Storage

Abstract

To provide a storage capable of easily inspecting a water level sensor.SOLUTION: A storage of the present invention includes: a storage body 12 constituting a storage chamber 11 having an opening 13 that opens on a front side, in which a food product 16 is housed; a door 14 attached to the storage body 12, which can open / close the opening 13; a water storage tank 40 disposed below the storage body 12; a heater 41 for heating water in the storage tank 40; and a water level sensor 42 for detecting a water level of the water in the water storage tank 40. The water storage tank 40 has an internal space 45 that opens upward, the internal space 45 including a first space 45A disposed below the storage chamber 11 and a second space 45B that communicates with the first space 45A and is disposed at the same height as the first space 45A. The water level sensor 42 is housed in the second space 45B, and the second space 45B is disposed on the front side of the door 14.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technology disclosed herein relates to a reservoir. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventionally known storage cabinet is described in Patent Document 1 below. The storage cabinet described in Patent Document 1 includes a door that can open and close a storage chamber, and shelf members (trays) that are arranged within the storage chamber and are used to display stored items (food), and is placed, for example, on a cash register counter at a convenience store. The storage cabinet also includes a water tank arranged below the storage chamber and a heater that heats the water in the water tank to generate steam, and is configured to be able to heat food within the storage chamber by supplying steam to the storage chamber. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-120149 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As described above, a known configuration for heating water in a water storage tank includes a water level sensor that detects the water level in the water storage tank. This allows the heater to be stopped when the water level in the water storage tank is low, preventing the water storage tank from running dry. If foreign matter (such as slime or food debris) in the water storage tank adheres to the water level sensor, there is a concern that the water level may not be accurately detected. Therefore, it is necessary to inspect the water level sensor and remove any foreign matter. However, if a storage chamber is located above the water level sensor, the water level sensor may be covered by stored items or shelf members in the storage chamber, making it difficult to visually inspect the water level sensor. Therefore, when inspecting the water level sensor, it is necessary to remove the stored items or shelf members from the storage chamber.

[0005] The technology disclosed in this specification was developed based on the above circumstances, and aims to provide a storage facility that allows easy inspection of the water level sensor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a means for solving the above problem, the storage facility disclosed in this specification is a storage chamber having an opening that opens to the front, and comprises a box-shaped storage chamber main body that constitutes the storage chamber in which stored items are stored, a door attached to the storage chamber main body that can open and close the opening, a water tank arranged below the storage chamber main body, a heater that heats the water in the water tank, and a water level sensor that detects the water level in the water tank, wherein the water tank has an internal space that opens upward, and the internal space comprises a first space arranged below the storage chamber and a second space that is connected to the first space and is arranged at the same height as the first space, and the water level sensor is housed in the second space, and the second space is arranged forward of the door.

[0007] The heater may be provided on a wall portion that defines the first space, among the wall portions that define the water storage tank.

