Refrigerated Retail Units

Abstract

A refrigerated retail unit has a supporting structure, at least one insulating open-topped container that is movable with respect to the structure between a display position in which the interior of the container can be accessed through an access opening, and a full access position in which the interior of the container can be accessed through most or all of its open top. The container is capable of substantially retaining cold air within when in the full access position. The unit further comprises a cooling means for cooling the interior of the container and an insulating lid supported by the structure. The container defines an overall top plan area that is partially covered by the lid when the container is in the display position, and the remainder of said area of the container not then covered by the lid defines the access opening.

1 . A refrigerated retail unit having:
 a supporting structure;   at least one insulating open-topped container that is movable with respect to the structure between
 a display position in which the interior of the container can be accessed through an access opening; and 
 a full access position in which the interior of the container can be accessed through most or all of its open top; 
   the container being capable of substantially retaining cold air within when in the full access position;   cooling means for cooling the interior of the container; and   an insulating lid supported by the structure;   wherein the container defines an overall top plan area that is partially covered by the lid when the container is in the display position, and the remainder of said area of the container not then covered by the lid defines the access opening.   
   
   
       2 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the container is movable with respect to the lid past the display position into a fully closed position where the open top of the container is fully closed by the lid. 
   
   
       3 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the container is removable from the structure. 
   
   
       4 . The unit of any preceding  claim 1 , wherein the container moves as a drawer with respect to the structure and the lid. 
   
   
       5 . The unit of  claim 4 , wherein telescopic runners between the container and the structure enable the container to be withdrawn from the structure to an extent necessary to expose substantially all of the open top of the container. 
   
   
       6 . The unit of any  claim 1 , wherein the lid has a substantially horizontal under surface, the open top of the container defines a substantially horizontal upper surface, and the container moves substantially horizontally between said positions. 
   
   
       7 . The unit of any  claim 1 , wherein an under surface of the lid and an upper surface of the container are inclined downwardly and forwardly. 
   
   
       8 . The unit of  claim 7 , wherein the container moves between its positions in a correspondingly inclined plane. 
   
   
       9 . The unit of  claim 8 , wherein the unit has latch means to hold the container in an upward position. 
   
   
       10 . The unit of  claim 8 , wherein the unit has bias means to urge the container upwardly. 
   
   
       11 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the or each container is supported in a non-insulated cabinet or casing. 
   
   
       12 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the lid is fixed to the structure. 
   
   
       13 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein a mezzanine shelf is in the container. 
   
   
       14 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the unit has at least two containers one above the other, comprising a lower container and an upper container. 
   
   
       15 . The unit of  claim 14 , wherein there is an air gap between the lid of the lower container and the bottom the upper container. 
   
   
       16 . The unit of  claim 14 , wherein the containers are in tiered relation when in their display positions. 
   
   
       17 . The unit of  claim 16 , wherein the lower container is longer from front to rear than the upper container. 
   
   
       18 . The unit of  claim 17 , wherein the lid of the lower container is shorter than the lower container. 
   
   
       19 . The unit of  claim 17 , wherein the lid of the lower container is substantially the same length as the upper container. 
   
   
       20 . The unit of  claim 17 , wherein the upper container has an outwardly inclined front wall defining its access opening and the lower container has a front wall that is less inclined than the front wall of the upper container. 
   
   
       21 . The unit of  claim 20 , wherein the lower container has a front wall that is substantially vertical. 
   
   
       22 . The unit of  claim 20 , wherein the lower container has a front wall that is substantially orthogonal to a base of the container. 
   
   
       23 . The unit of  claim 16 , wherein the lower container is wider from side to side than the upper container. 
   
   
       24 . The unit of  claim 23 , wherein the lid of the lower container is narrower than the lower container. 
   
   
       25 . The unit of  claim 23 , wherein the lid of the lower container is substantially the same width as the upper container. 
   
   
       26 . The unit of  claim 16 , wherein the lower container is withdrawn further from the structure than the upper container when the containers are in their display positions. 
   
   
       27 . The unit of  claim 16 , wherein one container moves as a drawer with respect to the structure and the other container is removable from the structure. 
   
   
       28 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling means is associated with the lid. 
   
   
       29 . The unit of  claim 28 , wherein the cooling means comprises a fan coil unit in the lid. 
   
   
       30 . The unit of  claim 28 , wherein the cooling means comprises an evaporator in the lid. 
   
