Evaporator fan/motor assembly support bracket

Abstract

A refrigerated merchandiser ( 10 ) includes a cabinet ( 20 ) having a top wall ( 22 ), a lower wall (24), a rear wall (34), and side walls ( 36, 38 ) defining an interior product display space ( 100 ) housing a product ( 110 ) on shelves ( 112 ) in a refrigerated environment intended for selection by consumers. A refrigeration unit cassette ( 50 ) is disposed in operative association with the interior product display space in a compartment ( 55 ) beneath the lower wall ( 24 ). An evaporator fan ( 63 ) and its associated fan motor ( 61 ) are supported by a bracket ( 80 ) having a generally T-shaped body ( 82 ) with three legs ( 85, 87, 89 ) extending therefrom and mounted to a housing ( 96 ) of an evaporator ( 60 ) housed within the refrigeration unit cassette ( 50 ).

1 . A bracket for mounting a fan and an associated motor to a support member, fan having a plurality of blades disposed circumferentially at spaced intervals about and extending outwardly from a central hub mounted to a drive shaft, the bracket comprising: 
 a body adapted for mounting the motor thereto, said body having a plurality of legs extending outwardly therefrom, each leg adapted to be mounted to the support member, said plurality of legs disposed in an asymmetrical arrangement with respect to the plurality of fan blades.    
     
     
         2 . A bracket as recited in  claim 1  wherein said plurality of legs of said bracket is unequal in number to the plurality of fan blades.  
     
     
         3 . A bracket as recited in  claim 1  wherein said body of said bracket comprises a generally T-shaped structure having a longitudinally extending member and a cross-member extending laterally to the longitudinally extending member.  
     
     
         4 . A bracket as recited in  claim 3  wherein said plurality of legs comprises a first leg extending outwardly from an end of the longitudinally extending member, a second leg extending outwardly from a first end of the cross-member, and a third leg extending outwardly from a second end of the cross-member laterally opposite the first end of the cross-member.  
     
     
         5 . A bracket as recited in  claim 1  wherein each leg of said plurality of legs has a foot extending outwardly therefrom, each foot having a hole therethrough for receiving a fastener for mounting said bracket to said support member.  
     
     
         6 . A bracket as recited in  claim 1  further comprising at least one hole in said body for receiving a fastener for mounting the motor to said body.  
     
     
         7 . An assembly comprising: 
 a motor having a drive shaft extending along a central axis;    a fan having a plurality of blades disposed circumferentially t spaced intervals about and extending outwardly from a central hub mounted to the drive shaft of said motor; and    a bracket having body adapted for mounting the motor thereto, said body having a plurality of legs extending outwardly therefrom, each leg adapted to be mounted to a support structure, said plurality of legs spaced about the central axis in an asymmetrical arrangement with respect to the plurality of fan blades, said plurality of legs being unequal in number to the plurality of fan blades.    
     
     
         8 . An assembly as recited in  claim 7  wherein said fan has four blades and said bracket has three legs.  
     
     
         9 . An assembly as recited in  claim 8  wherein said four fan blades are disposed at equally spaced circumferential intervals and said three legs are disposed in a generally T-shaped arrangement.  
     
     
         10 . An assembly comprising: 
 a motor having a drive shaft;    a fan having a central hub mounted to the drive shaft of said motor and a plurality of blades disposed circumferentially at spaced intervals about and extending outwardly from the central hub; and    a bracket having generally T-shaped body structure having a longitudinally extending member and a cross-member extending laterally to the longitudinally extending member, a first leg extending outwardly from an end of the longitudinally extending member, a second leg extending outwardly from a first end of the cross-member, and a third leg extending outwardly from a second end of the cross-member laterally opposite the first end of the cross- member, each leg adapted to be mounted to a support structure, said first, second and third legs disposed in an asymmetrical arrangement with respect to the plurality of fan blades.    
     
     
         11 . An assembly as recited in  claim 10  wherein each leg of said legs has a foot extending outwardly therefrom, each foot having a hole therethrough for receiving a fastener for mounting said bracket to a support member.  
     
     
         12 . An assembly as recited in  claim 10  further comprising a pair of holes in the longitudinally extending member of said body for receiving a fastener for mounting the motor to said body.