WO2011121285A1 - Perfectionnements apportés à des présentoirs réfrigérés - Google Patents

Perfectionnements apportés à des présentoirs réfrigérés Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2011121285A1
WO2011121285A1 PCT/GB2011/000475 GB2011000475W WO2011121285A1 WO 2011121285 A1 WO2011121285 A1 WO 2011121285A1 GB 2011000475 W GB2011000475 W GB 2011000475W WO 2011121285 A1 WO2011121285 A1 WO 2011121285A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
unit
shelf
return
supply
duct
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2011/000475
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Ian Wood
Edward Hammond
Original Assignee
Applied Design And Engineering 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
Priority claimed from GBGB1005276.9A external-priority patent/GB201005276D0/en
Priority claimed from GBGB1005285.0A external-priority patent/GB201005285D0/en
Priority claimed from GBGB1005287.6A external-priority patent/GB201005287D0/en
Priority claimed from GBGB1005286.8A external-priority patent/GB201005286D0/en
Application filed by Applied Design And Engineering Ltd. filed Critical Applied Design And Engineering Ltd.
Publication of WO2011121285A1 publication Critical patent/WO2011121285A1/fr

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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
    • 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
    • A47F2003/046—Cases or cabinets of the open type with forced air circulation with shelves having air ducts

Definitions

  • This invention relates to refrigerated display appliances, exemplified in this specification by refrigerated multi-deck display cases or cabinets as used in retail premises for cold storage, display and retailing of chilled or frozen food and drink products.
  • the invention is not limited to retail food and drink cabinets.
  • the principles of the invention could be used for displaying other items that require cold storage, such as medicines or scientific items that may be prone to degradation.
  • the invention has particular benefits in retail applications.
  • Open-fronted multi-deck display cabinets provide unhindered access to cold-stored items so that the items on display may be easily viewed, accessed and removed for closer inspection and purchase.
  • such cabinets are cooled by a large downwardly- projected refrigerated air curtain extending from top to bottom between discharge and return air terminals over the access opening defined by the open front face of the cabinet. Additional cooling air is also supplied via a perforated back panel behind the product display space of the cabinet that bleeds air from ducts supplying the air curtain to provide more cooling at each level within that space and to support the air curtain.
  • the levels within the cabinet are defined by shelves, which may for example comprise solid or perforated panels or open baskets.
  • the purposes of the air curtain are twofold: to seal the access opening in an effort to prevent cold air spilling out from the product display space behind; and to remove heat from the product display space that is gained radiantly through the access opening and via infiltration of ambient air into the product display space.
  • Entrainment of ambient air into the air curtain drives infiltration of the ambient air into the product display space and contributes to spillage of cold air from the appliance.
  • Entrainment is also unwelcome for other reasons.
  • the heat of the ambient air increases cooling duty and hence the energy consumption of the appliance.
  • the moisture that it carries is also undesirable because it causes condensation, which may also lead to icing. Condensation is unsightly, offputting and unpleasant for shoppers, may threaten reliable operation of the appliance and promotes microbial activity which, like all life, requires the presence of water. Also, the incoming ambient air will itself contain microbes, dust and other undesirable contaminants.
  • cold air supplied to the product display space through the back panel of the cabinet not only provides cooling to each shelf but also provides support to the air curtain.
  • back panel flow has the disadvantage that the coldest air blows over the coldest items at the back of the shelves, which are subject to the lowest heat gain because they are furthest from the access opening. This undesirably increases the spread of temperature across items stored in the product display space: ideally, similar items should all be stored at the same temperature.
  • Refrigeration preserves foods by lowering their temperature to retard microbial activity. If the storage temperature is not kept low enough, microbial activity will degrade items too quickly. However, excessive refrigeration - and especially inadvertent periodic freezing - may also degrade the quality of some items. It is therefore vital that tight temperature control is maintained throughout the product display space of the cabinet. Regions of a cabinet warmer than the desired temperature will suffer from faster food degradation. Conversely, regions of a cabinet colder than the desired temperature may cycle above and below the freezing point, again promoting faster food degradation.
  • Back panel flow is an example of supporting flow, being a flow of cooling air that is not delivered through the discharge air terminal as part of the air curtain. It typically accounts for 20% to 30% of the total air flow within a conventional cabinet, with the remaining 70% to 80% being circulated as the air curtain itself.
  • Back panel flow offers essential support to the air curtain in a conventional refrigerated display cabinet which, at typical discharge velocities, would otherwise be incapable of sealing an access opening with dimensions typical of such a cabinet without support.
  • the back panel flow is also necessary to provide supplementary cooling to the stored product because the temperature rise of the main air curtain over the length of the air curtain is too great to meet the cooling demand unaided.
  • Doors create a barrier, and additional work, for staff tasked with restocking, cleaning and maintaining the cabinets.
  • the doors need to be kept spotlessly clean on the inside and outside to maintain a hygienic and attractive appearance.
  • the doors are also susceptible to damage and hence may need occasional replacement. All of this adds significantly to retail overheads. It also has a bearing upon health-and-safety considerations and risk-mitigation actions required by retailers. •
  • shoppers will open the doors frequently to access the stored products. Restocking, cleaning and maintenance by staff will also involve opening the doors, less frequently but for much longer periods.
  • refrigerated display cabinets In particular, wider aisles may be required in retail premises due to the ergonomics associated with general access and with shoppers opening doors and managing trolleys. Wider aisles reduce the sales return per square metre of retail space.
  • the present invention therefore provides structures for open-fronted refrigerated display cabinets that enable such cabinets significantly to reduce entrainment, to provide tight temperature control, to reduce cold aisle syndrome and to save energy - without needing doors or other barriers to do so.
  • the present invention particularly aims to provide structures that produce and handle cooling airflows in a refrigerated display appliance, in a manner that is effective, adaptable, inexpensive and easily scalable.
  • the invention provides technical solutions that are especially advantageous in the context of refrigerated display appliances having air curtains and especially air curtains of variable height. The invention will therefore be described in this specification in that context. However, aspects of the invention will also be beneficial in other applications using airflow for cooling, not necessarily using air curtains or return airflow within a shelf but possibly using other cooling air flows wholly within or partly outside a shelf.
  • a refrigerated display unit comprising: an open-fronted cabinet defining a cold-storage volume bounded by at least one upright wall; a cooling means for introducing or producing cold air to refrigerate items in the cold-storage volume in use; a supply duct and/or a return duct for the supply and/or return of air, the or each of said ducts communicating with a plurality of ports spaced on the upright wall; and at least one shelf for, in use, supporting refrigerated items to be displayed for viewing and access, the shelf being selectively locatable in the cold-storage volume at different positions on the upright wall and having a supply channel and/or a return channel, the supply channel and/or the return channel terminating in a coupling formation co-operable with at least one of the ports of the upright wall for communication with the supply duct and/or the return duct.
