Filter cleaning device and showcase

Abstract

To provide a filter cleaning device capable of continuously removing dust adhering to a rotary brush to improve cleaning efficiency during cleaning of a filter.SOLUTION: A filter cleaning device cleans a filter of a showcase having a heat exchanger and a filter arranged in front of the heat exchanger to collect dust in the air, and comprises a movable body part arranged in front of the filter and moving in a right-left direction relative to the filter, and a rotary brush attached to the movable body part in a freely rotatable manner and contacting the filter to remove dust adhering to the filter. The movable body part is provided with a remover that is provided at a position where it contacts the rotary brush and removes dust adhering to the rotary brush.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a filter cleaning device that removes dust from a filter for a heat exchanger provided in a showcase that performs freezing, refrigeration, or the like, and to a showcase. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as a freezer or refrigerated showcase installed in a food sales area, etc., a showcase is known in which a condenser, which is a type of heat exchanger, and a condenser blower are arranged in a machine room in a base part arranged at the bottom of the showcase body. In this type of showcase, an intake port is formed in the front panel of the base part for taking in outside air to be heat exchanged in the condenser, and a filter for the condenser and a filter cleaning device for cleaning the filter are arranged between the intake port and the condenser.

[0003] One filter cleaning device is one in which a brush device equipped with a rotating brush is placed on the front side of a filter, and the brush device is moved laterally relative to the filter while rotating the rotating brush to clean the filter (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] The filter cleaning device in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a remover that removes dust adhering to the rotating brush from the rotating brush. The remover is attached to the left and right ends of the filter, and when the rotating brush reaches the position of the remover, the dust adhering to the rotating brush is removed by the remover. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-204415 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the filter cleaning device of Patent Document 1, the remover is attached to the left and right ends of the filter, so dust attached to the rotating brush is peeled off only when the rotating brush reaches the position of the remover. Therefore, in the filter cleaning device of Patent Document 1, the rotating brush cleans the filter with dust still attached to it while the rotating brush is moving until it reaches the remover, which causes a problem of reduced filter cleaning efficiency.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of these points, and aims to provide a filter cleaning device and a showcase that can continuously remove dust adhering to a rotating brush while cleaning the filter, thereby improving cleaning efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The filter cleaning device of the present disclosure is a filter cleaning device for cleaning the filter of a showcase having a heat exchanger and a filter arranged in front of the heat exchanger to collect dust in the air, and is equipped with a movable main body part arranged in front of the filter and moving in a left-right direction relative to the filter, and a rotating brush attached freely to the movable main body part and contacts the filter to remove dust adhering to the filter, and the movable main body part is provided with a remover arranged in a position to contact the rotating brush and to peel off dust adhering to the rotating brush.

[0009] The showcase according to the present disclosure is equipped with the above-mentioned filter cleaning device. Effect of the Invention

[0010] In the filter cleaning device and showcase according to the present disclosure, the remover is provided on the moving main body and moves in the left-right direction together with the rotating brush. Therefore, in the filter cleaning device and showcase, while the filter is being cleaned by the rotating brush, the remover is constantly in contact with the rotating brush and continues to peel off dust adhering to the rotating brush, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency of the filter. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a showcase according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2 is a plan view of a base part of the showcase according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of a base part of the showcase according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view of a state in which a filter cleaning device is attached to a front panel of a showcase in accordance with embodiment 1. FIG. [Diagram 5] 4 is an enlarged plan view of a portion including a start point detection switch of the showcase according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a view showing a state in which a filter cleaning device is attached to a front panel of a showcase according to embodiment 1, as viewed from the filter side. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the filter cleaning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 is a perspective view of a filter cleaning device according to a first embodiment, as viewed from the side opposite to the side facing a filter. [Figure 9] 9 is a perspective view of the filter cleaning device according to the first embodiment, seen from an opposite side to the side facing the filter at an angle different from that in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a filter cleaning device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 11] 7 is a cross-sectional view of the front panel, the filter cleaning device and the condenser at position ZZ in FIG. 6. [Figure 12] 4 is a detailed view of a dust box in the filter cleaning device according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. [Figure 14] 12(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line YY in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. In addition, the shape, size, and arrangement of the configurations described in each drawing may be appropriately changed within the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", "front side", and "rear side" used in the following description refer to the directions when the showcase is viewed from the front side, unless otherwise specified.

[0013] Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a showcase 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the base part 3 of the showcase 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the inside of the base part 3 of the showcase 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which a filter cleaning device 20 is attached to the front panel 9 of the showcase 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a portion including the starting point detection switch 10 of the showcase 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a view showing a state in which the filter cleaning device 20 is attached to the front panel 9 of the showcase 1 according to the first embodiment, as viewed from the filter side.

[0014] The showcase 1 is for cooling products such as beverages while they are displayed, and includes a product display section 2 and a base section 3 arranged below the product display section 2.

[0015] The base 3 is provided below the product display section 2 and is formed, for example, in a box shape. The base 3 has a box-shaped main body 3a with an open front and a front panel 9 that closes the front opening of the main body 3a and is detachable from the main body 3a. A machine chamber 3A is formed in the space within the base 3 to accommodate mechanical elements that constitute a refrigerant circuit that performs a refrigeration cycle.

[0016] In the machine room 3A, there are disposed a compressor 4, a condenser 5 which is a heat exchanger, and a pressure reducing device (not shown) as machine elements constituting a refrigeration cycle. In addition, in the machine room 3A, there are disposed a blower 6 which supplies air taken into the machine room 3A from the outside through an intake port 91 provided in a front panel 9 to the condenser 5, a control device 7a, and a control box 7, as shown by the outline arrow in FIG.

[0017] A filter 8 that collects dust contained in the outside air supplied to the condenser 5 is disposed in front of the condenser 5. A start point detection switch 10 that detects the operation start point of a filter cleaning device 20 (described below) is provided in front of the filter 8 as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The start point detection switch 10 is provided at the end of the operating range of the filter cleaning device 20. The start point detection switch 10 is configured, for example, by a contact type limit switch or a contactless type reed switch.

