storage

Abstract

To provide a storage that can keep freshness of stored objects for a longer time.SOLUTION: A storage comprises an electrode member 52, an inverter circuit 110, a high-voltage transformation circuit 120, a second sensing circuit 151, and a control unit 140. The electrode member 52 forms an electric field inside a storage chamber on the basis of application of a voltage. The inverter circuit 110 converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage. The high-voltage transformation circuit 120 boosts the AC voltage generated by the inverter circuit 110, and applies the boosted AC voltage to the electrode member 52. The second sensing circuit 151 detects the AC voltage applied to the electrode member 52 from the high-voltage transformation circuit 120. The control unit 140 controls the inverter circuit 110 so that the AC voltage detected by the second sensing circuit 151 becomes a target voltage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage facility. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is a storage cabinet described in Patent Document 1 below. The storage cabinet described in Patent Document 1 includes an electrode member disposed therein and a power source that applies a voltage to the electrode member. The storage cabinet is formed in a rectangular box shape. The electrode member is fixed to the inner surface of the bottom wall or the inner surface of the upper wall of the storage cabinet, and forms an electrostatic field inside the storage cabinet based on the voltage applied from the power source. This makes it possible to maintain the freshness of the contents stored in the storage cabinet, such as fresh food, for a longer period of time, compared to a case where a static electric field is not formed inside the storage cabinet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-204428 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When the storage facility described in Patent Document 1 is used for transporting fresh foods, for example, the longer the transport time, the more likely the stored food items will spoil. Therefore, there is a demand for a storage facility that can maintain the freshness of the stored food items for a longer period of time. The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its object is to provide a storage facility capable of maintaining the freshness of stored items for a longer period of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A storage facility that solves the above problems includes a storage facility main body, a cooling unit, an electrode member, an inverter circuit, a transformer unit, a voltage detection unit, and a control unit. The storage facility main body has a storage chamber inside. The cooling unit cools the inside of the storage chamber. The electrode member forms an electric field inside the storage chamber based on application of a voltage. The inverter circuit converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage. The transformer unit boosts the AC voltage generated by the inverter circuit and applies it to the electrode member. The frequency detection unit detects the AC voltage applied to the electrode member from the transformer unit. The control unit controls the inverter circuit so that the AC voltage detected by the voltage detection unit becomes a target voltage.

[0006] According to this configuration, the strength of the electric field formed in the storage chamber can be controlled to a constant strength, so that the strength of the electric field formed in the storage chamber can be controlled to a more appropriate strength, thereby making it possible to maintain the freshness of the stored contents for a longer period of time. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the storage facility of the present invention, it is possible to maintain the freshness of the stored items for a longer period of time. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a container according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-sectional structure taken along line II-II in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the container according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control unit according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control unit according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a container according to a third embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a container according to another embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a container according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a container according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a storage facility will be described with reference to the drawings. In order to facilitate understanding of the description, the same components in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted. First Embodiment First, a storage facility according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a container 10 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-sectional structure taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the direction indicated by the arrow Z1 indicates the vertical upward direction, and the direction indicated by the arrow Z2 indicates the vertical downward direction. The directions indicated by the arrows X and Y are directions perpendicular to the vertical directions Z1 and Z2 and indicate the horizontal direction. The directions indicated by the arrows X and Y are perpendicular to each other. Hereinafter, the direction indicated by the arrow X will be referred to as the "width direction X", and the direction indicated by the arrow Y will be referred to as the "depth direction Y". In this embodiment, the container 10 corresponds to the storage facility.

[0010] The container 10 shown in FIG. 1 has a function of storing food and the like in a refrigerated state. The container 10 may be used as a fixed container, or may be used as a transport (mobile) container for transporting food in a refrigerated state. Examples of fixed containers include containers that are installed indoors in food processing plants, buildings, and the like, and containers that function as warehouses themselves. Examples of transport containers include marine transport containers that are loaded onto ships, as well as containers that are loaded onto moving bodies such as airplanes and vehicles. The container 10 may be a refrigerator or the like, whether it is a fixed container or a transport container. In this embodiment, the container 10 corresponds to a storage warehouse.

