JP-7856426-B2 - Coolers for beverages and food products

JP7856426B2JP 7856426 B2JP7856426 B2JP 7856426B2JP-7856426-B2

Inventors

サンディープ・ジャイン
グルミート・シン・ブタニ

Assignees

ペプシコ・インク

Dates

Publication Date: 20260511
Application Date: 20190827
Priority Date: 20180829

Claims (18)

A cooler for distributing products, A housing that defines the product area, An upper door, which is coupled to the upper surface of the housing at a hinge located at the rearmost edge of the housing, and which extends from the hinge to the front edge of the housing and includes a curved transparent panel, A vertical door is attached to the vertical front of the housing, A roller connected to the inner wall of the product compartment, A folding shelf disposed on the roller within the product compartment, comprising an upper and a lower section, wherein the upper section is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the product compartment, and the lower section is positioned on the roller so as to move between an extended position and a retracted position where the lower section is located below the upper section , A cooler comprising: a lower shelf disposed below the folding shelf in the product compartment, wherein the folding shelf is configured such that products disposed on the folding shelf are accessible via the upper door when the folding shelf is in the extended position, and products disposed on the lower shelf are accessible via the upper door when the folding shelf is in the retracted position.
The cooler according to claim 1, wherein the hinge comprises a gas spring hinge.
The cooler according to claim 1, wherein the curved transparent panel is a multi-pane glass panel.
The cooler according to claim 1, wherein the upper door has a front edge, and the curved transparent panel extends from the hinge to the front edge.
The cooler according to claim 1, wherein the curved transparent panel extends from the foremost edge to the rearmost edge of the housing.
The cooler according to claim 1, wherein the vertical door is equipped with a transparent panel.
The cooler according to claim 1, wherein the folding shelf comprises an upper and a lower section.
The cooler according to claim 1, wherein the folding shelf is configured to support the product in the extended position and the retracted position.
The cooler according to claim 1, wherein the vertical door is equipped with a transparent panel, the folding shelf is equipped with an upper and lower section, and the transparent panel of the vertical door and the curved transparent panel are configured so that the products arranged on the upper section, the products arranged on the lower section, and the products arranged on the lower shelf are visible to consumers located in front of the cooler.
The cooler according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the housing has a horizontal plane substantially perpendicular to the vertical front surface of the housing.
A cooler for distributing products, Frame and, A housing disposed around the frame, comprising a housing that defines a single product compartment and includes an upper opening on the upper surface of the housing that extends from the front edge to the rear edge of the housing and has a vertical opening on the front of the housing, An upper door disposed above the upper opening, comprising a horizontal surface and a curved transparent panel, and coupled to the housing at a hinge located at the rearmost edge of the housing, such that the upper door moves between an open position and a closed position that allows access to the product compartment; A vertical door disposed above the vertical opening, configured to move between an open position and a closed position that allows access to the product compartment, A roller connected to the inner wall of the product compartment, An uppermost shelf comprising an upper and a lower section , wherein the upper section is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the product compartment, and the lower section is positioned on rollers so as to move between an extended position and a retracted position located directly below the upper section , A cooler comprising a lower shelf located below the uppermost shelf.
The cooler according to claim 11, wherein, in the open position of the upper door, the angle between the horizontal plane of the upper door and the upper surface of the housing is approximately 60 degrees to approximately 90 degrees.
The cooler according to claim 11, further comprising a refrigeration unit disposed below the lower shelf.
The cooler according to claim 11, wherein the curved transparent panel is a multi-pane glass panel.
The cooler according to claim 11, wherein the vertical door is equipped with a transparent panel, and the transparent panel of the vertical door and the curved transparent panel are configured such that the products arranged on the upper tier, the products arranged on the lower tier, and the products arranged on the lower shelf are visible to consumers located in front of the cooler.
The cooler according to claim 11, further comprising a storage basket coupled to the outer surface of the housing.
The cooler according to claim 11, wherein the hinge comprises a gas spring hinge.
A cooler for distributing products, Frame and, A housing disposed around the frame, defining a product area, comprising an upper opening on the top surface of the housing and a vertical opening on the front surface of the housing, An upper door equipped with a curved transparent panel disposed above the upper opening, A vertical door is provided above the aforementioned vertical opening, A roller connected to the inner wall of the product compartment, An uppermost shelf comprising an upper and a lower section, wherein the upper section is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the product compartment, and the lower section is positioned on rollers so as to move between an extended position and a retracted position where the lower section is located below the upper section, A lower shelf, which is located below the uppermost shelf and is configured to have a first product row and a second product row arranged on the lower shelf, The housing comprises a fan positioned on the rear inner wall above the uppermost shelf, A cooler in which the curved transparent panel of the upper door deflects the airflow toward the products on the lower and upper shelves of the top shelf, and the upper door and the top shelf are configured to promote an increase in airflow within the product compartment.

