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Patent 3031307 Summary

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Claims and Abstract availability

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(12) Patent Application: (11) CA 3031307
(54) English Title: IMPROVEMENTS TO OPEN DISPLAY REFRIGERATORS
(54) French Title: PERFECTIONNEMENTS APPORTES A DES REFRIGERATEURS OUVERTS
Status: Dead
Bibliographic Data
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):
  • A47F 3/04 (2006.01)
  • A47F 3/00 (2006.01)
(72) Inventors :
  • MCANDREW, PAUL (United Kingdom)
  • BURKE, MATTHEW PIERS (United Kingdom)
(73) Owners :
  • AEROFOIL ENERGY LIMITED (United Kingdom)
(71) Applicants :
  • AEROFOIL ENERGY LIMITED (United Kingdom)
(74) Agent: CASSAN MACLEAN IP AGENCY INC.
(74) Associate agent:
(45) Issued:
(86) PCT Filing Date: 2017-07-27
(87) Open to Public Inspection: 2018-02-01
Availability of licence: N/A
(25) Language of filing: English

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): Yes
(86) PCT Filing Number: PCT/GB2017/052201
(87) International Publication Number: WO2018/020260
(85) National Entry: 2019-01-18

(30) Application Priority Data:
Application No. Country/Territory Date
1613067.6 United Kingdom 2016-07-28

Abstracts

English Abstract

An open display refrigerator (1) is provided, comprising: an interior refrigerated space (2); an air curtain separating the interior refrigerated space from air external to the refrigerator; an air curtain guide (6) for guiding flow of air within the air curtain; at least one light source (7) disposed in the air curtain guide so as to illuminate the interior refrigerated space (2). An air curtain guide for an open display refrigerator is also provided, the air curtain guide comprising at least one light source (7) and at least one connecting member adapted for attachment to a shelf (3) of the refrigerator or to an interior surface of the refrigerator. A method of modifying an open display refrigerator is also provided.


French Abstract

L'invention porte sur un réfrigérateur ouvert (1) comprenant : un espace intérieur réfrigéré (2) ; un rideau d'air séparant l'espace intérieur réfrigéré de l'air extérieur au réfrigérateur ; un guide de rideau d'air (6) pour guider l'écoulement d'air au sein du rideau d'air ; au moins une source de lumière (7) disposée dans le guide de rideau d'air de manière à éclairer l'espace intérieur réfrigéré (2). L'invention porte également sur un guide de rideau d'air pour un réfrigérateur ouvert, le guide de rideau d'air comprenant au moins une source de lumière (7) et au moins un élément de liaison conçu pour être fixé à une étagère (3) du réfrigérateur ou à une surface intérieure du réfrigérateur. L'invention concerne également un procédé de modification d'un réfrigérateur ouvert.

Claims

Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.


14
CLAIMS
1. An open display refrigerator comprising:
an interior refrigerated space;
an air curtain separating the interior refrigerated space from air external to
the
refrigerator;
an air curtain guide for guiding flow of air within the air curtain;
at least one light source disposed in the air curtain guide so as to
illuminate the
interior refrigerated space.
2. The open display refrigerator of any preceding claim, wherein the air
curtain guide is in the
form of an aerofoil.
3. The open display refrigerator of any preceding claim, wherein the light
source is selected
from LEDs, fluorescent lamps, or halogen lamps.
4. The open display refrigerator of any preceding claim, wherein the light
source is powered by
a thermoelectric generator system, solar power, a battery system, mains
electricity, or by energy
harvested from ambient electromagnetic radiation.
5. The open display refrigerator of any preceding claim, further comprising
a shelf disposed in
the interior refrigerated space and associated with the air curtain guide.
6. The open display refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the at least one light
source is disposed in
the air curtain guide so as to face the shelf.
7. The open display refrigerator of any one of claims 5 to 6, wherein the
shelf has a surface for
receiving products to form a product display area, and wherein the at least
one light source is
disposed in the air curtain guide so as to illuminate the product display
area.
8. The open display refrigerator of any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the
refrigerator comprises
a plurality of shelves, each shelf being associated with a respective air
curtain guide.

