Cooling storage

Abstract

To provide a cooling storage capable of suppressing a temperature change in a storage chamber adjacent to a control chamber.SOLUTION: The refrigerator includes a storage body 12 having a plurality of compartments, and a cooling device 20 including a cooler 44 and cooling the inside of the storage body 12. At least one of the plurality of partitioned chambers is a control chamber Rc that accommodates a control device 24, and the rest of the plurality of partitioned chambers is a storage chamber Rs that stores an object to be cooled, the storage main body 12 includes the cooling chamber Re that houses the cooling device 44, and the air circulation paths P1 and P2 for circulating air between the cooling chamber Re and the storage chamber Rs, and the control chamber Rc is partitioned from the storage chamber Rs with the heat insulating material 2728 interposed therebetween, and is partitioned from the air circulation paths P1 and P2 without the heat insulating material interposed therebetween, so that heat exchange can be performed between the air circulation paths P1 and P2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] The following Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose locker-type refrigerated storage cabinets each having a plurality of compartments. These locker-type refrigerated storage cabinets are capable of storing cargo (items to be cooled) in a locked state while cooling it. Among these locker-type refrigerated storage cabinets, as in the locker-type refrigerated storage cabinet in Patent Document 2, the plurality of compartments are mostly storage rooms for storing items to be cooled, but in some cases they are also used as control rooms for storing control devices and the like for managing the locking devices and the like corresponding to each storage room. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-57118 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-61491 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When one of the compartments is designated as a control room, as in the refrigerated storage facility of Patent Document 2, the walls of the control room are all lined with thermal insulation to reduce the impact of heat generated by the control equipment. When the cooling device (compressor) is operating to cool the storage room, the impact of heat generated by the control room on the storage room is small. The compressor is stopped when the temperature in the storage room becomes too low or when a defrosting operation is required for the cooler. Once the compressor is stopped, it cannot be restarted until the pressure of the refrigerant on the condenser side and the cooler side is equalized. Therefore, until the compressor can be restarted, the heat generated by the control room may affect the adjacent storage room, causing the temperature of the storage room to exceed the upper limit temperature.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerated storage facility that can suppress temperature changes in a storage room adjacent to a control room. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the refrigerated storage facility disclosed in the present application has the following structure. (1) A refrigerated storage facility comprising a storage body having a plurality of compartments and a cooling device including a cooler for cooling the inside of the storage body, At least one of the plurality of compartments is a control room that houses a control device, and the remaining of the plurality of compartments is a storage room that stores an object to be cooled, The storage body has a cooler chamber that houses the cooler, and an air circulation path for circulating air between the cooler chamber and the storage chamber, A refrigerated storage facility in which the control room is partitioned with insulation between it and the storage room, and the control room is partitioned from the air circulation path without insulation between them, thereby allowing heat exchange between them and the air circulation path.

[0007] The refrigerated storage cabinet disclosed in the present application is configured so that the control room and the air circulation path are not insulated, and the control room can lower the temperature inside by cooling the part of the control room that is separated from the air circulation path during cooling operation (operation of the compressor). Therefore, even if the compressor of the cooling device stops, the amount of heat received from the control room in the storage room adjacent to the control room is reduced, so the maximum temperature that can rise before the compressor is restarted is reduced, and it is possible to prevent the temperature in the storage room from exceeding the upper limit.

[0008] Furthermore, the cooling storage cabinet having the above-described configuration can be configured in various ways as shown below.

[0009] (2) The storage body has a plurality of compartments arranged in a vertical direction, the cooler chamber is provided above or below the plurality of compartments, and the air circulation path is provided to the side of the plurality of compartments in a vertical direction, The control room and the adjacent storage room on at least one side above and below are separated by an insulated wall equipped with insulating material, and the control room and the air circulation path are separated by a metal plate.

[0010] In a refrigerated storage cabinet of this configuration, the positions of the multiple compartments, the cooler compartment, and the air circulation path are specified, and the side walls of the control room can be thoroughly cooled to effectively lower the temperature of the control room. Note that a refrigerated storage cabinet of this configuration can be configured, for example, with an air circulation path (supply path) on one of the left and right sides of a compartment that opens to the front, for sending cool air from the cooler compartment to the storage room, and an air circulation path (exhaust path) on the other side, for returning air from the storage room to the cooler compartment, or with an air circulation path provided on the back side of the multiple compartments.

[0011] (3) The storage body is configured to include a duct member made of a metal plate that forms the air circulation path, The plurality of compartments are each formed by partitioning a portion of a side surface of the compartment by the duct member, The duct member has a plurality of air vents formed only in the portion that divides the storage chamber, connecting each of the storage chambers to the air circulation path, and shielding the control room from the air circulation path.

[0012] In a cooling storage facility of this configuration, duct members formed from a single metal plate form part of the side walls of all of the multiple compartments, making the control room non-insulated and enabling air circulation to the storage rooms to be achieved with a simple configuration.

[0013] (4) The cooler chamber is provided above the plurality of compartments, A cooling storage facility as described in item (3), wherein the duct member has a larger opening area for the ventilation holes on the lower side than on the upper side in the portion that partitions the first storage chamber, which is the storage chamber adjacent to the upper side of the control room.

[0014] The first storage chamber, which is a storage chamber above the control chamber, is affected by heat generated by the control chamber below. A cooling storage cabinet with this configuration can cool the lower space in the first storage chamber more than the upper space, thereby effectively suppressing the effects of heat generated by the control chamber. It is desirable that the opening area to the first storage chamber be smaller than the opening area to the second storage chamber, which is a storage chamber located below the control chamber. This configuration can prevent the first storage chamber from becoming too cold compared to the storage chamber below the control chamber.

