Storage box

Abstract

The present invention provides a storage box for AEDs and the like that, which prevents water, dust, etc. from entering the internal storage space even when installed outdoors, maintains the temperature of the storage space within a predetermined range even with high temperatures in summer, low temperatures in winter, and sunlight, while suppressing condensation, has a robust and damage-resistant inner surface, and is smaller and lighter than conventional boxes, offering greater flexibility in installation location. [Solution] The enclosure has a three-layer structure consisting of a weather-resistant outer layer, an insulating layer with heat-insulating properties, and an inner layer made of a rigid material. Inside this enclosure is a storage space for an AED, and at least a portion of the enclosure's walls is made of hollow walls with cavities that penetrate vertically. The inner layer is made of a material with moisture-regulating properties, such as wood. Furthermore, a shielding plate is provided with a gap between it and the enclosure, and a heat-insulating material is provided on the back surface of the shielding plate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention mainly relates to a storage box for storing an automated external defibrillator (hereinafter referred to as "AED") and first aid equipment used for first aid treatment. More specifically, it relates to a storage box that can be installed outdoors and prevent foreign substances such as dust and water from easily entering the interior, maintain the internal temperature within a predetermined temperature range, and further hardly generate condensation.

Background Art

[0002] It is said that tens of thousands of people die annually in Japan due to life-threatening arrhythmias, which is one of the major causes of death. Among life-threatening arrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation has a particularly high risk of death and is highly dangerous. In recent years, AEDs that can electrically remove the generated ventricular fibrillation can be used by non-medical personnel, and their installations are spreading mainly in airports, railway stations, public facilities, etc. In addition, first aid equipment used for first aid treatment of injuries and illnesses caused by unexpected accidents and disasters is also installed in various facilities beyond the scope of workplaces where installation is obligatory under the Industrial Safety and Health Regulations. These are considered to be due to the social demand for a safer and more reassuring living environment. In order to make AEDs and first aid equipment more quickly and easily available, it is expected that the installation of AEDs and first aid equipment in various facilities will continue in the future. Note that medical devices such as AEDs and first aid equipment used for first aid treatment are collectively referred to as "AEDs, etc." hereinafter.

[0003] Since AEDs, etc. are only needed when an injury or illness occurs, they are always stored in a dedicated storage box to prevent damage and contamination of AEDs, etc. during long-term storage. In addition, the storage box is often designed with a characteristic design indicating AEDs, etc. so that the user can notice the presence of AEDs, etc. when needed.

[0004] When a storage box is installed indoors, particularly in an air-conditioned facility where people are constantly active, the required functions of the storage box may include a display function to indicate the presence of an AED, a physical protection function for the AED (for example, a function to protect it from damage caused by contact with people or objects), and an alarm function (a function to emit sound or light when in use to notify those around of an abnormality and to deter tampering). A configuration with such functions is disclosed, for example, in Figure 1 of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-244804 (Patent Document 1). The defibrillator storage stand disclosed in this document protects the AED stored inside with a robust housing equipped with an opening and closing door, and the AED stored inside is visible without opening the opening and closing door. Furthermore, when the opening and closing door is opened, a red emergency lamp lights up to notify those around of an emergency. The defibrillator storage stand disclosed in Figure 1 of the same document allows the AED and other emergency equipment to be stored in separate storage compartments.

[0005] On the other hand, there is a growing social demand to install storage boxes outdoors, typically in places where many people gather and engage in activities, such as sports facilities and parks. Outdoors, storage boxes are exposed to wind, rain, and dust, so good airtightness is required to prevent contamination of AEDs and other equipment stored inside. In addition, insulation is required to protect the AEDs and other equipment stored inside from high temperatures in summer, low temperatures in winter, and large temperature fluctuations (thermal shock) throughout the day due to solar radiation and radiative cooling, and it is also necessary to prevent condensation from occurring during temperature changes. This is because AEDs are typically precision electronic devices equipped with power sources such as lithium-ion secondary batteries, and condensation can immediately cause malfunctions, and the operating temperature range for maintaining normal function is often around -5°C to 50°C. Furthermore, emergency equipment often includes items with adhesives, such as bandages, so it is necessary to avoid storing them at extremely high or low temperatures. Needless to say, storage boxes installed indoors also require the same functionality as those installed outdoors, especially in environments such as warehouses without air conditioning.

[0006] An example of a storage box that can be installed outdoors is the AED housing device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-92996 (Patent Document 2). The AED housing device disclosed in this publication has thermal insulation properties that allow the temperature of the internal housing to be maintained within a certain range even when installed outdoors, despite not having an active temperature control means such as a fan or heater. Specifically, it is an AED housing device that has a main body having an AED housing section that can house an AED in a sealed state with thermal insulation material, and a heat shield plate that is placed on the outside with a gap. Furthermore, it is disclosed that it may be equipped with a heat-insulating window made of double acrylic or the like that allows the inside of the AED housing section to be seen from the outside, a door sensor that can detect the opening and closing of the door, and a speaker that outputs an alarm sound when the door is detected to be open.

[0007] With the above configuration, the AED housing device disclosed in the publication prevents the intrusion of dust and water by sealing the housing with insulating material, and mitigates temperature fluctuations. Combined with the effect of reducing temperature rise due to sunlight by the heat shield, it is possible to keep the temperature of the housing within a certain range even when installed outdoors. In addition, the AED housed in the housing is visible from the outside, making it easy to confirm the presence of the AED when needed. Furthermore, an alarm sound is emitted when the door is opened, so an abnormality can be made known to those nearby, and vandalism can also be deterred. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-244804 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-92996

[0009] However, while a heat shield placed with a gap between the main body containing the AED and the heat shield is highly effective in suppressing the temperature rise of the main body due to sunlight, it presents the challenge of making the storage box larger. Even for outdoor storage boxes, it is preferable that they can be attached to the exterior wall of the first floor or exterior corridor of an existing building, or to a fence surrounding the property, rather than having to install a new mounting pole specifically for the storage box. For this reason, large storage boxes are not practical. In particular, if the occupied area of ​​the storage box (i.e., the size in the horizontal plane, not the height) becomes large, installation and specifications often become difficult.