  • Figure 1 is a front view of an appliance having a bottom-mounted cooling engine and a plurality of airflow-managed cells sharing a single insulated cabinet and that cooling engine;
  • Figure 2 is a sectional side view of an airflow-managed cell of the appliance shown in Figure 1 ;
  • Figure 3 is a sectional side view of the appliance of Figure 1 , showing how airflow- managed cells are stacked to create the appliance;
  • Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of a shelf of the appliance of Figure 3;
  • FIG. 5 is a perspective detail view showing a variant of the appliance of Figure 3, with shared cooling airflow derived from a common cooling means;
  • Figure 6 is a sectional detail side view of a shelf of the variant shown in Figure 5;
  • Figure 7 is an airflow distribution diagram showing the operation of supply and return ducts in the appliance of Figure 5;
  • Figure 8 is a schematic plan view of airflow in the appliance of Figure 5 between supply and return ducts and the common cooling means;
  • Figure 9 is a perspective detail view showing a solution that enables the height of ducted shelves to be adjusted.
  • Figures 10 and 11 are enlarged detail side sectional views showing cooperation between spigots and ports in the solution shown in Figure 9, in supply ducts and return ducts respectively;
  • Figures 12 and 13 are sectional top views of a shelf on two levels, showing supply ducts and return ducts respectively of the shelf shown in Figure 9;
  • Figure 14 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention in which airflow-managed cells are disposed in side-by-side columns in a refrigerated display appliance;
  • Figure 15 is a sectional top view of the appliance of Figure 14, showing supply and return airflow ducts behind its back inner panel;
  • Figure 16 is a front view of the appliance of Figure 14, showing the layout of arrayed mounting points and ports in the back inner panel of the appliance;
  • Figure 17 is a front perspective view of a multi-cell, plural column appliance like that of Figure 14, showing how a partition between neighbouring columns may be removed if the shelves of those columns are aligned;
  • Figure 18 is a front perspective view of the appliance of Figure 17, showing how a mini-partition may be created between neighbouring columns if some shelves of those columns are aligned and other shelves of those columns are not aligned;
  • Figures 19 and 20 are front perspective detail views showing possible alternative arrangements for mini-partitions supported by shelves of neighbouring columns;
  • Figures 21 and 22 are sectional side views of a further embodiment of the invention being an airflow-managed cell having sloping shelves, with Figure 22 additionally showing an intermediate shelf within the chilled cavity;
  • Figure 23 is a sectional side view of an appliance subdivided into airflow-managed cells with sloping shelves as shown in Figure 21 ;
  • Figure 24 is a sectional side view of a variant of the appliance shown in Figure 23 with a mix of airflow-managed cells, some with sloping shelves and others without;
  • Figure 25 is a schematic plan view of the front edge regions of two ducted shelves disposed side by side, the shelf to the left being of single-piece construction and the shelf to the right being of modular construction and split into sections;
  • Figure 26 is a schematic sectional plan view of the shelf of Figure 25;
  • Figure 27 is a schematic front view of a modular arrangement of distribution ducts and their connections to evaporators and cooling coils;
  • Figure 28 is a schematic sectional plan view of a variant of the arrangement shown in Figure 27;
  • Figure 29 is a detail sectional plan view of distribution ducts that may be used in the arrangement shown in Figures 27 and 28;
  • Figure 30 corresponds to Figure 29 but shows an optional addition of insulation and/or heating between the distribution ducts
  • Figure 31 corresponds to Figure 29 but shows schematically how a ducted shelf may be connected to the distribution ducts to bring the shelf ducts into
  • Figure 32 is a schematic sectional plan view of an arrangement of modular cooling coils in the base of a cabinet
  • Figure 33 is a schematic front view of an extrusion for making a ducted shelf
  • Figure 34 is a schematic front view showing an assembly of two of the extrusions of Figure 33;
  • Figure 35 is a schematic sectional plan view of a ducted shelf comprising the assembly of Figure 34, showing airflow within the shelf from and to connections on its rear edge;
  • Figure 36 is a front view of an array of shelves of Figure 35 generating air curtains between them;
  • Figure 37 is a perspective view of two shelves of the array shown in Figure 36;
  • Figures 38a and 38b are rear perspective views of an alternative plug-in shelf arrangement of the invention, in which the shelf is shown separately from a back inner panel of an appliance in Figure 38a and shown engaged with ports in the back inner panel in Figure 38b;
  • Figures 39a, 39b and 39c are schematic detail side views showing the operation of an alternative plug-in shelf arrangement of the invention;
  • Figures 40a, 40b and 40c are front perspective views also showing the operation of the arrangement illustrated in Figures 39a, 39b and 39c;
  • Figure 41 is a schematic detail side view of a shelf plugged into ports in a back inner panel of an appliance, with unused ports blocked by plugs
  • Figures 42a, 42b, 42c and 42d are schematic detail side views of a shelf being plugged into and moved between ports in a back inner panel of an appliance, with the shelf having a blanking plate for blocking adjacent unused ports of the back inner panel
  • Figures 43a and 43b are front perspective views of a roller blind arrangement between shelves for blocking unused ports on the back inner panel of an appliance;
  • Figures 44a and 44b are front perspective views of a refrigerated display cabinet of the invention, Figure 44b being an exploded version of Figure 44a to illustrate the modularity of the concept;
  • Figure 45 is a front view of a refrigerated display appliance of the invention, showing a differential pressure sensor that reads and compares pressure in supply and return ducts and adjusts fan speed to balance the system;
  • Figures 46a, 46b and 46c show a further variant of a modular shelf with supply and return ducts, comprising side views, plan views and end views of supply and return duct components and a shelf assembly of those components;
  • Figure 47 is a schematic sectional plan view showing internal airflow features of a return duct component of Figure 46b.
  • FIG. 1 shows a refrigerated integrated multi-cellular display appliance 1.
  • the appliance 1 has a bottom-mounted refrigerator engine 3 and a plurality of airflow-managed cells 5 stacked in a vertical array or column and all sharing a single insulated cabinet 7.
  • the top wall of a lower cell 5 and the bottom wall of an adjacent upper cell 5 of the array together define a shelf 9.
  • the shelves 9 subdivide the internal volume of the cabinet 7 into a plurality of product display spaces stacked one atop another, each in its own airflow- managed cell 5.
  • the shelves 9 lie closely against the back inner panel and the side walls of the cabinet 7, to discourage airflow around those edges of the shelves 9. Seals may be provided along those edges of the shelves 9 if required.
  • three airflow-managed cells 5 are stacked within the encompassing cabinet 7: an uppermost cell 5; and inner cell 5; and a lowermost cell 5.
  • Cells 5 can be of different heights and may be arranged to store items at different temperatures to reflect different storage requirements for different items.
  • the inner airflow-managed cell 5 in sectional side view in Figure 2 shows how each cell 5 is generally in the form of a hollow cuboid or box comprising top 11 , bottom 13, side and back 15 walls enclosing a correspondingly-shaped product display space 17 shown here as a hatched zone.
  • a front access opening 19 is shown to the right side of Figure 2, defined between the top 11 , bottom 13 and side walls of the cell 5. This access opening 19 gives unhindered reach-in access to any items in the product display space 17 behind the access opening 19.
  • One or both of the side walls of the cabinet 7 could be transparent to enhance visibility of the items displayed in the product display space 17, in which case the side walls are suitably of tempered glass and double- or triple-glazed to maintain a degree of insulation.
  • the access opening 19 is sealed by a generally vertical air curtain 21 that flows downwardly in front of the product display space 17.
