Show case

Abstract

To eliminate a need for replacement work of a temperature regulating sensor with a case internal temperature sensor and facilitate manufacturing work.SOLUTION: A show case 1 includes: a storage room 14 which is defined in a case body 10 and in which store selves 21 are provided in multiple tiers along a vertical direction; a blower fan 19 which circulates air between the storage room 14 and a ventilation flue 15; and an evaporator 18 which cools a temperature of air passing through the ventilation flue 15 by the blower fan 19. The show case 1 further includes a control unit 30 which determines that a temperature sensor S1, S2 having a large temperature change in a predetermined time period is a temperature regulating sensor and determines that the other temperature sensor S1, S2 is a case internal temperature sensor when detected temperatures are respectively input from the two temperature sensors S1, S2 installed at a first portion in the ventilation flue 15 through which air cooled by the evaporator 18 passes and an arbitrary second portion in the storage room 14.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, Patent Document 1 proposes a showcase for cooling products placed on product placement shelves arranged in a plurality of stages vertically in a storage room. This showcase is provided with a plurality of temperature sensors, such as an internal temperature sensor for detecting the internal temperature of the storage room and a temperature control sensor for detecting the temperature of air cooled by an evaporator and blown out into the storage room. The showcase is also designed to notify the occurrence of an abnormality if a temperature sensor is installed incorrectly. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-112580 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the temperature sensor used as the temperature control sensor and the temperature sensor used as the inside temperature sensor are of the same type, and there is a risk that the temperature sensors may be installed incorrectly during the manufacturing process.

[0005] In the event of an installation mistake like this, an abnormality is reported, but the temperature control sensor and the internal temperature sensor are installed covered with a heat insulating material, a sealant, etc., and as a result, the replacement work becomes cumbersome. In order to avoid such a replacement work, it becomes necessary to check whether the temperature control sensor and the internal temperature sensor are installed incorrectly during the manufacturing process, which results in a cumbersome manufacturing work.

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a showcase which does not require the replacement of a temperature control sensor with an internal temperature sensor and which can facilitate the manufacturing process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the showcase of the present invention comprises a storage chamber defined inside a case body and having multiple tiers of product mounting shelves arranged in an up-down direction, an air circulation means for circulating air between the storage chamber and an ventilation duct outside the storage chamber, and a temperature adjustment means for adjusting the temperature of the air passing through the ventilation duct by the air circulation means, and maintains products placed on the product mounting shelves at a desired temperature.The showcase is characterized in that, when detected temperatures are input from two temperature sensors installed at a first location in the ventilation duct through which air whose temperature has been adjusted by the temperature adjustment means passes, and at an arbitrary second location in the storage chamber, the temperature sensor which has the largest temperature change in a specified time is determined to be the temperature control sensor installed at the first location, and the other temperature sensor is determined to be the internal temperature sensor installed at the second location.

[0008] The present invention is also characterized in that, in the above-mentioned showcase, the temperature control means is composed of an evaporator which cools the air passing through the ventilation passage, and when the control unit inputs the detected temperatures from the two temperature sensors, it determines the temperature sensor which has the largest temperature drop in a specified time and the smallest detected temperature as the temperature control sensor, and determines the other temperature sensor as the internal temperature sensor. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, when the control unit receives the detected temperatures from two temperature sensors installed at a first location in the ventilation passage through which air whose temperature has been adjusted by the temperature adjustment means passes and at an arbitrary second location in the storage room, the control unit determines that the temperature sensor with the largest temperature change in a predetermined time is the temperature control sensor installed at the first location, and determines that the other temperature sensor is the inside temperature sensor installed at the second location, so that there is no need to replace the first temperature sensor with the second temperature sensor. In addition, in the manufacturing process, the manufacturer can install the temperature control sensor and the inside temperature sensor without considering installation errors, and there is no need to check for installation errors afterwards. Therefore, there is an effect that the replacement of the temperature control sensor and the inside temperature sensor is unnecessary, and the manufacturing work can be simplified. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view showing a schematic internal structure of a showcase according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a characteristic control system of the showcase according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the temperature sensor determination process executed by the control unit shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a showcase according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012] 1 and 2 respectively show a showcase according to an embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 1 being a cross-sectional side view showing a schematic internal structure, and FIG. 2 being a block diagram showing a characteristic control system.

[0013] The showcase 1 illustrated here is used to store products in a store such as a supermarket or a convenience store, and is configured to include a case body 10, a first temperature sensor S1, a second temperature sensor S2, and a control unit 30.

