WO1995008087A1

WO1995008087A1 - Improvements in/or relating to a method of installing and operating a refrigeration unit in a refrigerated merchandiser and/or a refrigerated merchandiser employing said method

Info

Publication number: WO1995008087A1
Application number: PCT/NZ1994/000093
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bryce Arthur Matthews
Original assignee: Skope Industries Limited
Priority date: 1993-09-14
Filing date: 1994-09-14
Publication date: 1995-03-23
Also published as: AU7667294A; AU691199B2

Abstract

A refrigerated merchandiser (1) has a removable refrigeration unit (5) mounted in the base (4) thereof. The refrigeration unit (5) is supported on guide rails (24) which in the installed position operatively support the refrigeration unit (5) in position. When moved to a position allowing the refrigeration unit (5) to be removed, the guide rails (24) allow the refrigeration unit (5) to be moved out from the cabinet (2) for maintenance or replacement. Special leverage achieved through moving the guide rails (26) from one position to the other lifts the refrigeration unit (5) into the correct position. Once positioned, the refrigeration unit (5) delivers air flows to enhance the efficient operation of the refrigerated merchandiser (1) with the filtered air flow to the merchandiser being drawn from underneath the merchandiser (1) and the warm air being delivered up over the outside front of the access doors (7).

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN/OR RELATING TO A METHOD OF INSTALLING AND OPERATING A REFRIGERATION UNIT IN A REFRIGERATED MERCHANDISER AND/OR A REFRIGERATED MERCHANDISER EMPLOYING SAID METHOD

This invention relates to a method of installing and operating a refrigeration unit in a refrigerated merchandiser and/or a refrigerated merchandiser employing said method.

BACKGROUND

The efficient operation of a refrigerated merchandiser requires the refrigeration unit to be easily maintained and where any fault occurs to be quickly and simply replaced. With a refrigeration unit in the base of the refrigerated merchandiser a removable refrigeration unit needs to be installed in a manner that allows the unit to be effectively moved from the operative position to a position enabling servicing or replacement with the minimum of difficulty.

It is also desirable to operate the refrigerated merchandiser so that the air flows from the refrigeration unit are effectively utilised.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of installing and operating a refrigeration unit in a refrigerated merchandiser and/or refrigerated merchandisers employing said method which will go some way to meeting the abovementioned requirements or which will at least provide a useful choice over known and existing methods of installing and operating refrigeration units in a refrigerated merchandiser.

INVENTIVE STEP

Accordingly in one aspect the invention may be said to consist in a method of installing and operating a refrigeration unit in a refrigerated merchandiser, said method comprising the steps of supporting a refrigeration unit for the refrigerated merchandiser so that it may be moved on guide rails from outside the refrigerated merchandiser to a position within the base of the refrigerated merchandiser and using an extended portion of the guide rails to create a levered lifting action to raise the refrigerated unit into an operative position in the refrigerated merchandiser. In a further aspect the invention may be said to consist in a refrigerated merchandiser comprising a cabinet defining a refrigerated space with front access above a location for a refrigeration unit, a removable refrigeration unit operatively locatable in said cabinet, guide rails for supporting and allowing the refrigeration unit to be moved from outside the cabinet to a location within the cabinet, said guide rails being constructed and arranged so that part of the guide rails extending beyond the cabinet to support the refrigeration unit may be moved to create a levered lifting action to raise the refrigeration unit once located in the cabinet into operative engagement with an undersurface of the refrigerated space of the refrigerated merchandiser.

DRAWING DESCRIPTION

One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a refrigerated merchandiser according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an underneath perspective view of a refrigerated merchandiser showing condenser cooling air flows;

Figure 3 is a detail of the removable refrigeration unit illustrating air flows; Figure 4 is a detail of the refrigerated merchandiser cabinet with the front panel over the refrigeration unit and access doors removed but showing the refrigeration unit located in its operative position;

Figure 5 shows the refrigeration unit in a lowered position ready for removal; Figure 6 shows the refrigeration unit removed from within the cabinet for maintenance or replacement;

Figure 7 is a view of the cabinet with the refrigeration unit removed; Figure 8 is a detail of the guide rails shown in the position assumed supporting the refrigeration unit in operative location within the cabinet;

Figure 9 is a view showing the guide rail in a configuration allowing the refrigeration unit to be removed or installed;

Figure 10 is a detail of the guide rail in the installed configuration; Figure 11 is an intermediate position between the installed position and position for removal; and

Figure 12 is a detail of the guide rails in the position for removal or installation of the refrigeration unit PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The refrigerated merchandiser 1 has a cabinet 2 defining in the upper portion an insulated refrigerated space 3 for goods to be displayed and chilled in the refrigerated merchandiser and a space 4 in the lower part of the cabinet for a refrigeration unit 5. The cabinet 2 is supported on wheels 6. An access door or doors, preferably glass doors 7 are located to access the refrigerated space 3 and adjustable shelves 8 are located within the refrigerated space 3 to support and display merchandise to be refrigerated.

