Control device, refrigeration device, control method and computer program product

Abstract

In a control device, a refrigeration device, a control method, and a computer program product according to the present disclosure, the control device is provided with: a storage unit that stores a setting information table including a setting information group, the setting information group is set for each operation state of a refrigeration device with a fan motor and is composed of setting information related to the rotation state of the fan motor and setting information related to the rotation speed of the fan motor; and a signal generation unit for generating a control signal for rotating the fan motor on the basis of the set information group.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device, a refrigeration device, a control method, and a computer program product. The refrigeration device is a refrigeration device having a control device, and the control device controls the rotation of a fan included in the refrigeration device. Background Art

[0002] A display cabinet for freezing or refrigerating has a plurality of fan motors corresponding to uses (such as for cooling inside the cabinet, cooling a condenser inside a cooling component, etc.). The fan motors rotate the fans according to the operating states of the display cabinet such as cooling and defrosting.

[0003] For example, in the technical solution disclosed in Patent Document 1, a plurality of operating control modes for the operation of the fan motor are provided, and the fan operates in an appropriate operating control mode selected by a mode selection unit.

[0004] Prior Art Documents

[0005] Patent Documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 5766000 Gazette Summary of the Invention

[0007] Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] For the purpose of energy saving or the like, a door or the like added later may be provided on a display cabinet already installed in a store or the like. In such a case, compared with before the door is provided, it is necessary to reduce the air volume of the fan.

[0009] In the technical solution disclosed in Patent Document 1, the change in the rotational speed of the fan motor is not considered. In addition, in the case of a fan motor whose rotational speed cannot be changed, in order to reduce the air volume of the fan, an operation such as replacing the fan blade with a different twist angle is required, but the replacement of the fan blade takes a lot of time and effort. Therefore, when designing a display cabinet, it is desirable to use a fan motor whose rotational speed can be changed.

[0010] However, if a fan motor whose rotational speed can be changed is used in a display cabinet, it is necessary to control the rotational speeds of a plurality of fan motors in accordance with the operating state, so the control becomes complicated.

[0011] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a control device, a refrigeration device having the control device, a control method, and a program that can easily control the rotational speed of a fan motor of a refrigeration device such as a display cabinet.

[0012] Solutions to the Problems

[0013] A control device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a storage unit that stores a setting information table including a set of setting information, the set of setting information being set for each operating state of a refrigeration device having a fan motor and consisting of setting information related to the rotation state of the fan motor and setting information related to the rotational speed of the fan motor; and a signal generation unit that generates a control signal for rotating the fan motor according to the set of setting information.

[0014] A refrigeration device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a fan motor; a storage unit that stores a setting information table including a set of setting information, the set of setting information being set for each operating state and consisting of setting information related to the rotation state of the fan motor and setting information related to the rotational speed of the fan motor; and a signal generation unit that generates a control signal for rotating the fan motor according to the set of setting information.

[0015] A control method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is executed by a processor of a control device that controls the rotation of a fan motor of a refrigeration device. The processor performs the following steps: reading out a setting information table including a set of setting information, the set of setting information being set for each operating state of the refrigeration device and consisting of setting information related to the rotation state of the fan motor and setting information related to the rotational speed of the fan motor; and controlling the rotation of the fan motor according to the setting information related to the rotation state and the setting information related to the rotational speed included in the set of setting information corresponding to the current operating state.

[0016] A computer program product according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes computer program instructions and is executed by a processor of a control device that controls the rotation of a fan motor of a refrigeration device. When the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the following steps are implemented: reading out a setting information table including a set of setting information, the set of setting information being set for each operating state of the refrigeration device and consisting of setting information related to the rotation state of the fan motor and setting information related to the rotational speed of the fan motor; and controlling the rotation of the fan motor according to the setting information related to the rotation state and the setting information related to the rotational speed included in the set of setting information corresponding to the current operating state.

