Simple cooler

Abstract

To provide a simple cooler which does not require an external energy, can be easily maintained, and can maintain an effective cooling effect for a long period of time.SOLUTION: A simple cooler includes: a rotor (2) rotatable about a horizontal rotational shaft (2a); two or more ice-bag containers (4) provided on the rotor at a rotational-symmetric positions with respect to the center axis and capable of storing ice and water therein; and a water discharge port (4a) having an opening formed on the ice-bag container, and opened in all the same direction in a peripheral direction of the rotor or opened in a radial outward direction. Air around the container is cooled by an ice latent heat in an ice-bag container. In an ice-bag container where a water discharge port is positioned downward, water is discharged from the water discharge port to reduce a mass of the ice-bag container. The ice-bag container becomes lighter than a non-discharged ice-bag container. This allows the rotor to continuously and repeatedly rotate such that the discharged ice-bag container moves upward and the non-discharged ice-bag container moves downward. This rotation causes an air flow which diffuses the cooled air around the ice-bag container to the surroundings, resulting in a cooling effect.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a simple cooler that uses the phenomenon of up-down balance reversal that occurs when ice melts and the water is discharged to generate rotational torque, and cools the surrounding space with naturally occurring cold air. [Background technology]

[0002] As a technique for cooling the surrounding space by using the latent heat of ice, which is commonly seen elsewhere, the techniques described in Patent Documents 1 to 10 are known.

[0003] The cooling technologies described in Patent Documents 1 to 7 all involve cooling water (or brine) stored in a cold water tank using the latent heat of ice produced by an ice-making device, and circulating the cooled water (or brine) in the cold water tank through a heat exchanger using a pump to provide cooling.

[0004] The air conditioning technology described in Patent Document 8 involves providing a water tank containing water inside an insulated room, and when the temperature drops below freezing in winter, outdoor air is introduced into the insulated room to freeze the water in the tank and produce ice. The ice produced in the tank is then insulated and stored until the cooling season. During the cooling season, heat source water is sprayed onto the ice in the tank from a sprinkler unit using a pump to melt it, and water is also taken in from a water intake unit by a pump, circulated through a heat source water circulation system, and used as a cold heat source for air conditioning by an air conditioning heat exchange unit.

[0005] The cooling technology described in Patent Document 9 relates to an air cooler that takes in outside air, performs a dehumidifying and cooling process, and discharges the dehumidified, cooled air to the outside. This air cooler includes a dehumidifying and cooling chamber that performs the dehumidifying and cooling process, a refrigerant storage container that is placed inside the dehumidifying and cooling chamber and stores a refrigerant in a temperature range of -4 to -21°C, a water droplet recovery means that is placed at the bottom of the refrigerant storage container and recovers condensed water droplets, an outside air intake port that is placed at the bottom of the dehumidifying and cooling chamber to take in outside air, an exhaust port that is placed at the top of the dehumidifying and cooling chamber, and a blower fan that discharges the cooled and dehumidified air that has been taken into the dehumidifying and cooling chamber through the exhaust port to the outside (see Figures 1 to 5 of the document). The refrigerant storage container is made of aluminum or a plastic bottle, and the refrigerant placed in the refrigerant storage container is ice made of saltwater with a salt concentration of 3% or more.

[0006] The cooling technology described in Patent Document 10 relates to a personal ice storage cooling system that uses late-night electricity for individual cooling. This ice storage cooling system has an ice storage box (3) installed inside an insulated box (19), and a personal ice storage cooling unit (5) is formed by providing an opening and a blower fan (31) in the insulated box for intake and exhaust of air that exchanges heat with the ice storage box. The personal ice storage cooling units are placed in individual booths indoors, and a heat sink (9) installed outside the rooms is connected to the ice storage box by piping (see Figures 1 and 2 of the document). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 03-075428 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 50-038348 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 57-210228 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 47-030949 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 57-201434 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 57-201436 [Patent Document 7] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-300043 [Patent Document 8] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-228207 [Patent Document 9] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-061856 [Patent Document 10] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 06-257799 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The cooling technologies described in Patent Documents 1 to 7 all require a mechanism for cooling water in a cold water tank using the latent heat of ice cubes in an ice maker, and a mechanism for circulating the cooled water (or brine) in the cold water tank to a heat exchanger using a pump. Because the equipment is large-scale, it is difficult to easily introduce these technologies in ordinary homes or other locations (for example, amusement parks, in front of stores, etc.).