[0008] The internal space may also include a third space that is connected to the first space, and the third space may be located forward of the door and adjacent to the second space. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, a storage facility can be provided in which the water level sensor can be easily inspected. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the front side; [Figure 2]A perspective view of the storage unit from the front with the door open [Figure 3] A perspective view of the storage facility from the rear [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a shelf member; [Figure 5] Front view of the storage compartment [Figure 6] A perspective view showing the side of the storage chamber [Figure 7] A side view of the storage room from the inside (corresponding to the cross section taken along line VII-VII in Figure 5). [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the first contact portion of the shelf member contacts the first opposing surface. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which the rear portion of the shelf member is supported on the rear wall support surface. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the second contact portion of the shelf member contacts the second opposing surface. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which the first contact portion of the shelf member is engaged with the step portion; [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the first contact portion is released from the step portion; [Figure 13] Cross-sectional view of the water tank (corresponding to the cut along line XIII-XIII in Figure 15) [Figure 14] Perspective view of a water tank [Figure 15] A perspective view of the second space and the third space viewed from above. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cover member viewed from above; [Figure 17] 1 is a perspective view of the cover member viewed from below; [Figure 18] Cross-sectional view showing the ceiling wall (corresponding to the cut along line XVIII-XVIII in Figure 16) [Figure 19] A perspective view of the ceiling wall from above DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 19. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a storage cabinet 10 according to this embodiment comprises a box-shaped storage cabinet main body 12 that constitutes a storage chamber 11 in which items are stored, and a door 14 that is attached to the storage cabinet main body 12 and can open and close an opening 13 of the storage chamber 11. As shown in Fig. 2, the storage chamber 11 has an opening 13 that opens to the front. The storage cabinet 10 is placed, for example, above a cash register counter in the sales area of ​​a convenience store.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, storage compartment 11 accommodates shelf members 15 arranged in multiple stages (six stages in this embodiment). Food 16 (storage items) is placed on shelf members 15. In this embodiment, Chinese buns are used as an example of food 16, but the food is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 1, door 14 includes frame member 14A that forms the outer periphery and plate-shaped light-transmitting member 14B that forms the inner side. This allows food 16 in storage compartment 11 to be seen through light-transmitting member 14B. Light-transmitting member 14B is formed, for example, by two pieces of glass arranged opposite each other with a predetermined gap between them, but it may also be formed by a single piece of glass. A door handle 14C that is used to open and close door 14 is provided on the front of frame member 14A.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 3, among the walls constituting the storage cabinet main body 12, the rear wall 17, which is disposed on the opposite side of the opening 13, is composed of two panes of glass arranged opposite each other with a predetermined gap between them. That is, the rear wall 17 has a light-transmitting portion 18 that allows light to pass through. This allows customers positioned behind the storage cabinet 10 to see the food 16 in the storage compartment 11 through the light-transmitting portion 18. In this embodiment, the side of the storage cabinet 10 on which the door 14 is disposed is referred to as the front side, and the side on which the rear wall 17 is disposed is referred to as the rear side. The storage cabinet 10 is generally arranged so that the front side faces the store clerk and the rear side faces the customer.

[0014] As shown in Figure 4, shelf member 15 is constructed by combining multiple solid rod-shaped members made of metal (such as stainless steel). Shelf member 15 has an overall shallow dish shape that is open at the top. Shelf member 15 includes a rectangular frame portion 19 and multiple extension portions 20 that extend in the front-to-rear direction and form a placement surface on which food 16 is placed.

[0015] The extension portion 20 is joined at both front and rear end portions to the underside of the frame portion 19. A grip portion 21, which is U-shaped when viewed from the front, is joined to the front end portion of the frame portion 19. A customer such as a store clerk can take the shelf member 15 in and out of the storage room 11 by holding the grip portion 21 with a gripping means such as tongs.

[0016] Furthermore, a pair of left and right side end portions 22, 22 formed by the frame portion 19 each have a first abutment portion 23 at the rear end and a second abutment portion 24 at the front end. That is, the second abutment portion 24 is provided on the upper surface of the side end portion 22 at a position closer to the door 14 than the first abutment portion 23. The first abutment portion 23 and the second abutment portion 24 function to regulate the movement of the shelf member 15 when the shelf member 15 is moved in and out of the storage chamber 11 (as will be described in detail later). The extension portion 20 has a smaller diameter than the other rod-shaped members (frame portion 19, grip portion 21, first abutment portion 23, second abutment portion 24) that make up the shelf member 15. For example, the diameter of the extension portion 20 is set to 3 mm, and the diameters of the other rod-shaped members are set to 5 mm, but this is not limited to this.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 5, a groove 26 extending in the front-to-rear direction (extending from the door 14 side toward the rear wall 17 side) is formed on each of a pair of side surfaces 25, 25 of the inner surface of the storage chamber 11. The pair of side surfaces 25, 25 refer to the left and right surfaces when the storage chamber 11 is viewed from the door 14 side (see Fig. 5). As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the side end portion 22 of the shelf member 15 is fitted into the groove 26.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 6, the upward-facing surface of the inner surface of groove portion 26 is a support surface 30 that supports side end portion 22. As shown in Fig. 7, support surface 30 has a door-side support surface 31 that slopes downward toward door 14 (the right side in Fig. 7), and a rear wall-side support surface 32 that extends in a manner that slopes downward from the end of door-side support surface 31 on the rear wall 17 side toward rear wall 17. The angle of inclination of door-side support surface 31 with respect to the horizontal direction is set to, for example, 2 degrees, and the angle of inclination of rear wall-side support surface 32 with respect to the horizontal direction is set to, for example, 4 degrees, but is not limited to these.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 7 , on the inner surface of groove 26, a portion of opposing surface 33 that faces support surface 30 and faces the boundary between door-side support surface 31 and rear wall-side support surface 32 is a first opposing surface 34 that slopes downward toward rear wall 17. First opposing surface 34 is parallel to rear wall-side support surface 32. Opposing surface 33 also has a second opposing surface 35 that extends from the door-side end of first opposing surface 34 toward door 14 and slopes downward toward door 14. Second opposing surface 35 is parallel to door-side support surface 31. Opposing surface 33 also has a third opposing surface 36 that is located closer to rear wall 17 than first opposing surface 34 and is positioned above first opposing surface 34. Third opposing surface 36 extends horizontally and faces the rear of rear wall-side support surface 32. Furthermore, a protrusion 27 that protrudes from the side surface 25 toward the inside of the storage chamber 11 is formed at a location on the side surface 25 that corresponds to the front end of the rear wall side support surface 32 .