[0017] Advantages of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily control the rotational speed of the fan motor of a refrigeration device such as a showcase. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1It is a perspective view showing the overall structure of the display cabinet.

[0020] Figure 2 It is a longitudinal sectional view showing the overall structure of the display cabinet.

[0021] Figure 3 It is a block diagram showing an example of the functional structure of a control device for controlling the fan motor of this fan.

[0022] Figure 4 It is a diagram for explaining a setting information table corresponding to one fan motor.

[0023] Figure 5 It is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of the reception unit.

[0024] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram for explaining multiple control outputs possessed by the output unit.

[0025] Figure 7 It is a flowchart for explaining an operation example of the control device.

[0026] Figure 8 It is a diagram showing an example of the hardware structure and its peripheral structure for implementing at least a part of the functional structure of the control device by a computer program product.

[0027] Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0028] 10 Control Device

[0029] 11 Storage Unit

[0030] 12 Reception Unit

[0031] 121 Display Unit

[0032] 122 Operation Unit

[0033] 13 Signal Generation Unit

[0034] 14 Output Unit

[0035] 20 Cabinet

[0036] 200 Display Cabinet

[0037] 210 Fan Motor Detailed Implementation Modes

[0038] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, detailed descriptions of well-known matters or repeated descriptions of substantially the same structures may sometimes be omitted. In addition, the purpose of providing the following description and the accompanying drawings is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the present disclosure, and is not used to limit the claims of the present disclosure.

[0039] [Overall Structure of Refrigeration Device]

[0040] The structure of a showcase 200, which is an example of the refrigeration device of the present disclosure, will be described. Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing the overall structure of the showcase 200. Figure 2 It is a longitudinal sectional view showing the overall structure of the showcase 200.

[0041] In addition, the refrigeration device of the present disclosure is not limited to Figure 1 and Figure 2 the exemplified showcase 200, and for example, it may also be a refrigerator or a freezer, etc.

[0042] The showcase 200 includes a main cabinet 201. A display room 203 for displaying goods is provided above the main cabinet 201. A machinery room 204 is provided below the display room 203. In addition, the refrigeration device of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the machinery room may also be provided above the refrigeration device. In addition, the structures included in the machinery room may also be arranged at positions spaced apart from the refrigeration device.

[0043] An opening 203a is provided on the front surface of the display room 203. On the opening 203a, shelves 203c are installed in multiple layers up and down, and a deck pan 203b is installed on the bottom surface. Inside the display room 203, goods are displayed on the shelves 203c and the deck pan 203b.

[0044] The showcase 200 includes a condenser 205a, a condenser fan motor 205b, an evaporator 205c, an evaporator fan motor 205d, a compressor 205e, and an electrical box 205f. In the electrical box 205f, a control unit and various electrical components are accommodated, and this control unit is used to control each part such as the condenser 205a, the condenser fan motor 205b, the evaporator 205c, the evaporator fan motor 205d, and the compressor 205e to cool the display room 203. In addition, the refrigeration device of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the structures included in the cooling assembly may also be arranged at positions spaced apart from the refrigeration device.

[0045] As described above, the showcase 200 has multiple fan motors. In addition, the fan motors included in the showcase of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned condenser fan motor 205b and evaporator fan motor, and the showcase may also have other fan motors.

[0046] A drain pan 206 for storing the condensed water or defrost water generated in the display room 203 or the evaporator 205c is provided at the lowermost part of the showcase 200.

[0047] The condenser 205a, the condenser fan motor 205b, and the drain pan 206 are arranged in the machinery room 204. The compressor 205e and the electrical box 205f are arranged on the upper surface 201b of the main cabinet 201 in a state of being assembled in a box-shaped casing 20.