[0009] Furthermore, the cooling technology described in Patent Document 8 requires large-scale equipment such as an insulated water tank, a pump, a heat source water circulation system, and an air conditioning heat exchanger, making it difficult to introduce easily. In addition, the water in the tank must be frozen by the outside air in winter, making it difficult to apply outside cold regions.

[0010] Furthermore, all of the above conventional cooling technologies require a pump to be driven when performing air conditioning, which requires driving power and therefore has the problem of being lacking in energy conservation.

[0011] Furthermore, in the cooling technologies of Patent Documents 9 and 10, air cooled by ice in a dehumidifying and cooling chamber or an insulated box is blown into the space to be cooled using an electrically driven blower fan, which also requires driving power during cooling and is therefore not energy efficient.

[0012] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a simple cooler that does not require external energy such as electricity for operation, is easy to maintain, can be easily installed in ordinary homes and other places (e.g., amusement parks, in front of stores, etc.), and can maintain an efficient cooling effect on the surrounding air for a long period of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The first configuration of the simple cooler according to the present invention comprises a rotor that is rotatably arranged around a horizontally installed rotation axis; Two or more ice pack containers are arranged on the rotating body at positions rotationally symmetrical with respect to the rotation axis, and are configured to be able to contain ice and water; The ice pack container is characterized by having drainage holes formed therein, which open in any direction between the circumferential direction of the rotating body and the radially outward direction, all facing the same direction relative to the rotating shaft.

[0014] According to this configuration, water is first frozen into each ice pack container and then attached to the rotor. As the ice melts, the latent heat cools the air around the container. The water generated in the ice pack containers accumulates within the containers. However, ice pack containers located at the bottom of the rotor with their drain ports facing downward drain water through the ports, reducing their mass and making them lighter than undrained ice pack containers located at the top of the rotor. As a result, the rotor rotates so that drained ice pack containers (drained ice pack containers) move upward and undrained ice pack containers move downward. This rotation causes the drain ports of the undrained ice pack containers that have moved downward to face downward, and the drain ports of the drained ice pack containers that have moved upward to face upward. This chain of rotation continues until the ice in each ice pack container melts and disappears. This rotation generates an air current, which spreads the cold air around the ice pack container to the surrounding area, creating a cooling effect around the device.

[0015] Furthermore, as the rotor rotates, the meltwater produced in the ice pack container due to melting is gradually drained out of the container. Therefore, the meltwater, which has a higher specific heat than air (about four times that of air) and a higher thermal conductivity (about 14 times that of air), is separated from the unmelted ice. As a result, the latent heat of melting ice is used solely to cool the surrounding air, achieving efficient cooling of the surrounding air. Furthermore, due to the difference in thermal conductivity between water (meltwater) and air, the ice is less likely to melt than if the meltwater were not drained from the ice pack container, allowing the cooling effect to be maintained for a long period of time.

[0016] Unlike the conventional cooling technology that uses the latent heat of ice, this device does not require external energy such as electricity to operate, which contributes to energy conservation. Furthermore, its simple structure makes it easy to maintain and it can be easily installed in ordinary homes and other places.

[0017] A second configuration of the simple cooler according to the present invention is the first configuration, wherein the rotating body includes an annular frame connected to both ends of a rotation shaft of the rotating body and having a ring-shaped ring frame centered on the rotation shaft; Each of the ice pack containers is a cylindrical container with a bottom and a drainage outlet at one end, and is disposed inside the annular frame such that the central axis of the container faces the circumferential direction of the annular frame. All the ice pack containers are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the rotation axis of the rotating body.