[0015] (5) The cooling storage facility has two or more storage rooms below the control room, the cooler chamber is provided above the plurality of compartments, The duct member is a cooling storage facility as described in (3) or (4), in which the opening area of ​​the ventilation hole formed in the part that partitions the second storage chamber, which is the storage chamber adjacent to the control chamber below, is larger than the opening area formed in the part that partitions the storage chamber below the second storage chamber.

[0016] A cooling storage cabinet of this configuration can reduce the temperature difference between the second storage chamber and the storage chamber below it by making the opening area to the second storage chamber, which is affected by the heat generated by the control chamber, larger than the opening area to the storage chamber below it.

[0017] (6) The storage body has a plurality of openings at the front corresponding to the plurality of compartments, The cooling storage is configured to include a heat-insulating door that opens and closes an opening of the storage room, and a control room panel that covers the opening of the control room, The cooling storage facility according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the control room panel has a vent that connects the control room to the outside.

[0018] The cooling storage cabinet with this configuration can release heat from inside the control room to the outside through a vent. It is desirable that this vent be located on the rear side of the front panel so that it cannot be seen by the user from the front. It is also desirable that this vent be relatively small and be equipped with a filter to prevent insects and other small intruders from entering.

[0019] (7) Equipped with a control device that controls the cooling storage facility; The control device has a cold insulation operation execution unit that keeps the storage compartment cold and a defrosting operation execution unit that defrosts the cooler, The cooling storage facility according to any one of claims (1) to (6), wherein the defrosting operation execution unit starts a defrosting operation when a compressor provided in the cooling device changes from operating to stopped during the cooling operation by the cooling operation execution unit.

[0020] In a refrigerated storage facility with this configuration, defrosting operation begins when the temperature inside the facility drops, which reduces the maximum temperature that can rise before the defrosting operation ends, thereby preventing the temperature in the storage compartment from exceeding the upper limit.

[0021] (8) A circulation fan for circulating air within the storage body and a control device for controlling the cooling storage, The control device has a cold insulation operation execution unit that keeps the storage compartment cold, The cold storage operation execution unit executes low-temperature control to stop a compressor provided in the cooling device when the temperature inside the storage body becomes lower than a set lower limit value, The refrigerated storage facility according to any one of claims (1) to (7), wherein the low-temperature control stops the circulation fan together with the compressor, and activates the circulation fan after a set time has elapsed.

[0022] This type of refrigerated storage unit is configured to temporarily stop the circulation fan when the compressor is stopped. This low-temperature control temporarily stores cold air in the cooler chamber, and after a set time has elapsed, the circulation fan sends the cold air from the cooler chamber to the storage chamber, thereby temporarily lowering the rising temperature in the storage chamber. Therefore, with this type of refrigerated storage unit, the maximum temperature rise can be reduced while the compressor is stopped, preventing the storage chamber temperature from exceeding the upper limit.

[0023] (9) Equipped with two or more circulation fans for circulating air within the storage body and a control device for controlling the cooling storage, The control device has a cold insulation operation execution unit that keeps the storage compartment cold, The cold storage operation execution unit The cooling device is configured to operate a compressor and two or more circulation fans provided in the cooling device to cool the storage chamber, and to perform low-temperature control to stop the compressor when the temperature inside the storage body becomes lower than a set lower limit value due to the cooling operation. The cold storage facility described in any one of (1) to (8), wherein the low-temperature control stops some of the two or more circulation fans together with the compressor and operates the remaining two or more circulation fans.

[0024] When the compressor is stopped, the greater the airflow rate of the circulation fan, the more likely the temperature inside the cabinet will rise due to heat entering from the control room or the outside. With a refrigerated storage cabinet with this configuration, the airflow rate while the compressor is stopped can be made smaller than the airflow rate during cooling operation, which reduces the maximum temperature rise while the compressor is stopped and prevents the temperature in the storage compartment from exceeding the upper limit.

[0025] (10) A heater that raises the temperature inside the storage body and a control device that controls the cooling storage, The control device has a cold insulation operation execution unit that keeps the storage compartment cold, The cooling storage facility described in any one of items (1) to (6) above, wherein the cold storage operation execution unit performs constant temperature control by controlling the ON / OFF of the heater while continuously operating the compressor provided in the cooling device, thereby controlling the internal temperature of the storage facility body to be maintained at a set temperature.

[0026] A heater may be installed in the storage compartment to prevent condensation. This type of refrigerated storage system utilizes the heater to keep the temperature close to the set temperature without shutting down the compressor. This reduces the frequency with which the compressor shuts down, preventing the temperature in the storage compartment from exceeding the upper limit.

[0027] (11) The cooling storage is a locker-type cooling storage, including a plurality of storage chambers, a plurality of doors provided in each of the storage chambers for opening and closing the storage chambers, and a plurality of locking devices provided in each of the doors for locking the doors, The refrigerated storage facility according to any one of (1) to (10), wherein the control room accommodates a locking device control device that controls the locking device as the control device.

