WO2008066542A1

WO2008066542A1 - Refrigerated cases and methods of manufacture

Info

Publication number: WO2008066542A1
Application number: PCT/US2006/049581
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luis F. Avila; Eugene D. Daddis; Stephen Kenney; Mark A. Daniels
Original assignee: Carrier Corp; Carrier Comercial Refrigeration Inc
Current assignee: Carrier Corp; Taylor Commercial FoodService LLC
Priority date: 2006-12-01
Filing date: 2006-12-28
Publication date: 2008-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 2009-06-01

Abstract

A refrigerated case includes a refrigerated compartment. A mullion post may be positioned along a front of the compartment. The post has upper and lower ends, front and rear faces, and left and right sides. The case may have hinged left and right doors with a magnetic gasket along the door rear face. The post may include left and right portions for magnetically engaging the gaskets and a central thermal breaker portion. In various implementations, the post and doors may be removable to allow replacement with a sliding door unit.

Description

REFRIGERATED CASES AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Benefit is claimed of US Provisional Patent Application 60/868241, filed December 1 , 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein as if set forth at length.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates to refrigerated cases. More particularly, the invention relates to such cases having multiple doors.

[0003] Multi-door refrigerated cases (including freezers) exist in many configurations. Some configurations include sliding doors whereas other configurations include hinged doors. Hinged-door refrigerated cases typically include a vertical mullion (post) between each pair of adjacent doors. Sliding door cases may mount doors in sliding pairs or other groupings.

[0004] In several configurations of refrigerated case, the refrigeration equipment is located in a self-contained module which may be installed to and removed from the case as a unit. An exemplary module includes the compressor, condenser, expansion device, evaporator, and associated fans. The module is typically installed in a base of the case below the refrigerated compartment. The module is typically installed to the base via rearward insertion through a front of the base. The insertion may be followed by a short lifting of the module to mate portions of the module forming the recirculating air flowpath with mating portions of the remaining structure of the case (e.g., and compressing a gasket/seal therebetween). SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] One aspect of the invention involves a refrigerated case includes a refrigerated compartment. A mullion post may be positioned along a front of the compartment. The post has upper and lower ends, front and rear faces, and left and right sides. The case may have hinged left and right doors with a magnetic gasket along the door rear face. The post may include left and right portions for magnetically engaging the gaskets and a central thermal breaker portion.

[0006] In various implementations, the post and doors may be removable to allow replacement with a sliding door unit. [0007] The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0008] FIG. 1 is a partially exploded view of a refrigerated case.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a partially schematic vertical longitudinal sectional view of the case of

FIG. 1.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a view of a main body of the case of FIG. 1.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a view of a mullion-to-header junction of the main body of FIG. 3. [0012] FIG. 5 is a view of the refrigerated case of FIG. 1 with a replacement sliding door assembly.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a front view of a mullion of the case of FIG. 1.

[0014] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the mullion of FIG. 6.

[0015] FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of the mullion of FIG. 6. [0016] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of an upper end of the mullion of FIG. 7.

[0017] FIG. 10 is a horizontal sectional view of an alternate mullion.

