GB2135036A

GB2135036A - Sectional cold cabinet for food products

Info

Publication number: GB2135036A
Application number: GB08332096A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Giuseppe Casanova
Original assignee: Costan SpA
Current assignee: Costan SpA
Priority date: 1983-01-31
Filing date: 1983-12-01
Publication date: 1984-08-22
Also published as: GR79768B; DE3347225A1; PT77765A; FR2540230A1; PT77765B; LU85057A1; IT8319356A0; BE898048A; GB2135036B; IT1161563B; ES275399Y; GB8332096D0; ES275399U

Abstract

A sectional cold cabinet for food products comprises a display section (1) and a storage section (2), which are separated by a partition 3, the display section 1 having a circuit for circulating cooled air including an evaporator 17, and apertures 19, 21 in partition 3 upstream and downstream of evaporator 17 respectively, for communicating the storage section 2 with said circuit. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sectional cold cabinet for food products The present invention relates to a cold cabinet for food products, comprising a display section and a storage section which are separated by a partition, the display section having a circuit for circulating cooled air including an evaporator unit.

At present, such cabinets are generally constructed with two different evaporator units, one for cooling the display section and the other for the storage section.

In several examples, the two sections (the display and storage) may be entirely separate, each with its own independent cooling circuit.

The fact that the two sections are separate may allow a certain convenience and flexibility in use. On the other hand, the presence of two separate cooling circuits is rather onerous.

Another type of cold cabinet provides a single cooling system generaliy formed with an evaporator located between the display section and the storage section; in this case, however, the cabinet is formed in a single indivisible unit in which the two sections are defined. This limits the versatility of the cabinet and prevents it being made with a sectional structure.

The technical problem which it is proposed to solve by the present invention is that of cooling a cabinet of the type formed in two distinct sections with a signle evaporator.

This problem is solved by a cabinet of the aforesaid type, in which the partition separating the display section and the storage section is formed with at least one first passage and at least one second passage in fluid communication with the circuit for circulating the cooled air in respective positions upstream and downstream of the evaporator unit relative to the direction of flow of the cooled air in the circuit.

To advantage, the partition is constituted by a base wall of the display section, and the passages comprise respective pluralities of through-holes in the base wall, preferably provided with respective removable closure means.

Preferably, the storage section is open upwardly and terminates with an edge which mates with the lower part of the display section.

The circuit for circulating the cooled air may include means for circulating the cooled air.

The present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partially-sectioned perspective view of a cold cabinet according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is an exploded sectional view of the cold cabinet of Fig. 1, and Figure 3 is a sectional view of a cold cabinet according to a second embodiment of the invention.

A cabinet according to the invention comprises a display section 1 and a storage section 2.

The display section 1 includes a base wall 3, a front wall 4, a rear wall 5 the upper part of which has a shelf 6, and two side walls 7 (only one of which is visible in the drawing), and it houses a horizontal partitioning shelf 9 extended into a vertical bulkhead 10, the shelf 9 being fixed to the front wall 4 and the bulkhead 10 being fixed to the shelf 6.

Thus, there is defined: -a display space 11 delimited by the shelf 9, the bulkhead 10, and the side walls 7, and open upwardly; -a first substantially horizontal cavity 1 2 delimited by the walls 3, 4, 7 and the shelf 9, and communicating rearwardly with -a second substantially vertical cavity 1 3 delimited by the walls 5, 7, the shelf 6 and the bulkhead 10, the lower part of which communicates with the first cavity 1 2.

The shelf 9, close to its front end fixed to the wall 4, has a plurality of first slots 14 through which the space 11 communicates with the cavity 1 2. The bulkhead 10, close to its upper end fixed to the shelf 6, has a plurality of second slots 1 5 through which the space 11 communicates with cavity 1 3.

Thus, the cavity 12, the cavity 13, the slots 15, the space 11, and the slots 14 form an air circulation circuit 1 6 (indicated by broken lines in the drawings).