15
9. The open display refrigerator of claim 8, wherein each shelf has a
surface for receiving
products to form a product display area, and wherein the at least one light
source is disposed in the
associated air curtain guide so as to illuminate the product display area of a
shelf below that with
which the air curtain guide is associated.
10. The open display refrigerator of any one of claims 5 to 10, wherein the
air curtain guide is
connected to the shelf or refrigerator by at least one connecting member.
11. The open display refrigerator of claim 10, wherein cabling associated
with at least one of
the light source and the power source is routed through the at least one
connecting member.
12. The open display refrigerator of any preceding claim, wherein cabling
associated with at
least one of the light source and the power source is routed through the air
guide.
13. An air curtain guide for an open display refrigerator, the air curtain
guide comprising at least
one light source and at least one connecting member adapted for attachment to
a shelf of the
refrigerator or to an interior surface of the refrigerator.
14. The air curtain guide of claim 13, in the form of an aerofoil.
15. The air curtain guide of claim 13 or 14, wherein the light source is
selected from LEDs,
fluorescent lamps, or halogen lamps.
16. The air curtain guide of any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the light
source is powered by a
thermoelectric generator system, solar power, a battery system, mains
electricity, or by energy
harvested from ambient electromagnetic radiation.
17. The air curtain guide of any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the at
least one light source is
disposed in the air curtain guide so as to illuminate an interior refrigerated
space of the refrigerator
when the at least one connecting member is attached to the shelf or interior
surface.

16
18. The air curtain guide of any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the at
least one light source is
disposed in the air curtain guide so as to illuminate a product display area
of a shelf of the
refrigerator with which the air curtain guide is associated, when the at least
one connecting
member is attached to the shelf or interior surface.
19. The air curtain guide of any one of claims 13 to 18, wherein the at
least one light source is
disposed in the air curtain guide so as to illuminate a product display area
of a shelf of the
refrigerator below a shelf with which the air curtain guide is associated,
when the at least one
connecting member is attached to the shelf or interior surface.
20. The air curtain guide of any one of claims 13 to 19, wherein cabling
associated with at least
one of the light source and the power source is routed through the at least
one connecting
member.
21. The air curtain guide of any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein cabling
associated with at least
one of the light source and the power source is routed through the air guide.
22. A method of modifying an open display refrigerator comprising an
interior refrigerated
space and an air curtain separating the interior refrigerated space from air
external to the
refrigerator;
the method comprising disposing in the refrigerator an air curtain guide for
guiding flow of
air within the air curtain, such that the air curtain guide comprises at least
one light source disposed
in the air curtain guide so as to illuminate the interior refrigerated space.
23. The method of claim 22, comprising disposing the air curtain guide in
the refrigerator so
that the air curtain guide is associated with a shelf of the refrigerator.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one light source is
disposed in the air curtain
guide so as to illuminate a product display area of the shelf of the
refrigerator with which the air
curtain guide is associated.

17
25. The method of claim 23 or claim 24, wherein the at least one light
source is disposed in the
air curtain guide so as to illuminate a product display area of a shelf of the
refrigerator below the
shelf with which the air curtain guide is associated.
26. An open display refrigerator substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
27. An air curtain guide substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the
accompanying drawings.
28. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying
drawings.

Description

Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.