[0011] 1, the container 10 includes a container body 20 and a pair of door sections 30. In this embodiment, the container body 20 corresponds to the storage body. The container body 20 is formed in a rectangular box shape having an opening at a front end 20a, which is the end at the front in the depth direction Y. A pair of doors 30 are provided at the opening of the container body 20 and open and close the opening. The container body 20 and the doors 30 are formed from a metal material such as aluminum or stainless steel, and are electrically grounded.

[0012] The space surrounded by the inner surfaces of the container body 20 and the door section 30 forms a storage room S10 shown in FIG. 2. A user of the container 10 can place a desired storage item 70 inside the storage room S10 by entering the storage room S10 through the door section 30. The storage item 70 is fresh food, dairy products, noodles, etc. Fresh food is, for example, seafood such as fish and shellfish, fruits such as strawberries and apples, vegetables such as cabbage and tomatoes, meat such as beef and pork, eggs, and processed foods thereof. Dairy products are milk, cheese, etc. Noodles are made from grain powder such as wheat flour and buckwheat flour. Note that the items stored in the container 10 are not limited to food, and may be fresh flowers, medicines, organs, etc. In this embodiment, a case in which the storage item 70 is fresh food will be described as an example.

[0013] A heat insulating material (not shown) is embedded inside the container body 20 and the door portion 30. This heat insulating material enhances the cooling performance of the container 10 by suppressing heat transfer from the storage room S10 to the outside of the container 10. In the following, of the multiple outer wall portions of the container body 20 shown in Figure 2, the outer wall portion 201 arranged vertically upward Z1 will be referred to as the "upper wall portion 201", the outer wall portion 202 arranged on the right side when viewed from the door portion 30 will be referred to as the "right side wall portion 202", the outer wall portion 203 arranged on the left side when viewed from the door portion 30 will be referred to as the "left side wall portion 203", the outer wall portion 204 arranged vertically downward Z2 will be referred to as the "bottom wall portion 204", and the outer wall portion 205 located opposite the door portion 30 will be referred to as the "rear wall portion 205".

[0014] 2, the container 10 further includes a cooling device 40 provided on the rear wall portion 205 of the container body 20. The container 10 of this embodiment is a so-called reefer container in which the internal temperature can be adjusted by the cooling device 40. The cooling device 40 is connected to a power source (not shown) provided inside or outside the container body 20, and is driven by the power supply. The cooling device 40 cools the accommodation chamber S10 of the container body 20 to a preset temperature or a target temperature set by a user of the container 10 by supplying cool air to the accommodation chamber S10. The target temperature is set to a negative temperature, for example. The cooling device 40 has an intake port 41 and an outlet port 42 in the rear wall portion 205 of the container body 20, which open into the accommodation chamber S10 of the container body 20. The intake port 41 is provided above the rear wall portion 205 of the container body 20. The outlet port 42 is provided below the rear wall portion 205 of the container body 20. In this embodiment, the cooling device 40 corresponds to a cooling unit.

[0015] The container 10 further includes an electric field forming unit 50. The electric field forming unit 50 is disposed near the inside of the upper wall portion 201 of the container body 20. The electric field forming unit 50 includes an insulating member 51 and an electrode member 52. The electric field forming unit 50 is driven by a power supply and forms an electric field inside the storage chamber S10.