[0020] The front portion of side surface 25 is made of heat-resistant synthetic resin member 25A, and groove 26 is formed on the surface of synthetic resin member 25A. Therefore, side end portion 22 of shelf member 15 is supported by support surface 30 only at the front portion. Furthermore, the rear portion of side wall portion 25C constituting side surface 25 is made of plate-shaped light-transmitting member 25B (glass or the like).

[0021] Next, the operation when inserting the shelf member 15 into the storage chamber 11 will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. When inserting the shelf member 15 into the storage chamber 11, as shown in Figure 8, the side end portion 22 of the shelf member 15 is inserted into the groove portion 26 from the front side (the right side in Figure 8) so that the side end portion 22 is supported by the door-side support surface 31. When the shelf member 15 is moved toward the rear wall portion 17 (the left side in Figure 8) with the side end portion 22 supported by the door-side support surface 31, the first abutment portion 23 provided on the upper surface of the side end portion 22 abuts against the first opposing surface 34 from the door side.

[0022] Thereafter, when the shelf member 15 is moved toward the rear wall portion 17 (rear side), the side end portion 22 transfers from the door-side support surface 31 to the rear wall-side support surface 32, as shown in Fig. 9. During this process, the first abutment portion 23 slides along the first opposing surface 34, and as a result, the inclination of the shelf member 15 is restricted to an angle that follows the inclination angle of the first opposing surface 34.

[0023] Next, when shelf member 15 is moved toward rear wall 17 (rear side) with side end portion 22 supported by rear wall support surface 32, as shown in FIG. 7, third abutment portion 28 of shelf member 15 abuts against protrusion 27 formed on side surface 25 from the door 14 side (right side in FIG. 7). This restricts rearward movement of shelf member 15, and shelf member 15 is positioned at a predetermined position in storage chamber 11. Note that third abutment portion 28 is formed by the side end portion of grip portion 21, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0024] Next, the operation of removing shelf member 15 from storage chamber 11 will be described with reference to Figures 10 to 12. When removing shelf member 15 from storage chamber 11, gripping portion 21 is grasped with a gripping means such as tongs and pulled toward door 14. As shown in Figure 10, when shelf member 15 is moved toward door 14 (to the right in Figure 10) with side end portion 22 of shelf member 15 supported by rear wall support surface 32, second abutment portion 24 abuts against second opposing surface 35 from the rear wall 17 side (left side in Figure 10).

[0025] Thereafter, when shelf member 15 is moved toward door 14, side end portion 22 transfers from rear wall-side support surface 32 to door-side support surface 31. During this process, second abutment portion 24 slides along second opposing surface 35, and as a result, the inclination of shelf member 15 is restricted to an angle that follows the inclination angle of second opposing surface 35.