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IMPROVEMENTS TO OPEN DISPLAY REFRIGERATORS
The invention relates to open display refrigerators and to methods of
modifying open display
refrigerators.
Open display refrigerators are commonly used in retail environments, such as
supermarkets, to
store and display products, such as meat and dairy products, which must be
kept at lower than
ambient temperatures. The open front of such a refrigerator makes it easy for
customers to view
the products being displayed and to retrieve products they wish to purchase
from the refrigerator.
This type of refrigerator has an air curtain, which is established by blowing
cold air across the front
of the refrigerator. The air curtain issues from an air outlet at the top of
the refrigerator towards an
air inlet at the bottom of the refrigerator. The air inlet recovers air from
the air curtain and
recirculates it to the air outlet via a cooling heat exchanger and fan. The
air curtain prevents cold
air in the refrigerator from mixing with warm air exterior to the
refrigerator.
Open display refrigerators often include some form of lighting in order to
allow the contents of the
refrigerator to be displayed clearly. Such lighting may be incorporated into
canopies or side walls of
the refrigerator, or may be mounted onto doors or under shelves.
However, this lighting cannot illuminate the front faces of products
positioned at the front of the
shelves, and cannot always illuminate the full breadth and height of the
display at the open front of
the refrigerator. Furthermore, this lighting can cause shadows throughout the
refrigerator, thus
partially obscuring the products on display. For example, canopy lights (which
are directed
downwards) may illuminate the upper part of the display and the fronts of
shelves, but this
illuminating effect is much reduced for lower shelves of the refrigerator.
Furthermore,
downwardly-directed lights create shadows within the refrigerator. Some
manufacturers have
used extended arms at the tops of open display refrigerators to position
lights outside and facing
back into the refrigerator, but this system also creates shadows and poor
lighting in the lower parts
of the refrigerator.
Side wall lighting is ineffective on wide refrigerators as it only illuminates
those parts of the shelves
closest to the sides of the refrigerator.
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Door lighting can be positioned to face back into the refrigerator, but can
only be used if doors are
fitted (which is not the case with open display refrigerators).
Under-shelf lighting can illuminate all shelves within the refrigerator, but
this lighting again directs
light downwards onto the shelf below and so does not illuminate the fronts of
products on the
shelves. This downwardly-directed lighting also creates shadows in the
refrigerator (as discussed
above for canopy lighting). A further problem caused by the use of under-shelf
lighting is the need
to connect the lights to a power source. This introduces power cables inside
the refrigerator which
can reduce the movement of shelves, and also requires costly fitting.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an open display refrigerator with
lighting which is able to:
illuminate the front faces of products positioned at the front of the shelves;
illuminate the full
breadth and/or height of the display at the open front of the refrigerator;
and/or avoid shadows
being created in areas of the refrigerator where they may impact negatively on
the display of
products.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an open
display refrigerator
comprising: an interior refrigerated space; an air curtain separating the
interior refrigerated space
from air external to the refrigerator; an air curtain guide for guiding flow
of air within the air
curtain; at least one light source disposed in the air curtain guide so as to
illuminate the interior
refrigerated space.
Typically, the air curtain is established by a fan which blows air through an
air outlet towards a
corresponding air inlet which recovers air from the air curtain for
recirculation via a cooling unit
(e.g. a heat exchanger) to the air outlet. The air outlet typically spans
transversely across the entire
width of the interior space. This ensures that the air curtain similarly spans
across the entire width
of the interior space.
In a preferred embodiment, the air curtain guide is in the form of an
aerofoil. A typical design of
aerofoil that can be used is a cambered aerofoil. This will usually be
oriented with the leading edge
uppermost and the cambered surface facing away from the interior space.
The open display refrigerator typically comprises a shelf disposed in the
interior refrigerated space
and associated with the air curtain guide. The refrigerator may comprise a
plurality of shelves, each
shelf being associated with a respective air curtain guide. By the shelf being
"associated with an air
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curtain guide", it is meant that the air curtain guide and the shelf are
positioned relative to one
another such that an inner edge of the air curtain guide (i.e. an edge nearest
to a rear interior
surface of the refrigerator; also referred to as a proximal edge of the air
curtain guide) faces an
outer edge of the shelf (i.e. an edge which is nearest to the air curtain;
also referred to as a distal
edge of the shelf). A gap may be left between the inner edge of the air
curtain guide and the outer
edge of the shelf. The at least one light source may be disposed in the air
curtain guide so as to
illuminate the shelf, for example the at least one light source may be
disposed in the inner edge of
the air curtain guide so as to illuminate the outer edge of the shelf.
In some embodiments, the shelf/shelves have a surface for receiving products
to form a product
display area. This surface may be an upper surface of the shelf (i.e. a
surface nearest to the air
outlet, or to the ceiling of the interior refrigerated space) upon which
products can be placed to
form a product display area. Alternatively, this surface may be a lower
surface of the shelf (i.e. a
surface nearest to the air inlet, or to the floor of the interior refrigerated
space) comprising
structures upon which products can be mounted to form a product display area
(e.g. hooks from
which the products can be suspended). In either of these embodiments, the at
least one light