[0018] The front panel 9 is provided with a plurality of suction ports 91 for supplying outside air to the condenser 5. The suction ports 91 are formed in an area facing the condenser 5 when the front panel 9 is attached to the main body 3a of the base 3. The shape, position, and size of the suction ports 91 are not important as long as they are for supplying outside air to the condenser 5. Note that FIG. 3 shows the front panel 9 removed forward from the main body 3a and tilted forward by 90° so that the back surface 9a can be seen. The front panel 9 is raised backward by 90° from the state in FIG. 3 as indicated by the arrow A and attached to the main body 3a to form the front surface of the base 3.

[0019] As shown in Figs. 3 to 6, a rack gear 93 extending in the left-right direction is provided at the upper part of the rear surface 9a of the front panel 9. The rack gear 93 is supported and fixed by a gear support frame 92 fixed to the rear surface 9a of the front panel 9. The rack gear 93 is formed above the plurality of suction ports 91 provided in the front panel 9, and is longer than the left-right length of the formation area of ​​the plurality of suction ports 91. As shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the left-right length Wg of the rack gear 93 is a length obtained by adding the left-right width Wf of the filter 8 to the width Ws of a slide mechanism part 40 (described later) of the filter cleaning device 20. In addition, a rail 94 extending in the left-right direction and slidably supporting a slider 54 (described later) is provided at the lower part of the rear surface 9a of the front panel 9.

[0020] The showcase 1 also includes a filter cleaning device 20 that automatically removes dust adhering to the filter 8. The filter cleaning device 20 is attached to the back surface 9a of the front panel 9 and disposed in front of the filter 8. As shown in Figs. 3 to 6, the filter cleaning device 20 is attached to the back surface 9a of the front panel 9 so as to be movable in the left-right direction as indicated by arrow B. The filter cleaning device 20 is movable in the left-right direction by meshing a pinion gear 42 (see Figs. 7 and 11, which will be described later) of the filter cleaning device 20 with a rack gear 93 provided on the back surface 9a of the front panel 9.

[0021] The filter cleaning device 20 comprises a moving main body 60 which is detachably attached to the back surface 9a of the front panel 9 and moves in the left-right direction relative to the filter 8, and a rotating brush 21 which is rotatably attached to the moving main body 60. The rotating brush 21 comes into contact with the filter 8 to remove dust adhering to the filter 8. The moving main body 60 comprises a dust box 33 provided with a handle 37, a dust box case 32 which houses the dust box 33 so that it can be inserted and removed as shown by the arrow in Fig. 4, and the like. The detailed configuration of the filter cleaning device 20 will be described later.

[0022] The control device 7a is electrically connected to the starting point detection switch 10, a slide motor 41 and a brush motor 51, which will be described later, and controls the operation of the filter cleaning device 20. The control device 7a also controls the timing of cleaning the filter 8 using the filter cleaning device 20. The control device 7a is composed of a microcomputer and includes a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc., and a control program is stored in the ROM.

[0023] [Filter cleaning device 20] Next, the configuration of the filter cleaning device 20 will be described in detail.

[0024] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the filter cleaning device 20 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the filter cleaning device 20 according to the first embodiment, seen from the opposite side to the side facing the filter 8. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the filter cleaning device 20 according to the first embodiment, seen from the opposite side to the side facing the filter 8 at an angle different from that of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the filter cleaning device 20 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the front panel 9, the filter cleaning device 20, and the condenser 5 at the ZZ position in FIG. 6. In the following, the up-down, left-right, and front-rear directions in each of the figures after FIG. 7 indicate the directions when the filter cleaning device 20 is seen from the opposite side to the side facing the filter 8. In FIG. 9, the motor mounting base 44 and the slider 45 are omitted.

[0025] As described above, the filter cleaning device 20 includes the rotating brush 21 and the moving main body portion 60.

[0026] (Rotary Brush 21) The rotating brush 21 has a generally cylindrical rotating shaft extending in the vertical direction, and has a configuration in which a plurality of brush bristles (not shown) are planted on the surface of the rotating shaft excluding the vertical end 21a. The rotating brush 21 rotates with the tips of the bristles pressed against the filter 8, thereby scraping off dust adhering to the filter 8 with the bristles and collecting the scraped off dust between the bristles.

[0027] (Moving main body 60) The moving main body 60 has a dust collecting section 30 , a slide mechanism section 40 disposed above the dust collecting section 30 , and a brush rotation mechanism section 50 disposed below the dust collecting section 30 .

[0028] The dust collecting section 30 is provided adjacent to the rotating brush 21 in the left-right direction, and is a section that separates and collects the dust captured by the rotating brush 21 from the rotating brush 21. The dust collecting section 30 has a remover 31, a dust box case 32, and a dust box 33.

[0029] The remover 31 is a long plate-like member extending in the vertical direction along the rotating brush 21. The remover 31 has a vertical length corresponding to the bristles planted area of ​​the rotating brush 21. The remover 31 has a fixed part 31a and a tip part 31b that contacts the rotating brush 21, and is fixed to the dust box case 32 by a fixing member such as a screw so that the fixed part 31a is always in contact with the bristles of the rotating brush 21. The tip part 31b of the remover 31 is formed, for example, in an uneven comb shape, and by contacting the bristles of the rotating brush 21, the removed part 31 separates the collected dust attached to the rotating brush 21 from the rotating brush 21. The remover 31 is made of, for example, a metal, and is not deformed even when the rotating rotating brush 21 hits it.

[0030] The dust box case 32 is a case that houses the dust box 33, which collects the dust removed by the remover 31, so that the dust box 33 can be inserted and removed in the left-right direction. As shown in Fig. 7 and other figures, the dust box case 32 has a side portion 32a, a front portion 32b, and a rear portion 32c, which are integrally formed. The side portion 32a, the front portion 32b, and the rear portion 32c are each formed in a rectangular plate shape.

