Abstract
A bracket for attaching an air curtain guide to a refrigerator shelf, the bracket comprising: a first end having a surface for engagement with an edge of a refrigerator shelf; a second end for coupling to an air curtain guide; wherein the first end is connected to the second end by a continuous member, such that the first end is offset from the second end in a first direction.
Claims
1. An apparatus, comprising: a shelf disposed within a refrigerator, the shelf inclined such that a front portion of the shelf is lower than a rear portion of the shelf; a bracket having a first end, a middle portion, and a second end, the first end of the bracket coupled to the shelf, the middle portion of the bracket disposed between the first end of the bracket and the second end of the bracket such that the second end of the bracket is offset (i) horizontally from the first end of the bracket such that the second end of the bracket is disposed away from the shelf and (ii) vertically such that the second end of the bracket is disposed above the first end of the bracket; a riser disposed in a slot defined by the bracket, the riser configured to prevent a product from sliding off the shelf and an air guide coupled to the second end of the bracket, the riser and air guide parallel to an air curtain produced by the refrigerator and at an angle to the shelf, wherein the air guide includes leading and trailing edges and upright inner and outer surfaces extending between the leading and trailing edges, wherein the inner surface of the air guide is spaced apart from an outer surface of the riser to form a gap whereby at least some air can flow through the gap, wherein the trailing edge of the air guide is offset vertically above a plane of an upper surface of the shelf where the plane passes below the air guide, wherein the vertical offset improves a view of items stored below the shelf.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: a chord line of the air guide is parallel to a surface of the riser.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: a chord line of the air guide is parallel to the slot defined by the bracket.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the shelf is inclined at an angle of at least 10 degrees.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the air guide is an airfoil.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein: a plane parallel to a surface of the first end of the bracket intersects a line defined by a chord of the airfoil.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the shelf is inclined at an angle greater than 10 degrees.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the riser has a rectangular cross section.
9. An apparatus, comprising: a housing defining a refrigerated storage space; an air outlet configured to form an air curtain over an open front of the refrigerated storage space; a shelf disposed within the refrigerated storage space, the shelf inclined such that a front portion of the shelf is lower than a rear portion of the shelf; a riser configured to prevent a product from sliding off the shelf, the riser aligned with the air curtain; an air guide aligned with the air curtain; wherein the air guide includes leading and trailing edges and upright inner and outer surfaces extending between the leading and trailing edges, and wherein the inner surface of the air guide is spaced apart from an outer surface of the riser to form a gap whereby at least some air can flow through the gap; and a bracket coupling the air guide to the shelf, a first end of the bracket offset from a second end of the bracket such that the trailing edge of the air guide is disposed vertically above a plane of an upper surface of the shelf where the plane passes below the air guide to improve a view of items stored below the shelf.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the riser is coupled to the shelf.
11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the riser is disposed in a slot defined by the bracket.
12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the riser has a rectangular cross section; and the riser is disposed in a rectangular slot defined by the bracket.
13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the bracket is S-shaped.
14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the bracket and the air guide are monolithically formed.
15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the shelf is inclined at least 10 degrees.
16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the shelf is inclined at least 15 degrees.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section through an angled refrigerator shelf with a riser attached to the refrigerator shelf.
(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an angled refrigerator shelf with an angled riser attached to the angled refrigerator shelf.
(4) FIG. 3 shows a bracket for holding an air guide, the bracket use with an angled riser.
(5) FIG. 4 shows a bracket for holding an air guide, the bracket for use with a riser having a rectangular cross-section.
(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an angled refrigerator shelf, with an angled riser attached to the angled refrigerator shelf and a bracket for holding an air guide engaged to the edge of the refrigerator shelf.
(7) FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an angled refrigerator shelf, with a riser having a rectangular cross-section attached to the angled refrigerator shelf and a bracket for holding an air guide engaged to the edge of the refrigerator shelf.
(8) FIG. 7 shows an angled refrigerator shelf, with an angled riser attached to the angled refrigerator shelf and a bracket engaged to the edge of the refrigerator shelf, an air curtain guide coupled to the bracket.