[0018] Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a refrigerated case 20 having a housing (body) 22 surrounding a refrigerated interior compartment 24. The exemplary housing 22 includes a main body 25 having a front opening door 26. The door 26 is positioned to close and open across a front opening 28 of the main body 25. The exemplary main body 25 has a left sidewall 30, a right sidewall 32, a back 34, and a top 36. For non-limiting reference, left and right are viewed from the perspective of the case rather than a user facing the case. A lower portion of the body 22 forms a base 40 including an exemplary platform 42. A base compartment or bay 44 is separated from the compartment 24 by a compartment bottom wall (dividing wall) 46. A front of the compartment 44 may be closed by a removable grille 48. An overall case depth D is shown in FIG. 2. An overall case body height H] , an overall case height H₂, and an overall case width W are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0020] In the exemplary case 20, a recirculating airflow is directed from/to the compartment 24 by a refrigeration equipment module 50 (e.g., containing the compressor, heat exchangers, expansion device, fans, and the like). The module 50 (discussed in further detail below) has an installed position within the compartment 44. The module 50 is removable from the compartment 44 as a unit (e.g., after removing the grille 48, if present), advantageously without the use of tools or with only slight tool use. The exemplary cartridge 50 has a front 51, a back 52, a top 53, a bottom 54, a left side 55, and a right side 56. [0021] FIG. 2 shows further details of the exemplary case 20 and module 50. The exemplary module 50 contains the compressor 60, the heat rejection heat exchanger (e.g., condenser and/or gas cooler) 62, the expansion device 64, and the heat absorption heat exchanger (evaporator) 66 sequentially along a recirculating refrigerant flowpath (e.g., further defined by appropriate refrigerant lines/conduits). A recirculating airflow 510 passes along a recirculating flowpath (the cold air flowpath) 512 through the module 50 and compartment 24 to cool the compartment. The exemplary flow 510 passes from the compartment 24 into the module 50 through a first port 70 in the wall 46 and returns to the compartment 24 via a second port 72 in the wall 46. The exemplary flow 510 is driven by an electric fan 74 in the flowpath 512 in the module 50. [0022] An airflow 514 passes along a flowpath (the warm air flowpath) 516 which extends through the heat rejection heat exchanger 62. Subject to considerations discussed further below, the exemplary path 516 is an open path entering through the grille 48, then entering the front 51 of the module 50 and passing through the heat rejection heat exchanger 62 before exiting the rear 52 of the module and rear of the case. An electric fan 76 may be in the warm air flowpath 516 in the module 50 to drive the airflow 514. A wall 80 may separate the flowpaths 512 and 516 within the module. Feet 95 or casters may support the case atop a ground/floor surface 96. As so far described, the case may be representative of a portion of the possible cases to which the present disclosure may be applied (e.g., to reengineer or further engineer a baseline case configuration).

[0023] The exemplary front opening 28 (FIG. 1) of the refrigerated compartment is . divided by a vertical mullion (post) 100. In the exemplary case, left and right doors 102 and 104 may selectively close the left and right portions of the opening 28 on left and right sides of the mullion. The exemplary doors are rectangular in planform, having front and rear faces, upper and lower edges, and left and right edges. The exemplary doors are hinged by hinges 106. The exemplary hinge locations are along the outboard edges of the doors joining the doors to the forward edges of the adjacent side walls. The doors may seal with the main body .25 along a face 112 of the main body circumscribing a perimeter of the opening 28. This sealing may be via gaskets (e.g., a resilient magnetic gasket along the door rear face adjacent .the perimeter edges).

[0024] FIG. 3 shows the upper end 120 of the mullion secured to the underside 122 of a header 124 at the top of the opening 28. The lower end 126 of the mullion is secured to the upper surface of a transverse brace 128 at the front edge of the dividing wall and lower edge of the opening 28. The exemplary securing at the upper and lower ends is via fasteners 130 (e.g., screws) through left and right flanges 132 and 134 of the mullion.

[0025] The mullion and/or main body may be configured to provide various degrees of flexibility in case configuration. For example, in various implementations, the same main body may be used either with the mullion and hinged doors or with a sliding door unit 140 (FIG. 5). The sliding door unit 140 may include one or more sliding doors 142 and 144 mounted for movement on tracks of a frame 146. In an exemplary implementation, the doors 142 and 144 may be pre-hung in the frame and installed across the opening 28 as a unit. Securing may be via associated fasteners (e.g., screws or bolts) and may be via the same mounting holes along the main body that are used for the hinged doors (optionally with other mounting holes for added security). [0026] This may provide advantageous flexibility for the owners or operators of the refrigerated case.