source is disposed in the associated air curtain guide so as to illuminate the
product display area of
the shelf. For example, the at least one light source may be disposed in the
inner edge of the
associated air curtain guide and angled so as to illuminate the product
display area of the shelf. The
light source itself may be angled by 20-70' to the horizontal, e.g. by 30-60',
or by about 45' (based
on the angle formed between the axis of the light source and the horizontal).
The light source may
be angled such that light is directed over an angular range of from 10-80' to
the horizontal, e.g.
from 20-70' from the horizontal.
The refrigerator may comprise a plurality of such shelves, each shelf having a
surface for receiving
products to form a product display area. In one embodiment, this surface is an
upper surface of the
respective shelf, as discussed above. In this embodiment, the at least one
light source may be
disposed in the associated air curtain guide so as to illuminate the product
display area of a shelf
below that with which the air curtain guide is associated (for example, the at
least one light source
may be disposed in the inner edge of the associated air curtain guide and
angled so as to illuminate
the product display area of a shelf below that with which the air curtain
guide is associated). In
another embodiment, this surface is a lower surface of the respective shelf,
as discussed above. In
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this embodiment, the at least one light source may be disposed in the
associated air curtain guide
so as to illuminate the product display area of a shelf above that with which
the air curtain guide is
associated (for example, the at least one light source may be disposed in the
inner edge of the
associated air curtain guide and angled so as to illuminate the product
display area of a shelf above
that with which the air curtain guide is associated). In either of these
embodiments, the light
source may itself be angled by 20-70' to the horizontal, e.g. by 30-60', or by
about 45' (based on
the angle formed between the axis of the light source and the horizontal); or
the light source may
be angled such that light is directed over an angular range of from 10-80' to
the horizontal, e.g.
from 20-70' from the horizontal.
The air curtain guide may be attached or connected to the shelf via at least
one connecting member
(such as a bracket). Alternatively, the air curtain guide may be attached or
connected to a casing of
the refrigerator via at least one connecting member (e.g. a bracket). For
example, the air curtain
guide may be attached via the at least one connecting member to an interior
side surface of the
refrigerator. In any of these embodiments, the at least one connecting member
may form part of
the air curtain guide.
In any of the above embodiments, the light source may be a low-energy light
source. Examples of
low energy light sources include LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), fluorescent
lamps (e.g. fluorescent
tubes, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)), and halogen lamps. When LEDs are
used, the light source
may be in the form of an LED lamp, i.e. a lamp formed of one or more LEDs.
The air curtain guide may include a recess, and the light source may be
disposed in the recess such
that a surface of the light source is flush with a surface of the air curtain
guide, e.g. the recess may
be in a surface of the air curtain guide which faces the interior refrigerated
space of the refrigerator
(or, in one embodiment, a shelf of the refrigerator), and the light source may
be disposed in the
recess such that a surface of the light source which faces the interior
refrigerated space (or the
shelf) is flush with the surface of the air curtain guide which faces the
interior refrigerated space (or
the shelf). For example, the light source could be an LED light source in the
form of a strip. Where
the surface of the air curtain guide is curved, light sources having a profile
which matches that of
the surface of the air curtain guide could be used.
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A power source such as solar power, a battery system, mains electricity, or a
thermoelectric
generator (TEG; sometimes known as a Seebeck generator) may be used to power
the light source.
Alternatively, the light source could be powered using energy harvested from
ambient
electromagnetic radiation, as discussed below.
5 When solar power is used as the power source, flexible photovoltaic power
cells may be positioned
on an exterior surface of the refrigerator (including the outer surface of the
air curtain guide, i.e. an
edge furthest from the rear interior surface of the refrigerator - also
referred to as a distal edge of
the air curtain guide) in order to harvest energy from store lighting and/or
sunlight.
When a battery system is used as the power source, the battery system may be
contained within
(or affixed to) the air guide, the connecting members, or the shelf. In
addition to being used as the
sole power source for the at least one light source, battery power may also be
used in conjunction
with the other power sources listed above.
A thermoelectric generator (TEG), when used as the power source, would make
use of the
temperature differentials between surfaces which are disposed within the
interior refrigerated
space (e.g. shelf surfaces, interior surfaces of the refrigerator) and
surfaces which are outside the
interior refrigerated space (e.g. an external surface of the refrigerator).
Thermoelectric generators
convert heat energy into electrical energy using thermoelectric materials. A
temperature gradient
across the thermoelectric material is required in order to produce a voltage.
If the temperature
difference between the surfaces is not sufficiently large to produce electric
energy, then an
additional surface (whether heated or cooled) could also be introduced in
order to provide the
required temperature differential. For example, such a surface (e.g. a sheet
of metal) could be
placed within vents of the refrigerator which exhaust hot air from the heat
exchanger to the
atmosphere, thus providing a surface with a higher temperature than other
exterior surfaces of the
refrigerator. The air curtain guide itself may also have a temperature
difference across its surface,
(e.g. from the leading edge to the trailing edge; or from the distal edge to
the proximal edge).
Therefore, in one embodiment, a TEG could be incorporated into the air curtain
