Modular refrigerated structures for displaying, storing and preparing refrigerated products

The refrigerated structure of claim 6, wherein:

• said support structure comprises a plurality of self supporting display modules each having an exterior display frame and an upright support mounted to and displaced from said exterior display frame;
• said roof modules each resting on said display modules;
• and,
• said refrigeration modules each being mounted on one of said roof modules.

A modular refrigerated structure for containing refrigerated products, comprising:

• a plurality of self-supporting display modules each including an exterior display frame defining at least one display opening, support uprights spaced from said exterior display frame, and display means mounted to said support uprights and positioned between said support uprights and said exterior display frame and adjacent the display opening of its display module for displaying refrigerated products;
• said display modules positioned with their exterior display frames in side-by-side relationship with respect to one another and forming an exterior of said structure and defining a refrigerated space inside said structure with the display openings of said display modules forming an array of display openings about said structure such that products contained within said refrigerated space can be accessed through said display openings;
• said refrigerated space having a storage area positioned interiorly of said display means;
• at least one personnel access opening formed in said exterior for personnel ingress and egress into and out of said refrigerated space;
• a roof structure mounted on said support uprights and formed by a plurality of air handling roof modules positioned side-by-side, each of said air handling roof modules having a roof panel, a ceiling panel and spacers joined to and supporting said roof panel and said ceiling panel in a spaced relationship such that said roof panel and said ceiling panel define said air distribution plenum said ceiling panel being arranged adjacent said storage area;
• at least one refrigeration module, each refrigeration module supported by at least one of said air handling roof modules such that said refrigeration module is arranged above said roof panel of said at least one of said air handling roof modules and outside said storage area;
• an air passage in fluid communication with said storage area and each of said refrigeration modules;
• a refrigeration unit in each of said refrigeration modules for moving air upwardly from said storage area and into said refrigeration module such that air is moved upwardly from said storage area, through said air passage and above said ceiling panels and said roof panels, through said refrigeration unit, and then downwardly below said ceiling panels and said roof panels and between said display openings and said display means for cooling refrigerated products on said display means.

A modular refrigerated structure for containing refrigerated products, comprising:

• a plurality of display modules positioned side-by-side and forming an exterior wall structure and defining a refrigerated space inside said exterior wall structure;
• said display modules each defining at least one display opening;
• at least one personnel access opening formed in said exterior wall structure for personnel ingress and egress in and out of said refrigerated space;
• display means positioned in said refrigerated space adjacent said display openings for supporting refrigerated products;
• a storage area positioned interiorly of said display means;
• a roof structure mounted to said perimeter, said roof structure including a plurality of air handling roof modules mounted side-by-side, each air handling roof module including an air distribution plenum in fluid communication with the air distribution plenums of other ones of said roof modules and air outlets directed toward said perimeter of said refrigerated structure above said display openings, each of said air handling roof modules having a roof panel and a ceiling, panel in a spaced relationship such that said roof panel and said ceiling panel define said air distribution plenum;
• at least one of said roof modules including an air inlet passage positioned above and in fluid communication with said storage area, and a refrigeration module positioned above said plenums and in communication with said air passage and the air distribution plenums of said roof modules,
• each said refrigeration module including maintenance access means for providing access to the interior of the refrigeration module from outside said roof structure, at least one refrigeration coil, a refrigeration plenum and fan means arranged to move air upwardly from said storage area into its refrigeration module;
• such that air moves upwardly from said storage area, into said air inlet passage, into said refrigeration module, through said refrigeration coil, through said refrigeration plenum, outwardly through said air distribution plenum, through said air outlets and downwardly between said display openings and said display means for cooling products positioned on said display means.

A modular refrigerated structure for containing refrigerated products comprising:

• a plurality of display modules having display openings arranged in side-by-side relationship forming a modular front display wall;
• a rear wall displaced from said front display wall, said modular front display wall and said rear wall defining a refrigerated space;
• a roof structure including a plurality of side-by-side roof modules, each of said roof modules having a roof panel, a ceiling panel and spacers joined to and supporting said roof panel and said ceiling panel in a spaced relationship, and forming therebetween an air distribution plenum in each roof module and air outlets in communication between said air distribution plenum, and said refrigerated space;
• a refrigeration module mounted on at least one of said roof modules, each of said refrigeration modules having a refrigeration coil;
• said roof modules having a refrigeration module mounted thereon also including an air passage positioned over said refrigerated space;
• display means positioned adjacent said display openings for displaying products adjacent said display openings;
• and
• fan means positioned at said air passage of said roof modules that have a refrigeration module and arranged to move air upwardly from said refrigerated space into said refrigeration module, laterally outwardly through said refrigeration module and through said air distribution plenum toward said air outlets, and then downwardly through said outlets adjacent said display openings for cooling products displayed on said display means.