[0018] A third configuration of the simple cooler according to the present invention is the first configuration, wherein the rotating body includes an annular frame connected to both ends of a rotation shaft of the rotating body and having a ring-shaped ring frame centered on the rotation shaft; Each of the ice pack containers is a cylindrical container with a bottom and a drainage outlet on a side surface, and is disposed inside the annular frame so that the central axis of the cylinder is oriented in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the rotor, All of the ice pack containers are characterized in that the drain outlet faces between the radially outward direction of the rotating body and the circumferential direction of the rotating body, and is arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the rotation axis of the rotating body.

[0019] A fourth configuration of the simple cooler according to the present invention is the first configuration, wherein the rotating body includes an annular frame connected to both ends of a rotation shaft of the rotating body and having a ring-shaped ring frame centered on the rotation shaft; Each ice pack container is a cylindrical container with a bottom and a drain outlet at one end, and is disposed inside the annular frame such that the central axis of the cylinder is in the radial direction of the rotating body and the drain outlet faces outward from the center of the rotating body; All the ice pack containers are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the rotation axis of the rotating body.

[0020] A fifth configuration of the simple cooler according to the present invention is the first configuration, wherein the rotor includes blades that rotate around the rotation axis of the rotor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a simple cooler that does not require external energy such as electricity for operation, is easy to maintain, can be easily installed in ordinary homes and other places (e.g., amusement parks, in front of stores, etc.), and can maintain an efficient cooling effect on the surrounding air for a long period of time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall perspective view of a simple cooler according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2A is a perspective view of the rotor assembly in FIG. 1, FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the ice pack container, and FIG. 2C is a perspective view of each part of the water tray in FIG. [Figure 3] 2A and 2B are a front view and a right side view, respectively, of the rotating body assembly of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram illustrating the cooling operation of the simple cooler 1 of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an overall perspective view of a simple cooler according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is an overall perspective view of a simple cooler according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an overall perspective view of a simple cooler according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 8A is a perspective view of the simple cooler of FIG. 7 with the ice pack container 4 removed, FIG. 8B is a front view of the simple cooler of FIG. 7, and FIG. 8C is a right side view of the simple cooler of FIG. [Figure 9] 10A is an overall perspective view of a simple cooler according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10B is an overall perspective view of a rotor assembly (an assembly of a rotor 2 and a support base 5). [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are a front view and a right side view, respectively, of the rotating body assembly of the simple cooler of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an overall perspective view of a simple cooler according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 12A and 12B are a front view and a right side view, respectively, of the simple cooler shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Example]

[0024] Fig. 1 is an overall perspective view of a simple cooler according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of each component, i.e., (a) a rotating body assembly, (b) an ice pack container, and (c) a water tray, in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front view and (b) a right side view of the rotating body assembly in Fig. 1.

[0025] The simple cooler 1 of this embodiment 1 is roughly divided into three parts: a rotor assembly (an assembly of a rotor 2 and a support base 5), an ice pack container 4, and a water tray 6. Here, the rotor assembly is made up of two parts: the rotor 2 and the support base 5.

[0026] The ice pack container 4 is a bottle-shaped container made of a heat transfer material for storing ice for cooling, with a drain opening (bottle spout) formed at one end. The heat transfer material can be any material that conducts heat fairly well (a material that can transfer heat from the outside air to the inside), and can be metal, resin, glass, or the like. Furthermore, the ice pack container 4 is preferably a container (such as a stainless steel can or a plastic bottle) that will not burst even when filled with water and frozen in a freezer due to the expansion of the ice. Each of the four ice pack containers 4 is the same type.

[0027] The water tray 6 is a deep dish-like (basin-like) container that receives and temporarily stores melted water produced when the ice stored in the ice pack container 4 melts and condensed water that condenses on the surface of the ice pack container 4.