[0016] One end and the other end of the electric field generating unit 50 in the width direction X are placed on the placement parts 61 and 62, respectively. The placement parts 61 and 62 are provided above the right side wall part 202 and the left side wall part 203 of the container body 20, respectively, and extend in the depth direction Y. The type of the placement parts 61 and 62 is not particularly limited, and may be an insulating material (e.g., resin) having electrical insulation properties, or may be a conductive material such as iron or stainless steel. The placement part 61 has a portion 610 fixed to the right side wall part 202 and a portion 611 on which one end of the electric field generating unit 50 is placed. Similarly, the placement part 62 has a portion 620 fixed to the left side wall part 203 and a portion 621 on which the other end of the electric field generating unit 50 is placed. Both of the placement parts 61 and 62 are configured as so-called L-shaped angle members whose cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the depth direction Y is L-shaped. The electric field generating unit 50 may be arranged so as to be suspended from the upper wall portion 201 of the container body 20 via an insulating resin block, a support, or the like.

[0017] Next, an example of the operation of the container 10 of this embodiment will be described. In container 10 of this embodiment, cooling device 40 draws in air from storage chamber S10 via intake port 41 shown in Fig. 2, cools the drawn-in air, and blows it out into storage chamber S10 from outlet 42. In container 10 of this embodiment, the inside of storage chamber S10 is cooled by the cold air blown out from outlet 42, so that food 70 stored in storage chamber S10 is preserved in a cooled state.

[0018] The electric field forming unit 50 forms an electric field in the accommodation chamber S10 by applying a predetermined high voltage to the electrode member 52. At this time, the high voltage applied to the electrode member 52 is, for example, an alternating (AC) voltage whose magnitude and direction change periodically with the passage of time. The voltage applied to the electrode member 52 can be set to any magnitude, but is set to a high voltage of, for example, several hundred volts to several tens of thousands of volts. In this embodiment, an AC voltage of 7 kV is applied to the electrode member 52.

[0019] By storing food 70 in a cooled state in such an electric field environment, the freezing point of food 70 can be lowered, so that food 70 can be stored without freezing even in a lower temperature environment, for example, an environment of minus temperature. Therefore, the freshness of food 70 can be maintained for a longer period of time. Specifically, at least a part of the food inside food 70 is cooled to a state just before freezing (chilled state) and the state is maintained. Note that at least a part of the food refers to at least a part of one food, or at least one food among multiple foods. The state just before freezing includes, for example, a state such as half-frozen or half-thawed, a state in which the surface is slightly hard, or a state where the food is not completely frozen but is recessed by 1 mm to 2 mm when pressed with a finger (initial stage of thawing), etc.

[0020] Next, the circuit configuration of the container 10 of this embodiment will be described. 3, the container 10 includes a rectifier circuit 100, an inverter circuit 110, a high-voltage transformer circuit 120, a power supply circuit 130, a control unit 140, a first sensing circuit 150, and a second sensing circuit 151. These elements are modularized, for example, as a single control device 300, and are built into the container 10 as indicated by the dashed line in FIG.

[0021] The rectifier circuit 100 converts an AC voltage supplied from a commercial power source 200 outside the container 10 into a DC voltage, and supplies the converted DC voltage to the inverter circuit 110. The AC voltage supplied from the commercial power source 200 to the rectifier circuit 100 is, for example, an AC voltage of any one of a 100V system, a 200V system, and a 440V system. In this embodiment, the commercial power source 200 corresponds to a power supply unit.

[0022] The inverter circuit 110 converts the DC voltage supplied from the rectifier circuit 100 into an AC voltage, and supplies the converted AC voltage to a primary winding 121 of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120. The AC voltage supplied from the inverter circuit 110 to the primary winding 121 of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 is an AC voltage with an effective value of, for example, 100 V. A resistor 170 is provided in the middle of the wiring connecting the inverter circuit 110 and the high-voltage transformer circuit 120.