[0048] The evaporator 205c is arranged inside the rear duct 201a, and the rear duct 201a is formed behind the display chamber 203 in the main cabinet 201. The rear duct 201a constitutes a part of the ventilation path of the cold air discharge port extending to the top surface of the display chamber 203. The above-mentioned evaporator fan is arranged in this ventilation path. By the operation of the evaporator fan, the air flowing to the evaporator 205c is cooled by the evaporator 205c and is ejected from the cold air discharge port into the display chamber 203. The cold air circulates inside the display chamber 203, thereby cooling the goods displayed in the display chamber.

[0049] The display cabinet 200 can operate in various operating states. Examples of the operating states include cooling operation, defrosting operation, etc. The cooling operation is a normal operating state, which is an operating state of cooling the inside of the display chamber 203 according to the set temperature. The defrosting operation is, for example, an operating state in which the cooling operation is stopped, and in some cabinets, a heater is further installed on the evaporator, and the heater is energized during the defrosting operation to raise the temperature of the evaporator and melt the attached frost to remove it. The refrigeration device of the present disclosure is not limited to these operating states and can also be switched to other operating states.

[0050] In addition, it can be that in the display cabinet 200, in addition to the above-mentioned operating states, an energy-saving mode can also be set. When the energy-saving mode is turned on, an operation is performed in which the power consumption becomes less than when the energy-saving mode is turned off even in the same operating state.

[0051] [Control device 10]

[0052] Next, the structure of the control device 10 that controls the rotation of the fan motor 210 included in the display cabinet 200 will be described. In addition, in the following description, the fan motor 210 refers to at least one of the multiple fan motors included in the display cabinet 200. In the present embodiment, the fan motor 210 is preferably a DC (direct current) motor capable of controlling the rotation speed by a control signal, but it can also be an AC (alternating current) motor that cannot control the rotation speed. Among the multiple fan motors 210 included in the display cabinet 200, DC motors and AC motors can coexist.

[0053] In addition, in the embodiments described below, an example of the control device 10 controlling the operation of the fan motor 210 of the showcase 200 will be described. However, the control device of the present disclosure may also be configured to be able to control the operation of the showcase 200 as a refrigeration device in addition to being able to control the operation of the fan motor 210.

[0054] Figure 3 FIG. is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control device 10 that controls the fan motor 210. The control device 10 includes a storage unit 11, a reception unit 12, a signal generation unit 13, and an output unit 14.

[0055] In addition, in Figure 3 the example shown, although the storage unit 11, the reception unit 12, the signal generation unit 13, and the output unit 14 are shown as being included in one device, this is not limiting. For example, it may also be configured such that each functional configuration is provided at different locations and connected in a communicable manner, thereby enabling the functions as the control device 10 to be realized.

[0056] The control device 10 is a computer, or the control device 10 includes a computer. At least a part of the functional configuration of the control device 10 is realized by a processor of the computer executing a computer program product. A specific structural example of the computer capable of realizing the functional configuration of the control device 10 will be described later.

[0057] The storage unit 11 stores various information required for the operation of the control device 10. In particular, the storage unit 11 stores a setting information table including a set of setting information, which is a set of setting information for each operating state of the showcase 200, and is composed of setting information related to the rotation state of the fan motor 210 and setting information related to the rotation speed of the fan motor 210.

[0058] Figure 4 FIG. is a diagram for explaining the setting information table corresponding to one fan motor 210. Figure 4 "Cooling" and "Defrosting" in Figure 4 represent the operating states of the showcase 200. In addition, Figure 4 the operating states shown are an example, and there may also be operating states other than "Cooling" and "Defrosting". Figure 4In the example shown, only "time period 1" and "time period 2" are illustrated, but the number of time periods included in the setting information table can also be more than three. For example, "time period 3" corresponding to the evening (18:00 to 24:00) can also be included, and further "time period 4" corresponding to the late night (24:00 to 4:00 the next day) can be included. The above time periods are just examples. In actual applications, "time period 1" and "time period 2" can also correspond to time periods different from the above examples. In addition, in Figure 4 the example shown, settings are made for each time period, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, settings can also be made separately for more specific operating states in one operating state. To illustrate with a specific example, settings can be made separately for specific operating states such as "during defrosting" and "during water removal" under the operating state of "defrosting".

