BRACKET FOR USE WITH OPEN DISPLAY REFRIGERATORS

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 open display refrigerator comprising: a refrigerated storage space, air in the refrigerated storage space being separated from air exterior to the open display refrigerator by an air curtain established by a fan which blows air towards an air outlet, air in the air curtain being recovered by an air inlet which recirculates the air from the air curtain into an air duct coupled to the air outlet; at least one angled shelf, such that a first edge of the shelf proximal the air curtain is lower than an opposite second edge of the shelf distal the air curtain; a bracket comprising a first end having a surface in engagement with the first edge of the shelf, a second end, a continuous member connecting the first and second ends such that the first end is offset from the second end, and one or more upright slots defined by the continuous member, the upright slots being located proximal to the first end; an air curtain guide coupled to the second end, wherein the air curtain guide is configured to guide the flow of air within the air curtain; and a riser configured to prevent displayed produce from sliding off the angled shelf, the riser being retained within the one or more upright slots, so that in use the riser does not impinge on the air curtain.

2. The open display refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the continuous member comprises at least one pair of ribs extending laterally from a corresponding at least one side of the continuous member, each pair of ribs defining a corresponding one of the one or more upright slots configured to retain the riser.

3. The open display refrigerator of claim 2, wherein: each pair of ribs comprises a first rib adjacent the first end, and a second rib further from the first end than the first rib, wherein the second rib extends further upwards than the first rib.

4. The open display refrigerator of claim 3, wherein: the continuous member comprises two said pairs of ribs disposed on opposing sides of the continuous member, and upper portions of the second ribs of the two pairs join to form an upwardly extending tab.

5. The open display refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the riser extends parallel to the air curtain of the refrigerator when in use.

6. The open display refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the upright slot is parallel to the air curtain guide.

7. The open display refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the riser is rectangular in cross section.

8. The open display refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the riser extends vertically upwards from the slot.

9. The open display refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the vertical slot is parallel to a chord line of the air curtain guide.

10. The open display refrigerator of claim 9, wherein: the surface of the bracket is disposed at an angle such that a first plane parallel to the surface of the bracket intersects the chord line or an extension of the chord line of the air guide at a desired angle.

11. The open display refrigerator of claim 10, wherein: the second end of the bracket comprises first and second attachment clips, each configured to hold a respective one of a leading edge and a trailing edge of the air curtain guide and wherein a second plane projected through the first and second attachment clips intersects the first plane at a desired angle.

12. The bracket of claim 10, wherein: the desired angle is 10, 15 or 20.

13. The open display refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the continuous member is in the form of a chicane or is broadly S-shaped.

14. The open display refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising: a coupling member; and wherein: the second end of the bracket comprises at least one hole configured to receive the coupling member, the coupling member coupling the air curtain guide to the second end.

15. The open display refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising: at least one coupling member extending from the second end of the bracket, the coupling member coupling the air curtain guide to the bracket.

16. The open display refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the air guide is an aerofoil.

17. The open display refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the air curtain guide is parallel to the air curtain of the refrigerator when in use.

18. A bracket for an open display refrigerator having at least one angled shelf and an air curtain, the bracket comprising: a first end, a second end, and a continuous member connecting the first and second ends such that the first end is offset from the second; the first end having a surface configured to engage an edge of the angled shelf, the second end being configured to couple an air curtain guide to the bracket, wherein the air curtain guide is configured to guide the flow of the air curtain within the open display refrigerator; the bracket further comprising one or more slots adjacent the first end, wherein the one or more slots are configured to receive a vertically extending riser to prevent displayed produce from sliding off the angled shelf.

19. The bracket of claim 18, wherein: the continuous member comprises at least one pair of ribs extending laterally from a corresponding at least one side of the continuous member, each pair of ribs defining a corresponding one of the one or more slots to retain the vertically extending riser.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0044] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section through an angled refrigerator shelf with a riser attached to the refrigerator shelf.

[0045] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an angled refrigerator shelf with an angled riser attached to the angled refrigerator shelf.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows a bracket for holding an air guide, the bracket use with an angled riser.

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a bracket for holding an air guide, the bracket for use with a riser having a rectangular cross-section.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of how the angles referred to above are measured.

DETAINED DESCRIPTION

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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.