The invention relates to a refrigerated sales furniture.
Refrigerated sales furnitures of the front access type allowing for horizontal front access to
the goods over almost their entire height are known in the state of the art.
One such front access type refrigerated sales furniture is known from the GB 2 231 947 A,
which however has the drawback, that no goods to be presented and sold can be placed in
the bottom portion thereof, since according to the embodiment of Fig. 2 the fan 40 and the
evaporator 60 are arranged underneath the lowest goods presentation shelf. This limits the
available space for presenting goods to be sold which is a drawback, since there is a demand
for maximizing the available space for presenting goods to be sold.
With many refrigerated sales furnitures of the front access type it is a problem that the bot¬
tom areas thereof cannot be cooled as efficiently as it is the case with the goods presenta
tion shelves and the middle and upper portion thereof.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a refrigerated sales furniture that maximizes
the available space for presenting goods to be sold and provides an efficient cooling in the
entire goods presentation space and particularly in the bottom area thereof.
This object is attained by the subject-matter of the independent claim, advantageous em
bodiments are defined in the sub-claims.
A refrigerated sales furniture according to exemplary embodiments of the invention, as
described herein, comprises a furniture rear wall extending substantially upright from a
base; a goods presentation space including a bottom area; an air suction channel for suck¬
ing air from a lower front end portion of the refrigerated sales furniture, the air suction
channel having a rear air suction channel portion being arranged at a position behind the
bottom area of the goods presentation space and arranged adjacent to and substantially in
parallel to the furniture rear wall; a fan for conveying air from the air suction channel
through an air pressure channel, through an evaporator, through a cold air channel and
through a perforated goods presentation space rear wall to the goods presentation space,
the fan being arranged between the air suction channel and the air pressure channel at a
height corresponding to the height of the bottom area of the goods presentation space; the
air pressure channel having a lower air pressure channel portion that extends in front of
and substantially in parallel to the rear air suction channel portion of the air suction chan
nel; the cold air channel having a lower cold air channel portion for conveying cold air
through the lower rear wall portion of the perforated goods presentation space rear wall to
the bottom area of the goods presentation space, the lower rear wall portion of the perfo
rated goods presentation space rear wall being positioned behind the bottom area of the
goods presentation space, the lower cold air channel portion extending between the lower
air pressure channel portion of the air pressure channel and the lower rear wall portion of
the perforated goods presentation space rear wall.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in greater detail below with refer
ence to the figure, wherein:
Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of a refrigerated sales furniture 2 according to an em¬
bodiment of the invention, with the side wall/side cover removed in order to give a good
view into the goods presentation space 10.
The refrigerated sales furniture 2 is of the front access type and can also be called refriger¬
ated sales cabinet. The refrigerated sales furniture 2 allows for a substantially horizontal
access to the goods presented therein by a customer standing in front (in Fig. 1 to the right)
of the refrigerated sales furniture 2, over the almost entire height of the refrigerated sales
furniture 2. This maximizes the available goods presentation space and meets the retail and
wholesale demands.
The refrigerated sales furnitures described herein can be operated at normal cooling tem¬
peratures of above 0 °C and at freezing temperatures of below 0 °C. In one embodiment,
the refrigerated sales furniture can be of the open front access type without front access
doors, as described with respect to the attached Figure. In particular, the refrigerated sales
furnitures described herein can be of such kind and/or can be operated to provide for such
cooling temperatures at the evaporator(s) and such air temperatures of the air flowing
within the goods presentation space that the lowest temperature commonly achievable for
products within the goods presentation space is - 1 °C.
Although the refrigerated sales furniture 2 of Fig. 1 is open at its front access side it also
can be equipped with sliding or pivoting doors at its front access side that have to be
opened in order to get access to the goods presentation space.
The refrigerated sales furniture of Fig. 1 comprises a horizontal base 4 that can be pro
vided with stands (not shown), an upright furniture rear wall 6 extending from the rear end
of the base 4 that is typically positioned in front of a building wall, and an upper furniture
wall 8. The base 4, the furniture rear wall 6 and the upper furniture wall 8 confine together
with the side walls (not shown), the interior space of the refrigerated sales furniture 2.