[0026] When shelf member 15 is moved toward door 14 with side end portion 22 supported by door-side support surface 31, first abutment portion 23 abuts against inner surface 37A (the surface facing the rear) of step portion 37 formed by third opposing surface 36 and first opposing surface 34 from the rear wall portion 17 side, as shown in FIG. 11 . This causes first abutment portion 23 to engage with step portion 37, thereby restricting forward movement of shelf member 15. In this state, most of the front side of shelf member 15 is located outside storage compartment 11, so that store clerks can easily place food items 16 on and remove them from shelf member 15.

[0027] 12, when the front portion of shelf member 15 is lifted while first contact portion 23 is engaged with step portion 37, side end portion 22 transfers from door-side support surface 31 to rear-wall-side support surface 32, causing first contact portion 23 to descend and become positioned below step portion 37. This releases first contact portion 23 from engaging step portion 37, allowing shelf member 15 to be completely removed from storage chamber 11.

[0028] Next, a configuration for cooking food 16 with steam will be described. As shown in Fig. 13, storage facility 10 includes water tank 40 disposed below storage facility main body 12, heater 41 for heating water in water tank 40, and water level sensor 42 for detecting the level of water in water tank 40.

[0029] 14, the water tank 40 includes a tank main body 43 that is a shallow box-like body having a rectangular shape in a plan view, and a cylindrical body 44 that is cylindrical and opens upward. The water tank 40 has an internal space 45 that opens upward. The internal space 45 includes a first space 45A that is disposed below the storage chamber 11, a second space 45B that is in communication with the first space 45A and is disposed at the same height as the first space 45A, and a third space 45C that is in communication with the first space 45A. Each of the spaces 45A, 45B, and 45C is in a rectangular shape in a plan view, and the second space 45B and the third space 45C are smaller than the first space 45A.

[0030] The cylindrical portion 44 is disposed within the first space 45A. The first space 45A is thus configured to include an internal space 45D of the cylindrical portion 44 and an external space 45E of the cylindrical portion 44. A through-hole 43B is formed in the bottom wall portion 43A, and a through-hole 44B is formed in the bottom wall portion 44A constituting the cylindrical portion 44. The through-holes 43B and 44B are connected by a pipe 46 shown in FIG. 13. This allows the internal space 45D and the external space 45E to communicate with each other via the pipe 46. The pipe 46 extends to the front end of the water storage tank 40, as indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 13. A drain valve 48 (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 13) is provided at the front end of the pipe 46. By opening the valve 48, water in the internal space 45 can be drained to the outside through the pipe 46.

[0031] 13, the heater 41 is provided on the bottom wall 44A of the cylindrical portion 44. That is, the heater 41 is provided on the wall portion that forms the first space 45A among the wall portions that form the water storage tank 40. This allows the heater 41 to heat the water in the internal space 45D of the cylindrical portion 44 to generate steam. The steam generated by the heater 41 is supplied to the storage chamber 11 located above.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 13, the second space 45B is formed at the front end 40A of the water tank 40, and the front end 40A is located forward of the door 14. In other words, the second space 45B is located forward of the door 14 (to the right in FIG. 13), and the storage chamber 11 is not located above the second space 45B. As shown in FIG. 15, the water level sensor 42 is housed in the second space 45B. The water level sensor 42 is, for example, a float switch, and outputs a detection signal when the water level in the second space 45B reaches a specified water level. The water level sensor 42 and the heater 41 are electrically connected to a control unit (not shown). As a result, when no detection signal is output from the water level sensor 42, the control unit stops the heater 41.

[0033] 15, the third space 45C is formed in the front end portion 40A and is disposed adjacent to the second space 45B. That is, the third space 45C is disposed forward of the door 14. The third space 45C also opens upward, and this opening serves as a supply port for supplying water to the water storage tank 40. The water supplied to the third space 45C is supplied to the internal space 45D through the external space 45E and the pipe 46.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 15, the second space 45B and the third space 45C are each covered from above by a respective lid member 47. The lid member 47 is provided with a rotation shaft 47A that fits into a recess 43D formed in the tank main body 43. As a result, each lid member 47 can rotate about the rotation shaft 47A to open and close the second space 45B and the third space 45C. Fig. 15 illustrates the lid member 47 in an open state, while Fig. 13 illustrates the lid member 47 in a closed state. Note that in Fig. 13, the lid member 47 in the open state is illustrated by a two-dot chain line.

