Food storage refrigeration cabinet having optional fast chill cycle

• US 4,021,213 A
• Filed: 08/25/1975
• Issued: 05/03/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Middleby Marshall Incorporated (Middleby Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mcgraw-Edison Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Persak, George Jr., Neidhardt, Graham B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/607,182
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 62/180, 62/213, 62/229, 62/89
• US Class Current: 62/180
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/0251 with on-off operation
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/1933 Suction pressures
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21172 at the inlet
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21173 at the outlet
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/06 by forced circulation
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/28 Quick cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/30 Quick freezing
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/16 Sensors measuring the temperature of products
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices

Abstract

This invention teaches a food storage refrigeration cabinet suited for operation either on a conventional refrigeration cycle or on a fast cool down refrigeration cycle. The disclosed cabinet has partition structure that separates a food storage space from a defined plenum, and the evaporator coil of the refrigeration system is located inside the plenum. The partition has inboard and outboard openings to define recirculating air flow paths over the evaporator coil from and to the food storage space. For use of the cabinet on a conventional refrigeration cycle, first fan means in the inboard openings draws air from the storage space and passes the same over the evaporator coil for discharge out the outboard openings back to the storage space, and the refrigeration system is cycled on and off in order to maintain the enclosure air within the proper temperature range. When the cabinet is operated on the cool down cycle, second fan means located in the outboard openings also are operated to discharge the chilled plenum air downstream of the evaporator coil from the outboard openings for highly turbulent circulation in the storage space. The cycle is terminated when the food itself as sensed by food probes reaches the desired storage temperature or after a set timed interval, and during the cycle the refrigeration system preferably runs continuously. The refrigeration system has at least twice and maybe three times the cooling capacity required to maintain the same storage space at the desired storage temperature, and the air in the storage space is extremely turbulent when all the fans are operating.

Claims

1. A refrigeration cabinet having an optional fast cool down cycle, the combination comprising partition structure in the cabinet separating a food storage enclosure from a plenum, refrigeration means including an evaporator coil located in the plenum, said partition structure having inlet and outlet opening means for ducting enclosure air to and over the evaporator coil and back to the enclosure, first fan means located between the inlet opening means and the evaporator coil and second fan means located between the evaporator coil and the outlet opening means, a control for operating the cabinet either on a conventional food storage cycle or on a fast cool down cycle, whereby the first fan means operates continuously on both cycles effective to move enclosure air through the inlet opening means and over the evaporator coil and from the outlet opening means back to the enclosure and the second fan means operates only on the cool down cycle effective to force the chilled air in the plenum downstream of the evaporator coil directly from the outlet opening means for greatly increased air turbulence within the enclosure, the control also including first means adapted with the cabinet operating on the storage cycle to cycle the refrigeration means on and off effective to maintain the enclosure air generally below a set temperature and second means adapted with the cabinet operating on the cool down cycle to bypass the first control means effective generally to operate the refrigeration means continuously, and the control also including third means to stop the fast cool down cycle and to shift back to the storage cycle.

2. A refrigeration cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the outlet opening means includes a pair of openings in the partition structure at locations outboardly spaced from the inlet opening means.

3. A refrigeration cabinet according to claim 2, further including outlet slots formed in the partition structure adjacent respective top and bottom cabinet walls and spaced outboardly of the outlet openings.

4. A refrigeration cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the refrigeration means has cooling capacity at least twice and preferably three times that normally required merely to maintain the enclosure at and below a set temperature of 45°

F.

5. A refrigeration cabinet according to claim 4, wherein the outlet opening means includes a pair of openings in the partition structure at locations outboardly spaced from the inlet opening means, and slots located adjacent the respective top and bottom cabinet walls and spaced outboardly of the outlet openings.