US4478047A — Energy efficient glass door merchandiser

Claim 1

Independent Claim 229 words

A glass door refrigerated display case comprising: a cabinet having top, bottom, rear and front walls and an interior display space, with an access opening in said front wall for enabling access into said interior display space; at least one glass door covering said access opening in said front wall, said door being movable into an open position for enabling access to products in said interior display space; a refrigeration air conduit extending along said top, bottom and rear walls and having an outlet opening and an inlet opening at opposing ends thereof, said outlet opening and said inlet opening being arranged so that air leaving said outlet opening will be directed toward and received by said inlet opening so as to form a refrigerated air curtain across said front opening along a path inside of said door; refrigeration means including an evaporator coil arranged within said refrigeration air conduit for refrigerating air circulated through said refrigeration air conduit during a refrigeration cycle of operation; first air circulating means for circulating air through said refrigeration air conduit; and, a secondary air conduit extending at least partially around said refrigeration air conduit and having an outlet opening adjacent to said outlet opening of said refrigeration air conduit for directing air across said access opening along a path inside of said glass door so as to form a secondary air curtain.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 229 words

A glass door refrigerated display case comprising: a cabinet having top, bottom, rear and front walls and an interior display space, with an access opening in said front wall for enabling access into said interior display space; at least one glass door covering said access opening in said front wall, said door being movable into an open position for enabling access to products in said interior display space; a refrigeration air conduit extending along said top, bottom and rear walls and having an outlet opening and an inlet opening at opposing ends thereof, said outlet opening and said inlet opening being arranged so that air leaving said outlet opening will be directed toward and received by said inlet opening so as to form a refrigerated air curtain across said front opening along a path inside of said door; refrigeration means including an evaporator coil arranged within said refrigeration air conduit for refrigerating air circulated through said refrigeration air conduit during a refrigeration cycle of operation; first air circulating means for circulating air through said refrigeration air conduit; and, a secondary air conduit extending at least partially around said refrigeration air conduit and having an outlet opening adjacent to said outlet opening of said refrigeration air conduit for directing air across said access opening along a path inside of said glass door so as to form a secondary air curtain.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 1, further comprising means for circulating ambient air through said glass door.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 45 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 2, wherein said means for circulating ambient air through said door further includes means for establishing an ambient air flow along the outside of said glass door when said glass door is in its closed position.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 36 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 1 or 3, wherein said secondary air conduit has an inlet opening arranged within said refrigeration air conduit for receiving air passing through said refrigeration air conduit.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 55 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 4, wherein said inlet opening of said secondary air conduit is arranged so that it receives some air that has passed partially through said evaporator coil of said refrigeration means so as to establish a temperature gradient in the air flowing through said secondary air conduit.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 27 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 5, wherein there is approximately a 10° F. gradient in the air flowing through said secondary air conduit.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 55 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 1 or 3 wherein said secondary air conduit extends entirely around said refrigeration air conduit and has an inlet opening arranged adjacent to said inlet opening of said refrigeration air conduit and further comprising secondary air circulating means for circulating air through said secondary air conduit.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 58 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 1 or 3 further comprising control means for switching said glass door refrigerated display case into a defrost cycle of operation and during such defrost cycle of operation said control means temporarily turns off said refrigeration means and causes ambient air to be circulated through said refrigeration air conduit.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 46 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 8, wherein said control means causes said first air circulating means to circulate ambient air through said refrigeration air conduit in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of air during a refrigeration cycle of operation.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 54 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 6 further comprising control means for switching said glass door refrigerated display case into a defrost cycle of operation and during such defrost cycle said control means temporarily turns off said refrigeration means and causes ambient air to be circulated through said refrigeration air conduit.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 44 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 10, wherein said control means causes said first air circulating means to circulate ambient air through said refrigeration air conduit in a direction opposite to the direction of flow during a refrigeration cycle of operation.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 88 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 11, wherein said first air circulating means also causes ambient air to flow through said secondary air conduit during a defrost cycle of operation and for such air to flow in a direction opposite the direction of flow during a refrigeration cycle of operation and such ambient air flow through said secondary air conduit being such that it transfers heat by conduction and convection to the air flowing through said refrigeration air conduit during a defrost cycle of operation.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 56 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 7 further comprising control means for switching said glass door refrigerated display case into a defrost cycle of operation and during such defrost cycle of operation said control means temporarily turns off said refrigeration means and causes ambient air to be circulated through said refrigeration air conduit.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 106 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 8, wherein during a defrost cycle of operation said control means causes said secondary air circulating means to draw ambient air into said secondary air conduit so as to flow in a direction opposite the direction of air flow during a refrigeration cycle of operation and said first air circulating means maintains a flow of air in the same direction during a defrost cycle of operation as during a refrigeration cycle of operation and further comprising means for diverting ambient air from said secondary air conduit into said refrigeration air conduit during a defrost cycle of operation.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 68 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 13, wherein said control means causes both said first air circulating means and said second air circulating means to cause ambient air to flow through said refrigeration air conduit and said secondary air conduit, respectively, in a direction during a defrost cycle of operation that is opposite to the direction of air flow during a refrigeration cycle of operation.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 48 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 14 further comprising means for opening said glass door during a defrost cycle of operation so that said secondary air circulating means can draw in ambient air from outside of said display case during such defrost cycle of operation.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 62 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 15 further comprising means for opening said glass door during a defrost cycle of operation so that both said first air circulating means and said second air circulating means can draw in ambient air for circulation through said refrigeration air conduit and said secondary air conduit, respectively, during a defrost cycle of operation.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 61 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 17 further comprising means for opening said glass door during a defrost cycle of operation and said control means reversing the direction of flow through said refrigeration air conduit, causing said first air circulating means to draw ambient air into said refrigeration air conduit and turning off said second air circulating means.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 210 words

