Serving counter, use of a serving counter

Abstract

A serving counter for displaying refrigerated products in a display space thereof, comprising a display shelf that bounds the display space on a bottom side, which display shelf is configured for supporting the products to be displayed on a supporting surface thereof, a first refrigeration unit configured for supplying cooled gas to the display space via a wall of the display space and a second refrigeration unit configured for cooling the supporting surface. The second refrigeration unit comprises a refrigerating element for cooling the supporting surface in a manner distributed over the display shelf, wherein that the refrigerating element comprises a first refrigerating part and a second refrigerating part, wherein the second refrigerating part is configured for cooling the supporting surface in a portion of the display shelf remote from the wall and the second refrigerating part is configured for realising a larger refrigeration capacity of the supporting surface than the first refrigerating part, wherein the first refrigerating part is configured for cooling the supporting surface in a portion of the display shelf adjacent to the wall.

Claims

1. A serving counter for displaying refrigerated products in a display space thereof, comprising a display shelf that bounds the display space on a bottom side, which display shelf is configured for supporting the products to be displayed on a supporting surface thereof, a first refrigeration unit configured for supplying cooled gas to the display space via a wall of the display space and a second refrigeration unit configured for cooling the supporting surface, wherein the second refrigeration unit comprises a refrigerating element for cooling the supporting surface in a manner distributed over the display shelf, characterised in that the refrigerating element comprises a first refrigerating part and a second refrigerating part, wherein the second refrigerating part is configured for cooling the supporting surface in a portion of the display shelf remote from the wall and the second refrigerating part is configured for realising a larger refrigeration capacity of the supporting surface than the first refrigerating part, wherein the first refrigerating part is configured for cooling the supporting surface in a portion of the display shelf adjacent to the wall.

2. A serving counter according to claim 1, characterised in that the second refrigerating part is provided at a smaller distance from the supporting surface than the first refrigerating part.

3. A serving counter according to claim 1, characterised in that a ratio of a cooling surface area of the second refrigerating part to the portion remote from the wall of the supporting surface is greater than a ratio of a cooling surface area of the first refrigerating part to the portion of the supporting surface adjacent to the wall.

4. A serving counter according to claim 1, characterised in that the refrigerating element comprises an arrangement of pipes provided under the supporting surface for cooling the display shelf in a manner distributed over the display shelf, wherein a spacing between adjacent pipes is smaller in the second refrigerating part than in the first refrigerating part.

5. A serving counter according to claim 1, characterised in that the first refrigeration unit comprises an inlet extending in the wall, which inlet is configured for imparting a downward component into the display space to the gas to be blown into the display space for refrigerating the products that are present in the display space in use from above.

6. A serving counter according to claim 5, characterised in that gas guiding elements are provided at the inlets for guiding the gas to be supplied to the display space in a desired direction.

7. A serving counter according to claim 5, characterised in that an outlet is provided in the wall on the side of the inlet remote from the display shelf for discharging gas that is present in the display space from the display space.

8. A serving counter according to claim 7, characterised in that a fan is provided on the side of the outlet remote from the display space for discharging gas from the display space, wherein an axis of rotation of the fan extends substantially parallel to the wall.

9. A serving counter according to claim 7, characterised in that the outlet is connected for fluid flow to the inlet via a first evaporator, wherein the first evaporator is configured for cooling the gas to be supplied to the display space through evaporation of a refrigerant.

10. A serving counter according to claim 9, characterised in that the first evaporator is configured as a counterflow evaporator that is configured to provide a downward gas flow of the cooled gas to be supplied to the display space via the inlet and an upward flow of refrigerant present in the first evaporator.

11. A serving counter according to claim 9, characterised in that the first evaporator is connected for fluid flow to a first heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger is provided upstream of the first evaporator and the first heat exchanger is configured for cooling gas to be supplied to the display space via the inlet after the gas to be supplied has passed through the first evaporator.

12. A serving counter according to claim 1, characterised in that the refrigerating element is connected for fluid flow to an evaporator for evaporating a refrigerant that is provided downstream of the refrigerating element, which evaporator is formed by a second evaporator.

