Merchandiser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12096867-B2
Application number	US-202117410892-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2021
Priority date	Jul 8, 2016
Publication date	Sep 24, 2024
Grant date	Sep 24, 2024

Abstract

A refrigerated merchandiser including a case having a first case section. The first and second case sections define first and second product display areas. The first case section further defines an air passageway and the second case section includes a glass panel. The air passageway supports a fan and is in fluid communication with a first airflow inlet and a second airflow outlet. An airflow flows through the first airflow outlet toward the evaporator and a second airflow outlet in communication with the first airflow inlet via an evaporator bypass channel. A first airflow portion flows through the first airflow outlet and is cooled by the evaporator, and a second airflow portion flows through the second airflow outlet to bypass the evaporator and is uncooled by the evaporator. The second airflow outlet directs the second airflow portion over an exterior of the glass panel of the second case section.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerated merchandiser comprising:
a case including a base;
a case section supported by the base and that defines a product display area partially enclosed by a glass panel at or adjacent a front of the case;
an air passageway supporting a fan and fluidly communicating an airflow inlet with an airflow outlet, the air passageway at least partially defined by a refrigeration system including an evaporator; and
a discharge grill defining the airflow outlet and disposed adjacent a rear of the case section opposite the glass panel, the discharge grill including a first discharge segment and a second discharge segment extending from the first discharge segment, wherein each of the first discharge segment and the second discharge segment is oriented to face the product display area and the second discharge segment is oriented at a non-zero angle less than 90 degrees relative to the first discharge segment to direct a refrigerated airflow through the respective first and second discharge segments to different portions of the product display area.

2. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein each of the first discharge segment and the second discharge segment includes a plurality of apertures.

3. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 2 , wherein the first discharge segment directs a portion of the refrigerated airflow toward a center portion of the product display area and the second discharge segment directs a portion of the refrigerated airflow substantially upward and forward into the product display area.

4. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 2 , wherein the sum of the plurality of apertures of the first discharge segment differs from the sum of the plurality of apertures of the second discharge segment such that different volumes of air are discharged by the first discharge segment and the second discharge segment.

5. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 2 , wherein one or both of the shape and size of the plurality of apertures of the first discharge segment differs from one or both of the shape and size of the plurality of apertures of the second discharge segment, respectively, such that air is discharged from the first and second discharge segments at different velocities.

6. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1 , further comprising a well formed below the product display area and above the evaporator, wherein the discharge grill includes a third discharge segment angled relative to the first discharge segment and the second discharge segment and including apertures that provide airflow communication between the air passageway and the well.

7. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 6 , wherein the third discharge segment is vertical or substantially vertical and each of the first and second discharge segments is non-vertical and non-horizontal when the case is oriented on a support surface.

8. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 6 , wherein the well is defined by walls separate from the product display area.

9. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 6 , further comprising a cover enclosing the well.

10. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the case includes frame uprights opposite the glass panel, and wherein the airflow outlet is disposed adjacent a base or lower end of the frame uprights.

11. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 10 , wherein the first discharge segment is disposed adjacent the frame uprights and the second discharge segment is disposed inward from the first discharge segment relative to the frame uprights.

12. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the first discharge segment is disposed adjacent a rear of the case and second discharge segment is disposed closer to the glass panel than the first discharge segment.

Assignees

• Hussmann Corp

Inventors

• Navarro Moisses
• Rajagopalan Anand Ganesh
• Palaksha Sandeep
• Arrosagaray Al
• Evdokimoff Alex J

Classifications

• F25D17/08

  using ducts · CPC title

• F25D23/023

  Air curtain closures · CPC title

• A47F3/0447

  with air curtains · CPC title

• A47F3/0443

  with forced air circulation · CPC title

• F25D2317/0671

  Inlet ducts · CPC title