A glass door refrigerated display case comprising: a cabinet having top, bottom, rear and front walls and an interior display space, with an access opening in said front wall for enabling access into said interior display space; at least one glass door covering said access opening in said front wall, said door being movable into an open position for enabling access to products in said interior display space, said door having two glass members mounted within a frame with a space between said glass members; a refrigeration air conduit extending along said top, bottom and rear walls and having an outlet opening and an inlet opening at opposing ends thereof, said outlet opening and said inlet opening being arranged so that air leaving said outlet opening will be directed toward and received by said inlet opening so as to form a refrigerated air curtain across said front opening along a path inside of said door; refrigeration means including an evaporator coil arranged within said refrigeration air conduit for refrigerating air circulated through said refrigeration air conduit during a refrigeration cycle of operation; first air circulating means for circulating air through said refrigeration air conduit; and means for minimizing condensation outside said glass members without requiring utilization of an electrical heater.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 210 words

A glass door refrigerated display case comprising: a cabinet having top, bottom, rear and front walls and an interior display space, with an access opening in said front wall for enabling access into said interior display space; at least one glass door covering said access opening in said front wall, said door being movable into an open position for enabling access to products in said interior display space, said door having two glass members mounted within a frame with a space between said glass members; a refrigeration air conduit extending along said top, bottom and rear walls and having an outlet opening and an inlet opening at opposing ends thereof, said outlet opening and said inlet opening being arranged so that air leaving said outlet opening will be directed toward and received by said inlet opening so as to form a refrigerated air curtain across said front opening along a path inside of said door; refrigeration means including an evaporator coil arranged within said refrigeration air conduit for refrigerating air circulated through said refrigeration air conduit during a refrigeration cycle of operation; first air circulating means for circulating air through said refrigeration air conduit; and means for minimizing condensation outside said glass members without requiring utilization of an electrical heater.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 26 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 19, wherein said means for minimizing condensation includes means for circulating ambient air through said glass door.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 75 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 20, wherein said means for circulating ambient air through said door includes an ambient air conduit having an outlet opening arranged in alignment with said glass door for directing air between said glass members when said glass door is in a closed position and ambient air circulating means for drawing ambient air into said ambient air conduit and circulating ambient air through said ambient air conduit.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 42 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 21, wherein said means for circulating ambient air further includes means for establishing an ambient air flow along the outside of said glass door when said glass door is in its closed position.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 63 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 19 further comprising: a secondary air conduit extending at least partially around said refrigeration air conduit and having an outlet opening adjacent to said outlet opening of said refrigeration air conduit for directing air across said access opening along a path inside of said glass door so as to form a secondary air curtain.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 34 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 23, wherein said secondary air conduit has an inlet opening arranged within said refrigeration air conduit for receiving air passing through said refrigeration air conduit.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 55 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 24, wherein said inlet opening of said secondary air conduit is arranged so that it receives some air that has passed partially through said evaporator coil of said refrigeration means so as to establish a temperature gradient in the air flowing through said secondary air conduit.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 27 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 25, wherein there is approximately a 10° F. gradient in the air flowing through said secondary air conduit.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 53 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 23, wherein said secondary air conduit extends entirely around said refrigeration air conduit and has an inlet opening arranged adjacent to said inlet opening of said refrigeration air conduit and further comprising secondary air circulating means for circulating air through said secondary air conduit.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 58 words

