EP0117043A1 - Refrigeration cabinet - Google Patents

Refrigeration cabinet Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0117043A1
EP0117043A1 EP84300199A EP84300199A EP0117043A1 EP 0117043 A1 EP0117043 A1 EP 0117043A1 EP 84300199 A EP84300199 A EP 84300199A EP 84300199 A EP84300199 A EP 84300199A EP 0117043 A1 EP0117043 A1 EP 0117043A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cabinet
storage space
refrigeration
base
air flow
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP84300199A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
John Rankin
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
CRAIG-NICOL Ltd
Original Assignee
CRAIG-NICOL Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by CRAIG-NICOL Ltd filed Critical CRAIG-NICOL Ltd
Publication of EP0117043A1 publication Critical patent/EP0117043A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47F—SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS
    • A47F3/00—Show cases or show cabinets
    • A47F3/04—Show cases or show cabinets air-conditioned, refrigerated
    • A47F3/0439—Cases or cabinets of the open type
    • A47F3/0443—Cases or cabinets of the open type with forced air circulation
    • A47F3/0447—Cases or cabinets of the open type with forced air circulation with air curtains

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a refrigeration cabinet suitable for storing dairy products on a wheeled carrier.
  • Such cabinets are convenient because they permit ready stocking and restocking by simply wheeling suitable carriers into and out of the storage space.
  • the efficiency of known cabinets of this type is however significantly limited by the relatively poor air flow patterns which result in uneven cooling and loss of chilled air resulting in high energy consumption.
  • the present invention provides a refrigeration cabinet suitable for storing dairy products on a wheeled carrier, said cabinet having opposed side walls,,a rear wall and a roof defining a storage space and provided with a refrigeration unit and air flow generation means arranged for circulating in use, chilled air from the refrigeration unit downwardly through and to the front of said storage space, wherein is provided a detachable upwardly extending skirt means at the base of the front of said cabinet and wherein said air flow generation means includes duct means having an inlet in proximity to the rear of the base of said skirt and extending rearwardly from said inlet substantially below said storage space to the rear of said storage space whereby in use of the device chilled air is circulated downwardly across the front of the storage space and then under the storage space.
  • a refrigeration cabinet 1 comprising opposed side walls 2, a rear wall 3 and a roof 4 defining a storage space 5.
  • a cooler unit 6 is mounted in the roof 4 in series with air flow generation means comprising suitable fans 7,8 and ducting 9.
  • the ducting includes rear wall ducting 10 extending upwardly along the back wall 3 from a fan 8 at its base to a fan 7 at its upper end, and roof ducting 11 arranged for conveying air through the refriger-- ation unit 6 to a downwardly directed cold air outlet 13 at the front 14 of the cabinet 1 arranged to provide a cold air 'curtain'.
  • a downwardly directed ambient air outlet 12 Imemdiately in front of the cold air outlet 13 is provided a downwardly directed ambient air outlet 12 through which is forced air by a fan 29 whose intake is at the top of the front 14 of the cabinet.
  • This form of double curtain of air flows is itself known in the art.
  • flows of cold air may be employed to provide additional local cooling.
  • One such flow extends below the cooling unit 6 down the back of the storage space 5 to a forwardly directed duct 31 approximately one third of the way down the space 5.
  • a skirt means 16 in the form of a lightweight plastics material provided with suitable engaging means formed and arranged for inter-engagement with corresponding engagement means (not shown) on the side walls 2 for releasable fastening of the skirt means 16 in position at the front of the cabinet.
  • the skirt means 16 comprises a front wall 17 extending upwardly from the base 18 of the cabinet above the lowermost part of the storage space 5. Behind the front wall 17 are two downwardly extending tapering front ducts 19 whose rear walls 20 stop short of the cabinet base 18 to provide rearwardly directed outlets 21 which line up with the inlets 22 of two spaced apart rearwardly extending floor ducts 23 having outlets 24 which line up directly with the rear wall dueting 10 or indirectly via the fan 8.
  • the floor ducts 23 are defined at their base by the floor 25 on which the cabinet stands and at the sides and top by sheeting of suitably formed material, preferably a relatively durable and hygienic material such as stainless steel whereby the parts 26 of the sheeting to either side of the floor ducts 23 which parts rest on the floor 25 can support wheeled carriers 27 which can be safely driven repeatedly over said parts 26.
  • the storage space 5 is formed and dimensioned to receive a pair pf wheeled dairy produce carriers 27 side by side (only one visible) as well as a pair of adjustable shelves 28 for additional produce above the carriers 27.
  • the refrigeration cabinet construction is substantially conventional with the outer walls generally being insulated where possible and easily cleaned e.g. moulded plastics materials being used wherever possible on the inside in and around the storage space.
  • a chilled air curtain is directed downwardly across the open front of the cabinet (as shown by the arrows F) into the skirt ducts 19 and then through the floor ducts 23.
  • the chilled air flow is carried right around the front and bottom of the storage space 5 so that a proper cooling of the whole of -it is obtained.
  • the ready access of wheeled carriers in and out of the storage space is substantially unaffected.
  • a refrigeration cabinet according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the rearwardly extending duct means (23) is formed and arranged to extend between wheel track pathway means (26) of a respective said wheeled carrier (27).
  • a refrigeration cabinet according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the airflow generation means includes rear wall ducting (10) extending upwardly along the back wall (3) to roof ducting (11) having a downwardly directed outlet (13) at the front of the cabinet (1).

