The invention relates to an air curtain guide mounting kit for attaching an air curtain guide to a shelf of a refrigerator.

Open display refrigerators are commonly used in retail environments, such as supermarkets, to store and display products, such as meat and dairy products, which must be kept at lower than ambient temperatures. The open front of such a refrigerator makes it easy for customers to view the products being displayed and to retrieve products they wish to purchase from the refrigerator.

This type of refrigerator has an air curtain, which is established by blowing cold air across the front of the refrigerator. The air curtain issues from an air outlet at the top of the refrigerator towards an air inlet at the bottom of the refrigerator. The air inlet recovers air from the air curtain and recirculates it to the air outlet via a cooling heat exchanger and fan. The air curtain prevents cold air in the refrigerator from mixing with warm air exterior to the refrigerator.

The customer-facing edges of the shelves of such refrigerators typically have ticket rails affixed thereto, in order that product and pricing information can be provided to the customer. Shelf edge risers may also be present in order to prevent products on the shelves from falling forwards or from sliding off the shelves. Shelf edge risers are typically made of a transparent plastics material (e.g. Perspex), and slot into fixings on the customer-facing edge of the shelf. Where a ticket rail is present, and is affixed to the shelf at various fixing points along the customer-facing surface thereof (for example, by screws, bolts, rivets or nails), the shelf edge riser may have channels cut into it which slot over these fixing points. This allows the shelf edge riser to be installed by simply inserting it over the fixing points of the ticket rail.

However, upon its passage from the air outlet at the top of the refrigerator towards the air inlet at the bottom of the refrigerator, the cold air of the air curtain mixes with the warm ambient air adjacent to it as it travels down across the open front of the refrigerator. Such mixing is known as "infiltration". Turbulence increases mixing of the warm ambient air with the cold air of the air curtain, and leads to additional warm air passing through the air curtain into the interior of the fridge. Increased infiltration leads to more energy being used by the refrigerator as it strives to maintain the desired temperature in its interior storage space. In order to reduce turbulence and thus infiltration, open display refrigerators may be provided with one or more air curtain guides for guiding flow of air within the air curtain (i.e. guiding air which is moving out of a stream of the air curtain back into the stream of the air curtain). Air curtain guides may also include a housing for displaying product information labels, in order that the customer can be provided with product and pricing information.

When retrofitting an air curtain guide to a shelf of a refrigerator, it is desirable to make use of the holes that are already present in the shelf for installation of the ticket rail when installing the fixings for the air curtain guide. This reduces the amount of drilling required in order to install the air curtain guide (additional drilling being undesirable as it produces swarf - metal filings - in the vicinity of food products, and also as it adds additional time to the installation process).

Furthermore, in a refrigerator which has a shelf edge riser inserted over the fixing points of the ticket rail, if different holes were drilled for installation of the air curtain guide, then (unless these holes lined up with the channels in the riser inadvertently) the riser could not be inserted over the new fixings for the air curtain guide. This would render the shelf edge riser unusable. This presents a problem in that the position of the ticket rail fixing points varies between refrigerators, therefore air curtain guides cannot be manufactured with fixing points at standard locations. This "bespoke" element adds costs and time to the installation process.

It would therefore be desirable to provide a means of fixing an air curtain guide to the shelf of a refrigerator which does not require the formation of additional fixing holes in the shelf.

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an air curtain guide mounting kit for attaching an air curtain guide to a shelf of a refrigerator, the kit comprising: a bracket adapted to be fixed to a shelf of a refrigerator; and a clip comprising an engagement section adapted to grip an air curtain guide such that the air curtain guide is held captive by the engagement section, and a mounting section connected to the engagement section and adapted to be connected to the bracket.

Typically, the bracket is adapted to be fixed to a shelf of a refrigerator in that the bracket comprises a through-hole for receiving a mechanical fastener. In one embodiment, the through-hole is at a proximal end of the bracket (the proximal end of the bracket being the end which is closest to the shelf when the bracket is fixed thereto). Examples of a mechanical fastener which may be used include - but are not limited to - a rivet, a screw, a bolt or a nail.