The interior space of the refrigerated sales furniture 2 comprises a goods presentation
space 10, which is confined by a goods presentation space bottom wall 14, by a perforated
goods presentation space rear wall 16 and by an upper goods presentation space wall 19, as
well as air channels 20, 32, 48, 60, a fan 30 and an evaporator 46 that are at least partly
located outside of the goods presentation space 10. The air channels 20, 32, 48, 60, the fan
30 and the evaporator 46 are arranged between the furniture rear wall 6 and the perforated
goods presentation space rear wall 16, part of an air suction channel 20 is arranged between
the base 4 and the goods presentation space bottom wall 14 and substantially hori¬
zontal channel portions 52 and 64 of a cold air channel 48 and a warm air channel 60 ex
tend between the upper goods presentation space wall and the upper furniture wall 8.
In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 1, there are depicted three goods presentation shelves
70, 72 that can be fastened by appropriate means to the perforated goods presentation
space rear wall 6 and goods presentation space side walls (not shown), which extend sub
stantially horizontally and carry the goods to be presented and sold.
Although three goods presentation shelves 70, 72 are shown in Fig. 1, any suitable number
of goods presentation shelves can be provided within the goods presentation space 10.
The lowermost of the three goods presentation shelves 70 is formed as an air guiding
goods presentation shelf 72. Cold air from the cold air channel 48 (to be described later)
flows into the interior of such air guiding goods presentation shelf 72 and is directed
through appropriate openings at the underside of such shelf 72 in a substantially vertical
direction to the goods compartment lying underneath such air guiding goods presentation
shelf 72, which is in the embodiment of Fig. 1 the bottom area/base compartment 12. By
such air guiding goods presentation shelves, an efficient cooling of the goods positioned in
the compartment underneath can be attained.
Between the front end of the goods presentation space bottom wall 14 and the lower front
portion of the refrigerated sales furniture 2, that can be provided with a removable bumper
76, there is an air entry opening 22 of an air suction channel 20, into which relatively
warm return air enters and is conveyed through a substantially horizontal air suction chan¬
nel portion 24 arranged between the base 4 and the goods presentation space bottom wall
1 and through a substantially vertical rear air suction channel portion 26 that is arranged
at a position behind the bottom area 12 of the goods presentation space 10 and arranged
adjacent to and substantially in parallel to the furniture rear wall 6, to a fan 30 that sucks
the relatively warm return air through such air suction channel 20 and pushes it through an
air pressure channel 32, through an evaporator 46, through a cold air channel 48 and
through the perforated goods presentation space rear wall 16 to the goods presentation
space 10.
The size of the fan 30 in the figures is only of exemplary kind, also fans of greater height
can be used as long as their width is sufficient to fit into the available space between the
rear air suction channel portion 26 and the lower air pressure channel portion 34.
The substantially vertical rear air suction channel portion 26 is separated from a lower air
pressure channel portion 34 of the air pressure channel 32 by means of a vertical wall 28,
and in the present embodiment it ends at a height corresponding substantially to the height
of the bottom area 12 of the goods presentation space 10. However, there is no functional
relationship between the height of the bottom area and the substantially vertical rear air
suction channel portion, and consequently the vertical wall 28 can also end at another posi¬
tion of height. The fan 30 is arranged in an appropriate opening of such vertical wall 28,
and it is driven by an electric motor that can be at least partly arranged within the substan¬
tially vertical rear air suction channel portion 26.
The air pressure channel 32 comprises a lower air pressure channel portion 34, that ex¬
tends in front of and substantially in parallel to the rear air suction channel portion 26 of
the air suction channel 20, and an upper air pressure channel portion 36 having a greater
width than the lower air pressure channel portion 34, the upper air pressure channel por¬
tion 36 extending between the furniture rear wall 4 and the cold air channel 48. In other
words, in the present embodiment the lower air pressure channel portion 34 extends b e
tween the rear air suction channel portion 26 and a lower cold air channel portion 54 of the
cold air channel 48 (to be described later) up to a height where the rear air suction channel
portion 26 ends, which corresponds to the height of the bottom area 12 of the goods pres¬
entation space 10. The rear air suction channel portion 26 is that high that the fan 30 can
be accommodated therein with its entire height, and consequently the minimum height of
the vertical rear air suction channel portion 26 depends on the height of the fan 30. It is
understood, that it is possible to have several fans.
