Multi-pane glass assembly for a refrigerated display case

• US 7,856,770 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hussmann Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hussmann Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Withouse, John D., Grassmuck, Michael D., McFarland, Garrick N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Jr.; Richard E
• Assistant Examiner(s): AHMAD, CHARISSA L
• Application Number:
  US10/930,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20060059861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,310 Days
• Field of Search: 522/045.93, 522/046, 521/731, 527/861.3, 527/861, 527/861.1, 622/46, 312/116, 428/34
• US Class Current: 52/204.593
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/007 Cases or cabinets of the counter type
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0456 Cases or cabinets of the counter type
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5427 the panes mounted flush with the surrounding frame or with the surrounding panes E06B3/5436 takes precedence; supporting structures for curtain walls E04B2/885
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6621 with special provisions for fitting in window frames or to adjacent units; Separate edge protecting strips E06B3/66347 takes precedence

Abstract

A glass assembly for a refrigerated display case. In some embodiments, the glass assembly includes a first pane having a first edge, a second pane substantially parallel to the first pane having a second edge substantially aligned with the first edge, and a third pane substantially parallel with the first pane and the second pane. The third pane includes a third edge offset from the second edge and defines a step in the glass assembly.

Claims

1. A glass assembly for a refrigerated display case, the glass assembly comprising:

a first pane extending in a first direction and including a first edge;

a second pane substantially parallel with respect to the first pane and extending in the first direction, the second pane including a second edge and spaced a distance from the first pane along a second direction oriented substantially orthogonally to the first pane and the second pane to define a first space between the first pane and the second pane;

a first spacer positioned in the first space adjacent the first edge and the second edge;

a third pane substantially parallel with the first pane and the second pane and extending in the first direction, the third pane including a third edge and spaced a distance from the second pane along the second direction to define a second space between the second pane and the third pane; and

a second spacer positioned in the second space, the second spacer offset from the first spacer in the first direction such that the first spacer and the second spacer are not aligned with and do not overlap each other in the first direction.

2. The glass assembly of claim 1, wherein the second spacer is positioned adjacent the third edge to define a step in the glass assembly.

3. The glass assembly of claim 1, further comprising a heat transfer path defined by the first pane, the first spacer, the second pane, the second spacer, and the third pane, and wherein the heat transfer path is not linear between the first spacer and the second spacer in the second direction.

4. The glass assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the first pane, the second pane, and the third pane is coated with a low-E material.

5. The glass assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first space and the second space is filled with at least one of argon gas and krypton gas.

6. The glass assembly of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the glass assembly in the second direction is between about 1.0 inches and 1.5 inches.

7. A refrigerated display case comprising:

an insulated wall positioned to separate a low temperature interior of the refrigerated display case from the environment, the insulated wall including a perimeter wall having a recess; and

a glass assembly at least partially supported by the perimeter wall between the low temperature interior of the refrigerated display case and the environment, the glass assembly including

a first pane at least partially positioned within the recess,

a second pane substantially parallel with respect to the first pane and at least partially positioned within the recess, the second pane spaced a distance from the first pane to define a first space,

a third pane substantially parallel with respect to the first pane and the second pane, the third pane positioned outside of the recess to define a step in the glass assembly, the third pane not covered by any portion of the perimeter wall and spaced a distance from the second pane to define a second space,

a first spacer positioned in the recess within the first space between the first pane and the second pane, and

a second spacer positioned within the second space between the second pane and the third pane, wherein the second spacer is outside the recess and offset from the first spacer such that the first spacer and the second spacer are not aligned with and do not overlap each other.

8. The refrigerated display case of claim 7, wherein the refrigerated display case does not include a supplemental heat source supplying supplemental heat to any of the first pane, the second pane, the third pane, and the perimeter wall.

9. The refrigerated display case of claim 7, wherein the first pane is positioned adjacent the low temperature interior of the refrigerated display case.

10. The refrigerated display case of claim 7, further comprising an extruded member disposed between the glass assembly and the insulated wall.

11. The refrigerated display case of claim 7, wherein the thickness of the insulated wall is between about 1.5 inches and about 2 inches.

12. The refrigerated display case of claim 7, further comprising a low-E coating on at least one of the first pane, the second pane and the third pane.

13. The refrigerated display case of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first space and the second space is filled with at least one of argon gas and krypton gas.

14. The refrigerated display case of claim 7, wherein the third pane includes an edge that is exposed to the environment.