Refrigerated merchandiser

• US 7,591,144 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Food Trust Prince Edward Island Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Food Trust Prince Edward Island Ltd.
• Inventors: Jamieson, Robert, McKenzie, Keith, Wilson, Woodrow
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai; William E
• Application Number:
  US11/434,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20060201176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 62246-256, 622/91, 312/119, 312/122
• US Class Current: 62/251
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0443 with forced air circulation
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0456 Cases or cabinets of the counter type
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/0071 for perishable goods

Abstract

A refrigerated merchandiser is based on a frame that defines a refrigeration chamber that houses a unit cooler, which is in communication with a cooled air plenum that, in turn, is in communication with a display chamber. The unit cooler supplies cooled air to the plenum. The cooled air that is supplied to the plenum is then provided to a shelf that is mounted in the display chamber. Additionally, the cooled air is provided to at least one drawer, which is slidably mounted in the display chamber.

Claims

1. A merchandiser for cooling and displaying produce, comprising:

a frame defining a cooled air plenum;

a unit cooler for supplying cooled air to said plenum;

a shelf mounted to said frame below a first cooled air passageway in communication with said plenum, said shelf having a rear end proximate to said first cooled air passageway and a front end distant from said first cooled air passageway;

a drawer slidably mounted to said frame below said shelf and below a second cooled air passageway in communication with said plenum; and

a return air channel defined in said shelf adjacent said front end of said shelf;

wherein cooled air that spills from said shelf travels through said return air channel toward a portion of said drawer remote from said second cooled air passageway, and cooled air that spills from said drawer is received by said unit cooler for further cooling.

2. The merchandiser of claim 1 wherein said frame further defines a refrigerated chamber enclosing said unit cooler, said merchandiser further comprising a right side wall and a left side wall that, in combination with the front of said plenum and the top of said refrigerated chamber, define a display chamber.

3. The merchandiser of claim 2 wherein said shelf includes an air movement deflector extending vertically upwards along the width of said shelf proximate said front end of said shelf.

4. The merchandiser of claim 3 wherein said return air channel is defined by said air movement deflector and a shelf front wall mounted between said right side wall and said left side wall.

5. The merchandiser of claim 4 further comprising an angled wall mounted to the top of said shelf front wall such that said angled wall extends upward and toward said plenum.

6. The merchandiser of claim 2 further comprising an awning frame and an awning, supported by said awning frame, to shade said display chamber.

7. The merchandiser of claim 1 wherein said drawer includes a drawer floor and a drawer front wall, said drawer floor being angled slightly downward toward said drawer front wall.

8. The merchandiser of claim 7 wherein said drawer floor extends to a forward extent that is short of said drawer front wall.

9. The merchandiser of claim 8 wherein said drawer includes a perforated wall extending upwardly along the width of said drawer.

10. The merchandiser of claim 9 wherein said perforated wall, said drawer front wall and said forward extent of said drawer floor define a drawer return air channel.

11. The merchandiser of claim 1 further comprising casters mounted to the bottom of said frame to facilitate relocation of said merchandiser.

12. The merchandiser of claim 1 wherein said produce is available in a plurality of types and said plurality of types of said produce are arranged by manner of preparation.

13. The merchandiser of claim 12 further comprising an indication of said manner of preparation associated with each type of said plurality of types.

14. The merchandiser of claim 13 wherein said produce is potatoes.

15. The merchandiser of claim 14 wherein said manner of preparation is selected from the group comprising:

boiling, baking, mashing, roasting and French frying.

16. The merchandiser of claim 14 wherein said cooled air is maintained below around 10°

Celsius.

17. The merchandiser of claim 1 further comprising a drip pan and a condensate line to communicate condensate water from said unit cooler to said drip pan.

18. The merchandiser of claim 17 wherein said drip pan is positioned proximate a vent in a wall of said merchandiser to facilitate evaporation of said condensate water.

19. The merchandiser of claim 1 wherein a size of said first cooled air passageway may be adjusted to suit a degree of cooling required for said shelf.

20. The merchandiser of claim 1 wherein said unit cooler comprises:

a radiator adapted to pass cooled matter from an ingress to an egress; and

a fan for promoting flow of said cooled air received by said unit cooler for further cooling past said radiator and toward said cooled air plenum.

21. The merchandiser of claim 1 wherein said shelf is mounted to said frame over said drawer such that said shelf shades at least a portion of an interior of said drawer.

22. A merchandiser for cooling and displaying produce, comprising:

a frame including a rear wall;

a panel arranged at a spaced distance from said rear wall so as to define a passageway therebetween;

a unit cooler for supplying cooled air to said passageway;

a first cooled air opening in said panel;

a shelf mounted to said frame below said first cooled air opening, said shelf having a rear end proximate to said first cooled air opening, a front end distant from said first cooled air opening, and a return air channel between said rear end and said front end;

a second cooled air opening in said panel; and

a drawer slidably mounted to said frame below said shelf and below said second cooled air opening;

wherein cooled air that spills from said shelf travels through said return air channel toward said drawer at a location remote from said second cooled air opening, and cooled air that spills from said drawer is received by said unit cooler for further cooling.

23. A merchandiser for cooling and displaying produce, comprising:

a frame defining a cooled air plenum;

a unit cooler for supplying cooled air to said plenum;

a shelf mounted to said frame below a first cooled air passageway in communication with said plenum, said shelf having a rear end proximate to said first cooled air passageway, a front end distant from said first cooled air passageway, and a front wall projecting upwardly from said shelf at said front end;

a drawer slidably mounted to said frame below said shelf and below a second cooled air passageway in communication with said plenum; and

a return air channel defined in said shelf between said rear end and said front wall;

wherein cooled air that spills from said shelf travels through said return air channel toward a portion of said drawer remote from said second cooled air passageway, and cooled air that spills from said drawer is received by said unit cooler for further cooling.