapered, and a horizontal top wall flue having a frontal outlet configured to discharge chilled air over an open front in the form of an air curtain.
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The present Application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e)(1) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/353,100, titled “Temperature Controlled Storage and Display Device” and filed on Jun. 9, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELDThe present invention relates generally to the field of temperature controlled display devices (e.g. refrigerated display device, etc.) for storing and displaying refrigerated objects (e.g. food products, etc.). More specifically, the present invention relates to a refrigerated display device having a “tank-less” and floorless design for use with roll-in or fixed shelving racks, pallet displays, or with fixed shelving. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tank-less and floorless refrigerated display device having a front wall section without fans or other electrical components therein. More particularly still, the present invention relates to a refrigerated display device where the front wall section is readily removable to permit convenient roll-in and roll-out of food product display devices. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a refrigerated display device having a rear-mounted cooling coil and a single set of fans configured to push air to be chilled through the cooling coil and into a chilled air distribution system. More particularly still, the present invention relates to a refrigerated display device where the chilled air distribution system may include an adjustable air diversion scoop configured to divert chilled air through a rear lower baffle, and a vertically tapered rear wall flue configured to distribute chilled air evenly through rear upper baffles, and a horizontal top wall flue having an adjustable damper and a frontal outlet configured to discharge chilled air over an open front in the form of an air curtain, and/or louvered openings configured to discharge air vertically downwardly over the food products. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a movable fixture for use in transporting the tank-less and floorless temperature controlled display case.
BACKGROUNDIt is well known to provide a temperature controlled display device such as a refrigerator, freezer, refrigerated merchandiser, refrigerated display case, etc., that may be used in commercial, institutional, and residential applications for storing or displaying refrigerated or frozen objects. However, these temperature controlled display devices present a number of disadvantages, including relatively poor energy efficiency for maintaining a desired temperature within an interior temperature controlled space of the display device.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a tank-less and floorless temperature controlled display device that overcomes the disadvantages of prior devices.
SUMMARYOne embodiment of the invention relates to a “tank-less” refrigerated display device having an open floor (i.e. floorless) that is configured to sit directly upon a floor in a facility such as a supermarket or other food product retail facility. The tank-less and floorless display device includes a front wall section that is substantially free of fans or other electrical components. The front wall section may be readily removable to permit convenient roll-in and roll-out of food product display devices. A cooling coil is mounted in a lower portion of a rear wall. A single set of fans are disposed beneath the cooling coil and are configured to push air to be chilled through the cooling coil and into a chilled air distribution system. The chilled air distribution system includes an adjustable air diversion scoop configured to divert chilled air through a rear lower baffle, and a rear wall flue having a vertically tapered profile configured to distribute chilled air evenly through rear upper baffles, and a horizontal top wall flue having an adjustable damper and a frontal outlet configured to discharge chilled air over an open front in the form of an air curtain.
The front wall section may be a lower front wall section that extends from one side of the display device to an opposite side of the display device. The lower front wall section allows the front of the display device to remain generally open for access to the food products disposed within the interior space. The lower front wall section may include a hinge at one side and a latch at the other side to permit the lower front wall section to be readily removed, or otherwise opened, to permit roll-in and roll-out of food product display devices. The lower front wall section may also include suitable vents and flow passages intended to receive air from the air curtain and direct the received air toward a suction side of the single set of fans.
The upper and lower rear baffles may be generally planar sheet members having a series of apertures formed therein to provide an air distribution pattern. The upper rear baffles are disposed above the lower rear baffle and receive chilled air from the rear wall flue. The apertures may be in the form of elongated slots. The lower rear baffle is disposed forward of the cooling coil and received a supply of chilled air from the air diverter scoop. The air diverter scoop may have an arcuate cross-section profile and is adjustable so that a greater portion of the scoop is disposed over the outlet of the cooling coil (to divert more chilled air to the lower rear baffle), or a lesser portion of the scoop is disposed over the outlet of the cooling coil (to divert less chilled air to the lower rear baffle).
The adjustable damper within the horizontal top wall flue extend substantially completely across the flue and includes adjacent slidable damper members, each having a pattern of alternating apertures and obstructions, that may be positioned relative to each other to provide a net flow passage area intended to obtain the desired chilled air flow pressure and distribution characteristics from the chilled air distribution system to the interior space and to the air curtain.
