Improvements in or relating to refrigerated display appliances

Abstract

A ducted shelf assembly for a refrigerated display appliance comprises separate upper and lower supports, each being separately engageable with support formations to hold the shelf structure at a desired height against a wall of the display appliance. At least one duct element is separate from and disposed between the lower support and the upper support, the duct element then being supported by the lower support and retained by the upper support.

1 . A ducted shelf assembly comprising:
 at least one support that is engageable with support formations to hold the shelf assembly at a desired height against a wall of a display appliance; and   at least one duct element that is separate from and positionable upon the support, the duct element then being supported by the support.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a top shelf component. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the top shelf component comprises a top plate of the shelf that overlies the, or each, duct element. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 2  or  claim 3 , wherein the top shelf component comprises a shelf front strip that is insulated, heated or of low thermal conductivity and is arranged to cover a front edge of the, or each, duct element. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of any preceding claim and comprising a supply duct element and a return duct element. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of any preceding claim and comprising separate upper and lower supports, each being separately engageable with support formations to hold the shelf assembly at a desired height against a wall of a display appliance, wherein the duct element is separate from and positionable between the lower support and the upper support, the duct element then being supported by the lower support and retained by the upper support. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the lower support and the upper support are separately and successively engageable with the support formations upon assembly of the structure against the wall. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 6  or  claim 7 , wherein the supply duct element and the return duct element are in layered face-to-face relation and are held together by upper and lower supports. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of any preceding claims, wherein upper supports positionable above the duct element and/or lower supports positionable below the duct element comprise sealing elements arranged to seal against the wall of the display appliance. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the, or each, sealing element is arranged to seal against the, or each, duct element. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 9  or  claim 10 , wherein the, or each, sealing element has a wall that extends vertically to an extent that enables sealing against the wall of the display appliance to be maintained if a support is engaged with support formations at a different level on the wall. 
     
     
         12 . A ducted-shelf air curtain display unit, comprising at least one ducted shelf assembly of any preceding claim. 
     
     
         13 . The unit of  claim 12 , comprising an open-fronted cabinet having a display space bounded by an upright wall, that wall being disposed between the display space and at least one riser duct for the supply and/or return of air; wherein:
 the ducted shelf is selectively locatable in the display space at different heights relative to the upright wall and communicates with the riser duct by engagement of a connector of the shelf via at least one port in the upright wall;   the port is deeper vertically than the connector of the shelf such that the shelf can be relocated vertically with the connector remaining in communication with the riser duct via the port after relocation; and   a sealing element is relocatable with the shelf to extend between the shelf and the upright wall, the sealing element overlapping an edge of the port to close off a portion of the port not closed by the connector.   
     
     
         14 . The unit of  claim 13  and comprising an upper sealing element extending above the shelf to above an upper edge of the port and a lower sealing element extending below the shelf to below a lower edge of the port. 
     
     
         15 . The unit of  claim 13  or  claim 14  and being arranged such that engagement of a support with the upright wall presses the sealing element against the upright wall. 
     
     
         16 . A method of assembling a ducted shelf in a display appliance, comprising:
 attaching a first support to an upright wall that bounds a display space of the appliance; and   placing at least one duct element onto the first support attached to the wall.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising attaching a second support to the upright wall to retain the, or each, duct element on the first support. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  or  claim 17 , comprising coupling the duct element to a riser duct of the appliance via a port in the upright wall. 
     
     
         19 . The method of any of  claims 16  to  18 , comprising stacking supply and return duct elements on the first support before attaching the second support to the upright wall. 
     
     
         20 . The method of any of  claims 16  to  19 , comprising effecting seals between the first support and the upright wall and between the first support and the or each duct element 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising effecting seals between the second support and the or each duct element, and between the second support and the upright wall. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  or  claim 21 , wherein said seals are effected by assembling together a support and the duct element on the upright wall.