Display case door assembly with vacuum panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10165870-B2
Application number	US-201414563760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2014
Priority date	Feb 11, 2014
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

A display case door assembly for a temperature-controlled storage device includes a frame defining an opening into the temperature-controlled storage device and a transparent unit coupled to the frame. The transparent unit includes a first vacuum pane, a second vacuum pane, and an evacuated gap between the first and second vacuum panes. The evacuated gap has a predetermined thickness within which a vacuum is drawn, thereby providing a thermal insulation effect for the transparent unit. The transparent unit further includes a plurality of spacers disposed within the evacuated gap and configured to maintain the predetermined thickness of the evacuated gap when the vacuum is drawn therein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display case door assembly for a temperature-controlled storage device, the display case door assembly comprising:
a frame defining an opening into the temperature-controlled storage device; and
a transparent unit coupled to the frame, the transparent unit comprising:
a first vacuum pane,
a second vacuum pane,
an evacuated gap between the first and second vacuum panes, the evacuated gap having a predetermined thickness within which a vacuum is drawn, thereby providing a thermal insulation effect for the transparent unit,
a plurality of spacers disposed within the evacuated gap and configured to maintain the predetermined thickness of the evacuated gap with the vacuum drawn therein,
an additional glass pane laminated to one of the first vacuum pane or the second vacuum pane, the additional glass pane being made of tempered glass, and
a handle attached to a front surface of the additional glass pane without penetrating the additional glass pane, the handle arranged to extend away from the temperature-controlled storage device,
wherein at least one of the first vacuum pane and the second vacuum pane is made of non-tempered glass.

2. The display case door assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first vacuum pane and the second vacuum pane is made of a low emissivity material configured to reduce radiation heat transfer through the transparent unit.

3. The display case door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spacers are arranged in a grid and separated from each other by a distance approximately ten times the predetermined thickness of the evacuated gap.

4. The display case door assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a protective layer laminated to an outside surface of the transparent unit and configured to prevent the transparent unit from breaking into a plurality of uncontained shards.

5. The display case door assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a film or coating laminated to a surface of the transparent unit, the film or coating comprising at least one of an anti-condensate layer, an ultraviolet inhibiting layer, and a low emissivity layer.

6. The display case door assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a perimeter seal bonding a perimeter of the first vacuum pane to a perimeter of the second vacuum pane and providing an airtight seal within the evacuated gap.

7. The display case door assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a rail hingedly connected to the frame and defining a channel within which an edge of the transparent unit is contained, wherein the rail and the transparent unit are configured to rotate as a unit relative to the frame between an open position and a closed position.

8. The display case door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the transparent unit is coupled to the frame via at least one of a hinged connection and a sliding connection, wherein the transparent unit is configured to move relative to the frame between an open position and a closed position.

9. A vacuum panel for a temperature-controlled storage device, the vacuum panel comprising:
a first vacuum pane;
a second vacuum pane;
an evacuated gap between the first and second vacuum panes, the evacuated gap having a predetermined thickness within which a vacuum is drawn, thereby providing a thermal insulation effect for the vacuum panel;
a plurality of spacers disposed within the evacuated gap and configured to maintain the predetermined thickness of the evacuated gap with the vacuum drawn therein;
an additional glass pane laminated to one of the first vacuum pane or the second vacuum pane such that the additional glass pane forms a front surface of the vacuum panel that faces away from the temperature-controlled storage device when the vacuum panel is mounted thereto, wherein the additional glass pane is made of tempered glass; and
a handle attached to a front surface of the additional glass pane without penetrating the additional glass pane, the handle arranged to extend away from the enclosure, and
wherein at least one of the first vacuum pane and the second vacuum pane is made of non-tempered glass having an increased flatness relative to tempered glass.

10. The vacuum panel of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first vacuum pane and the second vacuum pane is made of a low emissivity material configured to reduce radiation heat transfer through the vacuum panel.

11. The vacuum panel of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of spacers are arranged in a grid and separated from each other by a distance approximately ten times the predetermined thickness of the evacuated gap.

12. The vacuum panel of claim 9 , further comprising a protective layer laminated to an outside surface of the vacuum panel and configured to prevent the vacuum panel from breaking into a plurality of uncontained shards.

13. The vacuum panel of claim 9 , further comprising a film or coating laminated to a surface of the vacuum panel, the film or coating comprising at least one of an anticondensate layer, an ultraviolet inhibiting layer, and a low emissivity layer.

14. A thermally-insulated transparent unit:
a first vacuum pane;
a second vacuum pane;
an evacuated gap between the first and second vacuum panes, the evacuated gap having a predetermined thickness within which a vacuum is drawn, thereby providing a thermal insulation effect for the transparent unit;
a plurality of spacers disposed within the evacuated gap and configured to maintain the predetermined thickness of the evacuated gap with the vacuum drawn therein;
a plastic pane laminated to one of the first vacuum pane or the second vacuum pane such that the plastic pane forms a front surface of the thermally-insulated transparent unit that faces away from an enclosure when the thermally-insulated transparent unit is mounted thereto; and
a handle attached to a front surface of the plastic pane without penetrating the plastic pane, the handle arranged to extend away from the enclosure, and
wherein at least one of the first vacuum pane and the second vacuum pane is made of non-tempered glass having an increased flatness relative to tempered glass.

15. The display case door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises extruded aluminum.

16. The vacuum panel of claim 9 , wherein the handle comprises extruded aluminum.

17. The thermally-insulated transparent unit of claim 14 , wherein the handle comprises extruded aluminum.

18. The display case door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the handle is bonded to the front surface of the additional glass pane.

19. The vacuum panel of claim 9 , wherein the handle is bonded to the front surface of the additional glass pane.

20. The thermally-insulated transparent unit of claim 14 , wherein the handle is bonded to the front surface of the plastic pane.

Assignees

• Anthony Inc

Inventors

• Artwohl Paul J
• Nicholson Jeffery W
• Rolek Matthew

Classifications

• E06B3/6612

  Evacuated glazing units · CPC title

• E04B1/803

  with vacuum spaces included in the slab · CPC title

• Y02B80/24

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• Y10T428/231

  Filled with gas other than air; or under vacuum · CPC title

• E06B3/66304

  Discrete spacing elements, e.g. for evacuated glazing units · CPC title