A polyurethane coated drip pan may be disposed beneath the cooling coil and configured to route condensation from the cooling coil to a floor drain of the facility. The floor drain may be within the interior space, or external to the display device.
The single set of fans may be disposed in the rear wall beneath the cooling coil and operable to force air to be chilled into a bottom portion of the cooling coil. The single set of fans are spaced horizontally along the rear wall so that each fan corresponds to a respective rear wall flue zone defined by a plurality of substantially vertical flue dividers disposed within the rear wall flue.
Another embodiment of the invention relates to a tank-less refrigerated display device having an interior space at least partially defined by a top wall, a rear wall, opposite side walls, and a front having a lower front wall beneath an open front portion, and an open floor that is configured to placed over a floor in a facility. A cooling coil with an air inlet and an air outlet is disposed in a lower portion of the rear wall. A single set of fans is disposed proximate the rear wall and upstream of the cooling coil to push air to be chilled through the cooling coil and into a chilled air distribution system. The chilled air distribution system includes a rear wall flue that distributes chilled air to the interior space through a first series of apertures in the rear wall, and a top wall flue that distributes chilled air downwardly over the interior space through a second series of apertures. A frontal outlet discharges chilled air over the open front portion in the form of an air curtain.
Yet another embodiment of the invention relates to a tank-less refrigerated display device having an interior space at least partially defined by a top wall, a rear wall, opposite side walls, and a front having a lower front wall beneath an open front portion, and an open floor that is configured to placed over a floor in a facility. A cooling coil with an air inlet and an air outlet is disposed in a lower portion of the rear wall. A single set of fans is disposed proximate the rear wall and upstream of the cooling coil to push air to be chilled through the cooling coil and into a chilled air distribution system. The chilled air distribution system has a rear wall flue to distribute chilled air to the interior space through a first series of apertures, and a top wall flue configured to distribute chilled air at least partially over the interior space through a second series of apertures. A frontal outlet discharges chilled air over the open front portion in the form of an air curtain. An elongated substantially horizontal receptacle is disposed on each of the opposite side walls, and a movable fixture has a platform that removably engages the receptacles.
Still another embodiment of the invention relates to a tank-less refrigerated display device having an interior space at least partially defined by a top wall, a rear wall, opposite side walls, and a front having a lower front wall beneath an open front portion, and an open floor that is configured to placed over a floor in a facility. A cooling coil has an air inlet and an air outlet, and is disposed in a lower portion of the rear wall. A single set of fans disposed proximate the rear wall and upstream of the cooling coil push air to be chilled through the cooling coil and into a chilled air distribution system. The chilled air distribution system includes a rear wall flue that distributes chilled air to the interior space through a first series of apertures disposed in the rear wall, and a top wall flue that distributes chilled air at least partially over the interior space through a second series of apertures, and a frontal outlet that discharges chilled air over the open front portion in the form of an air curtain. An elongated substantially horizontal receptacle is disposed on each of the opposite side walls, and a movable fixture has a platform that removably engages the receptacles.
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According to one embodiment, the movable fixture is adapted to engage and support the display device in the following general manner. Upon removal of the lower front wall of the display device, the movable fixture 200 is slid, rolled or otherwise moved into the interior space so that the opposite lateral ends of the front and back rail members 212, 214 are received within the receptacles 226, with the top of the receptacles 226 supported on the blocks 220. The display device is secured to the platform, e.g. using bolts or clamps or the like to join the top of the receptacle 226 to the lateral ends of the front and back members 212, 214. The accessories and other components (e.g. racks, shelves, etc.) of the display device can be temporarily secured to the vertical accessory rack 240 for transport. The lower front wall can be reinstalled on the front of the display device. The assembly of the display device and the movable fixture can then be easily moved using the first mobility device for lifting by a forklift (e.g. using the openings 222) and loaded onto a pallet or the like for shipping the display device to a customer location. The assembly of the display device and the movable fixture can also be easily moved using the other mobility feature (such as when the assembly is delivered to a customer facility), by lifting the assembly from the pallet (or other shipping device), coupling the set of casters 224 to the underside of the platform 210, and wheeling the display device into position. Once the display device is in the desired location, the movable fixture 200 may be removed from the interior space by holding the display device in position and pulling the platform 210 from the receptacles 226, the ease of which is enhanced by the low-friction interface between the blocks 220 and the top of the receptacles 226. The accessories may then be removed from the vertical accessory rack 240 and installed in the display device and the lower front wall re-coupled to the front of the display device.