[0028] Locker-type refrigerated storage cabinets require an operating unit for managing the locking devices and other components corresponding to each storage compartment in a location that is easy for users to operate, and it may be desirable to provide an operating unit and a control room between the storage compartments. For this reason, the refrigerated storage cabinet disclosed in this application is suitable for use as a locker-type refrigerated storage cabinet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0029] According to the present invention, a refrigerated storage facility can be provided that can suppress temperature changes in a storage room adjacent to a control room. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a locker-type refrigerated storage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2]A front view of the locker-type refrigerated storage unit with the front panel removed and the door open. [Figure 3] Front cross-sectional view of a locker-type refrigerated storage facility [Figure 4] Side cross-sectional view of a locker-type refrigerated storage facility [Figure 5] Plan cross section of a locker-type refrigerated storage facility [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective cross-sectional view showing a main part of FIG. 3; [Figure 7] Graph showing the temperature change of the internal thermistor and the storage compartment in a comparative example of a refrigerated storage cabinet [Figure 8] 1 is a timing chart of the cooling operation of the locker-type refrigerated storage cabinet of this embodiment, and a graph showing the temperature changes of the in-cabinet thermistor and the storage compartment due to the cooling operation. [Figure 9] Side view of the control room door [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of FIG. [Figure 11] Functional block diagram of the control device installed in the locker-type refrigerated storage facility [Figure 12] Timing chart of constant temperature control executed by the cold storage operation of the modified example DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] <Structure of the refrigerated storage facility> As an embodiment of the present invention, a locker-type refrigerated storage cabinet 10 is illustrated. This locker-type refrigerated storage cabinet 10 (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "refrigerated storage cabinet 10") has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that is elongated in the vertical direction and can store, for example, food, beverages, medicines, and other stored items in a locked state while cooling (refrigerating or freezing) them. This refrigerated storage cabinet 10 can be installed, for example, in a store and used by a user (e.g., a purchaser) to receive packages stored by a provider (e.g., a store clerk or a delivery person), for a user to temporarily cool packages, or for locking and cooling medicines. The configuration of the locker-type refrigerated storage cabinet 10 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. Note that in the drawings, the symbols F, B, L, R, U, and D indicate directions, respectively representing the near side (front), far side (rear), left side, right side, upper side, and lower side when viewing this refrigerated storage cabinet 10 from the front.

[0032] The refrigerated storage cabinet 10 of this embodiment has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long in the vertical direction, and can be used alone or in a state where multiple similar refrigerated storage cabinets are lined up adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction. The refrigerated storage cabinet 10 of this embodiment roughly includes a storage cabinet main body 12 that is mainly composed of an insulated box 11 that has a vertically long rectangular parallelepiped shape and is open at the front, multiple doors 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, a cooling device 20 for cooling the inside of the insulated box 11, and multiple locking devices 22 for locking at least some of the multiple doors.

[0033] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the storage cabinet main body 12 has a plurality of compartments (six in this embodiment) that are lined up vertically and open forward, and a plurality of doors 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 that open and close the openings of the plurality of compartments. In this embodiment, five compartments excluding the second compartment from the top are storage chambers Rs1, Rs2, Rs3, Rs4, and Rs5 that store materials to be cooled (in the following description, the five storage chambers may be collectively referred to as "storage chambers Rs"). Of the plurality of doors, doors 13, 15, 16, 17, and 18 excluding the second door from the top 14 open and close storage chambers Rs1, Rs2, Rs3, Rs4, and Rs5 and are thermally insulated doors (hereinafter, doors 13, 15, 16, 17, and 18 may be referred to as thermally insulated doors). The heat insulating doors 13, 15, 16, 17, and 18 are rotatable relative to the storage body 12 by hinges 23, and open to the right as shown in FIG.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, multiple locking devices 22 are provided for each of the insulated doors 13, 15, 16, 17, and 18. The multiple locking devices 22 are electromagnetic and controlled by a locking device control device 24. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the locking device control device 24 is housed in the second compartment from the top. That is, the second compartment from the top is the control room Rc, which houses control equipment. The locking device control device 24 includes an operating unit 14a provided on the door 14 and a reader 14b that receives an encrypted signal such as a two-dimensional barcode. A user can lock or unlock the corresponding locking device 22 by entering a password into the operating unit 14a or by having the reader 14b read the encrypted signal. Like the insulated doors 13, 15, 16, 17, and 18, the door 14 is rotatable relative to the storage body 12 by a hinge 23 and opens to the right, as shown in FIG. 2. However, the door 14 corresponds to a control room panel, and is provided with a locking mechanism 14c so that it can be locked and unlocked only by the manager of the refrigerated storage facility 10. As described above, the door 14 corresponds to a control room panel.

[0035] As described above, the storage body 12 is mainly composed of the insulated box body 11. The insulated box body 11 has a structure in which an outer box and an inner box are assembled into a box shape using metal plates such as stainless steel, and an insulating material made of foamed resin (urethane foam, etc.) is filled between the two boxes. The insulated box body 11 is made up of a ceiling wall portion 11a, a bottom wall portion 11b, a left side wall portion 11c, a right side wall portion 11d, a rear wall portion 11e, and a front wall portion 11f. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the front wall portion 11f is formed only on the upper front end portion, and the lower side of the front wall portion 11f is box-shaped and opens forward.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the front end of the insulated box 11 is provided with multiple (specifically, five) partition frames 26 for dividing the front opening of the insulated box 11 into multiple sections. The partition frames 26 are solid, rectangular columnar members filled with a thermal insulating material and extend in the left-right direction, spanning from the left side wall 11c to the right side wall 11d. The multiple partition frames 26 are arranged vertically at equal intervals between the lower end of the front wall 11f and the bottom wall 11b. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, thermally insulating partition walls 27 and 28 are provided behind the two upper partition frames 26 to divide the interior of the insulated box 11 into upper and lower sections. That is, the upper partition wall 27 divides the control room Rc from a storage room Rs1 above the control room Rc, and the lower partition wall 28 divides the control room Rc from a storage room Rs2 below the control room Rc. Additionally, shelves 29 are fixed to the rear sides of the three bottom partition frames 26, and these shelves 29 partition four storage chambers Rs2, Rs3, Rs4, and Rs5. Furthermore, inside the insulated box 11, a partition panel 30 is provided parallel to the ceiling wall 11a at the height of the lower end of the front wall 11f, and the partition panel 30 forms the ceiling of the storage chamber Rs1. With the above-described configuration, the storage body 12 is partitioned into six compartments (the control chamber Rc and five storage chambers Rs) that open to the front. Incidentally, a space S1 is partitioned between the partition panel 30 and the ceiling wall 11a of the insulated box 11 above.