A glass door refrigerated display case according to claim 19 or 23 further comprising control means for switching said glass door refrigerated display case into a defrost cycle of operation and during such defrost cycle of operation said control means temporarily turns off said refrigeration means and causes ambient air to be circulated through said refrigeration air conduit.

Claim 31

Independent Claim 179 words

A method of operating a glass door refrigerated display case having a cabinet with an access opening in its front wall for enabling access into an interior display space within the cabinet, at least one glass door covering the access opening, such glass door being movable into an open position for enabling access to products within the interior display space and having two glass members mounted within a frame with a space between such glass members, a refrigeration air conduit extending along the cabinet with an outlet opening and an inlet opening arranged at opposing ends of the access opening, the method comprising the steps of: circulating air through the refrigeration air conduit with such air being emitted from the outlet opening, directed across the access opening and received back into the inlet opening during a refrigeration cycle of operation; refrigerating the air circulated through the refrigeration air conduit during a refrigeration cycle of operation; and, circulating ambient air through the glass door outside the glass members so as to minimize any accumulation of condensation within the glass door.

Claim 32

Independent Claim 179 words

A method of operating a glass door refrigerated display case having a cabinet with an access opening in its front wall for enabling access into an interior display space within the cabinet, at least one glass door covering the access opening, such glass door being movable into an open position for enabling access to products within the interior display space and having two glass members mounted within a frame with a space between such glass members, a refrigeration air conduit extending along the cabinet with an outlet opening and an inlet opening arranged at opposing ends of the access opening, the method comprising the steps of: circulating air through the refrigeration air conduit with such air being emitted from the outlet opening, directed across the access opening and received back into the inlet opening during a refrigeration cycle of operation; refrigerating the air circulated through the refrigeration air conduit during a refrigeration cycle of operation; and, circulating ambient air through the glass door outside the glass members so as to minimize any accumulation of condensation within the glass door.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 33 words

A method according to claim 29 further comprising the step of establishing a secondary air curtain across the access opening lying outside of the refrigerated air curtain but inside of the glass door.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 32 words

A method according to claim 29 further comprising the step of establishing an ambient air flow along the outside of the glass door when the glass door is in its closed position.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 49 words

A method according to claim 29, 30 or 31 further comprising the step of switching the display case into a defrost cycle of operation and during such defrost cycle of operation circulating ambient air through the refrigeration air conduit so as to defrost any frost buildup within such conduit.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 262 words

