US2862369A

US2862369A - Air conditioned display compartment and method

Info

Publication number: US2862369A
Application number: US607112A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward W Simons
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-08-30
Filing date: 1956-08-30
Publication date: 1958-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 1975-12-02

Description

Dec. 2, 1958 E. w: SIMONS 2,862,369

I AIR CONDITIONED DISPLAY COMPARTMENT AND METHOD Filed Aug. 30, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

EDWARD W SIMONS @A, MZ

ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1958 E. w. SIMONS 2,862,369

AIR CONDITIONED DISPLAY COMPARTMENT AND METHOD Filed Aug. 30, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 M Y W INVENTOR. EDWARD W. SIMONS ATTORNEYS E. w. SIMONS 2,862,369

AIR CONDITIONED DISPLAY COMPARTMEZNT AND METHOD Dec. 2, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. so, 1956 INVENTOR. EDWARD VV- SIMONS ATTORNEYS United States Patent AIR CONDITIONED DISPLAY COMPARTMENT AND METHOD "Edward W. Simons, San Francisco, Calif.

Application August 30, 1956, Serial N 0. 607,112

15 Claims. (Cl. 62-89) This invention relates to apparatus and a method for isolating the interior of a compartment or the like from the influence of the. surrounding atmosphere.

' One form of the invention herein described is useful in the field of refrigerated display cases for frozen food products where it has been found desirable to display such products in open cases'in stores so that the purchaser may simply pick up the item he wishes from the case without having to open and close a door or other closure.

In order to provide an open display case it has heretofore been the practice to make the cases in the form of a box with an open top. Conventionally these boxes extend from the floor to perhaps waist level and the food items are stacked therein. The purchaser must then reach down through the open top and into. the box to select the desired item and often must rearrange the stacked items in making his choice.

It has been thought necessary, however, to construct such display cases in vthis manner to avoid unduemovement of air from the interior of the box, for, obviously, the heavier, refrigerated air in .the box tends to remain therein rather than rising out of the open top. Were the box open on the side, the interior conditioned air would likely spill out on the floor and be replaced by warmer atmospheric air thereby destroying the refrigeration effect of the case.

From the standpoint of the purchaser the conventional display case, of necessity open only at the top, may be particularly awkward. Forinstance, the labels on only the top packages can be seen and it is often necessary to reach down in the case to bring forth the desired item or to appraise the available selection. This, of course, disrupts the display. Likewise, the mere act of picking an item from the conventional case involves bending over and reaching down into the case since the same cannot be placed at eye or arm level.

Conventional display cases of this type also require a relatively large amount of floor space compared to the number of items displayed. In a small store the crowding of such a case may substantially reduce its practicability. 7

It is therefore an objectof this invention to overcome many of the disadvantages of prior art display cases.

Similar difficulties may attend the use of cases or compartments in which it is desired to maintain air conditions other than atmospheric, but which, rather than being refrigerated, are heated, humidified, etc. The present invention also contemplates such applications of the invention. I

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel method of isolating the interior of a compartment from the influence of atmospheric conditions.

. Still another object of this invention is the provision of a compartment having a side open to the atmosphere in which the interior is conditionedand atmospheric air is prevented from entering said open side. 7

- LA i l tl a i Ob e t. qf l s i v n io is the p o n f ice a compartment having an open side and means fo shielding said open side against the passage of 'air into or out of said compartrnentthrough said open side, but which means does not interfere with access to the interior of said compartment.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:'

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of a' display case constructed in accordance with this invention;

' Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line 22 of Fig. l; i

Fig. '3 is a greatly enlarged sectional view of an adjustable nozzle structure for the" case'of Fig. 2; arid Fig. 4 is an isometric sectionalvie'wlooking at the back of the case and the side thereof as if it were cut along line 22 of Fig. l, with the back panels broken away to 'show structural details.