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigeration cabinet 1 suitable for storing dairy products on a wheeled carrier 27. The cabinet 1 has opposed side walls 2, a rear wall 3 and a roof 4 defining a storage space 5. A refrigeration unit 6 and air flow generation means 7, 8, 9 are arranged for circulating chilled air from the refrigeration unit 6 downwardly through and to the front of the storage space 5. According to this invention there is provided a detachable upwardly extending skirt means 16 at the base 15 of the front 14 of said cabinet 1 and the air flow generation means 7, 8, 9 includes duct means 23 having an inlet 22 in proximity to the rear of the base of said skirt 16 and extending rearwardly from said inlet 22 substantially below said storage space 5 to the rear of said storage space 5 whereby in use of the device chilled air F is circulated downwardly across the front of the storage space 5 and then under the storage space 5.

Description

  • This invention relates to a refrigeration cabinet suitable for storing dairy products on a wheeled carrier.
  • Such cabinets are convenient because they permit ready stocking and restocking by simply wheeling suitable carriers into and out of the storage space. The efficiency of known cabinets of this type is however significantly limited by the relatively poor air flow patterns which result in uneven cooling and loss of chilled air resulting in high energy consumption.
  • It is an object of the present invention to avoid or minimize one or more of the above disadvantages.
  • The present invention provides a refrigeration cabinet suitable for storing dairy products on a wheeled carrier, said cabinet having opposed side walls,,a rear wall and a roof defining a storage space and provided with a refrigeration unit and air flow generation means arranged for circulating in use, chilled air from the refrigeration unit downwardly through and to the front of said storage space, wherein is provided a detachable upwardly extending skirt means at the base of the front of said cabinet and wherein said air flow generation means includes duct means having an inlet in proximity to the rear of the base of said skirt and extending rearwardly from said inlet substantially below said storage space to the rear of said storage space whereby in use of the device chilled air is circulated downwardly across the front of the storage space and then under the storage space.
  • With a refrigeration cabinet of the invention there is obtained a more efficient and even cooling of the storage space reducing problems of stock control due to uneven product deterioration.
  • Further preferred details and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description given by way of example of a preferred embodiment illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
    • Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of a refrigeration cabinet of the invention; and
    • Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the cabinet of Fig. 1.
  • In the drawings is shown a refrigeration cabinet 1 comprising opposed side walls 2, a rear wall 3 and a roof 4 defining a storage space 5. A cooler unit 6 is mounted in the roof 4 in series with air flow generation means comprising suitable fans 7,8 and ducting 9.
  • In more detail, the ducting includes rear wall ducting 10 extending upwardly along the back wall 3 from a fan 8 at its base to a fan 7 at its upper end, and roof ducting 11 arranged for conveying air through the refriger-- ation unit 6 to a downwardly directed cold air outlet 13 at the front 14 of the cabinet 1 arranged to provide a cold air 'curtain'. Imemdiately in front of the cold air outlet 13 is provided a downwardly directed ambient air outlet 12 through which is forced air by a fan 29 whose intake is at the top of the front 14 of the cabinet. This provides a second, ambient temperature, curtain 30 of air which as shown by the air flow arrows in the drawing spills off a bottom front wall of the cabinet (further described below) and this is not directly recirculated but nevertheless improves efficiency by reducing losses from the cold air curtain. This form of double curtain of air flows is itself known in the art.
  • As may be seen in the drawing subsidiary flows of cold air may be employed to provide additional local cooling. One such flow extends below the cooling unit 6 down the back of the storage space 5 to a forwardly directed duct 31 approximately one third of the way down the space 5.
  • At the base 15 of the front 14 of the cabinet is provided a skirt means 16 in the form of a lightweight plastics material provided with suitable engaging means formed and arranged for inter-engagement with corresponding engagement means (not shown) on the side walls 2 for releasable fastening of the skirt means 16 in position at the front of the cabinet.
  • The skirt means 16 comprises a front wall 17 extending upwardly from the base 18 of the cabinet above the lowermost part of the storage space 5. Behind the front wall 17 are two downwardly extending tapering front ducts 19 whose rear walls 20 stop short of the cabinet base 18 to provide rearwardly directed outlets 21 which line up with the inlets 22 of two spaced apart rearwardly extending floor ducts 23 having outlets 24 which line up directly with the rear wall dueting 10 or indirectly via the fan 8.
  • Conveniently the floor ducts 23 are defined at their base by the floor 25 on which the cabinet stands and at the sides and top by sheeting of suitably formed material, preferably a relatively durable and hygienic material such as stainless steel whereby the parts 26 of the sheeting to either side of the floor ducts 23 which parts rest on the floor 25 can support wheeled carriers 27 which can be safely driven repeatedly over said parts 26. As may be seen in Fig. 1 the storage space 5 is formed and dimensioned to receive a pair pf wheeled dairy produce carriers 27 side by side (only one visible) as well as a pair of adjustable shelves 28 for additional produce above the carriers 27.
  • In other aspects the refrigeration cabinet construction is substantially conventional with the outer walls generally being insulated where possible and easily cleaned e.g. moulded plastics materials being used wherever possible on the inside in and around the storage space.
  • In use a chilled air curtain is directed downwardly across the open front of the cabinet (as shown by the arrows F) into the skirt ducts 19 and then through the floor ducts 23. Thus the chilled air flow is carried right around the front and bottom of the storage space 5 so that a proper cooling of the whole of -it is obtained. At the same time the ready access of wheeled carriers in and out of the storage space is substantially unaffected. an upper edge for deflecting the ambient air flow outwardly of the cabinet (1)
  • 5. A refrigeration cabinet according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the rearwardly extending duct means (23) is formed and arranged to extend between wheel track pathway means (26) of a respective said wheeled carrier (27).
  • 6. A refrigeration cabinet according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the airflow generation means includes rear wall ducting (10) extending upwardly along the back wall (3) to roof ducting (11) having a downwardly directed outlet (13) at the front of the cabinet (1).