  • the air curtain 21 extends between a downwardly-projecting discharge air grille or DAG 23 and an upwardly-receiving return air grille or RAG 25. Cooled air is supplied to the DAG 23, which projects the air curtain 21 , and is returned via the RAG 25, which receives air from the air curtain 21.
  • the air received from the air curtain 21 will include some entrained ambient air, whose heat and moisture must be reduced during recirculation. In this locally-cooled example, the air circulates within the unit between the RAG 25 and the DAG 23 through ducts 27, 29, 31 inside the bottom 13, back 15 and top 11 walls of the unit 1.
  • the ducts 27, 29, 31 comprise bottom 27, and back 29 return ducts in the bottom 13 and back 15 walls of the unit 1 respectively, and a supply duct 31 in the top wall 11 of the unit 1.
  • the back return duct 29 is defined between the insulation of the back wall 15 and a relatively thin back inner panel 33 extending parallel to and spaced inwardly from that insulation.
  • the bottom return duct 27 is defined below a thin bottom inner panel 35 and the supply duct 31 is defined above a thin top inner panel 37.
  • Ducts 27, 29, 31 and air spaces 17 are suitably sealed to prevent air leakage to/from ambient or short circulation of air between higher- and lower-pressure spaces in the unit 1.
  • the inner panels 33, 35, 37 will become cold in use due to the cold air flowing behind them, and so will provide some cooling to the product display space 17. Indeed, in this embodiment, no cooling air is supplied through any of the inner panels 33, 35, 37.
  • the cold surfaces of the top 37, bottom 35 and back 33 inner panels are sufficient to maintain good temperature control of items within the storage space 17, when the air curtain 21 is correctly specified.
  • All or some of the inner panels 33, 35, 37 may have no insulation or heating but insulation and/or local trace heating may be provided on some or all of the inner panels 33, 35, 37 to control their temperature.
  • insulation or local heating may be necessary to prevent over-cooling of adjacent items in the product display space 17.
  • the back panel 33 is shown here as being thinly-insulated to suit the region of the product display space 17 that is furthest from the access opening 19 and hence subject to the lowest heat gain.
  • one or more of the inner panels 33, 35, 37 could be penetrated by one or more openings such as perforations communicating with the duct 27, 29 31 behind, if it is desired to bleed some cold air from the duct 27, 29, 31 to apply locally increased cooling to counter heat gain.
  • the air curtain 21 will provide the cooling necessary to counter heat gain experienced in that region, without further air being supplied through the inner panels 33, 35, 37. Cooling air may be produced remotely and ducted to and from the unit 1 but the embodiment shown in Figure 1 employs air that is cooled and circulated locally in the unit 1 itself.
  • cooling coils 39, drainage systems 41 and fan arrays 43 are situated in the duct 29 inside the back wall 15 of the unit 1.
  • Local cooling and impeller means could instead be located to the top, bottom or a side of the unit 1.
  • Associated local drainage provisions can be located where convenient.
  • airflow management such as chamfered or rounded corners around drain trays 41 and at cooling coils 39, fans 43 and transition ducts to maintain smooth air pattern characteristics and low static resistance. Adequate duct width is also important. Enhancements such as these minimise turbulence in, and pressure drop through, air ducts around the unit 1. Good air flow design practice is particularly important at bends to minimise flow disturbance and pressure loss.
  • a drainage system 41 is located beneath the cooling coil 39 of each cell 5, in the corner at the junction between the bottom 27 and back 29 return ducts of the cell 5. Moisture dripping from the cooling coil 39 is deflected rearwardly by a deflector plate 44 that extends from the insulated inner panel 33 of the back wall 15 rearwardly and downwardly into the back return duct 29.
  • An angled fillet 45 extends forwardly and downwardly from near the rear edge of the deflector plate 44 to a chamfered corner 47 between the bottom 27 and back 29 return ducts. The fillet 45 and the chamfered corner 47 smooth airflow at the corner transition.
  • the rear edge of the deflector plate 44 lies over a drain tray 49 at the corner between the insulation of the back wall 15 and the bottom wall 13 of the cell 5.
  • the drain tray 49 incorporates an inclined element 51 creating a 'fall' to a low discharge point comprising a drain pipe 53 at the rear of the unit 1 to reject water and to prevent idle water traps that could otherwise encourage microbial growth within the air ducts of the unit 1.
  • the drain tray 49 may also have an inclined 'fall' toward the drain pipe 53 from one side of the appliance 1 to the other.
  • An alternative drain tray with oppositely-inclined arms converging on a central drain pipe is also possible.
  • Drains 41 and cooling coils 39 may require heaters to defrost ice accumulations where temperatures are low enough to allow local freezing. On units that operate above zero Celsius, defrost may be achieved simply by deactivating the cooling coil 39 and continuing to circulate air over the coil 39. Where this is not possible, heat may be applied using electric or hot gas heating elements (not shown) such as rods or pipes on the coil 39 and drain surfaces to defrost any ice build-up at those locations.
  • a damper valve (not shown) may be provided above the cooling coil 39 in the back return duct 29. Such a valve is normally kept open but may be closed to block the airflow in the duct 29 and hence to prevent convective circulation during the defrost process.
  • an angled fillet 57 extends across the corner between the insulation of the back wall 15 and the top wall 11 of the cell 5.
  • the fillet 57 is an integral element of a plate, the plate also having a support element 59 extending forwardly and downwardly from the top wall 11 to the inner panel 33 of the back wall 15.
  • the support element 59 supports a row of fans 43 (only one of which is visible in this side view), positioned in respective openings in the support element 59; otherwise, the support element 59 seals the back return duct 29 from the supply duct 31.
  • a chamfered corner 61 between the back return duct 29 and the supply duct 31 cooperates with the fillet 57 to smooth airflow at the corner transition.
  • Multiple centrifugal fans may be used to facilitate even distribution of airflow along the linear length of the air curtain 21 ; alternatively, tangential fans can be used.
  • One or more intermediate shelves may be located within the cold storage cavity of a cell 5, for example to display different types of food products and to make best use of the available space.
  • One or more of the intermediate shelves may be perforated or slotted to improve air movement in the cold storage space 17. Such a shelf need not seal against the back 15 or side walls.
  • Thin insulation, or no insulation, is used at the top 11 and/or bottom 13 walls of each cell 5. This is the case for both the top 11 and the bottom 13 walls of inner cells 5, being cells 5 other than those at the top and bottom of the stack.
  • the uppermost cell 5 will have thick insulation in its top wall 11 and the lowermost cell 5 will have thick insulation in its bottom wall 13.
  • the thick insulation at those locations and on the back walls 5 of the cells 5 may be considered as part of the cabinet 7 that surrounds a plurality of the cells 5.
  • the airflow-managed cells 5 of the invention can also be fitted to conventional insulated cabinets or retrofitted to existing retail display cabinets. In these applications, the cells do not require the thick insulation component on the back wall 15 because the necessary insulation is already present as part of the common cabinet casing.
  • Figure 3 shows how the cells 5 of Figure 2 may be stacked to fill the internal volume of the cabinet 7. Air is cooled and circulated locally in this example although cooling air could instead be ducted remotely to and from each cell 5.