[0031] The side surface portion 32a is formed with a plurality of suction ports 32a1 for taking in air into the dust box case 32. The front surface portion 32b is formed with a plurality of air outlets 32b1 for blowing out the air sucked into the dust box 33 from the suction ports 32a1. The suction ports 32a1 formed in the side surface portion 32a and the air outlets 32b1 formed in the front surface portion 32b form an air flow in the dust box case 32 in which the air sucked into the dust box case 32 from the suction ports 32a1 is blown out from the air outlets 32b1 as shown by the white arrows in FIG. 10 described later. This air flow is formed by the blower 6. The air outlets 32b1 face the filter 8 when the filter cleaning device 20 is attached to the front panel 9, and the air passing through the suction ports 91 of the front panel 9 flows through the suction ports 32a1 and the air outlets 32b1 and then flows toward the filter 8 by driving the blower 6. In the illustrated example, the inlet 32a1 and the outlet 32b1 are formed in a slit shape, but are not limited to a slit shape and may have any shape.

[0032] The lower end of the side surface portion 32a is located above the lower ends of the front surface portion 32b and the rear surface portion 32c. As a result, a gap S1 is formed below the side surface portion 32a to allow a dust receiving portion 34 of the dust box 33, which will be described later, to pass to the left of the side surface portion 32a.

[0033] The dust box 33 is a box that collects dust removed from the rotating brush 21 by the remover 31. The dust box 33 is formed in a box shape with an open left side surface facing the rotating brush 21. The dust box 33 has a bottom surface portion 33a, a front surface portion 33b, a rear surface portion 33c, a side surface portion 33d, and a top surface portion 33e, which are integrally formed. The bottom surface portion 33a, the front surface portion 33b, the rear surface portion 33c, the side surface portion 33d, and the top surface portion 33e are each formed in a rectangular plate shape.

[0034] The dust box 33 has a dust receiving portion 34 that is formed so that the bottom surface portion 33a extends to a position where it overlaps the lower side of the remover 31 in a plan view, and captures dust peeled off by the remover 31. The dust receiving portion 34 is a portion that captures dust that has not been completely sucked into the dust box 33. As shown in FIG. 7 and other figures, the bottom surface portion 33a is formed to be longer in the left-right direction than the front surface portion 33b, the back surface portion 33c, and the upper surface portion 33e, and protrudes to the left to form a protruding bottom surface portion 33a1. The dust receiving portion 34 is formed by forming a wall portion 34a that protrudes upward on the front edge, rear edge, and left edge of the protruding bottom surface portion 33a1. When the dust box 33 is housed in the dust box case 32, the dust receiving portion 34 protrudes to the left from a gap S1 below the side surface portion 32a of the dust box case 32, and is therefore located below the remover 31.

[0035] A rectangular through-hole 33b1 penetrating in the front-rear direction is formed in the front surface portion 33b. The through-hole 33b1 is formed at a position and with a size opposite to an area where a plurality of air outlets 32b1 are formed in the dust box case 32. A filter 35 is provided in the through-hole 33b1. The filter 35 prevents dust accumulated in the dust box 33 from flowing out of the dust box 33 due to the flow of air passing through the dust box 33.

[0036] Hereinafter, a more detailed configuration of the dust box 33 will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13 in addition to FIGS.

[0037] Fig. 12 is a detailed view of the dust box 33 in the filter cleaning device 20 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 12(a) is a left side view of the dust box 33. Fig. 12(b) is a front view of the dust box 33. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in Fig. 12(a). Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line YY in Fig. 12(b).

[0038] As shown in Fig. 13, the upper surface of the bottom surface portion 33a of the dust box 33 is an inclined surface 33a2. The inclined surface 33a2 is an inclined surface that slopes downward from the open side surface (left side surface) of the dust box 33 toward the opposite side surface (right side surface). In other words, the inclined surface 33a2 is an inclined surface that slopes downward from the open side surface of the dust box 33 toward the back side of the dust box 33. The dust box 33 is designed to guide dust that has entered the dust box 33 to the back side by means of the inclined surface 33a2.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 14, the left end of each of the front portion 33b and the rear portion 33c, in other words, the end facing the rotating brush 21, is provided with a return portion 36 that protrudes toward the inside of the dust box 33. The return portion 36 is formed to extend in the vertical direction. By having the return portion 36, the dust box 33 can prevent dust once accumulated inside from spilling out to the outside. By having the return portion 36, the dust box 33 can prevent dust inside from spilling out of the dust box 33 when the filter cleaning device 20 is in a position where it is tilted forward together with the front panel 9 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 10, the dust box 33 having the above-described structure is housed in the dust box case 32 so as to be freely inserted and removed by means of a handle 37 provided on the side surface portion 33d.

[0041] The slide mechanism 40 is a part that slides the filter cleaning device 20 in the left-right direction relative to the front panel 9. The slide mechanism 40 is disposed above the rotating brush 21 and the dust collecting unit 30. The slide mechanism 40 includes a pinion gear 42 that meshes with a rack gear 93 provided on the rear surface 9a of the front panel 9, a slide motor 41 that drives the pinion gear 42, a motor mounting base 44 to which the slide motor 41 is fixed, and an upper cover 43.

[0042] The slide motor 41 is disposed below the motor mounting base 44 and is fixed to the motor mounting base 44 with screws. The slide motor 41 is configured as, for example, a stepping motor. The driving of the slide motor 41 is controlled by the control device 7a. Since the slide motor 41 is configured as a stepping motor, the filter cleaning device 20 can be attached to a showcase 1 that uses a flammable refrigerant as the refrigerant that circulates in the refrigeration cycle. Since a stepping motor has no contacts and is therefore unlikely to cause sparks, it can also be used in showcases 1 that use a flammable refrigerant.

