Patent Grant
9980581
The present invention relates to a refrigerated sales cabinet.
Refrigerated sales cabinets as they are known in the art respectively comprise a cabinet body, side panels, a door frame and at least one door, wherein the side panels are installed on the sides of the cabinet body, the door frame is installed on the cabinet body, the door is installed on the door frame, and sealing strips are provided between the cabinet door and the door frame.
The door frame comprising a front surface, which is exposed to ambient conditions, is cooled when the refrigerated sales cabinet is operated. If the temperature of the front surface drops below the dew point, humid ambient air condensates at this front surface causing water droplets to appear, which is uncomfortable for the customers. Therefore, there is a need to prevent the temperature of this front surface to fall below the dew point temperature.
A door frame according to the prior art comprises an electrical heating element, which is operated to keep the temperature of the front surface above the dew point in order to prevent the condensation of ambient air on the door frame. The electrical energy consumed by such an electrical heating element is very high and considerably contributes to the total energy consumed by the refrigerated sales cabinet in operation.
It therefore would be beneficial to minimize the electrical energy consumption of the refrigerated sales cabinet while still reliably avoiding condensation at the front surface of a door frame of a refrigerated sales cabinet.
A refrigerated sales cabinet according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention comprises a cabinet body providing a refrigerated sales space for supporting refrigerated goods to be presented therein, at least one door, a door frame having a top post, a bottom post, and at least two upright posts extending between the top post and the bottom post. At least one of the posts comprises a main body with a basically constant cross-section including a rear wall portion, two side wall portions, respectively extending forwards from the rear wall portion, and a support member extending between the two side wall portions. The post further includes an insulating front element comprising, from back to front, a rear panel, a front panel forming the front surface of the post, and a thermally insulating layer, which is arranged between the rear panel and the front panel. The insulating front element is attached to the support member by means of at least one connection element which is positioned in a central area of the support member of the main body. The central area is laterally spaced apart from the two side wall portions and the width of the area of contact between the insulating front element and the support member provided by the connection element, seen in a cross-sectional view, is less than 10%, in particular less than 5%, of the width of the support member.
In one embodiment, the central area of the support member is spaced equidistantly from the two side portions of the main body.
A refrigerated sales cabinet according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention comprises a cabinet body providing a refrigerated sales space for supporting refrigerated goods to be presented therein, at least one door, a door frame having a top post, a bottom post, and at least two upright posts extending between the top post and the bottom post. At least one of the posts comprises an air duct allowing conducting air through the post. At least one fan is fluidly connected to the air duct allowing conveying air from the environment through the air duct by operating the fan.
An exemplary method for reducing condensation at the front of a refrigerated sales cabinet comprising a cabinet body providing a refrigerated sales space for supporting refrigerated goods to be sold therein, at least one door, a door frame having a top post, a bottom post, and at least two upright posts, each of the posts having a main body comprising a rear portion, two side portions extending from the rear portion and a front portion extending between the two side portions comprises the steps of: attaching a thermally insulating front element to the main body by means of at least one connection element, which is arranged at a central area of the front portion of the main body, wherein the central portion is laterally spaced apart from the two side portions and wherein the extension of the area of contact between the insulating front element and the front portion provided by the connection element in a direction parallel to the horizontal extension of the insulating front element is less than 10%, in particular less than 5%, of said horizontal extension of the insulating front element.
A further method of reducing condensation at the front of a refrigerated sales cabinet, which comprises a cabinet body having a refrigerated sales space for supporting refrigerated goods to be sold therein, at least one door, and a door frame having a top post, a bottom post and at least two upright posts extending between the top post and the bottom post, includes the step of blowing ambient air through an air duct provided in at least one of the posts.
The disclosure of the invention will become more easily understood with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is appreciated by those skilled in the art that the accompanying drawings are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the invention. In the drawings:
A refrigerated sales cabinet 20 of the front-access type with doors 38 and a door frame 21 according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in
The refrigerated sales cabinet 20 as shown in
A complete refrigeration circuit comprising a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator may be installed in the cabinet body 22, in order to provide a standalone refrigerated cabinet which only needs to be connected to an electric power supply for operation.
Alternatively, only one or more evaporators may be installed within the cabinet body 22, the evaporators being configured to be fluidly connected to an external refrigeration circuit provided in the building in which the refrigerated sales cabinet is to be installed.
The refrigerated sales cabinet 20 may be a cooling sales cabinet 20 which is configured to cool the goods presentation space to cooling temperatures above 0° C.
Alternatively, the refrigerated sales cabinet 20 may be a freezing sales cabinet 20, which is configured to cool the goods presentation space to freezing temperatures below 0° C., in particular to temperatures below −15° C. in order to store and present frozen goods to potential customers.