  • the refrigerator engine 3 can be included in the casing as an integral unit or cooling can be supplied remotely from a typical supermarket refrigeration pack unit.
  • local cooling coils 39 and fans 43 are advantageously located behind the cells 5 as shown as this reduces the bulk of the shelves 9 and maximises access to the displayed items, but cooling coils 39 and/or fans 43 could instead be situated to the top 11 , bottom 13 or sides of a cell 5. Local cooling necessitates a drainage system 41 as explained previously, shown in this example to the bottom rear corner of each cell 5.
  • the stacked cells 5 create a succession of small air curtains 21 between the shelves 9 inside the refrigerated cabinet 7.
  • the air curtains 21 are produced by providing air outlets (DAGs) 23 and air inlets (RAGs) 25 in the front part of each shelf 9, communicating respectively with a supply duct 31 and a return duct 27 defined by respective channels within the shelf 9 that in turn communicate with ducts 27, 31 in the cabinet structure supporting the shelves 9.
  • DAGs air outlets
  • ROGs air inlets
  • a single return duct 27 is above a single supply duct 31 in a bi-level layered arrangement.
  • the return duct 27 is beside the supply duct 31 on the same horizontal level or on overlapping levels in the shelf 9.
  • Adjoining walls and their surfaces between air ducts 27, 31 in the shelf 9 at different temperatures should be of low heat conducting materials and/or insulated and/or heated to discourage condensation in the warmer duct.
  • the warmer duct is normally the return duct 27, where infiltration gains will tend to raise moisture levels and proximity to the colder supply duct 31 could otherwise encourage that moisture to condense.
  • in-shelf ducts 27, 31 may be provided with drainage means 41 to collect moisture and to drain it away.
  • a return duct 27 in a shelf 9 could be inclined slightly downwardly and rearwardly to fall toward the rear of the cabinet 7, where it may connect to the drainage system 41 provided for the cooling coil 39 to reject water from the cabinet 7.
  • the cabinet 7 in this instance has a common cooling coil 39 that may, for example, be located in the base of the unit 1.
  • the ventilated, ducted shelves 9 connect to common ducts 27, 31 and supply air to the air curtains 21 and return air from the air curtains 21.
  • Cold supply air is therefore ducted from the common cooling coil 39 to each cell 5 and warmer return air is returned from each cell 5 to the coil 39 for cooling, drying, optional filtering and recirculation.
  • cold air may be ducted to each cell 5 from a remote or shared source outside the unit 1 and recirculated through that source for re- cooling and other processing.
  • Figures 5 and 6 show common parallel vertical supply 31 and return 27 air distribution ducts connecting to and shared by the airflow-managed cells 5.
  • the supply duct 31 is located centrally with respect to the shelves 9 and lies between two return air ducts 27, those ducts 27, 31 all being defined between a back inner panel 33 and the insulation in the back wall 15 of the cabinet 7.
  • the back inner panel 33 may be thinly insulated and/or heated to avoid over-cooling in regions remote from heat gain through the access opening 19.
  • insulation or heating may not be necessary if the supply 31 and return 27 ducts lie behind the back inner panel 33 as separate components rather than being partially defined by the back inner panel 33 itself.
  • Figures 7 and 8 illustrate airflow arrangements within the appliance 1 of Figure 5.
  • airflow distribution diagram of Figure 7. This shows how the vertical supply 31 and return 27 ducts behind the back inner panel 33 connect to a cabinet 7 comprising three such cells 5 as described above.
  • Figure 8 shows in diagrammatic plan view how the supply 31 and return 27 ducts behind the back inner panel 33 connect to the common cooling coil 39 and air circulation fans 43 in the base of the cabinet 7 below the lowermost cell 5. Air is drawn by fans 43 through an evaporator coil 39 that cools the supply air, which the fans 43 then propel up the central supply duct 31.
  • the air enters the supply ducts 31 of the shelves 9 and the top wall 11 of the cabinet 7, is projected as a stack of air curtains 21 , one per cell 5, and is returned via return ducts 27 in the shelves 9 to the return ducts 27 on each side of the central supply duct 31 behind the back inner panel 33.
  • the return air flows downwardly in those return ducts 27 and around a shroud disposed in the base of the cabinet 7 around the fans 43 and the evaporator coil 39, to enter the evaporator coil 39 again under the suction of the fans 43.
  • the shelves 9 are fixed but it is preferred for the shelves 9 to be removable. More preferably, the shelves 9 are movable and reattachable at different vertical positions to allow easy adjustment of their height and hence the height of each airflow-managed cell 5.
  • FIG. 9 A simple arrangement for achieving height adjustment is shown in Figure 9.
  • the back inner panel 33 of the cabinet 7 has several mounting positions that can hold the shelves 9 at different heights.
  • the shelf support system comprises hook-on brackets 63 cantilevered from the back of each shelf 9, that hook into complementary holes 65 punched in the back inner panel 33 or in vertical supports (not visible in this view) that may be attached to the back inner panel 33 for greater strength.
  • the use of such brackets 63 and supports is well known in the art of retail display cabinets for positioning adjustable shelves.
  • the requirement in this embodiment for airflow to the shelves 9 also demands associated ports leading to the supply 31 and return 27 air ducts behind the back inner panel 33.
  • the back inner panel 33 comprises a thin flexible, resilient material such as spring steel or plastics that is laser-cut or CNC-punched to form flap valve openings 67 for the air duct connections of the shelves 9.
  • Each port opening 67 is cut not as a complete hole, but as an elongated 'U' shape.
  • the flap 69 formed by the 'U' cut is pushed back by a corresponding spigot 71 on the rear of the shelf 9 when the shelf 9 is hung on the back inner wall 33.
  • the spigot 71 contains an opening 73 that communicates with a supply 31 or return 27 duct in the shelf 9, allowing airflow in the appropriate direction between the ducts 27, 31 of the shelf 9 and the corresponding ducts 27, 31 behind the back inner panel 33.
  • the shelf 9 has more than one such spigot 71 , each leading to a respective duct 27, 31 in the shelf 9 and being positioned to align with and cooperate with a corresponding port 67 in the back inner panel 33 and a corresponding distribution duct 27, 31 behind that port 67.
  • the shelf 9 has three spigots 71 on its rear edge, a central one 71 being for alignment with the central supply duct 31 and the other two 71 being for alignment with the return ducts 27 on each side of the central supply duct 31 behind the back inner panel 33.
  • Figures 12 and 13 elaborate on Figure 6 and show, respectively, the supply 31 and return 27 ducts of a shelf 9 disposed in the aforementioned bi-level arrangement. Figures 12 and 13 also show how the supply 31 and return 27 ducts of the shelf 9 communicate with the respective associated spigots 71 at the back edge of the shelf 9.
  • the cut line for the 'IT shape should be as narrow as possible to minimise air leakage through the back inner panel 33 when a flap valve 69 is closed.
  • any air that does leak through the back inner panel 33 may usefully help to cool the contents of the cabinet 7.
  • These simple flap valves 69 in the back inner panel 33 provide a low-cost and reliable basis for the adjustable shelf concept of the invention.
