Energy efficient glass door merchandizer
First Claim
1. A glass door refrigerated display case comprising:
- a cabinet having top, bottom, rear and front walls and an interior display space, with an access opening in said front wall for enabling access into said interior display space;
at least one glass door covering said access opening in said front wall, said door being movable into an open position for enabling access to products in said interior display space, said door having two glass members mounted within a frame with a space between said glass members;
a refrigeration air conduit extending along said top, bottom and rear walls and having an outlet opening and an inlet opening at opposing ends thereof, said outlet opening and said inlet opening being arranged so that air leaving said outlet opening will be directed toward and received by said inlet opening so as to form a refrigerated air curtain across said front opening along a path inside of said door;
refrigeration means including an evaporator coil arranged within said refrigeration air conduit for refrigerating air circulated through said refrigeration air conduit during a refrigeration cycle of operation;
first air circulating means for circulating air through said refrigeration air conduit; and
,means for circulating ambient air through said glass door between said glass members, said means for circulating ambient air through said door includes an air conduit having an outlet opening arranged in alignment with said glass door for directing air between said glass members when said glass door is in a closed position and ambient air circulating means for drawing ambient air into said ambient air conduit and circulating ambient air through said ambient air conduit.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A refrigerated display case having a display section within a cabinet and a movable door covering a front access opening to such display section. The door includes a frame member in which two glass members are mounted with an air space between the glass members. A refrigeration air conduit extends along the top, bottom and rear walls of the cabinet. The air conduit has an outlet opening and an inlet opening at opposing ends thereof with the openings being in alignment so that air leaving the outlet opening will be directed towards and received by the inlet opening thereby forming an air curtain across the front opening of the cabinet along the path inside the door. During a refrigeration cycle of operation of the display case, refrigerated air is circulated through the air conduit and a refrigeration mechanism arranged within the conduit so as to establish a refrigerated air band and a refrigerated air curtain across the front opening in the cabinet. In order to minimize any accumulation of condensation between the glass members in the door, an ambient air flow between the glass members is established when the door is in a closed position. During a defrost cycle of operation, the refrigeration mechanism is turned off and the door covering the front access opening is slightly opened. Ambient air is then drawn into the refrigeration air conduit and circulated through the conduit. Such ambient air serves to defrost the refrigeration mechanism and the interior of the refrigeration air conduit.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A glass door refrigerated display case comprising:
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a cabinet having top, bottom, rear and front walls and an interior display space, with an access opening in said front wall for enabling access into said interior display space; at least one glass door covering said access opening in said front wall, said door being movable into an open position for enabling access to products in said interior display space, said door having two glass members mounted within a frame with a space between said glass members; a refrigeration air conduit extending along said top, bottom and rear walls and having an outlet opening and an inlet opening at opposing ends thereof, said outlet opening and said inlet opening being arranged so that air leaving said outlet opening will be directed toward and received by said inlet opening so as to form a refrigerated air curtain across said front opening along a path inside of said door; refrigeration means including an evaporator coil arranged within said refrigeration air conduit for refrigerating air circulated through said refrigeration air conduit during a refrigeration cycle of operation; first air circulating means for circulating air through said refrigeration air conduit; and
,means for circulating ambient air through said glass door between said glass members, said means for circulating ambient air through said door includes an air conduit having an outlet opening arranged in alignment with said glass door for directing air between said glass members when said glass door is in a closed position and ambient air circulating means for drawing ambient air into said ambient air conduit and circulating ambient air through said ambient air conduit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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8. A glass door refrigerated display case comprising:
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a cabinet having top, bottom, rear and front walls and an interior display space, with an access opening in said front wall for enabling access into said interior display space; at least one glass door covering said access opening in said front wall, said door being movable into an open position for enabling access to products in said interior display space, said door having two glass members mounted within a frame with a space between said glass members; a refrigeration air conduit extending along said top, bottom and rear walls and having an outlet opening and an inlet opening at opposing ends thereof, said outlet opening and said inlet opening being arranged so that air leaving said outlet opening will be directed toward and received by said inlet opening so as to form a refrigerated air curtain across said front opening along a path inside of said door; refrigeration means including an evaporator coil arranged within said refrigeration air conduit for refrigerating air circulated through said refrigeration air conduit during a refrigeration cycle of operation; first air circulating means for circulating air through said refrigeration air conduit; means for circulating air through said glass door between said glass members; and control means for switching said glass door refrigerated display case into a defrost cycle of operation and during such defrost cycle of operation said control means temporarily turns off said refrigeration means and causes ambient air to be circulated through said refrigeration air conduit. PG,30 - View Dependent Claims (9)
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Specification