Claims (4)

1. A refrigeration cabinet (1) suitable for storing dairy products on a wheeled carrier (27) said cabinet (1) having opposed side walls (2), a rear wall (3) and-a roof (4) defining a storage space (5) and provided with a refrigeration unit (6) and air flew generation means (7, 8, 9) arranged for circulating in use, chilled air from the refrigeration unit (6) downwardly through and to the front of said storage space (5), characterized in that there is provided a detachable upwardly extending skirt means (16) at the base (15) of the front (14) of said cabinet (1) and that said air flow generation means (7, 8, 9) includes duct means (23) having an inlet (22) in proximity to the rear of the base of said skirt (16) and extending-rearwardly from said inlet (22) substantially below said storage space (5) to the rear of said storage space (5) whereby in use of the device chilled air (F) is circulated downardly across the front of the storage space (5) and then under the storage space (5).
2. A refrigeration cabinet according to claim 1 wherein said ski.rt means (16) is provided with downwardly extending duct means (19) with rearwardly directed outlets(24)in the region of the cabinet base (18).
3. A refrigeration cabinet according to claim 1 or 2 which cabinet (1) is formed and arranged so that the rearwardly extending duct means (23) are at least partly defined, in use, by a floor surface (25) on which said refrigeration cabinet (1) stands.
4. A refrigeration cabinet according to any one of the preceeding claims wherein is provided an ambient air flow generation means (29, 12) formed and arranged for generat- ing a curtain of ambient air across the front of the cabinet (1) substantially parallel to and on the outside of the chilled air flow across the front of the cabinet (1), and wherein the skirt means (16) is formed and arranged at
EP84300199A 1983-01-15 1984-01-13 Refrigeration cabinet Withdrawn EP0117043A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB838301094A GB8301094D0 (en) 1983-01-15 1983-01-15 Refrigerated cabinet
GB8301094 1983-01-15

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0117043A1 true EP0117043A1 (en) 1984-08-29