[0059] Figure 4 The "energy-saving mode" in Figure 4 shows a flag indicating whether the energy-saving mode of the display cabinet 200 is turned on or off. In

[0060] the setting information table includes multiple setting information groups. The setting information groups include setting information (hereinafter referred to as "state information") related to the rotation state of the fan motor 210 and setting information (hereinafter referred to as "speed information") related to the rotation speed of the fan motor 210, which are set separately according to the operating state and time period. In Figure 4 the example shown, "ON" and "OFF" are state information, and "Up", "Nor", "Dn", and "Off" are speed information.

[0061] The state information "ON" is a flag indicating that the fan motor 210 rotates in the corresponding operating state and during the corresponding time period. The state information "OFF" is a flag indicating that the fan motor 210 does not rotate in the corresponding operating state and during the corresponding time period.

[0062] In addition, the speed information "Nor" is a flag indicating that the fan motor 210 rotates at a predetermined reference speed. The speed information "Up" is a flag indicating that the fan motor 210 rotates at a speed higher than the reference speed. The speed information "Dn" is a flag indicating that the fan motor 210 rotates at a speed lower than the reference speed. The speed information "Off" is a flag indicating the rotation speed when the fan motor 210 does not rotate.

[0063] In this way, the setting information table includes multiple setting information groups composed of state information and speed information, which are set according to the operating state and time period. In Figure 4Among them, "ON(Up)", "ON(Nor)", "ON(Dn)", "OFF(Off)", etc. are equivalent to setting information groups.

[0064] In addition, the setting information table includes an identifier for identifying a combination of setting information groups, and this combination of setting information groups is a combination of setting information groups for multiple operating states and multiple time periods. In Figure 4 "oEF0", "oEF1",... are identifiers. In the combinations corresponding to the identifiers "oEF0" and "oEF1", both include a combination of setting information groups when the energy-saving mode is on and a combination of setting information groups when the energy-saving mode is off.

[0065] In Figure 4 In the example shown, the identifiers "oEF0" and "oEF1" are respectively identifiers representing the following combinations. This combination is the combination of the setting information groups corresponding to time period 1, time period 2,... of the operating state "cooling" when the energy-saving mode is off, and time period 1, time period 2,... of the operating state "defrosting", and the combination of the setting information groups corresponding to time period 1, time period 2,... of the operating state "cooling" when the energy-saving mode is on, and time period 1, time period 2,... of the operating state "defrosting". In addition, the above example is just one example, and the combinations indicated by the identifiers in the present disclosure are not limited to the above example.

[0066] The identifier is used when the receiving unit 12 receives the user's selection. In other words, by inputting the identifier via the receiving unit 12, the user can set the rotation state of the fan motor 210 in different operating states, different time periods, and different energy-saving modes in one go for the fan motor 210.

[0067] The setting information table described above is set for each fan motor 210 of the display cabinet 200 by the user, or the manufacturer of the display cabinet 200 or the control device 10, etc., for example, when setting the display cabinet 200, and is stored in the storage unit 11. That is, the setting information table of each fan motor 210 of the display cabinet 200 is stored in the storage unit 11. As described above, since the display cabinet 200 has multiple fan motors 210, the storage unit 11 stores the setting information tables corresponding to the respective fan motors 210.

[0068] In addition, in order to cope with situations where the environment of the display cabinet 200 has changed, such as a retrofitted door being installed on the display cabinet 200, it can be set so that the user can arbitrarily and at any time add a new setting information table.

[0069] Alternatively, in the case where the multiple fan motors 210 of the display cabinet 200 can be grouped according to the installation position, usage, etc., it is also possible to store a setting information table corresponding to each group. In the present embodiment, the display cabinet 200 has multiple groups of fan motors (hereinafter referred to as "fan motor groups") separated according to different installation positions, usage, etc., and the storage unit 11 stores a setting information table for each of the multiple fan motor groups.