[0043] The pinion gear 42 is disposed above the motor mounting base 44, and is fixed to the rotating shaft of the brush motor 51 that protrudes upward from below through a through hole 44a provided in the motor mounting base 44. This allows the rotation of the slide motor 41 to be transmitted to the pinion gear 42, causing the pinion gear 42 to rotate. As the pinion gear 42 rotates, the filter cleaning device 20 moves integrally with the pinion gear 42 in the left-right direction in which the rack gear 93 extends.

[0044] Although not shown in detail, the motor mounting base 44 is fixed to the upper cover 43 which forms the upper surface of the filter cleaning device 20. By fixing the motor mounting base 44 to the upper cover 43, the slide motor 41, the motor mounting base 44, the pinion gear 42 and the upper cover 43 are integrated together.

[0045] The upper cover 43 has a configuration in which an upper surface portion 43a, a front surface portion 43b extending downward from the front edge of the upper surface portion 43a, and a rear surface portion 43c extending downward from the rear edge of the upper surface portion 43a are integrally formed. The upper surface portion 43a is formed in a rectangular plate shape. A through hole 43a1 penetrating in the vertical direction is formed in the left part of the upper surface portion 43a. The through hole 43a1 is formed at a position facing the rotating brush 21 in the upper surface portion 43a, and the upper end portion 21a of the rotating brush 21 passes upward from below through the through hole 43a1. The upper end portion 21a of the rotating brush 21 passing upward from the through hole 43a1 is rotatably fixed to a brush fixing portion 46 arranged above the upper surface portion 43a. As a result, the upper cover 43 rotatably supports the rotating brush 21 at the left part.

[0046] The front portion 43b of the upper cover 43 is plate-shaped, and the left and right portions have different lengths in the vertical direction. The left portion of the front portion 43b is shorter than the right portion of the front portion 43b, and exposes the rotating brush 21 when the upper cover 43 is fixed to the top of the sliding motor 41.

[0047] The rear portion 43c of the upper cover 43 is configured as a rectangular plate extending downward from the right part of the rear edge of the upper surface portion 43a as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 9. The rear portion 43c faces the rear surface 9a of the front panel 9 in a state in which the filter cleaning device 20 is fixed to the rear surface 9a of the front panel 9. As will be described later, the rear portion 43c functions as a hanging portion that hangs the filter cleaning device 20 from a rack gear 93 fixed to the rear surface 9a of the front panel 9 together with the front portion 43b.

[0048] The slide mechanism 40 further has a slider 45. The slider 45 is disposed below the right portion of the upper surface 43a and is fixed to the upper surface 43a. The slider 45 is provided to allow the filter cleaning device 20 to move smoothly. The slider 45 is composed of a pair of cylindrical slider portions 45a on the left and right. When the filter cleaning device 20 is attached to the front panel 9, the slider 45 abuts against the flat upper surface of a rack gear 93 provided on the front panel 9 and slides along this upper surface.

[0049] The brush rotation mechanism 50 is a part that rotates and drives the rotating brush 21. The brush rotation mechanism 50 is disposed below the rotating brush 21 and the dust box 33. The brush rotation mechanism 50 has a brush motor 51 that rotates the rotating brush 21, a motor mounting base 52 to which the brush motor 51 is fixed, a lower cover 53, and a slider 54.

[0050] The brush motor 51 is disposed below the motor mounting base 52 and is fixed to the motor mounting base 52 with screws. The rotating shaft of the brush motor 51 protrudes upward through a through hole 52a1 formed in the motor mounting base 52 and is fixed to the rotating brush 21. In this way, the rotation of the brush motor 51 is transmitted to the rotating brush 21, causing the rotating brush 21 to rotate.

[0051] The brush motor 51 is configured as, for example, a stepping motor. The drive of the brush motor 51 is controlled by the control device 7a. Since the brush motor 51 is configured as a stepping motor, the filter cleaning device 20 can be attached to a showcase 1 that uses a flammable refrigerant as the refrigerant that circulates in the refrigeration cycle. Since a stepping motor has no contacts and is not likely to cause sparks, it can also be used in showcases 1 that use a flammable refrigerant.

[0052] The motor mounting base 52 has an integral configuration of an upper surface portion 52a, a front surface portion 52b extending downward from the front edge of the upper surface portion 52a, and a rear surface portion 52c extending downward from the rear edge of the upper surface portion 52a. The upper surface portion 52a, the front surface portion 52b, and the rear surface portion 52c are each formed in a rectangular plate shape.

[0053] The slider 54 is attached to the lower end of the back portion 52c of the motor mounting base 52. The slider 54 slides along a rail 94 provided on the front panel 9. The slider 54 has two pairs of front and rear cylindrical slider portions 54a spaced apart in the left-right direction.

[0054] The lower cover 53 is a cover that forms the lower surface of the filter cleaning device 20. The lower cover 53 covers the brush motor 51 from below, and is fixed to the motor mounting base 52 with screws.

[0055] The filter cleaning device 20 having the above-mentioned configuration is attached to the rear surface 9a of the front panel 9 as shown in Figs. 3 to 6 and 11. Here, the upper surface portion 43a and the rear surface portion 43c of the upper cover 43 function as a suspending portion when the filter cleaning device 20 is attached to the rear surface 9a of the front panel 9. As shown in Fig. 8, the upper cover 43 has a gap S2 between the lower end 43c1 of the rear surface portion 43c and the dust collecting portion 30, and is suspended through this gap S2 so that the upper slider 45 is placed on the upper surface of the rack gear 93 fixed to the rear surface 9a of the front panel 9 (see Fig. 11). In addition, the filter cleaning device 20 has a lower slider 54 assembled to a rail 94 provided on the rear surface 9a of the front panel 9 (see Fig. 11). As a result, the filter cleaning device 20 is attached to the rear surface 9a of the front panel 9 so as to be movable in the left-right direction.