[0010] Furthermore, while the AED enclosure is sealed with insulation, which is desirable in terms of insulation from the outside, it also presents a challenge due to the high risk of condensation. Although the temperature change inside the AED enclosure is gradual due to the good insulation, it is unavoidable that the water vapor trapped inside the enclosure will condense as the temperature drops due to the sealed state.

[0011] Furthermore, another issue is the poor mechanical durability of the AED housing, as the inner surface is constructed of insulating material. With the exception of so-called thermos flask structures (where a vacuum is created between two double-walled structures to prevent heat transfer), insulating materials are generally made of resin foam or fiber aggregates containing a lot of air (including air bubbles), and are easily damaged if they are bumped or snagged. Although AED storage boxes are not used for frequent insertion and removal of items, this does occur during periodic inspections, and they are used by the general public who have not received special training, so poor mechanical durability is a clear concern. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0012] As explained above, the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a storage box for AEDs and the like that prevents water, dust, etc. from entering the internal storage space even when installed outdoors, maintains the temperature of the storage space within a predetermined range even with high temperatures in summer, low temperatures in winter, and sunlight, while suppressing condensation, has a rigid and damage-resistant inner surface, and is smaller and lighter than conventional boxes, offering greater flexibility in installation location. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] When installing an AED or similar device enclosure outdoors, it is necessary to protect the AED or similar device inside by providing a level of airtightness equivalent to, for example, IP55 rating as defined by JIS C0920, to prevent wind, rain, and dust from entering the enclosure. Although achieving this involves certain design challenges, it is quite possible to create an enclosure with such protective performance using conventional technology. On the other hand, maintaining the internal temperature of an outdoor enclosure within the temperature range required by the AED (e.g., -5°C to 50°C) is quite difficult, even in summer when temperatures are high and the enclosure is exposed to sunlight, or in winter when temperatures sometimes drop below freezing. It is clear that such functions can be achieved relatively easily by equipping the enclosure with a cooling fan or heater, but this requires electricity, which can restrict the location of the enclosure and necessitate electrical work. This makes it difficult to install AED enclosures near locations where they are expected to be needed, which is undesirable.

[0014] To minimize temperature fluctuations inside a storage box without using electricity, one must increase the thermal resistance between the outside and inside of the box. However, except for vacuum insulation (the so-called thermos structure), the thermal resistance of insulating materials generally cannot exceed that of air, so extremely thick insulating material is required to obtain sufficient thermal resistance. This would result in a large storage box, limiting the available installation locations. Furthermore, achieving vacuum insulation in a large enclosure is not technically easy, and even if it were possible, it would be extremely expensive and cumbersome.

[0015] To address the above-mentioned problems, the inventors of this invention have diligently conducted research and have found that by separately implementing measures to prevent the internal temperature of the storage box from becoming too high and measures to prevent the internal temperature from becoming too low, it is possible to keep the temperature change inside the storage box within a desired range under the climatic conditions of many regions in Japan, even though only thinner insulation material than conventional methods is used.

[0016] In other words, during periods when high temperatures are a problem, such as in summer, it is more important to reduce the heat absorbed by the storage box by solar radiation and to efficiently release the heat from the storage box's exterior wall, which has risen in temperature due to solar radiation, into the outside air, rather than increasing the thermal resistance between the exterior wall and the interior of the storage box. In Japan, it is unlikely that the outside temperature will exceed the upper limit storage temperature for AEDs, etc. (e.g., 50°C), so reducing the heat absorbed by solar radiation and releasing this heat into the outside air will suppress the temperature rise of the storage box's exterior wall. As a result, even if the thermal resistance between the exterior wall and the interior of the storage box is somewhat low, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise inside the storage box.

[0017] Furthermore, during periods when low temperatures are a problem, such as in winter, it is crucial to ensure sufficient heat capacity within the storage box (the part inside the insulation layer, including the storage space, assuming an insulation layer is provided between the outer wall and the interior of the storage box) rather than increasing the thermal resistance between the outer wall and the interior of the storage box. In Japan, although it is not uncommon for the daily minimum temperature to fall below freezing, the time during which the temperature is below the minimum storage temperature for AEDs (e.g., -5°C) is limited, and the daily average temperature is often above 0°C. Also, the temperature difference between the minimum storage temperature for AEDs and the ambient temperature is small, only a few degrees Celsius, so the heat flux from the outside to the inside of the storage box does not tend to be large. Therefore, while it is desirable to have high thermal resistance between the outer wall and the interior of the storage box, it is also possible to suppress the temperature drop inside the storage box by ensuring sufficient heat capacity within the storage box. Specifically, this objective is achieved by designing the storage box so that the product of thermal resistance and heat capacity (thermal time constant) is greater than a certain value. More specifically, the thermal time constant should be set so that the time it takes for the AED to reach its minimum storage temperature is approximately the same as the temperature change on the coldest day in the area where the storage box is to be installed. In Japan, the minimum temperature does not usually fall below -10°C in most areas, so if the thermal time constant of the storage box is set as described above, the temperature will rise before the temperature inside the storage space drops below the minimum storage temperature for the AED.

[0018] Based on the above-mentioned ideas, the inventor of the present invention repeatedly designed, prototyped, and evaluated the invention, thereby completing the invention that concretely realizes the aforementioned measures.

[0019] (1) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides: A housing having a storage space inside capable of housing at least an automated external defibrillator, An opening provided in the housing, The opening is provided with a door that can be opened and closed, At least a portion of the wall of the housing is composed of a hollow wall having a cavity that penetrates in the vertical direction, Furthermore, at least a part of the enclosure is The outer layer has weather resistance, An insulating layer with heat-insulating properties, An inner layer portion made of a hard material and is at least a three-layer structure and is characterized as a storage box.

[0020] The present invention is a storage box that can be installed outdoors and can store an AED or the like inside. Naturally, the storage space provided in the housing of the storage box has a size capable of storing at least an AED. Also, to protect the AED from contamination due to the intrusion of wind, rain, and dust expected when installed outdoors, and to prevent external high-temperature or low-temperature air from entering the storage space, the housing has an openable door portion. The door portion is at least large enough to allow an AED or the like to be taken in and out of the storage space, and also has airtightness such that wind, rain, dust, and outside air do not easily enter the storage space. Although it can be realized by these established methods and the specific realization method is not limited, for example, it can be realized by using a so-called door packing used for the door of a refrigerator or the like.

