AU8839698A - A refrigerated display cabinet - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT S Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: .n Invention Title: ORFORD PTY LTD JOHN HENRY ORFORD CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 240 Queen Street, Brisbane, Qld. 4000, Australia.

A REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CABINET Detail of Associated Provisional Application: No. Patent Application No.

P09771 filed 13 October 1997 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: THIS INVENTION relates to a refrigerated display cabinet. In particular, the invention is directed to a low-cost compact refrigerated display chest particularly, but not solely, suitable for use in developing countries.

Fi BACKGROUND ART A Beverages and perishable goods are normally displayed for sale in refrigerated cabinets. Such cabinets are usually large upright structures with glass doors to permit consumers to view the product before purchase. The display of the product to the consumer also entices the consumer to buy the product, and hence promotes merchandising of the products.

It has been found .that conventional refrigerated merchandising cabinets are not particularly suitable for small traders and traders in developing countries and impoverished areas. Known refrigerated Scabinets are relatively expensive, and beyond the financial reach of most small shopkeepers. Furthermore, the cost of stocking such large cabinets is a significant financial burden for the small shopkeeper. Thirdly, the "'known cabinets occupy a considerable amount of floor space, and have high energy requirements on site.

The sophistication of the refrigeration mechanisms used in these refrigerated cabinets also gives rise to maintenance problems. In remote or undeveloped areas, service personnel may not be available to repair and maintain the refrigerating mecharisms.

It is an object of this invention to provide a refrigerated display cabinet which overcomes or ameliorates the abovedescribed disadvantages, or which at least provides a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one broad form, the present invention S- provides a refrigerated cabinet comprising a top-opening housing having a chamber therein adapted to be cooled in i least one side wall thereof..

Typically, the transparent viewing portion is a glass panel comprising two or more spaced panes of glass fitted in an opening in the side wall of the housing.

Preferably, a hinged lid is provided at the top of the housing, the lid being transparent or having a Stransparent portion. Suitably, a olass lid is used.

The housing is preferably made by rotational casting of plastics material.

In the preferred embodiment, the housing is I mounted on spaced legs, and a refrigerating mechanism is partly located under the housing. A removable U-shaped evaporator is located within the chamber adjacent the S 15 walls thereof, and is connected to the remainder of the refrigeration mechanism under the housing by flexible suction and discharge lines. The evaporator may be lifted out of the chamber, and the refrigerating mechanism removed from under the housing, so that the complete refrigeration system can be removed for repair, servicing or exchange- In a variation of the preferred embodiment, the remainder of the refrigeration mechanism incorporating the condensing unit is built into a separate housing, cnd connected to the evaporator by f-Y_:ible lines. In this embodiment, the housing containing the refrigerated chamber can be placed on a bench, and the remainder of the refrigeration mechanism containing the condensing unit can be fitted under or beside the bench.

Preferably, a profiled tray is located in the bottom of the chamber. The tray has an array of recesses each adapted to receive the base of the product to be sold, such as a glass or plastic bottle, can, TETRA--PAK container, or the like. The tray facilitates orderly stocking of the chamber.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood and put into practice, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerated cabinet (with covers removed) according to one embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cabinet of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the upper part of the cabinet of Fig- 1, Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of the upper part of the cabinet of Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a tray suitable for use in the cabinet of Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a refrigerated cabinet according to another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in Figs. 1-4, a refrigerated display cabinet 10 comprises a generally rectangular open-topped 20 chest 11 having a refrigerated chamber 12. The chamber 12 is closed by a lid (not shown) which is preferably a hinged glass lid.

The walls of the chest 11 are typically of sandwich construction, comprising spaced inner and outer walls filled with insulating foam. The chest 11 can be manufactured from any suitable material(s), such as metal or plastics material. Preferably, the chest 11 is made from plastics material by rotational casting or moulding.

A glass viewing panel 13 is provided in at least one side wall of the chest 11. The glass viewing panel 13 is preferably formed from two spaced transparent sheets 13A, 13B glued in place in a cutout of the side wall, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. More preferably, an aluminium or plastic tube (not shown) is located in a recess 14 between the transparent sheets, and is filled Swith silica gel, molecular sieves, or other hygroscopic material so as to absorb any entrapped moisture.

SAlternatively, the viewing panel 13 may be a

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Y cutout in the chest I.- The chest lid (not shown) is suitably a single osheet of tempered glass, hinged at the back to one wall of the chest 11. and sealing onto a round or flat spongetype rubber gasket fitted into or on the top of the chest 11. Having both a transparent lid and a front viewing panel increases the exposure of the product within the chamber 12, thereby enhancing the merchandising appeal of the cabinet.

The chest 11 is supported on legs 15 as shown in Fig. 1. Typically, the legs are fitted into sockets 16 in the base of the chest. The space under the elevated chest 11 is used to house a refrigerating mechanism 17, for the cabinet 10 as shown in Fig. 1. (Side covers are normally fitted to the legs 15 to shield the refrigerated system. These side covers are not shown for ease of depiction).

20 The evaporator 18 of the refrigerating mechanism is generally U-shaped in plan, and is located within the chamber 12 on brackets or clamps 19 provided for that purpose. The evaporator may suitably be either a copper tube wound in a U" shape, or more preferably, an aluminium evaporator similar to the type used in household refrigerators. The evaporator is joined to the condensing unit of the refrigerating mechanism under the by flexible coiled suction and discharge lines 20, 21.