'In detail, this invention is illustrated in the form of a display case or cabinet for refrigerated food products or the like. The cabinet is provided with a'rear wall 1, a top and bottom 2 and 3, and opposed end walls 4. The front or display side of the cabinet is open to the atmosphere as shownin Fig. 2. The cabinet is also provided with a plurality of shelves 5 intermediate the .top and bottom, in much the same manner as a bookcase. These shelves divide the cabinet into a plurality of separate compartments which are generally similar in construction.

In effect, the display case is in the form of several open sided compartments stacked one upon the other. In Fig. 2 these compartments are denoted by the reference numeral 6, for the upper compartmentbounded by the top 2, rear wall 1, and the upper shelf 5; mimeral 7, for the central compartment bounded by the shelves 5 and rear wall ,1; and numeral ,8 for. the lower compartment bounded by the lower shelf 5, rear wall 1, andthe bottom 3 of the compartment. It is obvious that the ends of the compartments are formed by end walls 4 of the cabinet.

Rear wall 1 is. seen to comprise three separate air chambers 9, 10, 11 in side by side relation. Likewise, each shelf .5 incorporates three overlying air ducts or

conduits

12, 13, 14. A similar duct 14 is provided at the upper side of upper compartment 6 and the bottom of lower. compartment 8 is formedto provide similar,

'overlyingducts 12,.13. I

Housed in the upper end of the display cabinet are air conditioning and circulating means comprising refrigerating coils 17 and preferablya plurality of fans 18. Fans 18 may all be mounted on the same shaft .19 (Fig. 1) to be driven bya motor 20. Since the conditioning or chilling ofthe air to be circulated in apparatus of this invention is accomplished in the upper part of the cabinet housing coils 17 and fans 18, the same should be enclosed in insulation, as at 21. The output of fans 18 is guided downwardly by louvers 22 (Fig. 2) into air chamber 11 as shown by thedot-dash lines 23. The input air to fans 18 is drawn from chamber 10 as shown I by dot-dot-dash' lines 24.

It will later become obvious that the air circulating and. conditioning means '17, 18 may be mounted, in a unit separate from the display case and connected thereto 'by appropriate ducts. Similarly the case may be in the form of a single compartment if shelving is not desired.

Air chamber 11 communicates with each shelf duct 12 by means of an opening 25 through the inner wall of chamber 11. Similarly, chamber 10 communicates with each shelf duct 14 by means of a short cross duct 26 extending through chamber 11, with the exception ofthe uppermost duct 14 which opens into the chamber in which the refrigerating coils 17 and fans 18 are housed.

In the lower portion of the cabinet aremounted a plurality of air circulatingv fans 28:driven through a common shaft v29 by motor30 (Fig. -1). The housing in Whiehfans 28 are mounted is louvered, as at 31, so as to admit atmospheric air to said fans which circulate the sameinto air chamber 9 as denoted ,by solid line arrows 32. Chamber9-comrnunicates with each shelf duct 13 by means of a cross .duct27 which-.extendsfrom chamber-9 through chambers 10 and 11 to each duct 13.

At the outer free :ends' of shelf ducts '12, 13 the same are formed .with a pairof elongatedupwardly directed nozzles 33, 34 (Figs. 2, 3) which extend along the lower edgesof'the open side 'of .the:compartments inside by side relationship. 'The air forcedthrough

ducts

12, 13 by

fans

18, 28, respectively issues from said-nozzles and moves upwardly across the openside of

compartments

6, 7, 8 inapair ofaidjoining layersof air 35,36 (Fig. 2). Directly above each pair of-nozzles33, 34 is a downwardly projecting lip37 which acts as a divider for maintaining the airjlayers separate. The outer layer 36, of atmospheric air circulated'by fans 28, is directed outwardly of the compartments once it has passed overthe open side thereof.

The inner layer 35, of chilled air circulated by fans 18, is directed into the open end 38 of return duct 14 adjacent each divider 37. As' a consequence, the air circulated by fans 18 is first chilled'by being pulled through refrigerating coils '17 and then directed through chamber .11, ducts 12, out of nozzles 33, across the open side of each compartment and back through ducts 14 and cham- 'ber10 to return tofans 18'.

