Point of sale product chiller

A modular point-of-sale product chiller comprising:

• a base panel having a top face and a bottom face including a plurality of casters mounted to the bottom face;
• a pair of insulated sidewall panels each having an inside face and an outside face, and having a hollow outer shell of blow-molded plastic with an insulating foam panel insert contained therein;
• a plurality of modular interchangeable insulated end wall panels each having an inner face and an outer face, and having a hollow outer shell of blow-molded plastic with an insulating foam panel insert contained therein;
• one or more insulated vertical central divider panels each having a first and second face, having a hollow outer shell of blow-molded plastic with an insulating foam panel insert contained therein, and extending laterally between opposite inner faces of the end wall panels;
• one or more foam insulation panels atop the top face of the base panel and a moisture tray covering each foam insulation panel and nested between the faces of adjacent end wall and sidewall panels,
• a plurality of removable cold cell inserts having vertical edges and positioned along the inside faces of the sidewall panels, the inner faces of the end wall panels, and the first and second faces of each central divider panel, wherein the vertical edges of adjacent cold cell inserts are configured to matingly engage each other to provide lateral support between the adjacent cold cell inserts;
• a graphics area on an outer face of at least one of the end wall panels or sidewall panels, replaceable indicia over the graphics area, and a removable transparent lens panel overlaying the removable indicia and graphics area;
• a thermometer having a temperature sensing probe in an interior region of the chiller and a temperature readout on an outer surface of the chiller;
• wherein the sidewall panels, end wall panels, and cold cells form an upwardly extending chilled product-dispensing opening, with a plurality of transparent covers in sliding arrangement over the opening.

A method of dispensing chilled products comprising:

• providing an enclosure formed of modular insulated panels and having inner wall surfaces and an upwardly extending product-dispensing opening,
• lining the inner wall surfaces of the enclosure with removable chilled panels having vertical edges configured to matingly engage one another to provide lateral support therebetween and together forming a chilled product cavity within the enclosure,
• placing chilled food items in the chilled product cavity, and
• dispensing the chilled food items through the product-dispensing opening.

A process for producing modular point-of-sale product chillers of variable size comprising:

• producing insulated end panels in various widths and including inner and outer surfaces;
• producing insulated side panels in various widths and including inner and outer surfaces;
• producing incrementally-sized base panels sized in lengths and widths corresponding to various widths of produced end panels and side panels,
• producing removable cold cells in widths corresponding to the various widths of end panels and side panels;
• selecting and assembling two end panels and two side panels on each base panel of corresponding size;
• and
• selecting and assembling the cold cells of corresponding widths along the inner surfaces of the end panels and side panels.

A process for producing modular point-of-sale product chillers of variable size comprising:

• providing molds for blow-molding sidewall panels, end wall panels, and base panels including removable mold sections for adapting the molds to produce panels of various widths;
• producing base panels, sidewall panels, and end wall panels of desired widths in the molds;
• selecting and assembling the sidewall panels and end wall panels together on the base panels to form chiller enclosures of desired sizes;
• and
• providing removable cold cells in widths corresponding to the desired widths of the end panels and side panels and assembling the cold cells along the inner surfaces of the enclosure.