Patent ID: 6453694
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: A47F

Abstract:
A merchandiser with horizontal air curtain comprising:an insulated product compartment having an open access top and including a front wall, a rear wall, apposed end walls and a bottom wall, the distance between the front and rear walls being sufficiently short to accommodate only a single depth row of containers and being substantially less than the distance between the access opening and the bottom wall; an evaporator compartment having a compressor therein; a compressor compartment having a compressor therein, supplying refrigerant to the evaporator; a fan compartment having a fan therein and communicating with the evaporator compartment; and air circulation means having an upper outlet at one side of the product compartment communicating with the evaporator compartment and an upper inlet at the other side of the product compartment across from the upper outlet and an air circulation passage having opposed ends one end communicating with the inlet and the other end communicating with the fan compartment; the outlet discharging cool air from the evaporator compartment into the inlet to provide a constant stream of circulating air across the top of the product compartment when the fan is operating sufficient to provide an air curtain insulating the product compartment from ambient air and maintaining the product in a cool condition with minimum heat loss due to the relatively short distance between the inlet and outlet defining de air curtain as compared to the height of the product compartment.