[0023] The high-voltage transformer circuit 120 has a primary winding 121 and a secondary winding 122. In the high-voltage transformer circuit 120, an AC voltage corresponding to the AC voltage supplied from the inverter circuit 110 to the primary winding 121 is induced in the secondary winding 122. In the secondary winding 122 of this embodiment, an AC voltage obtained by boosting the AC voltage supplied to the primary winding 121, for example, an AC voltage having an effective value of 7 kV and a frequency of 120 Hz, is induced. A resistor 171 is provided in the middle of the wiring connecting the secondary winding 122 and the ground potential. The AC voltage induced in the secondary winding 122 of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 is supplied to the electrode member 52 via a wiring 180. In the following, for convenience, the AC voltage and AC current supplied from the inverter circuit 110 to the primary winding 121 of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 are referred to as the "input AC voltage" and the "input AC current", respectively. Moreover, the AC voltage and AC current supplied from the secondary winding 122 of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 to the electrode member 52 are referred to as the "output AC voltage" and the "output AC current", respectively.

[0024] The first sensing circuit 150 detects the magnitudes of the input AC voltage and the input AC current of the high voltage transformer circuit 120. The first sensing circuit 150 outputs a detection signal including information on the magnitudes of the detected input AC voltage and the input AC current of the high voltage transformer circuit 120 to the control unit 140.

[0025] The second sensing circuit 151 detects the magnitudes of the output AC voltage and the output AC current of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120. The second sensing circuit 151 outputs a detection signal including information on the magnitudes of the detected output AC voltage and the output AC current of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 to the control unit 140. In this embodiment, the second sensing circuit 151 corresponds to a voltage detection unit.

[0026] The power supply circuit 130 converts the AC voltage supplied from the commercial power supply 200 into a DC voltage suitable for the operation of the control unit 140, and supplies the converted DC voltage to the control unit 140. The DC voltage supplied from the power supply circuit 130 to the control unit 140 is, for example, 24 V. The control unit 140 controls the inverter circuit 110 by driving it based on the DC voltage supplied from the power supply circuit 130. The control unit 140 may be configured by a combination of various logic circuits, or may be configured by a microcomputer having a CPU, memory, etc.

[0027] The control unit 140 receives detection signals output from the first sensing circuit 150 and the second sensing circuit 151. The control unit 140 acquires the magnitudes of the input AC voltage and the input AC current of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 based on the detection signal of the first sensing circuit 150. The control unit 140 also acquires the magnitudes of the output AC voltage and the output AC current of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 based on the detection signal of the second sensing circuit 151. The control unit 140 controls the inverter circuit 110 based on information that can be acquired from the first sensing circuit 150 and the second sensing circuit 151.

[0028] Next, an example of a configuration for controlling the inverter circuit 110 in the control unit 140 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 140 has, as its functional configuration, a target setting unit 141, a voltage obtaining unit 142, a subtraction unit 143, and an inverter control unit 144.

[0029] The target setting unit 141 sets a target voltage Vs* which is a target value for the magnitude of the output AC voltage, and a target frequency Fs* which is a target value for the frequency of the output AC voltage. In this embodiment, the target voltage Vs* is preset to, for example, 7 kV, and the target frequency Fs* is preset to, for example, 120 Hz. The target setting unit 141 outputs the set target voltage Vs* to the subtraction unit 143, and also outputs the set target frequency Fs* to the inverter control unit 144.

[0030] The voltage acquiring unit 142 acquires information on an actual voltage Vs, which is the actual magnitude of the output AC voltage of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120, based on the detection signal of the second sensing circuit 151. The voltage acquiring unit 142 outputs the acquired actual voltage Vs to the subtraction unit 143. The subtraction unit 143 calculates a deviation ΔVs (=Vs*−Vs) between the target voltage Vs* set by the target setting unit 141 and the actual voltage Vs acquired by the voltage acquisition unit 142. The subtraction unit 143 outputs the calculated deviation ΔVs to the inverter control unit 144.