[0056] The upper cover 43 is positioned when hung on the rack gear 93 by hooking the rear portion 43c of the upper cover 43 onto the rack gear 93. The slider 54 is attached to the rail 94 by inserting the pair of slider portions 54a into the rail 94.

[0057] In the showcase 1 having the filter cleaning device 20 configured as above, air is sucked into the machine room 3A from the suction port 91 of the front panel 9 by the operation of the blower 6 during the operation of the showcase 1, and dust and the like in the air are captured by the filter 8. The showcase 1 periodically performs a defrosting operation to melt frost adhering to an evaporator (not shown) which constitutes a refrigerant circuit together with the condenser 5, and the filter cleaning device 20 automatically cleans the filter 8 during the defrosting operation. The filter cleaning device 20 starts cleaning in accordance with the start of the defrosting operation. This control is performed by the control device 7a. The control device 7a has a preset number of pulses to be input to the slide motor 41, and the filter cleaning device 20 ends cleaning when the movement based on the set number of pulses is completed. Therefore, the filter cleaning device 20 may be in the middle of cleaning even after the defrosting operation is completed, or may end cleaning before the defrosting operation is completed. The timing of the filter cleaning is not limited to during the defrosting operation.

[0058] Next, the operation of the filter cleaning device 20 will be described. The filter cleaning device 20 has one end of the condenser 5 in the left-right direction as its initial position, and moves back and forth between an outward path in which the device moves from the initial position toward the other end in the left-right direction, and a return path in which the device moves back to the initial position from the other end. In this example, the outward path is to the right, and the return path is to the left.

[0059] The filter cleaning device 20 moves in the forward direction from the starting position, with the position where the start point detection switch 10 is pressed being set as the starting position, by inputting a preset number of pulses to the slide motor 41. Then, the rotation of the slide motor 41 is reversed, and the filter cleaning device 20 moves in the return direction. FIG. 5 shows the filter cleaning device 20 moving in the return direction as indicated by the arrow toward the start point detection switch 10. When the start point detection switch 10 is pressed, the rotation of the slide motor 41 stops, and the filter cleaning device 20 stops at the starting position. Note that the operation of the filter cleaning device 20 is not limited to reciprocating movement.

[0060] Here, the filter cleaning device 20 is said to stop at the starting position, but it may be as follows. After cleaning is completed, the filter cleaning device 20 may move from the starting position to a retracted position outside the air passage. The retracted position is, for example, a position where the filter cleaning device 20 has moved to the right end of the rack gear 93 in Fig. 3. When the filter cleaning device 20 is in the starting position or the retracted position, it is in a position that is not visible when viewed from the front of the front panel 9 through the suction port 91, except when cleaning is being performed.

[0061] In the filter cleaning device 20, the slide motor 41 and the brush motor 51 are driven under the control of the control device 7a. When the slide motor 41 is driven, the pinion gear 42 meshes with the rack gear 93 and rotates, and the filter cleaning device 20 moves laterally together with the pinion gear 42. At the same time, the brush motor 51 is driven to rotate the rotating brush 21. The rotating brush 21 rotates while pressing the brush bristles against the filter 8, thereby scraping off dust adhering to the filter 8.

[0062] The rotating brush 21 rotates counterclockwise when viewed in the axial direction as shown in Fig. 10. When the filter cleaning device 20 moves in the forward direction (leftward in Fig. 10), the rotating brush 21 rotates in the opposite direction to the movement direction of the filter cleaning device 20 at a contact portion with the filter 8 located in front of the rotating brush 21 in Fig. 10, thereby scraping and removing dust from the filter 8. Note that the rotating brush 21 can also scrape off dust attached to the filter 8 when the filter cleaning device 20 moves in the return direction (rightward in Fig. 10) by rotating while pressing the brush bristles against the filter 8.

[0063] In this way, the filter cleaning device 20 cleans the entire filter by the rotating brush 21 scraping off dust adhering to the filter 8 while moving laterally relative to the front panel 9. The filter cleaning device 20 moves smoothly relative to the front panel 9 by the upper slider 45 and the lower slider 54.

[0064] At the contact portion with the filter 8, the rotating brush 21 rotates in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the filter cleaning device 20. Thus, when the filter cleaning device 20 moves in the forward direction (rightward), the rotating brush 21 rotates counterclockwise as viewed in the axial direction, and when the filter cleaning device 20 moves in the forward direction (leftward), the rotating brush 21 rotates clockwise as viewed in the axial direction. This allows the rotating brush 21 to remove dust from the filter 8 by scraping it off. In this way, the filter cleaning device 20 can automatically clean the filter 8.

[0065] The filter cleaning device 20 includes a remover 31, which is constantly in contact with the rotating brush 21 as shown in Fig. 10. Therefore, while the rotating brush 21 is cleaning the filter, the remover 31 continues to peel off dust G adhering to the rotating brush 21. Therefore, the filter cleaning device 20 can keep the power of the rotating brush 21 to scrape off dust G high, and the cleaning efficiency of the filter 8 can be improved.

[0066] Here, the remover 31 is fixed to the rear end of the side portion 32a of the dust box case 32 as shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 10, and the tip portion 31b extends in a direction (leftward) approaching the brush motor 51 as it moves from rear to front as shown in Fig. 10. In terms of the relationship with the rotation direction of the rotating brush 21, the tip portion 31b extends from the front end of the fixed portion 31a in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the rotating brush 21. Of the two opposing faces 31a1 and 31b2 of the tip portion 31b, the face 31b1 on the upstream side in the rotation direction of the rotating brush 21 faces the suction port 32a1 of the dust box case 32, in other words, the open side face of the dust box 33. For this reason, the filter cleaning device 20 can make the dust G captured by the face 31b1 of the remover 31 flow into the dust box 33 from the suction port 32a1 by rotating the rotating brush 21 counterclockwise as viewed in the axial direction.