[0027] As is discussed further below, in various implementations, the mullion and case may also be configured to allow different hinging configurations. For example, FIGS. 3 and 4 show the mullion and main body as having mounting holes 150 and 151 in left and right pairs top and bottom to permit hinging of one or both of the adjacent doors at the mullion. For example, in a two-mullion, three-door configuration, at least the center door could be hinged to one of its two associated mullions. In a four-door, three-mullion configuration, one possibility includes hinging the two inboard doors at the center mullion. [0028] FIGS. 6-9 show further construction details of the exemplary mullion. The mullion includes a front 155, a back or rear 156, a left side 157, and a right side 158. [0029] The gaskets 160 and 162 (FIG. 8) of the left and right doors may seal along associated left and right portions 164 and 166 of the front 155 (front face) of the mullion. A central portion 168 of the mullion front face may be exposed (e.g., to the external environment) between the two gaskets when the doors are closed. Other portions of the mullion maybe exposed to the environment of the refrigerated compartment. The resulting temperature difference along the mullion surface may cause condensation problems (e.g., along the exposed mullion front surface between the gaskets) for prior art mullions. [0030] An exemplary mullion construction includes upper and lower brackets 170 and 172 (FIG. 6) at the upper and lower mullion ends. The brackets may include the mounting flanges 132 and 134. A main post structure may extend between the brackets. An exemplary main post may include a multi-piece shell and an insulated core 178 (FIG. 8). An exemplary core material is a polymeric foam. An exemplary foam (e.g., polyurethane or polystyrene) is in-situ formed within a pre-assembled mullion shell. An exemplary mullion shell may be configured to provide a desired resistance to the condensation noted above. This may include a combination of shell pieces selected for different structural and thermal properties so that the resulting mullion has a desirable combination of structural and thermal properties. [0031] The exemplary mullion shell (FIG. 7) includes a front member 180, a back member 182, a left member 184, and a right member 186. In the exemplary mullion, these members form the majorities of their associated front, back, left side, and right side of the mullion. In selecting the configuration of the members and their materials, different structural and thermal considerations attend the selection of: the front member 180; the back member 182; and the side members 184 and 186. [0032] The exemplary mullion shell front member 180 is, itself, a combination of a central member 200 and left and right side members 202 and 204. The central member 200 may provide the central portion 168 of the mullion front face. Accordingly, the central member may be selected for a low thermal conductivity. Exemplary central member material is a plastic or other polymer or non-metal (e.g., acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)). The side members 202 and 204 may be selected for magnetic interaction with the gaskets 160 and 162. Accordingly, exemplary side member material is painted galvanized steel. [0033] The exemplary back member 182 may be selected for strength properties. Accordingly, a metal may be appropriate. Painted galvanized steel may be appropriate for the back member. A more expensive, but lower conductivity, stainless steel may be unnecessary due to the relatively low thermal impact of the back member. The side members may be chosen for advantageously low thermal conductivity. Accordingly, the side members may be formed of a plastic or other polymer or non-metal (e.g., polyvinyl chloride (PVC)). The low thermal conductivity side members combined with the foam core may make direct front-to-back heat conduction a relatively minor problem. Lateral heat conduction near the front face of the mullion may be a greater problem with relatively short distances involved. Even a relatively small portion 210 (FIG. 8) of the member 200 along the heat conduction path 520 may be effective to sufficiently resist heat transfer so as to control condensation. [0034] The exemplary mullion shell may be assembled in several stages. The exemplary back member 182 has left and right side flanges 220 (FIG. 9) which may be inserted into associated rear channels 222 in the side members 184 and 186. Similarly, the members 202 and 204 may have side flanges 224 that may engage the side members. The side members 184 and 186 may be molded with front channels similar to the rear channels 222. In an exemplary embodiment, however, the inboard flanges 228 of the front channels are bent inward so as to become embedded in the foam core 178 and provide a mechanical interlocking between the foam core and the side members.