[0021] The storage box is bolt-fixed to a part of the back wall of a building or a fence, or attached to a pole buried in the ground. Due to the need to store an AED or the like, the storage box is relatively large with a height, width, and depth of several tens of centimeters or more each, so high shape stability is required. Also, since it may be installed outdoors, it is necessary to have a strength that is not easily damaged even if a person accidentally touches it or an object hits it. Although a storage box of this size can be easily manufactured from sheet metal, to provide satisfactory strength and shape stability, the sheet metal has to be thickened, which makes the storage box very heavy (for example, when making a housing with a height and width of 400 mm and a depth of 300 mm from a 1.6-mm steel plate, only the outer layer of the housing exceeds 10 kg, and the entire storage box is much heavier than this), resulting in restrictions on the installation location, fixing method, etc.

[0022] Therefore, at least a portion of the walls of the storage box enclosure, which are particularly important for strength, are constructed as hollow walls. Here, a hollow wall is a plate-like member with a thickness of at least 8 mm or more used as a component of at least a portion of the enclosure's walls, and when used as an enclosure wall, it has a cavity (a continuous hole in the vertical direction) that penetrates vertically. Since bending rigidity increases in proportion to the square of the thickness, constructing the walls with a member with a thickness of 8 mm or more makes it possible to create an enclosure with very high strength. Furthermore, because there is a margin of strength, the material of the hollow wall is not limited to steel, but a lighter material with a lower elastic modulus can be used, for example, aluminum alloy or resin material can be used. In addition, since sufficient strength to maintain the structure of the enclosure can be ensured in the hollow wall portion, if only a portion of the wall is made of hollow wall, the remaining portion can be constructed of a lighter material with lower strength. For example, it is possible to use aluminum alloy plates or resin plates, further reducing the weight of the storage box.

[0023] Furthermore, the hollow walls do not need to be dense; voids (often called weight-reducing holes) can be created to further reduce weight. In this case, it is preferable that the voids penetrate the hollow walls vertically. Similar to so-called corrugated cardboard (paperboard made by laminating flat cardboard to both sides of a corrugated base paper), hollow walls are strong against bending perpendicular to the axial direction of the void, but weak against bending perpendicular to it. Therefore, the voids in the hollow walls are oriented to penetrate the housing vertically.

[0024] Furthermore, the enclosure has a three-layer structure: a robust outer layer that is not easily damaged even when exposed to sunlight, wind, rain, dust, and physical impact; an inner layer that forms the walls (including the floor and ceiling) of the storage space for AEDs, etc., and has sufficient strength to prevent deformation or damage when AEDs are inserted or removed; and an insulating layer that increases the thermal resistance between the outer and inner layers to reduce the heat flow velocity. The walls of the enclosure can be made of the same material as the outer layer, but this is not necessarily required. For example, the hollow wall that makes up the walls of the enclosure may also be the outer layer, or it may have both a plate-like member that is the outer layer and a hollow wall (for example, a hollow wall is provided on the inside of the outer layer).

[0025] (2) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, The hollow wall is made of an extruded member. The storage box described in (1) is characterized by the following features.

[0026] The elongated members constituting the hollow wall are preferably extruded members obtained by extruding aluminum alloy or resin material. This is because extrusion molding allows for the mass and inexpensive production of hollow walls with stable quality. Furthermore, it allows for the easy creation of cavities that penetrate in the extrusion direction.

[0027] Incidentally, if hollow walls made of extruded aluminum alloy or similar material are used, and they are left unpainted, the effects of solar radiation are mitigated, which has the advantage of slowing down the temperature rise, especially during the daytime in summer. This is because the emissivity of aluminum is generally 0.1 or less, and it reflects most of the energy of sunlight without absorbing it. Although aluminum has excellent thermal conductivity and therefore readily transmits the temperature of the outside air to the internal insulation layer, this is not a problem because the insulation properties of the insulation layer prevent this from being transmitted to the internal storage space.

[0028] Furthermore, when a hollow wall is made from an extruded resin material, it has the advantage of being lighter than a hollow wall made from an extruded aluminum alloy or the like, as it has a lower thermal conductivity, making it less likely for the outside temperature to be transmitted to the internal insulation layer. On the other hand, resin materials generally have high emissivity and absorb sunlight energy well, causing their temperature to rise, so it is preferable to apply the heat-shielding coating described below.

[0029] (2a) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, The surface of the housing is coated with a heat-shielding paint. It is a storage box characterized by the following features.

[0030] Regardless of whether it's a storage box or any other object installed outdoors, the surface temperature changes toward the temperature at which the energy received from solar radiation balances out the energy lost through heat transfer to the surrounding air and thermal radiation from the surface (this includes the exchange of energy through heat conduction between solids and liquids in contact with the object, such as mounting brackets). For example, at the latitudes of many regions in Japan, the maximum energy received per unit time and per unit area from solar radiation is 1000 [W / m²]. 2 The temperature is approximately [K], and the energy transfer (heat transfer coefficient) per unit time, unit area, and unit temperature from the vertical surface to the air is 20 [W / m²] for natural convection. 2 [K], the energy transfer per unit time, per unit area, per unit time due to thermal radiation is approximately 4.9 [W / m²] from the Stefan-Boltzmann law, assuming an emissivity of 0.85, a surface temperature of 50°C, and an ambient temperature of approximately 35°C. 2 This results in [K]. From this, it is calculated that the surface temperature rise of the object under maximum solar radiation is approximately 34°C. Although this is a conservative estimate, this indicates that if the ambient temperature is around 35°C, the surface temperature of the storage box will approach 70°C. Unless a considerably high-performance insulation material is installed between the outer and inner layers of the storage box, the internal temperature of the storage box may exceed the upper limit of the storage temperature for AEDs, etc.

[0031] Therefore, it is preferable to reduce the energy received from solar radiation by applying a heat-reflective coating to the surface of the storage box casing. Specifically, paints with an emissivity of around 0.2 to 0.4 that reflect more than half of the solar energy are available as heat-reflective paints (high solar reflectance paints). For example, if a heat-reflective paint with an emissivity of around 0.3 is used, the surface temperature rise of the storage box will be approximately 14°C. In other words, if the outside temperature is up to 35°C, the surface temperature of the storage box will remain below 50°C. In the specific environmental conditions where the outside temperature is as high as 40°C and the storage box is exposed to maximum solar radiation, the surface temperature of the storage box may slightly exceed 50°C. However, even at this level, it is easy to maintain the internal temperature of the storage box below the upper limit of the storage temperature for AEDs, etc., by providing some insulation between the outer and inner layers of the storage box, so the benefits of heat-reflective coating are significant.