[0070] Return to the description of Figure 3 . The reception unit 12 receives an input operation of the user on the control device 10. Figure 5 FIG. is an example showing the appearance of the reception unit 12. As Figure 5 shown, the reception unit 12 has a display unit 121 and an operation unit 122.

[0071] In the present embodiment, the reception unit 12 also serves as an operation panel for receiving the operation of the display cabinet 200. In Figure 5 the example shown, the display unit 121 is a 4-digit 7-segment display that can display simple characters, marks, or numbers. In addition, in Figure 5 the example shown, the operation unit 122 includes 4 buttons: "lighting", "display switching", "setting", and "operation switching". The "lighting" button also serves as a button for receiving a downward operation, and the "display switching" button also serves as a button for receiving an upward operation. By operating these buttons, the user can perform the operation control of the entire display cabinet 200 (temperature setting, lighting setting, operation mode switching, etc.) and the setting of the fan motor 210.

[0072] The reception unit 12 can be arranged, for example, on the surface of the display cabinet 200, on the wall surface of the management room of the store where the display cabinet 200 is installed, or on the surface of the control device 10 provided in the management room. Alternatively, the reception unit 12 can also be, for example, a software operation device displayed on the display screen. In this case, the reception unit 12 is an image displayed on the display screen of a tablet terminal or a PC (Personal Computer) held by the user, and the operation unit 122 in the reception unit 12 can be operated by the user using a hand or a mouse and other operation devices to receive the operation.

[0073] Return to the description of Figure 3 . The signal generation unit 13 generates a control signal for controlling the rotation of the fan motors 210 included in the fan motor group selected by the user according to the identifier input by the user.

[0074] The output unit 14 that outputs a control signal to the fan motor 210 of the display cabinet 200 can output the control signal for each fan motor group composed of a plurality of fan motors of the display cabinet 200. That is, the output unit 14 can output the control signal that has been controlled for each fan motor group according to different settings such as the installation position and use in the display cabinet 200 to the fan motor 210 of each fan motor group.

[0075] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram for explaining the multiple control outputs of the output unit 14.

[0076] In Figure 6 In the example shown, the output unit 14 has three output systems for outputting the control signal for one fan motor 210 or one fan motor group. In Figure 6 In the example shown, although an example in which one is provided for each output system is shown, in the present disclosure, multiple may be provided for each output system. In this specification, the output systems of the output unit 14 are described as "control outputs".

[0077] In Figure 6 In it, the control output represented as "AC relay output" switches the output and non-output of the main power supply (AC voltage) by turning on and off the relay. Thus, the operating state of the fan motor 210, i.e., on and off, is controlled. The AC voltage output from the "AC relay output" is directly input when the fan motor 210 is an AC motor, and is converted into a DC voltage by a DC power supply and then input when the fan motor 210 is a DC motor. Thus, the on and off of the fan motor 210 are controlled.

[0078] In addition, the control output represented as "DC voltage output" outputs a control signal for controlling the on and off of the fan motor 210 in the same way as the "AC relay output". The DC voltage output from the "DC voltage output" controls the on and off of a separately provided DC voltage drive relay. By turning on and off the DC voltage drive relay, the output and non-output of the AC voltage that is the power supply of the fan motor 210 are switched. Thus, the operating state of the fan motor 210, i.e., on and off, is controlled. The AC voltage output from the DC voltage drive relay is directly input when the fan motor 210 is an AC motor, and is converted into a DC output by a DC power supply and then input when the fan motor 210 is a DC motor.

