Top-opening freezer with improved cooling gas flow

Abstract

A top-opening freezer is presented including an outer casing and a goods compartment with a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls. A cooling gas curtain is directed across the top opening of the goods compartment. Additionally, the side walls of the goods compartment are cooled by providing a second flow path arranged between the side walls and the outer casing, respectively.

1 . A top-opening freezer comprising:
 an outer casing;   a goods compartment disposed within the outer casing having a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls and a top opening;   wherein a first flow path is provided such that cooling gas is guided from an opening at an upper portion of the front wall side of the goods compartment to an opening in an upper portion of the opposite rear wall side of the goods compartment thereby providing a cooling gas curtain across the top opening; and   wherein a side wall cooling means for cooling at least one side wall of the goods compartment is positioned between the at least one side wall of the goods compartment and the outer casing, said side wall cooling means comprising at least one channel for a second flow path provided such that cooling gas is guided in the at least one channel, wherein the channel of the second flow path includes flow connections to the goods compartment.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The freezer according to  claim 1 , wherein the channel of the second flow path is defined by the respective side wall of the goods compartment and the outer casing. 
     
     
         4 . The freezer according to  claim 1 , wherein the channel of the second flow path extends from the front wall side of the goods compartment to the rear wall side of the goods compartment. 
     
     
         5 . The freezer according to  claim 1 , wherein the channel of the second flow path is positioned laterally adjacent an upper edge of the side wall of the goods compartment. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The freezer according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow connections are provided by holes in the side wall of the goods compartment. 
     
     
         8 . The freezer according to  claim 1 , wherein the second flow path is divided into a first flow portion extending from the front wall side of the goods compartment to the rear wall side of the goods compartment and a second flow portion having flow connections to the goods compartment. 
     
     
         9 . The freezer according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow connections are arranged at a filling limit of the goods compartment. 
     
     
         10 . The freezer according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow connections are arranged at a portion of the side wall proximal to the rear wall. 
     
     
         11 . The freezer according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling gas circulating means for circulating a cooling gas through at least one of the first and second flow paths. 
     
     
         12 . The freezer according to  claim 11 , wherein a gas flow coming from the cooling gas circulating means is divided into the first and second flow path by means of a guide vane. 
     
     
         13 . The freezer according  claim 1 , wherein the second flow path further comprises first flow portions extending from the front wall side of the goods compartment to the rear wall side of the goods compartment. 
     
     
         14 . A top-opening freezer comprising:
 an outer casing;   a goods compartment disposed within the outer casing having a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls and a top opening;   wherein a first flow path is provided such that cooling gas is guided from an opening at an upper portion of the front wall side of the goods compartment to an opening in an upper portion of the opposite rear wall side of the goods compartment thereby providing a cooling gas curtain across the top opening;   wherein a side wall cooling means for cooling at least one side wall of the goods compartment is positioned between a side wall of the goods compartment and the outer casing, said side wall cooling means comprising at least one channel for a second flow path provided such that cooling gas is guided in the at least one channel; and   further comprising a cooling gas circulating means for circulating a cooling gas through at least one of the first and second flow paths, wherein a gas flow   coming from the cooling gas circulating means is divided into the first and second flow path by means of a guide vane.