13. A serving counter according to claim 12, characterised in that the second evaporator is formed by the first evaporator.

14. A serving counter according to claim 1, characterised in that a heating device is provided which comprises a second heat exchanger that can be connected for fluid flow to the refrigerating element and/or the first heat exchanger, wherein the second heat exchanger is configured for heating refrigerant present in the second heat exchanger by heat transfer.

15. Use of a serving counter according to claim 1, characterised in that a refrigerant is supplied to the first refrigeration unit for cooling gas to be supplied to the display space and/or to the second refrigeration unit for cooling the supporting surface, wherein the refrigerant has a temperature that ranges between 30 C. and 2 C., preferably between 8 C. and 2 C., more preferably between 6.5 C. and 5.5 C.

Description

[0041] The present invention will now be explained in more detail by means of a description of preferred embodiments of a serving counter according to the present invention, in which reference is made to the following schematic figures, in which:

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a serving counter in partially sectional side view;

[0043] FIG. 2 shows the serving counter of FIG. 1 in sectional side view;

[0044] FIG. 3 shows the detail A-A of FIG. 2;

[0045] FIG. 4 shows the detail B-B of FIG. 2;

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a refrigeration diagram for a serving counter according to the present invention;

[0047] FIG. 6 shows a refrigeration diagram for a serving counter according to the present invention;

[0048] FIG. 7 shows a refrigeration diagram for a serving counter according to the present invention.

[0049] The serving counter 1 is provided with a frame 3 for supporting the serving counter 1 on a ground surface 5. On the side of the serving counter 1 that faces the consumer in use, a display wall 7 which supports a substantially horizontal wall portion 9 on the upper side thereof is provided. The display wall 7 and the wall portion 9 bound a display space 11 on the side of the serving counter 1 that faces the consumer. At the bottom side, the display space 11 is mainly bounded by a display shelf 12 that extends in the transverse direction B of the serving counter. On the side of the serving counter 1 remote from the display wall 7, a housing part 13 is provided, in which a part of the first refrigeration unit 15 is accommodated.

[0050] The first refrigeration unit 15 is configured for supplying cooled gas, for example air, to the display space 11 via a wall 17. The wall 17 is to that end provided with an inlet 19 extending in the wall 17. The inlet 19 extends along a length of the serving counter 1, substantially perpendicular to the transverse direction B. The inlet 19 is configured for imparting a downward direction component in the display space 11 to the gas to be blown into the display space 11 for refrigerating products that are present in the display space 11 in use from above. Gas guiding elements 21 are provided at the inlet 19 for guiding the gas to be supplied to the display space 11 in the desired direction. An outlet 23 is provided in the wall 17, on the side of the inlet 19 remote from the display shelf 12, for discharging gas from the display space 11. The outlet 23 extends substantially perpendicular to the transverse direction B along a length of the serving counter 1. On the side of the outlet 23 remote from the display space 11, a fan 25 is provided for discharging gas from the display space 11, with a rotation axis 27 of the fan 25 extending substantially parallel to the wall 17. The outlet 23 is connected for fluid flow to the inlet 19 via a first evaporator 29, wherein the first evaporator 29 is configured for cooling the gas to be supplied to the display space 11 by evaporating a refrigerant. Examples of evaporating refrigerants that can be advantageously used in the first refrigeration unit 15 are R404A, R507, R134a, R407A, R407D, R407F, R448A, R449A, R410A, R744, R290.

[0051] The first evaporator 29 is configured as a counterflow evaporator configured for providing a downward gas flow toward the ground surface 5 of the cooled gas to be supplied to the display space 11 via the inlet 19 and an upward flow of refrigerant present in the first evaporator 29. The first evaporator 29 is connected for fluid flow to a first heat exchanger 31. The refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger 31 in use flows through an evaporator 29 provided downstream of the first heat exchanger 31. The refrigerant is evaporated upon passing through the evaporator 29, so that the gas to be supplied to the display space can be cooled. The first heat exchanger 31 is configured for cooling gas to be supplied to the display space 11 via the inlet 19 after the gas to be supplied has passed through the first evaporator 29.