The upper air pressure channel portion 36 extends from the position of height, where the
rear air suction channel portion 26 ends, up to a position of height corresponding to the
lower end of the evaporator 46, and it is confined on the rear side by the furniture rear wall
6 and on the front side by the cold air channel 48.
The vertical wall 42 that separates the air pressure channel 32 from the cold air channel 48
makes a bend approximately at a middle portion of the height of the upper air pressure
channel portion 36, in particular a bent to the back so as to define a reduced width upper
section 40 of the upper air pressure channel portion 36 and a higher width lower section 38
of the upper air pressure channel portion 36. At the upper end of the reduced width upper
section 40 of the upper air pressure channel portion 36 there is an entry side of a warm air
channel 60, in particular a vertical warm air channel portion 62, and an evaporator 46, in
particular an entry side of an evaporator 46.
The height and the shape of the vertical wall 42 are described in detail with respect to the
non-limiting embodiment of Fig. 1. It is understood that the vertical wall can have another
height and another shape as well.
Likewise, the position and the height of the fan 30, of the channel portions 26, 34 and 54,
and of the bottom area 12, are described in detail with respect to the non-limiting embodi¬
ment of Fig. 1. It is understood that other dimensions are possible, too.
The warm air channel 60 extends from the position of height corresponding to the entry
side of the evaporator 46 along the furniture rear wall 6 and the upper furniture wall 8 to a
warm air curtain opening 66, which can be a honeycomb, that is positioned at the front of
the upper furniture wall 8, and it comprises a substantially vertical cold air channel portion
50 and a horizontal cold air channel portion 52. The partial air flow flowing through the
warm air channel 60 is not cooled by the evaporator 46. Such warm air exits the warm air
channel 60 through the warm air opening 66 and forms a curtain of warm air 68 in front of
the goods presentation space 10 extending between the warm air curtain opening 66 and
the air entry opening 22 of the air suction channel 20.
The evaporator 46 is of relatively small width and it is positioned in the intermediate space
between the front side of the vertical warm air channel portion 62 and the perforated goods
presentation space wall 16 and leaves free enough space in front of the evaporator 46 so as
to form a substantially vertical cold air channel portion 50. The evaporator 46 is part of a
refrigeration cycle comprising at least a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, the
evaporator 46 and refrigerant conduits connecting these elements serially so as to form a
closed refrigeration cycle. The other elements of such refrigeration cycle except for the
evaporator 46 are not shown in Fig. 1.
The partial air flow flowing through the evaporator 46 is cooled in the evaporator 46 in
heat exchange against a refrigerant circulating in a refrigeration cycle and having been ex¬
panded by means of the expansion device before entering the evaporator 46. The air exit¬
ing the evaporator 46 from its upper outlet side is called cold discharge air, and it leaves
the cold air channel 48 from which it is supplied as cooling air flow to the goods presenta
tion space 10 from the back through the perforated goods presentation space rear wall 16
and as cold air curtain flow to an air curtain opening 56 positioned at the front of the upper
furniture wall 8 adjacent to and immediately behind the warm air curtain opening 66 so as
to form a curtain of cold air 58 flowing from the cold air curtain opening 56 along the front
side of the goods presentation space 10 to the air entry opening 22 of the air suction chan
nel 20. The curtain of cold air 58 is formed behind the curtain of warm air 68, which com¬
bination has been shown as particularly effective for minimizing the amount of warm air
entering into the goods presentation space 10 from the front.
The cold air channel 48 comprises a substantially vertical cold air channel portion 50 ex
tending over the entire height of the goods presentation space 0, and a horizontal cold air
channel portion 52 being positioned underneath the horizontal warm air channel portion
64, the lower wall of which also forms the upper goods presentation space wall.
The substantially vertical cold air channel portion 50 basically has three portions of differ¬
ent widths, namely an upper portion of greater width extending between the upper outlet
side of the evaporator 46 and the lower wall of the horizontal warm air channel portion 64,
a middle portion of medium-sized width extending between the level of height where the
vertical wall 42 makes a bend to the back and level of height corresponding to the upper
outlet side of the evaporator 46, and a lower cold air channel portion 54 of smaller width
extending between the goods presentation space bottom wall 14 and a level of height
where the vertical wall 42 makes a bend to the back.
