US 4,361,012 A · Energy efficient refrigerated merchandiser display case

Abstract

An energy efficient refrigerated display cabinet having glass barrier doors and one or more guard air bands to protect the primary refrigerated air band. A single guard air band is circulated about the primary refrigerated air band in order to protect the same from contact with the inner walls of the cabinet or the ambient air upon opening of the barrier doors. The cabinet can be provided with an air defrost system in which ambient air is taken in through ports in the cabinet which are selectively closed by gates or through a gap between the barrier doors and the associated access opening. An ambient air band can also be provided for circulation across the outer surface of the barrier doors in order to slightly raise the heat transfer into the glass panes in order to aid reduction of moisture condensate formation on the glass panes.

Claims36

Dependent claims

In a display cabinet having refrigeration means and a display space therein, aperture means in at least one wall of said cabinet for communicating ambient outside air with the air in said cabinet, said aperture means including an access opening for permitting products to be moved into and out of said display space, covering means for said aperture means including at least one barrier door for substantially covering said access opening;

said aperture means including at least one additional opening and said covering means having at least one gate for covering said additional opening;
the improvement comprising:
air circulation means for providing selective circulation of a plurality of air bands in a path within said cabinet about said display space to maintain air flow curtains inside of said cabinet adjacent to said barrier door, at least one of said air bands cooled by contact with said refrigeration means;
and said cabinet including conduit means enabling said air bands to flow in contact with one another over a part of the circulation path in addition to the length of said air flow curtains.

1 more element

A display cabinet having refrigeration means and a display space therein, and having aperture means in at least one wall of said cabinet for communicating ambient outside air with the air in said cabinet, and including cover means for said aperture means;

comprising:
an access opening for permitting products to be moved into and out of said display space and at least one additional opening, and said cover means including at least one barrier door for blocking said access opening and a gate for controlling ambient air entry into said additional opening, air circulation means for providing selective circulation of a plurality of air bands in a path within said cabinet about said display space to maintain air flow curtains inside of said cabinet adjacent to said barrier door, at least one of said air bands cooled by contact with said refrigeration means and the other of said air bands flowing in contact with a substantial portion of the inner surface of said barrier door during a refrigeration cycle, and said cabinet including conduit means enabling said air bands to flow in contact with one another over a path of the circulation path in addition to the length of said air flow curtains.

A method of operating a refrigerated display cabinet having a display space therein, aperture means in at least one wall of the cabinet for communicating ambient outside air with the air in the cabinet, the aperture means including an access opening for permitting products to be moved into and out of the display space, covering means for the aperture means including at least one barrier door for substantially covering the access opening, the aperture means including at least one additional opening and the covering means having at least one gate for covering the additional opening, air circulation means for providing selective circulation of a plurality of air bands in paths within the cabinet about the display space to maintain an air flow curtain inside of the cabinet adjacent to the barrier door, at least one of the air bands cooled by contact with the refrigeration means, and the cabinet including conduit means enabling the air bands to flow in contact with one another over a part of the circulation path in addition to the length of the air flow curtains;

the method comprising the steps of:
selectively operating the display cabinet in a refrigeration cycle of operation and in a defrost cycle of operation;
during a refrigeration cycle, circulating the air bands through the conduit means so that the air bands maintain air flow curtains inside of the cabinet adjacent to the barrier door, and propelling at least one of the air bands through the refrigeration means;
during a defrost cycle of operation, terminating operation of the refrigeration means, opening the cover means for the aperture means and reversing the direction of the air circulation means, causing ambient air to be drawn into the display cabinet and to flow through the conduit means and into contact with the refrigeration means to defrost the same, and causing the defrost ambient air to be ejected from the cabinet through the aperture means.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Energy efficient refrigerated merchandiser display case

Life of this patent

Energy efficient refrigerated merchandiser display case

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims36