Animal monitoring cabin with self-cleaning function

Abstract

The animal monitoring bin with the self-cleaning function comprises a bin door, an animal containing bin, an air duct assembly, a heating assembly, a refrigerating assembly, a circulating fan and a controller, the air duct assembly communicates with the animal containing bin, the refrigerating assembly comprises an evaporator, and the evaporator and the heating assembly are arranged in the air duct assembly; the controller is coupled to the heating assembly, the refrigerating assembly and the circulating fan and is configured to control the refrigerating assembly to work in the first stage, so that the surface of the evaporator is condensed; in the second stage, the refrigeration assembly is controlled to work, and the surface of the evaporator is frosted; and in the third stage, the heating assembly is controlled to work to dry the evaporator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of monitoring equipment, and in particular to an animal monitoring chamber with a self-cleaning function. Background Art

[0002] Animal care chambers can provide animals with an adaptive environment and are widely used in animal postoperative recovery, intensive care and other scenarios. Animal care chambers usually have a refrigeration component, which includes a condenser, compressor and evaporator. The evaporator needs to absorb heat from the air during operation, so condensation water is prone to appear on the surface of the evaporator. This humid environment allows bacteria to grow, which in turn leads to problems such as mold and odor. Summary of the invention

[0003] In order to solve the above problems, the present application provides an animal monitoring chamber with a self-cleaning function, which includes a chamber door, an animal holding chamber, an air duct assembly, a heating assembly, a refrigeration assembly, a circulating fan and a controller. The air duct assembly is connected to the animal holding chamber, the refrigeration assembly includes an evaporator, and the evaporator and the heating assembly are arranged in the air duct assembly. The controller couples the heating assembly, the refrigeration assembly and the circulating fan, and is configured as follows: in a first stage, the refrigeration assembly is controlled to operate so that condensation forms on the surface of the evaporator; in a second stage, the refrigeration assembly is controlled to operate so that frost forms on the surface of the evaporator; in a third stage, the heating assembly is controlled to operate to dry the evaporator.

[0004] In the present application, in the first stage, the moisture in the air condenses and adheres to the surface of the evaporator when flowing through the low-temperature evaporator surface, thereby forming condensed water on its surface; in the second stage, the evaporator further absorbs the heat of the condensed water, causing it to frost, and the volume of the condensed water increases in the process of changing from liquid to solid, so that the mold and dust attached to the surface of the evaporator are separated from the evaporator and mixed with the frost. At the same time, bacteria on the surface of the evaporator that are not resistant to low temperatures can be killed in this process.

[0005] In the third stage, the evaporator is heated to melt the frost on the surface of the evaporator. The mold and dust mixed with the frost will flow away during the melting process, thereby cleaning the evaporator. If there is water remaining on the surface of the evaporator after defrosting, it may further cause mold, odor and other problems. Therefore, the evaporator can be directly dried in the third stage. On the one hand, it can prevent the evaporator from being in a humid environment, and on the other hand, it can use high temperature to kill bacteria that are not resistant to high temperatures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the modules of the animal care chamber; Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the self-cleaning method.

[0007] Description of reference numerals: Animal care room 1, The animal holding room 10 , the air duct assembly 20 , the heating assembly 30 , the refrigeration assembly 40 , the compressor 41 , the condenser 42 , the condensing fan 43 , the evaporator 44 , the circulation fan 50 , and the controller 60 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] The present application will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and some embodiments. The following embodiments are mainly used to exemplarily illustrate the technical solution of the present application, and therefore cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the present application.

[0009] Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as those commonly understood by technicians in the technical field to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are mainly used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "include", "have", "comprise" and other synonyms with the same or similar meanings in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned figure descriptions are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0010] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "first", "second", etc. are mainly used to distinguish different objects, and should not be understood as explicitly or implicitly indicating the relative importance or implicitly indicating the number, specific order or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the meaning of "multiple" is more than two, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0011] In this article, the specific features, structures or characteristics described in any embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application or a combination of at least two embodiments. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments in this article or other embodiments outside this article.

[0012] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, technical terms used to indicate orientation or positional relationships, such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., are mainly used to facilitate the description of the embodiments of the present application and simplify the description, and are not considered to mean that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0013] In the various embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, technical terms such as "set", "install", "assemble", "connect", "connect", "fix" and the like should be understood in a broad sense. Taking connection as an example, it may include fixed connection, detachable connection or integral molding; it may also include at least one of mechanical connection and electrical connection; it may include direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium. A person of ordinary skill in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application according to the specific circumstances.

[0014] Animal care chambers are commonly used equipment for animal postoperative recovery, intensive care and other scenarios. They generally have temperature control and humidity control functions. Of course, some animal care chambers also have added oxygen concentration control, carbon dioxide concentration control, infrared therapy, ultraviolet sterilization and other functions.

[0015] Therefore, refrigeration components are generally required in animal monitoring chambers, which generally include compressors, condensers, and evaporators (also called heat exchangers or heat sinks). The evaporator can absorb heat from the air. In the process of absorbing heat to cool the air, the water vapor in the air will condense into droplets on the surface of the evaporator. In other words, the refrigeration component can simultaneously control temperature and dehumidify.

[0016] The evaporator in the animal care room is often in a humid state because the animals exhale moisture, and most animal care rooms also use humidifiers to adjust the humidity. In a humid environment, dust and mold in the air are easy to gather, which leads to mold, odor and other problems in the animal care room.

[0017] In order to solve the above problems, the present application proposes a self-cleaning method. During the self-cleaning process, the condensation, frosting and drying of the evaporator surface are controlled. Bacteria that are not resistant to low temperatures can be killed during the frosting process. The liquid expands in volume during the frosting process, so that dust and microorganisms attached to the evaporator surface are separated from the evaporator surface and flow away with the liquid during the drying process. At the same time, during drying, the liquid residue on the evaporator surface can be reduced, and bacteria that are not resistant to high temperatures can be killed, thereby achieving self-cleaning. The entire process is completely automatically implemented by the equipment, and there is no need to manually disassemble the equipment, which is very convenient.

[0018] See also Figure 1In order to solve the above problems, the present application provides an animal care warehouse 1 with a self-cleaning function, which includes a warehouse door (not shown in the figure), an animal holding warehouse 10, an air duct assembly 20, a heating assembly 30, a refrigeration assembly 40, a circulation fan 50 and a controller 60. The air duct assembly 20 is connected to the animal holding warehouse 10. The heating assembly 30 can be a PTC heater or other components with a heating function. The refrigeration assembly 40 includes a compressor 41, a condenser 42, a condensation fan 43 and an evaporator 44. The evaporator 44 and the heating assembly 30 are arranged in the air duct assembly 20. The air in the animal holding warehouse 10 enters the air duct assembly 20 under the action of the circulation fan 50, and is circulated to the animal holding warehouse 10 after passing through the heating assembly 30 and the refrigeration assembly 40. The controller 60 is coupled to the heating assembly 30, the refrigeration assembly 40 and the circulation fan 50, and is configured to control the heating assembly 30, the refrigeration assembly 40 and the circulation fan 50 to perform the self-cleaning method.

[0019] Under normal working conditions, the circulation fan 50 is disposed inside or outside the air duct assembly 20 to promote air flow between the animal holding bin 10 and the air duct assembly 20 . During the air flow, the air temperature is adjusted by the heating assembly 30 and the refrigeration assembly 40 .

[0020] See also Figure 2 , self-cleaning methods may include: Step S100: In the first stage, the refrigeration assembly 40 is controlled to operate, and the circulation fan 50 is controlled to operate at a first air supply volume, so that condensation occurs on the surface of the evaporator 44 .

[0021] Step S200: In the second stage, the refrigeration assembly 40 is controlled to operate, and the circulation fan 50 is controlled to operate at a second air supply volume that is not greater than the first air supply volume, so that frost forms on the surface of the evaporator 44 .

[0022] Step S300 : in the third stage, the heating assembly 30 is controlled to work, and the circulation fan 50 is controlled to operate at a third air supply volume greater than the first air supply volume, so as to dry the evaporator 44 .

[0023] Step S400: In the fourth stage, the heating component 30 and the cooling component 40 are turned off, and the circulation fan 50 is controlled to continue to work until a preset condition is met and then stops.

[0024] The controller 60 may execute step S100 and enter the first stage for a period of time, and then execute step S200 to enter the second stage. Similarly, after entering the second stage for a period of time, the controller 60 may execute step S300 to enter the third stage to complete self-cleaning. After entering the third stage for a period of time, the controller 60 may execute step S400 to enter the fourth stage to complete cooling of each device.

[0025] In the present application, in the first stage, the evaporator 44 absorbs heat to cool the nearby air, thereby forming condensed water on the surface of the evaporator 44. In addition, in the first stage, if the circulation fan 50 is not turned on and the air is not circulated, the water vapor in the air may not be enough to produce condensed water or the condensation speed is relatively slow, so the refrigeration component 40 is controlled to work, and the circulation fan 50 is turned on to run at the first air supply volume, which can improve the efficiency of condensation. The first air supply volume can be the minimum air supply volume of the circulation fan 50, and can also be adaptively adjusted, so that while providing sufficient water vapor, the air can have enough time to cool down near the evaporator 44, thereby forming condensed water.

[0026] In the second stage, the evaporator 44 further absorbs the heat of the condensed water to frost it. The volume of the condensed water increases in the process of changing from liquid to solid, so that the mold and dust attached to the surface of the evaporator 44 are separated from the evaporator 44 and mixed with the frost. At the same time, in this process, the bacteria on the surface of the evaporator 44 that are not resistant to low temperatures can be killed. In addition, in the second stage, the refrigeration component 40 is controlled to work, and the circulation fan 50 is controlled to operate at a second air supply volume that is not greater than the first air supply volume. When the air supply volume is too large, condensed water may continue to form in the second stage and drip continuously, thereby affecting the efficiency of condensed water frosting. Specifically, the second air supply volume can be 0. When condensed water is formed on the surface of the evaporator 44, the air supply (through the circulation fan 50) can be stopped, thereby accelerating the frosting of the condensed water. Of course, the second air supply volume can also be less than or equal to the first air supply volume.

[0027] In the third stage, the evaporator 44 is heated and dried to melt the frost on the surface of the evaporator 44, and the mold and dust mixed with the frost will flow away together during the melting of the frost, thereby achieving the cleaning of the evaporator 44. If there is water residue on the surface of the evaporator 44, it may further cause mold, odor and other problems. Therefore, the evaporator 44 can be directly dried quickly in the third stage, which can prevent the evaporator 44 from being in a humid environment on the one hand, and use high temperature to kill bacteria that are not resistant to high temperatures on the other hand. In addition, in the third stage, the heating component 30 is controlled to work, and the circulation fan 50 is controlled to operate at a third air supply volume greater than the first air supply volume to improve the efficiency of defrosting and drying. For example, the third air supply volume can be the maximum air supply volume of the circulation fan 50, which can accelerate the removal of the heat of the frost, accelerate the melting of the frost, and blow away the liquid on the surface of the evaporator 44, so that the surface of the evaporator 44 can be dried quickly. Of course, the third air supply volume can also be adjusted adaptively, and no specific restrictions are made here.

[0028] Finally, in the fourth stage, the circulation fan 50 is turned on for ventilation and heat dissipation. After reaching the preset conditions, the self-cleaning function can be exited and the machine can enter the standby or shutdown state. In the fourth stage, the preset conditions include: the working time of the circulation fan 50 exceeds the preset time, or the temperature of the evaporator 44 is less than the preset temperature. In other words, when the working time of the circulation fan 50 in the fourth stage reaches the preset time, the circulation fan 50 can be controlled to stop working. The controller 60 can also be configured to obtain the real-time temperature of the evaporator 44 in the fourth stage. If the real-time temperature is less than the preset temperature, the circulation fan 50 can be controlled to stop working.

[0029] In addition, it should be noted that the self-cleaning method of the present application is performed in combination with the structure in which the evaporator 44 of the refrigeration component 40 and the heating component 30 are arranged in the same air duct. As for most of the current animal care warehouses 1, independent refrigeration air ducts with refrigeration components 40 and heating air ducts with heating components 30 are used. This arrangement structure makes it difficult to implement the above-mentioned self-cleaning method and achieve the corresponding effect. Specifically, if the self-cleaning method is performed in a closed environment (such as when the warehouse door is not opened), the water vapor in the animal care warehouse 1 may not be sufficient to form condensed water on the surface of the evaporator 44, and the subsequent frosting and drying steps cannot be achieved, and there is no way to achieve self-cleaning. If the self-cleaning method is performed in an open environment (such as when the door is open), condensation water may form on the surface of the evaporator 44 due to the addition of outside air, and the condensation water may be defrosted. However, the heating component 30 of this arrangement structure cannot heat and dry the evaporator 44, because the air heated by the heating component 30 will enter the animal holding bin 10 and the outside air through the heating air duct, rather than directly entering the refrigeration air duct, and has limited impact on the temperature inside the refrigeration air duct, which will cause the surface of the evaporator 44 to be in a wet state all the time.

[0030] In addition, the controller 60 can also be configured to control the refrigeration assembly 40 to work in the first stage and the second stage, including: controlling the compressor 41 to work, and controlling the condensing fan 43 to run at a preset speed. The preset speed can be a maximum speed, thereby improving the efficiency of condensation and defrosting. Of course, the preset speed can also be adaptively adjusted according to actual conditions.

[0031] In addition, the controller 60 can also be configured to obtain the temperature of the evaporator 44 through a temperature sensor disposed near the evaporator 44 in the second stage, and enter the third stage when the temperature of the evaporator 44 is less than the first preset threshold. The main purpose of monitoring the temperature of the evaporator 44 in this stage is to monitor whether the current stage has been completed, while avoiding the temperature being too low to cause device failure.

[0032] In addition, the controller 60 can also be configured to turn off the compressor 41 and control the condensing fan 43 to reverse in the third stage. After turning off the compressor 41, the condensing fan 43 is controlled to reverse, so that dust adsorbed on the surface of the condenser 42 can be removed. The speed of the reverse rotation of the condensing fan 43 can be arbitrary, as long as it can play a role in removing dust. For example, it can be the maximum reverse speed of the condensing fan 43 to improve the dust removal effect and speed.

[0033] In addition, the controller 60 can also be configured to obtain the temperature of the evaporator 44 through a temperature sensor disposed near the evaporator 44 in the third stage, and when the temperature of the evaporator 44 is greater than the second preset threshold, reduce the power of the heating component 30 or reduce the air supply of the circulation fan 50. The main purpose of monitoring the temperature of the evaporator 44 in this stage is to avoid excessive temperature and cause device failure.

[0034] In addition, the controller 60 can also be configured to determine whether the door of the animal storage chamber 10 is open before the first stage. If the judgment result is yes, the first stage is entered. If the judgment result is no, the corresponding prompt information is output through the interactive device to remind the user to open the door. This is because when the door is closed, the interior of the animal care chamber 1 is approximately a closed environment. The gas in the closed environment is limited and condensed water may not be formed, resulting in failure of self-cleaning. Therefore, reminding the user to open the door is an economical and simple solution. Among them, the interactive device includes a display screen, an alarm light or an alarm bell, etc.

[0035] Specifically, the controller 60 can be configured to obtain a signal from a sensor for door opening and closing detection before the first stage, and determine whether the door of the animal storage compartment 10 is open according to the signal, and if the determination result is yes, enter the first stage, and if the determination result is no, output corresponding prompt information through the interactive device. The sensor can be a travel switch.