[0031] The inverter control unit 144 controls the inverter circuit 110 based on the deviation ΔVs calculated by the subtraction unit 143 and the target frequency Fs* output from the target setting unit 141. Specifically, the inverter control unit 144 controls the inverter circuit 110 so that the actual voltage Vs output from the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 becomes the target voltage Vs*. This makes it possible to feedback-control the magnitude of the output AC voltage of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 to the target voltage Vs* based on the magnitude of the output AC voltage of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 detected by the second sensing circuit 151. Furthermore, the inverter control unit 144 controls the frequency of the voltage output from the inverter circuit 110 to the target frequency Fs*. This controls the frequency of the output AC voltage of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 to the target frequency Fs*.

[0032] According to the container 10 of the present embodiment described above, the following actions and effects can be obtained. The container 10 of this embodiment includes a container body 20, a cooling device 40, an electrode member 52, an inverter circuit 110, a high-voltage transformer circuit 120, a second sensing circuit 151, and a control unit 140. The container body 20 has an accommodation chamber S10 therein. The cooling device 40 cools the interior of the accommodation chamber S10. The electrode member 52 forms an electric field inside the accommodation chamber S10 based on the application of a voltage. The inverter circuit 110 converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage. The high-voltage transformer circuit 120 boosts the AC voltage generated by the inverter circuit 110 and applies it to the electrode member 52. The second sensing circuit 151 detects the output AC voltage applied from the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 to the electrode member 52. The control unit 140 controls the inverter circuit 110 so that the actual voltage Vs of the output AC voltage detected by the second sensing circuit 151 becomes the target voltage Vs*.

[0033] According to this configuration, the strength of the electric field formed in the storage chamber S10 can be controlled to a constant strength, so that the strength of the electric field formed in the storage chamber S10 can be controlled to a more appropriate strength. For example, when the container 10 of the present embodiment is used as a container for transportation, it is considered that the power circumstances differ depending on the country and the transportation mode. However, regardless of such circumstances, the strength of the electric field formed in the storage chamber S10 can be controlled to a more appropriate strength. Note that the power circumstances depending on the country include, for example, the power circumstances of the shipping place and the power circumstances of the receiving place. In addition, the transportation mode includes the power circumstances when the moving body transporting the container 10 is an MG chassis, the power circumstances when the moving body is a ship, and the like. Since the strength of the electric field formed in the storage chamber S10 can be controlled to a more appropriate strength, the freshness of the food 70 can be maintained for a longer period of time.

[0034] In addition, in the container 10 of this embodiment, the control unit 140 further controls the frequency of the AC voltage applied to the electrode members 52 to a target frequency Fs. According to this configuration, for example, the frequency of the AC voltage applied to the electrode member 52 can be controlled to a frequency (for example, 120 Hz) higher than the commercial frequency (50 Hz or 60 Hz), and an electric field in such a frequency band can be formed in the storage chamber S10. As a result, spin is generated in the water molecules contained in the food 70, and frictional heat can be generated in the food 70. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently prevent the food 70 from freezing. Note that the frequency of the AC voltage applied to the electrode member 52 may be set to a frequency of, for example, 60 Hz to 1,000 Hz, as long as it is higher than the commercial frequency. Furthermore, the frequency of the AC voltage applied to the electrode member 52 can also be set to a frequency approximately equal to the commercial frequency, a frequency lower than the commercial frequency, or a frequency higher than 1,0000 Hz.

[0035] Furthermore, by adopting the structure of the container 10 of this embodiment, the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 and the like can be built into the container 10 together with the control device 300 shown in Figure 2, so that the configuration of the container 10 can be simplified compared to, for example, a case where a transformer and the like is provided outside the container 10. (Modification) Next, a modification of the container 10 of the first embodiment will be described.

