US2984085A - Walk-in cooler apparatus - Google Patents

Description

May 16, 1961 J. H. RAINWATER 2,984,085

WALK-IN COOLER APPARATUS Filed April 15, 19Go 2 sheets-sheet 1 www um mf |n||||||||u|||| Il I lIIIIIllIIIIllIIIlIIlllllllllllllllmmlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll nyVENToR Jada/.5' IZ mrwter ATTORNEYS WALK-IN COOLER APPARATUS Filed April l5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS United States Patent WALK-IN COOLER APPARATUS Julius H. Rainwater, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to The Warren Company, Inc., Atlanta, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed Apr. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 22,623

3 Claims. (Cl. 62-256) The present invention relates in general to the art of refrigeration, and more particularly to walk-in type display coolers having an open front refrigerated product display area and a rearwardly disposed walk-in storage area.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel walk-in cooler construction including a lforwardly disposed refrigerated display section having a plurality of product supporting shelves spaced vertically therein land an open front affording customer access to the products, together with a rearwardly spaced walk-in storage compartment, and air circulation and cooling means for circulating cooling air continuously through both the product display and storage areas.

Another object of the present invention is the pro vision of a walk-in type display cooler having a forwardly disposed open front product display area and a rearwardly disposed walk-in storage area, wherein a novel arrangement of vertically disposed, product supporting shelves is provided in the product display area and novel refrigerated air circulating means are provided to cause air flow to envelope all sides/of the product in the display area.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a walk-in type display cooler having a forwardly disposed, open front product display area andv a rearwardly disposed walk-in storage area, wherein means are provided for forming a curtain of refrigerated air vertically along the open front of the cooler and for circulating refrigerlated air forwardly and rearwardly of 'product display shelves in the display area in proper proportion to obtain substantially even temperatures at all levels.

Another object of the present invention is the provision o-f a novel walk-in type display cooler having a forwardly disposed, open front product display area and a rearwardly disposed walk-in storage area, and means for providing Ia closed loop refrigerated air circulation path in the cooler extending through both the product display and storage areas, wherein a standard size cooling coil may be used in the walk-in storage area.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detail description, taken in conjunction with the ac companying drawings illustrating one preferred embodi. ment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a walk-in type display cooler constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the cooler; and

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section view of the cooler.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference char- 'acters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, there is illustrated in the accompanying drawings a single section walk-in cooler unit, indicated generally by the reference character 10. It will be understood Jthat the basic section of the cooler unit is designed Patented May 16, 1961 so as Yto `allow installation of a group of such sections arranged in end-toend relation in long continuous lineups to adapt the cooler to a wide variety of installation conditions. The cooler unit 10 includes a bottom 11, a top 12, front and rear walls 13 and 14, respectively, and end walls 15 and 16 forming a rectangular enclosure. An intermediate partition, indicated generally by the reference character 17, divides the interior of the cooler into a forwardly disposed product display area 18 and a rearwardly disposed Walk-in storage area 19. The product display area 18 is of the open front type, a large access opening 20 being provided in the front wall 13 of the cooler, and contains a plurality of vertically spaced shelves, three of which are illustrated in the drawing and indicated by the reference characters 21, 22 and 23, disposed rearwardly of the front access opening 20.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the front access opening 20 may be forty-eight inches high and the lower front wall portion 24 lying below the access opening 20 may be about twenty-tive and a half inches high, and constitute the front wall of an upwardly opening lower product compartment 25 lying between the lower front wall portion 24 and the intermediate partition 17. Sheet metal panel members spaced inwardly from the inner surface of the lower front wall portion 24 and above the bottom 11 of the cooler define a return air chamber 26 having a vertical leg 27 extending downwardly from an inlet grille 28 immediately rearwardly of the top of the lower front wall portion 24 and a rearwardly extending horizontal leg 29. The rear end of the horizontal leg 29 of the return air chamber communicates with a low pressure plenum chamber 30 formed in the lower portion of the intermediate partition 1'7, which in turn communicates with the storage compartment 19 through an opening 31, forced air return to the storage area 19 being provided by the fan 32. Adjustable product supporting racks 33 are supported in suitable apertures providedin the sheet metal panels bounding the lower product compartment 25 and defining the vertical air return leg 27 and the plenum chamber 30.