A removable front panel 9 is located beneath the doors 7 to cover the installed refrigeration unit 5 and this panel having a plain uninterrupted surface can be used for advertising or display indicia.

The refrigeration unit 5 incorporates the standard refrigeration equipment with an evaporator box 10 containing an evaporator coil 11 and a fan 12 to induce a flow of refrigerated air. A condenser coil 13 has an air flow fan 14 to induce the flow of cooling air over the condenser coil.

The flow of air over the condenser coil 13 enters the refrigeration unit from underneath the cabinet 2 as indicated by arrows 15. The air flow induced by the fan 14 passes through the condenser coil 13 and then is directed through an outlet 16 at the top of the panel 9 to pass up the front outersurface of the glass doors 7 as indicated by arrows 17.

The top of the evaporator box 10 has a sealing gasket 18 supported thereon to engage with the undersurface 19 of the refrigerated space 3 in the cabinet 2. Communicating openings 20 and 21 preferably protected by a grill are located through the base of the refrigerated space 3 and connect with the evaporator box 10. A passageway 22 is located at the back and top of the refrigerated space 3 with the passageway 22 connected to the opening 21. Depending upon the operation of the fan 12 the refrigerated air within the space 3 may be caused to circulate in either direction so that the air can either rise through or descend over the merchandise being chilled. The refrigerated air flow is indicated by the arrows 23.

The refrigeration unit 5 when installed and operating creates the air flows as above described but it is also necessary to mount the refrigeration unit in a manner which will allow relatively easy location for maintenance or replacement. Figures 4 to 6 illustrate in more detail this arrangement. Figure 4 shows the refrigeration unit in operative location in the refrigerated merchandiser but with the panel 9 and access doors 7 removed. Normally a maintenance operator would remove the panel 9 and have a view essentially as shown in Figure 4 of the refrigeration unit. The unit is supported on guide rails 24 located on either side of the unit and each guide rail 24 comprises an inner section 25 which is located within the cabinet and an extension section 26 pivotly connected at 28 to the inner section 25. These will be described in greater detail hereafter. In Figure 5 the extension sections 26 are shown in the folded down position so that the guide rail 24 extends out beyond the front of the cabinet 2. The refrigeration unit is then able to be slid upon the guide rails out of the cabinet as depicted in Figure 6 for ease of maintenance or replacement.

Figure 7 illustrates the refrigerated merchandiser as shown in Figures 4 to 6 but with the refrigeration unit 5 removed. The inner end of the section 25 of the guide rail is attached to the cabinet 2 and a base member 27 is provided in the front of the cabinet over which the guide rails pass.

The operation of the guide rails 24 is illustrated in more detail in Figures 10 to 12. The extension 26 is pivotly connected at 28 to the outer end of the inner section 25 of the guide rail. The extension incorporates a heel 29 projecting beyond the pivot point 28 and in use is arranged to engage with the base member 27 of the cabinet 2. The rail 24 is provided as an angle section so that a support surface is provided to locate and hold the refrigeration unit 5.

It is important to ensure that the guide rails 24 are correctly positioned and location means are provided in the form of a tongue or protuberance 30 extending from the heel 29 to engage through a locating slot in the base member 27.

The outer end of the extension 26 includes a locating tab 31 which engages in the cabinet framework beneath the refrigerated space 3 and is fixed in place by a fixing screw. When in this configuration, as illustrated in Figures 4 or 10, the heel 29 engaging with the member 27 raises the inner section 25 of the guide rail and the refrigeration unit so that the gasket 18 forms a seal with the undersurface of the refrigerated space 3 within the cabinet 2 and thus operatively locates the refrigeration unit. When the extension 26 is in the upright position and engaged in place through the tab 31 it operates as a strengthening strut in the cabinet framework.

A maintenance operator by disengaging the screws passing through the tabs 31 may fold the extension sections 26 down through a position as shown in Figure 11 to a position shown in Figure 12. The movement lowers the inner section 25 of the guide rail and thereby lowers the refrigeration unit to a position such that it can readily be slid on the guide rails to the location as illustrated in Figure 6.

The refrigeration unit 5 when positioned on the extensions 26 is exposed for ease of maintenance or if a fault has occurred or for other reasons it is desirable for the unit 5 to be replaced, the unit may be disconnected and lifted from the guide rails and a new unit installed by locating on the guide rails, connecting the unit and then moving the unit on the guide rails back into the position initially as shown in Figure 5. The inner section 25 of extension rails are then moved upwardly by rotation of the extension 26 through a levered action between the end of the heel 29 and the member 27 to elevate the rail 25 so that it assumes the position as shown in Figure 10 and the newly installed unit assumes a position again as shown in Figure 4. It will therefore be apparent that a simple and easy means is provided for installing a refrigeration unit or once installed for removing the unit to a position for ease of maintenance or replacement should this be necessary.

