| Modular refrigeration cassette with condensate evaporative tray -> Monitor Keywords |
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Modular refrigeration cassette with condensate evaporative trayRelated Patent Categories: Refrigeration, Display TypeModular refrigeration cassette with condensate evaporative tray description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060207278, Modular refrigeration cassette with condensate evaporative tray. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/663,112, filed Mar. 18, 2005, and entitled MODULAR REFRIGERATION CASSETTE DESIGN FOR USE IN REFRIGERATED MERCHANDISER, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. [0002] This application is related to the following applications subject to assignment to the common assignee of this application and filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on the same date as this application: [0003] U.S. patent application Ser. No. (Attorney Docket No. 210.sub.--817NP), entitled "REFRIGERATED MERCHANDISER"; [0004] U.S. patent application Ser. No. (Attorney Docket No. 210.sub.--816NP), entitled "SEALING SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATION CASSETTE"; [0005] U.S. patent application Ser. No. (Attorney Docket No. 210.sub.--820NP), entitled "MODULAR REFRIGERATION CASSETTE"; [0006] U.S. patent application Ser. No. (Attorney Docket No. 210.sub.--818NP), entitled "BOTTOM DECK ASSEMBLY FOR REFRIGERATED MERCHANDISER"; and [0007] U.S. patent application Ser. No. (Attorney Docket No. 210.sub.--819NP), entitled "EVAPORATOR FAN/MOTOR ASSEMBLY MOUNTING BRACKET". Each of the afore-listed patent applications is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0008] The present invention relates to refrigerated merchandisers in general and, more particularly, to a refrigerated merchandiser including a refrigeration unit stowed in a compartment separate from the refrigerated interior product space of the refrigerated cabinet. BACHGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0009] Refrigerated merchandisers have a refrigeration system associated therewith for providing the cooled environment within a refrigerated interior product space defined within the cabinet of the refrigerated merchandiser. The refrigeration systems of such refrigerated merchandisers commonly employ a conventional refrigeration cycle and include an evaporator and an evaporator fan operatively associated with the refrigerated interior product space of the refrigerated cabinet, as well as a condenser, a condenser fan, and compressor. In stand alone cabinets, the compressor, condenser and condenser fan are housed in an equipment compartment separate from and insulated from the refrigerated interior product space of the refrigerated cabinet. Refrigerant lines connect the compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator in a conventional manner to form a closed circuit. A refrigerant is circulated by the compressor through the condenser and the evaporator before returning to the compressor. Air within the insulated refrigerated interior product space of the refrigerated cabinet is circulated by the evaporator fan through the evaporator in heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant so as to cool the air. The evaporator and evaporator fan may be disposed within the cooled interior of the refrigerated cabinet, for example in the upper region thereof. [0010] However, it is well-known that the evaporator and evaporator fan may also be housed in the equipment compartment in a section of the equipment compartment insulated from the compressor, condenser and condenser fan. Among other uses, refrigerated merchandisers of this type may be used as product display cabinets for refrigerated or frozen foods, as vending machines, and as cold beverage merchandisers in supermarkets, grocery stores, gas stations, convenience stores, and other retail establishments. For example, cold beverages, such as soft drinks, beer, wine coolers, etc. are commonly displayed in refrigerated merchandisers for self-service purchase by customers. Conventional beverage merchandisers of this type include an insulated cabinet defining a refrigerated interior product display space having one or more glass doors that provide access to that product display space. The beverage product, typically in cans or bottles, single or in six-packs, is stored on shelves within the refrigerated display space of the cabinet. To purchase a beverage, the customer opens one of the doors and reaches into the refrigerated cabinet to retrieve the desired product from the shelf. [0011] Refrigerated merchandisers equipped with refrigeration units disposed beneath the refrigerated cabinet are disclosed, for example, by Rudick et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,347,827; 5,402,654; 5,417,079; and 5,417,081. In these refrigerated merchandisers, the refrigerated air from the refrigeration unit flows up from the equipment compartment through a flow duct along the back wall of the cabinet, along the top wall of the cabinet toward the front of the cabinet and down the front of the cabinet to the floor of the product display zone. Refrigerated air may also enter the product display zone from the rear flow duct through a plurality of openings in the panel separating the flow duct from the product display zone. The refrigerated air from the product display zone returns to the equipment compartment, entering thereto upstream of the evaporator refrigeration unit through an air return inlet opening through the cabinet floor. [0012] The refrigeration unit disclosed therein includes an evaporator, condenser and compressor collectively arranged on a base supported on a plurality of skids affixed to the bottom of the base. The compressor and condenser are positioned on the front portion of the base, and are separated from the evaporator by an insulated vertical partition disposed therebetween. The evaporator is disposed atop an evaporator pan which collects water condensed from the air passing through the evaporator. The collected water drains out of the evaporator pan into a shallow condenser pan located on the floor of the base in the exhaust path of the condenser fan whereby the heated air exhausting from the condenser fan passes over the condenser pan and evaporates the water collected therein. [0013] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,929 and 6,070,424, Bauman et al. disclose a modular refrigeration unit including a base having an evaporator pan and a condenser pan integrally formed therein. The evaporator pan is elevated relative to the condenser pan so that condensate dripping from the evaporator coil into the evaporator pan drains into the condenser pan. The condenser is mounted above the condenser pan and condensate collected in the condenser pan is evaporated by the ambient air passing through the condenser thereabove. [0014] Due to the generally low velocity of the air flowing through the condenser or exhausting from the condenser fan, the evaporation of