The width of the upper portion corresponds to the width between the furniture rear wall 6
and the perforated goods presentation space rear wall 16 minus the width of the vertical
warm air channel portion 62. The width of the middle portion corresponds to the width
between the furniture rear wall 6 and the perforated goods presentation space rear wall 16
minus the width of the evaporator 46 and minus the width of the vertical warm air channel
portion 62. The width of the lower cold air channel portion 54 corresponds to the width
between the furniture rear wall 6 and the perforated goods presentation space rear wall 16
minus the width of the substantially vertically rear air suction channel portion 26 and mi¬
nus the width of the lower air pressure channel portion 34.
By the substantially vertical cold air channel portion 50, cold air can be supplied from the
back through the perforated goods presentation space rear wall 16 to the goods presenta
tion space 10 over the entire height of the goods presentation space 10, which provides for
an efficient cooling of the entire goods presentation space 10, in particular also of the b ot
tom area 12 thereof which could not be attained in conventional refrigerated sales furni¬
tures.
As can be seen in Fig. 1, a trough or a removable container 74 supporting goods to be pre
sented and to be sold is inserted into the bottom area 12, and the airflow in the bottom area
12 is visualized by means of arrows. The cold air flow flowing into the bottom area 12
through the lower cold air channel portion 54 and the lower rear wall portion 18 of the perforated
goods presentation space rear wall 16 is depicted by means of horizontal arrows,
and it can well be seen that such horizontal airflow extends substantially uniformly over
the entire height of the bottom area 12 of the goods presentation space 10.
Likewise such horizontal cold airflow is also present in the goods compartments in the
middle and the upper portions of the goods presentation space 10, in particular in the
goods compartments over the three goods presentation shelves 70, 72 shown.
Furthermore, by means of the air guiding goods presentation shelf 72 arranged above the
bottom area/base compartment 12, cold air from the cold air channel 48, particularly from
the substantially vertical cold air channel portion 50, entering the air guiding goods presen¬
tation shelf 72 and exiting the same through openings in its bottom enters from above in a
downward direction into the bottom area/base compartment 12. This substantially vertical
airflow in downward direction is schematically depicted by vertical arrows, and it can be
seen that by the combination of cold air entering from behind in a horizontal direction and
cold air entering from above in a substantially downward direction, a very efficient matrix
cooling can be attained.
The airflow flowing down from the air guiding goods presentation shelf 72 is diverted on
its way to the goods presentation space bottom wall 14 in a forward direction by means of
the horizontal airflow coming from the back, and so the horizontal and the downwardly
directed vertical airflows mix. After having flown through the bottom area/base compart¬
ment 12, the air has warmed up in heat exchange against the goods to be sold positioned in
the bottom area/base compartment 12 and such airflow enters the air entry opening 22 to
gether with the airflows coming from above, in particular the cold air and warm air cur¬
tains 58 and 68.
As a matter of course, also the other goods presentation shelves 70 can be formed as air
guiding goods presentation shelves so as to enable an airflow from above in a downward
direction to the goods compartment respectively arranged underneath the air guiding goods
presentation shelf.
At the front side of the goods presentation space 10, the curtain of cold air 58, the cold air
flow coming from the back and the warm air flow coming from the front are depicted
schematically by arrows.
A refrigerated sales furniture according to exemplary embodiments of the invention, as
described herein, provides for a maximized goods presentation space extending from a
very low level of height to a very high level of height within the refrigerated sales furni
ture, while at the same time an efficient cooling of the entire goods presentation space and
in particular of the critical bottom area/base compartment is ensured.
The inventors have discovered that it is advantageous that the fan which is typically quite
space-consuming is arranged behind the bottom area of the refrigerated sales furniture.
This provides for a refrigerated sales furniture where the entire height can be used for pre¬
senting goods to be sold, which meets the demand for a maximized available space for pre¬
senting goods to be sold. With the configuration of the exemplary embodiments as de¬
scribed herein, a horizontal cold air flow can be led into the bottom area/base compartment
from the back, which ensures an efficient cooling of the entire goods presentation space
and in particular of the critical bottom area/base compartment.
