Forced cold air well with false bottom insert

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9861213-B2
Application number	US-201414540566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2014
Priority date	Nov 13, 2014
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

A cold food display unit includes a well defining a receptacle, an insert positioned within the receptacle, a refrigeration system, a first cooling air discharge, and a second cooling air discharge. The insert is positioned within the receptacle to form a first cooling air flow path and a second cooling air flow path. The refrigeration system includes a cooling air outlet positioned within the receptacle to provide cooling air to the first and second cooling air flow paths. The first cooling air discharge discharges a first flow of cooling air toward the second side of the well, and the second cooling air discharge discharges a second flow of cooling air toward the first side of the well.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cold food display unit, comprising:
a well defining a receptacle, wherein the well includes a first side and a second side opposite the first side;
an insert positioned within the receptacle, wherein the insert includes a bottom, a first insert side, and a second insert side, wherein the first insert side extends away from the bottom from a first end of the bottom and the second insert side extends away from the bottom at a second end of the bottom opposite the first end, wherein the first insert side is spaced apart from the first side of the well to form a first cooling air flow path, and wherein the second insert side is spaced apart from the second side of the well to form a second cooling air flow path;
a refrigeration system including an evaporator positioned within a housing, wherein the housing is positioned within the receptacle below the bottom of the insert, wherein a cooling air outlet is formed in the housing, and wherein a fan is located within the housing and is configured to blow air across the evaporator, thereby providing cooling air at a positive static pressure to the first and second cooling air flow paths simultaneously via the cooling air outlet;
a first cooling air discharge fluidly coupled to the first cooling air flow path, wherein the first cooling air discharge is configured to discharge a first flow of cooling air toward the second side of the well;
a second cooling air discharge fluidly coupled to the second cooling air flow path, wherein the second cooling air discharge is configured to discharge a second flow of cooling air toward the first side of the well, and wherein the first cooling air discharge and the second cooling air discharge are configured to discharge the first flow of cooling air and the second flow of cooling air simultaneously;
a ledge configured to support one or more food pans, wherein the first cooling air discharge, the second cooling air discharge are located above the ledge; and
an ambient air intake, wherein the ambient air intake is fluidly coupled to the housing of the refrigeration system to provide ambient air to be cooled by the evaporator.

2. The cold food display unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first cooling air insert discharge formed in the first insert side and fluidly coupled to the first cooling air flow path, wherein the first cooling air insert discharge is configured to discharge a third flow of cooling air toward the second insert side; and
a second cooling air insert discharge formed in the second insert side and fluidly coupled to the second cooling air flow path, wherein the second cooling air insert discharge is configured to discharge a fourth flow of cooling air toward the first insert side.

3. The cold food display unit of claim 2 , further comprising:
wherein the first cooling air discharge and the second cooling air discharge are located above the ledge; and
wherein the first cooling air insert discharge and the second cooling air insert discharge are located below the ledge.

4. The cold food display unit of claim 3 , further comprising:
a food pan supported by the ledge so that the first flow of cooling air and the second flow of cooling air are discharged above the food pan and the third flow of cooling air and fourth flow of cooling air are discharged at the food pan.

5. The cold food display unit of claim 1 , further comprising a plenum located between the cooling air outlet and the first and second cooling air flow paths, and wherein the refrigeration system provides cooling air to the plenum to chill the bottom of the insert and to generate a positive static pressure within the plenum and the first and second cooling air flow paths.

6. The cold food display unit of claim 5 , wherein the insert includes a plurality of air discharge outlets, and wherein the static pressure within plenum and the first and second cooling air flow paths provide a substantially even distribution of cooling air to the plurality of air discharge outlets.

7. A cold food display unit, comprising:
a well defining a receptacle, wherein the well includes a first side and a second side opposite the first side;
an insert positioned within the receptacle to form a first cooling air flow path between the insert and the first side of the well and to form a second cooling air flow path between the insert and the second side of the well;
a refrigeration system including a cooling air outlet, wherein the cooling air outlet is positioned within the receptacle to simultaneously provide cooling air to the first and second cooling air flow paths;
a first cooling air discharge fluidly coupled to the first cooling air flow path, wherein the first cooling air discharge discharges a first flow of cooling air toward the second side of the well; and
a second cooling air discharge fluidly coupled to the second cooling air flow path, wherein the second cooling air discharge discharges a second flow of cooling air toward the first side of the well, and wherein the first cooling air discharge and the second cooling air discharge are configured to discharge the first flow of cooling air and the second flow of cooling air simultaneously.

8. The cold food display unit of claim 7 , wherein the insert includes a plenum located between the cooling air outlet and the first and second cooling air flow paths, and wherein the refrigeration system includes a fan for providing cooling air to the plenum to generate a positive static pressure within the plenum and the first and second cooling air flow paths.

9. The cold food display unit of claim 8 , wherein the insert includes a plurality of air discharge outlets, and wherein the static pressure within plenum and the first and second cooling air flow paths provide a substantially even distribution of cooling air to the plurality of air discharge outlets.

10. The cold food display unit of claim 7 , further comprising:
an ambient air intake, wherein the ambient air intake is fluidly coupled to the refrigeration system to provide ambient air to be cooled by the refrigeration system.

11. The cold food display unit of claim 10 , further comprising:
a ledge configured to support one or more food pans.

12. The cold food display unit of claim 11 , wherein the first cooling air discharge, the second cooling air discharge, and the ambient air intake are located above the ledge.

13. The cold food display unit of claim 11 , wherein the ledge is formed in the insert.

14. The cold food display unit of claim 11 , wherein the ledge is formed in the well.

15. The cold food display unit of claim 7 , wherein the insert includes a bottom, a first insert side, and a second insert side, wherein the first insert side extends away from the bottom from a first end of the bottom and the second insert side extends away from the bottom at a second end of the bottom opposite the first end, wherein the first insert side is positioned near the first side of the well to form the first cooling air flow path, and wherein the second insert side is positioned near the second side of the well to form the second cooling air flow path.

16. The cold food display unit of claim 15 , further comprising:
a first cooling air insert discharge formed in the first insert side and fluidly coupled to the first cooling air flow path, wherein the first cooling air insert discharge discharges a third flow of cooling air toward the second insert side; and
a second cooling air insert discharge formed in the second insert side and fluidly coupled to the second cooling air flow path, wherein the second cooling air insert discharge

Assignees

• The Vollrath Co Llc

Inventors

• Goch Bernard J
• Wollenberg Kathleen A

Classifications

• A47F3/0447 Primary

  with air curtains · CPC title

• A47F3/0452

  with cooled storage compartments · CPC title