  • other forms of hinged, rotating or sliding port covers or valves may be envisaged instead, as can the use of plugs to block any unused ports 67.
  • the back inner panel 33 may have power supply elements such as vertical strip contacts (not shown) at low voltage, typically 12V, cooperable with complementary electric terminals on a shelf 9.
  • the terminals connect to the contacts to conduct electricity required to power electrical systems in the shelf 9 such as lighting, heating and control elements.
  • electrical connections could be effected via the cooperable fixings used to support the shelves 9.
  • FIGS 14 to 20 of the drawings show that airflow-managed cells 5 may also be disposed side-by-side while all sharing a single insulated cabinet 7 of one refrigerated display appliance 1.
  • a plurality of airflow-managed cells 5 are arranged in three vertical arrays or columns 75, each of which comprises a smaller plurality or subset of cells 5.
  • Each column 75 has a central supply duct 31 between two return ducts 27 behind its back inner panel 33 as best shown in Figure 15, with vertical arrays of ports 67 aligned with and communicating with each of those ducts 27, 31 as best shown in Figure 16.
  • Figure 16 also shows vertical arrays of mounting holes 67 whereby the height of the shelves 9 is adjustable.
  • the shelves 9 are fixed but it is preferred for the shelves 9 to be removable. More preferably, the shelves 9 are movable and reattachable at different vertical positions to allow easy adjustment of their height and hence the height of each airflow-managed cell 5.
  • Adjacent columns 75 are separated and partially defined by a substantially vertical partition 77 that lies in a plane orthogonal to the plane of the back inner panel 33. There are therefore two such partitions 77 in this example, lying in mutually-spaced, parallel and substantially vertical planes.
  • the appliance shown in Figures 14 to 16 has solid opaque insulated side walls 79, it would be possible for one or both of the side walls 79 to be transparent instead to enhance the visibility of items displayed in the cabinet 7.
  • Such an arrangement is shown in Figures 17 and 18.
  • the side walls 79 could be of tempered glass and double- or triple-glazed.
  • the partitions 77 are advantageously transparent as shown and are also preferably of tempered glass. As the partitions 77 could allow side-by-side cells 5 to be set to different storage temperatures, they may beneficially have insulating properties such as by being double- or triple-glazed if they are transparent.
  • Outer columns 75 are defined between a side wall 79 and a parallel partition 77; inner columns 75 are defined between two such partitions 77.
  • the two outer columns 75 shown in Figure 14 each have three shelves 9 that together define four cells 5, and the inner column 75 has two shelves 9 that together define three cells 5. It can be seen how the heights of the cells 5 may vary considerably from cell 5 to cell 5 and from column 75 to column 75.
  • shelves 9 are removable and that shelf heights are adjustable, for example by using adjustment solutions as described above.
  • the number of columns 75 is largely immaterial, There could be just two columns 75, one to each side as outer columns 75, with no inner column 75 between them; or there could be more than three columns 75, with more than one inner column 75 between two outer columns 75.
  • columns 75 could be added to an existing appliance 1 simply by incorporating suitable additional components in a modular fashion to extend the appliance 1 widthways while using the same side walls 79.
  • the number of shelves 9 and cells 5 in each column 75 is also largely immaterial, provided that adequate access and air curtain sealing can be assured. Indeed, there need not be more than one cell 5 in any given column 75 and hence possibly no shelves 9 at all.
  • the simplest expression of the side-by-side cell 5 concept is to have two cells 5 beside each other and separated from each other by a partition 77 in a surrounding insulated open-fronted cabinet 7.
  • each partition 77 lies closely against, and is preferably sealed to, the back inner panel 33.
  • the partitions 77 extend from the back inner panel 33 substantially the full depth of the shelves 9 from front to rear.
  • each partition 77 extends slightly forward of the front edge of a shelf 9, at least as far as the forward edge of the forwardly-extending upper portion of the finisher on the front of the shelf 9.
  • the partitions 77 prevent air flows from spilling from one column 75 to the next and possibly disrupting the air curtain dynamics of adjacent cells 5. This helps to prevent the performance of each air curtain 21 being affected by ambient air currents or by an adjacent air curtain 21.
  • the partitions 77 also help to minimise cross-contamination between cells 5 and to contain any spillages that may arise from items displayed within a cell 5.
  • the shelves 9 lie closely against the back inner panel 33 and the side walls 79 of the cabinet 7 and/or against the partitions 77, to discourage airflow around those edges of the shelves 9. Seals may be provided along those edges of the shelves 9 if required.
  • each partition 77 should be insulated and/or heated to fight condensation. It is also possible for the front edge region of each partition to be of a low- conductivity material and/or to have a high-emissivity finish.
  • cells 5 of the invention In contrast to a conventional cabinet 7 in which the RAG 25 usually connects to the front of the cabinet 7 to duct air into the cooling coil 39, cells 5 of the invention have return air ducts 27 that extend back to the rear of the unit 1 and from there to the cooling coil 39.
  • a partition 77 between those columns 75 may be removed to increase the effective display area of each shelf 9.
  • some shelves 9 of those neighbouring columns 75 are aligned and other shelves 9 of those columns 75 are not aligned - see, for example, the non-aligned top shelves 9 in the two columns 75 on the right in Figure 18 - a mini-partition 81 may be created between those columns 75 at the level of the non-aligned shelves 9. This leaves no partition 77 between the lower shelves 9 that are aligned, to the benefit of their effective display area.
  • Figures 19 and 20 show possible alternative arrangements for mini-partitions 81 supported by shelves 9 of neighbouring columns 75. Both arrangements allow for variations in the vertical gap between the shelves 9.
  • the arrangement in Figure 19 comprises a roller blind 83 attached to an edge of one shelf 9 and extending from there to an adjacent vertically-offset edge of another shelf 9, which may be in the same column 75 or in an adjacent column 75.
  • the roller blind 83 can extend or retract to suit the vertical gap between the shelves 9.
  • the arrangement in Figure 20 comprises overlapping leaves or plates 85, one attached to each vertically-offset shelf 9, which shelves 9 again may be in the same column 75 or in adjacent columns 75.
  • the leaves 85 lie face-to-face and can slide together or apart to adjust the height of the mini-partition 81 to suit the vertical gap between the shelves 9.
  • Mini-partitions 81 could of course be supported wholly or partially by the back inner wall 33 of the unit 1 as an alternative, and simpler clip-on panel arrangements could be used if the facility for gap adjustment is not required.
  • FIGS 21 to 24 show variants of a further embodiment of the invention in which one or more airflow-managed cells 5 have one or more sloping shelves 87.
  • the sloping shelves 87 are substantially inclined to the horizontal, angled downwardly from the back of the unit 1 toward the front. This better displays certain products and may be particularly useful for the display of fruit and vegetables as in current standard retail refrigeration. Suitable product-holding formations may be added to the sloping shelves 87 to segregate items and to stop them rolling or sliding forward out of the product display space 17.
  • Airflow-managed cells 5 with sloping shelves 87 may have all of the attributes of regular airflow-managed cells 5 with substantially horizontal shelves 9, described previously. For example, they may be part of single-cell standalone units 1 with insulation top and bottom, and they may be served by ducted remote cooling.