The left side panel 30 and the right side panel 31 are respectively installed on the left and right hand side of the cabinet body 22. The door frame 21, which comprises a plurality of vertical extending upright posts 32, a horizontal top post 34 and a horizontal bottom post 36, respectively connecting the upright posts 32 to each other, is installed on a front side of the cabinet body 22.
A plurality of cabinet doors 38 is installed on the front side of the door frame 21. The cabinet body 22, the left side panel 30, the right side panel 31, the door frame 21 and the cabinet doors 38 are installed together to form a refrigerated goods storage and presentations space which is closed by and accessible through the doors 38.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention each upright post 32 includes a rigid main body 4, which may be made of aluminium or another high strength material, as e.g. glass reinforced plastic, and which comprises a basically C-shaped cross section, when looked at in the cross-section, comprising a rear portion 4a and two side portions 4b.
The rear portion 4a and the two side portions 4b are exposed to the refrigerated goods presentation space and are thus cooled to low temperatures when the refrigerated sales cabinet 20 is operated.
The side portions 4b are arranged basically parallel to each other and perpendicular to the rear portion 4a. A support member 4c is arranged within the main body 4 extending basically parallel to the rear portion 4a and providing an elongated first hollow space 5 within the main body 4, the elongated hollow space 5 being defined by the support member 4c, the rear portion 4a and the two side portions 4b. Optionally, the first hollow space 5 may be filled with an insulating material, e.g. a thermally insulating foam, in order to enhance the thermally insulating properties of the upright post 32.
A front side of the support member 4c facing the doors 38, which are not shown in
The first and second fastening bracket members 8a, 8b are arranged in a central portion of the support member 4c, which is spaced apart from the two side portions 4b, in order to reduce the transfer of heat (thermal energy) from the insulating front element 9 to the main body 4 via the fastening bracket members 8a, 8b. In particular, each of the bracket members 8a, 8b is spaced at least 15 mm from the respective closest side portion 4b.
In order to reduce the transfer of heat via the fastening bracket members 8a, 8b even further, the area of contact 6 between the first and second fastening bracket members 8a, 8b is made as small as possible. In particular, the width of the area of contact 6 measured parallel to the extension of the support member 4c is configured to be not larger than 10% of the width of said support member 4c and not to exceed 8 mm. In an alternative embodiment the extension of the support member 4c is configured to be not larger than 5% of the width of the support member 4c and does not exceed 5 mm
The fastening bracket members 8a, 8b respectively comprise at least one hook, the hooks of the first and second fastening bracket members 8a, 8b hooking into each other in order to attach the insulating front element 9 to the main body 4. At least one of the hooks of the insulating front element 9 and/or of the main body 4 is provided with an inclined surface respectively facing away from the insulating front element 9 or the main body 4. Providing hooks with inclined surfaces facilitates the movement of the hooks into their mutually engaging position.
The insulating front element 9 includes the rear panel 10 facing the support member 4c and comprising the corresponding second fastening bracket members 8b mentioned before. The rear panel 10 comprises a basically planar central portion 10a and two side wall strips 10b extending basically rectangularly from the plane of the central portion 10a thereby forming a C-shape when looked at in the cross-section. The rear panel 10 extends basically parallel to the rear portion 4a of the main body 4 spanning the distance between the two side portions 4b and providing two L-shaped hollow spaces 7a, 7b, which are respectively defined by the insulating front element 9 and the main body 4, in particular by the rear panel 10, one of the lateral side wall strips 10b, one of the side portions 4b and the support member 4c.
The insulating front element 9 further comprises a basically planar front panel 11, which is arranged facing the doors (not shown) opposite to the rear panel 10 on the front side of the insulating front element 9. The front panel 11 is attached to the side wall strips 10b of the rear panel 10 by means of a further snap on connection provided by third and fourth fastening bracket members 8c, 8d engaging with each other, which are respectively formed at the front end of the side wall strips 10b and the rear side of the front panel 11 facing the rear panel 10.
When installed at the main body 4, the front panel 11 of the insulating front element 9 does not contact the side portions 4b of the main body 4, but air gaps 7c, 7d are formed between the front panel 11 and the side portions 4b, in order to reduce or even avoid heat from flowing from the front panel 11, which is exposed to ambient air, to the main body 4 facing the refrigerated sales space.
The hollow spaces 7a, 7b and the air gaps 7c, 7d provide additional thermal insulation between the insulating front element 9 and the main body 4 reducing the transfer of heat from the front panel 11 of the insulating front element 9 to the main body 4 in order to reduce or even avoid the condensation of ambient air at the front panel 11 of the insulating front element 9.
