Thermal Frame with Flange Heat Input

Abstract

A frame for a refrigerated enclosure includes a frame segment having, in cross-section, a main frame member including a base, a middle wall, and a forward flange. The forward flange of the main frame member absorbs heat from the ambient air to increase a temperature of one or more locations of the frame segment or a door of the refrigerated enclosure.

1 . A method of controlling condensation on a refrigerated enclosure, the method comprising:
 selecting one or more target thermal characteristics at one or more locations of a door/frame interface of the refrigerated enclosure; and   providing a thermal frame with a forward flange having one or more physical characteristics configured to maintain the one or more target thermal characteristics.   
     
     
         2 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more physical characteristics comprise a length of the forward flange. 
     
     
         3 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the forward flange comprises a length of at least about 1.5 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein providing the thermal frame comprises increasing a length of the forward flange. 
     
     
         5 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the forward flange extends away from a middle wall and comprises a front surface exposed to ambient air, the forward flange comprising a central region defined between a raised corner and an outer edge of the forward flange, wherein, within the central region, the front surface is non-planar, thereby, providing a heat transfer surface with more surface area in contact with the ambient air than a planar surface, whereby, heat from the ambient air is conducted through a main frame member to a contact plate, the thermal frame comprising a main frame member comprising a base, a middle wall, and the forward flange. 
     
     
         6 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 5 , inhibiting condensation at one more locations on the contact plate based on a length of the forward flange. 
     
     
         7 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 5 , wherein the central region of the forward flange comprises two or more ridges between the raised corner and the outer edge, each ridge comprising a planar top surface. 
     
     
         8 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more physical characteristics comprises a length of the forward flange, the method further comprises selecting the length of the forward flange to maintain a temperature at an outer edge of a door of the refrigerated enclosure at or above a target temperature. 
     
     
         9 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more physical characteristics comprises a length of the forward flange, the length of the forward flange large enough to maintain an outer edge of a gasket for a door at or above a temperature at which condensation would occur. 
     
     
         10 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more physical characteristics comprises a length of the forward flange, the length of the forward flange large enough to maintain an outer edge of a gasket for a door within a temperature range above a temperature at which condensation would occur. 
     
     
         11 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more target thermal characteristics comprises one or more of a rate of temperature change, an amount of heat transfer, or a rate of heat transfer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 5 , wherein the front surface defines a heat transfer surface, controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure further comprises maintaining, by the heat transfer surface, a temperature of at one or more locations of the thermal frame above a dew point of ambient air. 
     
     
         13 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 5 , wherein the front surface defines a heat transfer surface, controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure further comprises maintaining, by the heat transfer surface, a temperature at one or more locations on the contact plate at or above a selected temperature. 
     
     
         14 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 5 , wherein the front surface defines a heat transfer surface, controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure further comprises inhibiting, by the heat transfer surface, condensation at one more locations on the thermal frame or one or more doors of the refrigerated enclosure. 
     
     
         15 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 1 , further comprising coupling the thermal frame in a front opening of a body of the refrigerated enclosure. 
     
     
         16 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 15 , further comprising supporting, by the thermal frame, a contact plate configured to contact a door in the front opening of the body of the refrigerated enclosure. 
     
     
         17 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 5 , coupling a backing member to the main frame member, the backing member comprising:
 a rear leg that couples on a rear wall of the base of the main frame member; and   an interior leg that couples on an interior wall of the base of the main frame member, the contact plate coupled to the main frame member.   
     
     
         18 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 17 , wherein the interior leg and the rear leg each comprise a thermal insulating portion, controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure further comprises reducing, by the thermal insulating portion, thermal transfer between the thermal frame and an interior space of the refrigerated enclosure. 
     
     
         19 . The method of controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure of  claim 18 , wherein the rear leg and the interior leg define an L-shape, controlling condensation on the refrigerated enclosure further comprises positioning the interior leg of the L-shape to run from a back surface of the thermal frame to a trailing edge of a gasket of a door of the refrigerated enclosure. 
     
     
         20 . A condensation control method comprising:
 providing, for installation in a temperature controlled enclosure, a frame assembly comprising a main frame member having a forward flange configured to extend, when installed, outside of the temperature controlled enclosure, wherein the forward flange comprises a front surface having a central region defined between a raised corner and an outer edge of the forward flange, wherein, within the central region, the front surface is non-planar, thereby, providing a heat transfer surface with more surface area in contact with ambient air than a planar surface, such that, when installed, heat from the ambient air external to the temperature controlled enclosure is conducted through the main frame member to a contact plate of the frame assembly; and   installing the frame assembly in the temperature controlled enclosure with the forward flange extending out of the temperature controlled enclosure and in contact with the ambient air.