Refrigerator display case

Abstract

This disclosure provides a refrigerated display case for maintaining food freshness and improving food safety while reducing the possibility of spoilage and reducing the labor otherwise required for cleaning a standard case where contaminates commonly accumulate. This structure improves humidity levels by avoiding condensation on lower coils while reducing the complexity of adequately cleaning the case and maintaining food safety. Elimination of this hidden cavity reduces cleaning time. The disclosure employs a removable floor assembly or chilled floor component which may be employed in gravity cases or forced air cases. The removable assembly comprises encased cooling coils which may be foamed in or otherwise secured therein. The floor assembly is removable, making the floor and cooling system an integrated and replaceable component. The novel case further incorporates accessible expansion valves which may be adjusted without removing the food product from the case. Electro thermal cooling means may be alternatively employed.

Claims

1. A cooling display case comprising: a. an enclosure having an interior openable space; b. said interior openable space comprising a first internal perimeter and a plurality of internal surfaces; c. removable, replaceable chilled floor component comprising: a floor perimeter, a planar configuration, cooling means, a cooling surface, and a noncooling side; wherein said cooling means are positioned within the removable, replaceable chilled floor component between said cooling surface and the surface opposite said cooling surface of the chilled floor component; wherein said chilled floor component is positioned substantially in the interior openable space; wherein substantially all of the chilled floor component perimeter is in removable contact with the internal perimeter of the interior openable space thereby forming a moisture barrier between the cooling surface and the surface opposite the cooling surface; and wherein the cooling surface of said chilled floor component forms a floor of the interior openable space and said noncooling side of the chilled floor component serves as a lowermost outside surface of the display case.

2. The case of claim 1 said chilled floor component perimeter removably associated with the at least one of a perimeter of another chilled floor component and the internal perimeter to facilitate complete removal of the chilled floor component.

3. The case of claim 1 comprising a drainage throughput.

4. The case of claim 1 said cooling means comprising at least one coil, said coils for circulating a coolant.

5. The case of claim 1, said cooling surface consisting of a single, seamless plate.

6. The case of claim 1 wherein said cooling means comprises thermo electric means.

7. The case of claim 1 wherein said case is a forced air case.

8. The case of claim 1 further comprising a throughput standpipe to allow input of pipe or electrical cord.

9. The case of claim 1 wherein said chilled floor component further comprises a drain to allow condensed moisture or cleaning water to exit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Example embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 a side view of a cooling case of the prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 a side view of a cooling case comprising the modular conductive chilled floor component of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 top view of the conductive chilled floor component;

(5) FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the conductive chilled floor component;

(6) FIG. 3B is an end view of a first end of the conductive chilled floor component;

(7) FIG. 3C is a plan view, through the conductive chilled floor component showing the coils;

(8) FIG. 3D is a cross section of the conductive chilled floor component;

(9) FIG. 4 is a side view of an open refrigerated case comprising the modular conductive chilled floor component of the present invention.

(10) FIG. 5 is a side view of a prior art refrigerated case.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example embodiments are not intended to limit the invention since the invention may be embodied in different forms. Rather, example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the sizes of components may be exaggerated for clarity.

(12) The present invention comprises a modular conductive cooling system or conductive chilled floor component or chilled floor component 100 designed to work in a cooling display case 10. The case 10 may be a gravity case or other cooling case. The modular conductive cooling system or chilled floor component 100 comprises a deck or cooling surface 102 preferably comprised of a shape to serve as a lower surface or floor in the interior of the case 10, a chilled floor component perimeter 12 and sized to fit, generally, against internal surfaces 104, 106 of an enclosure 108 of the case 10 or a first perimeter 14 of the enclosure 108 to prevent moisture from traveling down the internal surfaces 104, 106 of the enclosure 108 of the case 10. The enclosure 108 may be openable. For example via door 108A which may be hinged or sliding or otherwise movable or removable. However, the means by which the enclosure may be openable may be of any other conventional means known to one of ordinary skill in this art.

(13) The modular conductive cooling system or chilled floor component 100 is sized and constructed to serve as structural and torsional support for the case 10 by fitting against internal surfaces 104 and/or 106. The modular conductive cooling system or chilled floor component 100 comprises cooling means 300. In one embodiment, cooling means 300 comprises a plurality of coils 120 for housing cooling liquid which may include gaseous materials, refrigerant or any other material capable of flowing and transferring heat 122. However, the essential requirement is that the chilled floor component 100 may be cooled adequately which may be achieved via electro thermal or other known cooling approaches, all of which are contemplated by the present invention. Where coils are employed, the coils 120 may be secured substantially or completely within the modular conductive cooling system 100 by foam 150, preformed cavities 152, or other means and, in some embodiments are sealed therein. The modular conductive cooling system chilled floor component 100 has an interior 125 which may be airtight, sealed, or at least constructed such that the coils 120 positioned in the interior 125 have little or no exposure to air so as to generally eliminate frost, condensation, and subsequent microbe, fungus, and mold growth that would otherwise be expected. Alternative cooling means may be employed, such as electro-thermal means.