[0079] On the other hand, the control output represented as "speed control signal output" outputs the following control signal for controlling the rotational speed (rotation speed) of a DC motor with controllable rotational speed in the fan motor 210 of the showcase 200. The fan motor 210 is input with a PWM (pulse width modulation) signal output from the "speed control signal output", and an operating voltage is supplied from a power supply for the separately provided fan motor 210. Thereby, the rotational speed (rotation speed) of the fan motor 210 is controlled to a desired rotational speed. Additionally, in Figure 6 a PWM signal is output from the "speed control signal output", but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0080] Thus, in Figure 6 the example shown, the output unit 14 independently has a control output for controlling the operating state (i.e., on and off) of the fan motor 210 and a control output for controlling the rotational speed (rotation speed). Also, the signal generation unit 13, based on the setting information table, controls a motor that cannot have its rotational speed controlled using only the control output for controlling on and off, and for a DC motor capable of having its rotational speed controlled, uses the speed control signal output. While controlling the operating state such as on and off, based on the operating state of the showcase and the setting information table, it operates at a desired rotational speed. Therefore, by setting the same identifier for different control outputs, it is possible to perform substantially the same motor control regardless of the type of motor (whether it is a DC motor or an AC motor).

[0081] Additionally, in Figure 6 the example shows that the output unit 14 has three control outputs for one fan motor 210 or one group of fan motors, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The control output for outputting a control signal for controlling the operating state can be, for example, one of "AC relay output" and "DC voltage output".

[0082] [Operation of the control device]

[0083] Hereinafter, the operation of the control device 10 will be described. Figure 7 is a flowchart for explaining an operation example of the control device 10. Additionally, in Figure 7 the example shows, below each step, an example of an operation received by the operation unit 122 for transitioning from that step to the next step. Additionally, in Figure 7 the example shows, to the right of each step, an example of the display on the display unit 121 corresponding to that step.

[0084] The initial state of the display unit 121 is the display of the temperature inside the display room 203 of the showcase 200. In Figure 7 the example shown, "-25" °C is displayed on the display unit 121.

[0085] In this state, by long-pressing the "Settings" button of the operation unit 122, in step S1, the control device 10 switches to the setting mode for making various settings of the display cabinet 200. Additionally, in step S1, the control device 10 accepts selections for various settings made via the operation unit 122. At this time, the display unit 121 displays the mark of the setting that is initially displayed when switching to the setting mode. Figure 7 shows a display example of "rYO1" which represents the setting of the AC relay output 1.

[0086] By operating the up and down buttons ("Display Switch" button and "Lighting" button) of the operation unit 122, the control output to be set is selected.

[0087] In step S2, the acceptance unit 12 accepts the operation of selecting the control output to be set. At this time, the display unit 121 displays the mark representing the currently selected control output. Figure 7 shows a display example when the mark "dCo2" is selected. This mark "dCo2" is the mark representing the setting of the DC voltage output 2 in the control output.

[0088] By operating the setting button of the operation unit 122, the control output to be set is determined.

[0089] In the process up to step S2, the control output is selected, thereby determining the fan motor group as the control object to which the control signal is to be output.

[0090] In step S3, the control device 10 switches to the state of accepting the selection of an identifier. Here, the identifier refers to the identifier set in the setting information table. At this time, the display unit 121 displays the identifier "oEF○" (the ○ contains a number) representing the current setting. Figure 7 shows a display example when the current setting is "oEF1".

[0091] By operating the up and down buttons ("Display Switch" button and "Lighting" button) of the operation unit 122, the selection of the identifier is made.

[0092] In step S4, the acceptance unit 12 accepts the operation of determining the identifier. Figure 7 shows a display example when "oEF2" is selected.

[0093] By operating the setting button of the operation unit 122, the identifier is determined.

[0094] Through the processes of steps S4 and S5, from the multiple identifiers included in the setting information table, the identifier to be referred to when controlling the rotation of the fan motor group as the control object is determined.

[0095] In step S6, the signal generation unit 13 generates a control signal for the fan motor group to be controlled according to the selected identifier, and the output unit 14 outputs the generated control signal through the selected control output. Thus, the rotation of the fan motor group of the display cabinet 200 is controlled according to the setting information table.

[0096] After step S6, in step S7, the display unit 121 returns the display to the control output display of step S2.