[0032] (3) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, Heat dissipation fins are provided on the outer surface of the hollow wall on the upper and lower surfaces of the outer layer. The storage box is characterized by the features described in (1) or (2).

[0033] As already explained, reducing the energy received by the surface of the storage box from solar radiation can lower the target surface temperature of the storage box. However, a similar effect can be achieved by increasing the energy transfer (heat transfer) from the surface of the enclosure, which has been heated by solar radiation, to the air. Specifically, by providing heat dissipation fins on the outside of the hollow wall, the energy received from solar radiation does not change, but the surface area in contact with the air increases, thus increasing heat transfer to the air and lowering the surface temperature of the storage box. It is preferable to provide the heat dissipation fins in a vertical direction so as not to obstruct the airflow that tends to move upward due to natural convection, and this is an even more convenient configuration as it is easy to realize when the hollow wall is constructed from an extruded member.

[0034] Furthermore, if the spacing between the heat dissipation fins is too narrow, natural convection will be hindered by the viscosity of the air, reducing the cooling efficiency. Therefore, it is preferable that the spacing between the heat dissipation fins be approximately 2 cm or more. In addition, in order to ensure sufficient heat transfer to the air, it is preferable that the total surface area, including the surface of the fins on the mounting surface, be at least twice the area of ​​the surface on which the fins are mounted (the fin height is about half the fin spacing). This is because it is possible to reduce the temperature rise by about half. Moreover, it is even more preferable that the total surface area, including the surface of the fins on the mounting surface, be at least three times the area of ​​the fins (the fin height is about the same as the fin spacing). This is because it is possible to reduce the temperature rise by about 40%. Furthermore, this does not prevent the application of heat-shielding paint to the housing of the storage box including the fins. This is because it is possible to keep the temperature rise below 10°C, and regardless of the performance of the insulation layer, there is no concern that the internal temperature of the storage box will exceed the upper limit of the storage temperature for AEDs, etc., in the summer.

[0035] As mentioned above, the heat dissipation fins can be easily realized by constructing them from extruded material, so it is particularly preferable to apply them to the storage box described in (2).

[0036] (4) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, Ventilation holes are provided in the locations corresponding to the cavities in the hollow walls of the upper and lower surfaces of the outer layer. The storage box is characterized by the features described in (1) to (3).

[0037] If vents are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the outer layer of the storage box casing, corresponding to the location of the vertically penetrating cavity in the hollow wall, an airflow path is created where air enters through the vent on the lower surface of the casing, passes through the cavity, and exits through the vent on the upper surface of the casing. When the temperature of the hollow wall rises due to solar radiation, the temperature of the wall surface of the cavity in the hollow wall also rises, warming the air passing through the cavity. However, as the temperature rises, the volume of the air increases and the density decreases, so buoyancy acts and causes it to rise up the cavity, resulting in the so-called chimney effect. If the temperature of the hollow wall is 50°C, the ambient temperature is 35°C, and the height of the cavity is about 40 cm, the speed of the airflow within the cavity will be 30 cm / s or more, producing a strong air-cooling effect. Therefore, as described above, it is preferable to provide vents at locations corresponding to the cavities in the hollow wall on the upper and lower surfaces of the outer layer, and to suppress the temperature rise of the outer layer of the storage box by the airflow caused by the chimney effect acting on the air within the cavity.

[0038] Furthermore, it is preferable that the surface area of ​​the inner cavity is greater than or equal to the surface area of ​​the outer surface of the hollow wall (the part in contact with the outside air). Since heat transfer to the air in the hollow wall cavity occurs on the inner surface of the hollow wall cavity that is in contact with the air connecting the cavity, if the surface area of ​​the inner cavity of the hollow wall is small, the heat from the hollow wall cannot be sufficiently transferred to the air. Having the surface area of ​​the inner cavity of the hollow wall greater than or equal to the surface area of ​​the outer surface of the hollow wall means that the surface area of ​​the hollow wall in contact with the air is more than twice as large, so the surface temperature rise of the storage box can be greatly reduced, similar to the case where heat dissipation fins are provided on the outside of the hollow wall. Needless to say, it is even more preferable if the surface area of ​​the inner cavity of the hollow wall is larger, as this allows for more efficient transfer of heat from the hollow wall to the air.

[0039] Incidentally, while it might seem that providing vents on the top and bottom surfaces of the outer layer could potentially allow dust and rainwater to enter the storage box, in reality, the vents only connect to the hollow walls, and are separated from the insulation layer and other parts by the walls of the hollow walls. Therefore, there is no concern about dust or rainwater entering the storage box (i.e., the storage space or insulation layer) through the vents.

[0040] Furthermore, a configuration that utilizes a chimney effect by providing vents in the hollow structure can be applied to any of (1) to (3) and yield good results. However, when using heat dissipation fins, it is highly likely that sufficient cooling effect is already obtained, so from the standpoint of necessity, it is preferable to provide vents in (1) or (2). In addition, when a hollow wall is constructed from an extruded aluminum alloy member, its good thermal conductivity allows heat to be transferred to various parts and dissipated from a larger surface area (effect as a heat spreader), but in the case of (1), such an effect may not be expected, and there is concern that the heat dissipation performance will tend to be inferior. Therefore, for (1), it is particularly preferable to provide vents to improve cooling performance.

[0041] (5) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, The aforementioned insulation layer is equipped with a heat-shielding material. The storage box is characterized by the features described in (1) to (5).

[0042] The housing of the storage box according to the present invention has a structure of at least three layers: an outer layer with weather resistance, an insulating layer with heat insulation properties, and an inner layer made of a rigid material. The insulating layer is made of an insulating material. The insulating material is typically made of a synthetic resin material containing many closed cells, such as foamed polyurethane resin or expanded polystyrene. Most of its volume is occupied by air, which has low thermal conductivity, and because it consists of closed cells, there is almost no heat transport by air convection, so excellent insulating materials with high heat insulation properties (thermal resistance) are available on the market. However, resin materials emit radiation according to their temperature and absorb emitted electromagnetic waves, and while they considerably reduce heat conduction by conduction, they do not prevent heat conduction by radiation (heat flux due to repeated radiation and absorption). .