guide, thus
enabling the air curtain guide/light source combination to be self-powering.
TEGs are available
from e.g. European Thermodynamics Limited - see
http://www.europeanthernnodynannics.conn/products/
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Energy could also be harvested from ambient electromagnetic radiation (such as
radiofrequency
energy from high-power broadcast signals e.g. digital television (DTV) and
mobile network signals
e.g. Wi-Fi, Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), or Long Term
Evolution (LTE)). A
company which produces and develops this energy-harvesting technology is
Drayson Technologies -
see http://www.getfreevolt.conn/index.php The power source in the present
invention may
therefore be a harvester which comprises an antenna, rectifier, and power
management module.
These harvesters can provide perpetual power for low energy consumption
devices, such as LEDs.
The harvester could be incorporated into the air curtain guide strip.
The power source and/or the light source may have cabling associated
therewith. As used herein
"cabling associated with the power source" means electrical cables, leads or
wires attached to the
power source for its connection to the light source. Similarly, "cabling
associated with the light
source" means electrical cables, leads or wires attached to the light source
for its connection to the
power source. Cabling associated with at least one of the power source and the
light source may be
routed through the air curtain guide. Alternatively or additionally, cabling
associated with at least
one of the power source and the light source may be routed through the at
least one connecting
member. As used herein, the term "routed through" means "encased within" or
"affixed to".
Routing the cabling through the air curtain guide and/or the connecting
members allows it to be
protected from damage as well as being concealed from view.
In one embodiment, the light source and the refrigerator are both powered by a
common power
source. In this embodiment, cabling associated with the power source for its
connection to the light
source may be routed under a shelf of the refrigerator with which the air
curtain guide is
associated. This provides the advantage that only a single power source (e.g.
mains electricity) is
required to power both the refrigerator itself and the light source in the air
curtain guide.
Provision of an air curtain guide which has at least one light source as
described in any of the above
embodiments allows light to be directed straight onto the front faces of those
products which are
positioned at the front of the shelves, and avoids the creation of shadows in
areas where they may
impact negatively on the display of products. It also allows illumination of
the full breadth of the
display at the open front of the refrigerator, as light sources may be
positioned along the entire
length of the air curtain guide (i.e. from one interior side surface of the
refrigerator to the opposing
interior side surface).
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In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an air
curtain guide for an
open display refrigerator, the air curtain guide comprising at least one light
source and at least one
connecting member adapted for attachment to a shelf of the refrigerator or to
a surface of the
refrigerator.
In a preferred embodiment, the air curtain guide is in the form of an
aerofoil. A typical design of
aerofoil that can be used is a cambered aerofoil. When attached to the
refrigerator, the aerofoil will
usually be oriented with the leading edge uppermost and the cambered surface
facing away from
an interior refrigerated space of the refrigerator.
The connecting member may be a bracket. By "adapted for attachment to", it is
meant that the
connecting member comprises features which allow it to be attached to the
shelf or surface of the
refrigerator. Examples of such features include (but are not limited to): a
particular orientation
with respect to the air curtain guide and the shelf or surface of the
refrigerator; a through-hole
allowing the connecting member to be attached to the shelf or surface by way
of e.g. a screw, a
bolt, or a nail; and a structure which allows the connecting member to be
received in a
.. corresponding receiving member located on the shelf or surface. The surface
of the refrigerator
may be an interior surface, for example an interior side surface. In any of
the above embodiments,
the at least one connecting member may form part of the air curtain guide.
The at least one light source may be disposed in the air curtain guide so as
to illuminate an interior
refrigerated space of the refrigerator when the at least one connecting member
is attached to the
shelf or interior surface. The at least one light source may also illuminate
the shelf, for example the
at least one light source may be disposed in the inner edge of the air curtain
guide so as to
illuminate the outer edge of the shelf.
In one embodiment, the at least one light source is disposed in the air
curtain guide so as to
illuminate a product display area of a shelf of the refrigerator with which
the air curtain guide is
.. associated, when the at least one connecting member is attached to the
shelf or interior surface.
For example, the light source may be angled so as to illuminate the product
display area of the
shelf. The light source itself may be angled by 20-70' to the horizontal, e.g.
by 30-60', or by about
45' (based on the angle formed between the axis of the light source and the
horizontal); or the light
source may be angled such that light is directed over an angular range of from
10-80' to the
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horizontal, e.g. from 20-70' from the horizontal. The terms "product display
area", and the shelf
being "associated with an air curtain guide" (or the air curtain guide being
"associated with a shelf")
are as described above for the first aspect of the invention. As discussed
above, either an upper
surface or a lower surface of the shelf may be the surface for receiving
products in order to form
.. the product display area.
When the upper surface of the shelf is the surface for receiving products, the
at least one light
source may be disposed in the air curtain guide so as to illuminate a product
display area of a shelf
of the refrigerator below a shelf with which the air curtain guide is
associated, when the at least