A thermally insulating coating 11a enhancing the thermal insulating properties of the insulating front element 9 may by applied to the front panel 11. As such a thermally insulating coating 11a, which e.g. may apply nano-technology resulting in a very low thermal conductivity of e.g. less than 0.02 W/mK, provides a very efficient thermally insulating coating 11a, a thin coating, which does not considerably add to the thickness of the front panel 11 and which may e.g. be applied by spraying, may be sufficient in order to reliably prevent the condensation of ambient air on the front side of the refrigerating sales cabinet 20. The thermally insulating coating 11a can be a clear and mole preventing coating used to insulate. It can be non-hazardous and water-based.
An example for a suitable nano-technology based material is for example provided by “Nansulate”®, which is commercially available.
Optionally at least a portion of the rear panel 10, in particular the back-side of the rear panel 10 facing the main body 4, may be covered with a thermally insulating coating, as well, in order to reduce the transfer of heat through the insulating front element 9 even further.
A thermally insulating layer 12 is provided on the front side of the rear panel 10 of the insulating front element 9 facing the front panel 11. Said thermally insulating layer 12 may be enclosed within the insulating front element 9 in between the rear panel 10, the lateral side wall strips 10b and the front panel 11. Such an enclosure within the insulating front element 9 protects the thermally insulating layer 12 from being damaged, e.g. by the doors 38 or clumsy customers hitting the upright post 32, and further allows an easy installation of the thermally insulating layer 12 at the main body 4 of the upright post 32.
The thermally insulating layer 12 may include a thermally insulating foam, an aerogel based on nano technology and/or a vacuum panel in order to provide thermal insulation.
The rear and front panels 10, 11 of the insulating front element 9 may be made of any suitable plastic or metallic material, e.g. Aluminium or PVC, or a combination thereof.
A perspective view of a refrigerated sales cabinet 20a of the front-access type according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in
The refrigerated sales cabinet 20a according to the second embodiment shown in
Again, a complete refrigeration circuit comprising a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator may be installed in the cabinet body 22a, in order to provide a standalone refrigerated cabinet which only needs to be connected to an electric power supply for operation.
Alternatively, only one or more evaporators may be installed within the cabinet body 22a, the evaporators being configured to be fluidly connected to an external refrigeration circuit provided in the building in which the refrigerated sales cabinet is to be installed.
The refrigerated sales cabinet 20a may be a cooling sales cabinet 20a which is configured to cool the goods presentation space to cooling temperatures above 0° C.
Alternatively or additionally, the refrigerated sales cabinet 20a may be a freezing sales cabinet 20a, which is configured to cool the goods presentation space to freezing temperatures below 0° C., in particular to temperatures below −15° C. in order to store and present frozen goods to potential customers.
The left side panel 30a and the right side panel (not shown) are respectively installed on the left and right hand side of the cabinet body 22a. The door frame 21a, comprising a plurality of vertical extending upright posts 32a, a horizontal top post 34a and a horizontal bottom post 36a, respectively connecting the upright posts 32a to each other, is installed on a front side of the cabinet body 22a.
A plurality of cabinet doors, which are not shown in
A cavity extending along the length of the respective post 32a, 34a, 36a is formed in at least some of the posts 32a, 34a, 36a forming the door frame 21a in order to allow air to flow though the respective post 32a, 34a, 36a. Two fans 18 are arranged on top of the door frame 21a above the upper ends of two middle upright posts 32a. The fans 18 are configured to blow comparatively warm air, which collects in an upper portion of the room on top of the cabinet body 22a, through the cavities provided within the posts 32a, 34a, 36a heating the posts 32a, 34a, 36a in order to avoid that the temperature of the posts 32a, 34a, 36a falls below the dew point and humid air from the environment condensates at the front side of the posts 32a, 34a, 36a when the refrigeration circuit of the refrigerated sales cabinet 20a is operating cooling the refrigerated sales space and the main body 4 of the posts 32a, 34a, 36a facing the refrigerated sales space.
The skilled person will easily understand that the two fans 18 shown in
When the refrigeration circuit cooling the refrigerated sales space is operating, the portions of the door frame 21a exposed to the cooled good presentation space are cooled, and consequently the air flowing through the posts 32a, 34a, 36a of the door frame 21a is cooled, as well. In consequence, humidity comprised in the warm air entering the door frame 21a may condensate on its way through the door frame 21a. The condensation water, which is formed, may stick to the inner walls of the posts 32a, 34a, 36a or exit the door frame 21a via the air outlets 16a together with the air resulting in a puddle of water formed in front of the door frame 21a, which is inconvenient and may be dangerous for potential customers standing in front of or walking by the cabinet body 22a. Thus, an air-liquid-separator 14 is formed within or below the horizontal bottom post 36a in order to separate the condensation water from the air before exiting the door frame 21a.