An insulated ceiling 34 is positioned at the top of the product display area 18 substantially at the level of the upper edge of the access opening 20, and is provided with air supply openings or air nozzles 35 and 36 immediately adjacent the front and rear of the product display area 18. Sliding insulated doors 37 are provided in the intermediate partition 17 extending substantialy from the level of the ceiling 34 downwardly to a level below the top of the lower product compartment 25 to provide access for restocking the shelves 21, 22 and 23 from the walk-in storage area 19, the rear edges of the shelves being spaced selected distances from the door 37 to provide air passages 21a, 22a and 23ay therebetween. An air supply chamber 38 is provided above the display area oeiling 34 and communicates with air in the upper region of the walk-in storage area 19 through an opening 39 in the intermediate partition 17.

A fan 40 draws air from the storage area 19 through the opening 39 and propels the air toward a cooling coil 41 disposed in the air supply chamber 38, the air being diffused by the baffle 42 disposed between the fan 40 and cooling coil 41. The air then liows through the cooling coil 41 and divides into two paths to pass downwardly through the air supply openings 35 and 36 at the front and rear edges of the display area ceiling 34. The refrigerated air flowing downwardly through the forward air supply opening 35 liows substantially along the vertical path indicated by the arrows 43 to the inlet grille 28 of the air return chamber 26, defining in effect a vertical refrigerated air curtain immediately inwardly of the front access opening 20.

The refrigerated air which is directed through the rear air supply opening 36 in the display area ceiling 34 flows in a unique path to envelop all sides of the product zone and maintain substantially even temperatures at all levels in the display area 1S. Some of the refrigerated air discharged through the rear air supply opening 36 flows along a forwardly inclined path over the uppermost product display shelf 21 and co-mingles with the air owing along the path 43 from the air supply opening 35. The other part of the refrigerated air discharged from the rear air supply opening 36 flows directly downwardly along the insulated sliding doors 37 through the opening 21a provided between the rear edge of the upper product display shelf 21 and the doors 37, and again divides into a forwardly inclining path extending forwardlyacross the intermediate display shelf 22 and a generally vertical path downward through the opening 22a between the rear edge of the shelf 22 and the doors 37. The refrigerated air passing through the opening 22a divides in like manner, a portion extending forwardly across the shelf 23 and the other part passing through the opening 23a at the rear of the shelf 23 and into the lower product compartment 25.

It will be noted from the drawing that the openings 21a, 22a and 23a are of progressively diminishing sizes to properly proportion the air flow across each shelf. In one preferred example, the width of the opening 21a from the doors 37 to the rear edge of the shelf 21 is three inches, the width of the opening 22a is two inches and the width of the opening 23a is one inch.

It will be noted that, in the preferred embodiment herein illustrated, lamps 44 are located adjacent the upper end of the access opening v to illuminate the product on display. Additionally, anti-condensation heaters 4S are located around the air supply opening 35 to eliminate condensation. An awning 46 is provided on the front wall 13 immediately above the access opening 20. The awning 46 serves not only as a decorative piece, but also to retard air currents from the store from blowing into the refrigerated zone through the access opening 20. The awning 46 is not a necessity lfor satisfactory operation, but is helpful.

A cooling coil 47 is also provided for the walk-in storage area 19, this cooling coil being located in the preferred embodiment on the top '12 near the rear wall 14. Because of the particular division and configuration herein above described, the cooling coil 47 may be of the size normally used for the size of walk-in cooler it is applied to and does not have to be oversized when used with the front opening display portion.

