Control for cooler unit

Abstract

A cooler unit has improved control components. The cooler unit includes a digital control unit with a circuit board having high-voltage components and a display. The refrigeration also includes a control housing with a display window, the display positioned to be seen through the display window and covered by a display cover positioned within the display window. The display cover serves to mechanically and electrically isolate the display. The control housing is mounted to a floor of a cabinet liner that is sloped in a downward direction toward the opening of the cooler unit, the control housing retains food and beverage items that are stored on the floor of the cabinet liner so that the items do not exit fall out of the cooler unit.

1 . A cooler unit, comprising:
 a control unit comprising a circuit board with a high-voltage portion;   a display mounted to the circuit board, the display having a display face;   a display cover sized to overlay the display face; and   a control unit housing with a display window sized to accept the display and display cover;   wherein the display cover is positioned over the display, adjacent to the display face, and within the display window.   
   
   
       2 . The cooler unit of  claim 1 , wherein the display cover is configured to mechanically and electrically isolate from an area outside of the display cover. 
   
   
       3 . The cooler unit of  claim 1 , wherein the display cover is translucent. 
   
   
       4 . The cooler unit of  claim 3 , wherein the display cover has a flame rating of one of 5 VA and 5 VB. 
   
   
       5 . The cooler unit of  claim 1 , wherein the display cover has a thickness configured to thermally insulate the display from an area outside of the display cover. 
   
   
       6 . The cooler unit of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is mounted to the control unit housing. 
   
   
       7 . The cooler unit of  6 , wherein the control unit housing further includes a plurality of first ribs and a plurality of second ribs, the first and second ribs configured to receive a first edge of the circuit board and second edge of the circuit board. 
   
   
       8 . The cooler unit of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit further comprises at least one switch and the control unit housing further comprises a paddle configured to activate the switch when actuated. 
   
   
       9 . The cooler unit of  claim 8 , wherein the paddle has a thickness configured to thermally insulate the switch from an area outside of the control unit housing. 
   
   
       10 . A cooler unit, comprising:
 a control unit for the cooler unit, the control unit comprising a circuit board and a display with a planar face, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall;   a housing for the control unit, the housing including a planar front wall, a plurality of edges defining an aperture in the front wall of the housing, a pair of opposing edges having notches; and   a display cover with a planar front face, a planar back face, a first sidewall, a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, a first flange extending from the first sidewall, and a second flange extending from the second sidewall, the display cover being translucent and sized to overlay the face of the display;   wherein the aperture in the front wall of the housing is sized so that the display cover can be disposed in the aperture, wherein the notches of the edges of the housing are sized so that the first and second flange can be disposed in the notches when the display cover is disposed in the aperture in the front wall of the housing, wherein first and second flanges of the display cover are configured so that the first and second flanges engage a face of the front wall of the housing when the display cover is disposed in the aperture in the front wall of the housing.   
   
   
       11 . The cooler unit of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes a plurality of first ribs and a plurality of second ribs, the first and second ribs configured to receive a first edge of the circuit board and second edge of the circuit board. 
   
   
       12 . The cooler unit of  claim 2 , wherein the first ribs are formed within a top of the housing and the second ribs are formed within a bottom of the housing. 
   
   
       13 . The cooler unit of  claim 3 , wherein each first rib has a first rib notch formed therein to receive the first edge of the circuit board, and each second rib has a second rib notch formed therein to receive the second edge of the circuit board. 
   
   
       14 . The cooler unit of  claim 4 , wherein the first rib notches form a first line, the second rib notches form a second line, the first line being parallel to the second line and to a longitudinal axis of the front wall. 
   
   
       15 . A cooler unit having a cabinet defining a storage cavity having a back side and an opening at a front side, the cooler unit comprising:
 a liner disposed in the cabinet, the liner having a bottom wall sloping downward in the direction from the back side to the front side;   a control unit for controlling the cooler unit; and   a housing for the control unit mounted to a front portion of the bottom wall of the liner, the housing extending across a width of the bottom wall;   wherein the control unit is located within the housing and is mounted to the bottom wall of the liner proximate the opening.   
   
   
       16 . The cooler unit of  claim 15 , wherein the bottom wall of the liner has a slope. 
   
   
       17 . The cooler unit of  claim 15 , wherein the housing further comprises a display window. 
   
   
       18 . The cooler unit of  claim 17 , wherein the housing further comprises at least one paddle connected to the housing with a living hinge. 
   
   
       19 . The cooler unit of  claim 15 , wherein the control unit is mechanically and electrically isolated from the housing.