The disclosure relates generally to refrigerated display units and more particularly to refrigerated displays having augmented door operation.
Conventionally, refrigerated displays include a manually operable door. However, existing refrigerated display units can be energy inefficient or unwieldy. Customers often hold the doors open while browsing contents of the refrigerated display and such displays are susceptible to blockages preventing the door from closing. Furthermore, customers often struggle with removal of larger items from the refrigerated display because the customer must simultaneously hold the door open and retrieve the item.
The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:
Referring now to
Energy efficiencies are introduced in such conventional refrigerated display units 100 when customers hold the door open to browse for products rather than looking through the window of the display unit, when customers open or close the door too slowly, when customers leave items blocking the door of the refrigerated display unit from closing. Additionally, manual doors often interfere with customers who are trying to extract larger items (e.g., items that require two hands to pick up) from the refrigerated display unit because the customer must hold the door and pick up the item at the same time, requiring awkward and non-ergonomic positioning.
Methods and apparatus are provided herein for an augmented refrigerated display unit for mitigating energy inefficiencies and assisting manual operation of a door of the refrigerated display unit. The example system, in accordance with various embodiments, includes a refrigerated display unit having a hinged door, wherein application of a manual force to the door is detectable by an initiation sensor and an augmentation drive, operatively connected to a hinge of the door, is configured to apply an assistive opening, holding, or closing force to the door in response to detection of the application of the manual force.
Referring now to
Refrigeration unit 201, in accordance with various embodiments, can include, for example but not limited to, any suitable refrigeration unit known in the art or any other device suitable for keeping a contents of the refrigeration unit 201 at a desired temperature lower than an ambient temperature external to the refrigeration unit 201. Door 203, in accordance with various embodiments can include, for example, any solid door, any screened door, or, most preferably, any display door including a window or other transparent portion therein.
Hinge 207 can include any suitable hinge mechanism including, for example, an extended rod extending through a through-hole formed in the first side 203a of the door 203, a combination of an upper rod and a lower rod, each extending into recesses formed in a top and a bottom of the first side 203a of the door 203, a combination of an upper rod and a lower rod, each extending outward from the door into a recess formed in upper and lower brackets of the refrigeration unit 201, or any other suitable device for permitting the door 203 to rotate about the hinge 207 between an open position and a closed position of the door 203.
Augmentation drive 209 can, in accordance with various embodiments, include one or more of a DC induction motor, a stepper motor, a servo, or a linear actuator. As shown in
Initiation sensor 213 can be any suitable sensor or combination of two or more sensors, including for example, one or more of a motion detector, a closed switch, a pressure sensor, or a current detector in windings of the augmentation drive 209. Although shown in
In accordance with various embodiments, as shown in
Referring now to
Activity sensor 315 can include, for example, one or more of a light curtain positioned between the second side 303b of the door and a second side 301b of a frame of the refrigeration unit 301 (e.g., as shown in
Referring now to
In accordance with various embodiments, the augmented refrigerated display unit (e.g., augmented refrigerated display units 200, 300) can also include one or more timer functions 504 and/or alarms 506. In accordance with various embodiments, an open timer 504 can be initiated upon application of the assistive opening force 503 or upon application of the holding force 505. In accordance with various embodiments, a timer can be initiated in response to a detected cessation of activity (e.g., by activity sensor 315) of the augmented refrigerated display unit (e.g., augmented refrigerated display unit 300). In accordance with various embodiments, a timer can be initiated in response to a detected blockage of the door (e.g., by activity sensor 315) of the augmented refrigerated display unit (e.g., augmented refrigerated display unit 300).
Upon expiration of a predetermined period of time, in accordance with various embodiments, the timer can initiate termination of the holding force and/or application of the assistive closing force to the door. In accordance with various embodiments, upon expiration of a predetermined period of time, the timer can initiate an alarm in order to alert the user that the door has been open for an excessive period of time or to alert employees that a door may have been left open or is blocked by an object. In accordance with various embodiments, an additional timer can be initiated upon initiation of the alarm, wherein the holding force can be terminated and/or the assistive closing force can be applied to the door after the alarm has been activated for a prescribed period of time with no response from the user.
In describing exemplary embodiments, specific terminology is used for the sake of clarity. For purposes of description, each specific term is intended to at least include all technical and functional equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. Additionally, in some instances where a particular exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of system elements, device components or method steps, those elements, components or steps may be replaced with a single element, component or step. Likewise, a single element, component or step may be replaced with a plurality of elements, components or steps that serve the same purpose. Moreover, while exemplary embodiments have been shown and described with references to particular embodiments thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that various substitutions and alterations in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention. Further still, other aspects, functions and advantages are also within the scope of the invention.
Exemplary flowcharts are provided herein for illustrative purposes and are non-limiting examples of methods. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that exemplary methods may include more or fewer steps than those illustrated in the exemplary flowcharts, and that the steps in the exemplary flowcharts may be performed in a different order than the order shown in the illustrative flowcharts.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/236,505 filed on Oct. 2, 2015, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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