Refrigerated cabinet with molded liner

Details Refrigerated cabinet with molded liner Refrigerated cabinet with molded liner

1999-05-21

2001-05-29

Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)

Supports: cabinet structure

Spaced insulated wall

Refrigerator cabinet

C312S351000, C211S187000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06238032

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to refrigerators and freezers and more particularly to a novel construction for a refrigerated cabinet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A merchandiser is a special purpose refrigerator that is used to display food and beverage products. The merchandiser has a clear door so that the product kept in the merchandiser is visible to shoppers. Typically, the merchandiser is placed in a highly trafficked location in the store, such as the check-out line or adjacent the end of an aisle.
A conventional merchandiser includes a metal exterior housing and a metal liner with a layer of insulating material in the space between the exterior housing and the liner. The merchandiser is loaded through the front much like a conventional stand-up refrigerator. A door with a clear panel is attached by a hinge to the front of the exterior housing. The product is supported by shelves that are attached to the side walls of the liner. In many merchandisers, the spacing between the shelves is fixed.
One drawback to a conventional merchandiser is that the metal liner is relatively expensive and time consuming to fabricate. Numerous bending, stamping, assembling, fastening, and sealing operations are required to form the liner which must then be assembled into the housing. Once the liner is formed and inserted into the housing, additional labor is involved in attaching shelf supports, such as shelf clips or brackets, to the liner. Also, additional labor is required to assemble mounting brackets for the evaporator coil and fan the evaporator coil and fan. Significant savings in fabrication and assembly costs could be realized by simplifying the construction of the liner, shelf support parts, and mounting brackets.
Another disadvantage of the conventional merchandiser is the lack of flexibility in the positioning of shelves. Since beverages and other products come in many different sizes it is desirable to have the ability to move the shelves easily, without having to also move and locate shelf clips or brackets, to accommodate products of different sizes. It is also desirable to have the ability to tilt the shelf downwardly toward the front of the cabinet to gravity feed product to the front of the shelf. These features would allow the operator to store and/or display different products at different times.
Another problem with a conventional merchandiser is that the liner usually fits only a single model of refrigerator. Thus, it is necessary to fabricate and stock many different parts and liners for the various refrigerators that are sold by the manufacturer. Production costs could be further reduced by designing a liner that can be used interchangeably in multiple refrigerators.
Another problem concerns overstocking. When the merchandiser is completely filled, the product contained in the merchandiser may be pushed against the walls of the merchandiser and interfere with the flow of cooling air inside the merchandiser. Consequently, the product in the merchandiser will not be cooled uniformly.
Another problem with conventional metal liners made of sheet metal is that air circulating within the cabinet does not flow smoothly around the corners, which are typically perpendicular. More efficient and uniform cooling could be achieved by using a liner having radiused corners. In liners made of sheet metal, adding a radius involves additional rolling and forming operations that would significantly increase the cost of the refrigerator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a refrigerated cabinet having a molded liner. The molded liner includes integral shelf supports to eliminate the need for shelf clips or brackets. In each of the rear corners of the liner is a vertical column of support ledges that project into the refrigeration compartment. Curved channels are formed along the front edges of the liner. The back edge of the shelves rest on respective shelf supports. A cross-member on the shelf engages the curved channels in the front of the liner to support the front of the shelf. The channel is shaped to prevent forward movement of the shelf once it is put into place. Integrally formed back stops prevent the product from blocking air flow and help lock the shelf in place to prevent accidental dislodging. The liner also defines a housing for the evaporator coil and fan in the upper portion of the cabinet interior. Shoulders are integrally formed along the top corners of the liner. The fan panel mounts to the shoulders on opposing sides of the liner and serves as the bottom of the evaporator housing.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2604375 (1952-07-01), Beckett
patent: 2672029 (1954-03-01), Saunders
patent: 3301622 (1967-01-01), Dasovic et al.
patent: 3915097 (1975-10-01), Young, Jr.
patent: 4977754 (1990-12-01), Upton et al.
patent: 5097673 (1992-03-01), Negishi
patent: 5884567 (1999-03-01), Bartz, Jr.
patent: 5893620 (1999-04-01), Birgelis

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