[0067] The remover 31 may be fixed to the front end of the side portion 32a of the dust box case 32, and the tip portion 31b may be formed to extend in a direction approaching the brush motor 51 (leftward) as it moves from the front to the rear. In this case, the filter cleaning device 20 rotates the rotating brush 21 clockwise when viewed in the axial direction. That is, in this case as well, the tip portion 31b is formed to extend from the fixed portion 31a in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the rotating brush 21, in terms of its relationship with the rotation direction of the rotating brush 21. Of the two opposing surfaces 31a1 and 31b2 of the tip portion 31b, the surface 31b1 on the upstream side in the rotation direction of the rotating brush 21 is formed to face the suction port 32a1 of the dust box case 32, in other words, the open side surface of the dust box 33. As a result, in the filter cleaning device 20, the rotating brush 21 rotates clockwise, so that the dust G captured on the rear surface of the remover 31 can flow into the dust box 33 from the suction port 32a1.

[0068] Incidentally, the filter cleaning device of Patent Document 1 is a unit in which parts such as a rotating brush and a filter are attached to the front panel of the showcase. For this reason, in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to attach a separate unit corresponding to the width and size of the showcase depending on the difference in width and size of the condenser. In other words, in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to replace the entire unit including the front panel.

[0069] In contrast, the filter cleaning device 20 of the first embodiment is an independent device separate from the front panel 9. Therefore, the filter cleaning device 20 of the first embodiment can accommodate different widths of the showcases 1, different sizes of the condensers 5, and different positions of the suction ports 91, simply by changing the length of the rack gear 93 fixed to the front panel 9.

[0070] In addition, since the filter cleaning device 20 is separate from the front panel 9, an automatic filter cleaning function can be added to an existing showcase that does not have such a function simply by attaching a rack gear to the front panel 9.

[0071] The filter cleaning device 20 is located on the path of air intake by the blower 6, and is structured so that air is drawn into the dust box 33 from the suction port 32a1 of the dust box case 32 and blown out from the blowing port 32b1. Therefore, the dust removed from the rotating brush 21 by the remover 31 flows into the dust box 33 from the suction port 32a1 by the air flow generated in the filter cleaning device 20 and is accumulated therein. The dust that flows into the dust box 33 is guided to the back of the dust box 33 by the inclined surface 33a2 of the dust box 33. Dust that cannot be completely sucked into the dust box 33 is captured by the dust receiving portion 34 of the dust box 33.

[0072] If the filter cleaning device 20 were not provided with a dust box 33, the dust removed by the remover 31 would fall onto the floor on which the showcase 1 is placed, making it necessary to clean the floor.

[0073] In contrast, the filter cleaning device 20 includes the dust box 33, and thus can suck in and store the dust removed by the remover 31 in the dust box 33. Also, the filter cleaning device 20 can capture dust that could not be sucked into the dust box 33 in the dust receiving section 34. Therefore, the showcase 1 can prevent the dust removed by the remover 31 from falling onto the floor surface, and can reduce the frequency of cleaning the floor surface.

[0074] The dust accumulated in the dust box 33 is periodically disposed of. When disposing of the dust accumulated in the dust box 33, an operator removes the front panel 9 from the main body 3a of the base 3, exposes the filter cleaning device 20, and removes the dust box 22. When replacing the rotating brush 21, the filter cleaning device 20 is also removed from the front panel 9. Here, if the filter cleaning device 20 were fixedly attached to the main body 3a of the base 3, the operator would have to work on the filter cleaning device 20 in a crouched position.

[0075] In contrast, since the filter cleaning device 20 is detachably attached to the front panel 9, when performing maintenance such as replacing the rotating brush 21, the worker can perform the work after removing the filter cleaning device 20 from the front panel 9. This eliminates the need for the worker to work in a crouched position, improving the ease of maintenance work. Note that in the illustrated example, the upper cover 43 is suspended from the rack gear of the front panel 9, so that the filter cleaning device 20 is detachably attached to the front panel 9, but the detachable configuration is not limited to the illustrated configuration.

[0076] The movement amount of the filter cleaning device 20 is set to be equal to or greater than the width Wf in the left-right direction of the filter 8 so that the filter 8 can be cleaned from end to end in the left-right direction. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the length Wg in the left-right direction of the rack gear 93 is set to be equal to or greater than the width Wf in the left-right direction of the filter 8 plus the width Ws of the slide mechanism part 40 of the filter cleaning device 20. In other words, in the showcase 1, the left-right widths of the rack gear 93, the filter 8, and the slide mechanism part 40 have a relationship of Wg≧Wf+Ws. As a result, in the showcase 1, the filter cleaning device 20 can clean the filter 8 from end to end in the left-right direction.

[0077] In the above, an example has been shown in which the filter cleaning device 20 is detachably attached to the front panel 9, but the present invention is not limited thereto and may be detachably attached to any component constituting the showcase 1. For example, the filter cleaning device 20 may be attached to the filter 8. In this case, the filter 8 is configured to have a rack gear 93.

[0078] [Effects of the filter cleaning device 20] The filter cleaning device 20 of the first embodiment is provided with a moving main body part 60 that is disposed in front of the filter 8 and moves in the left-right direction relative to the filter 8, and a rotating brush 21 that is rotatably attached to the moving main body part 60 and comes into contact with the filter 8 to remove dust adhering to the filter 8. The moving main body part 60 is provided with a remover 31 that is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the rotating brush 21 and peels off dust adhering to the rotating brush 21.

[0079] With the above-described configuration, the remover 31 is provided on the moving main body 60 and moves in the left-right direction together with the rotating brush 21. Therefore, in the filter cleaning device 20, while the rotating brush 21 is cleaning the filter, the remover 31 is always in contact with the rotating brush 21 and continues to peel off dust adhering to the rotating brush 21, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency of the filter 8.

[0080] The mobile main body 60 is provided with a dust box 33 for collecting dust removed by the remover 31.