[0035] Next, the configuration of the upper part of the storage container main body 12 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the storage container main body 12 includes a plate-shaped cover member 50 that forms an upper wall portion. As shown in FIG. 16, the top surface of the cover member 50 is provided with multiple rows (three rows in FIG. 16) of recesses 51 extending in the front-rear direction and aligned in the left-right direction. A plurality of vent holes 52, which are elongated holes extending in the front-rear direction, are formed in the cover member 50 at the locations where the recesses 51 are formed. In this embodiment, as described above, steam generated by the heater 41 is supplied to the storage chamber 11. Heat from the steam in the storage chamber 11 is transferred to the lower space S1 of the cover member 50 (see FIG. 18; the space between the cover member 50 and the ceiling wall portion 60, described later), thereby increasing the temperature of the air in the lower space S1. The provision of the vent holes 52 allows the heated air in the lower space S1 to be released to the outside. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 16, a standing wall portion 53 is provided around the entire periphery of the edge of the vent holes 52 on the top surface of the cover member 50. This makes it possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the interior of the storage facility 10 through the ventilation holes 52.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 17, a plurality of light sources 54 are provided on the underside of the cover member 50. The light sources 54 are, for example, constituted by LEDs, and have a longitudinal shape extending in the left-right direction. As shown in Fig. 18, the light sources 54 are disposed above the storage chamber 11 and are capable of irradiating light toward the storage chamber 11.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 17, a standing wall portion 55 is provided around the entire periphery of the edge of the ventilation hole 52 on the underside of the cover member 50. The light source 54 is disposed between two standing wall portions 55 adjacent in the front-to-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 18, two light sources 54 are arranged along the front-to-rear direction (the left-to-right direction in FIG. 18), and the light source 54 arranged on the rear side (the left side in FIG. 18) is disposed between two adjacent food items 16 in the front-to-rear direction. This prevents the light emitted from the light source 54 from being blocked by the food items 16 arranged on the upper tier, and more reliably illuminates the food items 16 arranged on the lower tier. Of the two light sources 54, the light source 54 arranged on the front side may be disposed between the two adjacent food items 16.

[0038] 18, a ceiling wall portion 60 that constitutes the ceiling of the storage chamber 11 is disposed below the cover member 50, among the walls that constitute the storage cabinet main body 12. The ceiling wall portion 60 includes a first ceiling wall portion 61 that covers the light source 54 from below and is light-transmitting, and a second ceiling wall portion 62 that is disposed closer to the door 14 than the first ceiling wall portion 61.

[0039] The first ceiling wall 61 is in the form of a plate made of, for example, glass, and is arranged to cover the food 16 from above. The first ceiling wall 61 slopes downward toward the rear wall 17 (rear side, left side in FIG. 18). As a result, the lower surface 61A of the first ceiling wall 61 slopes downward toward the rear wall 17. The angle of inclination of the lower surface 61A of the first ceiling wall 61 is set to, for example, 15 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction, but is not limited to this.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 19, the second ceiling wall 62 has a recess 63 that opens upward. As shown in Fig. 18, the lower surface of the second ceiling wall 62, at a location corresponding to the recess 63, is a lower surface 62A that slopes downward toward the door 14. The lower surface 62A of the second ceiling wall 62 has a curved shape such that the angle of inclination of the tangent to the horizontal increases toward the first ceiling wall 61.

[0041] Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described. The storage cabinet 10 according to this embodiment comprises a box-shaped storage cabinet main body 12 constituting a storage chamber 11 in which food 16 (storage items) is stored, a door 14 attached to the storage cabinet main body 12 and capable of opening and closing an opening 13 of the storage chamber 11, and a shelf member 15 contained in the storage chamber 11 and on which the food 16 is placed. Of the walls constituting the storage cabinet main body 12, a rear wall 17 disposed on the opposite side to the opening 13 has a light-transmitting portion 18 capable of transmitting light. When viewed from the door 14 side of the inner surface of the storage chamber 11, At least one of the pair of side surfaces 25, 25 has a groove 26 formed therein, extending from the door 14 side toward the rear wall 17 side, and the side end 22 of the shelf member 15 is fitted into the groove 26. The upward-facing inner surface of the groove 26 serves as a support surface 30 that supports the side end 22, and the support surface 30 has a door-side support surface 31 that slopes downward as it approaches the door 14 side, and a rear wall-side support surface 32 that extends in a downward slope from the end of the door-side support surface 31 on the rear wall 17 side toward the rear wall 17 side.