The inventors have further discovered that the space available behind the lower rear wall
portion of the perforated goods presentation space rear wall can be sufficient for arranging
the rear air suction channel portion of the air suction channel, the lower air pressure channel
portion of the air pressure channel and the lower cold air channel portion of the cold
air channel behind it provided that the width of these channel portions are optimized.
In order to integrate such lower cold air channel portion, the construction depth of the fan
area has been optimized and reduced, and the perforated goods presentation space rear
wall has been provided with a perforated lower rear wall portion thereof forming the back¬
side of the bottom area/base compartment.
This new backside gets cooled by cold discharge air over the entire height of the base
cormpartment/bottom area and, additionally, the bottom of the base compartment/bottom
area gets in contact with cold discharge air too. In conventional refrigerated sales furni
tures, the backside of the bottom area of the goods presentation space often came into con¬
tact with warmer return air leading to a poor energy efficiency at this point which is relia¬
bly avoided according to the refrigeration sales furniture according to exemplary embodiments
as described herein, where not only cold air enters the bottom area/base compart
ment from the back, but also the lower rear wall portion of the perforated goods presenta
tion space rear wall is cold.
Especially in combination with the air guiding goods presentation shelf arranged directly
above the bottom area/base compartment, a stable and consistent matrix airflow through
the bottom area/base compartment can be provided.
In a refrigerated sales furniture according to exemplary embodiments of the invention
lower temperatures of goods stored within the base compartment of the refrigerated sales
cabinet can be reached, in particular those lower temperatures correspond to the discharge
air temperature.
Further the amount of circulating air can be reduced, since the base compartment gets
flown through by cold air directly.
The energy consumption of the refrigerated sales furniture can be reduced because of the
advantages as described herein. Moreover, a better temperature performance can be at¬
tained, because the air curtain within the base compartment is made more stable even when
goods are partly sold.
If the term "the fan" or "a fan" is mentioned within this description and within this claims,
this term should be construed to also comprise more than one fan and particularly any ap¬
propriate number of fans.
According to an embodiment, the fan is arranged in an opening of a vertical wall separat¬
ing the rear air suction channel portion of the air suction channel from the lower air pres¬
sure channel portion of the air pressure channel. By such arrangement of the fan the avail
able space can be used in a very efficient manner.
According to a further embodiment, the fan is configured to rotate around a substantially
horizontal axis. Such fan sucks the air very efficiently from the air entry opening at the
front portion of the bottom area and blows the air efficiently through the channels and the
evaporator and the perforated goods presentation space rear wall located downstream
thereof into the goods presentation space.
According to a further embodiment, the air suction channel has an air entry opening at a
front portion of the bottom area, and a substantially horizontal air suction channel portion
extending between the base of the refrigerated sales furniture and a goods presentation
space bottom wall. By such air suction channel the warm return air can effectively be
drawn off from the goods presentation space.
According to a further embodiment, the rear air suction channel portion ends at a height
corresponding substantially to the height of the bottom area of the goods presentation
space. By such air suction channel portion of optimized height a compact arrangement can
be ensured.
According to a further embodiment, the air pressure channel has an upper air pressure
channel portion of greater width than the lower air pressure channel portion, the upper air
pressure channel portion extending between the furniture rear wall and the cold air chan
nel. By such air suction channel, the air can be blown effectively back into the goods pres¬
entation space.
According to a further embodiment, the wall separating the upper air pressure channel por
tion from the cold air channel makes a bend so as to define a reduced width upper section
of the upper air pressure channel portion. By such reduced width upper section of the up¬
per air pressure channel portion the occupied space in the middle rear portion of the refrigerated
sales furniture is minimized and the channel width of the cold air channel is maxi¬
mized.
According to a further embodiment, the cold air channel comprises a substantially vertical
cold air channel portion and a horizontal cold air channel portion for conveying cold air to
the front side of the top portion of the refrigerated sales furniture. By such cold air channel
portions the cold air can effectively be fed to the goods presentation space through the per
forated goods presentation space rear wall from behind and at the same time a curtain of
cold air can be formed.