[0028] The rotating body 2 is a frame made of rigid materials such as steel, aluminum, or hard resin, and is composed of a central axis 2a, eight radial frames 2b, two annular frames 2c, and four connecting frames 2d. The central axis 2a is a cylindrical member arranged along the central axis of an imaginary donut disk (a virtual donut disk formed by interpolating the frames of the frame with imaginary surfaces) defined by the frame of the rotating body 2. The radial frames 2b are rod-shaped members connected to both ends of the central axis 2a and arranged radially in directions four-fold symmetrical about the central axis 2a. The annular frames 2c are a pair of annular members arranged at the peripheries of the lower and upper bases of the imaginary donut disk. Each annular frame 2c is connected to the outer ends of the four radial frames 2b and is connected to the central axis 2a by these radial frames 2b. Both ends of the central shaft 2a protrude outward (forward and backward) from the centers of the lower and upper bottom surfaces of the imaginary doughnut-shaped disk defined by the two annular frames 2c, one at the front and one at the rear. Annular bearings 3, 3 are loosely mounted on both ends of the central shaft 2a protruding forward and backward. Ball bearings or roller bearings can be used for these bearings 3. The connecting frame 2d is a rod-shaped member that connects the two annular frames 2c, 2c. Both ends of each of the four connecting frames 2d are connected to the connecting portions between the annular frame 2c and each of the radial frames 2b.

[0029] Four holders 7 are disposed between the two front and rear annular frames 2c at positions rotationally symmetrical about the central axis 2a. The holders 7 are attachment members for detachably holding the ice pack container 4 to the annular frame 2c of the rotating body 2. Each holder 7 is disposed midway between two adjacent connection sections of the four connection sections between the annular frame 2c and the radial frame 2b. Each holder 7 is formed by a pair of U-shaped metal fittings or the like, and is fixed to the front and rear annular frames 2c, 2c by clips, welding, or the like. The ice pack container 4 is held in place by clamping its sides within the grooves of the two U-shaped metal fittings. To prevent the ice pack container 4 from falling out of the grooves of the U-shaped metal fittings during rotation of the rotating body 2, a presser member 8 is detachably provided to press and secure the center of the side of the ice pack container 4 from the outside of the annular frame 2c.

[0030] As shown in the partial exploded view in the right frame of Fig. 1, the retaining member 8 has clips 8a, 8a folded back on both ends of the square-shaped member, and these clips 8a, 8a clamp the annular frame 2c, thereby pressing down the ice pack container 4 from the outside and holding it in the groove of the holding portion 7. When each ice pack container 4 is held in the groove of the holding portion 7, as shown in Fig. 1 (or Fig. 4), the entire ice pack container 4 is fixed in a position that does not protrude circumferentially outward from the annular frame 2c of the rotating body 2. Furthermore, in this held state, the central axis of the ice pack container 4 is approximately the same as the tangent direction of a circle concentric with the annular frame 2c that passes through the center point of the ice pack container 4, and therefore the drain hole 4a of the ice pack container 4 faces outward from the tangent direction of the rotating body. Also, as shown in Figure 1, all ice pack containers 4 are installed so that the drain outlets 4a are all oriented in the same direction relative to the central axis 2a (rotation axis), i.e., all oriented in the same direction around the rotating body (in the example of Figure 1, counterclockwise when viewed from the front).

[0031] The support base 5 is a base that supports the rotor 2 so that it can rotate freely with the central axis 2a horizontal. The support base 5 includes one base 5a, four legs 5b, and two bearings 5c. The base 5a is a disk-shaped support plate. Although it is shown as a disk in FIG. 1, this shape may be any shape as long as it does not tip over when the rotor 2 and each ice pack container 4 are attached. The leg rods 5b are rod-shaped members that are erected as a pair on the left and right from two locations on the front and two locations on the rear of the upper surface of the base 5a, tilting upward toward the center of the base 5a. A bearing portion 5c is connected to the tip of each of the pair of left and right leg rods 5b arranged on the front and rear sides so that they are at the same height. The bearing portion 5c is an annular member that fixes the periphery of the bearing 3, and the central axes of the front and rear bearing portions 5c are arranged so that they are coaxial and horizontal (parallel to the top and bottom surfaces of the base 5a).

