An Open Refrigerated Display Case and a Flow Stabilizing Device

Abstract

An open refrigerated display case including: a refrigerated display area having one or more shelves; an air outlet and an air inlet opening into the display area and spaced from one another; a duct fluidically coupling the air inlet to the air outlet, the duct being configured to direct air flow out of the air outlet across the display area and toward the air inlet to form an air curtain across the display area; wherein each of the one or more shelves are provided with an associated flow stabilizing device; wherein the one or more flow stabilizing devices each include a cellular structure which extends transversely across the display area perpendicular to the direction of the air flow within the air curtain, the cellular structure forming a matrix of stabilizing channels; wherein the one or more flow stabilizing devices are each positioned so that the stabilizing channels receive the entire air curtain and stabilize the air flow within the air curtain; wherein an upper surface of the or each flow stabilizing device is arranged so as to be substantially level with or below an upper surface of the associated shelf.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . An open refrigerated display case comprising:
 a refrigerated display area comprising one or more shelves;   an air outlet and an air inlet opening into the display area and spaced from one another;   a duct fluidically coupling the air inlet to the air outlet, the duct being configured to direct air flow out of the air outlet across the display area and toward the air inlet to form an air curtain across the display area;   wherein each of the one or more shelves are provided with an associated flow stabilizing device;   wherein the one or more flow stabilizing devices each comprise a cellular structure which extends transversely across the display area perpendicular to the direction of the air flow within the air curtain, the cellular structure forming a matrix of stabilizing channels;   wherein the one or more flow stabilizing devices are each positioned so that the stabilizing channels receives the entire air curtain and stabilize the air flow within the air curtain;   wherein an upper surface of the or each flow stabilizing device is arranged so as to be substantially level with or below an upper surface of the associated shelf; and   wherein the cellular structure is a honeycomb structure.   
     
     
         19 . An open refrigerated display case as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the flow stabilizing devices are spaced from the air outlet and/or one another by a distance which corresponds to approximately 4 to 6 times a width of the air outlet. 
     
     
         20 . An open refrigerated display case as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the flow stabilizing devices are spaced by a distance which corresponds to approximately 5 times a width of the air outlet. 
     
     
         21 . An open refrigerated display case as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein each flow stabilizing device is connected to the one or more shelves. 
     
     
         22 . An open refrigerated display case as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein each flow stabilizing device is pivotably connected to the one or more shelves. 
     
     
         23 . An open refrigerated display case as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein each flow stabilizing device is configured so as to allow a position of the matrix of stabilizing channels relative to the shelf to be varied. 
     
     
         24 . An open refrigerated display case as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein each flow stabilizing device is integrally formed in one of the shelves. 
     
     
         25 . An open refrigerated display case as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the stabilizing channels each have a uniform cross-section along their length.