(9) FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of how the angles referred to above are measured.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(10) FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through an angled refrigerator shelf 1. The shelf 1 has a riser 2 attached to an edge of the shelf 1. In use, the riser 2 impinges on the air curtain of a refrigerator, as the riser protrudes into the air flow of the air curtain.
(11) FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through an angled refrigerator shelf 1. The shelf 1 has an angled riser 3 attached to an edge of the shelf 1. The angle of the angled riser 3 helps to prevent the riser from impinging on the air curtain of a refrigerator in use. If an air guide is also attached to the edge of the shelf 1, this can prevent shoppers from viewing produce on a shelf sited below the air guide.
(12) FIG. 3 shows a bracket 5 for holding an air guide. The bracket 5 may be S-shaped, a chicane shape or a swan-neck shape. Alternatively, the bracket may comprise a rectangular cross-section or be any other shape that translates the angled edge of the shelf such that an air guide coupled to the end of the bracket not engaged with the edge of the shelf is parallel to an air curtain of a refrigerator in use. An angled surface 9 of the bracket can be coupled to an edge of a refrigerator shelf. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, due to the angle of the refrigerator shelf, the edge of the refrigerator shelf is at an angle to an imaginary vertical line. The angled surface of the bracket may match this angle. This causes the second end of the bracket comprising, for example, a clip 6 for coupling to an air guide to be parallel to a vertical air curtain in use. The bracket translates the angled edge of the shelf, so that an air guide coupled to the clip is parallel to the air curtain in use. The clip 6 may comprise a first end 7 for retaining a leading edge of an air guide and a second end 8 for retaining a trailing edge of an air guide. The bracket may also comprise an angled slot for retaining an angled riser. This slot may be angled such that it is parallel to the angled surface 9.
(13) FIG. 4 shows a broadly similar bracket 5 to the bracket shown in FIG. 3. In this embodiment, the bracket further comprises a vertical slot 12 for retaining a riser with a rectangular cross-section. In use, this prevents the riser from impinging on an air curtain.
(14) FIG. 5 illustrates schematically the bracket 5 of FIG. 3 in use. The angled surface of the bracket is attached to the edge of an angled refrigerator shelf 1. As can be seen, the bracket 5 translates the angled edge of the shelf to a clip that can retain an air guide parallel to an air curtain. Further, the air guide is moved above the edge of the angled shelf 1, thereby improving the view of items stored on a shelf below. The bracket 5 may comprise an angled slot for receiving a first end 4 of an angled riser 3, such that the second end of the riser is parallel with an air curtain in use and does not impinge the air curtain.
(15) FIG. 6 illustrates schematically the bracket 5 of FIG. 4 in use. The angled surface of the bracket is attached to the edge of an angled refrigerator shelf 1. As can be seen, the bracket 5 translates the angled edge of the shelf to a clip that can retain an air guide parallel to an air curtain. Further, the air guide is moved above the edge of the angled shelf 1, thereby improving the view of items stored on a shelf below. The bracket 5 may comprise a slot for receiving a first end of a riser with a rectangular cross section 2, such that the second end of the riser is parallel with an air curtain in use and does not impinge the air curtain.
(16) FIG. 7 shows a solution, as provided by the present invention, to the problem associated with attaching air guides to the edges of angled shelves in a refrigerator. The open display refrigerator 10 has angled shelves 1, comprising a riser 3 and a bracket 5. The bracket 5 comprises a clip 6, which comprises a first end 7 for retaining a leading edge of an air guide 11 and a second end 8 for retaining a trailing edge of the air guide 11. As can be seen, by raising the air guide 11 from the edge of the shelf, it is easier for a user to view products on the angled shelf below an air guide 11 due to the increase in space between the lower edge of the air guide 11 and the top surface of the shelf below the air guide 11. Chord line 11a of air guide 11 is parallel to riser 3.
(17) FIG. 8 shows an angled shelf 1, with an edge at an angle 13. The bracket 5 has a surface also at an angle 13, which matches the angle of the edge of the angled shelf. The desired angle 14 is the same as the angle 13.