one connecting member is attached to the shelf or interior surface. For
example, the at least one
light source may be disposed in the inner edge of the associated air curtain
guide and angled so as
to illuminate the product display area of a shelf below that with which the
air curtain guide is
associated. The light source may be angled by 20-70' to the horizontal, e.g.
by 30-60', or by about
45' (based on the angle formed between the axis of the light source and the
horizontal). The light
source may be angled such that light is directed over an angular range of from
10-80' to the
horizontal, e.g. from 20-70' from the horizontal.
When the lower surface of the shelf is the surface for receiving products, the
at least one light
source may be disposed in the air curtain guide so as to illuminate a product
display area of a shelf
of the refrigerator above a shelf with which the air curtain guide is
associated, when the at least
one connecting member is attached to the shelf or interior surface. For
example, the at least one
light source may be disposed in the inner edge of the associated air curtain
guide and angled so as
to illuminate the product display area of a shelf above that with which the
air curtain guide is
associated. The light source may be angled by 20-70' to the horizontal, e.g.
by 30-60', or by about
45' (based on the angle formed between the axis of the light source and the
horizontal). The light
source may be angled such that light is directed over an angular range of from
10-80' to the
horizontal, e.g. from 20-70' from the horizontal.
In any of the above embodiments, the light source may be a low-energy light
source. Examples of
low energy light sources include LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), fluorescent
lamps (e.g. fluorescent
tubes, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)), and halogen lamps. When LEDs are
used, the light source
may be in the form of an LED lamp, i.e. a lamp formed of one or more LEDs.
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The air curtain guide may include a recess and the light source may be
disposed in the recess such
that a surface of the light source is flush with a surface of the air curtain
guide, e.g. the recess may
be in a surface of the air curtain guide which is to face a shelf of the
refrigerator, and the light
source may be disposed in the recess such that a surface of the light source
which is to face the
shelf is flush with said surface of the air curtain guide. For example, the
light source could be an
LED light source in the form of a strip. Where the surface of the air curtain
guide is curved, light
sources having a profile which matches that of the surface of the air curtain
guide could be used.
A power source such as solar power, a battery system, mains electricity, or a
thermoelectric
generator (TEG; sometimes known as a Seebeck generator) may be used to power
the light source.
Alternatively, the light source could be powered using energy harvested from
ambient
electromagnetic radiation. Each of these power sources may be as discussed
above for the first
aspect of the present invention.
The power source and/or the light source may have cabling associated
therewith. The meaning of
the phrases "cabling associated with the power source" and "cabling associated
with the light
source" are as discussed above for the first aspect of the present invention.
Cabling associated with
at least one of the power source and the light source may be routed through
the air curtain guide.
Alternatively or additionally, cabling associated with at least one of the
power source and the light
source may be routed through the at least one connecting member. The meaning
of the term
"routed through" is as discussed above for the first aspect of the present
invention. The light source
and the refrigerator may both be powered by a common power source, as
discussed above for the
first aspect of the present invention.
In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method
of modifying an open
display refrigerator comprising an interior refrigerated space and an air
curtain separating the
interior refrigerated space from air external to the refrigerator; the method
comprising disposing in
the refrigerator an air curtain guide for guiding flow of air within the air
curtain, such that the air
curtain guide comprises at least one light source disposed in the air curtain
guide so as to illuminate
the interior refrigerated space.
By "such that the air curtain guide....so as to illuminate the interior
refrigerated space", it is meant
that, for example, the at least one light source is positioned in the inner
edge of the air curtain
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guide (i.e. an edge nearest to a rear interior surface of the refrigerator;
also referred to as a
proximal edge of the air curtain guide) so that light therefrom is directed
into the interior
refrigerated space towards a rear interior wall of the refrigerator.
The method may further comprise disposing the air curtain guide in the
refrigerator so that the air
5 curtain guide is associated with a shelf of the refrigerator. The meaning
of the air curtain guide
being "associated with a shelf" (or the shelf being "associated with an air
curtain guide") is as
discussed above for the first aspect of the invention. A gap may be left
between the inner edge of
the air curtain guide and the outer edge of the shelf. The at least one light
source may be disposed
in the air curtain guide so as to illuminate the shelf, for example the at
least one light source may be
10 disposed in the inner edge of the air curtain guide so as to illuminate
the outer edge of the shelf.
In one embodiment, the at least one light source is disposed in the air
curtain guide so as to
illuminate a product display area of a shelf of the refrigerator with which
the air curtain guide is
associated. The term "product display area" is as described above for the
first aspect of the
invention. As discussed above, either an upper surface or a lower surface of
the shelf may be the
surface for receiving products in order to form the product display area.
In the case of the upper surface of the shelf being used, the at least one
light source may be
disposed in the air curtain guide so as to illuminate a product display area
of a shelf of the
refrigerator below a shelf with which the air curtain guide is associated (for
example, the at least
