Merchandising display

• US 5,458,407 A
• Filed: 09/15/1993
• Issued: 10/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: King, Leslie C., Blackshaw, Andrew L., Bustos, Rafael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US08/122,054
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 62/255, 62/298, 312/116, 312/125, 312/135, 312/305, 312/138.1, 312/236, 312/97.1, 312/36, D 6/432, D 6/436, D 6/442, D 6/443
• US Class Current: 312/116
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0408 with forced air circulation
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/062 in household refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/0662 from the corner
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/067 characterised by air ducts

Abstract

A merchandising display including a housing enclosing a product display compartment having at least two adjacent columns of circularly shaped shelves rotatably mounted within the display compartment. When viewed in top plan view, the housing includes a front side having two doors which angle rearwardly to two outwardly curved side walls which are connected by a generally flat rear wall. The columns of circular shelves are disposed within the product compartment so as to be closely adjacent each other as well as the inner concavely shaped surfaces of the side walls. This creates a central air circulation path in the rear of the product compartment defined between the columns of circular shelves and the rear wall. A partition is secured to the rear wall at this central location and includes a plurality of apertures for directing cooled air from the air circulation path to the products on the shelves. A refrigeration unit is completely contained in a drawer at the base of the display for easy repair and maintenance.

Claims

1. A merchandising display comprising:

a housing having an enclosed display compartment, said housing when viewed in top plan view having a front side, and first and second outwardly curved side walls connecting said front side to a generally flat, unitary rear wall, said first and second outwardly curved side walls each including a front curved portion connected to said front side and a rear curved portion connected to said rear wall,

at least one door mounted in said front side for accessing said display compartment,

first and second columns of vertically spaced circular shelves mounted within said compartment, said first column being disposed adjacent said first curved side wall and said second column being disposed adjacent said second curved side wall,

an enclosed central air circulation path bounded by an apertured partition extending vertically between said first and second columns of circular shelves and said rear wall, and

a refrigeration unit disposed within said housing and including a fan for directing cooled air into said air circulation path.

2. The merchandising display of claim 1 wherein said housing includes a top and a bottom and said refrigeration unit is disposed within a slidably mounted drawer located at the bottom of said housing, said refrigeration unit comprising an evaporator unit, condenser unit and compressor.

3. The merchandising display of claim 1 wherein said shelves are rotatably mounted to said housing.

4. The merchandising display of claim 1 wherein said partition extends between said first and second columns of shelves and said rear wall, said partition including a first series of apertures for directing air forwardly from said central air circulation path into a central portion of said compartment between said first and second columns of shelves and a second series of apertures located rearward of said first series for directing air from said central air circulation path into a rear portion of said compartment.

5. The merchandising display of claim 4 wherein said partition comprises a "V"-shaped portion having an apex extending between said first and second columns of circular shelves and having said first series of apertures therein.

6. The merchandising display of claim 5 wherein said partition further comprises a pair of flared portions extending at an angle from said "V"-shaped portion toward said rear wall and including said second series of apertures therein.

7. The merchandising display of claim 1 further comprising two doors mounted in said front side for accessing said first and second columns of shelves.

8. The merchandising display of claim 7 wherein said doors angle rearwardly from a central portion of said front side to the respective side walls of said housing.

9. A merchandising display comprising:

a housing having an enclosed display compartment, said housing when viewed in top plan view having a front side, and first and second outwardly curved side walls connecting said front side to a generally flat, unitary rear wall, said first end second outwardly curved side walls each including a front curved portion connected to said front side and a rear curved portion connected to said rear wall,

at least one door mounted in said front side for accessing said display compartment,

first and second columns of vertically spaced circular shelves mounted within said compartment, said first column being disposed adjacent said first curved side wall and said second column being disposed adjacent said second curved side wall, said shelves being mounted for rotation within said compartment,

an enclosed central air circulation path bounded by an apertured partition extending vertically between said first and second columns of circular shelves and said rear wall, and

a refrigeration unit disposed within said housing and including a fan for directing cooled air into said air circulation path.