[0043] Therefore, in the present invention, it is preferable to provide a heat-shielding material in the heat-insulating layer. The heat-shielding material is, for example, an aluminum foil or aluminum vapor-deposited film attached to the surface of a foamed polyurethane resin sheet. Since glossy surfaces such as aluminum have the characteristic of hardly absorbing and emitting light, including infrared rays, by providing a heat-shielding material, heat conduction by radiation can be greatly reduced, and high thermal resistance can be achieved with a relatively thin heat-insulating layer. However, although the heat-shielding surface of the heat-shielding material (glossy surface with aluminum vapor deposition, etc.) hardly emits or absorbs heat, when the heat-shielding surface becomes hot, it will normally transfer heat to the air in contact with the heat-shielding surface. Therefore, it is preferable that the heat-insulating layer has both a heat-insulating effect (an effect that prevents heat transfer by conduction) and a heat-shielding effect (an effect that prevents heat transfer by radiation). Specifically, it is preferable to use a heat-shielding material in which a heat-shielding surface is provided on the surface of the heat-insulating material as described above, or to use a heat-shielding material such as aluminum foil (a single-function material that does not have the effect of a heat-insulating material) layered on top of the heat-insulating material.

[0044] Incidentally, there are various ways to implement the insulation layer, such as attaching a heat-shielding material with insulation to the inner surface of the outer layer of the enclosure, attaching a heat-shielding material with insulation to the outer surface of the inner layer of the enclosure, or attaching the insulation material and heat-shielding material to the inner surface of the outer layer and the outer surface of the inner layer, respectively. However, there are no particular limitations on how it is implemented. Differences in design in this area are unlikely to lead to significant advantages or disadvantages in performance, so the manufacturer of the enclosure should design it in a way that is convenient for efficient manufacturing.

[0045] Furthermore, as mentioned above, there is concern that the cooling performance of configuration (1) tends to be insufficient, so it is particularly preferable to provide a heat shielding material for configuration (1).

[0046] (6) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, The aforementioned insulation layer is provided with insulation material with a gap between it and the heat shielding material. The storage box described in (5) is characterized by the following features.

[0047] As previously explained, equipping the insulation layer with a heat-shielding material prevents heat conduction by radiation, thereby increasing the thermal resistance between the outer and inner layers of the storage box enclosure. However, if the heat-shielding material placed on the inside of the outer layer is in close contact with the inner layer, heat from the outer layer will be transferred to the inner layer by conduction rather than radiation. Therefore, the metallic surface of the heat-shielding material should not be in close contact with other objects, but rather should be separated by at least a small gap (i.e., an air layer). On the other hand, since air convection occurs in the gap (air layer), if there is a part with low thermal resistance between the outer and inner layers of the storage box enclosure, heat is easily transferred through this gap to other parts. An example of a part with low thermal resistance is a member that supports the inner layer, but in reality, such a member is placed at the bottom where it is not affected by sunlight, so this is not a problem. However, if water damage occurs in certain areas due to condensation or other reasons, or if the insulation material is dented or cracked due to external impact, these areas will have low thermal resistance, and preventing such accidents is practically extremely difficult.

[0048] Therefore, in this invention, a heat-shielding material is provided with a gap between it and an insulating material, which not only reduces heat conduction by radiation but also allows the insulating performance to be maintained to a certain extent even if areas with low thermal resistance occur due to accidents or other reasons. The heat-shielding material may be a single-function material that only blocks radiation and has a metallic glossy surface, or it may be an insulating material with a metallic glossy surface. The insulating material may be a single-function insulating material, or it may also have the function of a heat-shielding material.

[0049] (7) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, The aforementioned storage space is equipped with humidity control properties. The storage box is characterized by any one of (1) to (6).

[0050] The inner layer of the storage box according to the present invention is preferably made of a rigid material, that is, not easily damaged, such as foamed resin like many insulation materials, but specifically made of sheet metal, resin board, or wood board, and possessing a certain strength so as not to be easily damaged under normal use. This is because storage boxes that can be installed outdoors are expected to be used by an unspecified number of users, and if they are easily worn or damaged by normal use, such as repeatedly putting in and taking out AEDs, it will be difficult to maintain a good appearance and performance.

[0051] Incidentally, as mentioned above, the storage space of a storage box is usually sealed to avoid contamination from the intrusion of dust and rainwater, and to prevent rapid temperature changes due to the entry and exit of outside air. In that case, it can be assumed that, even if gradual, the temperature change in the storage space will cause condensation of water vapor contained in the air inside the storage space when the temperature is low. In Japan, the absolute humidity is considerably high during hot and humid periods such as summer (for example, when the temperature is 30°C and the relative humidity is 80%RH, opening and closing the door of a storage box will result in an absolute humidity of 25 g / m³ inside the storage space). 3 (This can be as high as above), and in principle, condensation can occur with just a few degrees of temperature drop. If it remains closed until winter, the possibility of condensation occurring is quite high. AEDs and similar devices are precision instruments and contain adhesives, so water damage due to condensation is extremely undesirable. It is conceivable that they may immediately lose their function due to water damage, and there is also concern about mold growth. On the other hand, the insulation material that makes up the insulation layer of the storage box casing is made of foamed resin or aluminum vapor-deposited film, which has poor moisture absorption and cannot be expected to suppress condensation.

[0052] Therefore, it is preferable to provide humidity control in the storage space. Humidity control is the function of mitigating humidity changes by taking in moisture from the air when the humidity of the air is high and releasing moisture into the air when the temperature is low. By providing humidity control in the storage space, it is possible to prevent the relative humidity of the air from becoming too high regardless of temperature changes and suppress condensation. However, if the temperature change in the storage space is too fast, it is conceivable that condensation may occur because the humidity control function cannot keep up. However, in the storage box according to the present invention, the temperature change in the storage space becomes extremely gradual due to the thermal resistance of the insulation layer and the delay caused by the heat capacity of the inner layer made of a rigid material, so there is no risk of condensation occurring in most areas of Japan (the product T[s]=R·Q of the thermal resistance R[K / W] of the insulation layer and the heat capacity Q[J / K] of the inner layer is approximately the thermal time constant of the temperature change in the storage space, and it takes T seconds to follow about 63% of the temperature change).