In one embodiment, the engagement section is adapted to receive the air curtain guide by way of a snap-fit action. The engagement section may comprise a first recess for mating with a first edge of the air curtain guide, and a second recess for mating with a second edge of the air curtain guide, the first and second edges of the air curtain guide being opposing edges. When the air curtain guide is in the form of an aerofoil, the first and second edges are the leading edge and the trailing edge of the aerofoil, respectively. The first and second recesses of the engagement section may be defined by first and second distal protruding portions of the engagement section, respectively. By "distal protruding portion of the engagement section" is meant a portion of the engagement section which protrudes from the end thereof which is furthest from the shelf when the air curtain guide mounting kit is assembled and fixed thereto.

When inserting an air curtain guide into the engagement section, the first edge of the air curtain guide may be inserted into the first recess of the engagement section, and the second edge then pushed past the second distal protruding portion and into the second recess of the engagement section, in order to "snap" the air curtain guide into a position where it is gripped between the first and second recesses of the engagement section. Typically, the clip is made of a material which is capable of deforming upon the application of pressure without breaking. This allows the first distal protruding portion of the engagement section (the first recess being already mated with the first edge of the air curtain guide) to reversibly deform as the second edge of the air curtain guide is being pushed into the second recess, thus allowing the air curtain guide to be inserted into the engagement section by a "snap-fit" action. In some embodiments, the clip is made of a plastic material, e.g. nylon, glass-injected nylon, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or polyethylene terephthalate glycol- modified (PETG). In some embodiments, the clip is made of a resin.

As will also be appreciated, the air curtain guide may also be inserted into the engagement section by inserting a second edge of the air curtain guide into the second recess of the engagement section, and then pushing the first edge of the air curtain guide past the first distal protruding portion and into the first recess of the engagement section, in order to "snap" the air curtain guide into a position where it is gripped between the first and second recesses of the engagement section. When the clip is made of a material which is capable of deforming upon the application of pressure without breaking (as discussed above), the second distal protruding portion of the engagement section (the second recess being already mated with the second edge of the air curtain guide) may reversibly deform as the first edge of the air curtain guide is being pushed into the first recess, thus allowing the air curtain guide to be inserted into the engagement section by a "snap- fit" action.

The engagement section can grip the air curtain guide anywhere along its length. This allows the bracket (to which the clip is to be attached) to be fixed to the shelf at any point, allowing fixing of the bracket to the shelf by using holes which were already present in the shelf for installation of a ticket rail. This allows for a shelf edge riser which has channels at positions along its length corresponding to the positions of the ticket rail fixings to still be used following installation of the air curtain guide. The air curtain guide mounting kit also allows mounting of the air curtain guide to the shelf without the need for drilling holes in the air curtain guide itself.

In some embodiments, the engagement section is integral with the mounting section. In some embodiments, the mounting section comprises a first protrusion comprising a first shaft and a first head, and a second protrusion comprising a second shaft and a second head. The first head may be integral with the second head so as to form a slot which is bounded by the first shaft and the second shaft. The engagement section may be integral with the mounting section, and the second head integral with the engagement section. In some embodiments, the first shaft comprises a first cut-away section so as to form a first raised portion on the first head and an opposing raised portion extending towards the first raised portion. Additionally or alternatively, the second shaft may comprise a second cut-away section so as to form a second raised portion on the second head and an opposing raised portion extending towards the second raised portion. When both the first and second shafts comprise the respective cut-away portions, the first raised portion may be adjacent to a first side edge of the mounting section, and the second raised portion may be adjacent to a second side edge of the mounting section, wherein the first and second side edges of the mounting section are opposing surfaces. As used herein, a "side edge of the mounting section" is an edge of the mounting section which extends from the distal end thereof (i.e. the end nearest the engagement section) to the proximal end thereof (i.e. the end nearest the through-hole of the bracket when the mounting section is attached to the bracket).