[0081] With the above-described configuration, the filter cleaning device 20 can store dust removed from the filter 8 and dust detached from the rotating brush 21 in the dust box 33. Therefore, the filter cleaning device 20 does not drop dust on the floor surface, and the frequency of cleaning the floor can be reduced.

[0082] The dust box 33 is provided adjacent to the rotating brush 21 in the left-right direction, which extends in the up-down direction, and is formed in a box shape with an open side facing the rotating brush 21. The upper surface of the bottom portion 33a of the dust box 33 forms an inclined surface 33a2 that slopes downward from the open side toward the back side of the dust box 33.

[0083] With the above-described configuration, the filter cleaning device 20 can guide dust that has entered the dust box 33 to the rear side.

[0084] The dust box 33 has a bottom surface portion 33a, a front surface portion 33b, a rear surface portion 33c, a side surface portion 33d, and an upper surface portion 33e. A return portion 36 that protrudes toward the inside of the dust box 33 is formed at the end of each of the front surface portion 33b and the rear surface portion 33c that faces the rotating brush 21.

[0085] With the above-described configuration, the filter cleaning device 20 can prevent dust that has once accumulated inside the dust box 33 from spilling out to the outside.

[0086] The remover 31 is a long plate-like member extending in the vertical direction along the rotating brush 21. The dust box 33 is formed so that its bottom surface portion 33a extends to a position overlapping the lower side of the remover 31 in a plan view, and has a dust receiving portion 34 that captures dust removed by the remover 31.

[0087] With the above-described configuration, the filter cleaning device 20 can capture dust removed by the remover 31 and dust that has not been completely sucked into the dust box 33.

[0088] The movable main body 60 is detachable from the front panel 9 constituting the showcase 1.

[0089] With the above-mentioned configuration, the filter cleaning device 20 can be freely attached to and detached from the front panel 9. Moreover, the filter cleaning device 20 can be considered as an independent device separate from the front panel 9. This allows the filter cleaning device 20 to expand the range of models of showcases 1 to which the filter cleaning device 20 can be attached. For example, the filter cleaning device 20 can be attached to models in which the width of the machine chamber 3A is short, and can also be attached to models in which the width of the condenser 5 is long. Moreover, since the filter cleaning device 20 can be freely attached to and detached from the front panel 9, it is possible to eliminate the need for an operator to bend down when performing work such as replacing the rotating brush 21, improving maintainability.

[0090] The moving main body 60 has a pinion gear 42 that meshes with a rack gear 93 fixed to a structural member, and a slide motor 41 that drives the pinion gear 42, and moves in the left and right directions by the rotation of the slide motor 41.

[0091] With the above-described configuration, the filter cleaning device 20 is movable in the left-right direction relative to the front panel 9.

[0092] The slide motor 41 and the brush motor 51 are stepping motors.

[0093] With the above configuration, the filter cleaning device 20 can be attached to a showcase 1 that uses a flammable refrigerant as the refrigerant that circulates through the refrigeration cycle. Since the stepping motor has no contacts and there is no possibility of sparks flying, it can also be used in showcases 1 models that use a flammable refrigerant. Since the stepping motor has no contacts and there is no possibility of sparks flying, it can also be used in showcases 1 models that use a flammable refrigerant.

[0094] The showcase 1 includes a filter cleaning device 20 and a box-shaped base 3. The base 3 includes a main body 3a that houses a condenser 5 and a filter 8, and a front panel 9 that is attached to the main body 3a and located in front of the filter 8. The filter cleaning device 20 is attached to the front panel 9.

[0095] With the above-mentioned configuration, in the showcase 1, the filter cleaning device 20 can move in the left-right direction relative to the front panel 9 to clean the filter 8.

[0096] The showcase 1 includes a control device 7a that controls the timing of cleaning by the filter cleaning device 20. The control device 7a causes the filter cleaning device 20 to perform cleaning while the condenser 5 is being defrosted.

[0097] With the above-described configuration, the showcase 1 can automatically clean the filter 8 by the filter cleaning device 20 while the condenser 5 is being defrosted.