A method of refrigerating products within a refrigerated structure, comprising the steps of:

• arranging a plurality of display modules side-by-side to form a front display wall;
• placing a rear wall in displaced arrangement with respect to the front display wall and defining between the rear wall and the front display wall a refrigerated space;
• supporting air handling roof modules on the display modules, each of said air handling roof modules having a roof panel and a ceiling panel in a spaced relationship such that said roof panel and said ceiling panel define an air distribution plenum, said ceiling panel being arranged adjacent said refrigerated space;
• arranging refrigerant-cooled refrigeration coils above said roof panels;
• arranging display means in the refrigerated space adjacent the front display wall;
• placing products on the display means;
• drawing air upwardly from the refrigerated space into the air handling roof modules and above said ceiling panels and said roof panels;
• directing the drawn air through the refrigerant-cooled refrigeration coils for cooling the air;
• and,
• directing the cooled air from the refrigeration coils through the air distribution plenum and then downwardly toward the display means for cooling the products on the display means.

A modular refrigerated structure for containing refrigerated products, comprising:

• a wall structure forming a perimeter, a refrigerated space inside said perimeter, a plurality of display openings formed by said wall structure, and at least one personnel access opening formed by said wall structure for personnel ingress and egress in and out of said wall structure;
• display means positioned in said refrigerated space at said display openings;
• a storage area positioned interiorly of said display means;
• a roof structure mounted on said wall structure, said roof structure including a plurality of side-by-side air handling roof modules, each of said air handling roof modules having a roof panel a ceiling panel and spacers joined supporting said roof panel and said ceiling panel in a spaced relationship such that said roof panel and said ceiling panel define an air distribution plenum;
• at least some of said air handling roof modules including a refrigeration module mounted above said ceiling panel and said roof panel, air outlets facing in opposite directions, and an air passage extending from said storage area in communication with said refrigeration module;
• each of said refrigeration modules including a pair of refrigeration coils, each of said refrigeration coils in fluid communication with said air passage, one refrigeration coil positioned between said air passage and one of said air outlets and the other refrigeration coil positioned between said air passage and said other of said air outlets for cooling air moved through said air handling roof module to opposite sides of said structure;
• fan means arranged to move air upwardly from said storage area into said refrigeration module of its air handling roof module, laterally in opposite directions through said refrigeration coils, through said refrigeration plenums, through said air distribution plenum and out of the air outlets of its air handling module and directed downwardly between said display openings and said display means;
• such that air is moved by said fan means of each air handling roof module from said storage area upwardly past said ceiling panel and said roof panel and into said refrigeration module of its air handling roof module, laterally in opposite directions through said refrigeration coils, through said refrigeration plenums, through said air distribution plenum and out of said air outlets of its air handling module and directed downwardly between said display openings and said display means.

A method for refrigerating a space, comprising the steps of:

• arranging a roof structure above a refrigerated space;
• said roof structure including a roof with the perimeter of the roof extending about the refrigerated space;
• supporting a plurality of refrigeration coils with the roof outside the refrigerated space;
• forming an air distribution plenum with the roof and a ceiling, said air distribution plenum being arranged between the roof and the refrigerated space and communicating with all of the refrigeration coils and with the refrigerated space about substantially the entire roof;
• drawing air upwardly from the refrigerated space, through the roof, and into the refrigeration coils;
• cooling the air in the refrigeration coils;
• directing the cooled air from the refrigeration coils into the air distribution plenum;
• directing the cooled air through the air distribution plenum to substantially the entire perimeter of the roof;
• and,
• directing the cooled air downwardly from said air distribution plenum into the refrigerated space about substantially the entire perimeter of the roof and into the refrigerated space.

A method for refrigerating a space, comprising the steps of:

• arranging a plurality of display modules side-by-side to form a perimeter wall about a space to be refrigerated;
• supporting a roof structure on the display modules, said roof structure including a roof with the perimeter of the roof extending about the refrigerated space;
• supporting a plurality of refrigeration coils with the roof, outside the refrigerated space;
• forming an air distribution plenum with the roof and a ceiling, said air distribution plenum being arranged between the roof and the refrigerated space and communicating with all of the refrigeration coils and with the refrigerated space about substantially the entire roof;
• drawing air upwardly from the refrigerated space, through the roof, and into the refrigeration coils;
• cooling the air in the refrigeration coils;
• directing the cooled air from the refrigeration coils into the air distribution plenum;
• directing the cooled air through the air distribution plenum to substantially the entire perimeter of the roof;
• and
• directing the cooled air downwardly from said air distribution plenum into the refrigerated space about substantially the entire perimeter of the roof and into the refrigerated space.