REFRIGERATED MERCHANDISER WITH LED LIGHTING

• US 20080158858A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hussmann Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hussmann Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Madireddi, Sesha C., Roche, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,824,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/92
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0404 Cases or cabinets of the closed type A47F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/013 the housing being an extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/015 Devices for covering joints between adjacent lighting devices; End coverings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0045 by tongue and groove connections, e.g. dovetail interlocking means fixed by sliding
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/096 Magnetic devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/305 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/405 for shop-windows or displays
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A light assembly for a refrigerated merchandiser that includes a case defining a product display area and that has at least one mullion. The light assembly includes a housing that is attachable to the mullion, a specular member that is coupled to the housing within a first receiving portion, and a LED light source that is coupled to the housing within a second receiving portion substantially opposite the specular member. The LED light source includes a first light portion and a second light portion that are directed along at least one illumination path. The first light portion is directed along the illumination path in a first direction directly toward the product display area, and the second light portion is directed along the illumination path toward the specular member. The second light portion is reflected by the specular member in a second direction at least partially opposite the first direction.

Claims

1. A light assembly for a refrigerated merchandiser including a case defining a product display area adapted to support product and having at least one mullion, the light assembly comprising:

a housing attachable to the mullion and including a first receiving portion and a second receiving portion spaced apart from the first receiving portion;

a specular member coupled to the housing within the first receiving portion; and

a LED light source coupled to the housing within the second receiving portion substantially opposite the specular member, the LED light source including a first light portion and a second light portion directed along at least one illumination path, the first light portion directed along the at least one illumination path in a first direction directly toward the product display area, and the second light portion directed along the at least one illumination path toward the specular member and reflected by the specular member in a second direction at least partially opposite the first direction.

2. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes a first portion and a second portion positioned adjacent the first portion, the first portion and the second portion substantially symmetrical about an axis extending through the housing, each of the first portion and the second portion having one first receiving portion and one second receiving portion spaced apart from the associated first receiving portion.

3. The light assembly of claim 2, wherein the housing is defined by an extruded body having a substantially “

W”

-shaped cross section.

4. The light assembly of claim 2, wherein the specular member is a first specular member coupled to the housing within the first receiving portion of the first portion, and wherein the LED light source is a first LED light source coupled to the housing within the second receiving portion of the first portion and located substantially opposite the first specular member, further comprising a second specular member coupled to the housing within the first receiving portion of the second portion, and a second LED light source coupled to the housing within the second receiving portion of the second portion and located substantially opposite the second specular member.

5. The light assembly of claim 4, wherein the first LED light source is directed in a first direction, and wherein the second LED light source is directed in a second direction symmetrically opposite the first direction relative to the axis.

6. The light assembly of claim 4, wherein each of the first LED light source and the second LED light source includes a first light portion directed along a first illumination path directly toward the product display area when the housing is attached to the mullion, and a second light portion directed toward the associated specular member and reflected by the associated specular member toward the product display area along a second illumination path that is different from the first illumination path.

7. The light assembly of claim 6, wherein the second illumination path is different from the first illumination path after the second light portion is reflected by the associated specular member.

8. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the specular member includes a reflectance capacity above about 70 percent reflectance.

9. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes an end wall at least partially defining the first receiving portion, and an interior wall defining the second receiving portion.

10. The light assembly of claim 9, wherein the specular member is attached to the end wall within the first receiving portion, and wherein the LED light source is attached to the interior wall within the second receiving portion.

11. The light assembly of claim 9, wherein the end wall defines a non-zero angle relative to an axis extending substantially perpendicularly through the housing.

12. The light assembly of claim 9, wherein the interior wall defines a non-zero angle relative to an axis extending substantially perpendicularly through the housing.

13. The light assembly of claim 9, wherein the housing further includes a middle wall interconnecting the end wall and the interior wall, and wherein the end wall extends outward from the middle wall to obscure visibility of the LED light source from outside the case.

14. The light assembly of claim 13, wherein the end wall is angularly spaced from the middle wall, wherein the end wall and the middle wall cooperate to define the first receiving portion, and wherein the specular member is bent to conform to the angular spacing between the end wall and the middle wall.

15. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing extends along a substantial length of the mullion when the housing is attached to the mullion.

16. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the specular member extends along a substantial length of the housing.

17. The light assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one of an end cap and a cover attached to the housing, wherein the end cap and the cover limit accumulation of debris on the specular member and the LED light source.

18. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the LED light source includes a plurality of LED packages spaced at a predetermined distance along a length of the housing.

19. A refrigerated merchandiser comprising:

a case defining a product display area and including at least one shelf adapted to support product in the product display area;

a price tag molding coupled to a front of the shelf and configured to display information related to the product supported on the shelf;

a light assembly positioned under the shelf adjacent and behind the price tag molding when viewed from outside the case, the light assembly substantially hidden from view by the price tag molding, the light assembly including a housing extending along a substantial width of the shelf and having light receiving portion, the light assembly further including at least one LED light source, a first specular member, and a second specular member, the LED light source coupled to the housing within the light receiving portion to direct light generally toward the product display area, each of the first specular member and the second specular member coupled to the housing and located adjacent the LED light source to reflect a portion of the light from the LED light source toward the product display area; and

a magnet coupled to the housing opposite the LED light source and extending along a substantial length of the housing to attach the light assembly to the shelf.

20. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 19, wherein the housing is substantially symmetrical about an axis extending through the light assembly.

21. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 20, wherein the light receiving portion includes symmetrically opposed extruded members that define grooves, and wherein an end of each of the first specular member and the second specular member is at least partially coupled to the housing within the associated groove.

22. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 21, wherein each of the first specular member and the second specular member includes a first bent end attached to an end of the housing, a second bent end engaged with the associated groove, and a middle portion extending between the first bent end and the second bent end, and wherein the middle portion is disposed at an angle relative to the axis.

23. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 19, wherein the LED light source includes a plurality of LED packages having one or more low current LEDs.

24. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 19, further comprising at least one of an end cap and a cover attached to the housing, wherein the end cap and the cover limit accumulation of debris on the LED light source, the first specular member, and the second specular member.

25. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 19, wherein the housing defines at least one channel, and wherein the magnet is attached to the housing within the at least one channel.

26. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 19, wherein each of the first specular member and the second specular member includes a reflectance capacity above about 70 percent reflectance.