PORTABLE COOLED MERCHANDIZING UNIT

• US 20090064687A1
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Mills Incorporated
• Original Assignee: General Mills Incorporated
• Inventors: Meehan, Thomas, Hersey, Galen, Bedard, Mark, Tuszkiewicz, George A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.620
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0408 with forced air circulation
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/02 using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/0251 by a gas
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/06 by forced circulation
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/08 by electric heating
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/14 Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/0651 through the bottom
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/0654 through the side
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/0661 from the bottom
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/0664 from the side
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2321/146 characterised by the pipes or pipe connections
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/00266 through the bottom
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/00276 from the bottom
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/10 Refrigerator top-coolers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/12 Portable refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/38 Refrigerating devices characterised by wheels

Abstract

A portable cooled merchandising unit including a product container assembly and a thermoelectric assembly. The product container assembly includes an exterior frame and an interior container forming a floor and side panels defining an interior region. Openings to the interior region are defined opposite the floor. Airflow paths are defined at an exterior of the panels and are fluidly connected to the interior region via the opening. The thermoelectric assembly includes a thermoelectric device connected to a heat sink that is fluidly connected to the airflow path away from the opening. A fan is positioned to circulate air from the thermoelectric device and into the interior region via the airflow paths.

Claims

1. A portable cooled merchandising unit comprising:

a product container assembly including;

an exterior frame,

an interior container disposed within the interior frame and defining an interior region, the container including;

a continuous floor for supporting product,

a first side panel extending from the floor,

a second side panel extending from the floor opposite the first side panel,

wherein assembly of the interior container to the exterior frame defines;

a first opening to the interior region at the first side panel opposite the floor,

a first airflow path fluidly open to the first opening and extending between an exterior of the first side panel and the exterior frame to a first airflow path end point fluidly opposite the first opening,

a second side opening to the interior region at the second side panel opposite the floor,

a second airflow path fluidly open to the second opening and extending between an exterior of the second side panel and the exterior frame to a second airflow path end point fluidly opposite the second opening,

wherein the first airflow path end point is below the second airflow path end point;

a thermoelectric assembly connected to the product container assembly and including;

a thermoelectric device,

a first heat sink fluidly connected to the first and second airflow paths away from the first and second openings,

a first heat sink fan positioned adjacent the first heat sink;

wherein the first heat sink fan operates to circulate airflow to and from the interior region along a flow pattern comprising;

from the first heat sink and to the interior region via the first airflow path and the first opening,

from the interior region and to the first heat sink via the second opening and the second airflow path.

2. The portable cooled merchandising unit of claim 1, wherein the flow pattern does not pass through the floor.

3. The portable cooled merchandising unit of claim 1, wherein the first heat sink fan is located directly above the first heat sink.

4. The portable cooled merchandising unit of claim 1, wherein operation of the first heat sink fan serves solely to force airflow from the first airflow path through the first opening and draw airflow into the second airflow path through the second opening.

5. The portable cooled merchandising unit of claim 1, wherein assembly of the interior container to the exterior frame defines a plurality of openings at the first side panel opposite the floor that fluidly connect the interior region and the first airflow path.

6. The portable cooled merchandising unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a transition assembly disposed between the product container assembly and the thermoelectric assembly;

wherein the exterior frame is removably mounted to the transition assembly.

7. The portable cooled merchandising unit of claim 6, wherein the transition assembly is insulated and combines with the product container assembly to form a transition plenum communicating with the first airflow path.

8. The portable cooled merchandising unit of claim 6, further comprising:

a drain tube extending between the transition assembly and a condensate reservoir.

9. The portable cooled merchandising unit of claim 8, further comprising:

a condensate reservoir fan positioned adjacent the condensate reservoir.

10. A method of cooling products in a display, the method comprising:

providing a merchandising unit including an interior container having a floor and a panel combining to form a portion of an interior region, the merchandising unit forming an airflow path along at least a portion of an exterior of the panel to an opening opposite the floor;

fluidly connecting a first heat sink of a thermoelectric assembly to the airflow path, the first heat sink being coupled to a thermoelectric device;

placing products in the interior region;

powering the thermoelectric device with a pulse width modulated power supply to cool the first heat sink; and

operating a fan to circulate cooled air along the airflow path and over products in the interior region.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the thermoelectric assembly further includes a second heat sink opposite the first heat sink, the method further comprising:

operating a second fan to convect heat from the second heat sink.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein powering the thermoelectric device to cool the first heat sink includes:

controlling power delivered to the thermoelectric device based upon a temperature at the interior container to alter a temperature of cooler air delivered to the interior region.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein a frequency of the pulsed power varies as a function of the temperature of the interior container to alter a temperature of cooler air delivered to the interior region.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein powering the thermoelectric device includes:

providing pulsed power at a first frequency to the thermoelectric device to cool air to a first temperature;

determining that a temperature at the interior region is decreasing; and

providing pulsed power at a second frequency to the thermoelectric device in response to the determination to cool air to a second temperature greater than the first temperature, the second frequency being different from the first frequency.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein powering the thermoelectric device includes:

providing pulsed power at a first frequency to the thermoelectric device to cool the interior chamber;

comparing a sensed temperature of the interior chamber to a predetermined value;

altering the pulsed power to a second frequency less than the first frequency in response to a determination that the sensed temperature is greater than a predetermined value; and

providing pulsed power at a third frequency greater than the first frequency in response to a determination that the sensed temperature is less than the predetermined value.