[0098] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices. (Appendix 1) A filter cleaning device for cleaning a filter of a showcase having a heat exchanger and a filter arranged in front of the heat exchanger to capture dust in the air, comprising: A moving body portion disposed in front of the filter and moving in a left-right direction relative to the filter; a rotating brush that is rotatably attached to the movable main body and that comes into contact with the filter to remove dust adhering to the filter, The moving main body portion is A filter cleaning device comprising a remover provided at a position in contact with the rotating brush for removing dust adhering to the rotating brush. (Appendix 2) The filter cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the movable main body is provided with a dust box for collecting dust removed by the remover. (Appendix 3) The dust box is arranged adjacent to the rotating brush in the vertical direction, and is formed in a box shape with an open side facing the rotating brush. The bottom portion of the dust box extends to a position overlapping below the remover in a plan view, and has a dust receiving portion that captures dust removed by the remover. (Appendix 4) A filter cleaning device as described in Appendix 3, wherein the upper surface of the bottom portion of the dust box is an inclined surface that slopes downward from the open side toward the side opposite the open side. (Appendix 5) The dust box has a bottom surface, a front surface, a rear surface, a side surface and a top surface, and the ends of the front surface and the rear surface facing the rotating brush are formed with turned-back portions that protrude toward the inside of the dust box. (Appendix 6) The remover is a long plate extending along the rotating brush, the tip that contacts the rotating brush extends in a direction against the rotation of the rotating brush, and of the two opposing surfaces of the tip, the surface upstream in the rotation direction of the rotating brush faces the open side of the dust box. (Appendix 7) 7. A filter cleaning device as described in claim 6, wherein the dust box has an air outlet formed therein for blowing air that has flowed into the dust box from the open side toward the filter. (Appendix 8) The filter cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the movable main body is detachably attached to a component member that constitutes the showcase. (Appendix 9) The filter cleaning device of claim 8, wherein the movable main body includes an upper cover having an upper surface and a rear surface extending downward from the upper surface, and is suspended from the component by the upper surface and the rear surface of the upper cover. (Appendix 10) The filter cleaning device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the movable main body has a pinion gear that meshes with a rack gear fixed to the component and a slide motor that drives the pinion gear, and moves in the left-right direction by rotation of the slide motor. (Appendix 11) 11. The filter cleaning device of claim 10, wherein the slide motor is a stepping motor. (Appendix 12) The moving main body includes a brush motor that drives the rotating brush, 12. The filter cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the brush motor is a stepping motor. (Appendix 13) A showcase equipped with the filter cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 12. (Appendix 14) It has a box-shaped base, the base portion includes a main body that houses the heat exchanger and the filter, and a front panel that is attached to the main body and positioned in front of the filter, The showcase according to claim 13, which is dependent on any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the component member is the front panel, and the filter cleaning device is attached to the front panel. (Appendix 15) A blower is provided to blow air to the heat exchanger, The showcase according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the filter cleaning device is disposed on a path of air intake by the blower. (Appendix 16) A control device is provided for controlling the timing of cleaning of the filter cleaning device, 16. The showcase according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the control device causes the filter cleaning device to perform cleaning during defrosting of the heat exchanger. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 1 showcase, 2 product display section, 3 pedestal section, 3A machine room, 3a main body, 4 compressor, 5 condenser, 6 blower, 7 control box, 7a control device, 8 filter, 9 front panel, 9a rear, 10 starting point detection switch, 20 filter cleaning device, 21 rotating brush, 21a end, 30 dust collection section, 31 remover, 31a fixed section, 31b tip section, 31b1 surface, 31b2 surface, 32 dust box case, 32a side section, 32a1 suction port, 32b front section, 32b1 blowing port, 32c rear section, 33 dust box, 33a bottom section, 33a1 protruding bottom section, 33a2 inclined surface, 33b front section, 33b1 through hole, 33c rear section, 33d Side portion, 33e top portion, 34 dust receiving portion, 34a wall portion, 35 filter, 36 return portion, 37 handle, 40 slide mechanism portion, 41 slide motor, 42 pinion gear, 43 top cover, 43a top portion, 43a1 through hole, 43b front portion, 43c rear portion, 43c1 bottom end, 44 motor mounting base, 44a through hole, 45 slider, 45a slider portion, 46 brush fixing portion, 50 brush rotation mechanism portion, 51 brush motor, 52 motor mounting base, 52a top portion, 52a1 through hole, 52b front portion, 52c rear portion, 53 bottom cover, 54 slider, 54a slider portion, 60 moving main body portion, 91 suction port, 92 gear support frame, 93 rack gear, 94 Rail, S1 gap, S2 gap.

Claims

1. A filter cleaning device for cleaning a filter of a showcase having a heat exchanger and a filter arranged in front of the heat exchanger to capture dust in the air, comprising: A moving body portion disposed in front of the filter and moving in a left-right direction relative to the filter; a rotating brush that is rotatably attached to the movable main body and that comes into contact with the filter to remove dust adhering to the filter, The moving main body portion is A filter cleaning device comprising a remover provided at a position in contact with the rotating brush for removing dust adhering to the rotating brush.

2. The filter cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the movable main body includes a dust box for collecting dust removed by the remover.

3. The filter cleaning device of claim 2, wherein the dust box is arranged adjacent to the rotating brush in the left-right direction and is formed in a box shape with an open side facing the rotating brush, the bottom portion of the dust box is formed to extend to a position overlapping below the remover in a plan view, and has a dust receiving portion that captures dust removed by the remover.

4. 4. The filter cleaning device according to claim 3, wherein the upper surface of the bottom portion of the dust box is an inclined surface that slopes downward from the open side surface toward the opposite side surface.

5. The filter cleaning device according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the dust box has a bottom surface, a front surface, a rear surface, a side surface and a top surface, and the ends of the front surface and the rear surface facing the rotating brush are formed with turned portions that protrude toward the inside of the dust box.

6. The remover is a long plate extending along the rotating brush, the tip that contacts the rotating brush extends in a direction against the rotation of the rotating brush, and of the two opposing surfaces of the tip, the surface upstream of the rotation direction of the rotating brush faces the open side of the dust box.A filter cleaning device as described in claim 3 or claim 4.

7. 7. The filter cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein the dust box is formed with an air outlet for blowing air that has flowed into the dust box from the open side toward the filter.

8. The filter cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the movable main body is detachably attached to a component member constituting the showcase.

9. 9. The filter cleaning device according to claim 8, wherein the movable main body comprises an upper cover having an upper surface and a rear surface extending downward from the upper surface, and is suspended from the component member by the upper surface and the rear surface of the upper cover.

10. The filter cleaning device according to claim 8, wherein the movable main body has a pinion gear that meshes with a rack gear fixed to the component member and a slide motor that drives the pinion gear, and moves in the left-right direction by rotation of the slide motor.

11. 11. The filter cleaning device according to claim 10, wherein the slide motor is a stepping motor.

12. The moving main body includes a brush motor that drives the rotating brush, 5. The filter cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the brush motor is a stepping motor.

13. A showcase comprising the filter cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

14. It has a box-shaped base, the base portion includes a main body that houses the heat exchanger and the filter, and a front panel that is attached to the main body and positioned in front of the filter, The showcase according to claim 13 dependent on claim 8, wherein the component member is the front panel, and the filter cleaning device is attached to the front panel.

15. A blower is provided to blow air to the heat exchanger, 14. The showcase according to claim 13, wherein the filter cleaning device is disposed on a path of air intake by the blower.

16. A control device is provided for controlling the timing of cleaning of the filter cleaning device, The showcase according to claim 13, wherein the control device causes the filter cleaning device to perform cleaning during defrosting of the heat exchanger.

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