condensate by the condenser air flow passing over the surface of the condensate collected in the condensate tray is relatively slow. One means for increasing the rate of evaporation of the condensate is discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,958, to Maynard. A condensate tray for a condenser assembly of a refrigeration assembly is disclosed that includes an upper liner associated with a lower tray bottom which are spaced from each other to accommodate a refrigerant coil disposed therebetween through which hot refrigerant passing from the compressor to the condenser flows. The condensate tray is disposed beneath the condenser and receives condensate draining from an evaporator pan disposed beneath the evaporator. The condensate collected in the condensate tray is evaporated in part by the ambient air flowing through the condenser and in part by the hot refrigerant vapor flowing through the refrigerant coil, thereby increasing the rate of evaporation. [0015] It is also known in the art to provide a series of a vertically standing wicks in the condensate tray. Each wick has a lower portion immersed in the condensate collected in the tray and an upper portion extending into the condenser airflow passing over the surface of the collected condensate. The upper portion of the wick is wetted by condensate drawn upwardly from the lower portion of the wick. By increasing the wetted area in contact with the condenser air flow passing over the surface of the collected condensate, the rate of evaporation is increased. [0016] Although effective in increasing the rate of evaporation to a degree, the aforementioned techniques involve increased components and increased expense. The need exists for a refrigeration cassette wherein the cassette is adapted to provide improved evaporation of condensate collected in the condensate tray without adding expense and components. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0017] In one aspect, it is an object of the invention to provide a refrigeration cassette adapted to provide improved evaporation of condensate collected in a condensate tray. [0018] It is a further object of the apparatus aspect of the invention to provide a refrigeration cassette adapted to increase the velocity of the condenser airflow passing over the surface of condensate collected in a condensate tray. [0019] In one aspect, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved method for evaporating condensate collected in a condensate tray of a refrigeration cassette. [0020] It is a further object of the method aspect of the invention to provide an improved method for increasing the velocity of the condenser airflow passing over the surface of condensate collected in a condensate tray. [0021] In the apparatus aspect of the invention, a modular refrigeration cassette for a refrigerated merchandiser having a cabinet having a refrigerated interior space for housing a product in a refrigerated environment intended for selection by consumers is adapted to provide improved evaporation of condensate collected in a condensate tray. The refrigeration cassette includes a generally box-like structure defining an interior space having a first section in air flow communication with the refrigerated interior space of the cabinet, and a second section isolated from said first section and in fluid flow communication with the environment exterior of the cabinet. A division plate divides the interior space within the box-like structure into the respective first and second sections. An evaporator module is disposed within the first section. A condenser module and a compressor are disposed within the second section. The compressor is connected in refrigerant flow communication with the evaporator module and the condenser module for circulating refrigeration through the evaporator module and the condenser module. The division plate has a forward portion sloping downwardly from an upper forward region of the first section to an aft portion thereby forming a converging channel. The aft portion extends generally horizontally in spaced relationship above the base plate thereby forming an exhaust channel. A condensate tray is disposed in the exhaust channel generally beneath the evaporator module to collect condensate draining from the evaporator module. Condenser module exhaust air is accelerated as it passes through the converging channel to enter the exhaust channel. This relatively higher velocity, heated condenser exhaust air evaporates condensate collected in the condensate tray as it passes over the surface of the condensate. [0022] In an embodiment, the box-like structure includes a front plate, a back plate, a pair of side plates and a base plate collectively defining an interior space, and the division plate extends between the respective side plates. The condensate tray may be formed integrally in the base plate. The evaporator module may include a housing, an evaporator coil disposed within the housing, and an evaporator fan/motor assembly operatively associated with the evaporator coil and mounted to the housing. The condenser module may include a condenser coil and a condenser fan/motor assembly operatively associated with the condenser coil. At least one baffle member may be provided in association with the condensate tray for limiting wave action in the condensate collected in the condensate tray. [0023] In the method aspect of the invention, a method is provided for evaporating condensate draining from an evaporator coil in a refrigeration unit including a condenser coil and a condenser fan/motor assembly operatively associated with said condenser for passing air over the condenser coil. The method of the invention includes the steps of collecting the condensate draining from the evaporator module in a condensate tray, accelerating the relatively hot air having passed through the condenser coil to a relatively higher velocity, and passing this higher velocity air over the surface of the condensate collected condensate tray. The method of the invention may also include the step of drawing ambient air from externally of the refrigeration unit over the condenser coil. The method of the invention may also include the step of exhausting the air having passed over the surface of the condensate collected in the condenser tray to externally of the refrigeration unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0024] For a further understanding of these and objects of the invention, reference will be made to the following detailed description of the invention which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawing, where: Continue reading about Modular refrigeration cassette with condensate evaporative tray... Full patent description for Modular refrigeration cassette with condensate evaporative tray Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Modular refrigeration cassette with condensate evaporative tray patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. 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