The present invention relates to a refrigerated merchandiser, and more particularly, to a refrigerated merchandiser including a power generation system that uses airflow movement to generate power for one or more components in the refrigerated merchandiser.
Refrigerated merchandisers generally include a case defining a product display area for supporting and displaying food products to be visible and accessible through an opening in the front of the case. Refrigerated merchandisers are generally used in retail food store applications such as grocery or convenient stores or other locations where food product is displayed in a refrigerated condition. Some refrigerated merchandisers include doors to enclose the product display area of the case and reduce the amount of cold air released into the surrounding environment. The doors typically include one or more glass panels that allow a consumer to view the food products stored inside the case. Other merchandisers do not have doors, but utilize one or more air curtains directed across the product display area to separate the refrigerated environment of the product display area from the ambient environment surrounding the merchandiser.
Refrigerated merchandisers also often include one more electrical components, such as fans, light bulbs, etc. that are located within the refrigerated merchandisers and are powered by outside electrical sources. Over time, use of these electrical components results in high electrical costs.
In one construction, the invention provides a refrigerated merchandiser that includes a case defining a product display area. The case has an air inlet located adjacent the product display area, an air outlet to discharge an airflow into the product display area, and a passageway fluidly connecting the air inlet to the air outlet to direct a conditioned airflow from the air outlet across the product display area and generally toward the air inlet. The merchandiser also includes an electrical component and a power generation system that has a power generation device in communication with the airflow to convert kinetic energy of the airflow into electrical energy to power the electrical component based on movement of the airflow.
In another construction, the refrigerated merchandiser also includes a light source coupled to the case and positioned to illuminate the product display area, a fan positioned in the passageway to generate the airflow, and a power generation system. The power generation system has a housing coupled to the case within the passageway, and an air diffuser and a generator disposed in the housing. The air diffuser has an opening to receive an airflow flowing through the passageway. The generator is in communication with the airflow to convert kinetic energy of the airflow into electrical energy to at least partially power at least one of the light source and the fan based on movement of the airflow within the passageway.
In another construction, the invention provides a method of powering an electrical component in a refrigerated merchandiser. The method includes directing an airflow through a passageway within the merchandiser that communicates air to an air outlet, and discharging the airflow through the air outlet to condition a product display area of the merchandiser. The method also includes directing the airflow through a generator, converting kinetic energy of the airflow into electrical energy in response to air passing through the generator, and at least partially powering an electrical component of the merchandiser via the electrical energy generated based on movement of the airflow.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any constructions 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. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.
The case 18 also includes vertical mullions 50 that define openings 54 in communication with the product display area 42 to allow access to the food product 14. The mullions 50 are spaced horizontally along the case 18 to provide structural support for the case 18. Each mullion 50 is defined by a structural member that can be formed from a non-metallic or metallic material. The doors 38 are pivotally coupled to the casing 18 over the openings 54, and substantially enclose the product display area 42.
In the illustrated construction, the refrigerated merchandiser 10 includes four doors 38 separated by the mullions 50. In other constructions, the refrigerated merchandiser 10 may include fewer or more doors 38 depending on the size of the case 18. In yet other constructions, the refrigerated merchandiser 10 includes no doors 38 or mullions 50, and is instead an open refrigerated merchandiser 10.
Referring to
The airflow 62 is directed downward through the product display area 42 out of an air outlet 74 toward the base 22, where at least some of the airflow 62 passes through an air inlet 78. As illustrated in
With continued reference to
With reference to
As illustrated, the power generation system 90 includes an air diffuser 94 coupled to the case 14 at a location adjacent the air inlet 78. More specifically, the illustrated air diffuser 94 is disposed between the air inlet 78 and the fan 82. In other constructions the air diffuser 94 can be located elsewhere along the path of the airflow 62. The air diffuser 94 includes an opening 96 (
With reference to
The power generation system 90 also includes a transformer 106 that is located adjacent the generator 102 and that is in electrical communication with the generator 102. In some constructions, the transformer 106 forms part of one or both of the generator 102 and the air diffuser 94. Generally, the transformer 106 transforms the AC power generated by the generator 102 into direct current (“DC”) power. In some constructions the transformer 106 can be a separate component disposed either inside or outside of the housing 92.
As illustrated by the dashed line 108 in
In some constructions, one or more of the air diffuser 94, the generator 102, and the transformer 106 can be placed in the air passageway 70 along the rear of the merchandiser 10. For example, in some constructions, the generator 102 and the transformer 106 can be positioned within the air passageway 70 along the rear wall 26, and as air flows through the air passageway 70, the air impacts the generator 102 and causes rotation of one or more components in the generator 102 to generate AC power that can be converted into DC power, if needed. Generally, the air diffuser 94, the generator 102, and the transformer 106 can be located anywhere in the merchandiser 10 as long as the air diffuser 94 is in airflow communication with the passageway 70.
With reference to
As illustrated by dashed line 112 in
In operation, the power generation system 90 captures energy from the airflow 62 within the merchandiser 10 and uses that energy to partially or completely power one or more electrical components in the merchandiser 10. The air diffuser 94 diffuses at least part of the airflow 62 (e.g., directs the airflow 62 in a desired pattern or direction) that is received from the air inlet 78. The air captured by the air diffuser 94 rotates the blades 104, which in turn converts the kinetic energy of the moving air into electrical energy in the form of AC power. The transformer 106 can be used to transform the AC power into DC power. The AC power and the DC power output from the power generation system 90 is based on airflow within the merchandiser 10 such that the merchandiser 10 does not need to rely only on an outside power source for operation.
Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.