초록 ▼

A cooling apparatus for such things as convenience foods and beverages has a tilted, open faced bed from which persons may select objects. The apparatus is self-contained, and may run from a standard single phase electrical outlet. It may be carried by two people, and is suitable for mounting either

A cooling apparatus for such things as convenience foods and beverages has a tilted, open faced bed from which persons may select objects. The apparatus is self-contained, and may run from a standard single phase electrical outlet. It may be carried by two people, and is suitable for mounting either on its own base in a recess in a checkout counter or other similar installation. The open faced be may have a channel depth of section that is relatively deep as compared with to its width, the flow path length, or the depth of the flow released to run along the channel, thereby tending to discourage mixing of the cooled flow with the surrounding ambient environment. The apparatus may include a two piece molded housing that defines the structural skeleton for both the cooling bed and a lodgement for various elements of the cooling system. The bed may include a porous deck, or drain panels, that may tend to encourgare cooled air to drain toward a cooling plenum intake panel. The bed may include a pooling region adjacent to the air intake plenum in which cooler, less buoyant air may collect.

대표청구항 ▼

We claimed: 1. A cooling apparatus comprising: a housing, said housing having an upper portion and a lower portion; said lower portion of said housing including a base; said upper portion of said housing having a front wall, a rear wall, a right hand side wall and a left hand side wall; said upper

We claimed: 1. A cooling apparatus comprising: a housing, said housing having an upper portion and a lower portion; said lower portion of said housing including a base; said upper portion of said housing having a front wall, a rear wall, a right hand side wall and a left hand side wall; said upper portion having a cooling bed located therein; said front, rear, right hand side and left hand side walls being mounted about said cooling bed, and standing proud thereof; said rear wall extending higher than said front wall; said cooling bed having a higher portion adjacent said rear wall, and a lower portion adjacent said front wall; refrigeration equipment mounted within said housing; said refrigeration equipment being operable to deliver cooled air to said higher portion of said bed and to draw in air from said lower portion of said bed; said housing having a periphery and a mounting interface extending about at least a portion of said periphery; and a portion of said housing being located above said mounting interface, and a portion of said housing being located below said mounting interface; and said bed including a bed plate and a multiply perforated member overlying, and spaced from, said bed plate, said bed plate and said multiply perforated member defining a plenum therebetween by which air may be conducted toward said lower portion. 2. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 wherein said refrigeration equipment includes a compressor, and said lower portion of said housing includes a lodgement for said compressor. 3. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bed is open faced. 4. The cooling apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a closure member, said closure member being movable to a position obstructing access to said bed. 5. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display bed is substantially rectangular, said apparatus includes an air delivery manifold extending across said higher portion of said display bed, and a return manifold mounted at said lower portion of said bed, said refrigeration equipment being connected to feed said delivery manifold and to draw intake air from said return manifold. 6. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lower portion is a moulded part having a lodgement formed therein for said refrigeration equipment. 7. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cooling bed is an open faced inclined display bed, the mounting interface includes shoulder fittings mounted at a mid height level to permit said cooling apparatus to be mounted in a partially sunken position relative to a store counter, and said cooling apparatus includes a self-contained vapour cycle refrigeration system, said vapour cycle refrigeration system being operable to feed cooled air to an upper region of said display bed, and to extract air from a lower region of said inclined bed. 8. The cooler as claimed in claim 7 wherein said cooler apparatus has an overall volume less than a unit having a width of 30 inches, a depth from back to front of 36 inches and a height of less than 30 inches. 9. The cooler of claim 7 wherein said cooler apparatus has at least one of: (a) a width of less than 30 inches, (b) a depth from front to back of less than 36 inches, and (c) a height of less than 30 inches. 10. The cooling apparatus of claim 7 wherein said inclined bed faces predominantly frontwardly of said unit, said unit has a rearward facing side, and said refrigeration system rejects heat from said rearward facing side. 11. The cooling apparatus as claimed claim 1 wherein said cooling apparatus has an overall volume less than a unit having a width of 30 inches, a depth from back to front of 36 inches and a height of less than 30 inches. 12. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cooling apparatus has at least one of: (a) a width of less than 30 inches, (b) a depth from front to back of less than 36 inches, and (c) a height of less than 30 inches. 13. A cooling apparatus comprising: a housing, said housing having an upper portion and a lower portion; said lower portion of said housing including a base; said upper portion of said housing having a front wall, a rear wall, a right hand side wall and a left hand side wall; said upper portion having a cooling bed located therein; said front, rear, right hand side and left hand side walls being mounted about said cooling bed, and standing proud thereof; said rear wall extending higher than said front wall; said cooling bed having a higher portion adjacent said rear wall, and a lower portion adjacent said front wall; refrigeration equipment mounted within said housing; said refrigeration equipment being operable to deliver cooled air to said higher portion of said cooling bed and to draw in air from said lower portion of said cooling bed; said housing having a periphery and a mounting interface extending about at least a portion of said periphery; a portion of said housing being located above said mounting interface, and a portion of said housing being located below said mounting interface; and a base plate having a first leg defining a bottom wall of said cooling bed, and a second leg angled from said first leg, said second leg of said upper portion and said lower portion being mating moulded parts. 14. The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said cooling apparatus has an overall volume less than a unit having a width of 30 inches, a depth from back to front of 36 inches and a height of less than 30 inches. 15. The cooling apparatus of claim 13 wherein said cooling apparatus has at least one of: (a) a width of less than 30 inches, (b) a depth from front to back of less than 36 inches, and (c) a height of less than 30 inches. 16. A cooler having an open faced inclined display bed, the cooler having: shoulder fittings mounted at a mid height level to permit said cooler to be mounted in a partially sunken position relative to a store counter; a self-contained vapour cycle refrigeration system, said vapour cycle refrigeration system being operable to feed cooled air to an upper region of said display bed, and to extract air from a lower region of said inclined bed; and a moulded lower portion and an overlying bed plate, said lower portion and said bed plate co-operating to define a cooling air plenum therebetween, the cooling air plenum having an evaporator mounted therein, said bed plate having a first leg overlying said plenum, and a second leg bent with respect thereto, said second leg having perforations defining an inlet manifold, and said second leg mounted to bound a lower end of said inclined display bed.