FORM 2
THE PATENT ACT, 1970
(39 OF 1970)
AND
THE PATENT RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10; rule 13)
1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION
OPEN REFRIGERATION UNIT WITH MODULAR CONSTRUCTION
2. APPLICANT:
(a). Name: WESTERN REFRIGERATION PRIVATE LIMITED
(b). Nationality: Indian Company
(c).Address: 7/B, Pannalal Silk Mills Compound, 78 LBS Marg, Bhandup (West) Mumbai-400 078, Maharashtra, India
3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:


FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an open refrigeration unit with a modular construction, which is easy to design, handle, transport and assemble on site.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
A modular, demountable or knockdown construction has been proposed in a number of arrangements within and outside the refrigeration field. Almost all of these are quite complicated in construction and most of them require experienced personnel to assemble the refrigerator.
US4893478 discloses a completely enclosed refrigerated compartment which includes a plurality of side panels and a base panel, one of the side panels containing within the inner and outer walls thereof a complete mechanical refrigeration unit. The side panels and the base panel are provided with integral interlocking means in the edges thereof so that the panels may be manufactured at one location and shipped in knockdown form. A lid is used to cover the refrigerated compartment on top.
US5245838 discloses a closed portable, modular refrigeration unit comprising an insulated structure which includes a floor, a roof, and a plurality of wall panels. Latches contained in the wall panels are used to interconnect the wall panels to form a continuous wall disposed between the floor and the roof.
US6581389 discloses a glass door refrigerator comprising a cabinet and a modular refrigeration deck comprising a Stirling cooler slidably positioned within the cabinet. However, the refrigeration cabinet disclosed is not modular.
US7596956 discloses two modular cooling systems and a closed refrigerated cabinet wherein the cabinet is formed of laminated top, bottom, side and rear panels connected to define an open front. Further, a front door is connected to the cabinet. Foam panels with external cladding material are used to form the laminate.

Open refrigerators are well-known in the art. Open refrigerators with slide in decks are also known. JPI0071060 discloses an open modular showcase having three sides-fronts, left and right sides open wherein the front side and external frames are fastened using bolts. The procedure is also complicated.
However there is a need for an easy to assemble, modular and portable open door refrigerator wherein an entire refrigeration unit is assembled from insulation panels pre-attached with fastening means, such that the sealing between the panels is improved and better insulation is provided. Also, there is a need for a refrigeration unit which can be assembled in little time with reduced efforts, by unskilled personnel.
SUMMARY
The invention is directed to an open modular refrigeration unit comprising: a detachable assembly comprising a plurality of side panels, a unit frame assembly, a rear panel, a base panel and a top panel operatively connected to each other by fastening means, wherein the unit frame assembly comprises a plurality of wheel channels coupled to a deck lifting cam assembly; and, at least one deck supported in the detachable assembly to receive at least one cooling system.
Further, the invention relates to a refrigeration system comprising an open modular refrigeration unit and at least one cooling system; wherein the refrigeration unit comprises a detachable assembly comprising a unit frame assembly, a plurality of side panels, a rear panel, a base panel and a top panel operatively connected to each other by fastening means, wherein the unit frame assembly comprises a plurality of wheel channels coupled to a deck lifting cam assembly; and at least one deck supported in the detachable assembly to receive at least one cooling system.

