Airflow Stabilizer for Lower Front of a Rear Loaded Refrigerated Display Case

Abstract

Cooled air is drawn into a display case ( 12 ) from a cooler ( 18 ). Products ( 160 ) are stacked on shelves ( 14 ) in the case. A fan system ( 50 ) at the bottom front of the display case draws the air through a return grill ( 56 ). The fan system blows the air through a grille and back into the cooler. A deflector ( 64 ) is installed between the shelves and a lower case front ( 58 ) that houses the fan system. The deflector provides a barrier to prevent stray air that flows from the grille from diffusing upwardly to lower shelves in the case and warming the product on the lower shelves. The deflector also stops the stray air from recirculating back through the fan system.

1 . A refrigerated case comprising:
 an interior space;   a fan that draws air out of the interior space; and   a panel to prevent the air drawn by the fan from re-entering the interior space.   
     
     
         2 . The case as recited in  claim 1  further including a front, a rear and a moveable curtain that separates the rear of the case and a cooler compartment. 
     
     
         3 . The case as recited in  claim 1  wherein the case includes a front, a rear, a cart including a plurality of shelves and a cart stop, wherein the cart stop prevents movement of the cart towards the front of the case. 
     
     
         4 . The case as recited in  claim 3  wherein the panel is located substantially above the cart stop. 
     
     
         5 . The case as recited in  claim 1  wherein the case includes a front, a rear, another fan that draws air into the interior space, and a portion of the air drawn into the interior space by the fan is directed along the front of the case to define a front air curtain and a remainder of the air drawn into the interior space by the fan is directed along the rear of the case to define a rear air curtain. 
     
     
         6 . The case as recited in  claim 5  further including a lower case housing that houses the fan and having a return grille and a discharge grille, wherein the fan draws the air in the front air curtain and the air in the rear air curtain through the return grille, into the lower case housing, through the discharge grille, and out of the case and wherein the panel is located between the lower case housing and a base shelf in the interior space. 
     
     
         7 . The case as recited in  claim 5  further including a cooling coil that cools the air that the another fan draws into the case. 
     
     
         8 . The case as recited in  claim 1  wherein the panel is substantially horizontal. 
     
     
         9 . A refrigerated case comprising:
 a cooler compartment including a first cooling coil that cools air in the cooler compartment; and   a display case including:
 an interior space, a front, a rear and shelves in the interior space, 
 a first fan that draws the air from the cooler compartment into the interior space; 
 a second cooling coil that cools the air drawn into the case by the first fan, wherein a portion of the air drawn by the first fan into the interior space is directed along the front of the case to define a front air curtain and a remainder of the air drawn by the first fan into the interior space is directed along the rear of the case to define a rear air curtain, 
 a lower case housing including a second fan, a return grille and a discharge grille, wherein the second fan draws the air in the front air curtain and the air in the rear air curtain through the return grille, into the lower case housing, through the discharge grille, and into the cooler compartment, and 
 a panel to prevent the air drawn from the second fan from re-entering the interior space, wherein the panel is located between the lower case housing and a base shelf in the interior space. 
   
     
     
         10 . The case as recited in  claim 9  wherein the case includes a cart including a plurality of shelves and a cart stop, wherein the cart stop prevents movement of the cart towards the front of the case. 
     
     
         11 . The case as recited in  claim 10  wherein the panel is located substantially above the cart stop. 
     
     
         12 . A method of cooling an interior space of a display case comprising the steps of:
 drawing return air out of the interior space with a fan; and   preventing the return air drawn by the fan from re-entering the interior space.   
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 12  further including the step of drawing the cooled air into the interior space. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 12  wherein the step of preventing includes employing a panel to direct the cooled air drawn by the fan out of the interior space of the case.