[0042] When storing shelf member 15 in storage chamber 11, with side end portion 22 of shelf member 15 engaged in groove portion 26, shelf member 15 is slid toward rear wall portion 17 and displaced above rear wall support surface 32. In this way, side end portion 22 of shelf member 15 is supported by rear wall support surface 32, allowing shelf member 15 to be positioned so that it slopes downward toward rear wall 17. Therefore, shelf member 15 can be positioned so that its upper surface faces upward and toward rear wall 17. As a result, a customer viewing storage facility 10 from the rear wall 17 side can easily see food 16 placed on shelf member 15 through light-transmitting portion 18.

[0043] Furthermore, when removing shelf member 15 from storage compartment 11, shelf member 15 is pulled toward door 14. During this process, side end 22 of shelf member 15, which is supported by rear wall support surface 32, moves toward door 14 and becomes supported by door support surface 31. This allows shelf member 15 to be arranged so that it slopes downward toward door 14. Therefore, the top surface of shelf member 15 can be arranged so that it faces upward and toward door 14. As a result, store clerks can easily remove food items 16 placed on shelf member 15 by opening door 14. As a result, food items 16 are easily visible to customers and store clerks can easily remove food items 16.

[0044] Furthermore, on the inner surface of the groove portion 26, the opposing surface 33 that faces the support surface 30, at a location that faces the boundary between the door side support surface 31 and the rear wall side support surface 32, is a first opposing surface 34 that slopes downward as it approaches the rear wall portion 17, and on the upper surface of the side end portion 22, a first abutment portion 23 is provided that abuts against the first opposing surface 34 from the door 14 side when the shelf member 15 is moved toward the rear wall portion 17 with the side end portion 22 supported by the door side support surface 31.

[0045] When the shelf member 15 is moved toward the rear wall 17, the first abutment portion 23 abuts against the first opposing surface 34, and thereafter the first abutment portion 23 slides against the first opposing surface 34, restricting the inclination of the shelf member 15 to an angle that follows the first opposing surface 34. This makes it possible to restrict the inclination of the shelf member 15 to an angle closer to the rear wall support surface 32 (an angle that slopes downward as it moves toward the rear wall 17). This allows the side end portion 22 of the shelf member 15 to more smoothly transfer from the door-side support surface 31 to the rear wall-side support surface 32 when storing the shelf member 15 in the storage chamber 11.

[0046] In addition, the opposing surface 33 has a second opposing surface 35 that extends from the end of the first opposing surface 34 on the door 14 side toward the door 14 and slopes downward as it approaches the door 14 side, and on the upper surface of the side end portion 22, at a location that is closer to the door 14 than the first abutment portion 23, a second abutment portion 24 is provided that abuts against the second opposing surface 35 from the rear wall portion 17 side when the shelf member 15 is moved toward the door 14 side with the side end portion 22 supported by the rear wall portion support surface 32.

[0047] When the shelf member 15 is moved toward the door 14, the second abutment portion 24 abuts against the second opposing surface 35, and thereafter the second abutment portion 24 slides against the second opposing surface 35, restricting the inclination of the shelf member 15 to an angle that follows the second opposing surface 35. This makes it possible to restrict the inclination of the shelf member 15 to an angle closer to the door-side support surface 31 (an angle that slopes downward as it moves toward the door 14). This allows the side end portion 22 of the shelf member 15 to transfer from the rear wall-side support surface 32 to the door-side support surface 31 more smoothly when removing the shelf member 15 from the storage chamber 11.

[0048] In addition, the opposing surface 33 is arranged on the rear wall portion 17 side relative to the first opposing surface 34, and has a third opposing surface 36 arranged above the first opposing surface 34.When the shelf member 15 is moved toward the door 14 with the side end portion 22 supported by the door side support surface 31, the first abutment portion 23 abuts against the inner surface 37A of the step portion 37 formed by the third opposing surface 36 and the first opposing surface 34 from the rear wall portion 17 side.