[0035] . At upper and lower ends of the side flanges 220 of the exemplary back member and side flanges 224 of the members 202 and 204, bent transverse tabs 240 include holes for receiving fasteners (e.g., self-threading screws). When the uppeT and lower brackets are put in place, these holes may align with holes in the brackets 170 and 172 and screws may be inserted therethrough to secure the brackets and hold the various elements in place. The member 200, however, is accommodated in a recess formed along recessed flanges 250 of the members 202 and 204. [0036] After assembling the remaining shell members and brackets, the member 200 may be put in place and held (e.g., via a fixture). The core foam may then be injected. After core foam hardening, the mullion may be removed from the fixture. Bonding between the foam and the back surface of the member 200 may secure the member 200 in place. Alternatively, mechanical interlocking and/or fasteners may be used to secure the member 200 in place. (0037] Exemplary material for the brackets 170 and 172 is a plastic or other polymer or non-metal (e.g., polybutylene terephthalate (PBT)). The exemplary brackets 170 and 172 are pre-molded with apertured bosses 260 which align with pre-drilled holes 262 in the member 200 for forming those of the holes 150 on the mullion. [0038] FIG. 10 shows an alternate mullion construction wherein the front member comprises an assembly of left and right painted galvanized steel members with a central stainless steel member. The galvanized members and stainless steel member may be pre-assembled and pre-secured to each other (e.g., via welding, brazing, adhesive, fasteners, and the like) or may be secured in a later stage of assembly. [0039] One or more embodiments of the present invention have been described.

Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, when implemented in the reengineering or remanufacturing of an existing case configuration or case, details of the existing (baseline) configuration or case may influence details of any particular implementation. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is: 1. A refrigerated case comprising: a refrigerated compartment; a post along a front of the compartment and having: upper and lower ends; front and rear faces; and left and right sides; and left and right doors, each having: opened and closed conditions front and rear faces; upper and lower edges; left and right edges; a magnetic gasket along the door rear face; a hinge, characterized in that : the post comprises: a front; a back; left and right sides; means for magnetically engaging the magnetic gaskets of the left and right doors; and means for resisting heat conduction through the post around the gaskets.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the post comprises: a front member; a rear member; a left member; a right member; and an in situ molded foam core.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the post comprises: a horizontal cross-section characterized by: the front member having a central web and rearwardly projecting left and right flanges; the rear member having a central web and forwardly projecting left and right flanges; the left member having fore and aft channels respectively accommodating the left flanges of the front and rear members; the right member having fore and aft channels respectively accommodating the right flanges of the front and rear members.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: the post has upper and lower non-metal brackets.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the post comprises: a horizontal cross-section characterized by: the front member having a central web formed along a polymeric member, rearwardly projecting left and right flanges formed along left and right steel members, and left and right portions aside the web formed by the left and right steel members; the rear member having a central web and forwardly projecting left and right flanges.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein: the post has upper and lower non-metal brackets.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein: the upper and lower polymeric brackets are screwed to a main portion of the post.

8. A refrigerated case mullion comprising: upper and lower flanged end members; and a post body extending between the end caps and comprising: left and right side members; a back member; a front member comprising: left and right means for magnetically engaging a magnetic gasket; and central means for resisting heat conduction for controlling condensation; and a foam core.

9. The mullion of claim 8 wherein: the left and right side members are non-metallic; the back member comprises galvanized steel.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein: the upper and lower flanged end members are non-metal cap brackets.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein: the core is molded in situ.

12. A method comprising: manufacturing a plurality of essentially identical refrigerated case fronts; to at least a first of the fronts: assembling a mullion in an opening of the front; and assembling left and right doors to the front; to at least a second of the fronts: assembling first and second sliding doors to the front.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein: the manufacturing of the plurality of essentially identical refrigerated case fronts is performed as manufacturing of a plurality of essentially identical refrigerated case bodies; and the first and second doors are assembled to the front as a single pre-assembled unit.

14. A method comprising: removing first and second hinged doors from a refrigerated case; removing a mullion from the refrigerated case; and replacing the first and second doors with at least first and second sliding doors.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein: the first and second sliding doors are assembled to the refrigerated case as a single pre-assembled unit.

16. A method comprising: providing a plurality of identical refrigerated case main bodies; for a first group of the main bodies: installing a mullion; and installing first and second hinged doors; and for a second group of the main bodies: installing first and second sliding doors.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein: the first and second sliding doors are installed as a single pre-assembled unit.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein: the plurality of identical refrigerated case main bodies include threaded holes to which the hinges are subsequently mounted.