Refrigerator Cabinet with Door Defogger

Abstract

A refrigerated cabinet defines a product space and a door that controls access to the product space. The refrigerated cabinet includes a heat pump assembly configured to cool air by circulating a cooling medium through an evaporator and a cooler. The refrigerated cabinet includes a fan disposed to move air cooled by the heat pump through the product space. The refrigerated cabinet is configured so that the air that is heated when passing through the cooler is directed outside the cooling cabinet with the assistance of at least one air guide element that is formed in such a manner that the air directed to the outside sweeps past an outer side of the door of the refrigerated cabinet.

16 . Refrigerated cabinet defined by a main frame that defines a product space in the interior thereof, the refrigerated cabinet comprising:
 a door carried by the main frame and moveable between an open position and a closed position so as to control access to the product space, the door defining an outer side disposed outside the cabinet when the door is disposed in the closed position;   a heat pump assembly carried by the main frame and disposed within the interior of the main frame, the heat pump assembly being configured to cool air and including an evaporator and a condenser;   a first fan carried by the main frame and disposed within the interior of the frame, the first fan being configured to move the cool air through the product space;   a second fan carried by the main frame and disposed within the interior of the frame, the second fan being configured to move air past the condenser to become a heated air flow;   a cavity disposed within the main frame and defining an outlet communicating outside the refrigerated cabinet, the cavity being configured to carry the heated air flow from the condenser to the outlet of the cavity; and   an air guide element disposed at the outlet of the cavity and configured to guide the heated air flow to the outer side of the door.   
     
     
         17 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 16 , wherein the refrigerated cabinet defines an inlet, through which air from the environment surrounding the outside of the refrigerated cabinet can flow into the interior of the refrigerated cabinet. 
     
     
         18 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 16 , wherein the refrigerated cabinet defines a channel in the interior of the refrigerated cabinet, wherein the evaporator is disposed within the channel, and wherein the channel is configured and disposed so that operation of the first fan draws air from the product space into the channel. 
     
     
         19 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 16 , wherein the channel is defined separate from the cavity such that air that is sucked out from the product space by operation of the second fan does not move directly into the channel. 
     
     
         20 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 16 , wherein the inlet s disposed in an upper region of the product space. 
     
     
         21 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 16 , wherein the outlet is located in the region of the frame disposed beneath the door. 
     
     
         22 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 16 , wherein the outlet is arranged at a bottom region of the outside of the refrigerated cabinet. 
     
     
         23 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 16 , wherein the cavity is disposed in a lower region of the product space of the refrigerated cabinet. 
     
     
         24 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 16 , further comprising a ram protector and wherein the outlet is arranged in manner adjacent to the ram protector. 
     
     
         25 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 24 , wherein the air guide element is disposed between the outlet and the ram protector. 
     
     
         26 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 16 , wherein the air guide element defines an air baffle configured to bring about a deflection of the air flowing out of the outlet and in a direction that is generally parallel to the outer side of the door. 
     
     
         27 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 16 , wherein the refrigerated cabinet includes a plurality of product spaces and a plurality of doors. 
     
     
         28 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 27 , further comprising a plurality of heat pump assemblies, wherein a respective one of the plurality of heat pump assemblies is disposed to provide cool air flow to a respective one of the plurality of product spaces. 
     
     
         29 . Refrigerated cabinet defined by a main frame that defines a product space in the interior thereof, the refrigerated cabinet comprising:
 a first door carried by the main frame and moveable between an open position and a closed position so as to control access to the product space, the first door defining an outer side disposed outside the cabinet when the first door is disposed in the closed position;   a second door carried by the main frame and moveable between an open position and a closed position so as to control access to the product space, the second door defining an outer side disposed outside the cabinet when the second door is disposed in the closed position;   a first heat pump assembly carried by the main frame and disposed within the interior of the main frame, the first heat pump assembly being configured to cool air and including a first evaporator and a first condenser;   a second heat pump assembly carried by the main frame and disposed within the interior of the main frame, the second heat pump assembly being configured to cool air and including a second evaporator and a second condenser;   a first fan carried by the main frame and disposed within the interior of the frame, the first fan being configured to move the cool air through the product space;   a second fan carried by the main frame and disposed within the interior of the frame, the second fan being configured to move the cool air through the product space;   a third fan carried by the main frame and disposed within the interior of the frame, the third fan being configured to move air past the first condenser to become a first heated air flow, the third fan being configured to move air past the second condenser to become a second heated air flow;   a first cavity disposed within the main frame and defining a first outlet communicating outside the refrigerated cabinet, the first cavity being configured to carry the first heated air flow from the first condenser to the first outlet of the first cavity;   a second cavity disposed within the main frame and defining a second outlet communicating outside the refrigerated cabinet, the second cavity being configured to carry the second heated air flow from the second condenser to the second outlet of the second cavity;   a first air guide element disposed at the first outlet of the first cavity and configured to guide the first heated air flow in a direction parallel to the outer side of the first door; and   a second air guide element disposed at the second outlet of the second lower and configured to guide the second heated air flow in a direction parallel to the outer side of the second door.   
     
     
         30 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 29 , wherein the refrigerated cabinet defines a common channel having an inlet disposed in communication with the product space and an outlet disposed in communication with the first cavity and with the second cavity. 
     
     
         31 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 30 , wherein the third fan is disposed within the common channel between the inlet of the common channel and the outlet of the common channel. 
     
     
         32 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 29 , wherein the first air guide element defines an air baffle configured to bring about a deflection of the air flowing out of the outlet and in a direction that is generally parallel to the outer side of the first door. 
     
     
         33 . Refrigerated cabinet as in  claim 29 , wherein the first cavity is disposed in a lower region of the product space of the refrigerated cabinet.