  • Figure 22 shows that an intermediate shelf 89 may again be used within the chilled cavity of an airflow-managed cell 5 having a sloping shelf 87. That intermediate shelf 89 may again be perforated or of wire.
  • Figure 23 shows how airflow-managed cells 5 with sloping shelves 87 may be stacked in an appliance 1 within a shared surrounding insulated cabinet 7, whereas Figure 24 shows an appliance with a mix of airflow-managed cells 5, some cells having sloping shelves 87 and others having substantially horizontal shelves 9.
  • Ventilated, ducted shelves 9 may be supplied as single units or in modular sections.
  • the shelf 9 to the left in Figure 25 is a single-piece unit whereas the shelf 9 to the right in Figure 25, also shown in the plan view of Figure 26, is of modular construction. Modular sections allow standard parts to be used to achieve maximum flexibility and low cost when creating shelves 9 to suit various cabinet sizes and especially different cabinet widths. Shelf depths 9 may also vary to suit different casings.
  • a front finisher may be cut to length from insulating material and fixed to the front of the shelf 9 to suit the desired shelf width.
  • Successive pairs of vertical supply 31 and return 27 distribution ducts are disposed at the rear of the casing behind the back inner panel 33 as shown and extend in alternating fashion across the width of the refrigerated display unit 1.
  • Modular ventilated shelves 9, associated distribution ducts 27, 31 and other associated components help with airflow management and control, by breaking large ducts 27, 31 into smaller air guided channels.
  • Figures 27 and 28 show that distribution ducts 27, 31 and connections to evaporators and cooling coils 39 can also be modular. Such modular systems may prove suitable for retrofitting airflow-managed cells 5 to pre-existing cabinets 7.
  • pairs of supply 31 and return 27 distribution ducts extend vertically and are disposed side-by-side in parallel.
  • recirculating air flows downwardly in the return duct 27 and upwardly in the supply duct 31.
  • the flow of air is driven by an impeller 43, shown in this instance in the supply duct 31.
  • a common cooling coil 39 positioned near the bottom of the ducts 27, 31 extends across both ducts 27, 31 of the pair and preferably also, as shown, across the ducts 27, 31 of neighbouring similar pairs.
  • the bottom of the ducts 27, 31 is closed by a horizontal bottom duct wall 89. This defines a return air section and drain tray for condensate dripping from the cooling coil 39.
  • a wall 91 separating the ducts 27, 31 along their length is interrupted at the bottom of the ducts 27, 31 below the level of the cooling coil 39 and above the bottom duct wall 89. The resulting opening allows air to recirculate from the return duct 27 to the supply duct 31 and to reverse in direction as it does so.
  • the result is that air flowing along the ducts 27, 31 passes twice through the cooling coil 39: once near the end of its downward journey along the return duct 27 and once near the beginning of its upward journey along the supply duct 31 , after reversing its direction in the return air section.
  • Figure 28 shows a variant of the arrangement of Figure 27, in which the return air section is located forwardly of the cooling coil 39 rather than beneath it. A side or front location such as this may be appropriate if the return air section will not fit under the cooling coil 39 as shown
  • Figure 29 shows how each pair of ducts 27, 31 may be made of standard sections, being defined in this instance by a base part 93 with an E-section profile closed by a clip-on cover panel 95.
  • the cover panel 95 has flanges 97 that cooperate with the three parallel walls 99 of the E-section to form a seal, although a gap is left between the base part 93 and the cover panel 95 in Figure 29 for ease of illustration.
  • the base part 93 and the cover panel 95 may be fabricated, for example from folded steel sheet, or extruded, for example from aluminium or a plastics material.
  • Figure 30 shows how insulation or heating 101 may be provided to discourage
  • Figure 31 shows how standard shelf modules 9 may plug into the vertical supply 31 and return 27 distribution ducts.
  • Paired distribution ducts 27, 31 like those of the preceding embodiments are used in the embodiment shown in Figure 32.
  • Each duct 27, 31 of a pair extends to the base of the cabinet 7 and communicates with a respective plenum 103 in front of the bottom end of the duct 27, 31.
  • the plenums 103 of each pair lie in generally parallel facing relation with an individual cooling coil 39 disposed between them.
  • the coil 39 receives air from the return duct 27 via a return plenum 103, cools that air, and provides the cooled air to the supply duct 31 via a supply plenum 103.
  • Each successive module therefore comprises a separate cooling coil 39 dedicated to a pair of distribution ducts 27, 31 , one for return air, one to supply air.
  • Control valves 105 may be provided as shown on individual or grouped modules to provide temperature control or off-cycle defrost.
  • FIGS 33 to 37 of the drawings show optional arrangements for creating supply 31 and/or return 27 ducts in a shelf 9. These arrangements have the benefits of low cost, ease of manufacture and compactness.
  • the ducts 27, 31 are produced from simple extrusions formed from plastics, aluminium or other materials that suit the thermal and structural requirements of the application.
  • the extrusion comprises ducts 27, 31 evenly spaced by bridges or webs 107 as shown in Figure 33.
  • Each web 107 is slightly wider than the external diameter of each duct 27, 31. This allows for easy assembly of the system by interlinking similar extrusions for both the supply 31 and return 27 air ducts.
  • a pair of such extrusions may be nested in staggered or interleaved face-to-face relation with the ducts 27, 31 of one extrusion received between the ducts 27, 31 of the other extrusion, in alignment with the webs 107 of that other extrusion.
  • the thickness of the shelf 9 is minimised and storage space is maximised.
  • the extrusions may comprise square- or oblong-section ducts 27, 31 joined by planar webs 107 and the extrusions may be clamped, bound, fixed or fused together. During assembly, strips or layers of insulation can be added between supply 31 and return 27 air ducts to reduce heat transfer between the ducts 27, 31.
  • the extrusion having the supply ducts 31 which will tend to be colder in use, suitably lies underneath the extrusion having the return ducts 27, which will tend to be warmer in use.
  • the double thickness of material and optional intermediate insulation between the supply ducts 31 and the top surface of the shelf 9 will help to avoid over-cooling of any products placed on the shelf 9. Over-cooling may also be avoided by making the extrusions of less conductive material such as plastics, and/or by fitting the shelf 9 with an insulating plate, cover or mat, or a spacer such as a wire stand-off shelf 9.
  • Conduction cooling may also be promoted by making the extrusions of heat-conductive materials such as aluminium.
  • Figure 35 shows how the ducts 27, 31 of the extrusions communicate within the shelf 9 with respective spigot connections 71 on its rear edge. Connections between the outer spigots 71 and their associated return ducts 27 may be effected through a transverse manifold (not shown) disposed above or below the level of the ducts 27.
  • This arrangement will fit directly into a system having supply 31 and return 27 distribution ducts in the back wall 15 of the cabinet 7 as described elsewhere in this specification.
  • This allows for convenient adjustment of shelf height, for example using plug-in flap valves 69 in the back inner panel 33 of the display cabinet 7.
  • the shelves 9 to be fixed relative to the back panel 33 and for connections other than spigots 71 and ports 67 to be used between the shelves 9 and the distribution ducts 27, 31.
  • Figures 36 and 37 show how an array of the shelves 9 of Figure 35 may generate air curtains 21 between them.