According to a further embodiment, at the front side of the top portion of the refrigerated
sales furniture there is an air curtain opening of the cold air channel for providing a curtain
of cold air in front of the goods presentation space that extends between the air curtain
opening and the air entry opening of the air suction channel. By such cold air channel the
amount of warm air entering into the goods presentation space from the front can be mini
mized which provides for a highly efficient cooling.
According to a further embodiment, goods presentation shelves are arranged in the goods
presentation space, wherein at least one of the goods presentation shelves is an air guiding
goods presentation shelf directing cold air from the cold air channel through its bottom to
the compartment of the goods presentation space arranged directly below the goods pres
entation shelf. By such air guiding goods presentation shelf the goods compartment under
neath such shelf can be effectively cooled by means of cold airflows coming from above.
According to a further embodiment, the goods presentation shelf arranged on top of the
bottom area of the goods presentation space is an air guiding goods presentation shelf for
directing cold air from the cold air channel through its bottom to the bottom area of the
goods presentation space. Particularly this portion which is conventionally very difficult to
cool, can be cooled reliably by forming the goods presentation shelf arranged above it as
air guiding goods presentation shelf.
According to a further embodiment, by conveying cold air through the lower rear wall por
tion of the perforated goods presentation space rear wall to the bottom area of the goods
presentation space and by directing cold air from the cold air channel through the bottom
of the air guiding goods presentation shelf to the bottom area of the goods presentation
space, a stable and consistent matrix air flow through the bottom area of the goods presen
tation space is ensured.
According to a further embodiment, a warm air channel is fluidly connected to the air
pressure channel. By such warm air channel a partial airflow which is used to form a cur¬
tain of warm air along the front side of the goods presentation space is branched off from
the air pressure channel.
According to a further embodiment, the warm air channel comprises a vertical warm air
channel portion extending basically parallel to the furniture rear wall and a horizontal
warm air channel portion extending basically parallel to an upper furniture wall of the
goods presentation space.
According to a further embodiment, the vertical warm air channel portion extends between
the furniture rear wall and the vertical cold air channel portion, and wherein the horizontal
warm air channel portion extends between the upper furniture wall and the horizontal cold
air channel portion.
According to a further embodiment, the horizontal warm air channel portion comprises a
warm air curtain opening at the front of the upper furniture wall for providing a curtain of
warm air in front of the goods presentation space, that extends between the warm air cur¬
tain opening and the air entry opening of the air suction channel.
According to a further embodiment, the warm air curtain opening is arranged in front of
the cold air curtain opening so that the curtam of warm air will be positioned before the
curtain of cold air. By positioning the curtain of cold air behind the curtain of warm air, a
further improved efficiency of the refrigerated sales furniture can be attained.
According to a further embodiment, the bottom area of the goods presentation space is
formed as a trough, is configured to accommodate or is equipped with a removable con
tainer. By such trough or removable container the goods to be presented and cooled can be
supported and presented well.
According to a further embodiment, the bottom area of the goods presentation space is
confined by a bumper at its front side. By such a bumper the front side of the refrigerated
sales furniture can be protected against scratches and the like.
According to a further embodiment, the bumper is of reduced width so as to provide for a
sufficient width of the bottom area of the goods presentation space with the rear air suction
channel portion of the air suction channel, the lower air pressure channel portion of the air
pressure channel and the lower cold air channel portion of the cold air channel being ar¬
ranged behind the lower rear wall portion of the perforated goods presentation space rear
wall. By such reduced width bumper the available goods presentation space can be maximized.
According to a further embodiment, the bumper is removable.
According to a further embodiment, the fan is of reduced width so as to provide for a sufficient
width of the bottom area of the goods presentation space. Such a fan has been de
veloped by the inventors. In particular, the vertical rear air suction channel portion can
have a width of 30-1 50mm, which also limits the width of the fan, such that the fan can
have a width of 30-1 50mm.
According to a further embodiment, the rear air suction channel portion of the air suction
channel, the lower air pressure channel portion of the air pressure channel and the lower
cold air channel portion of the cold air channel are of reduced width so as to provide for a
sufficient width of the bottom area of the goods presentation space. In particular the width
of the lower cold air channel portion can be made smaller than the widths of the rear air
suction channel portion and the lower air pressure channel portion. In particular, the verti
cal rear air suction channel portion can have a width of 30-1 50mm, the lower air pressure
channel portion can have a width of 30-100mm and the lower cold air channel portion can
have a width of 3-50mm.