Preferably, a channel 22 is formed in the outside of a wall of the chest 11 to accommodate the suction and discharge lines 20, 21 as shown in Fig. 1. The channel 22 is suitably closed by a U-shaped plastic cover (not shown).

The evaporator 18 can easily be unclipped from the clamps 19 and lifted out of the chamber 12. (The coiled lines 21, 22 allow the evaporator to be lifted clear of the chamber 12). The refrigerating mechanism 17 is mounted on a tray which slides out from under the Li-"

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chest 11. Thus, the complete refrigerating mechanism can be easily removed for repair, servicing or replacement.

This is particularly advantageous in remote or undeveloped areas lacking in trained personnel, as the refrigerating mechanism can be easily exchanged in the event of malfunction.

A drain hole 23 is suitably provided in the bottom wall of the chest 11. A drain hole 24 for the evaporator plate is also provided. Any condensate from the evaporator 18 is collected on an evaporator tray (not shown) fitted to the condensing unit under the chest 11.

The collected condensate is gradually evaporated from the tray by the heat generated by the condensing unit.

S.:A recess for lighting may suitably be provided S. 15 around the viewing panel 13 within the chest 11.

If the chest is used to house bottles or similar containers, a profiled tray is suitably fitted to the bottom of the chamber 12. The tray 25, as shown in Fig. 5, comprises an array of socket-like recesses 26 each dimensioned to receive the base of a product, such as a glass or plastic bottle, a can, a cardboard container TETRA-PAK container) or the like. The tray 25 facilitates the stocking of the chest with such products in an orderly manner- In another embodiment of the invention, S- illustrated in Fig. 6, a refrigerated cabinet 30 is provided with a flat base so that it may be placed on a bench or the like. The refrigerated cabinet 30 is similar to the chest 11 of the embodiment of.Fig. 1, but without the legs An evaporator of a refrigeration system is located within the chamber of the cabinet 30. The remainder of the refrigeration system is located in a separate cabinet 31. The cabinet 31 may be of similar construction to the cabinet 30. Preferably, the cabinet 31 is made by rotational moulding. More preferably, the cabinet is provided with louvres 33 or other vents to orovide ventilation for the condensing unit of the Srefrigeration system located within the cabinet 31.

3 The evaporator within cabinet 30 is connected to the remainder of the refrigeration system in cabinet 31 by flexible suction/discharge lines 32 which may be copper or plastic tubing, for example. In this manner, Sthe refrigeration system containing the condensing unit can be mounted remote from the refrigerated chamber, the distance being governed by the length of the flexible suction/discharge- lines. In one typical application of 2 the invention, the refrigerated cabinet 30 is mounted in a prominent position on a bench to maximise exposure for sale, while the condensing unit in cabinet 31 is located out of sight below the bench.

The described refrigerated cabinets have a S 15 number of advantages, including The housing can be made economically using rotational casting or other suitable method.

e The small chamber minimises stock requirements.

The cabinet can be mounted on a desk and does SI not occupy a large amount of floor space.

S 25 The evaporator and the remainder of the refrigeration system can be removed quickly and easily by unskilled persons.

S. The viewing panel and lid provide exposure of the refrigerated products to the consumer.

The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the invention, and modifications which are obvious to Sthose skilled in the art may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. For example, the evaporator 18 need not necessarily be of U shaped configuration. The evaporator may be in the form of separate flat components at the sidea of the chamber 12, or under the bottom of the chamber 12.

or^ In an alternative embodi-ment, the viewing panel I13 is incorporated in a side door fitted to the chest 11.

Although the refrigerated cabinet has been described with reference to its use as a refrigerated merchandiser, it can be modified to function as a merchandising freezer. By changing the refrigerating system so that temperatures of, say, -25°C can be attained, and replacing the twin pane glass with either four panes or heated glass, the cabinet could be used to merchandise ice cream.

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Claims (7)

1. 2. A cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transparent viewing portion is a glass panel comprising a plurality of spaced glass panes fitted in an opening in the side wall of the housing.
2. 3. A cabinet as claimed in claim 2, further comprising hygroscopic material between the glass panes- S4. A cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, Sfurther comprising a lid hinged to the top of the cabinet for closing the top opening thereof, at least a portion of the lid being transparent. A cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the housing is formed by rotational moulding of plastics material.
3. 6. A cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, 20 further comprising a refrigerating mechanism including an evaporator removably located within the chamber, the evaporator being connected to the remainder of the refrigerating mechanism by flexible conduits
4. 7. A cabinet as claimed in claim 6, wherein the remainder of the refrigerating mechanism is located under Sthe housing.
5. 8. A cabinet as claimed in claim 6, wherein the remainder of the refrigerating mechanism is located in a second housing, separate to the housing.
6. 9. A cabinet as claimed in claim 6, wherein the evaporator is generally U-shaped. A refrigerated cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a profiled tray located in the bottom of the chamber, the tray having an array of recesses therein each adapted to receive the Sbase portion of an item placed in the chamber.
7. 11. A refrigerated cabinet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5, or Figs. I to 5 as modified by Fig. DATED thIs twelfth day of October IQ9S ORFORD PTY LT By their Patent Attorneys Cullen &Co. 99j OR,.