The invention also relates to a method of assembling an open modular refrigeration unit, the method comprising the steps of:
operatively connecting a plurality of side panels, a unit frame assembly, a rear panel, a base panel and a top panel by fastening means to form a detachable - assembly, wherein the unit frame assembly comprises a plurality of wheel channels coupled to a deck lifting cam assembly; and, inserting at least one deck in the detachable assembly to receive at least one cooling system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference should now be made to the embodiments illustrated in greater detail in the accompanying drawings and described below by way of examples of the invention.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an open modutar refrigeration system according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates by means of an isometric front view, the assembled open modular refrigeration system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 A illustrates by means of an isometric view from the bottom, a plurality of side panels and a unit frame assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 3B illustrates by means of an isometric view from the bottom, the plurality of side panels coupled to the unit frame assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4A illustrates by means of isometric view from the bottom, a rear panel and an assembly of plurality of side panels and unit frame assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4B illustrates by means of an isometric view from the bottom, the rear panel coupled to the assembly of plurality of side panels and unit frame assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 5A illustrates by means of isometric views from bottom, a bottom panel and an assembly of plurality of side panels, unit frame assembly and the rear panel in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 5B illustrates by means of an isometric view from bottom, the bottom panel coupled to the assembly of plurality of side panels, unit frame assembly, rear panel and the top panel in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 6A illustrates by means of an isometric view from top, a top panel and an assembly of bottom panel, rear panel, plurality of side panels and unit frame assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 6B illustrates by means of an isometric, view from top, the top panel coupled with the assembly of bottom panel, rear panel, plurality of side panels and unit frame assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 7A illustrates the rear panel and a side panel in unassembled position before locking the panels with camlocks in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 7B illustrates the engagement of the camlock male to the camlock female using an alien key for locking the rear panel to a side panel according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 8 illustrates by means of an isometric view from bottom, the open modular refrigeration unit in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 illustrate by means of isometric front view, the partially assembled refrigeration system with various other unassembled components according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 10A illustrates by means of a sectioned view, the deck comprising the conventionally known cooling system in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 10B illustrates by means of a top view, the deck comprising the conventionally known cooling system in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 11 illustrates by means of a sectioned view of the refrigeration system, the air flow pattern in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
It is to be understood that the drawings are not to scale and are schematic in nature. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which renders other details difficult to perceive, may be omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to an open modular refrigeration unit and a process for assembling the open modular refrigeration unit. The invention further relates to a refrigeration system comprising the open modular refrigeration unit and at least one cooling system.
According an embodiment of the invention, the invention relates to a modular refrigeration unit comprising a detachable assembly formed of insulated panels, a unit frame assembly comprising a plurality of wheel channels coupled to a deck lifting cam assembly and at least one independent deck. According to another

lifting cam assembly and at least one independent deck. According to another embodiment of the invention, the modular refrigeration unit separately incorporates conventional elements of a cooling system (compressor, condenser, evaporator, a capillary or expansion device, a drier, accumulator and a refrigerant) in the independent deck which is located outside of, but adjacent to the refrigeration area in the refrigeration unit.
The assembly and the deck are both modular hence, a breakdown in the refrigeration system will not necessarily result in taking the refrigeration system out of service; a substitute deck can be provided during the period of service time. According to a preferred embodiment, the present invention uses a single deck receiving a single modular cooling system. However, use of more than one deck and use of more than one cooling system to bring about desired cooling lie within the scope of the invention.
* According to another embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the
* refrigeration system comprises the open modular refrigeration unit and a cooling system. The open modular refrigeration unit features insulated panels forming a top panel (125) with prefixed camlocks (175) and honeycombs(180), a bottom panel (120), a rear panel (100) with prefixed camlocks (not seen in the figure) and airducts (105) prefitted with rear panels and a plurality of side panels i.e. left side panel (110), referred to as LT side panel hereinafter and right side panel (115), referred to as RT side panel hereinafter, with camlocks (185) pre-fixed on the top and back of the LT and RT side panels. According to an embodiment of the invention, the wherein the side panels, the rear panel, the base and top panels are made of one or more insulation materials selected from foam, glasswool and expanded polystyrene. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the insulated panels are made of foam.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the unit further features a unit frame assembly comprising of two wheel channels (190) coupled to a deck