[0097] In addition, in the present embodiment, the selection and determination of the control output in steps S1 to S3 and the selection and determination of the identifier in steps S4 to S6 are implemented in such a manner that the user observes the Figure 7 display unit 121 of the 7-segment display that can be displayed as 4 digits while operating the simple operation unit 122 composed of 4 buttons. Therefore, even if, for example, a door or the like is additionally installed after the display cabinet is set up, and thus the state of the display cabinet changes, and accordingly the rotational speed or operating state of the fan motor needs to be changed, in this case, the user can implement the rotational control of multiple fan motor groups with a relatively small amount of operation while observing a relatively small amount of information.

[0098] In addition, in Figure 7 the illustrated flowchart, the description of the energy-saving mode of the display cabinet 200 is omitted. The energy-saving mode selection is held as another set value and can be combined with this set value to change the operating state. Alternatively, the signal generation unit 13 can obtain information related to whether the display cabinet 200 is operating in the energy-saving mode, and in the control signal generation step of step S6, refer to the setting information table and generate a control signal in accordance with whether it is in the energy-saving mode.

[0099] <Function, effect>

[0100] The control device 10 of the embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a storage unit 11 that stores a setting information table including a set of setting information, the set of setting information being a set of setting information respectively set for each operating state of the display cabinet 200 (refrigeration device) having the fan motor 210, and being composed of setting information related to the rotation state of the fan motor 210 and setting information related to the rotational speed of the fan motor 210; and a signal generation unit 13 that generates a control signal for rotating the fan motor 210 according to the set of setting information.

[0101] By adopting such a structure, when the display cabinet 200 has a plurality of fan motors 210, it is not necessary for the user to make settings related to the rotation state or rotational speed for each fan motor 210 one by one. Therefore, it is possible to easily perform the rotational control of the plurality of fan motors 210 included in the display cabinet 200 with less effort.

[0102] Thus, for example, when adding a door or the like to the installed display case 200 to change the structure of the installed display case 200, it is possible to easily change the rotation control of the fan motor 210 in accordance with the changed structure.

[0103] In the control device 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the setting information table includes a set of setting information that varies for each operating state and for each time period.

[0104] Thus, it is possible to easily perform the rotation control of the fan motor 210 not only according to the operating state of the display case 200 but also according to the time period with less effort.

[0105] In the control device 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the setting information table includes an identifier for identifying a combination of a set of setting information for a plurality of operating states and a set of setting information for a plurality of time periods.

[0106] By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to identify a combination of a set of setting information for a plurality of operating states and a set of setting information for a plurality of time periods by the identifier.

[0107] In the control device 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, it further includes a reception unit 12 that receives a selection of the identifier, and a signal generation unit 13 generates a control signal according to a combination of a set of setting information corresponding to the selected identifier.

[0108] Thus, by selecting the identifier once, the user can perform the rotation control of the fan motor 210 corresponding to a plurality of operating states and a plurality of time periods. Therefore, it is possible to perform the rotation control of the plurality of fan motors 210 provided in the display case 200 with less effort.

[0109] In the control device 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the setting information table includes setting information corresponding to each of the plurality of fan motors. Alternatively, the set of setting information includes setting information corresponding to each fan motor group, and the fan motor group is composed of a plurality of fan motors.

[0110] By adopting such a configuration, for example, when each of the plurality of fan motors 210 is constituted by either a DC motor or an AC motor, regardless of whether the fan motor 210 is a DC motor or an AC motor, the rotation control can be performed by the same setting information table. Thus, for example, even when replacing the AC motor used in the installed display case 200 with a DC motor having an equivalent level of ability, the rotation control of the fan motor can be performed without updating the setting information table.

[0111] In addition, when the display cabinet 200 has a plurality of fan motors 210 or a plurality of groups of fan motors, the rotation control of each fan motor 210 or each group of fan motors can be reliably performed.