[0036] In addition, the animal care chamber 1 further includes a humidifier, which is used to increase the humidity in the animal care chamber 1. The controller 60 can also be coupled to the humidifier and control the humidifier to start in the first stage, which can accelerate the formation of condensed water.

[0037] Finally, it should be noted that: the above embodiments are mainly used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, and should not be understood as limiting the present application; the above embodiments exemplarily illustrate the present application in detail and specifically, and ordinary technicians in this field can modify the technical solutions recorded in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein; and these modifications or replacements cannot make the corresponding technical solutions and the technical solutions of the present application constitute different inventions, and therefore should all be included in the scope of the claims and specification of the present application. In particular, in the absence of structural conflicts or combination obstacles, the various technical features mentioned in each embodiment can be combined in any way, and the technical solutions formed by these combinations should still not be considered to be out of the scope of the technical solutions of the present application in essence.

Claims

1. An animal care cabin with self-cleaning function, characterized in that: include: A door, an animal holding bin, an air duct assembly, a heating assembly, a refrigeration assembly, a circulation fan and a controller, wherein the air duct assembly is connected to the animal holding bin, the refrigeration assembly includes an evaporator, and the evaporator and the heating assembly are arranged in the air duct assembly, so that the air in the animal holding bin enters the air duct assembly under the action of the circulation fan, and then circulates to the animal holding bin after passing through the heating assembly and the refrigeration assembly; The controller is coupled to the heating component, the cooling component and the circulation fan, and is configured as follows: In the first stage, the refrigeration component is controlled to work so that condensation occurs on the surface of the evaporator; In the second stage, the refrigeration component is controlled to operate so that frost forms on the surface of the evaporator; In the third stage, the heating component is controlled to operate so as to dry the evaporator.

2. The animal care chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the first stage, the refrigeration component is controlled to work, and the circulation fan is controlled to operate at a first air supply volume, so that condensation occurs on the surface of the evaporator; In the second stage, the refrigeration component is controlled to work, and the circulation fan is controlled to operate at a second air supply volume not greater than the first air supply volume, so that frost forms on the surface of the evaporator; In the third stage, the heating component is controlled to operate so as to dry the evaporator.

3. The animal care chamber according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The controller is configured to obtain the temperature of the evaporator through a temperature sensor in the second stage, and enter the third stage when the temperature of the evaporator is less than a first preset threshold.

4. The animal care chamber according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The refrigeration assembly also includes a compressor, a condenser and a condensing fan; The controller is configured to turn off the compressor and control the condensing fan to reverse in the third stage.

5. The animal care chamber according to claim 2, characterized in that: The controller is configured to obtain the temperature of the evaporator through a temperature sensor in the third stage, and reduce the power of the heating component or reduce the air supply of the circulation fan when the temperature of the evaporator is greater than a second preset threshold.

6. The animal care chamber according to claim 2, characterized in that: The controller is also configured to: In the fourth stage, the heating component and the cooling component are turned off, and the circulating fan is controlled to work until the preset conditions are met and then stop. The preset conditions include: the working time of the circulation fan exceeds the preset time, or the temperature of the evaporator is lower than the preset temperature.

7. The animal care chamber according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The controller is also configured to determine whether the door is open before the first stage, and if the determination result is yes, enter the first stage, and if the determination result is no, output a prompt message through the interactive device to remind the user to open the door.

8. The animal care chamber according to claim 7, characterized in that: The interactive device includes a display screen, an alarm light or an alarm bell.

9. The animal care chamber according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The animal care chamber also includes a humidifier, which is used to increase humidity. The controller is coupled to the humidifier, and controls the humidifier to start in the first stage.

10. The animal care chamber according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first air supply volume is the minimum air supply volume of the circulation fan; And / or, the second air supply volume is 0; And / or, the third air supply volume is the maximum air supply volume of the circulation fan.

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