초록 ▼

An island refrigerated display case can be constructed so as to in effect constitute to back-to-back display cases that can be arranged as a separate aisle within a supermarket. Such an island refrigerated display case has two interior display spaces separated by a partition wall with each display s

An island refrigerated display case can be constructed so as to in effect constitute to back-to-back display cases that can be arranged as a separate aisle within a supermarket. Such an island refrigerated display case has two interior display spaces separated by a partition wall with each display space having its own access opening so as to enable refrigerated products to be removed from that portion of the case. Encircling each of the interior display spaces is an associated refrigeration air conduit. Each of the refrigeration air conduits has an inlet and outlet opening positioned so as to direct air across the corresponding access opening for the interior display space. Thus during the refrigeration cycle of operation, a refrigerated air curtain is formed between the corresponding outer wall and the center partition wall so as to extend across the associated access opening. The portions of the refrigeration air conduits that extend through the partition wall can be joined so as to form a single chamber. In this manner, the evaporator coils can be located either along each of the refrigeration air conduits or in the central chamber within the partition wall. The island display cases are defrosted by an ambient air defrost system in which ambient air is drawn into and circulated through the refrigeration air conduits for defrosting any frost buildup within such conduits.

대표청구항 ▼

An island refrigerated display case comprising: a cabinet having four outer walls and a bottom wall, first and second interior display spaces with a partition wall separating said display spaces, and an access opening associated with each of said display spaces for enabling access to refrigerated pr

An island refrigerated display case comprising: a cabinet having four outer walls and a bottom wall, first and second interior display spaces with a partition wall separating said display spaces, and an access opening associated with each of said display spaces for enabling access to refrigerated products within said display case; a first refrigeration air conduit extending along one of said outer walls, said bottom wall and said partition wall of said cabinet so as to extend around said first interior display space and having an air inlet opening at one end of the associated said access opening and an air outlet opening at the other end of the associated said access opening, said inlet opening and said outlet opening being aligned so that air leaving said outlet opening is directed across said access opening and received by said inlet opening so as to establish a refrigerated air curtain across said access opening; a second refrigeration air curtain extending along the opposite of said outer walls, said bottom wall and said partition wall of said cabinet so as to extend around said second interior display space and having an air inlet opening at one end of the associated said access opening and an air outlet opening at the other end of the associated said access opening, said inlet opening and said outlet opening being aligned so that air leaving said outlet opening is directed across said access opening and received by said inlet opening so as to establish a refrigerated air curtain across said access opening; air circulating means for circulating air through said first refrigeration air conduit and said second refrigeration air conduit; refrigeration means for cooling air flowing through said first and second refrigeration air conduits during a refrigeration cycle operation of said display case; control means for switching said display case between a refrigeration cycle of operation and a defrost cycle of operation and during such defrost cycle of operation temporarily terminating the operation of said refrigeration means and causing ambient air to be drawn into and flow through said first refrigeration air conduit and said second refrigeration air conduit for causing defrosting of any frost buildup within such conduits; and, means for causing the ambient air during a defrost cycle of operation to be expelled from each of said refrigeration conduits so as to flow up and away from said display case along a path flowing over the outside of an outer wall of said cabinet so that such expelled ambient air is prevented from re-entering said refrigeration conduits.