[0032] With the base 5a of the support stand 5 placed on a horizontal surface, the two bearings 3, 3 are fixed within the circular tube of the bearing portion 5c so that their central axes are horizontal, and the bearings 3, 3 allow the rotating body 2 to rotate freely around the horizontal central axis 2a.

[0033] Although this embodiment shows an example in which four ice pack containers 4 of the same type are detachably mounted on the rotating body 2, in the present invention, any number of ice pack containers 4 of the same type may be attached to the rotating body 2 as long as it is two or more. In this case, the number of radial frames 2b of the rotating body 2 and the number of holders 7 are the same as the number of ice pack containers 4 to be attached, and the positions of the radial frames 2b and holders 7 are rotationally symmetrical with respect to the central axis 2a.

[0034] Furthermore, there is no particular limitation on the materials for the rotor 2, support base 5, and water tray 6. For example, they may be made of metal, plastic, wood, or bamboo, and any material will do as long as it is strong enough.

[0035] In addition, in this embodiment, the rotating body 2 is a pair of ring-shaped frame bodies, but it can also be a spherical frame body as long as it has a shape that allows the ice bag container 4 held by the holding portion 7 to rotate.

[0036] The operation of the simple cooler 1 of this embodiment configured as above will be described below.

[0037] First, as preparation, the same amount of water is put into each ice pack container 4 and placed in the freezer to freeze the water inside. If the ice pack containers 4 are filled to the brim with water, the ice pack containers 4 will burst due to the expansion of the water volume during freezing (an increase of approximately 9%), so the amount of water put into the ice pack containers 4 is usually kept below 90% of their full capacity.

[0038] Next, the simple cooler 1 is installed in the space to be cooled, as shown in Figure 1. At this time, the ice pack containers 4 set on the rotor 2 are the ice pack containers 4 with the water inside frozen as explained above. Once the simple cooler 1 is installed in the space in this state, it will rotate naturally as the ice melts, as shown in Figure 4, and perform cooling operation using the latent heat of melting ice.

[0039] The mechanism for generating cool air in this invention is thought to be that when the ice attached to the rotating body melts, the balance between the top and bottom is inevitably lost, a torque difference occurs around the rotating axis, and cool air is naturally generated by blades, etc.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the structure is extremely simple compared to the conventional cooling devices that use ice latent heat described in the background art, so maintenance is easy and the device can be easily installed in ordinary homes and other places. [Example]

[0041] Figure 5 is an overall perspective view of a simple cooler according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 5, the same parts as those in Figure 1 of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals. The rotor 2 and ice pack container 4 are the same as those in the first embodiment, but this embodiment differs in that it is provided with a sloped support base 9 instead of the support base 5 and water tray 6.