10. The merchandising display of claim 9 wherein said housing includes a top and a bottom and said refrigeration unit is disposed within a slidably mounted drawer located at the bottom of said housing, said refrigeration unit comprising an evaporator unit, condenser unit and compressor.

11. The merchandising display of claim 9 wherein said partition extends between said first and second columns of shelves and said rear wall, said partition including a first series of apertures for directing air forwardly from said central air circulation path into a central portion of said compartment between said first and second columns of shelves and a second series of apertures located rearward of said first series for directing air from said central air circulation path into a rear portion of said compartment.

12. The merchandising display of claim 11 wherein said partition comprises a "V"-shaped portion having an apex extending between said first and second columns of circular shelves and having said first series of apertures therein.

13. The merchandising display of claim 12 wherein said partition further comprises a pair of flared portions extending at an angle from said "V"-shaped portion toward said rear wall and including said second series of apertures therein.

14. The merchandising display of claim 9 further comprising two doors mounted in said front side for accessing said first and second columns of shelves.

15. The merchandising display of claim 14 wherein said doors angle rearwardly from a central portion of said front side to the respective side walls of said housing.

16. A merchandising display comprising:

a housing having an enclosed display compartment, said housing when viewed in top plan view having a front side, and first and second outwardly curved side walls connecting said front side to a generally flat rear wall,

at least one door mounted in said front side for accessing said display compartment,

first and second columns of vertically spaced circular shelves mounted within said compartment, said first column being disposed adjacent said first curved side wall and said second column being disposed adjacent said second curved side wall, said shelves being mounted for rotation within said compartment, and

a central air circulation path extending vertically between said first and second columns of circular shelves and said rear wall, said central air circulation path being bounded by a vertical partition extending between said first and second columns of shelves and said rear wall, said partition including a first series of apertures for directing air forwardly from said central air circulation path into a central portion of said compartment between said first and second columns of shelves and a second series of apertures located rearward of said first series for directing air from said central air circulation path into a rear portion of said compartment, and

a refrigeration unit disposed within said housing and including a fan for directing cooled air into said air circulation path.

17. The merchandising display of claim 16 wherein said partition comprises a "V"-shaped portion having an apex extending between said first and second columns of circular shelves and having said first series of apertures therein.

18. The merchandising display of claim 17 wherein said partition further comprises a pair of flared portions extending at an angle from said "V"-shaped portion toward said rear wall and including said second series of apertures therein.

19. The merchandising display of claim 18 wherein said housing includes a top and a bottom and said refrigeration unit is disposed within a slidably mounted drawer located at the bottom of said housing, said refrigeration unit comprising an evaporator unit, condenser unit and compressor.

20. The merchandising display of claim 16 further comprising two doors mounted in said front side for accessing said first and second columns of shelves.

21. The merchandising display of claim 20 wherein said doors angle rearwardly from a central portion of said front side to the respective side walls of said housing.

22. A merchandising display comprising:

a housing having an enclosed display compartment, said housing when viewed in top plan view having a front side, and first and second outwardly curved side walls connecting said front side to a generally flat rear wall,

at least one door mounted in said front side for accessing said display compartment,

first and second columns of vertically spaced circular shelves mounted within said compartment, said first column being disposed adjacent said first curved side wall and said second column being disposed adjacent said second curved side wall,

a central air circulation path extending vertically between said first and second columns of circular shelves and said rear wall, said central air circulation path being bounded by a vertical partition extending between said first and second columns of shelves and said rear wall, said partition including a first series of apertures for directing air forwardly from said central air circulation path into a central portion of said compartment between said first and second columns of shelves and a second series of apertures located rearward of said first series for directing air from said central air circulation path into a rear portion of said compartment, and

a refrigeration unit disposed within said housing and including a fan for directing cooled air into said air circulation path.

23. The merchandising display of claim 22 wherein said partition comprises a "V"-shaped portion having an apex extending between said first and second columns of circular shelves and having said first series of apertures therein.

24. The merchandising display of claim 23 wherein said partition further comprises a pair of flared portions extending at an angle from said "V"-shaped portion toward said rear wall and including said second series of apertures therein.