In some embodiments, the bracket comprises at least one recess for receiving at least one of the first and second shafts. In some embodiments, the bracket comprises a first recess for receiving the first shaft, and a second recess for receiving the second shaft. In some embodiments, the first recess of the bracket extends into the bracket in a first direction and the second recess of the bracket extends into the bracket in a second direction. In some embodiments, the first direction is from a first side edge of the bracket towards a second side edge of the bracket, the first and second side edges of the bracket being opposing edges (the side edges of the bracket extending from the distal end to the proximal end thereof, the distal end of the bracket being the end which is furthest from the shelf when the bracket is fixed thereto). In some embodiments, the second direction is from a second side edge of the bracket towards a first side edge of the bracket. In other embodiments, the second recess of the bracket is at a distal end of the bracket and the second direction is from the distal end of the bracket towards the proximal end of the bracket. Typically, the second recess extends along a longitudinal direction of the bracket, the longitudinal direction being the direction from the distal end to the proximal end thereof. Typically, the bracket is made of a metal or a metal alloy, e.g. aluminium, iron, steel or stainless steel (particularly aluminium, steel or stainless steel).

When the bracket comprises first and second recesses as discussed above, the mounting section may be connected to the bracket by: (i) inserting the second shaft into the second recess of the bracket, (ii) rotating the mounting section relative to the bracket until the first shaft is aligned with the first recess of the bracket, and (iii) inserting the first shaft into the first recess of the bracket. When the mounting section comprises the first and/or second raised portions, these raised portions (and their corresponding opposing raised portions) act to maintain alignment of the bracket with the mounting section during the attachment process, and also to maintain alignment of the mounting section and the bracket once they have been connected together.

The air curtain guide mounting kit of any of the above embodiments may further comprise a cover section for mounting over the bracket and the mounting section when the mounting section is connected to the bracket. Typically, the cover section is made of a material which is capable of deforming upon the application of pressure without breaking. In some embodiments, the cover section is made of a plastic material, e.g. nylon, glass-injected nylon, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or polyethylene terephthalate glycol-modified (PETG). In some embodiments, the cover section is made of a resin. The cover acts to prevent dirt from building up on the various surfaces of the mounting section and the bracket, and may also assist in holding the mounting section in place when connected to the bracket.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1A shows a perspective view of a clip of an air curtain guide mounting kit according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

Figure IB is a side view of the clip of Figure 1A;

Figure 2A is a top view of a bracket of an air curtain guide mounting kit according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; Figure 2B is a side view of the bracket of Figure 2A;

Figure 3 is a top view of a clip and a bracket of an air curtain guide mounting kit according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, shown prior to attachment of the mounting section of the clip to the bracket;

Figure 4 shows a step in the process of mounting the clip to the bracket; Figure 5 shows an air curtain guide mounting kit according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, with the mounting section of the clip attached to the bracket;

Figure 6 shows the air curtain guide mounting kit of Figure 5 with an air curtain guide held captive in the engagement section, and with a cover mounted over the bracket and mounting section.

Figures 1A and IB show a perspective view and a side view (respectively) of a clip 1 of an air curtain guide mounting kit according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The clip 1 comprises an engagement section 2 which is integral with a mounting section 3. The engagement section 2 is adapted to receive the air curtain guide (not shown) by way of a snap-fit action, and comprises a first recess 4 for mating with a first edge of the air curtain guide, and a second recess 5 for mating with a second edge of the air curtain guide, the first and second edges of the air curtain guide being opposing edges. The first recess 4 is defined by a first distal protruding portion 6 of the engagement section 2, and the second recess 5 of the engagement section 2 is defined by a second distal protruding portion 7 of the engagement section 2.

The mounting section 3 comprises a first protrusion 8 comprising a first shaft 9 and a first head 10, and a second protrusion comprising a second shaft 109 and a second head. The first head 10 is integral with the second head so as to form a slot 11 which is bounded by the first shaft 9 and the second shaft 109. The engagement section 2 is integral with the mounting section 3, and the second head is integral with the engagement section 2.

