Device for air inlet of refrigerated display cabinets to collect particulates, objects, and liquids

Abstract

A device implemented at an air inlet of a refrigerated display cabinet is disclosed. The device comprises a housing comprising one or more inlets, and an air filter configured with a first wall of the housing. The housing is adapted to be fitted at an air inlet of the cabinet. The housing has a predefined dimension corresponding to the air inlet such that upon fitting the device at the air inlet, the air filter faces an airflow duct associated with a refrigeration system of the cabinet and the one or more inlets face a conservation space and/or an air curtain associated with the cabinet. The device restricts the entry of particulates, objects, and/or liquid within the duct, supply clean filtered air within the duct, and allows easier collection, removal, and cleaning of the particulates, objects, and liquid from the device.

1 . A device implemented in a refrigerated display cabinet to collect one or more of particulates, objects, and liquids, the device comprising:
 a housing defining a shape of the device and comprising one or more inlets, wherein the housing is adapted to be fitted at an air inlet of the cabinet; and   an air filter configured with a first wall of the housing;   wherein the housing has a predefined dimension corresponding to the air inlet such that upon fitting the device at the air inlet, the air filter faces an airflow duct associated with a refrigeration system of the cabinet and the one or more inlets face a conservation space and/or an air curtain associated with the cabinet.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to:
 receive and collect one or more of objects, and liquids spilled from the conservation space within the housing via the one or more inlets; and   allow inflow of air associated with the air curtain within the housing via the one or more inlets, and supply the air into the airflow duct via the air filter to filter particulates from the air and correspondingly supply filtered air into the airflow duct.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the air filter is configured with the first wall at a predefined height above a bottom end of the housing, wherein the received objects and liquids are collected at the bottom end of the housing below the air filter. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises an outlet that allows removal or discharge of the collected particulates, objects, and liquids from the housing, wherein the particulates, objects, and liquids discharged through the outlet are transferred to a collector tray that is positioned below the device. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein a meshed grid is provided on the outlet to facilitate removal or discharge of the collected liquids from the housing and further restrict discharge of the collected object and particulates through the outlet. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured at the air inlet under a return air grid at a bottom front end of the cabinet. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is integrated with a return air grid at a bottom front end of the cabinet. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one wall of the housing is removable from the housing to allow access to and/or facilitate cleaning of an interior of the device. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one wall of the housing comprises a handle and a locking mechanism is configured with the removable wall and the housing, wherein the locking mechanism in a locked position allows users to carry the device using the handle, and wherein the locking mechanism in an unlocked position allows the users to separate the at least one wall from the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the air filter is removably fitted to the first wall of the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the air filter is fixedly integrated into the first wall of the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises an inclined member extending across a width of the housing and positioned below the air filter within the housing such that a predefined gap remains between a free end of the inclined member and a second wall, opposite to the air filter or the first wall, of the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises an inclined member comprising perforations, which extends across a width of the housing and is inclined at a predefined angle from a horizontal plane in a downward direction and/or an upward within the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the inclined member is inclined at a predefined angle from a horizontal plane in a downward direction to facilitate automated movement of the received object and liquids towards the bottom end of the housing through the gap and/or the perforations such that the received object and liquids are collected and secured at the bottom end of the housing beneath the inclined member. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the inclined member is adapted to isolate the received air from the object and liquids collected at the bottom end of the housing and/or further facilitate the received air to flow through the air filter into the airflow duct. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more inlets are configured at a top end of the housing and have a predefined size based on a size of the objects to be allowed to be collected within the device. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a self-cleaning system comprising one or more nozzles fluidically connected to a pump and/or a defrost drainage of the cabinet, wherein the self-cleaning system is configured to supply, through the one or more nozzles, a stream of air or water over the air filter and/or interior walls of the housing to facilitate cleaning of the air filter and/or an interior of the device. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises one or more first sensors configured with the housing to monitor one or more of the presence, weight, volume, and level of the objects and/or the liquids collected within the housing, wherein the one or more first sensors comprise one or more of an optical sensor, a weight sensor, and a proximity sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the device comprises one or more second sensors configured with the air filter to monitor a health of the air filter or the level of particulates collected in the air filter, wherein the one or more second sensors comprise one or more of a pressure sensor, a particulate sensor, a contaminant sensor, and a volatile organic compound sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the device comprises one or more third sensors configured within the housing to check the occurrence of one or more chemical reactions within the housing.