[0037] The storage body 12 includes a machine room Rm above the insulated box body 11. The front, left, and right sides of the machine room Rm are covered by a front panel 32, a left side panel 33, and a right side panel 34, respectively, leaving open spaces at the top and rear. This machine room Rm houses a part of the cooling device 20, a control box 36, and the like. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, an operation box 38 is provided in front of the front wall 11f of the insulated box body 11. The manager of the refrigerated storage 10 can operate various operations, such as setting the target temperature inside the storage, by operating the operation unit 38a of the operation box 38. The front panel 32, together with the operation box 38, covers the front wall 11f of the insulated box body 11, preventing anyone other than the manager from operating the operation box 38.

[0038] The cooling device 20 includes a compressor 40, a condenser unit 42, an expansion valve, a cooler 44, and other components. The compressor 40, the condenser main body 42a, the expansion valve, and the cooler 44 are connected in this order by refrigerant pipes to form a known refrigeration circuit (refrigeration cycle). The compressor 40, the condenser unit 42, and the cooler 44 are attached to an insulating unit base 46, and the cooling device 20 is unitized. Specifically, the compressor 40 and the condenser unit 42 are attached to the upper surface of the unit base 46, and the cooler 44 is attached to the lower surface of the unit base 46. The unit base 46 is formed to be slightly larger than an opening 11g formed in the ceiling wall 11a of the insulating box 11, and can be attached to the upper surface of the ceiling wall 11a so as to cover the opening 11g. In other words, with the cooling device 20 attached to the unit base 46, the cooler 44 is inserted into the space S1 through the opening 11g, and the unit base 46 is assembled from above the ceiling wall portion 11a, thereby completing the assembly of the cooling device 20 to the insulated box body 11.

[0039] A cooling duct 48 is attached to the underside of the ceiling wall 11a of the insulating box 11 so as to cover the cooler 44. In other words, the cooling duct 48 forms a cooler chamber Re between the ceiling wall 11a and the unit base 46. The cooling duct 48 also slopes downward to the left, and functions as a drain pan that receives defrost water, which is water produced when frost adhering to the cooler 44 melts.

[0040] Two internal fans (circulation fans) 50A, 50B are provided at the right end of cooling duct 48, and these internal fans 50A, 50B are configured to send air from the right side to the left side within space S1. As will be explained in detail later, when internal fans 50A, 50B are operated, air within storage chamber Rs is drawn into cooler chamber Re, and the drawn air is cooled by cooler 44 and blown out toward storage chamber Rs.

[0041] Next, the flow of air circulated within the storage cabinet main body 12 by the internal fans 50A and 50B will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6, a left duct (corresponding to a duct member) 52 that forms an air circulation path is vertically extended on the inner surface of the left wall portion 11c of the insulated box body 11, and two left stays 53 are provided in front of and behind the left duct 52. Each left stay 53 serves as a mounting member for the left duct 52 and also fills the space in front of and behind the left duct 52. A right duct (corresponding to a duct member) 54 and two right stays 55 are provided on the right wall portion 11d, symmetrically with the left wall portion 11c. In other words, the left duct 52, left stay 53, right duct 54, and right stay 55 define the sides of the five storage chambers Rs and the control chamber Rc. The left duct 52, the left stay 53, the right duct 54, and the right stay 55 are formed by bending a metal plate such as stainless steel into a predetermined shape.

[0042] While the left stay 53 extends to the ceiling wall portion 11a, the left duct 52 extends to the lower end of the cooling duct 48 and opens upward. As described above, the interior fans 50A, 50B draw in air from the right side of the interior (space S1), pass the air through the cooler 44, and send it to the left side of the interior. The air cooled by the cooler 44 is sent to the left duct 52. The left duct 52 has a plurality of outlet holes (vent holes) 52a formed through the portion that defines the side wall of the storage chamber Rs, allowing the air in the left duct 52 to flow out into the storage chamber Rs. In other words, an air supply path (an example of an air circulation path) P1 that supplies air from the cooler chamber Re to the storage chamber Rs is formed between the left wall portion 11c of the insulated box body 11 and the left duct 52.

[0043] Meanwhile, multiple inlet holes (vent holes) 54a are formed through the right duct 54 in the portion that partitions the side wall of the storage chamber Rs, allowing air from the storage chamber Rs to flow into the right duct 54. The upper end of the right duct 54 opens into the space S1 formed between the ceiling wall portion 11a of the insulated box body 11 and the partition panel 30, and air is sent from the storage chamber Rs to the space S1. The air in the space S1 is then sucked into the cooler chamber Re by the interior fans 50A and 50B, circulating the air inside the storage chamber. In other words, an air exhaust path (an example of an air circulation path) P2 is formed between the right side wall portion 11d of the insulated box body 11 and the right duct 54, for returning air from the storage chamber Rs to the cooler chamber Re.

