Refrigerated display equipment

Claim 2

In a refrigerated display case having a refrigerated space therein provided with an access opening for customers in the front of said display space, means for establishing an air curtain embodying at least two layers of air moving across said opening, said means including inner and outer air discharge means positioned adjacent one edge of said access opening, inner and outer return air inlets positioned adjacent the opposite edge of said access opening, a first air duct means extending from said inner return air inlet to said inner air discharge means, a second air duct means extending from said outer return air inlet to said outer air discharge means, means for circulating air through said first and second air duct means from said return air inlets to said air discharge means, and means for refrigerating the air circulated through at least said first air duct means, the improvement comprising a rear opening providing access to said refrigerated space for service personnel at the rear of said case, a door for closing said rear opening, said first and second air duct means each having a portion thereof extending vertically upward within the display space in the rear thereof and in heat exchanging relation with said space and adjacent said rear opening.

Claim 3

A refrigerated display case as defined in claim 1 wherein said vertically extending portions of said first and second air duct means are arranged side by side and in heat exchanging relation with each other.

Claim 4

A refrigerated display case as defined in claim 1 wherein there are two rear openings to said refrigerated space with a vertically extending column therebetween and at least a part of said vertically extending portions of said first and second air duct means are located within said column.

Claim 5

A refrigerated display case as defined in claim 1 wherein said case is provided with thermally insulated top, bottom and rear walls and said first and second air duct means are located within the confines of said insulated walls and door of the case.

Claim 6

A refrigerated display case as definEd in claim 4 wherein shelves are supported within the refrigerated space and have portions pivotally connected thereto and projecting rearwardly between the vertically extending portions of said air duct means.

Claim 7

A refrigerated display case as defined in claim 1 wherein means are provided for establishing an air curtain directed across the rear opening in said case.

Claim 8

A refrigerated display case as defined in claim 6 wherein said means include a refrigerating element, a blower for directing air over said refrigerating element and two converging nozzles located above the rear opening in the case through which air cooled by said refrigerating element is directed across said rear opening.

Claim 9

A refrigerated display case as defined in claim 1 wherein means are provided for drawing air from a space at the rear of the display case and directing such air downward in front of said air curtain.

Claim 10

A refrigerated display case as defined in claim 1 wherein said inner and outer air discharge means extend throughout substantially the entire length of the access opening, a plenum chamber communicating with at least said first air duct means and extending substantially the full length of said air discharge means, said refrigerating means including an evaporator extending longitudinally of the plenum chamber, means for distributing air moving from the upper ends of said air duct means to said air discharge means substantially uniformly throughout the length of said air discharge means including fins mounted on said evaporator extending substantially at right angles thereto, together with a plurality of longitudinally spaced dividers extending at right angles to said air discharge opening between the upper ends of said air duct means, and blowers positioned between said dividers.

Claim 11

A refrigerated display case having a display space which is open at the front, means movable to close the rear of said display space, a plurality of longitudinally spaced vertically extending columns located within said case and in front of said means closing the rear of said display space, a lower plenum chamber within said case beneath said display space, an upper plenum chamber within said case above said display space, an evaporator in said upper plenum chamber, means for establishing an air curtain moving across said open front of the display space including an air inlet adjacent the lower edge of said opening communicating with said lower plenum chamber, vertical air ducts communicating with said lower plenum chamber and extending upward through said columns to said upper plenum chamber, two air discharge outlets communicating with said upper plenum chamber and located adjacent the upper edge of said opening, fans for moving air from said inlet opening through the lower plenum chamber, vertical air ducts and upper plenum chamber to said air discharge outlets, heating means associated with said evaporator to defrost the same, and control means operable to discontinue operation of said fans when said heating means is actuated to defrost the evaporator, said upper plenum chamber being formed to retain air therein when said heating means is actuated and the operation of said fans discontinued.

Claim 12

A refrigerated display case having a display space which is open at the front, means movable to close the rear of said display space, a plurality of longitudinally spaced vertically extending columns located within said case and in front of said means closing the rear of said display space, a lower plenum chamber within said case beneath said display space, an upper plenum chamber within said case above said display space, an evaporator in said upper plenum chamber, means for establishing an air curtain moving across said open front of the display space including an air inlet adjacent the lower edge of said opening communicating with said lower plenum chamber, vertical air ducts communicating with said lower plenum chamber and extending upward through said columns to said upper plenum chamber, two air discharge outlets communicating with said upper plenum chamber and located adjacent the upper edge of said opening, fans for moving air from said inlet opening through the lower plenum chamber, vertical air ducts and upper plenum chamber to said air discharge outlets, heating means associated with said evaporator to defrost the same, and control means operable to discontinue operation of said fans when said heating means is actuated to defrost the evaporator, said upper plenum chamber being formed to retain air therein when said heating means is actuated and the operation of said fans discontinued.

Claim 13

A refrigerated display case as defined in claim 10 wherein an evaporator is located in said upper plenum chamber, heating elements associated with said evaporator, and control means operable to discontinue operation of said fans when said heating elements are energized.

Claim 14

A refrigerated display case as defined in claim 10 wherein said upper plenum chamber is formed to retain air therein when operation of said fans is discontinued and said heating elements are energized.