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it
will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and
equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of
the invention. In addition, modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or
material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope
thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention is not limited to the particular embodi
ment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the
scope of the appended claims.
List of reference numerals
2 Refrigerated sales furniture
4 base
6 furniture rear wall
8 upper furniture wall
10 goods presentation space
12 bottom area
1 goods presentation space bottom wall
16 perforated goods presentation space rear wall
18 lower rear wall portion of perforated goods presentation space rear wall
19 upper goods presentation space wall
20 air suction channel
2 air entry opening
4 substantially horizontal air suction channel portion
6 substantially vertical rear air suction channel portion
8 vertical wall
0 fan
2 air pressure channel
4 lower air pressure channel portion
6 upper air pressure channel portion
8 lower section
0 reduced width upper section
2 vertical wall
4 bend
6 evaporator
8 cold air channel
0 substantially vertical cold air channel portion
2 horizontal cold air channel portion
4 lower cold air channel portion
6 air curtain opening of the cold air channel
8 curtain of cold air
0 warm air channel
2 vertical warm air channel portion
4 horizontal warm air channel portion
6 warm air curtain opening
curtain of warm air
goods presentation shelves
air guiding goods presentation shelf
trough/removable container
bumper

Claims
1. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) comprising:
a furniture rear wall (6) extending substantially upright from a base (4);
a goods presentation space (10) including a bottom area (12);
an air suction channel (20) for sucking air from a lower front end portion of the refrig
erated sales furniture (2), the air suction channel (20) having a rear air suction channel por¬
tion (26) being arranged at a position behind the bottom area (12) of the goods presenta
tion space (10) and arranged adjacent to and substantially in parallel to the furniture rear
wall (4);
a fan (30) for conveying air from the air suction channel (20) through an air pressure
channel (32), through an evaporator (46), through a cold air channel (48) and through a
perforated goods presentation space rear wall (16) to the goods presentation space (10), the
fan (30) being arranged between the air suction channel (20) and the air pressure channel
(32) at a height corresponding to the height of the bottom area (12) of the goods presenta
tion space (10);
the air pressure channel (32) having a lower air pressure channel portion (34) that ex¬
tends in front of and substantially in parallel to the rear air suction channel portion (26) of
the air suction channel (20);
the cold air channel (48) having a lower cold air channel portion (54) for conveying
cold air through the lower rear wall portion ( 8) of the perforated goods presentation space
rear wall (16) to the bottom area (12) of the goods presentation space (10), the lower rear
wall portion (18) of the perforated goods presentation space rear wall (16) being posi¬
tioned behind the bottom area (12) of the goods presentation space (10), the lower cold air
channel portion (54) extending between the lower air pressure channel portion (34) of the
air pressure channel (32) and the lower rear wall portion (18) of the perforated goods pres¬
entation space rear wall (16).
2. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of claim 1, wherein the fan (30) is arranged in an open
ing of a vertical wall (28) separating the rear air suction channel portion (26) of the air suc
tion channel (20) from the lower air pressure channel portion (34) of the air pressure chan¬
nel (32).
3. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the fan (30) is configured to
rotate around a substantially horizontal axis.
4. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the air suction
channel (20) has an air entry opening (22) at a front portion of the bottom area (12), and a
substantially horizontal air suction channel portion (24) extending between the base (4) of
the refrigerated sales furniture (2) and a goods presentation space bottom wall (14).
5. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the rear air
suction channel portion (26) ends at a height corresponding substantially to the height of
the bottom area (12) of the goods presentation space (10).
6. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the air pres¬
sure channel (32) has an upper air pressure channel portion (36) of greater width than the
lower air pressure channel portion (34), the upper air pressure channel portion (36) extend¬
ing between the furniture rear wall (4) and the cold air channel (48).
7. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of claim 6, further comprising a vertical wall (42)
separating the upper air pressure channel portion (36) from the cold air channel (48), the
vertical wall (42) making a bend (44) so as to define a reduced width upper section (40) of
the upper air pressure channel portion (36).
8. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the cold air
channel (48) comprises a substantially vertical cold air channel portion (50) and a horizon¬
tal cold air channel portion (52) for conveying cold air to the front side of the top portion
of the refrigerated sales furniture (2),
9. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of any of the preceding claims, wherein at the front
side of the top portion of the refrigerated sales furniture (2) there is an air curtain opening
(56) of the cold air channel (48) for providing a curtain of cold air (58) in front of the
goods presentation space (10) that extends between the air curtain opening (56) and the air
entry opening (22) of the air suction channel (20).
10. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of any of the preceding claims, comprising goods pres
entation shelves (70, 72) arranged in the goods presentation space (10), wherein at least
one of the goods presentation shelves (70, 72) is an air guiding goods presentation shelf
(72) directing cold air from the cold air channel (48) through its bottom to the compartment
of the goods presentation space (10) arranged directly below the goods presentation
shelf (72).
1. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) claim 10, wherein the goods presentation shelf (72)
arranged on top of the bottom area (12) of the goods presentation space (10) is an air guid¬
ing goods presentation shelf (72) for directing cold air from the cold air channel (48)
through its bottom to the bottom area (12) of the goods presentation space (10).
12. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) claim 11, wherein by conveying cold air through the
lower rear wall portion (18) of the perforated goods presentation space rear wall (16) to
the bottom area (12) of the goods presentation space (10) and by directing cold air from
the cold air channel (48) through the bottom of the air guiding goods presentation shelf
(72) to the bottom area (12) of the goods presentation space (10), a stable and consistent
matrix air flow through the bottom area (12) of the goods presentation space (10) is en
sured.
13. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a
warm air channel (60) fluidly connected to the air pressure channel (32).
14. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of claim 13, wherein the warm air channel (60) com
prises a vertical warm air channel portion (62) extending basically parallel to the furniture
rear wall (4) and a horizontal warm air channel portion (64) extending basically parallel to
an upper furniture wall (8) of the goods presentation space (10).
15. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of claim 14, wherein the vertical warm air channel por¬
tion (62) extends between the furniture rear wall (4) and the substantially vertical cold air
channel portion (50), and wherein the horizontal warm air channel portion (64) extends
between the upper furniture wall (8) and the horizontal cold air channel portion (52).
16. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of claim 14 or 1 , wherein the horizontal warm air
channel portion (64) comprises a warm air curtain opening (66) at the front of the upper
furniture wall (8) for providing a curtain of warm air (68) in front of the goods presenta¬
tion space (10), that extends between the warm air curtain opening (66) and the air entry
opening (22) of the air suction channel (20).
17. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of claim 16, wherein the warm air curtain opening (66)
is arranged in front of the cold air curtain opening (56) so that the curtain of warm air (68)
will be positioned before the curtain of cold air (58).
18. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom
area (1 ) of the goods presentation space (10) is formed as a trough (74).
19. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of any of the claims 1 to 17, wherein the bottom area
(12) of the goods presentation space (10) is configured to accommodate or is equipped
with a removable container (74).
20. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom
area (12) of the goods presentation space (10) is confined by a bumper (76) at its front
side.
21. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of claim 20, wherein the bumper (76) is of reduced
width so as to provide for a sufficient width of the bottom area (12) of the goods presenta¬
tion space (10) with the rear air suction channel portion (26) of the air suction channel
(20), the lower air pressure channel portion (34) of the air pressure channel (32) and the
lower cold air channel portion (54) of the cold air channel (48) being arranged behind the
lower rear wall portion ( 18) of the perforated goods presentation space rear wall (16).
22. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) claim 20 or 21, wherein the bumper (76) is removable.
23. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the fan (30) is
of reduced width so as to provide for a sufficient width of the bottom area (12) of the
goods presentation space (10).
24. Refrigerated sales furniture (2) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the rear air
suction channel portion (26) of the air suction channel (20), the lower air pressure channel
portion (34) of the air pressure channel (32) and the lower cold air channel portion (54) of
the cold air channel (48) are of reduced width so as to provide for a sufficient width of the
bottom area (12) of the goods presentation space (10).