one light source may be disposed in the inner edge of the air curtain guide
and angled so as to
illuminate the product display area of a shelf below that with which the air
curtain guide is
associated). In the case of the lower surface of the shelf being used, the at
least one light source
may be disposed in the air curtain guide so as to illuminate a product display
area of a shelf of the
refrigerator above a shelf with which the air curtain guide is associated (for
example, the at least
one light source may be disposed in the inner edge of the air curtain guide
and angled so as to
illuminate the product display area of a shelf above that with which the air
curtain guide is
associated).
The light source may be any of the light sources as discussed above for the
first aspect of the
invention. The light source may be powered by any of the power sources as
discussed above for
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11
the first aspect of the invention. The air curtain guide may include a recess
and the light source
may be disposed in the recess, as discussed above for the first aspect of the
invention.
The method may include attaching the air curtain guide to a shelf or surface
of the refrigerator by
way of a connecting member. The connecting member may comprise any of the
features as
discussed above for the second aspect of the invention. Cabling associated
with at least one of the
power source and the light source may be routed through the air curtain guide.
Alternatively or
additionally, cabling associated with at least one of the power source and the
light source may be
routed through the at least one connecting member. The meaning of the terms
"routed through",
"cabling associated with the power source" and "cabling associated with the
light source" are as
discussed above for the first aspect of the present invention. The light
source and the refrigerator
may both be powered by a common power source, as discussed above for the first
aspect of the
present invention.
As used throughout, the term "disposed in" means either embedded in or
attached to a surface
thereof.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided an open
display refrigerator
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
In accordance with a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided an air
curtain guide
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
In accordance with a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method
substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings,
in which:
Figure 1 shows an open display refrigerator according to a first embodiment of
the invention;
Figure 2 is an expanded view of the upper section of the refrigerator of
Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows an open display refrigerator according to a second embodiment
of the invention;
Figure 4 shows an open display refrigerator according to a third embodiment of
the invention.
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Figure 1 shows a cross-section through an open display refrigerator 1. The
refrigerator has an
interior space 2 that is maintained at a lower than ambient temperature.
Within the interior space
2, there are five shelves 3a-3e. The refrigerator 1 establishes an air curtain
by blowing cold air from
an air outlet 4 towards an air inlet 5. Air inlet 5 recovers air from the air
curtain and a fan (not
shown) within the refrigerator 1 recirculates the air to the air outlet 4. A
cooling unit (not shown)
within the refrigerator 1 maintains the recirculated air (and hence the air
blown through the air
outlet 4 to form the air curtain) at a desired temperature. The desired
temperature is chosen to be
lower than ambient and acts to prevent cold air in the interior space 2 from
mixing with warm air
exterior to the refrigerator 1.
Also shown in Figure 1 are aerofoils 6a-6e, each of which is fitted to the
front edge of a respective
one of shelves 3a-3e by way of brackets (not shown). The aerofoils 6a-6e
assist in constraining the
air curtain to the desired path and prevent warm air exterior to the
refrigerator 1 from being
entrained into the air curtain. In this case, the air curtain runs vertically
from the air outlet 4 to the
air inlet 5. The aerofoils 6a-6e are thus aligned vertically beneath an outer
edge of the air outlet 4.
More generally, they will be aligned to be parallel with the direction that
the air curtain is intended
to follow as it runs from the air outlet 4 to the air inlet 5 and roughly
coincident with the outer edge
of the air curtain.
Each aerofoil 6a-6e comprises a respective light source 7a-7e. Each light
source 7a-7e is affixed to
the inner edge of the aerofoil 6a-6e (i.e. the edge of the aerofoil which
faces the front edge of the
respective shelf 3a-3e). The light sources 7a-7e illuminate the interior space
2 of the refrigerator 1.
The light sources 7a-7e are powered by a power source (not shown). Cabling
(not shown) which
connects the power source to the light sources 7a-7e is contained within the
aerofoils 6a-6e and
routed through the brackets (not shown).
In this embodiment, each light source 7a-7e is embedded within the inner
surface of the respective
aerofoil 6a-6e, and is angled so as to illuminate the front edge of the shelf
3a-3e with which the
aerofoil is associated. This is shown in more detail in Figure 2, in which
light emitted by the light
sources 7a-7e is denoted by arrows. In this embodiment, products 10a-10e (of
which products 10c-
10e are not shown) are placed on the upper surfaces 8a-8e (of which surfaces
8b-8e are not shown)
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of the shelves 3a-3e, so as to form a product display. The light sources 7a-7e
illuminate the product
display. In this embodiment, the light sources 7a-7e positioned in the inner
edges of the aerofoils
6a-6e are angled so as to illuminate both the product display of the shelf 3a-
3e to which the aerofoil
6a-6e is fitted, and the product display of the shelf immediately below.
Figure 3 shows an embodiment similar to that of Figure 2, but in which the
light sources 7a-7e are
angled so as to illuminate only the product display of the shelf 3a-3e to
which the aerofoil 6a-6e is
fitted.
Figure 4 shows an embodiment similar to that of Figure 2, but in which the
light sources 7a-7d are
angled so as to illuminate only the product display of the shelf 3b-3e below
the shelf 3a-3d to which
the aerofoil 6a-6d is fitted.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