While but one preferred example of the present invention has been particularly shown and described, it is apparent that various modifications may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations be placed on the invention as are imposed by the prior art and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A walk-in cooler unit comprising an enclosure having front and rear walls and a top and bottom, vertical partition means extending the height of the enclosure intermediate said front and rear walls dividing the enclosure into a forwardly disposed display section and a rearwardly disposed walk-in storage section, a ceiling and a bottom in said display section spaced from the top and bottom of the cooler unit, respectively, defining a product display compartment therebetween, a plurality of product supporting shelves spaced vertically in said display compartment, door means in said intermediate partition providing access for restocking said shelves from said storage section, said `front wall having an access opening therein extending over the major portion of the front wall affording customer access to said display compartment, means for circulating air from said storage section through vsaid display compartment and returning the same to said storage section including an air supply chamber above said ceiling having cooling coil means therein, and air return chamber extending below the bottom of said display compartment and upwardly along the front wall and terminating in an air return opening immediately below the lower edge of said access opening, means for drawing air from said storage section into said air supply chamber and propelling the same through said cooling coil means, said ceiling having front and rear air supply openings disposed to direct air passing through said cooling coil means downwardly in planes lying within said display section and adjacent said front wall and intermediate partition means, means for drawing air from said display compartment through said air return opening intoy said air return chamber and discharging the same into said storage section, means directing the air discharged through the front air supply opening of said ceiling downwardly in a substantially vertical path to the air return opening to form an air barrier traversing and located directly inwardly of said access opening, and each of said shelves being spaced forwardly of said intermediate partition means selected distances providing openings for passage of a selected portion of the air discharged downwardly through said rear air supply opening between said shelves and said intermediate partition means to regulate distribution of cooled air throughout said storage compartment. h 2. A walk-in cooler unit comprising an enclosure having front and rear walls and a top and bottom, vertical partition means extending the height of the enclosure intermediate said front and rear walls dividing the enclosure into a forwardly disposed display section and a rearwardly disposed walk-in storage section, a ceiling and a bottom in said display section spaced from the top and bottom of the cooler unit, respectively, defining a product display compartment therebetween, a plurality of product supporting shelves spaced vertically in said display compartment, door means in said intermediate partition providing access `for restocking said shelves from said storage section, said front wall having an access opening therein extending over the major portion of the front wall affording customer access to said display compartment, means forming an air supply chamber between said ceiling and the top of the enclosure, cooling coil means in said air supply chamber, said ceiling having front and rear air supply openings disposed adjacent said front wall and said intermediate partition means, respectively, air circulating means for drawing air from said storage section into said air supply chamber and through said cooling coil means, and discharging refrigerated air vertically downward through said front air supply opening in a substantially vertical path forming an air barrier traversing said access opening in said front wall and discharging air downwardly through said rear air supply opening onto the uppermost of said shelves, the rearmost edge of each of said shelves being spaced forwardly of said intermediate partition means a selected width providing openings for passage of a selected proportion of the air discharged through said rear air supply opening downwardly behind said shelves to maintain substantially even temperatures throughout said storage compartment, and air return means including an air return opening adjacent said front wall immediately below said access opening and a return air chamber between the bottom of said display compartment and the bottom of said enclosure communicating with said storage section for returning refrigerated air to said storage section.

3. A walk-in cooler unit comprising an enclosure having front and rear walls and a top and bottom, vertical partition means extending the height of the enclosure intermediate said front and rear walls dividing the enclosure into a forwardly disposed display section and a rearwardly disposed walk-in storage section, a ceiling and a bottom in said display section spaced from the top and lbottom `of the cooler unit, respectively, defining a l 5 t a i product display compartment therebetween, a plurality of product supporting shelves spaced vertically in said display compartment, door means in said intermediate partition providing access for restocking said shelves from said storage section, said front wall having an access opening therein extending over the major portion of the front wall aiording customer access to said display compartment, said ceiling having a front cooled air discharge opening adjacent and immediately inwardly of said front wall and a rear cooled air discharge opening immediately adjacent and forwardly of said intermediate partition means, means forming an air supply chamber above said ceiling communicating with said storage section and said air discharge openings and having cooling coil means therein, -fan means for drawing air from said storage section into said air supply chamber and propelling the same through said cooling coil means and said discharge openings, means forming an air return chamber between the bottom of said display compartment and said enclosure having a vertical inlet leg extending upwardly along the inner surface of said front wall and having an air return opening extending the width of said access opening and disposed immediately below the lower edge thereof, said air return chamber having communication with said storage section and a fan for drawing air through said air return opening into said air return chamber and discharging the same to said storage section, and means spacing the rearmost edges of said shelves forwardly of said intermediate partition means to provide air passages therebetween which progressively diminish in width at successively lower shelves for controlling distribution of cooled air discharged downwardly along said intermediate partition means from said rear discharge opening by passing a selected portion of the downwardly discharged air through said passages and diverting the remainder of said air forwardly along the associated shelf.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,450,088 Henderson Sept. 28, 1948 2,890,573 Lamb June 16, 1959 2,923,137 Swanson Feb. 2, 1960

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