The present invention relates generally to a fan plenum for a merchandiser, and particularly to a fan plenum and hinge pin bearing attachment.
Existing merchandisers typically include one or more fan plenums that assist with recirculating air within the merchandiser. However, conventional fan plenums cannot be easily removed to provide access to the fan for cleaning or maintenance. For example, some fan plenums require tools to disassemble the fan plenum from the merchandiser, which makes cleaning the fan and adjacent components somewhat difficult. In addition, existing fan plenums often do not properly seal against the interior bottom surface of the merchandiser. A poor seal between the fan plenum and the bottom surface results in poor air recirculation within the merchandiser.
The present invention provides a fan plenum assembly for a merchandiser. The fan plenum assembly includes a plenum housing defining an opening configured to receive a fan. The plenum housing includes a side wall having a slot and a slot extension continuous with the slot. The slot has a major axis extending through a center of the slot. The plenum assembly also includes a bearing configured to rotationally support a hinge pin. The bearing is coupled to the side wall and includes a positioning element disposed in the slot and the slot extension. Engagement of the positioning element with the slot and the slot extension permits movement of the plenum housing relative to the bearing along the major axis to provide axial adjustment of the plenum housing while inhibiting rotational movement of the bearing relative to the plenum housing.
The present invention also provides a merchandiser including a case defining a product display area. The case includes a base and an air passageway extending from the base and in fluid communication with the product display area. The merchandiser also includes a plenum housing coupled to the case and substantially enclosing an end of the air passageway such that the plenum housing defines an opening configured to receive a fan to direct air into the air passageway, and the plenum housing includes a side wall having an edge oriented to engage a surface of the base and an elongated aperture with a major axis. A bearing is coupled to the side wall and defines a pivot for the plenum housing. The bearing includes a positioning element disposed within the aperture. A hinge pin is rotatably coupled to the bearing and defines a pivot about which the plenum housing is rotatable. Engagement of the positioning element with the aperture permits movement of the plenum housing relative to the bearing along the major axis to provide axial adjustment of the plenum housing while inhibiting rotational movement of the bearing relative to the plenum housing. Axial adjustment of the plenum housing along the major axis is configured to alter a position of the plenum housing relative to the support surface such that the edge of the plenum housing engages the base to limit air infiltration from adjacent the surface.
The present invention also provides a fan plenum assembly for a merchandiser. The fan plenum assembly includes a plenum housing defining an opening configured to receive a fan. The plenum housing includes a side wall having an elongated aperture with a major axis oriented along a length of the aperture. A bearing is coupled to the side wall and includes an attachment feature. The bearing is removably engaged with the side wall within the aperture by the attachment feature and defines a bearing hole configured to receive a hinge pin such that he plenum housing is slidable relative to the bearing along the major axis to different axial positions while the bearing remains engaged with the side wall.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.
The illustrated base 18 is disposed substantially below the product display area 30 and supports the case 14 on a floor or support surface (not shown) of the retail setting. With reference to
The case 14 also has a rear air passageway 56 that is defined by the rear wall 22 and a back wall 58 of the case 14, and an upper air passageway 60 that is defined by the canopy 26. The air passageways 50, 56, 60 are fluidly connected to each other to direct an airflow (designated by arrows 52 in
With reference to
Referring to
The merchandiser 10 also includes a fan plenum assembly 110 that is pivotably and removably coupled to the case 14 within the base 18 by the coil supports 70 and the hinge pins 82. The illustrated fan plenum assembly 110 includes a plenum housing 114 that has a top wall 118, side walls 122 extending downward from the top wall 118, and a front wall 126 extending downward from the top wall 118 between the side walls 122. As shown in
The plenum housing 114 defines an enclosure or shell through which the airflow 52 generated by the fan 130 is directed toward the rear air passageway 56 and the evaporator 66. The rearward portion of the plenum housing 114 (toward the right in
With reference to
In general, the aperture 142 is elongated to permit vertical adjustment of the plenum housing 114 relative to the coil supports 70. The lengths and widths of the slot 146 and the slot extension 150 can vary. More specifically, although the illustrated slot extension 150 is narrower than the slot 146, the slot extension 150 can have the same width as the slot 146 or a larger width. Also, although the aperture 142 is illustrated and described with the slot 146 and the slot extension 150 having obround shapes, the slot 146 and the slot extension 150 can be defined by other shapes (e.g., rectangular, elliptical, etc.).