[0049] When shelf member 15 is moved toward door 14, first abutment portion 23 abuts against inner surface 37A of step portion 37 from the rear wall portion 17 side. This restricts further movement of shelf member 15 toward door 14. Therefore, while shelf member 15 is biased toward door 14, it is possible to prevent shelf member 15 from falling out of storage chamber 11 through opening 13, and food 16 can be easily taken in and out of shelf member 15 biased toward door 14.

[0050] Furthermore, shelf member 15 has third abutment portion 28 that abuts against protrusion 27 formed on side surface 25 from the door 14 side when shelf member 15 is moved toward rear wall 17 with side end portion 22 supported by rear wall support surface 32. Once third abutment portion 28 abuts against protrusion 27, movement of shelf member 15 toward rear wall 17 can be restricted. This prevents shelf member 15 from coming into contact with rear wall 17, and ensures that shelf member 15 is positioned reliably in the specified position within storage chamber 11.

[0051] In addition, the storage facility 10 of this embodiment is a storage chamber 11 having an opening 13 opening to the front, and is equipped with a box-shaped storage chamber main body 12 that constitutes the storage chamber 11 in which food 16 is stored, a door 14 attached to the storage chamber main body 12 and capable of opening and closing the opening 13, a water tank 40 arranged below the storage chamber main body 12, a heater 41 that heats the water in the water tank 40, and a water level sensor 42 that detects the water level in the water tank 40, and the water tank 40 has an internal space 45 that opens upward, and the internal space 45 has a first space 45A arranged below the storage chamber 11 and a second space 45B that is connected to the first space 45A and is arranged at the same height as the first space 45A, and the water level sensor 42 is housed in the second space 45B, and the second space 45B is arranged forward of the door 14.

[0052] According to the above configuration, the water storage tank 40 has a second space 45B in which the water level sensor 42 is housed. The second space 45B and the first space 45A are located at the same height, and therefore have the same water level. This allows the water level sensor 42 to detect the water levels in the first space 45A and the second space 45B. The second space 45B is located forward of the door 14. This means that the storage compartment 11 (and hence the food 16 and shelf members 15) are not located above the water level sensor 42, allowing the user of the storage facility 10 to easily visually inspect the water level sensor 42 from above. Furthermore, according to the above configuration, the water level sensor 42 housed in the second space 45B can be easily visually inspected when opening and closing the door 14 from the front.

[0053] The heater 41 is provided in the wall portion that forms the first space 45A among the wall portions that form the water storage tank 40. Compared to a configuration in which the water level sensor 42 is housed in the first space 45A, the heat from the heater 41 is less likely to be transmitted to the water level sensor 42, which can prevent the water level sensor 42 from deteriorating.

[0054] The internal space 45 also includes a third space 45C that communicates with the first space 45A, and the third space 45C is located in front of the door 14 and adjacent to the second space 45B. Water can be supplied to the water storage tank 40 by supplying water to the third space 45C from above. Furthermore, because the third space 45C is located adjacent to the second space 45B, the water level sensor 42 located in the second space 45B can be easily inspected when supplying water.

[0055] Furthermore, the storage cabinet 10 according to this embodiment includes a box-shaped storage cabinet main body 12 that constitutes a storage chamber 11 in which food 16 is stored, a door 14 that is attached to the storage cabinet main body 12 and that can open and close an opening 13 that the storage chamber 11 has, a water tank 40 that is disposed below the storage cabinet main body 12, a heater 41 that heats the water in the water tank 40, and a light source 54 that is disposed above the storage chamber 11 and that irradiates light toward the storage chamber 11. Of the wall portions that constitute the storage cabinet main body 12, a ceiling wall that constitutes the ceiling of the storage chamber 11 is The storage unit 60 comprises a first ceiling wall portion 61 that covers the light source 54 from below and is light-transmitting, and a second ceiling wall portion 62 that is arranged closer to the door 14 than the first ceiling wall portion 61. Of the walls that make up the storage unit main body 12, the rear wall portion 17 that is arranged on the opposite side of the opening 13 has a light-transmitting portion 18 that can transmit light, and the lower surface 61A of the first ceiling wall portion 61 slopes downward as it approaches the rear wall portion 17, and the lower surface 62A of the second ceiling wall portion 62 slopes downward as it approaches the door 14.

