Panel powered produce display table

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10602859-B2
Application number	US-201815880016-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2018
Priority date	Feb 14, 2017
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

A display table for displaying perishable produce items comprises a base; a produce bed on which the perishable produce items are positioned; and an air flow system for providing air circulation and ventilation at the produce bed. The air flow system comprises a plurality of ducts under the produce bed; an air distribution box that evenly distributes the air through the ducts; and a plurality of fans that circulate the air from the ducts under the produce bed to a region above the produce bed. The display table further comprises a control device that controls a flow of the air via the fans to the produce bed according to a state of the perishable produce items on the produce bed; and a self-contained power panel that generates power for the fans, the air distribution box, and the control device, wherein the power panel includes a cell power electrical system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display table for displaying perishable produce items, comprising:
a base;
a produce bed on which the perishable produce items are positioned having a top region exposed to an ambient environment; and
an air flow system for providing air circulation and ventilation for purging gases from the produce bed, the air flow system comprising:
a plurality of ducts under the produce bed;
an air distribution unit that evenly distributes the air through the ducts; and
a plurality of fans that circulate the air from the ducts under the produce bed to a region above the produce bed, wherein the fans are constructed and arranged to include a main fan that receives and output a source of air from the ambient environment to the ducts and at least one side fan that receives and directs the source of air from the ducts in a direction parallel to the produce bed to reduce an escape of circulated air from the top region exposed to the ambient environment, the display table further comprising:
a control device that controls a flow of the air via the fans to the produce bed according to a state of the perishable produce items on the produce bed; and
a self-contained power panel that generates power for the fans, the air distribution unit, and the control device, wherein the power panel includes a cell power electrical system.

2. The display table of claim 1 , further comprising a divider that forms sectional regions about the produce bed, wherein the control device controls the flow of the air in each sectional region independently according to a state of the perishable produce items in each sectional region.

3. The display table of claim 2 , wherein the divider includes solar or incandescent-sensing devices of the self-contained power panel.

4. The display table of claim 1 , wherein the power panel is a solar panel or incandescent power panel.

5. The display table of claim 1 , further comprising a bottom section that holds a plurality of bags constructed and arranged for receiving the perishable produce items.

6. The display table of claim 1 , wherein the air distribution unit includes at least one main fan for distributing the air evenly through the ducts, and wherein the at least one main fan and the plurality of fans are powered by the self-contained power panel.

7. The display table of claim 1 , further comprising a filter for filtering the circulated air.

8. The display table of claim 1 , wherein the air distribution unit includes an intake air filter, a plurality of duct interfaces, a valve system, a controller, and an induction fan for each duct interface.

9. The display table of claim 1 , wherein the valve system distributes the filtered air evenly, and at a constant flow rate, through the ducts.

10. The display table of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of sensors at the produce bed that detect the state of the perishable produce items, wherein the control device adjusts the flow of the air in the produce bed in response to a signal received from the sensors regarding the detected state of the perishable produce items.

11. The display table of claim 1 , wherein the control device includes a network interface for communicating with a remote mobile electronic device, wherein the mobile electronic device is constructed and arranged to receive information regarding the state of the perishable produce items and to generate and output commands to the control device to control the flow of the air in the produce bed from the mobile electronic device.

12. The display table of claim 1 , further comprising a docking interface for providing at least one of power or air flow to another display table.

13. A display table for displaying perishable produce items, comprising:
a base;
a produce bed on which the perishable produce items are positioned; and
an air flow system for providing air circulation and ventilation at the produce bed, the air flow system comprising:
a plurality of ducts under the produce bed;
an air distribution unit that evenly distributes the air through the ducts, wherein the air distribution unit includes an intake air filter, a plurality of duct interfaces, a valve system, a controller, and an induction fan for each duct interface; and
a plurality of fans that circulate the air from the ducts under the produce bed to a region above the produce bed, the display table further comprising:
a control device that controls a flow of the air via the fans to the produce bed according to a state of the perishable produce items on the produce bed; and
a plurality of sensors at the produce bed that detect the state of the perishable produce items, wherein the control device adjusts the flow of the air in the produce bed in response to a signal received from the sensors regarding the detected state of the perishable produce items.

14. The display table of claim 13 , further comprising a bottom section that holds a plurality of bags constructed and arranged for receiving the perishable produce items.

15. The display table of claim 13 , further comprising a divider that forms sectional regions about the produce bed, wherein the control device controls the flow of the air in each sectional region independently according to a state of the perishable produce items in each sectional region.

16. The display table of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of solar or incandescent-sensing devices for self-powering electrical components of the display table, the electrical components including the air distribution unit, the fans, the control device, and the sensors.

17. A display table for displaying perishable produce items, comprising:
a base;
a produce bed on which the perishable produce items are positioned; and
an air flow system for providing air circulation and ventilation at the produce bed, the air flow system comprising:
a plurality of ducts under the produce bed;
an air distribution unit that evenly distributes the air through the ducts; and
a plurality of fans that circulate the air from the ducts under the produce bed to a region above the produce bed, the display table further comprising:
a control device that controls a flow of the air via the fans to the produce bed according to a state of the perishable produce items on the produce bed; and
a network interface for establish communications between the control device and a remote mobile electronic device, wherein the mobile electronic device is constructed and arranged to receive information regarding the state of the perishable produce items and to generate and output commands to the control device to control the flow of the air in the produce bed from the mobile electronic device, the display table further comprising:
a plurality of sensors at the produce bed that detect the state of the perishable produce items, wherein the control device adjusts the flow of the air in the produce bed in response to a signal received from the sensors regarding the detected state of the perishable produce items, wherein the network interface is configured to receive a data command from the mobile electronic device for the control device to instruct the air flow system to bypass the sensors and to change the flow of the air independently of the sensors.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Bacallao Yurgis Mauro

Classifications

• A47F5/0018

  Display racks with shelves or receptables (racks per se A47B; storage devices for warehouses B65G1/02) · CPC title

• A47B75/00

  Fruit or potato storage cabinets, racks or trays for domestic use · CPC title

• A47F2003/046

  with shelves having air ducts · CPC title

• A47F7/0071

  for perishable goods · CPC title

• A47F3/0408 Primary

  with forced air circulation · CPC title