The second shaft 109 comprises a second cut-away section so as to form a second raised portion 12 on the second head and an opposing raised portion 12a extending towards the second raised portion 12. The first shaft also comprises a first cut-away section (not shown) so as to form a first raised portion on the first head and an opposing raised portion extending towards the first raised portion. The first raised portion is adjacent to a first side edge (26 in Figure 4) of the mounting section 3, and the second raised portion 12 is adjacent to a second side edge 27 of the mounting section 3, wherein the first and second side edges 26,27 of the mounting section 3 are opposing edges.

Figures 2A and 2B show a top view and a side view, respectively, of a bracket 13 of an air curtain guide mounting kit according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The bracket 13 comprises a through-hole 14 at a proximal end 15 thereof, for receiving a mechanical fastener (not shown). The bracket 13 comprises a first recess 16 for receiving the first shaft 9, and a second recess 17 for receiving the second shaft 109. The first recess 16 of the bracket 13 extends into the bracket 13 in a first direction Dl and the second recess 17 of the bracket 13 extends into the bracket 13 in a second direction D2. The second recess 17 of the bracket 13 is at a distal end 18 of the bracket 13, and the second direction D2 is from the distal end 18 of the bracket 13 towards the proximal end 15 of the bracket 13. The second recess 17 of the bracket 13 extends along a longitudinal direction of the bracket 13, the longitudinal direction being the direction from the distal end 18 to the proximal end 15 thereof. The first direction Dl is from a first side edge 19 of the bracket 13 towards a second side edge 20 of the bracket 13, the first and second side edges 19,20 of the bracket 13 being opposing edges.

The mounting section 3 may be connected to the bracket 13 by inserting the second shaft 109 into the second recess 17 of the bracket 13, rotating the mounting section 3 relative to the bracket 13 until the first shaft 9 is aligned with the first recess 16 of the bracket 13 (as illustrated in Figure 4), and inserting the first shaft 9 into the first recess 16 of the bracket 13. The air curtain guide mounting kit wherein the mounting section 3 of the clip 1 is attached to the bracket 13 is shown in Figure 5.

As shown in Figure 6, the air curtain guide mounting kit can also comprise a cover section 21 for mounting over the bracket 13 and the mounting section 3 when the mounting section 3 is connected to the bracket 13. Figure 6 also shows an air curtain guide 22 held captive in the engagement section 2 of the assembled air curtain guide mounting kit of Figure 5. In Figure 6, the air curtain guide 22 is in the form of an aerofoil. The air curtain guide 22 has first and second opposing edges 23, 24. The first recess 4 of the engagement section 2 mates with the first edge 23 of the air curtain guide 22 (the leading edge of the aerofoil), and the second recess 5 of the engagement section 2 mates with the second edge 24 of the air curtain guide 22 (the trailing edge of the aerofoil). The engagement section 2 thus grips the air curtain guide 22 such that the air curtain guide 22 is held captive by the engagement section 2.

The air curtain guide 22 may be inserted into the engagement section 2 by inserting a second edge 24 of the air curtain guide 22 into the second recess 5 of the engagement section 2, and then pushing the first edge 23 of the air curtain guide 22 past the first distal protruding portion 6 and into the first recess 4 of the engagement section 2, in order to "snap" the air curtain guide 22 into a position where it is gripped between the first and second recesses 4,5 of the engagement section 2.

As illustrated in Figure 6, the engagement section 2 can grip the air curtain guide 22 anywhere along its length, thus allowing the bracket 13 (to which the clip 1 is attached) to be fixed to the shelf of the refrigerator at any point along the length of the shelf. This allows the bracket 13 to be fixed to the shelf by using holes which were already present in the shelf for installation of a ticket rail. Thus, a shelf edge riser which has channels at positions along its length corresponding to the positions of the ticket rail fixings can also be used following installation of the air curtain guide 22, by slotting the channels of the shelf edge riser over the bracket 13 and/or mounting section 3 (or the cover section 21, if used) of the assembled and installed air curtain guide mounting kit.