Bi-folding doors for air distribution plenum

Details Bi-folding doors for air distribution plenum Bi-folding doors for air distribution plenum

2002-09-18

2004-04-06

Doerrler, William C. (Department: 3744)

Refrigeration

Compartment access or use and air blocking

C454S195000, C062S408000, C062S440000, C062S466000, C160S084050

Reexamination Certificate

active

06715311

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a refrigerated case including an air distribution bi-folding door assembly including hollow doors with perforations which allow cool air to flow through the perforations to cool refrigerated items in the refrigerated case.
Refrigerated cases are employed to allow shoppers to access groceries and other refrigerated items from the front of the case without the obstruction of a door. The refrigerated items are stocked from the rear of the case to allow restocking of the case without interruption of customer traffic. The National Sanitary Standard requires that the temperature range in the case be between 32° F. and 43° F.
In a prior art refrigerated case, a walk-in cooler adjacent to the rear of the case maintains freshness of the refrigerated items prior to being stocked in the case. A divider, such as a curtain, typically separates the rear of the refrigerated case from the cooler. The divider is typically attached by a plurality of metal hooks which roll across a metal track.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A refrigerated case includes an air distribution bi-folding door assembly which opens and closes to allow for the loading of refrigerated items in the case. A first door and a second door are connected by hinges, which allows the doors to fold together for the loading of refrigerated items in the refrigerated case.
Pressurized air enters a hollow space in each door from an opening at the top of doors and flows through the perforations for distribution over the refrigerated items in the case. A corner bracket is secured in each of the four corners of the first and second doors by attachment members.
A wheel assembly is attached to the upper outer corner bracket by a rod. The wheel assembly includes four wheels which run along an upper track. As the door assembly is opened and closed and the wheels run along the upper track, the rod pivots in the wheel assembly, allowing the doors to pivot and open and close.
An alignment assembly attached to the bottom outer corner bracket keeps the doors in proper alignment during opening and closing. A nylon bushing of the alignment assembly is received in an opening in a lower track to guide the doors and ensure proper alignment.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4402192 (1983-09-01), Henry
patent: 4962649 (1990-10-01), Battocletti
patent: 5655595 (1997-08-01), Westbrooks, Jr.
patent: 5675985 (1997-10-01), Lee
patent: 5797280 (1998-08-01), Lee
patent: 5875642 (1999-03-01), Lee et al.
patent: 6351964 (2002-03-01), Brancheau et al.

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