With reference to
The fan plenum assembly 110 also includes a hinge pin bearing 174 (referred to as a “bearing 174” for purposes of description and the claims) that is coupled to the plenum housing 114 within the aperture 142. The bearing 174 enables rotation or pivotal movement of the plenum housing 114 about the axis 100 of the hinge pin 82 (e.g., for cleaning or maintenance) while also permitting vertical adjustment of the plenum housing 114 relative to the coil supports 70 so that the rim 134 is in substantial contact with the interior surface 48 such that gaps between the interior surface 48 and the plenum housing 114 are minimized. In other words, vertical movement of the plenum housing 114 relative to the coil supports 70 adjusts the orientation or angle of the rim 134 relative to the interior surface 48 so that the rim 134 substantially or completely engages the interior surface to seal the interface between the plenum housing 114 and the interior surface.
With reference to
The first protrusion 186 an attachment feature 202 that is disposed on the exterior side of the annular wall 194. The illustrated attachment feature 202 is defined by a ridge or raised portion of the wall 194 and includes flexible detents or tabs. As shown, the attachment feature 202 includes two detents that are positioned on opposite sides of the first protrusion 186 and that are formed by cutouts 204 in the wall 194. The detents removably secure the bearing 174 to the plenum housing 114. The outer width or diameter of the annular wall 194 is the same or approximately the same as the width of the slot 146 so that the first protrusion 186 fits snugly into the slot 146. Although the illustrated bearing 174 illustrates the attachment feature 202 as detents 206, the first protrusion 186 can include another attachment feature to retain the bearing 174 in the aperture 142.
With reference to
To assemble the fan plenum assembly 110, bearings 174 are inserted into the apertures 142 on each flange 138 so that the first protrusions 186 are inserted into the respective slots 146 and the second protrusions 190 are inserted into the respective slot extensions 150. The detents 206 flex inward during insertion into the aperture 142 to permit passage of the first protrusion 186 into the slot 146, and flex outward upon full insertion to engage an inner side of the side walls 122 and retain the bearing 174 in engagement with the plenum housing 114. The plenum assembly 110 is positioned in the base 18 so that the bearing holes 198 align with the cradles 86. Each hinge pin 82 is then inserted through the cradle 86 so that the barrel 98 extends into the bearing hole 198. After the barrel 98 is inserted into the bearing 174, the hinge pin 82 is rotated within the cradle 86 via the handle 102 so that the lock tab 106 is no longer aligned with the open section 90. In this position, the lock tab 106 and the cradle 86 cooperatively prevent inadvertent removal of the hinge pin 82 from the bearing 174. To remove the fan plenum assembly 110 from the case 14, the above process is reversed. That is, the hinge pin 82 is rotated so that the lock tab 106 is aligned with the open section 90, and the hinge pin is then removed from the bearing 174 and the cradle 86 along the axis 100.
When assembled, the plenum housing 114 can be rotated upward to expose the fan 130 to permit access to the area enclosed by the housing 114. The bearing holes 198 rotationally support the hinge pins 82, which provide a pivot point for the fan plenum housing 114 so that the plenum housing 114 and the bearing 174 can rotate about the axis 100. In addition, the elongated aperture 142 and the bearing 174 cooperatively permit vertical or axial adjustment of the plenum housing 114 relative to the connection point defined by the hinge pin 82 along the major axis 154 while inhibiting movement of the bearing 174 relative to the plenum housing 114 due to the two-point engagement between the bearing 174 and the housing 114 (i.e. engagement of the first protrusion 186 with the edges of the slot 146, and engagement of the second protrusion 190 with the edges of the slot extension 150).
More specifically, and with reference to
To adjust the relative position of the plenum housing 114, housing 114 is moved up or down such that the aperture slides along the outer, lateral extents of the first protrusion 186 and the second protrusion 190.
Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/992,632, filed Jan. 11, 2016, and granted as U.S. Ser. No. 10/477,986 on Nov. 19, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14992632 | Jan 2016 | US |
Child | 16686900 | US |