[0052] Alternatively a substantially non-evaporating (in use) refrigerant, such as for example a glycol such as mono-ethylene glycol DTX (detoxified) 27% or mono-propylene glycol 32% may be used, in which case the first refrigeration unit will be provided with an air cooler rather than with an evaporator.

[0053] The serving counter 1 further comprises a second refrigeration unit 33 for cooling the supporting surface 35 of the display shelf 12. The second refrigeration unit 33 comprises a refrigerating element 37 for cooling the supporting surface 35 in a manner distributed over the display shelf 12. The refrigerating element 37 comprises a first refrigerating part 39 and a second refrigerating part 41 and comprises an arrangement of pipes 47 provided under the supporting surface 35 for cooling the display shelf 12 in a manner distributed over the display shelf 12. The first refrigerating part 39 is configured for cooling the supporting surface 35 in a portion 45 of the display shelf 12 adjacent to the wall 17. The second refrigerating part 41 is configured for cooling the supporting surface 35 in a portion 43 of the display shelf 12 remote from the wall 17. The second refrigerating part 41 is configured for realising a larger refrigeration capacity of the supporting surface 35 than the first refrigerating part 39. The pipes 47 of the second refrigerating part 41 are provided closer to the supporting surface 35 than the pipes 47 of the first refrigerating part 39. The pipes 47 of the second refrigerating part 41 are located on an underside of the display shelf 12. The cooling element 37 is connected for refrigerant flow to a second evaporator for evaporating refrigerant present in the second refrigeration unit 33.

[0054] Alternatively, a substantially non-evaporating (in use) refrigerant, such as for example a glycol such as mono-ethylene glycol DTX (detoxified) 27% or mono-propylene glycol 32% may be used in the second refrigeration unit, in which case the second refrigeration unit will be provided with a plate cooler provided with pipes rather than with an evaporator.

[0055] It is conceivable that the pipes of the second refrigerating part are spaced from the underside of the display shelf or that they are partially or fully incorporated in the display shelf. In one embodiment (not shown), pipes in the second refrigerating part are spaced closer together than the pipes in the first refrigerating part, so that a ratio of a cooling surface area of the pipes of the second refrigerating part to the part of the supporting surface remote from the wall is greater than a ratio of a cooling surface area of the pipes of the first refrigerating part to the part of the supporting surface adjacent to the wall.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a refrigeration diagram of a serving counter 1, in which an evaporating refrigerant such as R404A, R507, R134a, R407A, R407D, R407F, R448A, R449A, R410A, R744, R290 can be used. The refrigerant can be supplied to the second refrigeration unit 33 via a distributor 63, which refrigeration unit 33 is connected for fluid flow to the first refrigeration unit 15. The first refrigeration unit 15 is provided with a discharge pipe 65 for discharging the refrigerant from the first refrigeration unit. The refrigeration diagram shown in FIG. 7 is different from the refrigeration diagram of FIG. 5 in that it includes a thermostatic expansion valve 69, whereas the refrigeration diagram of FIG. 5 includes an electronic expansion valve 67. In a serving counter 1 provided with a refrigeration system according to the refrigeration diagram of FIG. 5 or FIG. 7, the evaporating refrigerant is supplied in liquid form, in which case the refrigerant will have a temperature that ranges between 8 C. and 2 C. The refrigerant will have evaporated upon exiting the second refrigeration unit 15, after which the gaseous refrigerant can be supplied to a compressor (not shown) again for being cooled.

[0057] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 of a refrigeration diagram for use of a substantially non-evaporating (in use) refrigerant in a serving counter 1, a heating device is provided. The heating device comprises a second heat exchanger 51, which can be connected for fluid flow to the first heat exchanger 31. A pump 57 is provided in the supply pipe 55 to the second heat exchanger 51 and a first non-return valve 59 is provided in the discharge pipe of the second heat exchanger 51. The first non-return valve 59, in combination with a second non-return valve 61, makes it possible to circulate a refrigerant in the first heat exchanger 31 and the second heat exchanger 51. Disposing the second heat exchanger 51 in the outside air makes it possible to heat refrigerant that is present in the second heat exchanger 51.