[0036] If the target frequency Fs* is fixed to a constant value, for example, bacteria contained in food 70 may increase because the bacteria are resistant to the electric field environment. Therefore, instead of fixing the target frequency Fs* to a constant value, the target setting unit 141 of this modification periodically changes the target frequency Fs*. For example, the target setting unit 141 periodically changes the target frequency Fs* in a range from 60 Hz to, for example, 120 Hz. With this configuration, the frequency of the electric field inside the storage chamber S10 can be changed at a predetermined period, so that a situation in which bacteria contained in the food 70 have resistance to a predetermined frequency is unlikely to occur. Therefore, it is possible to prevent bacteria from increasing in the food 70. Similarly, the target setting unit 141 may periodically change the target voltage Vs*.

[0037] <Second embodiment> Next, a container 10 according to a second embodiment will be described. The following description will focus on the differences from the container 10 according to the first embodiment. In a container 10 such as that of the first embodiment, for example, if the temperature of the storage chamber S10 is set to a temperature at which the food 70 does not freeze in order to enhance the freshness-retaining effect of the food 70, the food 70 may become frozen or nearly frozen due to a change in temperature of the food 70 caused by external factors, etc. External factors include the outside air temperature, the number of days of transportation, the amount of cargo inside the storage chamber S10, etc. For example, the longer the number of days of transportation, the more likely the food 70 is to freeze. If the food 70 becomes frozen or nearly frozen, problems may arise when selling the food 70.

[0038] Furthermore, if the temperature of storage chamber S10 is set high to prevent food 70 from freezing, even if food 70 can be transported without freezing or spoiling, the number of bacteria contained in food 70 may increase, shortening the expiration date. Meanwhile, according to experiments conducted by the inventors, it has been confirmed that the stronger the electric field applied to food 70 and the higher the frequency of that electric field, the more difficult it becomes for food 70 to freeze even at lower temperatures.

[0039] Considering the above, if the set temperature of storage chamber S10 is set low and then the frequency of the electric field within storage chamber S10 is increased when the possibility of freezing of food 70 increases due to external factors or the like, food 70 can be transported more appropriately. Therefore, container 10 of the present embodiment changes the frequency of the AC voltage applied to electrode member 52 based on the temperature of storage chamber S10.

[0040] Next, a specific configuration of the container 10 of this embodiment will be described. 5, the container 10 of this embodiment further includes a temperature sensor 190. The temperature sensor 190 detects the temperature inside the storage room S10 and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the detected temperature. The detection signal from the temperature sensor 190 is input to the target setting unit 141 of the control unit 140. In this embodiment, the temperature sensor 190 corresponds to a temperature detection unit.

[0041] The target setting unit 141 acquires information on the temperature inside the storage chamber S10 based on the detection signal of the temperature sensor 190, and sets the target frequency Fs* based on the acquired temperature inside the storage chamber S10. Specifically, the target setting unit 141 calculates the target frequency Fs* from the temperature inside the storage chamber S10 by using a map, an arithmetic expression, or the like that indicates the relationship between the temperature inside the storage chamber and the target frequency Fs*. The map, arithmetic expression, or the like used by the target setting unit 141 is created so that the lower the temperature inside the storage chamber, the higher the target frequency Fs*.

[0042] According to the container 10 of the present embodiment described above, the following actions and effects can be obtained. The control unit 140 changes the target frequency Fs* based on the temperature inside the container 10 detected by the temperature sensor 190. With this configuration, even if the temperature of the storage chamber S10 changes due to an external factor or the like, the actual frequency of the electric field formed inside the storage chamber S10 can be set to an appropriate frequency corresponding to the temperature of the storage chamber S10 at each time. This makes it possible to maintain the freshness of the food 70 in a more appropriate state.

[0043] <Third embodiment> Next, a container 10 according to a third embodiment will be described. The following description will focus on the differences from the container 10 according to the first embodiment. 6, in the container 10 of this embodiment, a current sensor 400 is provided between the resistor 171 and the container body 20. The current sensor 400 detects a current flowing through the resistor 171. In this embodiment, the current sensor 400 corresponds to a current detection unit.

