Energy-free refrigeration door and method for making the same

A refrigeration door adapted to be mounted on a refrigerating compartment, said door comprising:

• an inner sheet of glass including a first surface and a second surface, said first surface of said inner sheet being disposed adjacent the interior of the refrigerating compartment;
• an outer sheet of glass including a first surface and a second surface, said first surface of said outer sheet being disposed adjacent the exterior environment of the refrigerating compartment;
• a middle sheet of glass disposed between said inner and outer sheets of glass;
• a first sealant assembly disposed around the periphery of said inner sheet of glass and said middle sheet of glass for maintaining said inner sheet and said middle sheet in spaced-apart relationship from each other;
• a second sealant assembly disposed around the periphery of said middle sheet of glass and said outer sheet of glass for maintaining said middle sheet and said outer sheet in spaced-apart relationship from each other;
• a first low emissivity coating adjacent the second surface of said inner sheet of glass;
• a second low emissivity coating adjacent the second surface of said outer sheet of glass;
• said inner sheet, outer sheet, middle sheet, first sealant assembly, second sealant assembly, and said first and second low emissivity coatings forming an insulating glass unit having an emissivity substantially equal to or less than 0.04 substantially preventing the formation of condensation on said first surface of said outer sheet of glass without the application of electricity for heating said first surface of said outer sheet of glass;
• and
• a frame secured around the periphery of said insulating glass unit.

A refrigeration door having an outer surface and adapted to be mounted on a refrigerating compartment, said door comprising:

• a first sheet of glass;
• a second sheet of glass;
• a first sealant assembly disposed around the periphery of said first sheet of glass and said second sheet of glass for maintaining said first sheet and said second sheet in spaced-apart relationship from each other;
• a first low emissivity coating adjacent a surface of said first sheet or said second sheet of glass;
• said first sheet and second sheets of glass, said first sealant assembly, and said first low emissivity coating forming an insulating glass unit having a U value substantially equal to or less than 0.2 BTU/hr-sq ft-F;
• and
• a frame secured around the periphery of said insulating glass unit.

A refrigeration door having an outside surface and adapted to be mounted on a refrigerating compartment, said door comprising:

• a first sheet of glass;
• a second sheet of glass;
• a first sealant assembly disposed around the periphery of said first sheet of glass and said second sheet of glass for maintaining said first sheet and said second sheet in spaced-apart relationship from each other;
• a first low emissivity coating adjacent a surface of said first sheet or said second sheet of glass;
• said first sheet and second sheets of glass, said first sealant assembly, and said first low emissivity coating forming an insulating glass unit having an emissivity substantially equal to or less than 0.04 substantially preventing the formation of condensation on the outside surface of the refrigeration door without the application of electricity for heating said outer surface;
• and
• a frame secured around the periphery of said insulating glass unit.

A method of manufacturing a refrigeration door component having an outer surface, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first sheet of glass
• providing a second sheet of glass;
• providing a first low emissivity coating adjacent a surface of said first sheet of glass or said second sheet of glass;
• disposing a first sealant assembly around the periphery of said first sheet of glass and said second sheet of glass to maintain said first sheet and said second sheet in spaced-apart relationship from each other;
• and
• said first sheet of glass, said second sheet of glass, and said first sealant assembly forming an insulating glass unit having a U value substantially equal to or less than 0.2 BTU/hr-sq ft-F substantially preventing the formation of condensation on the outer surface of the refrigeration door component without the application of electricity for heating the door component.

A method of manufacturing a refrigeration door component having an outer surface, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first sheet of glass;
• providing a second sheet of glass;
• providing a first low emissivity coating adjacent a surface of said first sheet of glass or said second sheet of glass;
• disposing a first sealant assembly around the periphery of said first sheet of glass and said second sheet of glass to maintain said first sheet and said second sheet in spaced-apart relationship from each other;
• and
• said first sheet of glass, said second sheet of glass, and said first sealant assembly forming an insulating glass unit having an emissivity substantially equal to or less than 0.04 substantially preventing the formation of condensation on the outer surface of the refrigeration door component without the application of electricity for heating the door component.

A substantially transparent insulating glass unit having an outer surface and being for use with a refrigerating compartment residing in an exterior environment and having an interior refrigerating compartment;

• said insulating glass unit door comprising:
• a first sheet of glass;
• a second sheet of glass;
• a first sealant assembly disposed around the periphery of said first sheet of glass and said second sheet of glass for maintaining said first sheet and said second sheet in spaced-apart relationship from each other;
• a first low emissivity coating adjacent a surface of said first sheet or said second sheet of glass, and
• said first sheet of glass, said second sheet of glass, and said first sealant assembly providing the insulating glass unit with a U value effective to substantially prevent the formation condensation on the outer surface without the application of a electricity to heat the outer surface of the insulating glass unit when the interior temperature of the refrigerating compartment is substantially equal to or less than zero degrees Fahrenheit;
• the temperature of the exterior environment is substantially equal to or greater than seventy degrees Fahrenheit;
• and the humidity in the exterior environment is substantially equal to or greater than sixty percent.

A refrigeration unit including an insulated enclosure defining a compartment, a cooling system, and a door adapted mounted on an opening of said compartment, said door having an outer surface and comprising:

• a first sheet of glass;
• a second sheet of glass;
• a first sealant assembly disposed around the periphery of said first sheet of glass and said second sheet of glass for maintaining said first sheet and said second sheet in spaced-apart relationship from each other;
• a first low emissivity coating adjacent the a surface of said first or said second sheet of glass;
• said first sheet, second sheet, first sealant assembly, and said first low emissivity coating forming an insulating glass unit having a U value substantially equal to or less than 0.2. BTU/hr-sq ft-F substantially preventing the formation of condensation on the outer surface of the door without the application of electricity for heating said first surface;
• and
• a frame secured around the periphery of said insulating glass unit.