It is seen, therefore, that of the two layers of air moving simultaneously across the

open side'of compartments

6,7, 8, the inner layer 35 i conditioned or chilled air continuously recirculated by fans 18. The outer layer ,36 is exterior or atmospheric air circulated by fans 28.

In a food display cabinet of the type described, the interior of

compartments

6, 7, 8 is conditioned to a predetermined temperature which is desired to be maintained. Thefact thatchambers 11 and ducts 12 and 14, through which the. chilled air is circulated, are adjacent the inner walls of the compartments assist in maintaining the desired predetermined temperature Within the compartment.

Thespeedsat which the layers of air.35, 36 issue from

nozzles

33, 34 is adjusted to the relation at which no substantial entrainment takes place between the layers. Layers 35, 36 adjoin each other along the nonentraining line 39 (Fig.2), but .there is little, if any, mixture between the two. The airlayers 35, 36 therefore form a substantially continuous air curtain across the open side of compartments .6, 7, .8 and effectively isolate the interior of said compartments from the eifects of the atmosphere.

Some small amount of air from inner layer 35 may enter the compartment, rather than being drawn into re- :turn duct 14, and circulate Within the compartment, thus keeping the contents, such as food packages 40 (Fig. 2) sweet and at the desired temperature. The slight amount of cold air from layer 35 that may enter outer layer 36 will fall to the bottom of the room in which the display case is situated and will be-Jater picked up by fans 28 and recirculated, thereby tending to reduce the temperatureof outer layer 36.

The condition at which no substantial entrainment between layers 35, 36 takes place is characterized by substantially equal velocity of the layers. The adjustment of the speeds of the air issuing'from the

nozzles

33, 34 in order to achieve nonentrainment between the layers, may be easily accomplished by adjustment of the output of

fans

18, 28.

It is also desirable to provide for some adjustment of the direction of

nozzles

33, 34 in the event that it becomes necessary to slightly change the direction of layers 35, 36 to obtain optimum efliciency. Fig. 3 illustrates a simple means for performing this function, comprising a plate 42 having elongated apertures 43, 44 therethrough superimposed over

nozzles

33,34 respectively. Plate 42 may be secured in this position by means .of screws 45, 46 on opposite sides of-said apertures. Opposite tightening and loosening of screws'45, 46 will cause plate 42 to rotate slightly from, forexample, the solid line position of Fig. 3 to the dot-dashline position 47, thereby altering slightly the direction of issuance of the air layers 35, 36 from nozzles 33, 34'and apertures .43, .44.

it will also be noted that shelves 5 may be provided with flanges 48 (Fig. 2) so that the shelves may be removably secured in place, as by means of screws 49. Cross ducts 26, 27'andopenings 25 may also be placed at intermediate locations and covered by a removable plate 5% whichmay beinterchanged with the removable shelf. Flexibility is had "in this-manner so that the positioning of the shelves .in the cabinet may be altered at will.

The display case shown and described may be constructed predominately of sheet metal and is preferably provided with an evacuated reflective space in the shelf panels in accordance with good refrigeration practice. Similarly, a high velocity evaporation jet 51 (Fig. 2) and a condensation evaporator- 52 may be provided below fans 28 to trap outexces moisture in'the atmospheric air circulated by said fans. Jet '51 is formed by an elongated by-pass opening extending across the back of the display cabinet near the bottom of rear wall '1. Opening '51 communicates between chamber 9 and evaporator space 52 which is vented to theatmosphere, as at 54.

A portion of the air circulated by .fans 29 is forced at high velocity through .jet51 and evaporator 52 to evaporate and exhaust moisture condensing on the walls of chamber'9 and ducts 13 and draining into evaporator 52. It will be noted that the top panel '55 of evaporator 52 is slanted downwardly to the rearof the cabinet to facilitate suchdrainage.