To minimise the accumulation of dust on the condenser coil 13, the air flow to the condenser can be filtered. The most convenient way of doing this is to install a slide filter 32 in the base frame of the cabinet 2 so that the filter can be removed by an operator pulling the front tab 33. The filter can therefore easily be removed for cleaning or replacement. In this way the air flow 15 passes through the shde filter 32 prior to passing over the condenser coil 13. It will be appreciated that this feature is not essential to the operation of the refrigeration unit but is an additional means of ensuring ease of maintenance and longer trouble-free operation of the refrigeration unit.

The present invention thus provides a method of installing and operating a refrigeration unit in a refrigerated merchandiser which enables the refrigeration unit to be readily maintained or replaced should this be necessary. It also provides an air flow path over the condenser which draws the air from underneath the cabinet and passes the warmed air up over the outside of the glass doors to minimise the likelihood of condensation on the doors. The air flow path has the added advantage of leaving a panel free below the doors for advertising material. The air flow is preferably filtered with an easily cleaned shde filter and the refrigerated air flow in the refrigerated cabinet is able to be operated in either direction giving versatility and choice to the user of the refrigerated merchandiser.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of installing and operating a refrigeration unit in a refrigerated merchandiser, said method comprising the steps of supporting a refrigeration unit for the refrigerated merchandiser so that it may be moved on guide rails from outside the refrigerated merchandiser to a position v-zithin the base of the refrigerated merchandiser and using an extended portion of the guide rails to create a levered lifting action to raise the refrigerated unit into an operative position in the refrigerated merchandiser.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 including the step of drawing the air flow to pass over the condenser in the operatively located refrigeration unit from beneath the refrigerated merchandiser and discharging at least a portion of the warmed air flow from the condenser to pass up the outside front of the access door to the refrigerated merchandiser.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the air flow is filtered prior to passing over the condenser.

4. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the air flow drawn from the refrigerated merchandiser to pass over the evaporator coil in the refrigeration unit can be circulated through the refrigerated space to descend over or to rise through the articles being cooled.

5. A refrigerated merchandiser comprising a cabinet defining a refrigerated space with front access above a location for a refrigeration unit, a removable refrigeration unit operatively locatable in said cabinet, guide rails for supporting and allowing the refrigeration unit to be moved from outside the cabinet to a location within the cabinet, said guide rails being constructed and arranged so that part of the guide rails extending beyond the cabinet to support the refrigeration unit may be moved to create a levered lifting action to raise the refrigeration unit once located in the cabinet into operative engagement with an undersurface of the refrigerated space of the refrigerated merchandiser.

6. A refrigerated merchandiser as claimed in claim 5 wherein an air inlet is located under the cabinet for the air flow to pass over the condenser of the refrigeration unit and an air outlet is located in the cabinet below the access door of the refrigerated space with a flow of warmed air discharged from the condenser up over the outer surface of the access door.

7. A refrigerated merchandiser as claimed in Claim 6 wherein a removable filter is located in the cabinet to filter the air flow to the condenser.

8. A refrigerated merchandiser as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the removable filter is a slide filter removable from the front of the cabinet.

9. A refrigerated merchandiser as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8 wherein two communicating passages to the refrigerated space are provided to circulate refrigerated air within the refrigeration unit with one passage connected to an air flow passage up the back of the refrigeration space so that in use the refrigerated air may be arranged to circulate through the refrigerated space to descend over or rise through the articles to be cooled.

10. A refrigerated merchandiser as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8 wherein the refrigerated unit is supported on two guide rails with each rail being supported at the inner end from the cabinet, said guide rail comprising an inner section located in use within the cabinet and an extension pivotly connected to the inner section with the extension including a heel continuing beyond the pivot point so that in use upon rotation of the extension said heel engages with the cabinet to provide a levered lifting action to raise the inner section of the rail and the refrigerated unit supported thereon into the operative engagement with the base of the refrigerated space.

11. A refrigerated merchandiser as claimed in claim 10 wherein the extension of the rail when in the raised position is substantially at right angles to the inner section and provides a strut in the cabinet framework.

12. A refrigerated merchandiser as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11 wherein locating means are provided between the front section of the cabinet and the rails to correctly align and position the rails to receive the refrigeration unit.

13. A refrigerated merchandiser as claimed in claim 12 wherein said aligning means comprise a slot in a bottom member of the cabinet framework over which the guide rails pass and a projection extending from the heel of the extension section of the rails so that a portion of the projection remains in the slot within the range of movement of the extension section of the guide rail.