[0042] The slope support base 9 is a hollow box that is elongated from side to side (as viewed from the front), and its front-to-rear width is greater than that of the front and rear annular frames 2c of the rotating body 2. The top surface of the slope support base 9 is formed with an inclined surface 9a, which is a gently sloping arc-shaped curve with the lowest point in the center. The inclined surface 9a also forms a gently sloping arc-shaped curve in the front-to-rear direction, with each point along the center line in the longitudinal direction being the lowest point of the arc-shaped curve in the front-to-rear direction. A drainage hole 9b is formed in the center of the inclined surface 9a, penetrating into the space inside the box of the slope support base 9. Furthermore, stoppers 9c protrude from the center near the left and right ends of the inclined surface 9a to limit the lateral rolling range of the rotating body 2. The stoppers 9c are made of an elastic material such as rubber or a spring. Guide fences 9d, 9d are erected at the front and rear ends of the inclined surface 9a to prevent the rotating body 2 from rolling off the inclined surface 9a. The guide fence body 9d is composed of a horizontally extending beam 9d-1 on the left and right, and multiple posts 9d-2 installed at regular intervals between the beam 9d-1 and the sloped surface 9a, with both left and right ends of the beam 9d-1 connected to the left and right ends of the sloped surface 9a. A water tray 9e is provided at the bottom of the inside of the slope support base 9 to temporarily collect water that flows into the box through the drainage holes 9b. An opening of approximately the same size as the front side of the water tray 9e is formed in the lower front of the slope support base 9, and the water tray 9e can be taken in and out through this opening.

[0043] In this embodiment, as the ice in each ice pack container 4 attached to the rotor 2 melts, the rotor 2 rolls on the inclined surface 9a of the slope support base 9, and when it hits the stopper 9c, it reverses its rolling direction, repeating this motion. During this process, the meltwater produced by the melting ice in each ice pack container 4 flows down the inclined surface 9a as the rotor 2 rotates, then flows along the slope to the drain hole 9b in the center of the inclined surface 9a, and then flows through the drain hole 9b into the water receiving tray 9e. [Example]

[0044] Figure 6 is an overall perspective view of a simple cooler according to Example 3 of the present invention. In Figure 6, parts that are the same as those in Figure 1 of Example 1 are given the same reference numerals. Compared to Example 1, the simple cooler 1 of this example differs in that it is newly equipped with four blades 10 of the same type.

[0045] Each blade 10 is configured in the shape of a trapezoidal flat plate. Of the eight radial frames 2b of the rotating body 2, each blade 10 is provided to span between radial frames 2b, 2b facing each other in the front and rear, with the upper base (narrow side) of the trapezoid facing inward and the lower base (wide side) facing outward. The width of each blade 10 is set to a width that does not interfere with the leg rods 5b of the support base 5 when the rotating body 2 rotates.

[0046] The material of each blade 10 is not particularly limited, and may be any material, such as metal, plastic, wood, rubber, or canvas.

[0047] In this way, by providing the blades 10 on the rotor 2, the air around the rotor 2 is diffused when the rotor 2 rotates, making it easier for the cool air to be diffused, thereby further improving the cooling effect.

[0048] In this embodiment, the support base 5 and the water tray 6 may be replaced with the slope support base 9 described in the second embodiment. [Example]

[0049] Fig. 7 is an overall perspective view of a simple cooler according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 shows (a) a perspective view of the simple cooler of Fig. 7 with the ice pack container 4 removed, (b) a front view of the simple cooler of Fig. 7, and (c) a right side view of the simple cooler of Fig. 7. In Figs. 7 and 8, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 1 of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals. Note that although the water tray 6 is not shown in Figs. 7 and 8, in actual use, the water tray 6 is placed under the support base 5, as in the first embodiment.

[0050] Compared to Example 1, the simple cooler 1 of this Example differs primarily in that the cylindrical central axis of the ice pack container 4 is parallel to the central axis 2a of the rotor 2; eight ice pack containers 4 are arranged symmetrically around the rotor 2; the drain port 4a of each ice pack container 4 is located at the center of the cylindrical side of the ice pack container 4 and is attached to the rotor 2 so that the drain port 4a faces outward; and the annular frame of the rotor 2 has a dual structure consisting of an outer annular frame 2e located on the outside and a wide inner annular frame 2f located on the inside, with outward-opening, arc-shaped holders 7, 7 attached to the inner side of the front and rear inner annular frames 2f. While Figures 7 and 8 show an example in which the annular frame of the rotor 2 has a dual structure consisting of an outer annular frame 2e and an inner annular frame 2f, the inner annular frame 2f may be omitted. In this case, each holder 7 may be U-shaped as in Example 1 and directly connected to the outer annular frame 2e.

