LIGHT SYSTEM FOR A TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED CASE

• US 20080212314A1
• Filed: 01/02/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill Phoenix Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dover Systems, Inc. (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Swofford, Timothy Dean, Howington, Larry C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,806,543 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/126
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0439 Cases or cabinets of the open type A47F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0012 Furniture hospital beds F21V33/0072
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/00 Lighting arrangements in general F21
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/001 the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre

Abstract

A temperature controlled case is disclosed that includes a housing defining a display area and a first shelf provided within the display area. The temperature controlled case also includes a light system associated with the first shelf. The light system includes a substrate having a first portion and a second portion and a light source provided at the first portion of the substrate and configured to direct light through the substrate towards the second portion for illuminating an area below the first shelf. According to another embodiment, the substrate is a light sheet that cooperates with the light source to provide a distribution of light that varies between the first portion of the light sheet and the second portion of the sheet.

Claims

1. A temperature controlled case comprising:

a housing defining a display area;

a first shelf provided within the display area; and

a light system associated with the first shelf, the light system comprising;

a substrate having a first portion and a second portion; and

a light source provided at the first portion of the substrate and configured to direct light through the substrate towards the second portion for illuminating an area below the first shelf.

2. The temperature controlled case of claim 1 wherein the light system further comprises a reflector provided at the second portion of the substrate and configured to direct light exiting the second portion of the substrate to at least one of an area above the first shelf and the area below the first shelf.

3. The temperature controlled case of claim 2 wherein the reflector includes a first surface for directing light exiting the second portion of the substrate to the area above the first shelf and a second surface for directing light exiting the second portion of the substrate to the area below the first shelf.

4. The temperature controlled case of claim 3 wherein at least one of the first surface and the second surface of the reflector is a curved surface.

5. The temperature controlled case of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a panel having a shape corresponding to a shape of the first shelf.

6. The temperature controlled case of claim 5 wherein the panel is substantially rectangular in shape and sized substantially the same as a footprint of the first shelf.

7. The temperature controlled case of claim 1 wherein the substrate is supported below a support surface of the first shelf.

8. The temperature controlled case of claim 1 wherein the substrate constitutes a support surface of the first shelf.

9. The temperature controlled case of claim 1 wherein the light source is an array of light emitting diodes.

10. The temperature controlled case of claim 9 wherein the light emitting diodes are embedded in the first portion of the substrate.

11. The temperature controlled case of claim 9 wherein the light emitting diodes are configured to emit blue light, the substrate being configured to convert the blue light into white light.

12. The temperature controlled case of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the substrate is provided at a rear end of the first shelf and the second portion of the substrate is provided at a front end of the first shelf.

13. The temperature controlled case of claim 1 wherein the substrate is configured to evenly distribute light across the area below the first shelf.

14. A temperature controlled case comprising:

a housing defining a display area;

a first shelf provided within the display area; and

a light system associated with the first shelf and configured to illuminate an area below the first shelf, the light system comprising;

a light sheet having a first portion and a second portion; and

a light source provided at the first portion of the light sheet and configured to direct light through the light sheet towards the second portion,

wherein the light sheet and the light source cooperate to provide a distribution of light that varies between the first portion of the light sheet and the second portion of the sheet.

15. The temperature controlled case of claim 14 wherein the light system distributes more light at the second portion of the light sheet than at the first portion of the light sheet.

16. The temperature controlled case of claim 15 wherein the second portion of the light sheet is associated with a front portion of the first shelf and the first portion of the light sheet is associated with a rear portion of the first shelf.

17. The temperature controlled case of claim 15 wherein the variable light gradient is substantially linear between the first portion of the light panel and the second portion of the light panel.

18. The temperature controlled case of claim 14 wherein a light refracting element is provided along an upper portion of the panel for guiding the light received by the light emitting diodes.

19. The temperature controlled case of claim 18 wherein the light refracting element is at least one of a reflective coating and a reflective sheet material.

20. A temperature controlled case comprising:

a housing defining a display area;

a first shelf provided within the display area; and

a light system associated with the first shelf, the light system comprising;

a light panel having a rear end and a front end;

an array of light emitting diodes provided at the rear end of the light panel and configured to direct light through the light panel towards the front end of the light panel; and

a reflector supported at the front end of the light panel,

wherein at least two of the light panel, the light emitting diodes and the reflector cooperate to provide a distribution of light to an area below the first shelf that is greater at the front end of the light panel than at the rear end of the light panel.

21. The temperature controlled case of claim 20 wherein the reflector is configured to direct light at the front end of the light panel back into the panel.

22. The temperature controlled case of claim 20 wherein the reflector is configured direct light exiting the front end of the light panel to at least one of an area above the first shelf and the area below the first shelf.