Family

ID=10536390

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP84300199A Withdrawn EP0117043A1 (en) 1983-01-15 1984-01-13 Refrigeration cabinet

Country Status (2)

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EP (1) EP0117043A1 (en)
GB (1) GB8301094D0 (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1600084A1 (en) * 2004-05-24 2005-11-30 Hussmann Corporation Open-front refrigerated display case comprising a roll-in/roll-out wheeled cart
DE102009011733A1 (en) * 2008-12-22 2010-07-01 Schumacher, Helmut, Dipl.-Ing. Device for guiding air in a tempered room for a multi-ply transport cart
JP2016144601A (en) * 2015-02-09 2016-08-12 富士電機株式会社 Show case
GB2627471A (en) * 2023-02-22 2024-08-28 Wirth Res Limited Roll-in dairy refrigerated cabinet and method

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3392543A (en) * 1967-07-17 1968-07-16 Clark Equipment Co Separable-section refrigerated case
DE1900048A1 (en) * 1968-01-24 1969-07-31 Clark Equipment Co Cool showcase
FR2038670A5 (en) * 1969-03-21 1971-01-08 Bonnet Ets REFRIGERATION DEVICES
US3690118A (en) * 1970-08-06 1972-09-12 Kysor Industrial Corp Open refrigerated display case with roll-in display racks
US3719408A (en) * 1971-02-02 1973-03-06 Pet Inc Mobile merchandiser cart and refrigerated showcase therefor
US4034572A (en) * 1976-08-20 1977-07-12 Emhart Industries, Inc. Refrigerated front and rear loading dairy handling case
US4077228A (en) * 1976-08-16 1978-03-07 Emhart Industries, Inc. Refrigerated display case
DE3002778A1 (en) * 1979-02-02 1980-08-14 Tyler Refrigeration Corp REFRIGERATOR AND METHOD FOR THEIR OPERATION
FR2458255A1 (en) * 1979-06-08 1981-01-02 Bonnet Ets Refrigerated cabinet with curtain of cold air - has air propelled across evaporator by fan and passing out at top of cabinet front

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3392543A (en) * 1967-07-17 1968-07-16 Clark Equipment Co Separable-section refrigerated case
DE1900048A1 (en) * 1968-01-24 1969-07-31 Clark Equipment Co Cool showcase
FR2038670A5 (en) * 1969-03-21 1971-01-08 Bonnet Ets REFRIGERATION DEVICES
US3690118A (en) * 1970-08-06 1972-09-12 Kysor Industrial Corp Open refrigerated display case with roll-in display racks
US3719408A (en) * 1971-02-02 1973-03-06 Pet Inc Mobile merchandiser cart and refrigerated showcase therefor
US4077228A (en) * 1976-08-16 1978-03-07 Emhart Industries, Inc. Refrigerated display case
US4034572A (en) * 1976-08-20 1977-07-12 Emhart Industries, Inc. Refrigerated front and rear loading dairy handling case
DE3002778A1 (en) * 1979-02-02 1980-08-14 Tyler Refrigeration Corp REFRIGERATOR AND METHOD FOR THEIR OPERATION
FR2458255A1 (en) * 1979-06-08 1981-01-02 Bonnet Ets Refrigerated cabinet with curtain of cold air - has air propelled across evaporator by fan and passing out at top of cabinet front

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1600084A1 (en) * 2004-05-24 2005-11-30 Hussmann Corporation Open-front refrigerated display case comprising a roll-in/roll-out wheeled cart
US7318321B2 (en) 2004-05-24 2008-01-15 Hussmann Corporation Open-front, roll-in refrigerated display case
DE102009011733A1 (en) * 2008-12-22 2010-07-01 Schumacher, Helmut, Dipl.-Ing. Device for guiding air in a tempered room for a multi-ply transport cart
DE102009011733B4 (en) * 2008-12-22 2011-12-22 Helmut Schumacher Device for guiding air in a tempered room for a multi-ply transport cart
EP2199711B1 (en) * 2008-12-22 2019-07-17 Schumacher, Helmut Tempered space with device for air circulation for cooling meals in a multi-layer tray trolley
JP2016144601A (en) * 2015-02-09 2016-08-12 富士電機株式会社 Show case
GB2627471A (en) * 2023-02-22 2024-08-28 Wirth Res Limited Roll-in dairy refrigerated cabinet and method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8301094D0 (en) 1983-02-16

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PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

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STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

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Effective date: 19850502

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Inventor name: RANKIN, JOHN