   
       31 . The unit of  claim 30 , wherein a plenum chamber in the lid communicates with the evaporator and with the container through openings in a partition that partially defines the plenum chamber. 
   
   
       32 . The unit of  claim 28 , wherein the cooling means employs self-contained air circulation between the lid and the container. 
   
   
       33 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling means comprises a heat exchanger. 
   
   
       34 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling means comprises cold air ducts extending through the lid from a cold air source outside the lid. 
   
   
       35 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling means employs magnetic refrigeration. 
   
   
       36 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein at least a majority of cooling is effected by way of the lid. 
   
   
       37 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling means does not cool the exterior of the container. 
   
   
       38 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the container includes a recirculation duct having an inlet for receiving air from an air curtain projected across the access opening. 
   
   
       39 . The unit of  claim 38 , wherein the recirculation duct is defined between inner and outer walls of the container. 
   
   
       40 . The unit of  claim 38 , wherein the air curtain is projected from the lid across the access opening. 
   
   
       41 . The unit of  claim 38 , wherein the recirculation duct has an outlet for directing air to the lid. 
   
   
       42 . The unit of  claim 41 , wherein the outlet is at the rear of the container. 
   
   
       43 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the container has a base and front, rear and side walls upstanding from the base to define the open top. 
   
   
       44 . The unit of  claim 43 , wherein the rear wall and side walls extend substantially from the base to the lid, and the front wall is shorter than the rear wall. 
   
   
       45 . The unit of  claim 44 , further including an insulating panel attachable to the front wall of the container to increase the height of the front wall. 
   
   
       46 . The unit of  claim 43 , wherein the front, rear and side walls extend substantially orthogonally from the base. 
   
   
       47 . The unit of any of  43  to  46 , wherein the front wall is substantially vertical. 
   
   
       48 . The unit of  claim 43 , wherein the rear wall is substantially vertical. 
   
   
       49 . The unit of  claim 43 , wherein the side walls are substantially vertical. 
   
   
       50 . The unit of  claim 43 , wherein at least part of the front wall is transparent. 
   
   
       51 . The unit of  claim 43 , wherein at least a forward part of the side walls is transparent. 
   
   
       52 . The unit of  claim 43 , wherein at least an inner surface of the base is inclined downwardly toward the access opening. 
   
   
       53 . The unit of  claim 52 , wherein the inner surface has parallel channels leading toward the access opening. 
   
   
       54 . The unit of  claim 53 , wherein a minor forward portion of the inclined inner surface of the base adjacent the access opening is more steeply inclined than a major rearward portion of that surface. 
   
   
       55 . The unit of  claim 54 , wherein the front wall is inclined at an obtuse internal angle with respect to the base and the minor forward portion is inclined substantially orthogonally with respect to the front wall. 
   
   
       56 . The unit of  claim 52 , wherein the inner surface of the base is inclined downwardly leading away from a secondary access opening of the container. 
   
   
       57 . The unit of  claim 52 , wherein the unit has at least two containers one above the other, and the lid of a lower container has an upper surface inclined to match the external inclination of the base of the upper container. 
   
   
       58 . The unit of  claim 43 , wherein the front wall is inclined at an obtuse internal angle with respect to the base. 
   
   
       59 . The unit of  claim 58 , wherein forward extensions of the side walls each have an inclined upwardly-facing edge extending to the top of the front wall, said edges and the top of the front wall together at least partially defining the access opening. 
   
   
       60 . The unit of  claim 43 , wherein the rear wall is inclined at an obtuse internal angle with respect to the base. 
   
   
       61 . The unit of  claim 60 , wherein rearward extensions of the side walls each have an inclined upwardly-facing edge extending to the top of the rear wall, said edges and the top of the rear wall together at least partially defining a secondary access opening. 
   
   
       62 . The unit of  claim 43 , wherein the access opening is at least partially defined by the front wall. 
   
   
       63 . The unit of  claim 43 , wherein the access opening is at least partially defined by forward extensions of the side wall. 
   
   
       64 . The unit of  claim 43 , wherein the access opening is at least partially defined by a forward edge of the lid. 
   
   
       65 . The unit of  claim 64 , wherein the front wall is inclined at an obtuse internal angle with respect to the base, and forward extensions of the side walls each have an inclined upwardly-facing edge extending to the top of the front wall, said edges and the top of the front wall together at least partially defining the access opening. 
   
   
       66 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the access opening is upwardly-facing. 
   
   
       67 . The unit of  claim 66 , wherein the access opening is also outwardly-facing. 
   
