Refrigerated merchandise display system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9750355-B1
Application number	US-201615058773-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 2, 2016
Priority date	Mar 2, 2016
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A merchandise display system for storing and dispensing merchandise is provided. The merchandise display system includes an outer housing, a transparent front door, a refrigeration unit, and a door that includes an extended canopy. The merchandise display system also includes a front grille for a refrigeration system having, a surface adjacent a curved surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A front grille for a refrigeration unit, the grille comprising:
an outer portion having a substantially planar surface and a curved surface;
an air inlet positioned on a first side of the grille between the substantially planar surface and the curved surface;
an air outlet positioned on a second side of the grille between the substantially planar surface and the curved surface; and
an interior portion including a partition placed between the air inlet and the air outlet to separate inlet air flowing through the air inlet from outlet air flowing through the air outlet.

2. The front grille of claim 1 , farther comprising a second air inlet positioned on the first side of the grille between the substantially planar surface and the curved surface.

3. The front grille of claim 1 , further comprising a second air outlet positioned on the second side of the grille between the substantially planar surface and the curved surface.

4. The front grille of claim 1 , wherein the depth of the air inlet is greater than approximately ½ inch.

5. The front grille of claim 1 , wherein the area of the air inlet is greater than approximately 9 square, inches.

6. The front grille of claim 1 , wherein the depth of the air outlet is greater than approximately ½ inch.

7. The front grille of claim 1 , wherein the area of the air outlet is greater than approximately 9 square inches.

8. The front grille of claim 1 , wherein the air inlet is substantially perpendicular to the substantially planar surface.

9. The front grille of claim 1 , wherein the air outlet is substantially perpendicular to the substantially planar surface.

10. The front grille of claim 1 , wherein the partition is substantially perpendicular to the substantially planar surface.

11. A refrigerated merchandise display system, the display system comprising:
a refrigeration unit; and
an outer housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, side walls, a back wall, and an interior lower wall, the refrigeration unit being positioned within a refrigeration compartment between the side walls, the back wall, the bottom wall, and the interior lower wall, and a merchandise compartment being positioned between the side walls, the back wall, the top wall, and the interior lower wall;
a transparent door positioned across the merchandise compartment; and
a grille positioned across the refrigeration compartment, the grille including:
an outer portion having a substantially planar surface and a curved surface;
an air inlet positioned on a first side of the grille between the substantially planar surface and the curved surface;
an air outlet positioned on a second side of the grille between the substantially planar surface and the curved surface; and
an interior portion including a partition placed between the air inlet and the air outlet to separate inlet air flowing through the air inlet from outlet air flowing through the air outlet.

12. The refrigerated merchandise display system of claim 11 , wherein the grill includes an interior portion having a plenum surface to direct airflow and improve aerodynamic efficiency.

13. The refrigerated merchandise display system of claim 11 , wherein one of the air inlet and the air outlet is substantially perpendicular to the substantially planar surface.

14. The refrigerated merchandise display system of claim 11 , wherein the partition is substantially perpendicular to the substantially planar surface.

Assignees

• Pepsico Inc

Inventors

• Stolarz Christian
• Nooli Praveen Kumar
• Broen Martin
• Lim Stephen

Classifications

• A47F3/0404 Primary

  Cases or cabinets of the closed type (A47F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25D23/02

  Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042}) · CPC title

• A47F3/043

  Doors, covers (A47F3/0434 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25D2400/18

  Aesthetic features · CPC title

• F25D2323/00274

  from the front bottom · CPC title