[0051] When each ice pack container 4 is attached to the holder 7 of the rotor 2, it is basically attached so that it faces somewhere between the radial outward direction from the central axis 2a and the circumferential direction of the rotor 2, and all ice pack containers 4 are attached so that they are rotationally symmetrical about the central axis 2a (rotation axis) of the rotor 2. In particular, to improve rotational stability, when each ice pack container 4 is attached to the holder 7 of the rotor 2, it is preferable to attach it in a direction that is slightly tilted in the counter-rotational direction rather than facing outward from the central axis 2a (see FIG. 8(b)). Even with this configuration, a highly efficient cooling effect can be obtained by the same operation as described in Example 1.

[0052] In this embodiment, the support base 5 and the water tray 6 may be replaced with the slope support base 9 described in the second embodiment. [Example]

[0053] FIG. 9 is (a) an overall perspective view of a simple cooler and (b) an overall perspective view of a rotor assembly (an assembly of a rotor 2 and a support base 5) according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is (a) a front view and (b) a right side view of the rotor assembly of the simple cooler in FIG. 9. In FIGS. 9 and 10, parts that are the same as those in FIGS. 7 and 8 of the fourth embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals. Although the water tray 6 is not shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in actual use, the water tray 6 is placed under the support base 5, as in the first embodiment.

[0054] Compared to Example 4, the simple cooler 1 of this example differs in that it is newly equipped with four identical blades 10. Each blade 10 is configured in a spiral plate shape, regardless of the hardness or softness of the material (metal, rubber, canvas, etc. can be used). Note that while FIG. 9 shows an example of a spiral plate shape, it can also be flat. Each blade 10 is connected so as to span between the radial frames 2b of the front and rear rotors 2. To distinguish between the four radial frames 2b provided on each of the front and rear rotors 2, the radial frames 2b of the front rotor 2 are respectively designated radial frames F1, F2, F3, and F4 in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from the front, and the radial frames 2b of the rear rotor 2 are respectively designated radial frames B1, B2, B3, and B4 in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from the front. Also, the radial frames Fi (i=1, 2, 3, 4) and the radial frames Bi are numbered so as to be in opposing positions (the same positions in a front view) (see Fig. 9(b) and Fig. 10(a)). Then, the four blades 10 are installed between the radial frames F1 and B4, between the radial frames F2 and B1, between the radial frames F3 and B2, and between the radial frames F4 and B3, respectively, so as to be twisted rightward in a front view.

[0055] The material of each blade 10 is not particularly limited, and may be any material, such as metal, plastic, wood, rubber, or canvas.

[0056] Furthermore, the eight ice pack containers 4 are attached in a direction outward (radially outward) from the central axis 2a of the rotor 2, as in the fourth embodiment (see FIG. 8(b)). As a result, as the ice inside the ice pack containers 4 melts, the rotor 2 rotates whether clockwise or counterclockwise when viewed from the front.

[0057] In this embodiment, as described above, by providing the rotating body 2 with spiral blades 10, when the rotating body 2 rotates (when rotating clockwise when viewed from the front), the air around the rotating body 2 flows in the forward direction, making it easier for the cool air to diffuse in all directions, thereby further enhancing the cooling effect in the surrounding area.

[0058] In this embodiment, the support base 5 and the water tray 6 may be replaced with the slope support base 9 described in the second embodiment. [Example]

[0059] Fig. 11 is an overall perspective view of a simple cooler according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 12 shows (a) a front view and (b) a right side view of the simple cooler of Fig. 11. In Figs. 11 and 12, parts that are the same as those in Fig. 1 of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals. Note that although the water tray 6 is not shown in Figs. 11 and 12, in actual use, the water tray 6 is placed under the support base 5, as in the first embodiment.