[0056] The heater 41 heats the water in the water storage tank 40 to generate steam, which can heat the food 16 in the storage chamber 11. The provision of the ceiling wall 60 protects the light source 54 from the steam. In addition, in the above configuration, the generated steam condenses, generating water droplets on the underside of the ceiling wall 60. The underside 61A of the first ceiling wall 61 slopes downward toward the rear wall 17, so that water droplets generated on the underside 61A flow toward the rear wall 17. This prevents water droplets generated on the underside 61A of the first ceiling wall 61 from falling onto the food 16.

[0057] Furthermore, water droplets flowing from the underside 61A of the first ceiling wall 61 toward the rear wall 17 reach the rear wall 17 and then flow down the surface of the rear wall 17. These water droplets merge with water droplets generated on the surface of the rear wall 17 and flow downward. This prevents water droplets from adhering to the light-transmitting portion 18 of the rear wall 17 and reducing visibility inside the storage compartment 11. Furthermore, the underside 62A of the second ceiling wall 62 slopes downward toward the door 14. This allows water droplets generated on the underside 62A of the second ceiling wall 62 to flow toward the door 14, preventing the water droplets from falling onto the food 16. If the ceiling wall 60 were composed only of a wall portion having a lower surface that slopes upward toward the door 14, the height of the ceiling wall 60 would be significantly increased on the door 14 side, resulting in an increased height dimension of the storage compartment main body 12. In the above configuration, the ceiling wall portion 60 is composed of a first ceiling wall portion 61 and a second ceiling wall portion 62, and the lower surface 62A of the second ceiling wall portion 62 is inclined downward as it approaches the door 14 side, thereby preventing the height of the ceiling wall portion 60 from becoming too large on the door 14 side.

[0058] Furthermore, the lower surface 62A of the second ceiling wall portion 62 is curved so that the angle of inclination of the tangent to the horizontal direction increases toward the first ceiling wall portion 61 (rear side). On the lower surface 62A of the second ceiling wall portion 62, water droplets generated on the side closer to the first ceiling wall portion 61 can be more reliably channeled toward the door 14. As such water droplets flow toward the door 14, they combine with other water droplets, allowing the water droplets to be channeled away. This makes it possible to more reliably channel water droplets toward the door 14 over the entire surface of the lower surface 62A of the second ceiling wall portion 62.

[0059] <Other embodiments> The technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and the following embodiments, for example, are also included in the technical scope. (1) In the above embodiment, the shelf member 15 is formed by combining a plurality of metal rods, but is not limited to this. For example, the shelf member 15 may be formed by a plate material having a dish shape. (2) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which the first space 45A is divided into two spaces (the internal space 45D and the external space 45E) by the cylindrical portion 44 is exemplified, but the first space 45A may also be formed by a single space. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 10...storage chamber, 11...storage room, 12...storage chamber main body, 13...opening, 14...door, 16...food (stored item), 40...water tank, 41...heater, 42...water level sensor, 44A...bottom wall portion (wall portion constituting first space), 45...internal space, 45A...first space, 45B...second space, 45C...third space

Claims

1. a box-shaped storage body that constitutes a storage chamber having an opening that opens to the front side and in which storage items are accommodated; a door attached to the storage body and capable of opening and closing the opening; A water storage tank disposed below the storage body; a heater for heating the water in the water storage tank; a water level sensor for detecting the water level in the water storage tank; The water storage tank has an internal space that opens upward, The internal space is a first space disposed below the storage chamber; a second space that is in communication with the first space and is disposed at the same height as the first space, The water level sensor is accommodated in the second space, The second space is disposed forward of the door.

2. The storage facility according to claim 1 , wherein the heater is provided in a wall portion that defines the first space, among walls that define the water storage tank.

3. the internal space includes a third space that is in communication with the first space, The storage facility according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the third space is disposed in front of the door and adjacent to the second space.

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