Representative Drawing
A single figure which represents the drawing illustrating the invention.
Administrative Status

For a clearer understanding of the status of the application/patent presented on this page, the site Disclaimer , as well as the definitions for Patent , Administrative Status , Maintenance Fee  and Payment History  should be consulted.

Administrative Status

Title Date
Forecasted Issue Date Unavailable
(86) PCT Filing Date 2017-07-27
(87) PCT Publication Date 2018-02-01
(85) National Entry 2019-01-18
Dead Application 2023-01-27

Abandonment History

Abandonment Date Reason Reinstatement Date
2022-01-27 FAILURE TO PAY APPLICATION MAINTENANCE FEE
2022-10-24 FAILURE TO REQUEST EXAMINATION

Payment History

Fee Type Anniversary Year Due Date Amount Paid Paid Date
Application Fee $200.00 2019-01-18
Registration of a document - section 124 $100.00 2019-02-13
Registration of a document - section 124 $100.00 2019-02-13
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 2 2019-07-29 $100.00 2019-06-28
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 3 2020-07-27 $100.00 2020-06-22
Owners on Record

Note: Records showing the ownership history in alphabetical order.

Current Owners on Record
AEROFOIL ENERGY LIMITED
Past Owners on Record
None
Past Owners that do not appear in the "Owners on Record" listing will appear in other documentation within the application.
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Document
Description 
Date
(yyyy-mm-dd) 
Number of pages   Size of Image (KB) 
Abstract 2019-01-18 1 58
Claims 2019-01-18 4 114
Drawings 2019-01-18 3 26
Description 2019-01-18 13 576
Representative Drawing 2019-01-18 1 5
International Search Report 2019-01-18 3 85
National Entry Request 2019-01-18 6 236
Cover Page 2019-02-04 1 34