[0044] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the left duct 52 and right duct 54 that form the air circulation paths define part of the side surfaces of all five storage compartments Rs and the control compartment Rc. The left duct 52 and right duct 54 have outlet holes 52a or inlet holes 54a, which serve as air vents, in the portions that define the five storage compartments Rs. In contrast, the portion that defines the control compartment Rc does not have outlet holes 52a or inlet holes 54a, and the control compartment Rc is shielded from the air circulation paths P1 and P2 by the left duct 52 and right duct 54. However, the only sections between the control compartment Rc and the air circulation paths P1 and P2 are the left duct 52 and right duct 54, which are made of metal plates, and no insulating material is interposed, allowing heat exchange between the control compartment Rc and the air circulation paths P1 and P2.

[0045] Generally, when one of the multiple compartments in a locker-type refrigerated storage facility is designated as a control room, the walls of the control room are all insulated to reduce the impact of heat generated by the control equipment. When the cooling device (compressor) is operating to cool the storage room, the heat generated by the control room has little impact on the storage room. However, when the temperature in the storage room becomes too cold or when the cooler is defrosting, the compressor is stopped. Once the compressor is stopped, it cannot be restarted until the refrigerant pressures on the condenser and cooler sides are equalized. Therefore, as will be explained in more detail later, as shown in Figure 7, the heat generated by the control room can affect the adjacent storage room, potentially causing the temperature in that storage room to exceed the upper limit temperature until the compressor can be restarted.

[0046] In contrast, the refrigerated storage cabinet 10 of this embodiment is configured without insulation between the control room Rc and the air circulation paths P1, P2, so that the temperature in the control room Rc can be lowered by cooling the left duct 52 and the right duct 54 during cooling operation (operation of the compressor). In other words, even if the compressor 40 of the cooling device 20 stops, the amount of heat received from the control room Rc by the storage rooms Rs1, Rs2 adjacent to the control room Rc above and below is reduced, so that the maximum temperature that can rise before the compressor 40 is restarted is reduced, as shown in FIG. 8, and it is possible to prevent the temperatures in the storage rooms Rs1, Rs2 from exceeding the upper limit.

[0047] 4 and 6, in the first storage chamber Rs1 adjacent to and above the control chamber Rc, the opening areas of the outlet holes 52a and inlet holes 54a formed in the left duct 52 and the right duct 54 are larger in the lower portion than in the upper portion. Specifically, in the portion of the left duct 52 and the right duct 54 that defines the first storage chamber Rs1, the outlet holes 52a and inlet holes 54a are not formed in the upper portion, but are formed only in the lower portion. Although the first storage chamber Rs1 is affected by heat generated by the control chamber Rc below, the refrigerated storage chamber 10 of this embodiment can cool the lower space in the first storage chamber Rs1 more than the upper space, thereby effectively suppressing the effects of heat generated by the control chamber Rc.

[0048] 24HK005 4 and 6, in the refrigerated storage cabinet 10 of this embodiment, in the second storage chamber Rs2 adjacent to and below the control chamber Rc, the opening area of ​​the outlet holes 52a and inlet holes 54a formed in the left duct 52 and the right duct 54 is larger than the opening area formed in the portion that defines the storage chambers Rs3, Rs4, and Rs5 below the second storage chamber Rs2. Specifically, the left duct 52 and the right duct 54 have outlet holes 52a and inlet holes 54a formed over almost the entire portion that defines the second storage chamber Rs2, whereas the outlet holes 52a and inlet holes 54a are not formed near the upper and lower shelves 29 in the portion that defines the storage chambers Rs3, Rs4, and Rs5. That is, the number of outlet holes 52a and inlet holes 54a formed in the portion defining the second storage chamber Rs2 is greater than the number of outlet holes 52a and inlet holes 54a formed in the portion defining the storage chambers Rs3, Rs4, and Rs5. With this configuration, the refrigerated storage cabinet 10 of this embodiment can reduce the temperature difference between the second storage chamber Rs2, which is affected by the heat generated by the control chamber Rc, and the storage chambers Rs3, Rs4, and Rs5 below it.

[0049] Furthermore, when comparing the portions of the left duct 52 and the right duct 54 that define the first storage chamber Rs1 with the portions that define the second storage chamber Rs2, the number of outlet holes 52a and inlet holes 54a formed in the portion that defines the first storage chamber Rs1 is fewer than the number of outlet holes 52a and inlet holes 54a formed in the portions that define the storage chambers Rs2, Rs3, Rs4, and Rs5, and the opening area to the first storage chamber Rs1 is smaller than the opening areas to the storage chambers Rs2, Rs3, Rs4, and Rs5 below the control chamber Rc. With this configuration, the refrigerated storage cabinet 10 of this embodiment can prevent the first storage chamber Rs1 from becoming too cold compared to the storage chambers Rs2, Rs3, Rs4, and Rs5 below the control chamber Rc.

[0050] Next, the configuration of the door 14 of the control room Rc will be described in detail with reference to Figures 9 and 10. The door 14 has a frame 62, which is slightly smaller than the door body 60, fixed to the back surface of the door body 60. The frame 62 is composed of a pair of vertical frames 64 extending in the vertical direction and a pair of horizontal frames 65 extending in the horizontal direction. The rear ends of the pair of vertical frames 64 (the ends on the side of the insulated box 11) are folded inward, and the rear ends of the pair of horizontal frames 65 are folded outward, to which cushioning material 66 is attached. In addition, a magnet 67 is provided on the left side of the vertical frame 64 (the side opposite the hinge 23) so that it can be joined to the front surface of the insulated box 11 by magnetic force.

