Refrigerated merchandise display system

• US 9,532,660 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Inventors: Montero, Jos Roberto, Santamaria, Jose Alfonso Gonzalez, Garcia, Edith Nancy Trevio, Guadarrama, Rodrigo, Acero, Csar Eduardo Avendao, Jafa, Emad, Ribeiro, Antonio Jose Fernandes, Gutierrez, Jose Miguel, Zaleta, Dimas Alberto Diaz
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Len
• Assistant Examiner(s): OSWALD, KIRSTIN U
• Application Number:
  US13/173,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20130000343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,014 Days
• Field of Search: 622/46, 622/49, 622/51, 624/43, 624/46, 624/48, 624/45, 622/98, 623/02, 312/116, 312/117, 312/36, 312/223.5, 312/401, 312/404
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0404 Cases or cabinets of the closed type A47F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/062 defining a cabinet
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/14 Refrigerator multi units

Abstract

A refrigerated merchandise display system for storing and dispensing merchandise. The merchandise display system includes an outer housing, an inner support, a transparent front door, a refrigeration unit, a front door assembly, and a plurality of windows. The merchandise display system further includes a plurality of shelves for supporting merchandise within the display system. The refrigeration unit may be positioned at the top of the merchandise display system and may be removable. The outer housing of the refrigeration unit may be manufactured in a variety of colors. Each of the colors may be indicative a type of merchandise stored within the merchandise display system.

Claims

1. A merchandise display system comprising:

air outer housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls and a back wall, the top wall defining a top wall opening, an outer surface of the side walls being exposed to an exterior of the merchandise display system;

an inner support frame that defines an endoskeleton for supporting, the outer housing, the inner support frame including a top tubular steel member, a bottom tubular steel member, a first side tubular steel member, and a second side tubular steel member, the outer housing mounted to and surrounding the inner support frame, the inner support frame forming an inner support opening;

a front, door;

a plurality of windows, at least one of the plurality of windows positioned on each side wall;

a removable refrigeration unit mounted to the top wall of the outer housing and the inner support frame, the refrigeration unit mounted through the top wall opening and the inner support opening, the endoskeleton supporting the refrigeration unit; and

a plurality of shelves for supporting merchandise.

2. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the outer housing is a hollow structure filled with insulating material.

3. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the outer housing is manufactured in a plurality of colors.

4. The merchandise display system of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of colors is indicative of a type of merchandise.

5. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the outer housing defines an opening in the top, side and back walls.

6. The merchandise display system of claim 5, wherein the inner support opening corresponds with the outer housing opening.

7. The merchandise display system of claim 6, wherein the removable refrigeration unit is positioned within the outer housing opening and configured to engage the inner support.

8. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein each of the top tubular steel member, bottom tubular steel member, first side tubular steel member, and second side tubular steel member is hollow along its length.

9. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the plurality windows are secured to the outer housing by adhesive.

10. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein at least one light bar is adjacent each side wall and attached to the front door.

11. A merchandise display system comprising:

an outer housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls and a back wall, the outer housing defining an opening within the top, side, and back walls, an outer surface of the side walls being exposed to an exterior of the merchandise display system;

an inner support frame that defines an endoskeleton for supporting the outer housing, the inner support frame including a top tubular member, a bottom tubular member, a first side tubular member, and a second side tubular member, the outer housing mounted to and surrounding the inner support frame, the inner support frame forming an inner support opening;

a front door;

a plurality of windows, wherein at least one of the plurality of windows is positioned on each side wall;

a removable refrigeration unit mounted to the top wall of the outer housing and the inner support frame and positioned within the opening in the outer housing and the inner support opening, the endoskeleton supporting the refrigeration unit; and

a plurality of shelves for supporting merchandise, wherein the plurality of shelves are attached to the inner support frame.

12. The merchandise display system of claim 11, wherein the outer housing is a hollow structure filled with insulating material.

13. The merchandise display system of claim 12, wherein each of the top tubular member, bottom tubular member, first side tubular member, and second side tubular member is hollow along its length and made of steel or plastic.

14. The merchandise display system of claim 12, wherein each of the two side walls define a recess and an aperture within the recess.

15. The merchandise display system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of windows are secured to the recess in each of the two side walls by adhesive.

16. A merchandise display system comprising:

a plurality of display units, each display unit comprising;

an outer housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls and a back wall, the top wall defining a top wall opening, an outer surface of the side walls being exposed to an exterior of the merchandise display system;

an inner support frame that defines an endoskeleton for supporting the outer housing, the inner support frame including a top tubular steel member, a bottom tubular steel member, a first side tubular steel member, and a second side tubular steel member, the outer housing mounted to and surrounding the inner support frame, the inner support frame forming an inner support opening;

a front door;

a plurality of windows, at least one of the plurality of windows positioned on each side wall; and

a plurality of shelves for supporting merchandise, and

a removable refrigeration unit mounted to the top wall of the outer housing and the inner support frame, the refrigeration unit mounted through the top wall opening and the inner support opening and configured to cool the plurality of display units, the endoskeleton supporting the refrigeration unit.

17. The merchandise display system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of display units include an opening defined in the top wall, side walls, and back wall.

18. The merchandise display system of claim 17, wherein the removable refrigeration unit is positioned within the opening of each of the display units.

19. The merchandise display system of claim 16, wherein each of the side walls defines a recess and an opening within the recess.

20. The merchandise display system of claim 19, wherein the at least one of the plurality of windows are secured to the recess in each of the side walls by adhesive.