Refrigerated merchandiser

• US 20050217297A1
• Filed: 04/02/2004
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Food Trust Prince Edward Island Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Food Trust Prince Edward Island Ltd.
• Inventors: Wilson, Woodrow
• Granted Patent: US 7,062,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/255
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0443 with forced air circulation
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0456 Cases or cabinets of the counter type
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/0071 for perishable goods

Abstract

A refrigerated merchandiser is based on a frame that defines a refrigeration chamber that houses a unit cooler, which is in communication with a cooled air plenum that, in turn, is in communication with a display chamber. The unit cooler supplies cooled air to the plenum. The cooled air that is supplied to the plenum is then provided to a shelf that is mounted in the display chamber. Additionally, the cooled air is provided to at least one drawer, which is slidably mounted in the display chamber.

Claims

1. A merchandiser for cooling and displaying produce comprising:

a frame defining a cooled air plenum;

a unit cooler for supplying cooled air to said plenum;

a shelf mounted to said frame below a first cooled air egress passageway in communication with said plenum; and

a drawer slidably mounted in said frame below a second cooled air egress passageway in communication with said plenum;

wherein said merchandiser is adapted such that cooled air that spills out of one of said shelf and said drawer is received by the other of said shelf and said drawer; and

wherein said merchandiser is adapted such that cooled air that spills out of the other of said shelf and said drawer is received by said unit cooler for further cooling.

2. The merchandiser of claim 1 further comprising a right side wall and a left side wall that, in combination with the front of said plenum and the top of said refrigerated chamber, define a display chamber.

3. The merchandiser of claim 2 wherein said shelf includes an air movement deflector extending vertically upwards along the width of said shelf proximate an edge of said shelf that is distal from said plenum.

4. The merchandiser of claim 3 further comprising a shelf front wall mounted between said right side wall and said left side wall in front of said shelf such that said air movement deflector and said shelf front wall define a return air channel.

5. The merchandiser of claim 4 further comprising an inwardly angled wall mounted to the top of said shelf front wall.

6. The merchandiser of claim 2 further comprising an awning frame and an awning, supported by said awning frame, to shade said display chamber.

7. The merchandiser of claim 1 wherein said drawer includes a drawer floor and drawer front wall, where said drawer floor is angled slightly toward said drawer front wall.

8. The merchandiser of claim 7 wherein said drawer floor extends to a forward extent that is short of said drawer front wall.

9. The merchandiser of claim 8 wherein said drawer includes a perforated wall extending vertically upwards along the width of said drawer.

10. The merchandiser of claim 9 wherein said perforated wall, said drawer front wall and said forward extent of said drawer floor define a drawer return air channel.

11. The merchandiser of claim 1 further comprising castors mounted to the bottom of said frame to facilitate relocation of said merchandiser.

12. The merchandiser of claim 1 wherein said produce is available in a plurality of types and said plurality of types of said produce are arranged by manner of preparation.

13. The merchandiser of claim 12 further comprising an indication of said manner of preparation associated with each type of said plurality of types.

14. The merchandiser of claim 13 wherein said produce is potatoes.

15. The merchandiser of claim 14 wherein said manner of preparation is selected from the group comprising:

boiling, baking, mashing, roasting and French frying.

16. The merchandiser of claim 14 wherein said cooled air is maintained below around 10°

Celsius.

17. The merchandiser of claim 1 further comprising a drip pan and a condensate line to communicate condensate water from said unit cooler to said drip pan.

18. The merchandiser of claim 17 wherein said drip pan is positioned proximate a vent in a wall of said merchandiser to facilitate evaporation of said condensate water.

19. The merchandiser of claim 1 wherein a size of said first cooled air egress passageway may be adjusted to suit a degree of cooling required for said shelf.

20. The merchandiser of claim 1 wherein said unit cooler comprises:

a radiator adapted to pass cooled matter from an ingress to an egress;

a fan for promoting flow of said cooled air received by said unit cooler for further cooling past said radiator and toward said cooled air plenum.

21. The merchandiser of claim 1 wherein said shelf is mounted to said frame over said drawer such that said shelf shades at least a portion of an interior of said drawer.

22. A method of displaying a plurality of types of produce comprising:

arranging said plurality of types of produce by manner of preparation; and

associating each type of said plurality of types of produce with an indication of said manner of preparation.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said produce is potatoes.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said manner of preparation is selected from the group comprising:

boiling, baking, mashing, roasting and French frying.