When displaying food packages, such as 40, (Fig. 2) in a cabinet of this type it has been found desirable to provide a piling stud 53 adjacent inner nozzle 33 so that the. packages will all be stacked in a position spaced inwardly from said nozzle so a to not interfere with the flow of air layer 35. The speed of the air layers 35, 36 issuing from nozzles 33, .34 determined most effective is :in the neighborhood of2000 feet per minute, but this speed may be varied generally between 500 and 4000 feet per minute without destroying the utility of the invention.

It will be understood, of course, that the principles involved in this invention may be applied to isolating the interior of various types of compartments, the conditioning of which may relate totemperature, humidity, or other factors. One of the principal advantages in the food display case described is the fact that the products may .be prominently displayed and at the same time the interior of the compartment is effectively shielded from atmospheric conditions without the necessity of providing -a..d0or 'or other solid closure across .the open side of the compartment.

Although the invention has been described and illus trated in detail, .such is not to be takenas restrictive thereof since it is obvious that modifications could be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. The method of isolating the interior of acompartment having'an open'side from the influence of ambient atmosphere and maintaining a predetermined air condition within said compartment other than atmospheric that comprises the steps of: conditioning the'interior'of said a compartment torsaid desired condition and simultaneously moving a pair of parallel contacting layers of air across the open side of said compartment in the same direction at substantially equal speeds whereby no substantial entrainment takes place between said layers, one layer of said pair being approximately at said desired predetermined condition and defining a substantially'continuous air curtain at said open side and next to said compartment, the other layer of said pair being ambient air and defining a continuous air curtain on the opposite side of said one layer from said compartment.

2. The method of isolating the interior of a compartment having an open side from the influence of ambient atmosphere and maintaining a predetermined air condition within said compartment other than atmospheric that comprises the steps of: conditioning the interior of said compartment to said desired condition and simultaneously moving a pair of parallel contacting layers of air across the open side of said compartment in the same direction at substantially equal speeds whereby no substantial entrainment takes place between said layers, one layer of said pair being approximately at said desired predetermined condition and defining a substantially continuous air curtain at said open side and next to said compartment, the other layer of said pair being ambient air and defining a continuous air curtain on the opposite side of said one layer from said compartment, said conditioning being accomplished by circulating a portion of the air of said one layer in the interior of said compartment.

3. The method of isolating the interior of a compartment having an open side from the influence of ambient atmosphere and maintaining a predetermined air condition within said compartment other than atmospheric that comprises the steps of: conditioning the interior of said compartment to said desired condition and simultaneously moving a pair of parallel contacting layers of air across the open side of said compartment in the same direction at substantially equal speeds whereby no substantial entrainment-takes place between said layers, one layer of said pair being approximately at said desired predetermined condition and defining a substantially continuous air curtain at said open side and next to said compartment, the other layer of said pair being ambient air and defining a continuous air curtain on the opposite side of said one layer from said compartment.

4. The method of isolating the interior of a compartment having an open side from the influence of atmospheric temperature and maintaining a predetermined temperature within said compartment other than atmospheric temperature that comprises the steps of: conditioning the interior of said compartment to said desired predetermined temperature, and simultaneously moving a pair of parallel contacting layers of air across the open side of said compartment in the same direction at substantially equal speeds whereby no substantial entrainment takes place between said layers, one layer of said pair being approximately at said desired predetermined temperature and defining a substantially continuous air curtain at said open side and next to said compartment, the other layer of said pair being at atmospheric temperature and defining a continuous air' curtain on the opposite side of said one layer from said compartment.

5. The method of isolating the interior of a compartment having an open side from the influence of atmospheric temperature and maintaining a predetermined temperature within said compartment other than atmospheric temperature that comprises the steps of: conditioning the interior of said compartment to said desired predetermined temperature, and simultaneously moving a pair of parallel contacting layers of air across the open side of said compartment in the same direction at substantially equal speeds whereby no substantial entrainment takes place between said layers, one layer of said pair being approximately at said desired predetermined temperature and defining a substantially continuous air curtain at said open side and next to said compartment, the other layer of said pair being at atmospheric temperature and defining a continuous air curtain on the opposite side of said one layer from said compartment, and circulating a portion of the air of said one layer through the interior of said compartment for maintaining fresh air therein.