lifting cam assembly (195) which enables positioning of the deck in the detachable assembly. Alternatively, only wheel channels or a metallic frame can be used for supporting the deck.
The insulated panels and the unit frame assembly form the detachable assembly. The refrigeration unit further comprises a suction grill (145), a deck (165) which receives the cooling system. The deck (165) is an easy to install and easy to remove modular unitary deck which receives a modular cooling system. Different cooling systems can be manufactured to co-operate with different width refrigeration units in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. Also, any other deck with the same cooling system and suitable dimensions can be used with this assembled unit. For the purposes of this invention, any conventionally known cooling system can be used.
The open modular refrigeration unit, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, comprises a plurality of metallic shelves (130) for holding items to be refrigerated and displayed, metallic shelf attachments (135) to support the shelves. An open front refrigeration space is defined in the detachable assembly above the deck to facilitate placement and removal of articles positioned on the shelves (130) and on the bottom panel (120). Additionally, the refrigeration unit comprises a plurality of aluminum channels (140), side glasses (170) for viewing the products inside the refrigeration space, a top canopy (160), a lower canopy (150) and a cage (155). Other features of the refrigeration unit will be apparent from other figures.
According to an embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 2, the assembled modular refrigeration system 200 comprises of the features of the open modular refrigeration system as described above, assembled by using fastening means such as camlocks, screws, nuts and bolts, metal clips and plastic clips. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, camlocks and screws are used.

Interlocked camlocks (205) to lock the top panel (125) and the side panel (110)
f
have been shown.
Camlocks are used to couple the insulated side panels, top panel and rear panel. Camlocks provide added advantages like better insulation, ease of assembling, fast assembling and possibility of assembling by an unskilled person. The time required to assemble all the components of the refrigeration unit in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is around 8-10 minutes.
Camlocks male and female are components of interlocking mechanism intended to fasten the insulation panels in accordance with an embodiment of the invention as shown in figures 7A and 7B.
According to an embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 3A, the unit frame assembly (188), RT side panel (115), LT side panel (110) are in unassembled
position.
According to a further embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 3B, the plurality of side panels (115 and 110) are coupled to the unit frame assembly (188) by means of fastening means (not shown in the figure). Any fastening means such as bolts, angles, screws, snap fit clips etc. can be used. Preferably, screws are used for this purpose.
According to a another embodiment of the invention as shown in figures 4A and 4B, a rear panel (100) is coupled to the side panels of the assembly (300). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fastening means are camlocks. The camlock male (410) engages itself in the camlock female (415) as shown in FIG. 4A. The camlocks (420) are shown in in an engaged position in FIG. 4B, to form an assembly (400) of the rear panel, the side panels and the unit frame assembly.

According to an embodiment of the invention as shown in figures 5A and 5B, the bottom insulation panel (120) is coupled to the assembly (400) using screws (not shown in the figures). However, any other fastening means which provide similar coupling can be used.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 6A, the top insulation panel (125) is coupled with the assembly (500) to form the assembly (600) as shown in FIG. 6B. The top insulation panel (125) is coupled to the assembly (500) using camlocks (610). However, any other fastening means which provide similar coupling can be used.
According to a further embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 7A, female camlocks (415) are attached to the edges of LT side panel. On the edges of the rear panel (100) are attached male camlocks (410). The coupling of the camlocks (420) with the help of an alien key (430) to lock the side panel and the rear panel is illustrated in FIG. 7B.
According to another embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 8, the deck lifting cam assembly (195) is used to secure the deck tightly against the bottom insulation panel (120) so as to minimize cooling losses.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 9 the open modular refrigeration unit features other components like the lighting assembly (905) inserted in the top canopy (160) and the front glass (915) coupled to the refrigeration unit above the lower canopy (150).
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, refrigeration in the refrigeration system takes place using a vapor compression cycle. However, it is evident to a person skilled in the art, that any refrigeration cycle corresponding to the appropriate cooling system can be used.