[0051] However, the vertical frame 64 and the horizontal frame 65 are not in contact with each other. More specifically, as shown enlarged in FIG. 10, a gap (corresponding to an air vent) 68 is formed, for example, between the upper end of the vertical frame 64 and the lower surface of the horizontal frame 65. The same is true for the other parts of the four corners. The presence of this gap 68 allows heat inside the control room Rc to be released to the outside through the gap 68. This gap 68 is located on the rear side of the door main body 60 and is not visible to the user from the front. Furthermore, this gap 68 has a relatively small width to prevent insects and the like from entering.

[0052] <Control of refrigerated storage> The control box 36 houses a control device 70 (see FIG. 11) that controls the cooling storage cabinet 10. The control device 70 is mainly a computer having a CPU, ROM, and RAM, and is connected to the compressor 40 and condenser fan 42b of the cooling device 20, the internal fans 50A and 50B, etc., and controls these connected devices by executing various programs stored in the ROM.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 3, an interior thermistor 72 for detecting the interior temperature and a defrost thermistor 74 for detecting the air temperature inside the cooler 44 are provided inside the cooler chamber Re. These interior thermistor 72 and defrost thermistor 74 are also connected to the control device 70. As shown in Fig. 2, a cord heater 76 is provided inside the partition frame 26 for the purpose of preventing condensation between the heat-insulating doors 13, 15, 16, 17, and 18, and this cord heater 76 is also connected to the control device 70. Furthermore, the control device 70 is connected to the operation box 38, and can perform various operations such as setting a target temperature inside the cooler in response to operation inputs from the operation unit 38a of the operation box 38. In the following explanation, the set target temperature will be referred to as the set temperature T O Let us call it this.

[0054] (1) Cooling operation The cold storage operation executed by the control device 70 will be described with reference to the timing chart of Fig. 8. The cold storage operation is performed by switching on / off the compressor 40 and the condenser fan 42b, thereby adjusting the internal temperature T detected by the internal thermistor 72 to the set temperature T set by the administrator via the operation unit 38a. O The temperature T is maintained within a predetermined range, between a set temperature range TL and TH (for example, ±2°C), relative to the temperature T. In this cold storage operation, the control device 70 operates the compressor 40, the condenser fan 42b, and the two internal fans 50A, 50B (cooling operation control), and when the internal temperature T drops to the lower limit TL of the set temperature range, stops the compressor 40 and the condenser fan 42b (low temperature control). This low temperature control causes the internal temperature T to gradually increase, but when the internal temperature T rises to the upper limit TH of the set temperature range, the control device 70 resumes operation of the compressor 40 and the condenser fan 42b, thereby lowering the internal temperature T. However, the compressor 40 cannot be restarted until the pressures of the refrigerant on the condenser 42a side and the cooler 44 side are equalized. Therefore, in order to switch from low temperature control to cooling operation control, the minimum stop time t of the compressor 40 must be DThe control device 70 repeats the cooling operation control and the low temperature control to maintain the inside temperature T generally within the set temperature range.

[0055] In addition, in the refrigerated storage cabinet 20 of this embodiment, when the internal temperature T falls below the set lower limit TL and the system switches from cooling operation control to low temperature control, the compressor 40 and the condenser fan 42b are stopped, and the two internal fans 50A and 50B are also stopped. After a set time t1 (for example, two minutes) has elapsed, only the internal fan 50A is operated.

[0056] Here, a comparative example of a refrigerated storage facility is considered, which differs from the refrigerated storage facility 10 of this embodiment in that heat insulating materials are interposed not only between the control room Rc and the adjacent storage rooms Rs1 and Rs2 above and below, but also between the control room Rc and the air circulation paths P1 and P2. In this comparative example of a refrigerated storage facility, during cold storage operation in which the above-mentioned cooling operation control and low-temperature control are repeatedly performed, as shown in Figure 7, the temperature change in the first storage room Rs1 adjacent to the upper side of the control room Rc is large, making it difficult to sufficiently lower the temperatures of all the storage rooms Rs, and the temperature of the storage rooms Rs may exceed the allowable upper limit.

[0057] In contrast, the refrigerated storage cabinet 10 of this embodiment has the above-described structure, and by executing the above-described control, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the internal temperature T exceeds the allowable upper limit, as shown in FIG. 8 . The effect of the above-described low-temperature control will now be described in detail. In the refrigerated storage cabinet 10 of this embodiment, when the control mode is switched to low-temperature control, the two internal fans 50A and 50B are stopped, so that the cooler 44 remains cooled even when the compressor 40 is stopped. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8 , the internal temperature T rises significantly immediately after the control mode is switched to low-temperature control. However, when the internal fan 50A is operated again after the set time t1 has elapsed, the cool air from the cooler 44 is sent to the storage chamber Rs, thereby lowering the internal temperature T to some extent. By operating only the internal fan 50A, one of the two internal fans 50A and 50B, the circulation of heat entering from the control room Rc or outside the cabinet within the cabinet can be weakened compared to when both internal fans 50A and 50B are operated. This delays the time until the internal temperature T reaches the allowable upper limit while the compressor 40 is stopped, in other words, the minimum stop time t D This can suppress the rise in the internal temperature T until the time has elapsed. Incidentally, the refrigerated storage cabinet 10 of this embodiment is capable of sending sufficiently cold air all the way to the lowest storage chamber Rs5 by operating the internal fans 50A and 50B during the two cooling operation controls.