   
       68 . The unit of  claim 66 , wherein the access opening is forwardly-facing. 
   
   
       69 . The unit of  claim 66 , wherein the access opening is laterally-facing. 
   
   
       70 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the access opening is adjacent the lid. 
   
   
       71 . The unit of  claim 70 , wherein the access opening is forward of the lid. 
   
   
       72 . The unit of  claim 70 , wherein the access opening is to at least one side of the lid. 
   
   
       73 . The unit of  claim 70 , wherein the access opening extends at least partially around the lid viewed in plan. 
   
   
       74 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the lid has an end face adjacent the access opening, that face facing downwardly and outwardly. 
   
   
       75 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein a movable or removable closure covers the access opening. 
   
   
       76 . The unit of  claim 75 , wherein the closure is supported by the lid. 
   
   
       77 . The unit of  claim 76 , wherein the closure is hinged to the lid. 
   
   
       78 . The unit of  claim 75 , wherein when not in use, the closure can be stowed in a forwardly-opening recess in the lid. 
   
   
       79 . The unit of  claim 75 , wherein at least part of the closure is transparent. 
   
   
       80 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the container is defined by a plurality of open-topped insulating boxes disposed side-by-side on a supporting platform. 
   
   
       81 . The unit of  claim 80 , wherein one of the boxes lies under the access opening and at least one other box is wholly under the lid. 
   
   
       82 . The unit of  claim 80 , wherein the boxes co-operate to define a planar upper surface co-operable with a planar under surface of the lid. 
   
   
       83 . The unit of  claim 80 , wherein the boxes are slidable with respect to the platform. 
   
   
       84 . The unit of  claim 80 , wherein the platform is inclined. 
   
   
       85 . The unit of  claim 84 , wherein the boxes slide down the incline of the platform under gravity. 
   
   
       86 . The unit of  claim 84 , wherein a lower box on the inclined platform supports one or more upper boxes on the platform against sliding down the platform until the lower box is removed from the platform. 
   
   
       87 . The unit of  claim 86 , wherein the inclined platform has a front wall for supporting the lower box. 
   
   
       88 . The unit of  claim 80 , wherein the platform is movable with respect to the structure. 
   
   
       89 . The unit of  claim 88 , wherein the platform is movable as a drawer with respect to the structure. 
   
   
       90 . The unit of  claim 89 , wherein the platform is supported by telescopic runners and can be withdrawn from the structure to an extent necessary to place a box on the rear of the platform. 
   
   
       91 . The unit of  claim 80 , wherein each box has a rear wall and side walls extending substantially from the platform to the lid, and a front wall that is shorter than the rear wall. 
   
   
       92 . The unit of  claim 91 , wherein the access opening is at least partially defined by the front wall. 
   
   
       93 . The unit of  claim 1  and having a secondary access opening giving access to the interior of the container when in the display position. 
   
   
       94 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein there are at least two access openings, at least one of which is an exit opening for removing items from the container. 
   
   
       95 . The unit of  claim 94 , wherein at least one of the access openings is an entry opening for placing items into the container. 
   
   
       96 . The unit  claim 1 , wherein a seal acts between the lid and the top of the container. 
   
   
       97 . The unit of  claim 96 , wherein the seal is a magnetic sliding seal. 
   
   
       98 . The unit of  claim 96 , wherein the seal substantially encircles an under surface of the lid. 
   
   
       99 . The unit of  claim 96 , wherein the seal has elements transverse to the direction of movement of the container with respect to the structure. 
   
   
       100 . The unit of  claim 99 , wherein a first transverse element of the seal acts between the lid and a rear wall of the container when the container is in the display position. 
   
   
       101 . The unit of  claim 99 , wherein a second transverse element of the seal forward of the first transverse element acts between the lid and the rear wall of the container when the container is in the full access position. 
   
   
       102 . The unit of  claim 101 , wherein the second transverse element of the seal acts between the lid and the front wall of the container when the container is in the fully closed position. 
   
   
       103 . The unit of  claim 100 , wherein a third transverse element of the seal rearward of the first transverse element acts between the lid and the rear wall of the container when the container is in the fully closed position. 
   
   
       104 . The unit of  claim 96 , wherein the seal has longitudinal elements parallel to the direction of movement of the container with respect to the structure. 
   
   
       105 . The unit of  claim 104 , wherein the longitudinal elements of the seal act between the lid and side walls of the container when the container is in the display position or in the fully closed position. 
   
   
       106 . (canceled)