Within the cavity 1 2 is an evaporator unit 1 7 and means, particularly fans 18, for circulating air in the circuit 16, the air flow caused by the fans 1 8 being directed from the slots 14 to the slots 1 5 through the cavities 12, 13.

The base wall 3 of the section 1 is also provided, close to the front wall 4, with a plurality of apertures 1 9 having plugs 20 and, close to the rear wall 5, with a further plurality of apertures 21 having plugs 22, the apertures 1 9 thus being upstream and the apertures 21 downstream of the evaporator unit 1 7 and fan 1 8 relative to the direction of the air flow in the circuit 1 6.

The storage section 2 includes a base wall 23, a front wall 24, a rear wall 25, and two side walls 26 (only one of which is visible in the drawing), defining a storage space 28 which is open upwardly. The wall 25 has at least one door 29. The walls 24, 25, 26 form an upper edge 30 which mates with the lower part of the display section 1.

As will be understood from the foregoing description, the display section is a self-contained and independent unit which can be used separately.

When it is also desired to have storage space available, it will be necessary to fix a display section 1 above a storage section 2, the top of the storage section 2 being closed by the lower part of the display section 1. The plugs 20 are then removed from the apertures 19 and the plugs 22 from the apertures 21 to create a second air circuit 31 (indicated by chain lines in the drawings) formed by the cavity 12, the apertures 21, the space 28 and the apertures 19. This circuit 31 has the cavity 1 2 (in which the evaporator unit 1 7 and the fans 1 8 are located) in common with the circuit 16; the two circuits 16, 31 are thus in parallel.

Hence, a circulation of cool air is achieved in both the display space 11 and the storage space 28, a balance of cooling being achieved by the suitable dimensioning of the various parts.

Whenever only a small storage space is required, the sectional form of the cabinet according to the present invention allows a smaller storage section 2 to be attached to a display section; the rest of the space available beneath the display section may be used to house, for example, a non-cooled section. It should also be noted that, if a display section and storage section assembly is available and the requirements change whereby the storage is no longer necessary, it suffices to close the apertures 19, 21 with the respective plugs 20, 22 to exclude the space 28 from cooling and prevent a useless wastage of cooling power.

According to another embodiment of the invention, shown in Fig. 3, the circulation of cooled air in the display space and the storage space occurs by natural convection.

In such an embodiment, the cavity 13 in the display section 1 is subdivided vertically into two cavities 32, 33 by a substantially vertical bulkhead 34. The lower part of the cavity communicates with the cavity 1 2 and the upper part with both the display space 11 through the slots 1 5 and the cavity 33 through a passage 35. The apertures 21 in the base wall 3 are formed in correspondence with the cavity 33.

Thus, the cavity 21, the slots 14, the space 11, the slots 1 5 and the cavity 32 form an air circuit 36. A second circuit 37 for any storage space 28 is formed by the cavity 12, the apertures 19, the space 28, the apertures 21, the cavity 33, the passage 35 and the cavity 32. An evaporator unit 38 is located in the cavity 32.

As a result of the cooling created in the cavity 32 by the evaporator 38, a circulation arises by natural convection in both the circuit 36 and the circuit 37 which are in parallel, a balance of cooling being achieved by the suitable dimensioning of the various parts.

Claims

1. A sectional cold cabinet for food products, comprising a display section and a storage section which are separated by a partition, the display section having a circuit for circulating cooled air including an evaporator unit, in which at least one first passage and at least one second passage are formed in the partition in fluid communication with the circuit for circulating the cooled air in respective positions upstream and downstream of the evaporator unit relative to the direction of flow of the cooled air in the circuit.

2. A cold cabinet as claimed in Claim 1, in which the display section has a base wall which constitutes the partition, and the passages comprise respective pluralities of through-holes in the base wall.

3. A cold cabinet as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the passages have respective removable closure means.

4. A cold cabinet as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 2 or Claim 3, in which the storage section is open upwardly and terminates with an edge which mates with the lower part of the display section.

5. A cold cabinet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the circuit for circulating the cooled air includes air circulating means.

6. A sectional cold cabinet substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figs. 1 and 2 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.