According to any preferred embodiment, a “tank-less” refrigerated display device having an open floor (i.e. is “floorless”) is configured to sit directly upon a floor in a facility such as a supermarket or other food product retail facility. The tank-less and floorless display device includes a front wall section that is substantially free of fans or other electrical components. The front wall section may be readily removable to permit convenient roll-in and roll-out of food product display devices. A cooling coil is mounted in a lower portion of a rear wall. A single set of fans are configured to push air to be chilled through the cooling coil and into a chilled air distribution system. The chilled air distribution system included an adjustable air diversion scoop configured to divert chilled air through a rear lower baffle, and a rear wall flue having a vertical profile that is at least partially tapered to distribute chilled air more evenly through rear upper baffles, and a horizontal top wall flue which may have an adjustable damper, and/or louvered air discharge slots configured to deliver a vertical downward flow of chilled air throughout the interior space, and a frontal outlet configured to discharge chilled air over an open front in the form of an air curtain. The interior of the display case may also include receptacles configured to temporarily receive a movable fixture for transport of the display device.
As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the invention as recited in the appended claims.
It should be noted that the term “exemplary” as used herein to describe various embodiments is intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, and/or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such term is not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).
The terms “coupled,” “connected,” and the like as used herein mean the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being attached to one another.
It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.
It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the insulated support structure with a direct cooling display platform for a temperature controlled storage device as shown in the various exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present inventions have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter disclosed herein. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the various exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present inventions.
Claims
1. A tank-less refrigerated display device, comprising:
- an interior space defined by a top wall, a rear wall, opposite side walls, and a lower front wall section, an open front portion above the lower front wall section, and an open floor that is configured to be placed over a floor in a facility;
- the front wall section being substantially free of fans and electrical components;
- a cooling coil having an air inlet and an air outlet, the cooling coil disposed in a lower portion of the rear wall;
- a single set of fans disposed proximate the rear wall and configured to push air to be chilled through the cooling coil and into a chilled air distribution system;
- the chilled air distribution system included an adjustable air diversion scoop ii configured to divert chilled air downward through a rear lower baffle, and a rear wall flue having a vertical profile that is at least partially tapered and configured to distribute chilled air through rear upper baffles, and a substantially horizontal top wall flue having an adjustable damper and a frontal outlet configured to discharge chilled air over the open front portion in the form of an air curtain.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the lower front wall section extends between the opposite side walls.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein the lower front wall section allows the front of the display device to remain generally open for access to food products disposed within the interior space.
4. The device of claim 3, wherein the lower front wall section includes at least one of: (i) a hinge at one side and a latch at the other side, (ii) a hinge at both sides, or (iii) a latch at both sides, to permit the lower front wall section to be readily removed.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein the lower front wall section includes vents and flow passages configured to receive air from the air curtain and direct the received air toward a suction side of the single set of fans.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower rear baffles comprise generally planar sheet members having a series of apertures formed therein to provide an air distribution pattern.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the upper rear baffles are disposed above the lower rear baffles and receive chilled air from the rear wall flue.
8. The device of claim 6, wherein the apertures comprise elongated slots.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the lower rear baffle is disposed forward of the cooling coil and receives a supply of chilled air from the air diversion scoop.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein the air diversion scoop comprise an arcuate cross-section profile and is adjustable between a first position so that a greater portion of the scoop is disposed over the outlet of the cooling coil to divert more chilled air to the lower rear baffle, and a second position where a lesser portion of the scoop is disposed over the outlet of the cooling coil to divert less chilled air to the lower rear baffle.
11. The device of claim 1, wherein the adjustable damper within the horizontal top wall flue extends substantially completely across the flue and includes adjacent slidable damper members, each having a pattern of alternating apertures and obstructions, that may be positioned relative to each other to provide a net flow passage area.