[0060] Compared to Example 1, the simple cooler 1 of this example differs mainly in that the four ice pack containers 4 are detachably provided so that the drain outlets 4a of each container open radially outward from the rotor 2. Each ice pack container 4 is a bottle-shaped container made of a heat transfer material, similar to Example 1.

[0061] Each ice bag container 4 is held to the rotor 2 by holders 7, 7 such as U-shaped metal fittings installed between two opposing radial frames 2b of the front and rear rotors 2. To prevent the ice bag container 4 from falling off while the rotor 2 rotates, a retaining member 8 holds down the side of the ice bag container 4 near the drainage opening 4a while it is held to the rotor 2 by the holders 7, 7. As shown in the partial exploded view in the right frame of FIG. 11 , the retaining member 8 is fixed to both ends of a square-shaped plate-like member with clips or the like. When each ice bag container 4 is held in the groove of the holder 7, as shown in FIG. 12( a), each ice bag container 4 is fixed in a position where it does not protrude circumferentially outside the annular frame 2c of the rotor 2. Furthermore, in this held state, the central axis of the ice pack container 4 is approximately parallel to the radial direction extending from the center of the ice pack container 4 outward, and therefore the drain outlet 4a of the ice pack container 4 faces radially outward from the rotating body.

[0062] Even with this configuration, similar to the operation described in Example 1, the rotating body 2 rotates as the ice in each ice pack container 4 attached to the rotating body 2 melts, thereby achieving a long-lasting, highly efficient cooling effect.

[0063] In this embodiment, the support base 5 and the water tray 6 may be replaced with the slope support base 9 described in the second embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1 Simple Cooler 2 Rotating bodies 2a Center axis 2b Radial Frame 2c Annular Frame 2D Connected Frame 2e Outer ring frame 2F inner ring frame 3. Bearings 4 ice pack containers 4a Drain 5 Support stand 5a bass 5b leg rod 5c Bearing part 6 Water tray 7 Holding part 8 Presser member 8a clip 9 Slope support base 9a Slope 9b Drain hole 9c Stopper 9d Guide fence 9e Water tray 10 blades

Claims

1. a rotating body that is rotatably disposed around a horizontally installed rotation axis; two or more ice pack containers arranged on the rotating body at positions rotationally symmetrical with respect to the rotation axis, and configured to be able to contain ice and water; drainage holes formed in the ice pack container and opening in any direction between the circumferential direction of the rotating body and the radially outward direction so as to all face the same direction relative to the rotation axis; A simple cooler characterized by the following:

2. the rotating body includes an annular frame connected to both ends of a rotation shaft of the rotating body and having an annular shape centered on the rotation shaft, Each of the ice pack containers is a cylindrical container with a bottom and a drainage outlet at one end, and is disposed inside the annular frame such that the central axis of the container faces the circumferential direction of the annular frame.

2. The simple cooler according to claim 1, wherein all of the ice pack containers are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the rotation axis of the rotor.

3. the rotating body includes an annular frame connected to both ends of a rotation shaft of the rotating body and having an annular shape centered on the rotation shaft, Each of the ice pack containers is a cylindrical container with a bottom and a drainage outlet on a side surface, and is disposed inside the annular frame so that the central axis of the cylinder is oriented in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the rotor, The simple cooler of claim 1, characterized in that the drain outlets of all the ice pack containers are oriented between radially outward and circumferentially around the rotating body, and are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the rotation axis of the rotating body.

4. the rotating body includes an annular frame connected to both ends of a rotation shaft of the rotating body and having an annular shape centered on the rotation shaft, Each ice pack container is a cylindrical container with a bottom and a drain outlet at one end, and is disposed inside the annular frame such that the central axis of the cylinder is in the radial direction of the rotating body and the drain outlet faces outward from the center of the rotating body; 2. The simple cooler according to claim 1, wherein all of the ice pack containers are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the rotation axis of the rotor.

5. 2. The simple cooler according to claim 1, wherein the rotor is provided with blades that rotate around the rotation axis of the rotor.

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