[0044] A current flows through the current sensor 400 according to the presence or absence of food 70 in the storage chamber S10. Specifically, when food 70 such as fresh food is present in the storage chamber S10, a weak current flows through the food 70 when the food 70 is placed in an electric field environment. As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, when the food 70 is arranged so as to be in contact with the bottom wall portion 204 of the container body 20, the food 70 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between one electrode member 52 and the bottom wall portion 204 of the container body 20, which is the other electrode member. The area Ae indicated by the dashed dotted line in Fig. 6 is a schematic representation of an electric field area formed between the electrode member 52 and the container body 20. In this embodiment, the container body 20 corresponds to the second electrode member. The food 70 acts as a kind of dielectric between the electrode member 52 and the container body 20, causing a change in the current value detected by the current sensor 400. Specifically, when food 70 is present in storage chamber S10, the current flowing through current sensor 400 is greater than when food 70 is not present. Also, the greater the total volume of food 70 present in storage chamber S10, the greater the current flowing through current sensor 400.

[0045] Therefore, in this embodiment, the electric field formed in the accommodation chamber S10 is strengthened as the current detected by the current sensor 400 increases. Specifically, the value of the current flowing through the current sensor 400 when an electric field of a target strength is formed in the accommodation chamber S10 is measured in advance by an experiment or the like, and the measured value of the current is stored in advance in the storage device of the control unit 140 as the target current value I*. The inverter control unit 144 acquires information on the current value I flowing through the current sensor 400 based on the detection signal of the current sensor 400. The inverter control unit 144 controls the inverter circuit 110 based on the current value I detected by the current sensor 400. For example, when the current value I detected by the current sensor 400 becomes smaller than the target current value I*, the inverter control unit 144 controls the inverter circuit 110 so that the AC voltage applied to the primary winding 121 of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 increases as the deviation (I*-I) between them increases.

[0046] According to the container 10 of the present embodiment described above, the following actions and effects can be obtained. The container 10 further includes a container body 20 as a second electrode member arranged to be in contact with the food 70, and a current sensor 400 that detects the current flowing through the container body 20. The control unit 140 controls the inverter circuit 110 based on the current detected by the current sensor 400. With this configuration, the AC voltage applied from the inverter circuit 110 to the electrode member 52 is controlled depending on the presence or absence of food 70 and the total volume of the food 70, etc., so that a more appropriate electric field can be applied to the food 70. This makes it possible to maintain the freshness of the food 70 in a more appropriate state.

[0047] <Fourth embodiment> Next, a container 10 according to a fourth embodiment will be described. The following description will focus on the differences from the container 10 according to the first embodiment. The target setting unit 141 of this embodiment has a first target voltage Vs1* and a second target voltage Vs2* as the target voltage Vs*, and has a first target frequency Fs1* and a second target frequency Fs2* as the target frequency Fs*. The first target voltage Vs1* and the first target frequency Fs1* are set to a voltage and a frequency suitable for keeping the food 70 or the like contained in the storage chamber S10 in a cooled state. The second target voltage Vs2* and the second target frequency Fs2* are set to a voltage and a frequency suitable for thawing the food 70 or the like. The target setting unit 141 sets the target voltage Vs* to either the first target voltage Vs1* or the second target voltage Vs2*, and sets the target frequency Fs* to either the first target frequency Fs1* or the second target frequency Fs*2, based on, for example, a user's operation on an operation panel provided on the container 10.

[0048] According to the container 10 of the present embodiment described above, the following actions and effects can be obtained. According to the container 10 of this embodiment, the target voltage Vs* is set to the first target voltage Vs1*, and the target frequency Fs* is set to the first target frequency Fs1*, so that the food 70 and the like can be more appropriately stored in a cooled state. Moreover, the target voltage Vs* is set to the second target voltage Vs2*, and the target frequency Fs* is set to the second target frequency Fs2*, so that the food 70 and the like can be thawed.

[0049] <Other embodiments> The present disclosure is not limited to the above specific examples. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the inverter circuit 110 may be incorporated in the control unit 140.