[0058] (2) Defrosting operation When the above-mentioned cold-storage operation is performed, frost forms on the cooler 44 and the cooling duct 48. Therefore, the control device 70 performs a defrosting operation to defrost the cooler 44 every time the cold-storage operation is performed for a predetermined period (for example, six hours). This defrosting operation is a so-called off-cycle defrosting method, and is a method of defrosting using the above-mentioned internal fans 50A, 50B. When this defrosting operation is started, the control device 70 stops the compressor 40 and the condenser fan 42b and operates the internal fans 50A, 50B, thereby defrosting the cooler 44, etc. Then, the control device 70 determines the minimum stop time t of the compressor 40. DThe cooler temperature T detected by the defrost thermistor 74 D When the temperature reaches or exceeds the threshold temperature, it is determined that the defrosting of the cooler 44 has been completed, and the defrosting operation is terminated, and the above-mentioned cooling operation is resumed.

[0059] In the above-mentioned cold storage operation, the cooling operation control and the low temperature control are alternately repeated, so that the inside temperature T repeatedly rises and falls within the set temperature range. Therefore, when the timing to start the defrosting operation is close to the set upper limit value TH, the minimum stop time t D The internal temperature T that is reached before the elapse of this time becomes high, and there is a risk that the internal temperature T will exceed the allowable upper limit.

[0060] In the refrigerated storage cabinet 10 of this embodiment, the defrosting operation is on standby until the compressor 40 goes from operating to stopped during the cold storage operation. In other words, the defrosting operation is started when the cooling operation control is switched to low temperature control, that is, when the inside temperature T reaches the set lower limit value TL during the cold storage operation. This allows the inside temperature T at the start of the defrosting operation to be low, thereby preventing the inside temperature T from exceeding the allowable upper limit value before the defrosting operation is completed.

[0061] <Controller functional configuration> The control device 70 that performs the above-described control has a functional configuration as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 11 and includes various functional units. Specifically, the control device 70 includes a cooling operation execution unit 80 that performs the above-described cooling operation and a defrosting operation execution unit 82 that performs the defrosting operation. The cooling operation execution unit 80 includes a cooling operation control execution unit 84 that executes the above-described cooling operation control and a low-temperature control execution unit 86 that executes low-temperature control. The low-temperature control execution unit 86 also includes an internal fan temporary stop processing unit 88 that temporarily stops the internal fans 50A, 50B when the low-temperature control starts, and an internal fan operation reduction processing unit 90 that reduces the number of internal fans to be operated after the internal fan temporary stop processing ends compared to the cooling operation control. The defrosting operation execution unit 82 also includes a standby processing unit 92 that waits without starting the defrosting operation until the compressor 40 stops operating.

[0062] <Effects of refrigerated storage> The refrigerated storage cabinet 10 of this embodiment, configured as described above, can suppress temperature changes in storage rooms Rs1 and Rs2 adjacent to the control room Rc, reduce the temperature difference between multiple storage rooms Rs, and further avoid situations in which the temperature T inside the cabinet exceeds the allowable upper limit value.

[0063] <Modification of cold storage operation> In the refrigerated storage 10 of the above embodiment, the cold storage operation is performed by repeatedly executing a cooling operation control that activates the compressor 40 and a low-temperature control that stops the compressor 40, thereby maintaining the inside temperature T within a set temperature range. In contrast, as a modified cold storage operation, a constant temperature control shown in FIG. 12 can be performed.

[0064] Constant temperature control is performed at a set temperature T O If the temperature is within the specified temperature range (control range: above the set lower limit TL and within the set lower limit TH), the internal temperature T is set to the set temperature T OIn detail, constant temperature control controls the rotation speed of the compressor 40 and the power supply rate of the cord heater 76 (the ratio of the time that the power is supplied (ON state) per unit time) when the inside temperature T is within the control range. In other words, constant temperature control operates the compressor 40 continuously without stopping, and keeps the inside temperature T close to the set temperature T O Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 12, the lower the internal temperature T, the lower the rotation speed of the compressor 40 is controlled to be, and the higher the power supply rate of the cord heater 76 is controlled to be, thereby bringing the internal temperature T closer to the set temperature T O approaching the set temperature T O It maintains this.

[0065] This constant temperature control reduces the frequency with which the compressor 40 stops, i.e., reduces the number of situations in which the compressor 40 stops and the storage chamber Rs is significantly affected by the heat from the control chamber Rc. Therefore, the refrigerated storage facility of this modified example can more effectively suppress temperature changes in the storage chambers Rs1 and Rs2 adjacent to the control chamber Rc, and reduce the temperature difference between the multiple storage chambers Rs.