A refrigerated display case comprising: a cabinet having top, bottom, rear and front walls and an interior display space, with an access opening in said front wall for enabling access into said interior display space; at least one door covering said access opening in said front wall, said door being movable into an open position for enabling access to products in said interior display space; a refrigeration air conduit extending along said top, bottom and rear walls and having an outlet opening and an inlet opening at opposing ends thereof, said outlet opening and said inlet opening being arranged so that air leaving said outlet opening will be directed toward and received by said inlet opening so as to form a refrigerated air curtain across said front opening along a path inside of said door; refrigeration means including an evaporator coil arranged within said refrigeration air conduit for refrigerating air circulated through said refrigeration air conduit during a refrigeration cycle of operation; first air circulating means for circulating air through said refrigeration air conduit; a secondary air conduit extending around said refrigeration air conduit and having an outlet opening and an inlet opening respectively adjacent to said outlet opening and said inlet opening of said refrigeration air conduit for directing air across said access opening along a path inside of said glass door so as to form a secondary air curtain; second air circulating means for circulating air through said secondary air conduit; and, actuating means for selectively actuating said secondary air circulating means for operation only when said door is opened.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 262 words

A refrigerated display case comprising: a cabinet having top, bottom, rear and front walls and an interior display space, with an access opening in said front wall for enabling access into said interior display space; at least one door covering said access opening in said front wall, said door being movable into an open position for enabling access to products in said interior display space; a refrigeration air conduit extending along said top, bottom and rear walls and having an outlet opening and an inlet opening at opposing ends thereof, said outlet opening and said inlet opening being arranged so that air leaving said outlet opening will be directed toward and received by said inlet opening so as to form a refrigerated air curtain across said front opening along a path inside of said door; refrigeration means including an evaporator coil arranged within said refrigeration air conduit for refrigerating air circulated through said refrigeration air conduit during a refrigeration cycle of operation; first air circulating means for circulating air through said refrigeration air conduit; a secondary air conduit extending around said refrigeration air conduit and having an outlet opening and an inlet opening respectively adjacent to said outlet opening and said inlet opening of said refrigeration air conduit for directing air across said access opening along a path inside of said glass door so as to form a secondary air curtain; second air circulating means for circulating air through said secondary air conduit; and, actuating means for selectively actuating said secondary air circulating means for operation only when said door is opened.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 31 words

A refrigerated display case according to claim 33, further comprising means for establishing an ambient air flow along the outside of said door when said door is in its closed position.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 54 words

A refrigerated display case according to claim 33 or 34 further comprising control means for switching said refrigerated display case into a defrost cycle of operation and during such defrost cycle of operation said control means temporarily turns off said refrigeration means and causes ambient air to be circulated through said refrigeration air conduit.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 44 words

A refrigerated display case according to claim 35, wherein said control means causes said first air circulating means to circulate ambient air through said refrigeration air conduit in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of air during a refrigeration cycle of operation.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 104 words

A refrigerated display case according to claim 35, wherein during a defrost cycle of operation said control means causes said secondary air circulating means to draw ambient air into said secondary air conduit so as to flow in a direction opposite the direction of air flow during a refrigeration cycle of operation and said first air circulating means maintains a flow of air in the same direction during a defrost cycle of operation as during a refrigeration cycle of operation and further comprising means for diverting ambient air from said secondary air conduit into said refrigeration air conduit during a defrost cycle of operation.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 66 words

A refrigerated display case according to claim 35. wherein said control means causes both said first air circulating means and said second air circulating means to cause ambient air to flow through said refrigeration air conduit and said secondary air conduit, respectively, in a direction during a defrost cycle of operation that is opposite to the direction of air flow during a refrigeration cycle of operation.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 45 words

A refrigerated display case according to claim 37 further comprising means for opening said door during a defrost cycle of operation so that said secondary air circulating means can draw in ambient air from outside of said display case during such defrost cycle of operation.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 59 words

A refrigerated display case according to claim 38 further comprising means for opening said door during a defrost cycle of operation so that both said first air circulating means and said second air circulating means can draw in ambient air for circulation through said refrigeration air conduit and said secondary air conduit, respectively, during a defrost cycle of operation.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 58 words

A refrigerated display case according to claim 35 further comprising means for opening said door during a defrost cycle of operation and said control means reversing the direction of flow through said refrigeration air conduit, causing said first air circulating means to draw ambient air into said refrigeration air conduit and turning off said second air circulating means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1987-10-23	1988-04-23	1988-10-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1991-10-23	1992-04-23	1992-10-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1995-10-23	1996-04-23	1996-10-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Energy efficient glass door merchandiser

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