Description

The embodiments described relate generally to coolers. In particular, the embodiments relate to coolers having an upper door and a vertical door for dispensing beverages and/or food products. In many cases, perishable foods and beverages require a controlled, refrigerated storage environment. Therefore, numerous storage units have been developed that include mechanisms for controlling the environment within a closed space. Most of these units have some kind of access portal, such as a door, or a sliding window, providing access to the enclosed internal space of the storage unit for removing products from the refrigeration unit. However, these coolers often provide limited visibility of the products contained within the cooler and limited access to the products via a single access portal, making it difficult for consumers to easily identify and retrieve desired products. Some embodiments relate to a cooler for distributing products, comprising: a housing defining product compartments; an upper door coupled to the top surface of the housing at a hinge, the upper door having a curved transparent panel; a vertical door coupled to the vertical front of the housing; a folding shelf disposed within the product compartments, configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position; and a lower shelf disposed below the folding shelf within the product compartments. The folding shelf can be configured such that products disposed on the folding shelf are accessible via the upper door when the folding shelf is in the extended position, and products disposed on the lower shelf are accessible via the upper door when the folding shelf is in the retracted position. Some embodiments relate to a cooler for distributing products, comprising: a frame; a housing disposed around the frame, defining a single product compartment, and comprising an upper opening on the top surface of the housing and a vertical opening on the front of the housing; an upper door disposed above the upper opening, comprising a horizontal surface and a curved transparent panel, and coupled to the housing at a hinge so as to be configured to move between an open position and a closed position that allows access to the product compartment; a vertical door disposed above the vertical opening configured to move between an open position and a closed position that allows access to the product compartment; a top shelf comprising an upper and lower section, configured so as to move between an extended position and a retracted position where the lower section is located directly below the upper section; and a lower shelf disposed below a folding shelf. Some embodiments relate to a cooler for distributing products, comprising: a frame; a housing disposed around the frame, defining product compartments; a housing having an upper opening on the top surface of the housing and a vertical opening on the front of the housing; an upper door with a transparent panel disposed above the upper opening; a vertical door disposed above the vertical opening; a top shelf having an upper and lower section, configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position where the lower section is positioned below the upper section, with the lower section positioned below the upper section; a vertical door; and a lower shelf disposed below a folding shelf configured to have a first product row and a second product row disposed on the lower shelf. The upper door and top shelf are configured to facilitate increased airflow within the product compartments. In any of the various embodiments described herein, the hinges coupled to the condenser housing and the condenser upper door may be gas spring hinges. The condenser upper door may include a curved transparent panel, which is a multi-pane glass panel. The curved transparent panel may extend from the hinge to the front edge of the condenser housing. The curved transparent panel may extend from the foremost edge of the condenser housing to the rearmost edge of the housing. The condenser housing may include an upper rear section extending from the rear edge of the condenser toward a vertical door, and the hinges may be positioned in front of the upper rear section of the upper door so that the hinges are positioned above rows of products arranged on a folding shelf. The vertical door may include a transparent panel. The folding shelf may comprise an upper section and a lower section. The folding shelf may be configured to support products in an extended and retracted position. The vertical door may be equipped with a transparent panel, and the transparent and curved transparent panels of the vertical door can be configured so that products arranged on the upper shelves, lower shelves, and lower shelves are visible to consumers located in front of the cooler. The top surface of the housing may have a horizontal surface substantially perpendicular to the vertical front of the housing. This is a schematic diagram o