A schematic cross-sectional view of such an air-liquid-separator 14 is shown in
In an embodiment of a refrigerated sales cabinet according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention the insulating front element is attached to the support member of the main body by means of a snap-on connection comprising a first fastening bracket formed at the support member that engages with a corresponding second fastening bracket formed at the rear side of the rear panel. A snap-on connection comprising a first fastening bracket formed at the support member that engages with a corresponding second fastening bracket formed at the rear side of the rear panel provides a convenient way of attaching the insulating front element to the support member with a small area of contact, thereby reducing the transfer of heat from the insulating front element to the support member.
In an embodiment the fastening brackets respectively comprise at least one hook, wherein the hooks of the first and second fastening brackets hook into each other in order to attach the insulating front element to the main body. In an embodiment the at least one hook of the front element is provided with an inclined surface facing away from the front element and the at least one hook of the main body is provided with an inclined surface facing away from the main body. Hooks comprising such inclined surfaces allow an easy engagement of the hooks/fastening brackets.
In an embodiment the fastening brackets are formed as extruded elements extending along the length of the post. Extrusion provides a cheap and convenient method of forming the fastening brackets.
In an embodiment the snap-on connection is symmetrical with respect to a symmetry plane extending along the length of the post being oriented perpendicular to the plane of the insulating front element. A symmetric snap-on connection is easy to produce and provides a good thermal insulation, as the distance to the cold parts of the main body may be maximized.
In an embodiment the front panel does not contact the main body and there is no contact between the rear panel and the main body other than the contact provided by the at least one connection element. In an embodiment there is a gap of at least 3 mm between the insulating front element and the main body. Such a gap minimizes the flow of heat from the insulating element to the main body.
In an embodiment the insulating front element comprises, from back to front, a rear panel, a front panel forming the front surface of the post, and a thermally insulating layer, which is arranged between the rear panel and the front panel and comprises a thermally insulating nanoporous aerogel, foam and/or a vacuum panel. Providing a thermally insulating layer within the insulating front element enhances the thermal insulating properties of the insulating front element and contributes to reduce the risk of condensation at its front side.
In an embodiment said thermally insulating layer is sandwiched between said rear panel and said front panel, and/or said rear panel and said front panel together with two respective side wall strips completely enclose said thermally insulating layer. Such an enclosure within the insulating front element protects the thermally insulating layer from being damaged, e.g. by the doors or clumsy customers hitting the upright post and further allows an easy installation of the thermally insulating layer at the main body of the upright post.
In an embodiment the rear panel and/or the front panel comprise a plastic material, particularly PVC. Plastic and in particular PVC is a cheap material, which is well suited for forming the rear panel and/or the front panel of the insulating front element.
In an embodiment the rear panel and the front panel are attached to each other by means of a second snap-on connection. A snap-on connection provides a convenient measure for attaching the rear panel to the front panel.
In an embodiment at least a front surface of the front panel and/or a portion of the rear panel are covered with a thermally insulating coating, in particular a coating which employs nano-technology for providing thermal insulation against the main body of the post. Covering the front panel and/or the rear panel at least partially with a thermally insulating coating enhanced the thermal insulating properties of the panels and thereby helps to reduce the risk of condensation at the front panel.
In an embodiment an electrical heater is provided in the insulating front element in order to avoid condensation at front element. As the front element is thermally insulated, less energy for heating is needed in order to reliably avoid condensation at front element. The electrical heater in particular may be the arranged adjacent to or in contact with the front panel in order to provide an efficient heat transfer from the electrical heater to the front element.
In an embodiment the at least one fan provided at the refrigerated sales cabinet is configured for conveying air from the top of the refrigerated sales cabinet to a lower portion of the refrigerated sales cabinet. Due to the laws of thermodynamics warm air, which is particularly suited for heating the main body, collects on top of the refrigerated sales cabinet. Thus, directing air from the top of the refrigerated sales cabinet through the cavities formed within the door frame is specifically efficient for heating the door frame in order to avoid or at least reduce the condensation of ambient air at its front.
In an embodiment the at least one fan is located at the top of the cabinet body and configured for squeezing the air through the door frame. Alternatively, the fan may be provided in a lower portion of the door frame in order to suck air from the top to the bottom of the door frame.
In an embodiment an air-liquid-separator is provided in order to separate condensation water from the air-liquid-mixture before it exits the air duct. Such a separation avoids that air comprising condensed water forming a puddle of water, which would be annoying for customers standing in front of or walking by the refrigerated sales cabinet, is dispensed from the air duct.
In an embodiment a liquid outlet of the air-liquid-separator is fluidly connected to a water drain of the refrigerated sales cabinet in order to efficiently dispense the condensation water separated by the air-liquid-separator.
In an embodiment the refrigerated sales cabinet is configured to cool the refrigerated sales space down to freezing temperatures below 0° C., in particular to temperatures below −15° C. in order to store and present frozen goods to potential customers.
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
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| PCT/EP2012/068776 | 9/24/2012 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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| WO2014/044330 | 3/27/2014 | WO | A |
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