[0053] To provide humidity control, a so-called humidity control material with humidity control properties can be placed in the storage space, or the inner layer can be constructed of a hard material that possesses humidity control properties along with a certain level of mechanical strength and abrasion resistance. For example, type B silica gel absorbs a lot of moisture in high humidity but releases moisture in low humidity, making it a suitable method for providing humidity control when placed in a storage space. On the other hand, so-called desiccants such as calcium oxide and type A silica gel, which absorb moisture from the air but then hardly release it, are undesirable because although they keep the humidity in the storage space of the storage box extremely low and dry, they eventually lose their moisture absorption capacity when the door is repeatedly opened and closed.

[0054] (7a) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, The inner layer is made of sheet metal or resin plate. A moisture-regulating sheet is attached to the inner surface of the inner layer. The storage box described in (7) is characterized by the above.

[0055] While constructing the inner layer from metal sheet metal or resin plate is preferable because it provides mechanical strength that prevents deformation or damage during insertion and removal of AEDs and other devices, using sheet metal or resin plate for the inner layer raises concerns about insufficient humidity control in the storage space, leading to condensation due to temperature changes. Therefore, it is preferable to attach a humidity control sheet to the inner surface of the sheet metal or resin plate inner layer. Here, a humidity control sheet is a sheet made by coating paper or the like with a humidity control substance such as type B silica gel or diatomaceous earth, and by attaching it to the inner surface of the inner layer, humidity control can be provided to the storage space. Furthermore, since only a thin humidity control sheet is attached to the inner surface of the inner layer, it does not consume the volume of the storage space, and because of its large surface area, the humidity control speed is also excellent.

[0056] (7b) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, The aforementioned inner layer is made of wood. The storage box described in (7) is characterized by the above.

[0057] Constructing the inner layer from wood is also a preferred configuration of this invention. Needless to say, wood possesses mechanical strength that prevents deformation or damage even when AEDs and other devices are repeatedly taken in and out of the storage space. At the same time, it is known to have a humidity-regulating effect, absorbing and releasing moisture to maintain a water retention rate according to the humidity, which is very convenient for this invention. In addition, even if condensation occurs, the wood quickly absorbs the condensed water, which has the advantage of more reliably preventing water damage to AEDs and other devices stored in the storage space.

[0058] There are various types of wood, and the appropriate one can be used according to the required performance such as strength and humidity control, but in this invention, it is particularly preferable to use paulownia wood. This is because, among woods, paulownia wood is relatively lightweight, easy to process, has low thermal conductivity, and possesses moderate humidity control properties. In terms of moisture absorption alone, paulownia wood is on the lower side among woods, but because it has a low density and little resistance to moisture diffusion into the interior of the wood, although it is inferior in the absolute amount of moisture it can absorb over a long period of time, it is preferable because it follows changes in humidity due to temperature changes well in its humidity control effect and can quickly absorb condensation if it occurs.

[0059] (7c) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, A humidifier can be installed in the aforementioned storage space. The storage box described in (7) is characterized by the above.

[0060] A preferred embodiment of the storage box according to the present invention is that it is possible to install a humidity control unit containing a humidity control material such as type B silica gel in the storage space. This is because users who install the storage box in special environments, such as the rooftop of a building, where the storage box becomes extremely hot during the day due to the effects of sunlight and then drops sharply at night due to the effects of radiative cooling, can install a powerful humidity control material in the storage space to eliminate concerns about condensation even in such special environments.

[0061] (8) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, The storage space is equipped with a latent heat storage material. The storage box is characterized by any one of (1) to (6).

[0062] As already explained, in order to maintain the temperature of the storage space below the upper limit of the storage temperature for AEDs, etc., it is most important to mitigate the temperature rise of the outer layer of the storage box casing due to solar radiation, rather than the ambient temperature. On the other hand, in order to maintain the temperature of the storage space above the lower limit of the storage temperature for AEDs, etc., the goal is to slow down the rate at which the temperature of the storage space decreases toward the ambient temperature and keep the temperature of the storage space above the lower limit of the storage temperature for AEDs, etc. until the ambient temperature rises. This is because in many parts of Japan, although the lowest temperature of the day (often from midnight to dawn) is below freezing, the average temperature of the day, including daytime, is almost always above 0°C. It should be noted that maintaining the temperature of the storage space above the average temperature of the day is physically impossible without means of supplying energy from the outside, such as a heater, and is not the subject of this invention.

[0063] To slow down the rate at which the temperature of the storage space decreases toward the ambient temperature, the design should be such that the product T [s] of the thermal resistance R [K / W] of the insulation layer and the heat capacity Q [J / K] of the inner layer is large. T is the thermal time constant of the temperature change in the storage space, and its physical meaning is that it takes T seconds to follow approximately 63% of the temperature change. Therefore, depending on the usage environment of the storage box and the lower limit of the storage temperature for AEDs, etc., the storage box should be designed so that the product of the thermal resistance of the insulation layer and the heat capacity of the inner layer is a desired value. However, since the thermal resistance R is roughly proportional to the thickness of the insulation layer and the heat capacity Q is roughly proportional to the mass of the inner layer, increasing the thermal time constant T requires the storage box to be large and heavy, which becomes a problem if this is not acceptable.

[0064] To solve this problem, the inventors of this invention decided to equip the storage space with a latent heat storage material. A latent heat storage material typically uses water, which has a freezing point of 0°C. When a liquid solidifies into a solid, it releases a large amount of energy (in the case of water, this is approximately 334 [J / g] of heat of solidification), so when the temperature is about to fall below 0°C, the 0°C state is maintained for a long time (in the case of water, it releases an amount of heat equivalent to a temperature change of approximately 80°C). In other words, if a relatively small amount of latent heat storage material is provided in the storage space, when the temperature of the storage space is about to fall below the freezing point, a large amount of heat of solidification is released from the latent heat storage material, causing the temperature drop to stagnate. This makes it possible to maintain the temperature of the storage space above the lower limit of the storage temperature for AEDs, etc., without unnecessarily increasing the thermal resistance of the insulation layer or the heat capacity of the inner layer.