[0112] In the control device 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, an output unit 14 is further provided. The output unit 14 outputs control signals for each fan motor 210 or each group of fan motors respectively. Thereby, the control signals can be output to the fan motor 210 or the group of fan motors to be controlled with a simple structure.

[0113] [Example of the hardware structure of the control device]

[0114] Figure 8 FIG. is an example of a hardware structure and its peripheral structure that represents at least a part of the functional structure of the control device 10 implemented by a computer program product. The control device 10 has a microcomputer. The microcomputer includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit, central processing unit) as an arithmetic device, and a FROM (Flash Read Only Memory, flash read only memory) and an SRAM (Static Random Access Memory, static random access memory) as main storage devices. The CPU can implement at least a part of the functional structure of the control device 10 described above by expanding and executing, for example, a computer program product stored in the FROM in the SRAM.

[0115] Each of the above control outputs is connected to the microcomputer. Thereby, the CPU can control the output destination through each control output.

[0116] <Modification example>

[0117] The above embodiment is only an application example of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure can include various other modification examples without departing from the gist of its technical solution.

[0118] In the above embodiment, the case where the display cabinet 200 as a refrigeration device and the control device 10 for controlling the rotation of the fan motor 210 or the group of fan motors are separately configured is described. The present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the control device for controlling the rotation of the fan motor or the group of fan motors can also be assembled into the refrigeration device.

[0119] Industrial applicability

[0120] The present disclosure is useful for a control device that controls the rotation of a fan included in a refrigeration device.

Claims

1. A control device, characterized in that, Comprising: a storage unit that stores a setting information table including setting information groups, where each setting information group is set for each operating state of a refrigeration device having a fan motor and is composed of setting information related to the rotation state of the fan motor and setting information related to the rotational speed of the fan motor; and a signal generation unit that generates a control signal for rotating the fan motor according to the setting information group.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the setting information table includes the setting information groups that are different for each of the operating states and for each time period.

3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the setting information table includes an identifier for identifying a combination that is a combination of the setting information groups of a plurality of the operating states and a plurality of the time periods.

4. The control device according to claim 3, wherein it further comprises a reception unit that receives a selection of the identifier, and the signal generation unit generates the control signal according to the combination of the setting information groups corresponding to the selected identifier.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the setting information table includes the setting information corresponding to each of a plurality of the fan motors respectively.

6. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the setting information group includes the setting information corresponding to each of respective fan motor groups, and each fan motor group is composed of a plurality of the fan motors.

7. The control device according to claim 6, wherein it further comprises an output unit that outputs the control signal for each of the fan motors or the fan motor groups respectively.

8. A refrigeration device, characterized in that, Comprising: a fan motor; a storage unit that stores a setting information table including setting information groups, where each setting information group is set for each operating state and is composed of setting information related to the rotation state of the fan motor and setting information related to the rotational speed of the fan motor; and a signal generation unit that generates a control signal for rotating the fan motor according to the setting information group.

9. A control method, executed by a processor of a control device that performs rotation control of a fan motor of a refrigeration device, characterized in that the processor executes the following steps: reading out a setting information table including setting information groups, where each setting information group is set for each operating state of the refrigeration device and is composed of setting information related to the rotation state of the fan motor and setting information related to the rotational speed of the fan motor; and controlling the rotation of the fan motor according to the setting information related to the rotation state and the setting information related to the rotational speed included in the setting information group corresponding to the current operating state.

10. A computer program product, comprising computer program instructions and executed by a processor of a control device that controls the rotation of a fan motor of a refrigeration device, characterized in that, When the computer program instruction is executed by the processor, the following steps are implemented: Read out a setting information table including setting information groups, where each setting information group is set for each operating state of the refrigeration device and consists of setting information related to the rotation state of the fan motor and setting information related to the rotational speed of the fan motor; And Control the rotation of the fan motor according to the setting information related to the rotation state and the setting information related to the rotational speed included in the setting information group corresponding to the current operating state.

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