  • Figure 38a shows the shelf 9 separately from a back inner panel 33 of an appliance 1
  • Figure 38b shows the shelf 9 engaged with ports 67 in the back inner panel 33.
  • Both drawings show vertical supports 109 behind the back inner panel 33 for greater strength.
  • Hook-on brackets 63 cantilevered from the back of each shelf 9 hook into the vertical supports 109 via complementary holes punched in the back inner panel 33.
  • the ports 67 in this example are spaced in vertical arrays aligned with the parallel vertically-extending supply 31 and return 27 air ducts behind the back inner panel 33, and those ports 67 are open only when a shelf 9 is coupled with them to reduce unwanted spillage of cold air into the product display space 17 of the cabinet 7.
  • the back inner panel 33 comprises a thin flexible, resilient material cut or punched to form flap valve openings 69 for the air duct spigots 71 of the shelves 9.
  • the flap valves 69 are side-hinged and so pivot about vertical axes. Examples of other measures to block unused ports 67 of the back inner panel 33 will now be described.
  • a shelf 9 has tapered spigots 71 on its rear edge for engagement with the ports 67, the taper of each spigot 71 defining an upwardly-facing ramp surface 113.
  • Each cover plate 111 has a complementary downwardly-facing ramp surface 1 15 on its lower front edge.
  • Figure 41 shows that when a shelf 9 is plugged into ports 67 in a back inner panel 33 of an appliance 1 , any unused ports 67 may be blocked by individual plugs 117.
  • Figures 42a, 42b, 42c and 42d shows arrays of plugs 117 integrated into a vertical blanking plate 119 attached to the rear edge of the shelf 9.
  • the plugs 117 carried by the plate 119 block adjacent unused ports 67.
  • the shelf 9 can be disengaged and moved to different vertical positions on the back inner panel 33 as shown in Figures 42c and 42d.
  • Figures 43a and 43b show a roller blind arrangement acting between upper and lower vertically-aligned shelves 9.
  • Roller blinds 121 may lift up from the lower shelf 9 or pull down from the upper shelf 9 and clip on to the other shelf 9 or to the back inner panel 33.
  • a roller blind 121 lies closely against the back wall 15 to discourage airflow through the ports 67 behind.
  • the roller blinds 121 may be extended or retracted to suit variations in the height of a cell 5 between shelves 9. Similar arrangements may be provided between a shelf 9 and the top wall 11 for the uppermost cell 5, and between a shelf 9 and the bottom wall 13 for the lowermost cell 5.
  • An alternative barrier may comprise a blanking panel fitted over the back inner panel 33 between shelves 9. Roller blinds 121 or other barriers may be used in isolation or in addition to flap valves 69 or other means for closing the ports 67.
  • Figures 44a and 44b show how the preferred modularity of a refrigerated display cabinet 7 of the invention extends to its main structure including its top 1 , bottom 13 and back 15 walls. It will be noted that the side walls 79 can be retained and re-used if additional top 11 , bottom 13 and back 15 walls are added to extend the width of the unit 1.
  • insulation may become thicker with increasing distance from the access opening 19, to tailor the local temperature of the inner panel 27, 33, 37 to suit the heat gain expected at that location.
  • the conductivity of a non-insulated inner panel 27, 33, 37 could be tailored in a similar manner.
  • any trace heating provisions for an inner panel 27, 33, 37 may also have nonuniform effect across the panel 27, 33, 37, for example with different thicknesses or densities of heating elements at different locations on the panel 27, 33, 37. It is also possible for the degree of trace heating across an inner panel 27, 33, 37 to be variable and controllable to tailor the temperature profile across the panel, 27, 33, 37, for example by switching on different numbers of heating elements at different locations on the panel 27, 33, 37. This can be used tailor the local temperature of the inner panel 27, 33, 37 to suit the heat gain encountered at that location.
  • the size or density of the perforations may vary between different locations on the panel 27, 33, 37. Again, this can be used to suit the heat gain encountered at that location.
  • Shelves 9 could support drawers or other open-topped containers to retain cold air, and shelves 9 or such drawers or containers could be fitted with self-fronting systems, such as an inclined base that propels items forward under gravity as other items are picked from the front.
  • a ducted shelf 9 can slide as a whole, including the spigots 71 connecting through the flap valves 69 of the ports 67 to the supply 31 and return 27 ducts behind the back inner panel 33.
  • the flap valves 69 will close upon withdrawal of the spigots 71 from the ports 67 to shut off the air supply to the shelf 9 when slid forward.
  • a sliding tray element may slide forwardly over and away from a ducted shelf 9 while the shelf 9 remains in situ in communication with the supply 31 and return 27 ducts behind the back inner panel 33.
  • a single-airflow shelf 9 is a chute shelf that is sometimes used to support an air curtain 21 by supplying supplementary airflow near the access opening of the cabinet 7, without return air flow.
  • Symmetry, balance and airtightness are important aspects of the airflow-managed cells 5 used in the invention. Symmetry arises to a considerable extent from the advantageous modularity of the design, which applies equally where rear duct distribution is used. All embodiments of the invention suitably have means for balancing, tuning or adjusting airflows and temperatures for optimum performance, versatility and adaptability.
  • the pressures in the supply 31 and return 27 distribution ducts may change depending on the number of shelves 9 and the distance between the shelves 9 (which may of course vary), potentially affecting the performance of the unit 1.
  • Optimum performance requires the pressure in the supply 31 and return 27 ducts to be balanced.
  • a differential pressure sensor 123 may therefore be provided as shown in Figure 45 to read and compare the pressures in both ducts 27, 31 and to send a signal to a controller to adjust the speed of a fan 43 to make sure that the system is balanced.
  • variable speed/volume fans 43, valves or dampers could be used to regulate and balance airflows between shelves 9 using temperature, pressure and/or flow measuring devices placed at suitable points such as throats' in ducts 27, 31.
  • valves such as butterfly valves or sliding shutters may be provided in individual shelves 9, or otherwise associated with individual shelves 9, to regulate the air flow.
  • Such valves or shutters may have to be adjusted depending on the distance to the shelf 9 below and the temperature desired for the airflow-managed cell 5 of the shelf 9 below. Their adjustment could be manual or electronic.
  • FIGS 46a, 46b and 46c and to Figure 47 show a further variant of a modular shelf 125.
  • separate supply 127 and return 129 duct components shown in Figures 46a and 46b respectively are assembled to form a ducted shelf 125 shown in Figure 46c.
  • the shelf 125 has supply 31 and return 27 air connections on its rear edge for connection to respective distribution riser ducts of an appliance 1 , for example in a plug-in arrangement.
  • each duct component 127, 129 comprises supply and return air connections on its rear edge that preferably employ inclined or curved branch connections as shown, rather than 90° transitions, to promote even airflow and to minimise static pressure losses. These connections are disposed in rearwardly-projecting vertically-enlarged extensions of the duct components.
  • the extensions of the respective duct components 127, 129 are offset to opposite sides so as to lie side by side and at the same general horizontal level when the duct components 127, 129 are assembled together in face-to-face relation. This is best shown in the end view of Figure 46c.
