US 5,964,512 A · Cooled display case

Abstract

A cooled display case includes a housing enclosing a display compartment and having an opening providing access thereinto. An air stratifier panel divides the display compartment into an upper air well above the stratifier panel and a lower air well below the stratifier panel. The stratifier panel has a plurality of product holders capable of holding the products with the upper ends thereof above the stratifier panel in the upper air well. The stratifier panel also has air vents adjacent its edge for permitting cooled air to flow from the upper to lower air wells. An air recirculation passageway in the housing has an inlet in the lower air well of the display compartment and an outlet in the upper air well. A coil cools air passing through the passageway. A fan circulates the cooled air through the passageway and into the upper air well of the display compartment.

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Drawings

Claims4

Dependent claims

A cooled display case comprising:

a plurality of products to be displayed;
a housing comprising a front wall, a back wall, a bottom wall and end walls forming a display compartment, said housing having an access opening providing access to said display compartment from outside said housing;
an air stratifier panel within said display compartment and dividing said display compartment into an upper air well above said stratifier panel and lower air well below said stratifier panel;
an air passageway having an inlet opening below said air stratifier panel, and outlet opening above said air stratifier panel and passageway walls enclosing said passageway between said inlet opening and said outlet opening;
said stratifier panel having at least one air vent therein for permitting air to pass from said upper air well to said lower air well;
said stratifier panel having a plurality of holder receiving holes therein;
a plurality of product holders each having an open upper end receiving said products and a closed lower end;
said product holders each being fitted within one of said holder receiving holes in said stratifier panel, with said open upper ends of said product holders within said upper air well and said lower ends of said product holders within said lower air well;
a cooling coil;
and
a fan positioned to move air over said cooling coil, through said passageway, and out of said outlet end of said passageway;
said passageway comprising a ledge positioned within said lower air well and a plenum extending from said ledge upwardly into said upper air well, said cooling coil being within said passageway and said product holders being completely outside said passageway.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description2,623 words

Summary651 words

#The present invention relates to display cases. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and means for cooling products displayed in such cases. This invention is useful in keeping plants or other products, including but not limited to flowers, cool while displaying them.

#Existing cooled display cases for products such as plants, flowers and the like typically have a single display chamber through which cool air circulates. Vases or similar containers hold the upper ends of a plurality of products up for display. The bottoms of the vases rest on the bottom of the single chamber or on shelves extending partially across the single chamber. One shortcoming of this arrangement is that the cool air circulating in the single chamber tends to fall around the lower portion of the vase rather than be held near the upper ends of the flowers where the cool air is needed most.

#Therefore a primary object of the present invention is the provision of an improved means and method for cooling a display case.

Brief description of the drawings5 figures

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cooled display case of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the display case of this invention taken along line 2--2 in FIG. 3 (flowers have been added to exemplify the positioning of products within the display case).

#FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 in FIG. 2 and shows the display case of this invention with the products removed.

Detailed description1,839 words

#In the drawings and the description which follows, the cooled display case of the present invention is designated with reference numeral 10. Referring to FIG. 1, the cooled display case 10 has a generally inverted V-shape, but can have an infinite variety of shapes and configurations. Such a configuration is particularly useful when setting up a display in the corner of a room or display area.

#The cooled display case 10 includes a bottom 12, a top 14 and a plurality of generally vertical sides 16-28 (see FIG. 3). The back sides 16 and 18 are joined to each other at approximately a right angle. The end sides 20, 22 are attached at right angles to the back sides 16, 18 respectively and extend forward therefrom. The front sides 24, 26, 28 are shorter than the back sides 16, 18 to allow a passerby to easily view inside the display case 10.

#As best seen in FIG. 3, end side 20 connects the left back side 16 with the front left side 28. Similarly, the end side 22 connects the back right side 18 with the front right side 24. Therefore, the sides 20, 22 can also be referred to as connecting sides. A front center side 26 connects the front right side 24 with the front left side 28. Referring to FIG. 1, the upper portion of each of the front sides 24, 26, 28 is constructed of clear glass, plexiglass, or similar transparent material to enhance the visibility into the display case 10. As seen in FIG. 2, the back sides 16, 18, the base panel 23, and the lower portion of each of the front sides 24, 26, 28 and each of the end or connecting sides 20, 22, comprises an insulative panel 25 having a layer of insulation 27 sandwiched between two spaced apart sheet metal skins 29. Suitable decorative material, such as opaque glass can be affixed to the outer skin 29. A single sheet of glass can be used on each side 24, 26, 28, with the upper portion being clear and the bottom portion being opaque or even mirrored.

Facts

Application

08/971,530Filed 17 Nov 1997 · continuation

Priority

3 May 1996

Granted

12 Oct 1999

Term ended

3 May 2016

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination. Patent term adjustment is unavailable; no adjustment was added.

Classification3 codes

A47F 3/0443
Cases or cabinets of the open type: with forced air circulation
A47F 7/0078
For perishable goods: for plants or flowers
A47F
Special furniture, fittings, or accessories for shops, storehouses, bars, restaurants or the

Cooled display case

Life of this patent

Cooled display case

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims4

Description2,623 words

Drawings

Classification3 codes

Life of this patent

Description2,623 words