Door for a refrigerated merchandiser

• US 9,462,896 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2016
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hussmann Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hussmann Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Reichert, Craig S., Anderson, Timothy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Troy, Daniel J
• Assistant Examiner(s): GALLEGO, ANDRES F
• Application Number:
  US15/076,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20160198866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 204 Days
• Field of Search: 312/116, 312/114, 312/138.1, 312/405, 521/713, 527/861.1, 521/712, 495/01, 49D/IG.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/043 Doors, covers A47F3/0434 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0434 Glass or transparent panels
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/00 Machines for simply fitting together or separating metal parts or objects, or metal and non-metal parts, whether or not involving some deformation connecting metal parts or objects by metal-working procedures B21J, B23K; Tools or devices therefor so far as not provided for in other classes hand tools in general B25
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53 Means to assemble or disassemble

Abstract

A door for a refrigerated merchandiser defining a product display area. The door includes a first glass panel, a second glass panel, and a third glass panel. The first glass panel is in communication with an environment surrounding the refrigerated merchandiser, and has a first surface arranged to face the environment and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second glass panel is positioned adjacent the first glass panel, and has a third surface arranged to face the second surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface. The third glass panel is positioned adjacent the second glass panel and is in communication with the product display area. The third glass panel has a fifth surface arranged to face the fourth surface and a sixth surface opposite the fifth surface and arranged to face the product display area. The door also includes a split-silver low-emissivity coating covering at least a portion of the third surface or the fourth surface, and a conductive film covering at least a portion of the fifth surface or the sixth surface. The conductive film is connected to a power supply to heat the third glass panel and to at least one of inhibit and remove condensation on at least one of the first glass panel and the third glass panel.

Claims

1. A door for a refrigerated merchandiser defining a product display area, the door comprising:

a glass assembly including

a first glass panel configured to be in communication with an environment surrounding the refrigerated merchandiser, the first glass panel having a first surface arranged to face the environment and a second surface opposite the first surface,

a second glass panel positioned adjacent the first glass panel, the second glass panel having a third surface arranged to face the second surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface, and

a third glass panel positioned adjacent the second glass panel and configured to be in communication with the product display area, the third glass panel having a fifth surface arranged to face the fourth surface and a sixth surface opposite the fifth surface and arranged to face the product display area; and

a split-silver low-emissivity coating covering at least a portion of the third surface or the fourth surface; and

a conductive film covering at least a portion of the fifth surface or the sixth surface, the conductive film configured to be connected to a power supply to heat the third glass panel and to at least one of inhibit and remove condensation on at least one of the first glass panel and the third glass panel.

2. The door of claim 1, wherein the door further includes a low-emissivity film covering at least a portion of the first surface or the second surface.

3. The door of claim 2, wherein the low-emissivity film covers at least a portion of the second surface.

4. The door of claim 1, wherein the split-silver low-emissivity coating covers at least a portion of the fourth surface.

5. The door of claim 4, wherein the conductive film covers at least a portion of the fifth surface.

6. A refrigerated merchandiser comprising:

a case defining a product display area for supporting food product;

a power supply;

a refrigeration system in communication with the case; and

a door coupled to the case, the door including

a glass assembly having a first glass panel in communication with an ambient environment surrounding the case, a second glass panel, and a third glass panel in communication with the product display area such that the second glass panel is positioned between the first glass panel and the third glass panel,

a split-silver low-emissivity coating covering at least a portion of the second glass panel, and

a conductive film covering at least a portion of the third glass panel,

wherein the conductive film is in electrical communication with the power supply to heat the third glass panel and inhibit or remove condensation on one or both of the first glass panel and the third glass panel.

7. The refrigerated merchandise of claim 6, wherein the first glass panel includes a first surface arranged to face the ambient environment and a second surface opposite the first surface, and wherein the door further includes a low-emissivity film covering at least a portion of the first surface or the second surface.

8. The refrigerated merchandise of claim 7, wherein the low-emissivity film covers at least a portion of the second surface.

9. The refrigerated merchandise of claim 8, wherein the second glass panel includes a third surface arranged to face the second surface, and a forth surface opposite the third surface and, wherein the split-silver low-emissivity coating covers at least a portion of the fourth surface.

10. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 9, wherein the third glass panel includes a fifth surface arranged to face the forth surface and a sixth surface opposite the fifth surface and arranged to face the product display area, and wherein the conductive film covers at least a portion of the fifth surface.

11. The refrigerated merchandise of claim 6, wherein each of the first glass panel and the third glass panel includes tempered glass, and wherein the second glass panel includes annealed glass.

12. A method of manufacturing a door for a refrigerated merchandiser defining a product display area and positioned in an ambient environment, the door including a first glass panel, a second glass panel, and a third glass panel, the method comprising:

covering at least a portion of the second glass panel with a split-silver low-emissivity coating configured to reflect radiated energy; and

covering at least a portion of the third glass panel with a conductive film, the conductive film configured to heat at least the third glass panel,

wherein the second glass panel is positioned between and spaced from the first glass panel and the third glass panel such that the first glass panel is configured to be exposed to the ambient environment and the third glass panel is configured to be exposed to the product display area.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising covering at least a portion of the first glass panel of the door with a low-emissivity film configured to reflect radiated energy.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first glass panel has a first surface configured to be in communication with the ambient environment and a second surface opposite the first surface, the method further comprising covering the second surface with the low-emissivity film.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second glass panel has a third surface facing the second surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface, the method further comprising covering the fourth surface with the split-silver low-emissivity coating.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the third glass panel has a fifth surface facing the fourth surface and a sixth surface opposite the fifth surface and configured to be in communication with the product display area, the method further comprising covering the fifth surface with the conductive film.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising

assembling the first, second, and third glass panels onto a refrigerated merchandiser;

and

inhibiting or removing moisture on the first glass panel or the third glass panel.