[0065] As a latent heat storage material, it is necessary that its freezing point is lower than the average daily temperature in most regions of Japan, and that this freezing point is above the lower limit of the storage temperature for AEDs and other devices. It is preferable to use water, which has a freezing point of approximately 0°C at normal pressure, as such a latent heat storage material. This is because it stores energy as liquid water during the daytime when temperatures are relatively high (above 0°C), and then releases the latent heat of solidification (heat of solidification) during the late night and early morning hours when temperatures drop below 0°C, thereby maintaining the temperature of the storage space around 0°C.

[0066] (8a) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, The latent heat storage material has water as its main component and is stored in a container that is at least 3 / 4 the height of the storage space. The storage box described in (8) is characterized by the following features.

[0067] In this invention, although the storage space is only about 30cm to 50cm high, a temperature difference will occur between the ceiling and floor when the ambient temperature changes. This is because the density of air decreases as the temperature increases, causing warmer air to accumulate near the ceiling of the storage space, while cooler air accumulates near the floor. This becomes a problem when the ambient temperature drops below the minimum storage temperature for AEDs, etc. Since AEDs stored in the storage space are usually placed on the floor, they will be exposed to the coldest air in the storage space.

[0068] Incidentally, water has a unique property where, under normal pressure, its density is lowest at around 4°C, including the state where it is solid as ice below 0°C. Therefore, if a latent heat storage material whose main component is water is placed in a container that has length in the vertical direction of the storage space, convection will occur as the warmer water at around 4°C moves downwards, and conversely, the colder water at temperatures below 4°C moves downwards. Naturally, the warmer water at around 4°C will warm the cold air near the floor of the storage space. As a result, thermal energy from the upper part of the storage space is transported to the lower part, mitigating the accumulation of the coldest air near the floor of the storage space, and preventing the temperature of AEDs and other devices from falling below their lower storage temperature limit.

[0069] (8b) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, The latent heat storage material is equipped with a means for releasing supercooling. The storage box described in (8) is characterized by the following features.

[0070] When liquids such as water solidify, a phenomenon called supercooling can occur where solidification does not begin even when the temperature falls below the freezing point. Supercooling is known to be suppressed or reversed if the liquid contains impurities that act as nuclei for solidification (ice nuclei), if the temperature changes rapidly, or if vibration or shock is applied. However, the storage box according to the present invention is thought to be prone to supercooling because the temperature changes are extremely gradual due to the thermal resistance of the insulation layer and the heat capacity of the inner layer, and it is often installed in quiet environments with little vibration at night when the temperature drops (typically sports facilities such as athletic fields).

[0071] While the supercooled state is maintained, the latent heat storage material does not release latent heat even though it is below its freezing point, which is undesirable because it can easily cause the temperature of the storage space to drop below its freezing point. Therefore, it is preferable to provide a supercooling release means that releases the supercooled state of the latent heat storage material when the temperature of the storage space falls below the freezing point of the latent heat storage material (for example, when the temperature of the storage space drops to -1°C).

[0072] Specifically, the supercooling release mechanism can be implemented using a snap bimetal that operates at a temperature below the freezing point of the latent heat storage material. A snap bimetal is a plate made by bonding dissimilar metals with different coefficients of thermal expansion together and curving it into a dish shape. When it falls below a certain temperature, the curvature direction changes rapidly (snaps), and conversely, when it rises above a certain temperature, it rapidly returns to its original shape (usually there is some hysteresis between the operating temperature and the return temperature). For example, by attaching a snap bimetal to the latent heat storage material that snaps at -2°C when the temperature is lowered from a high temperature and returns at 1°C when the temperature rises, it is possible to achieve a function where, at night, as the ambient temperature decreases and the storage space temperature drops to -2°C, the snap bimetal is activated to release the supercooling state of the latent heat storage material, and the storage space temperature recovers to around 0°C. During the day, as the ambient temperature rises and the storage space temperature reaches 1°C, the snap bimetal recovers in preparation for the next activation.

[0073] Furthermore, an active means using a temperature sensor and an actuator such as a motor can also be used as a means of releasing the supercooling. Specifically, the system is equipped with a battery, a temperature sensor, a comparator, a timer, and an actuator such as a motor. When the comparator detects that the temperature detected by the temperature sensor has fallen below a predetermined temperature (e.g., -2°C), the timer drives the actuator such as a motor for several seconds to generate vibrations or other vibrations to release the supercooling state. How the actuator releases the supercooling state is arbitrary, but for example, a motor can be used to rotate a magnet on the outside of the latent heat storage material storage container, thereby rotating a resin-coated magnet inside the container that is magnetically coupled to that magnet, stirring the latent heat storage material and releasing the supercooling state (this is the same principle as devices sold as so-called magnetic stirrs). The current consumed by the temperature sensor and comparator can be designed to be at the level of tens of microamperes, and it is possible to maintain a standby state for several years with a commercially available battery. In addition, the heat generated can be kept below 0.1 mW, so there is no concern whatsoever that the temperature of the storage space will rise due to the provision of a means of releasing the supercooling.

[0074] (8c) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, The aforementioned latent heat storage material solidifies at 0°C to -4°C and melts at 0°C to 2°C. The storage box described in (8) is characterized by the following features.

[0075] In addition to mechanical vibration and stirring, as already described, various methods have been proposed to eliminate the supercooling phenomenon, including electrical stimulation and ultrasonic application. However, there are also methods that suppress the occurrence of supercooling by adding specific substances to liquids such as water, rather than using such active means. For example, the specification related to international publication number WO2019 / 235468 discloses a latent heat storage material containing a substance that forms an inclusion hydrate with water (quaternary ammonia salt) and calcium carbonate, which allows for some control of the freezing point and suppresses supercooling. Such characteristics make it extremely convenient as a latent heat storage material to be provided in the storage box according to the present invention.

[0076] Since the lower limit of storage temperature for many AEDs is around -5°C, and the average daily temperature in many parts of Japan is above 0°C, it is preferable that the latent heat storage material be set to solidify at 0°C to -5°C (preferably around -2°C) and melt at 0°C to 2°C (preferably 0°C or slightly above). This makes it possible to realize a storage box that can maintain the storage space within the storage temperature range for AEDs, etc., without requiring a special supercooling release mechanism, and is highly reliable and inexpensive.

