Cabinet for cooling goods, etc.

A showcase for refrigerated goods which comprises a cabinet having an open front portion through which goods may be viewed and are made accessible to a potential purchaser;

• first partition means defining said open front portion;
• second partition means cooperating with said first partition means to define a cooling space communicating with said open front portion;
• refrigerant evaporator means in said cooling space;
• fan means for withdrawing air from said open front portion into said cooling space, passing it over said evaporator means and reintroducing it into said open front portion;
• said second partition means also providing a compressor/evaporator space within said cabinet which is isolated from said open front portion and said cooling space;
• an elongate condensate tray within said compressor/evaporator space;
• drain means for directing condensate from said cooling space into said condensate tray;
• a condenser disposed above and adjacent one end of said condensate tray;
• water absorbing means extending lengthwise of said condensate tray toward the other end thereof but spaced from said condenser for absorbing condensate from said tray and providing a multichannel air passage;
• a compressor disposed above said tray between said condenser and said water absorbing means;
• and second fan means for directing ambient air through said condensor, over said compressor and through said multichannel air passage to the exterior of said cabinet.

A cabinet for cooling flowers comprising the combination of:

• a pair of side walls, a rear wall, a top wall and table means extending between said side walls and forwardly from said rear wall in spaced, underlying relation to said top wall for defining an open front flower cooling space within which flowers are placed to be cooled while on display;
• means for cooling air to be supplied to said cooling space and defining a cooling air chamber;
• said top wall including air flow resistance means communicating with said cooling air chamber for impeding the flow of cooling air therethrough while distributing air downwardly substantially uniformly throughout the area of said top wall;
• and
• air flow means communicating with said cooling air chamber for supplying cooling air under superatmospheric pressure to said air flow resistance means so that the cooling air is distributed gently downwardly into said flower cooling space to protect the flowers from premature degradation which would result from strong drafts of cooling air directed upon them.

A showcase for refrigerated goods comprising a display case having a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall and opposite side walls, said front wall providing an open upper portion through which visual and physical access to displayed goods may be had;

• said display case having a support portion below said top wall and extending from adjacent the lower part of said open upper portion upwardly and rearwardly therefrom;
• partition means for defining a cooling space below said support portion in communication with said lower part of said open upper portion and which cooling space extends generally between said opposite side walls, for defining an air channel generally between said opposite side walls and leading from said cooling space upwardly behind said support portion and terminating in means for bleeding cooled air downwardly below said top wall into said access space in substantially uniformly distributed fashion between said opposite side walls so that the cooled air bled into the open upper portion flows gently downwardly to encounter said support portion and ultimately back to said cooling space through the communication therewith at said lower part, and for defining an air tunnel extending generally between said opposite side walls behind said cooling space;
• refrigerant evaporator means disposed in said cooling space for cooling air passing thereover;
• first fan means for introducing air into said cooling space and passing it over said evaporator means to flow under pressure through said air channel to bleed through said means for bleeding air into said open upper portion;
• second fan means for passing ambient air from outside said case through said air tunnel and outwardly of said case;
• condenser means in said air tunnel for condensing refrigerant;
• refrigerant pumping means for pumping refrigerant through said evaporator means and said condenser means;
• condensate tray means in said air tunnel for collecting condensate from said cooling space;
• and
• water absobent means for absorbing condensate from said tray means and exposing it to evaporation in both the lateral and the vertical directions of said air tunnel.

A showcase for refrigerated goods comprising a display case defining an enclosure divided into a plurality of separate compartments, one of said compartments being a display compartment located at the top front of said case and extending substantially the width of the display case and within which goods are displayed, a second of said compartments being a cooling compartment below said display compartment and extending substantially the width of the display case, a third of said compartments being an air channel behind said display compartment and extending substantially the width of the display case and extending from said cooling compartment to a region overhanging said display compartment, and a fourth of said compartments being an air tunnel extending substantially the width of the display case in the rear thereof;

• evaporator means within said cooling compartment for cooling air therewithin;
• fan means for passing air under pressure from said cooling compartment into said air channel;
• condenser means within said air tunnel for condensing refrigerant from said evaporator means;
• water absobent means in said air tunnel for absorbing condensate from said evaporator means;
• and second fan means for inducting ambient air into said air tunnel to pass over said condenser means and past said water absorbent means and the outwardly from said air tunnel.