Thermal Frame with Insulating Backing Member

Abstract

A frame for a refrigerated enclosure including a main frame member, a backing member, and a contact plate. The main frame member includes a base, a middle wall, and a forward flange. The backing member and the contact plate are coupled to the main frame member. The backing member includes a rear leg that couples on the rear wall of the base of the main frame member and an interior leg that couples on the interior wall of the base of the main frame member. The interior leg and the rear leg each include a thermal insulating portion. The interior leg includes a front portion that couples with the contact plate. The thermally insulating portions of the interior leg and the rear leg can be integral to one another and form an L-shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A temperature-controlled enclosure for displaying cold items, comprising:
 a body comprising a front opening and defining an interior space of the temperature-controlled enclosure;   a frame assembly coupled in the front opening of the body, wherein the frame assembly comprises a frame segment comprising, in cross-section:
 a thermally conductive main frame member comprising: 
 a base comprising a rear wall and an interior wall; and 
 a middle wall coupled to the rear wall; 
   a backing member coupled to the thermally conductive main frame member, the backing member comprising:
 a thermally insulative rear leg that couples on the rear wall of the base of the thermally conductive main frame member; 
 a thermally insulative interior leg that couples on the interior wall of the base of the thermally conductive main frame member; and 
   a bracket holding the thermally insulative rear leg and the thermally insulative interior leg to the thermally conductive main frame member, the bracket comprising a front surface; and   a contact plate coupled at a first end to the thermally conductive main frame member, and coupled at a second end to the front surface of the bracket;   wherein the front surface of the bracket abuts the rear surface of the contact plate;   wherein the contact plate is in direct thermal contact with the thermally conductive main frame member at the first end and at a second location on the contact plate that is spaced apart from the first end; and   one or more doors coupled to the frame assembly, wherein at least one of the doors comprises:   one or more window panels; and   a gasket coupled on a rear surface of the door, wherein the gasket is configured to form a seal between the frame assembly and the door when the door is closed,   wherein a portion of the frame segment is configured to contact at least a portion of a rear surface of the gasket when the door is closed, and   wherein the middle wall extends forward at least to the one or more doors, the middle wall coupled to the contact plate., wherein the contact plate and the thermally conductive main frame member form a thermally conductive path from an external environment outside the temperature-controlled enclosure to the contact plate.