[0066] <Other embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be embodied in various forms with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. For example, the following embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0067] In the above embodiment, one of the plurality of compartments is the control room Rc, but there may be two or more compartments.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the machine room Rm is configured to be located above the storage main body 12, but it may also be configured to be located below.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the compartments are arranged in a single vertical row, but they may be arranged in two rows, in which case an air circulation path may be provided between the two rows.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the compartments are of approximately the same size, but may be of different sizes, for example, the control chamber Rc may be larger or smaller than the storage chamber Rs.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the ventilation holes 52a, 54a connecting the air circulation paths P1, P2 and the storage chamber Rs are all the same size, and the opening areas of the ventilation holes are made different by varying the number of the ventilation holes. However, the opening areas may also be made different by varying the shape or size of the holes.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the control equipment housed in the control room Rc is the locking device control device 24, but is not limited to this and may be, for example, communication equipment or equipment for managing items stored in the storage room Rs. That is, in the above embodiment, a locker-type refrigerated storage cabinet is exemplified as a refrigerated storage cabinet, but it may also be adopted in a refrigerated storage cabinet that does not have a locking device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 10... Locker-type refrigerated storage cabinet (refrigerated storage cabinet), 12... Storage cabinet body, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18... Insulated doors, 14... Door (control room panel), 20... Cooling device, 22... Locking device, Rs (Rs1, Rs2, Rs3, Rs4, Rs5)...storage room (compartment room), Rs1...first storage room, Rs2...second storage room, Rc...control room (compartment room), 24...locking device control device (control equipment), 27, 28...partition wall (insulating material), Rm...machine room, 40...compressor, 44...cooler, Re...cooler room, 50A, 50B...interior fan (circulation fan), 52...left duct (duct member), 52a...outlet hole (vent hole), 54...right duct (duct member), 54a...inlet hole (vent hole), P1...air supply path (air circulation path), P2...air discharge path (air circulation path), 68...gap (vent hole), 70...control device, 76...cord heater, 80...cooling operation execution unit, 82...defrosting operation execution unit

Claims

1. A refrigerated storage facility comprising a storage body having a plurality of compartments and a cooling device including a cooler for cooling the inside of the storage body, At least one of the plurality of compartments is a control room that houses a control device, and the remaining of the plurality of compartments is a storage room that stores an object to be cooled, The storage body has a cooler chamber that houses the cooler, and an air circulation path for circulating air between the cooler chamber and the storage chamber, A refrigerated storage facility in which the control room is partitioned with insulation between it and the storage room, and the control room is partitioned from the air circulation path without insulation between them, thereby allowing heat exchange between them and the air circulation path.

2. In the storage body, the plurality of compartments are arranged in a vertical direction, the cooler chamber is provided above or below the plurality of compartments, and the air circulation path is provided to extend in a vertical direction to the side of the plurality of compartments, The refrigerated storage facility according to claim 1, wherein the control room and the adjacent storage room on at least one side are separated by an insulated wall provided with insulating material, and the control room and the air circulation path are separated by a metal plate.

3. The storage body is configured to include a duct member made of a metal plate that forms the air circulation path, The plurality of compartments are each formed by partitioning a portion of a side surface of the compartment by the duct member, 3. The cooling storage facility according to claim 2, wherein the duct member has a plurality of air vents formed only in the portion that partitions the storage chambers, connecting each of the storage chambers to the air circulation path, and shielding the control room from the air circulation path.

4. the cooler chamber is provided above the plurality of compartments, The refrigerated storage facility according to claim 3, wherein the duct member has a larger opening area for the ventilation holes on the lower side than on the upper side in the portion that partitions the first storage chamber, which is the storage chamber adjacent to the upper side of the control chamber.

5. The cooling storage facility includes two or more storage chambers below the control room, the cooler chamber is provided above the plurality of compartments, The refrigerated storage facility according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the opening area of ​​the duct member formed by the ventilation holes in the portion partitioning the second storage chamber, which is the storage chamber adjacent to the control chamber below, is larger than the opening area formed in the portion partitioning the storage chamber below the second storage chamber.

6. The storage body has a plurality of openings on the front side corresponding to the plurality of compartments, The cooling storage is configured to include a heat-insulating door that opens and closes an opening of the storage room, and a control room panel that covers the opening of the control room, The refrigerated storage facility according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control room panel has a vent that connects the control room to the outside.

7. A control device that controls the cooling storage facility is provided, The control device has a cold insulation operation execution unit that keeps the storage compartment cold and a defrosting operation execution unit that defrosts the cooler, The cooling storage facility according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the defrosting operation execution unit starts a defrosting operation when a compressor provided in the cooling device goes from operating to stopped during a cooling operation by the cooling operation execution unit.

8. The storage unit includes a circulation fan for circulating air within the storage unit body, and a control device for controlling the cooling storage unit. The control device has a cold insulation operation execution unit that keeps the storage compartment cold, The cold storage operation execution unit executes low-temperature control to stop a compressor provided in the cooling device when the temperature inside the storage body becomes lower than a set lower limit value, The refrigerated storage facility according to claim 1 , wherein the low-temperature control stops the circulation fan together with the compressor, and operates the circulation fan after a set time has elapsed.

9. The storage unit includes two or more circulation fans for circulating air within the storage unit body, and a control device for controlling the cooling storage unit. The control device has a cold insulation operation execution unit that keeps the storage compartment cold, The cold storage operation execution unit The cooling device is configured to operate a compressor and two or more circulation fans provided in the cooling device to cool the storage chamber, and to perform low-temperature control to stop the compressor when the temperature inside the storage body becomes lower than a set lower limit value due to the cooling operation. The refrigerated storage facility according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the low temperature control stops some of the two or more circulation fans together with the compressor and operates the remaining two or more circulation fans.

10. The storage container includes a heater that raises the temperature inside the storage container body, and a control device that controls the cooling storage container. The control device has a cold insulation operation execution unit that keeps the storage compartment cold, A refrigerated storage facility as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cold storage operation execution unit performs constant temperature control by controlling the ON / OFF of the heater while continuously operating the compressor provided in the cooling device, thereby controlling the internal temperature, which is the temperature inside the storage facility body, to be maintained at a set temperature.

11. The cooling storage is a locker-type cooling storage including a plurality of storage chambers, a plurality of doors provided in each of the storage chambers for opening and closing the storage chambers, and a plurality of locking devices provided in each of the doors for locking the doors, The refrigerated storage facility according to claim 1 , wherein the control room accommodates a locking device control device that controls the locking device as the control device.

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