[0014] The case body 10 has a bottom surface 11, a rear surface 12, and a top surface 13, and a storage chamber 14 having an open front surface is formed in the area surrounded by the bottom surface 11, the rear surface 12, and the top surface 13. The case body 10 is also provided with a ventilation passage 15 in a manner that separates it from the storage chamber 14.

[0015] The ventilation passages 15 are formed inside the bottom surface portion 11, the rear surface portion 12 and the top surface portion 13, and include a lower duct 15a, a rear surface duct 15b and an upper duct 15c.

[0016] The lower duct 15a is formed in a portion of the bottom surface portion 11 that is lower than the bottom surface plate 11a that constitutes the bottom surface of the storage chamber 14. An intake port 16 extending in the left-right direction is formed in the front end portion of the bottom surface plate 11a. In other words, the intake port 16 is an opening formed in the front lower portion of the storage chamber 14.

[0017] The rear duct 15b is formed in a portion of the rear portion 12 that is rearward of the rear plate 12a that constitutes the rear surface of the storage chamber 14. The lower end portion of this rear duct 15b communicates with the rear end portion of the lower duct 15a.

[0018] The upper duct 15c is formed in a portion of the top surface portion 13 that is above the top panel 13a that constitutes the top surface of the storage chamber 14. The rear end portion of this upper duct 15c communicates with the upper end portion of the rear duct 15b. An air outlet 17 extending in the left-right direction is formed in the front end portion of the top panel 13a. In other words, the air outlet 17 is an opening formed in the front upper portion of the storage chamber 14.

[0019] An evaporator 18 and a blower fan 19 are installed inside the ventilation passage 15. The evaporator 18 constitutes a refrigeration cycle together with a condensing unit 20, and exchanges heat with the air passing through the ventilation passage 15.

[0020] When the blower fan 19 is driven, it sends out air sucked into the ventilation passage 15 through the suction port 16 to the air outlet 17 and blows it out from the air outlet 17 into the storage chamber 14, thereby circulating air between the storage chamber 14 and the ventilation passage 15.

[0021] A plurality of product placement shelves 21 are provided vertically in the storage room 14. The product placement shelves 21 are of a conventionally known type and are used to place products thereon.

[0022] In such a showcase 1, when the condensing unit 20 and the blower fan 19 are driven, the air that has passed through the evaporator 18 is circulated and supplied to the storage room 14 through the ventilation passage 15, and the internal atmosphere of the storage room 14 is cooled, thereby maintaining the products placed on the product placement shelf 21 at the desired cooling temperature.

[0023] The first temperature sensor S1 and the second temperature sensor S2 are temperature detection means that detect the ambient temperature in which they are disposed. When the first temperature sensor S1 detects a temperature, it sends the first detected temperature as a temperature signal to the control unit 30. When the second temperature sensor S2 detects a temperature, it sends the second detected temperature as a temperature signal to the control unit 30.

[0024] In addition, one of the first temperature sensor S1 and the second temperature sensor S2 is disposed at a location (first location) in the ventilation passage 15 through which air cooled by the evaporator 18 passes, and the other is disposed at an arbitrary location (second location) in the storage chamber 14.

[0025] The control unit 30 is connected to the condensing unit 20, the blower fan 19, the first temperature sensor S1, and the second temperature sensor S2, and controls the overall operation of the showcase 1 according to programs and data stored in a memory unit 31 also connected thereto. Such a control unit 30 includes a determination processing unit 30a. The determination processing unit 30a performs a temperature sensor determination process described later.

[0026] In addition, the control unit 30 may be realized, for example, by having a processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) execute a program, that is, by software, or may be realized by hardware such as an IC (Integrated Circuit), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the temperature sensor determination process performed by the control unit 30 shown in FIG.

[0028] In the temperature sensor determination process, the determination processing unit 30a of the control unit 30 determines whether or not the first and second detected temperatures are input from the first and second temperature sensors S1 and S2 (step S101). If the first and second detected temperatures are not input (step S101: No), the control unit 30 repeats the process.

[0029] If the first detected temperature and the second detected temperature are input (step S101: Yes), the judgment processing unit 30a of the control unit 30 calculates the slope of each detected temperature, i.e., the temperature decrease of the first detected temperature over a specified time and the temperature decrease of the second detected temperature over a specified time (step S102).

[0030] Having calculated the gradient of each detected temperature, the determination processing unit 30a determines whether the first detected temperature is less than the second detected temperature and whether the temperature drop of the first detected temperature is large (step S103).