(14) The deck or cooling surface 102 of the modular conductive cooling system or chilled floor component 100 serves as the floor 20, 102 in the cooling display case 10. The chilled floor component 100 is especially designed to be removable and replaceable. The coils 120 internal to the chilled floor component 100 may be foamed-in-place 150 or otherwise secured in position; cavities 152 may be prefoamed into which the coils 120 are fitted and secured. It is contemplated that the chilled floor component 100 may comprise a container 200 in which the coils 120 are housed; the container 200 may be formed such that the coils 120 are fitted into specially constructed, insulated, cavities 152 in the container 200. Alternatively, the container 200 may consist of a material 302 which may be an insulating permeative material, foam or otherwise, surrounding the coils 120 which may be applied in liquid form and molded to provide the structural support described and the floor 20. The cooling system chilled floor component 100 may include a chilled deck (cooling surface) 102 and a noncooling side 102a opposite the cooling surface 102.

(15) The present invention includes no coils separated from and underneath the cooler's bottom surface; it includes no tub below the coils. There are, therefore, no loose pieces of the floor, coils, or tub to be removed and cleaned; there are no hidden areas to accumulate debris, and no components such as a tub under the floor panels to be cleaned.

(16) The modular conductive cooling system (chilled floor component) 100 is designed to be a removable, replaceable component in which the cooling coils 120 or other cooling means describe herein are positioned. The chilled deck or cooling surface 102 provides additional thermal transfer through direct contact; the coils 120 encased in the chilled floor component 100 are not exposed to the interior of the case 10 and, therefore, no moisture condenses on the coils 120, and the coils 120 do not need to be cleaned. The coils 120 of the present invention are preferably sealed or substantially enclosed in such a manner that condensation cannot readily form on the coils, thereby eliminating or at least greatly reducing the effects of moisture in the case. Further, the sealed chilled floor component 100 is easily removed and replaced. This reduces down time otherwise needed for repair and, in accordance with the invention, provides a single, mostly uniform surface that serves as the deck or floor 102, 20 of the case 10. The material comprising the deck or floor 102, 20 of the chilled floor component 100 is purposefully selected to provide ease of cleaning. It is contemplated that the deck or floor 102, 20 may be of nearly any shape, or may be shaped complementarily to the case 10; it may comprise dimensions including at least a depth adequate to house the coils 120 and a generally enclosed interior 125 space into which the coils 120 are positioned. Coolant may include gaseous refrigerants, secondary coolants, and other fluid capable of transferring heat. The coils 120 may be integrated into the base surface by molding the interior surface 125A of the chilled floor component 100 specifically to fit the coils 120, or by foaming in the coils 120, or by other means to secure in position the coils 120 within the chilled floor component 100. In some embodiments, the coils 120 are removably secured in the chilled floor component 20 to allow for replacement of coils 120 as needed and for simplifying cleaning and maintenance; in others, the coils 120 are foamed in and may not be intended to be replaceable except when replacing the chilled floor component 100. In still other embodiments, the coils may be submerged in or surrounded by a liquid or foam product which is then allowed to harden thereby creating the chilled floor component 100 and the floor/deck 102, 20. Alternatively, a planar material may be affixed or otherwise associated with an upper surface of the hardened material to serve as the floor/deck 102, 20. Because of the modular conductive cooling system's construction allowing it to be removable, the controls 160 and expansion valves 165 for the case are externally mounted and accessible, making them adjustable without removing the food product from the case.

(17) The present invention represents a paradigm shift in how a refrigerated case works as well as how it is maintained. By avoiding the need to remove and sanitize coils by encasing the coils and by eliminating an otherwise useless space beneath the floor that served as a breeding ground for dangerous microbials, the present invention has revolutionized the decades old way of displaying and merchandising meat and fish products, markedly changed the labor involved in maintenance and sanitation in a meat department of a store, and increased the probability of displaying foods in a case free of dangerous levels of contamination.

(18) The present invention has been described in a manner such that one of ordinary skill in the art will fully comprehend its inventive nature. Claims describing the invention more particularly are presented.

(19) Example embodiments of the invention have been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology that has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of example embodiments are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.