6. The method of isolating the interior of a compartment having an open side from the influence of atmospheric temperature and maintaining a predetermined temperature within said compartment other than atmospheric temperature that comprises the steps of: conditioning the interior of said compartment to said desired predetermined temperature, and simultaneously moving a pair of parallel contacting layers of air across the open side of said compartment in the same direction at substantially equal speeds whereby no substantial entrainment takes place between said layers, one layerof said pair being approximately at said desired predetermined temperature and defining a substantially continuous air curtain at said open side and next to said comparament, the other layer of said pair being at atmospheric temperature and defining a continuous air curtain on the opposite side of said one'layer from said compartment, and then conducting the air of said one layer adjacent one or more of the walls of said compartment and back across said open side, and conditioning the air of said one layer to maintain its said predetermined temperature before conducting it back across said open side.

7. The method of isolating the interior of a compartment having an open side from the influence of atmospheric temperature and maintaining a predetermined temperature within said compartment other than atmospheric temperature that comprises the steps of: conditioning the interior of said compartment to said desired predetermined temperature, and simultaneously moving a pair of parallel contacting layers of air across the open side of said compartment in the same direction at substantially equal speeds whereby no substantial entrainment takes place between said layers, one layer of said pair being approximately at said desired predetermined temperature and defining a substantially continuous air curtain at said open side and next to said compartment, the other layer of said pair being at atmospheric temperature and defining a continuous air curtain on the opposite side of said one layer from said compartment, and then conducting the air of said one layer adjacent one or more of the walls of said compartment and back across said open side, and conditioning the air of said one layer to maintain its said predetermined temperature before conducting it back across said open side, and exhausting said other layer to the atmosphere.

8. An air conditioned display case comprising: a compartment having an open side, a pair of elongated nozzles in parallel, side-by-side relationship extending continuously along the length of one edge of said open side and directed toward an opposite edge thereof, a pair of air circulating means respectively connected to said nozzles for simultaneously forcing air outwardly thereof in a pair of parallel contacting layers across said open side of said compartment, and means for conditioning the air forced through the one of said nozzles that is adjacent the interior of said compartment.

9. An air conditioned display case comprising: a compartment having an open side, a pair of elongated nozzles in parallel, side-by-side relationship extending continuously along the length of one edge of said open side and directed toward an opposite edge thereof, a pair of air circulating means, first conduit means connecting one of said circulating means with the one of said nozzles adjacent the interi-or of said compartment and second conduit means connecting the other of said circulating means to the other of isaid nozzles for respectively conducting air "to said nozzles for issuing therefrom in a pair of adjoining layers -acro'ss said open-sideof said compartment, and return'conduit means, open adjacent said opposite edge 'of said open side of-said compartment, and extending to said one-circulating means for conducting air from the one of said layers issuing from said one nozzle to said one air circulatingmeans.

10. An air conditioned display case comprising: a compartment having-an open side, a pair of elongated nozzles in parallel, side-by-side relationship extending continuously along the length of one edge of said open side an'd directed toward an opposite edge thereof, a pair of-air circulating means, first conduit means connecting one of said circulating means with the one of said nozales-adjacentthe interiorrof said compartment and second rnent,return conduit means, open adjacent said opposite edge of said open side of said compartment, and extending to said one circulating means for conducting air from the one of said layers issuing from said one nozzle to said one air circulating means, and air conditioning means for conditioning the air circulated by said one circulating means.

