Door With Labyrinth Feature

Abstract

A temperature-controlled enclosure for displaying cold items. The enclosure includes a body having a front opening and defining an interior space. A frame assembly is coupled in the front opening. One or more doors are coupled to the frame assembly. At least one of the doors includes one or more window panels, a housing assembly that holds the window panels, and a gasket. A ridge projects from the rear surface of the housing assembly between the gasket and the interior space of the enclosure. The ridge extends across a portion of an air gap between the rear surface of the housing assembly and a front surface of the frame assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A temperature-controlled enclosure for displaying cold items, comprising:
 a body comprising a front opening and defining an interior space of the enclosure;   a frame assembly coupled in the front opening of the body; and   one or more doors coupled to the frame assembly, wherein at least one of the doors comprises:
 one or more window panels; 
 a housing assembly configured to hold the one or more window panels along the exterior edges of the one or more window panels, the housing assembly comprising a rear surface and defining a perimeter; 
 a gasket coupled to the housing assembly on the rear surface of the housing assembly along the perimeter, wherein the gasket is configured to form a seal between the frame assembly and the door when the door is closed; and 
 a ridge projecting from the rear surface of the housing assembly between at least a portion of the gasket and the interior space of the enclosure, wherein the ridge extends across at least a portion of an air gap between the rear surface of the housing assembly and a front surface of the frame assembly. 
   
     
     
         2 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the ridge at least partially defines an air passage between the interior space and the gasket when the door is closed, and wherein the ridge is configured to inhibit air flow between the gasket and the interior space of the enclosure. 
     
     
         3 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the ridge at least partially defines a labyrinthine air passage between the interior space and at least one inner surface of the gasket when the door is closed. 
     
     
         4 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 3 , wherein the labyrinthine air passage comprises:
 a first segment between the ridge and a front surface of the frame assembly, and   a second segment between an outer surface of the ridge and an inner surface of the gasket.   
     
     
         5 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the labyrinthine air passage is configured to inhibit air leakage between the gasket and a contact plate of the frame assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the labyrinthine air passage is configured to inhibit heat transfer between ambient air around the temperature-controlled storage device and the interior space of the enclosure. 
     
     
         7 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the labyrinthine air passage is configured to inhibit condensation on the door or the frame assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the housing assembly comprises a window panel retaining member, wherein the ridge is formed in the window panel retaining member. 
     
     
         9 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the ridge comprises a flexible material. 
     
     
         10 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the ridge comprises a rigid material. 
     
     
         11 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the ridge comprises a hollow core. 
     
     
         12 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the ridge comprises, in cross section, a rectangular shape. 
     
     
         13 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the ridge comprises, in cross section, a polygonal shape. 
     
     
         14 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the ridge comprises at least one rounded external surface. 
     
     
         15 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the air gap between the ridge and the front surface of the frame assembly is about 3 millimeters or less. 
     
     
         16 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional ridges projecting from the rear surface of the housing assembly, wherein at least one of the additional ridges at least partially defines the air passage between the interior space and the gasket when the door is closed, wherein the at least one additional ridge is configured to inhibit air flow between the gasket and the interior space of the enclosure. 
     
     
         17 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the ridge runs along the gasket around the perimeter of the housing assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the ridge runs along the gasket on the top edge or the bottom edge of the door. 
     
     
         19 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the ridge runs along the gasket on at least one of the side edges of the door. 
     
     
         20 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the ridge runs along the gasket on a hinged side of the door. 
     
     
         21 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the ridge runs along the gasket on a handle side of the door. 
     
     
         22 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the ridge is between the gasket and an exposed edge of at least one of the window panels. 
     
     
         23 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the frame assembly comprises one or more mullions coupled between a top frame segment and a bottom frame segment. 
     
     
         24 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the ridge is configured to extend across at least a portion of an air gap between the rear surface of the housing assembly and a front surface of the mullion. 
     
     
         25 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the frame assembly comprises a contact plate, wherein at least one segment of an air passage between the gasket and the interior space is at least partially defined by a gap between the ridge and a front surface of the contact plate. 
     
     
         26 . The temperature-controlled enclosure of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the frame assembly comprises a main frame member and a backing member coupled to the main frame member, wherein the backing member comprises a leg on the inner side of the main frame member, and   wherein at least one segment of an air passage between the gasket and the interior space is at least partially defined by a gap between the ridge and a front surface of the leg of the backing member.   
     
     
         27 . A temperature-controlled enclosure for displaying cold items, comprising:
 a body comprising a front opening and defining an interior space;   a frame assembly coupled in the front opening of the body; and   one or more doors coupled to the frame assembly, wherein at least one of the doors comprises:
 one or more window panels; 
 a housing assembly configured to hold the one or more window panels along the exterior edges of the one or more window panels, the housing assembly comprising a rear surface and defining a perimeter; 
 a gasket coupled to the housing assembly on the rear surface of the housing assembly along the perimeter, wherein the gasket is configured to form a seal between the frame assembly and the door when the door is closed; and 
 a ridge extending across at least a portion of an air gap between the rear surface of the housing assembly and a front surface of the frame assembly, wherein the ridge is configured to inhibit air flow between the gasket and the interior space of the enclosure. 
   
     
     
         28 . The temperature controlled enclosure of  claim 27 , wherein the ridge projects from the rear surface of the housing assembly between the gasket and the interior space of the enclosure. 
     
     
         29 . The temperature controlled enclosure of  claim 27 , wherein the ridge projects from the front surface of the frame assembly between the gasket and the interior space of the enclosure. 
     
     
         30 . A door for a temperature controlled enclosure for displaying cold items, comprising:
 one or more window panels;   a housing assembly configured to hold the one or more window panels along the exterior edges of the one or more window panels, the housing assembly comprising a rear surface and defining a perimeter;   a gasket coupled to the housing assembly on the rear surface of the housing assembly along the perimeter, wherein the gasket is configured to form a seal between the frame assembly and the door when the door is closed; and   a ridge projecting from the rear surface of the housing assembly interior to the gasket,   wherein, when the door is closed on a frame assembly mounted in an enclosure of the temperature controlled storage device, the ridge is configured to extend across at least a portion of an air gap between the rear surface of the housing assembly and a front surface of the frame assembly.   
     
     
         31 . A method of improving thermal performance of a refrigerated enclosure, comprising:
 providing a frame assembly for holding a door for the refrigerated enclosure; and   providing a ridge on a rear surface of a door of the enclosure interior to a gasket of the door,   wherein, when the frame assembly and door are installed and the door is closed, a labyrinthine air passage is created between the door and the frame assembly, wherein the labyrinthine air passage is at least partially defined by the ridge, and wherein the ridge is configured to inhibit air flow between the gasket and the interior space of the enclosure.