Refrigeration – Display type – Means removing or preventing condensate on transparent panel
Patent
1987-08-11
1988-11-08
Tapolcai, Willaim E.
Refrigeration
Display type
Means removing or preventing condensate on transparent panel
62507, A47F 304
Patent
active
047826665
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a refrigerator display case or cabinet with a ventilated glazed frame or surface and having a refrigerated chamber with a condenser and compressor positioned therebelow. The present invention finds particular and convenient, through not exclusive, application to refrigerator display cabinets for foodstuffs.
In the present state of the art, it is well-known that refrigerator display cabinets, having display windows that are internally cooled, tend to generate condensate on the corresponding external window surfaces, thus fogging the windows which thereby no longer are suitably transparent for display of contents within the refrigerated chamber. This is disadvantageous in display environments, such as shops or supermarkets, since the products inside the chamber are not clearly visible through the windows, consequently adversely effecting sales.
Many attempts to solve this problem have been made:
1. Through the use of an electrically operated heating element having a resistor, in most cases metallic, and placed in direct contact with the respective plate glass.
2. Through the use of "radiant glasses", i.e. electrically heated, through the insertion of electrical filaments into the plate glass.
3. Through external ventilation of the glazed surface by means of an air stream at ambient temperature sweeping across the external glazed surface.
The first two solutions are very extensive because they require high operating costs (electrical energy expenditure, resistors wearing out, etc.). The third solution, although obviating the higher operating costs for energy expenditure, results in an expenditure of energy by a supplemental fan and in the cost of the respective system. Furthermore, the anti-fogging effect is not very effective since the ventilated air also results in a condensate effect, though less than in a system totally without ventilation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement whereby it is possible to remedy the above and other prior art drawbacks.
This object is achieved according to the present invention by the use of an external ventilation system for preventing fogging of the glazed surfaces, by means of a warm air flow from the condenser. Specifically, a baffle positioned above and between the condenser and compressor diverts a portion only of the air flow from the condenser into a flattened duct extending above the compressor, the remaining air flow passing to the compressor in a conventional manner.
The advantage obtained by this invention is that the amount of electrical energy required to heat the air is reduced. In a preferred embodiment, a ventilation system includes a fan positioned immediately upstream of the baffle.
By means of this invention, it is possible to use the structure necessary to cool the condenser also as a ventilation system for preventing fogging. In a further feature of this invention, the ventilation system is designed to draw ambient air through the condenser and convey such air to the ventilation system while removing heat from the compressor apparatus located therebelow and thereby also insulating the refrigerator chamber from the heat emitted by the compressor. Thus, the system draws warm air from the condenser and passes it through a laminar duct positioned under the bottom of the refrigerator or chamber.
By this invention it is possible to reduce the overall dimensions of the assembly. Moreover, the arrangement of the structural elements is realized in an economical way, allowing the laminar flow of warm air to be conveyed laterally from the bottom and then as a continuous ascending veil externally wiping or passing across the exterior of the transparent surface, thus preventing condensation thereon.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One way of carrying out this invention is described in detail below, with reference to the drawings, which illustrate only one specific embodiment, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical front section, taken along
REFERENCES:
patent: 2462705 (1949-02-01), Abeling
patent: 2542136 (1951-02-01), Hanson
patent: 2672735 (1954-03-01), Fusselman
patent: 2673455 (1954-03-01), Brinkoeter
patent: 2696087 (1954-12-01), Luecke
patent: 2911799 (1959-11-01), Guyton
patent: 3462966 (1969-08-01), Reid
patent: 3759059 (1973-09-01), Kenyon
Costan S.p.A.
Tapolcai Willaim E.
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