[0031] If the first detected temperature is less than the second detected temperature and the temperature drop of the first detected temperature is large (step S103: Yes), the judgment processing unit 30a judges that the first temperature sensor S1 is a temperature control sensor arranged in the ventilation duct 15 and the second temperature sensor S2 is an internal temperature sensor arranged in the storage room 14 (step S104), and then returns the procedure to end the current processing.

[0032] If the first detected temperature is equal to or higher than the second detected temperature or if the temperature drop in the first detected temperature is not large (step S103: No), the judgment processing unit 30a determines whether the second detected temperature is lower than the first detected temperature and whether the temperature drop in the second detected temperature is large (step S105).

[0033] If the second detected temperature is lower than the first detected temperature and the temperature drop of the second detected temperature is large (step S105: Yes), the judgment processing unit 30a judges that the second temperature sensor S2 is a temperature control sensor arranged in the ventilation duct 15 and the first temperature sensor S1 is an internal temperature sensor arranged in the storage room 14 (step S106), and then returns the procedure to end the current processing.

[0034] On the other hand, in step S105, if the second detected temperature is equal to or higher than the first detected temperature, or if the temperature drop in the second detected temperature is not large (step S105: No), the judgment processing unit 30a does not perform the processing of step S106, and then returns the procedure to end the current processing.

[0035] As described above, according to the showcase 1 which is an embodiment of the present invention, when the control unit 30 inputs the first detected temperature and the second detected temperature from the first temperature sensor S1 and the second temperature sensor S2, respectively, it determines the temperature sensor with the largest temperature drop in a predetermined time and the smallest detected temperature as the temperature control sensor, and determines the other temperature sensor as the inside temperature sensor, so that there is no need to replace the first temperature sensor S1 with the second temperature sensor S2. Also, in the manufacturing process, the manufacturer can install the temperature control sensor and the inside temperature sensor without considering installation errors, and there is no need to check for installation errors afterwards. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the need to replace the temperature control sensor and the inside temperature sensor, and to facilitate the manufacturing process.

[0036] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this and various modifications can be made.

[0037] In the above embodiment, the temperature sensor determination process determines the temperature sensor that has a large temperature drop over a predetermined time and a small detected temperature as the temperature control sensor, but in the present invention, the temperature sensor that has a large temperature change over a predetermined time may be determined as the temperature control sensor, and the other temperature sensor may be determined as the inside temperature sensor. This also makes it unnecessary to replace the temperature control sensor with the inside temperature sensor, and facilitates the manufacturing process.

[0038] In the above-described embodiment, the evaporator 18 is described as constituting the temperature adjustment means, but in the present invention, the temperature adjustment means may be constituted by a heating device such as a condenser or a heater.

[0039] In the above-described embodiment, the judgment processing unit 30a judges the temperature control sensor and the internal temperature sensor in the temperature sensor judgment process. However, in the present invention, the temperature control sensor and the internal temperature sensor may be switched in response to an input operation using an input means such as a remote control. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1...showcase, 10...case body, 14...storage room, 15...ventilation duct, 16...suction port, 17...blow outlet, 18...evaporator, 19...blower fan, 20...condensing unit, 21...product placement shelf, 30...control unit, 30a...judgment processing unit, 31...memory unit, S1...first temperature sensor, S2...second temperature sensor.

Claims

1. a storage chamber defined inside the case body and having multiple product placement shelves arranged vertically; An air circulation means for circulating air between the storage chamber and a ventilation passage that is outside the storage chamber; a temperature adjusting means for adjusting the temperature of the air passing through the ventilation passage by the air circulation means; Equipped with A showcase that maintains products placed on the product placement shelf at a desired temperature, This showcase is characterized in that, when detected temperatures are input from two temperature sensors installed at a first location in the ventilation duct through which air whose temperature has been adjusted by the temperature adjustment means passes, and at an arbitrary second location in the storage room, the control unit determines that the temperature sensor which has experienced the largest temperature change over a specified period of time is the temperature control sensor installed at the first location, and determines that the other temperature sensor is the storage room temperature sensor installed at the second location.

2. the temperature adjustment means is constituted by an evaporator that cools air passing through the ventilation passage, The control unit, when receiving detected temperatures from the two temperature sensors, determines the temperature sensor which has a larger temperature drop in a specified period of time and a smaller detected temperature as the temperature control sensor, and determines the other temperature sensor as the internal temperature sensor.

Images