11. An air conditioned display case comprising: a compartment having an open side, a pair of elongated nozzles in parallel, side-by-side relationship extending continuously along the length of one edge of said open side and directed toward an opposite edge thereof, a pair of air circulating means, first conduit means connecting one of said circulating means with the one of said nozzles adjacent the interior of said compartment and second conduit means connecting the other of said circulating means to the other of said nozzles for respectively conducting air to said nozzles for issuing therefrom in a pair of adjoining layers across said open side of said compartment, return conduit means, open adjacent said opposite edge of said open side of said compartment, and extending to said one circulating means for conducting air from the one of said layers issuing from said one nozzle to said one air circulating means, and air conditioning means for conditioning the air circulated by said one circulating means, said. first conduit means and said return conduit means extending along one or more of the walls of said compartment.

12. An air conditioned display case comprising: a compartment having an open side, a pair of elongated nozzles in parallel, side-by-side relationship extending continuously along the length of one edge of said open side and directed toward an opposite edge thereof, a pair of air circulating means respectively connected to said nozzles for simultaneously forcing air outwardly thereof in apair of adjoining layers across said open side of said compartment, and means for conditioning the air forced through the one of said nozzles that is adjacent the interior of said compartment, and means for adjusting the direction of flow of said nozzles.

13. An air conditioned display case comprising: a compartment having an open side, a pair of elongated noz- 'zles in parallel, side-by side relationship extending along one-edge 'ofsaid'openside and directed toward an oppo- -s ite"e'dge thereof, a pair of -air circulating rneans'resp'ectively con'nected to' said nozzles for simultaneoitslyforcing :airioutwardly thereof -in apa-irof adjoininglayers across said openside of said compartment, and means for conditioning the air f-orced through-the one ofsaid nozzles that is adjacent the interior of said compartment, and means for trappingand exhausting the excessmois'ture from-the rair forced through the other of said nozzles.

14-. In an air conditioned, upright display case having a rear 'side wall, opposed end -'walls and top and bottom walls and an open frontside opposite said 'rear -wall,'a pair-of air circulating means, thr'ee airch'ar'nbers formed adjacent 'said rear wall, the first and second of said chambers --respectively communicating with the input and output sides of one of said pair of circulatingmeans and the third said-chamber communicating with'the'output side of the other of "said circulating means the input side of which communicates with theatmosphere,-air conditioningmeans'associated with said one circulating means for conditioning the air circulated thereby, a-pl'u- 'rality of vertically spaced, detachable shelves extending horizontally from "said rear wall toward said open side, inner and :outer elongated nozzles in parallel side-byside relationship extending'along the free edge of each ofsaid shelvesiat said open side and directed upwardly toward the free edge of'the shelf above said nozzles for issuing inner and outer adjoining layers of air respectively across said open side, a return duct carried by'each of-said shelves -and ext'endin'gfrdmthe rear edge thereof to'a'n opening on the underside of said shelf adjacent the *free'edge thereof for receiving said inner layer of airissued by said innernozzle, inner and outer nozzleducts carried by-each of said shelves and respectively extending from the rear'edge thereof to said nozzles, connecting'means provided at vertically spaced locations on said rear "wall for respectively connecting said first, second, and third chambers to said return, inner and outer nozzle ducts of a shelf attached thereto, and means for blocking the connecting means not attached to a shelf.

15. An air conditioned display case'comprising: a compartment having an open side, a pair of elongated nozzles in parallel, side-by-side relationship extending :along one edge of said open side and directed toward an opposite edge thereof, a pair of air circulating means respectively connected to said nozzles for simultaneously forcing air outwardly thereof in a pair of adjoining layers across said open side of said compartment, and means for conditioning the -air forced through the one ofsaid nozzles that is adjacent the interior of said compartment, and an elongated piling stud projecting upwardly from adjacent said one nozzle into the interior of said compartment for preventing the piling of articles in a position interfering with the issuing of said layers of air from said nozzles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 935,850 Kirk Oct. 5, 1909 "2,241,854 Hall May 13, 1941 2,593,702 Schneible Apr. 12, 1952 2,775,187 McClu'rkin Dec. 25, 1956