  • each duct component 127, 129 also promotes even airflow and minimises static pressure losses as air flows through a throat 131 of reduced duct cross-sectional area.
  • This throat 131 which is apparent in the side views of Figures 46a and 46b, creates the relatively high static pressure that is desirable to balance airflows between shelves.
  • the principle is like a venturi whose entry has high static pressure leading to high velocity at the venturi contraction itself. High-velocity contractions such as the throats 131 and the laterally-offset extensions of the duct components reduce duct sizes and help to make airflow more uniform.
  • Figure 47 shows internal airflow features of the return duct 127 of Figure 46b. These features may comprise air guides, straighteners, honeycombs and/or turning vanes to ensure even airflow and velocities across duct sections, especially at discharge and return air grilles. Similar provisions may of course be present in the supply duct 129 of Figure 46a.
  • vertical cell divisions as shown in Figures 14 and 17 can be used with both ducted adjustable shelf cells and with cells that have integral circulation and cooling coils.
  • the inclined shelves of Figures 21 to 24 could be made adjustable, so that they could be adjusted between horizontal and inclined positions.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Freezers Or Refrigerated Showcases (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un présentoir réfrigéré multicellulaire intégré (1) constitué d'un ensemble de cellules gérées par flux d'air (5) qui divisent une seule armoire isolée. Les parois supérieures et inférieures de cellules (5) adjacentes définissent des rayonnages (9) qui subdivisent l'armoire (7) en espaces de présentation de produits (17), chaque espace possédant une cellule gérée par flux d'air (5) respective. Une ouverture d'accès (19) est rendue étanche par un rideau d'air vertical (21) s'écoulant vers le bas devant l'espace de présentation de produits (17). Le rideau d'air (21) s'étend entre une grille d'air d'émission (23) et une grille d'air de retour (25). L'air reçu du rideau d'air (21) comprend de l'air ambiant entraîné renfermant de la chaleur et de l'humidité qui sont éliminées durant la remise en circulation. L'air est refroidi et mis en circulation au moyen de serpentins de refroidissement (39), systèmes d'évacuation (41) et groupes de ventilateurs (43) dans les conduits (27, 29, 31). Les cellules gérées par flux d'air (5) de l'invention peuvent également être montées dans des armoires isolées classiques ou installées dans des armoires-présentoirs de vente au détail déjà existantes.
PCT/GB2011/000475 2010-03-29 2011-03-29 Perfectionnements apportés à des présentoirs réfrigérés WO2011121285A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (8)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1005287.6 2010-03-29
GBGB1005276.9A GB201005276D0 (en) 2010-03-29 2010-03-29 Development of a design tool for recirculated air curtains used on retail display cabinets
GBGB1005285.0A GB201005285D0 (en) 2010-03-29 2010-03-29 Improvements in or relating to cold storage and display
GB1005285.0 2010-03-29
GB1005276.9 2010-03-29
GB1005286.8 2010-03-29
GBGB1005287.6A GB201005287D0 (en) 2010-03-29 2010-03-29 Improvements in or relating to cold storage and display
GBGB1005286.8A GB201005286D0 (en) 2010-03-29 2010-03-29 Improvements in or relating to cold storage and display

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WO2011121285A1 true WO2011121285A1 (fr) 2011-10-06

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CN103575014A (zh) * 2012-06-28 2014-02-12 超级制冷器有限公司 过冷冰箱以及过冷冰箱的控制方法
WO2014181136A3 (fr) * 2013-05-10 2015-03-26 Applied Design And Engineering Ltd Améliorations dans ou relatives à des appareils d'affichage réfrigérés
CN105358014A (zh) * 2013-05-10 2016-02-24 应用工程设计有限公司 冷藏展示装置
CN105377086A (zh) * 2013-05-13 2016-03-02 应用工程设计有限公司 冷藏展示装置的改进或与冷藏展示装置相关的改进
US9890984B2 (en) 2012-06-28 2018-02-13 Supercooler, Inc. Supercooling refrigerator and method for controlling the same
US20220378225A1 (en) * 2020-02-13 2022-12-01 Aerofoil Energy Ltd Refrigerator shelf

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US5345778A (en) * 1993-05-07 1994-09-13 Hussmann Corporation Low temperature display merchandiser
EP1460358A1 (fr) * 2001-12-27 2004-09-22 Gac Corporation Dispositif de rangement
DE102004033071A1 (de) * 2004-07-06 2006-01-26 Linde Kältetechnik GmbH & Co. KG Kühlregal
WO2008074355A1 (fr) * 2006-12-21 2008-06-26 Carrier Corporation Meuble frigorifique

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EP0589783A1 (fr) * 1992-09-21 1994-03-30 M.C. International Dispositif modulaire pour l'exposition à la vente de denrées alimentaires
US5345778A (en) * 1993-05-07 1994-09-13 Hussmann Corporation Low temperature display merchandiser
EP1460358A1 (fr) * 2001-12-27 2004-09-22 Gac Corporation Dispositif de rangement
DE102004033071A1 (de) * 2004-07-06 2006-01-26 Linde Kältetechnik GmbH & Co. KG Kühlregal
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Cited By (13)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN103575014B (zh) * 2012-06-28 2017-10-13 超级制冷器有限公司 过冷冰箱以及过冷冰箱的控制方法
CN103575014A (zh) * 2012-06-28 2014-02-12 超级制冷器有限公司 过冷冰箱以及过冷冰箱的控制方法
US9890984B2 (en) 2012-06-28 2018-02-13 Supercooler, Inc. Supercooling refrigerator and method for controlling the same
AU2014264369B2 (en) * 2013-05-10 2018-05-31 Applied Design And Engineering Ltd Improvements in or relating to refrigerated display appliances
CN105431066A (zh) * 2013-05-10 2016-03-23 应用工程设计有限公司 冷藏展示装置的改进或与冷藏展示装置有关的改进
JP2016518934A (ja) * 2013-05-10 2016-06-30 アプライド デザイン アンド エンジニアリング リミテッドＡｐｐｌｉｅｄ Ｄｅｓｉｇｎ Ａｎｄ Ｅｎｇｉｎｅｅｒｉｎｇ Ｌｔｄ 冷蔵陳列機器における改良または冷蔵陳列機器に関する改良
US9788666B2 (en) 2013-05-10 2017-10-17 Applied Design And Engineering Ltd. Refrigerated display appliances
CN105358014A (zh) * 2013-05-10 2016-02-24 应用工程设计有限公司 冷藏展示装置
WO2014181136A3 (fr) * 2013-05-10 2015-03-26 Applied Design And Engineering Ltd Améliorations dans ou relatives à des appareils d'affichage réfrigérés
US10219638B2 (en) 2013-05-10 2019-03-05 Applied Design And Engineering Ltd. Refrigerated display appliances
CN105431066B (zh) * 2013-05-10 2019-07-12 应用工程设计有限公司 冷藏展示装置的改进或与冷藏展示装置有关的改进
CN105377086A (zh) * 2013-05-13 2016-03-02 应用工程设计有限公司 冷藏展示装置的改进或与冷藏展示装置相关的改进
US20220378225A1 (en) * 2020-02-13 2022-12-01 Aerofoil Energy Ltd Refrigerator shelf

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