According to an embodiment of the invention, as shown in figures 10A and 10B, the deck which receives a cooling system, is modular and unitary. Some components of the cooling system such as a compressor (1020), a condenser (1010), a condenser fan (1015), an evaporator (1025), and an evaporator fan (1005) can be seen in FIG. 10A. The compressor (1020) accepts a low-pressure dry gas from the evaporator and raises its pressure to that of the condenser (1010). The condenser (1010) accepts the hot, high-pressure gas from the compressor (1020) and cools it to remove first the superheat and then the latent heat, so that the refrigerant (not shown in the figures 10A and 10B) will condense back to a liquid. The refrigerant can be any conventionally known refrigerant. In addition, the refrigerant liquid is usually slightly sub-cooled. Preferably, the coolant used in the condenser (1010) is air or water. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the coolant is ambient air.
Additional features of the deck such as a drier or liquid separator (1050), a capillary tube (1045) and an accumulator (1055) have been illustrated in FIG. 10B. A drier (1050) is inserted in the line of flow of the liquid refrigerant to separate the liquid from the gas. The liquid falls to the bottom and passes through an expansion device such as a capillary tube (1045) to an evaporator. The capillary tube (1045) controls the flow of refrigerant from the high-pressure condensing side of the system into the low-pressure evaporator (1025). Tube bores of 0,8-2 mm with lengths of l-4m are commonly employed. The evaporator (1025) receives the low-pressure, low-temperature liquid from the expansion valve and brings it in close thermal contact with the load (air) received from the refrigeration space above the deck, by means of the evaporator fan (1005). The refrigerant takes up its latent heat from the load and leaves the evaporator as a dry gas which is re-circulated to the compressor (1020). Suction line accumulators (1055) are inserted in circuits, to serve the purpose of separating return liquid from the dry gas and prevent liquid from passing over to the compressor (1020).

According to another embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 11 by means of a sectioned view of the refrigeration system (1100), cool air takes away heat from the product inside the unit, gets heated, is sucked through the suction grill (145) by an evaporator fan (1005) and passed through an evaporator (1025) which contains the refrigerant (not shown in the figure) at a very low temperature. This hot air gets cooled by heat exchange process between hot air and cold refrigerant. The cold air is circulated in the unit as it flows through the air ducts of the rear panel (105) and top panel (125). Through the air ducts of the rear panel (105), it flows into the refrigeration space above the deck, as shown in FIG. 11.Honeycombs (180) make air curtains for minimum infiltration of hot air from outside. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hot refrigerant is pumped through the compressor (1020) into the condenser (1010) where it is cooled by air at ambient temperature (1105) which is sucked by the condenser fan (1015) as shown, in the figure. Hot air (1110) is released from the back of the deck as shown in the figure.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting but rather to provide an understandable description of the invention.

CLAIMS
We claim:
1. An open modular refrigeration unit comprising:
a detachable assembly comprising a plurality of side panels, a unit frame assembly, a rear panel, a base panel and a top panel operatively connected to each other by fastening means, wherein the unit frame assembly comprises a plurality of wheel channels coupled to a deck lifting cam assembly; and, at least one deck supported in the detachable assembly to receive at least one cooling system.
2. The open modular refrigeration unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality
of side panels, the rear panel, the base and top panels are made of one or more
insulation materials selected from foam, glasswool and expanded polystyrene.
3. The open modular refrigeration unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the insulation material is foam.
4. The open modular refrigeration unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening means are selected from camlocks, screws, nuts and bolts, metal clips and plastic clips.
5. A refrigeration system comprising, the open modular refrigeration unit of claim
1 and at least one cooling system,
6. A method of assembling an open modular refrigeration unit, the method
comprising the steps of:
operatively connecting a plurality of side panels, a unit frame assembly, a rear panel, a base panel and a top panel by fastening means to form a detachable assembly, wherein the unit frame assembly comprises a plurality of wheel channels coupled to a deck lifting cam assembly; and,

inserting at least one deck in the detachable assembly to receive at least one cooling system.
7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plurality of side panels, the rear panel, the base and top panels are made of one or more insulation materials selected from foam, glasswool and expanded polystyrene.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the insulation material is foam.
9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the fastening means are selected from camlocks, screws, nuts and bolts, metal clips and plastic clips.
10. The open modular refrigeration unit substantially as herein described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.

Details for the cheque are as follows:
Cheque No.: 436, Dated: 15-Apr-2010, Yes Bank Branch: Andheri (W)