12. The device of claim 1, further comprising a polyurethane coated drip pan disposed beneath the cooling coil and configured to route condensation from the cooling coil to a floor drain of the facility.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein the floor drain is within the interior space or outside of the interior space.
14. The device of claim 1, wherein the single set of fans are disposed in the rear wall beneath the cooling coil and are operable to force air to be chilled into a bottom portion of the cooling coil.
15. The device of claim 14, wherein the single set of fans are spaced horizontally along the rear wall so that each fan corresponds to a respective rear wall flue zone defined by a plurality of substantially vertical flue dividers disposed within the rear wall flue.
16. A tank-less refrigerated display device, comprising:
- an interior space at least partially defined by a top wall, a rear wall, opposite side walls, and a front having a lower front wall beneath an open front portion, and an open floor that is configured to placed over a floor in a facility;
- a cooling coil having an air inlet and an air outlet, the cooling coil disposed in a lower portion of the rear wall;
- a single set of fans disposed proximate the rear wall and upstream of the cooling coil and configured to push air to be chilled through the cooling coil and into a chilled air distribution system;
- the chilled air distribution system including a rear wall flue configured to ii distribute chilled air to the interior space through a first series of apertures disposed in the rear wall, and a top wall flue configured to distribute chilled air downwardly over the interior space through a second series of apertures, and a frontal outlet configured to discharge chilled air over the open front portion in the form of an air curtain.
17. The device of claim 16, wherein the single set of fans are disposed proximate the rear wall in an angled orientation to force air to be chilled at least partially upward into a bottom portion of the cooling coil.
18. The device of claim 16, wherein the lower front wall is removably coupled to the opposite side walls to facilitate loading food products within the interior space.
19. The device of claim 18, wherein the lower front wall is substantially free of electrical components and couples to the opposite side walls by one or more latches.
20. The device of claim 16, wherein the opposite side walls comprise elongated substantially horizontal receptacles, and further comprising a movable fixture having a platform portion that removably engages the receptacles to facilitate transporting the display device.
21. The device of claim 20, wherein the movable fixture further comprises an accessory rack supported by the platform and configured to secure accessories when transporting the display device.
22. The device of claim 20, wherein the platform comprises openings configured to receive a forklift.
23. The device of claim 20, wherein the platform comprises a set of removable casters.
24. The device of claim 20, wherein the platform comprises glide blocks engagable with the receptacles to provide a low-friction interface.
25. The device of claim 16, further comprising a substantially clear panel extending from the top wall and disposed between the second set of apertures and the frontal outlet.
26. A tank-less refrigerated display device, comprising:
- an interior space at least partially defined by a top wall, a rear wall, opposite side walls, and a front having a lower front wall beneath an open front portion, and an open floor that is configured to placed over a floor in a facility;
- a cooling coil having an air inlet and an air outlet, the cooling coil disposed in a lower portion of the rear wall;
- a single set of fans disposed proximate the rear wall and upstream of the cooling coil and configured to push air to be chilled through the cooling coil and into a chilled air distribution system;
- the chilled air distribution system including a rear wall flue configured to ii distribute chilled air to the interior space through a first series of apertures disposed in the rear wall, and a top wall flue configured to distribute chilled air at least partially over the interior space through a second series of apertures, and a frontal outlet configured to discharge chilled air over the open front portion in the form of an air curtain;
- an elongated substantially horizontal receptacle disposed on each of the opposite side walls; and
- a movable fixture having a platform that removably engages the receptacles.
27. The device of claim 26, wherein the movable fixture further comprises an accessory rack supported by the platform and configured to secure accessories when transporting the display device.
28. The device of claim 26, wherein the platform comprises openings configured to receive a forklift.
29. The device of claim 26, wherein the platform comprises a set of removable casters.
30. The device of claim 26, wherein the platform comprises glide blocks engagable with the receptacles to provide a low-friction interface.
Type: Application
Filed: May 11, 2011
Publication Date: Dec 15, 2011
Applicant:
Inventors: Larry C. Howington (Chesterfield, VA), Randy M. Sprigg (Quinton, VA)
Application Number: 13/105,703
International Classification: A47F 3/04 (20060101);