[0050] 8, a voltage divider circuit 500 may be provided between the wiring 180 and the second sensing circuit 151, and the AC voltage applied to the electrode member 52 from the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 may be stepped down by the voltage divider circuit 500 and input to the second sensing circuit 151. This allows the second sensing circuit 151 to detect an AC voltage lower than the AC voltage actually applied to the second electrode member 52.

[0051] In the container 10 of each embodiment, the frequency of the output AC voltage applied to the electrode member 52 from the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 may be further detected by the second sensing circuit 151, and the frequency of the AC voltage output from the inverter circuit 110 may be feedback-controlled based on the frequency of the output AC voltage detected by the second sensing circuit 151.

[0052] 9, the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 may be covered with an insulating member 600. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent, for example, electromagnetic waves or the like generated during operation of the high-voltage transformer circuit 120 from leaking to low-voltage components arranged around the high-voltage transformer circuit 120, thereby preventing the low-voltage components from deteriorating.

[0053] The above specific examples, to which a person skilled in the art may appropriately modify the design, are also included within the scope of the present disclosure as long as they have the features of the present disclosure. The elements of each of the above specific examples, and their arrangements, conditions, shapes, etc. are not limited to those exemplified and can be appropriately modified. The elements of each of the above specific examples can be appropriately combined as long as no technical contradiction occurs. In addition, in the present disclosure, for example, one "process," "step," "part," "body," "room," "apparatus," "machine," "equipment," "means," "mechanism," or "system," and some or all of the functions or configurations thereof may be realized by two or more of them, or two or more of them may be realized by one. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] S10: storage room, 10: container (storage), 20: container body (storage body, second electrode member), 40: cooling device (cooling section), 52: electrode member (first electrode member), 70: food (contained items), 110: inverter circuit, 120: high-voltage transformer circuit (transformer section), 151: second sensing circuit (frequency detection section), 140: control section, 190: temperature sensor (temperature detection section), 200: commercial power supply (power supply section), 400: current sensor (current detection section).

Claims

1. A storage body having a storage chamber therein; A cooling unit that cools the inside of the accommodation chamber; an electrode member that forms an electric field inside the accommodation chamber based on application of a voltage; An inverter circuit that converts DC voltage into AC voltage; a transformer unit that boosts the AC voltage generated by the inverter circuit and applies the boosted voltage to the electrode members; a voltage detection unit that detects the AC voltage applied to the electrode member from the transformer unit; a control unit that controls the inverter circuit so that the AC voltage detected by the voltage detection unit becomes a target voltage. Containment facility.

2. The control unit further controls the frequency of the AC voltage applied to the electrode member to a target frequency. The storage facility according to claim 1.

3. Further comprising a temperature detection unit for detecting a temperature inside the storage facility, The control unit changes the target frequency based on the temperature inside the storage unit detected by the temperature detection unit. The storage facility according to claim 2.

4. The control unit periodically changes the target frequency. The storage facility according to claim 2.

5. The control unit periodically changes the target voltage. The storage facility according to claim 1.

6. When the electrode member is a first electrode member and the article contained in the storage chamber is a storage object, A second electrode member arranged so as to be in contact with the contained object; A current detection unit that detects a current flowing through the second electrode member, The control unit controls the inverter circuit based on the current detected by the current detection unit. The storage facility according to claim 1.

7. When the item stored in the storage chamber is the stored object, The target frequencies include at least one of a first target frequency used when the contents are kept in a cooled state and a second target frequency used when the contents are thawed. The storage facility according to claim 1.

8. The transformer section is surrounded by an insulating material. The storage facility according to claim 1.

9. The control unit controls the inverter circuit so that the AC voltage detected by the voltage detection unit becomes the target voltage, regardless of the AC voltage applied to the inverter circuit from a power supply unit. The storage facility according to claim 1.

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