[0077] (9) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, The housing is equipped with a heat shield plate positioned with a gap between it and the surrounding area. The storage box is characterized by any one of (1) to (6).

[0078] As already explained, the cause of the surface temperature of the storage box casing rising above the ambient temperature is solar radiation, so blocking solar radiation can greatly reduce the rise in the surface temperature of the casing. Specifically, it is preferable to provide a shielding plate with a gap on the outside of the casing. Just like a parasol, the shielding plate blocks the solar radiation from reaching the surface of the casing, while air flows through the gap between the surface of the casing and the shielding plate, so the release of heat from the surface of the casing to the outside air is not blocked, thus suppressing the rise in the temperature of the casing.

[0079] The shielding plate can be attached to the storage box casing by any means, such as screwing it in via spacers. However, to reduce the transfer of heat from the shielding plate, which becomes hot when exposed to sunlight, to the casing, it is preferable to select mounting components such as spacers from resin rather than metal, which has excellent thermal conductivity. In addition, the shielding plate can be installed on the top, left, right, or front and back of the storage box casing, but there is little need to install it on the bottom, which is less affected by direct sunlight.

[0080] Incidentally, the front, back, and sides of the enclosure have walls that are perpendicular to the ground, and the heated air tends to flow upward due to natural convection, resulting in a high heat transfer coefficient to the air. Therefore, these sides do not tend to become very hot even when exposed to sunlight. On the other hand, the top surface is parallel to the ground, making natural convection less likely and resulting in a low heat transfer coefficient to the air. Therefore, it is preferable to provide heat shields at least on the top of the enclosure. Of course, it goes without saying that it is even more preferable to provide heat shields on the sides and front and back from a thermal standpoint, but providing heat shields on the sides and front and back leads to an increase in the projected floor area, so it is preferable to make it an option that can be installed depending on the installation environment of the storage box. In addition, in the storage box according to the present invention, at least a part of the wall is a hollow wall with a cavity that penetrates vertically, and the chimney effect of this cavity can reduce the temperature rise of the wall to a considerable extent, so in this sense, heat shields on the sides and front and back are not essential, but are merely an option that is preferable if provided.

[0081] (10) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides The heat shield plate is provided with a heat shielding material on the surface facing the housing. The storage box described in (9) is characterized by the following features.

[0082] As previously explained, equipping the heat shield can reduce the surface temperature rise of the storage box casing. However, the heat shield can become quite hot due to solar radiation, for example, around 60°C to 70°C. In such cases, heat is transferred to the storage box casing by radiation from the back side of the heat shield (the side facing the storage box casing), causing a temperature rise. Therefore, it is preferable to attach a heat shielding material to the back side of the heat shield to prevent radiation and further suppress the temperature rise of the storage box casing. The heat shielding material here may be a single-function material that only suppresses radiative heat transfer, such as an aluminum vapor-deposited film, or it may be an insulating heat shielding material made by laminating an aluminum vapor-deposited film onto an insulating material such as foamed resin. The difference is not significant, but it is because it can reduce the heat transferred to the air on the back side of the heat shield by heat conduction.

[0083] (11) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides The inner layer is made of a material that has moisture-regulating properties. A latent heat storage material is provided within the aforementioned storage space. The housing is provided with a heat shield plate positioned with a gap between it and the surrounding area. The heat shield plate is provided with a heat shielding material on the surface facing the housing. The storage box described in (6) is characterized by the following features.

[0084] In a storage box constructed with a hollow wall made of an extruded member having a cavity that penetrates vertically in at least a portion of the wall portion of the housing, ventilation openings are provided in the upper and lower surfaces of the outer layer of the housing at locations corresponding to the cavity in the hollow wall, and the heat insulation layer of the housing is equipped with a heat shield and a heat insulation material, the inner layer of the housing is made of a material with humidity control properties, the storage space is equipped with a latent heat storage material, a heat shield plate is provided on the outside of the housing with a gap, and the surface of the heat shield plate facing the housing is equipped with a heat shield, all of these components contribute to realizing the most important means of solving the problem of the present invention, which is to reduce the heat received by the storage box by solar radiation, suppress the temperature rise of the outer wall of the storage box by transferring this heat to the outside air, and suppress the decrease in the temperature inside the storage box by making the product of the thermal resistance between the outer wall and the inside of the storage box and the heat capacity inside the storage box greater than a certain value, and there is no contradiction between them.

[0085] The details of the constituent elements of the present invention are as described in (1) to (9) above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0086] (1) The housing has a storage space capable of housing an automated external defibrillator, an opening provided in the housing, and a door that can be opened and closed on the opening. Therefore, even when the storage box according to the present invention is installed outdoors, it has the effect of protecting the AED etc. stored inside from contamination by wind, rain, dust, etc. Furthermore, outside air does not enter or leave the storage space, and temperature changes in the storage space can be reduced.

[0087] Since at least a portion of the enclosure's walls are constructed as hollow walls with cavities that penetrate vertically, it is possible to create a storage box that is relatively light in weight while possessing high strength and shape stability. This has the effect of not being easily damaged even if accidentally touched by a person or hit by an object, and reducing restrictions on the installation location and fixing method.

[0088] The enclosure has a three-layer structure consisting of a robust outer layer, an inner layer that forms the walls (including the floor and ceiling) of the storage space made of rigid material, and an insulating layer placed between them. This results in a storage box that is not easily damaged even when exposed to sunlight, wind, rain, dust, or physical impact, does not experience wear or damage even when AEDs and other items are repeatedly inserted and removed, and has thermal resistance that prevents external heat from easily transferring to the storage space.

[0089] (2) Since the hollow walls are constructed from extruded members, it is possible to manufacture a large quantity of hollow walls with stable quality at low cost. Furthermore, since the cavities penetrating the hollow walls can be formed simultaneously when the hollow walls are extruded, it becomes possible to provide storage boxes with stable quality at a lower cost.

[0090] (2a) By applying a heat-shielding coating to the surface of the enclosure, the temperature rise of the enclosure surface due to solar radiation is suppressed, which has the effect of keeping the temperature of the storage space below the upper limit of the storage temperature for AEDs, etc.

[0091] (3) Since heat dissipation fins are provided on the outside of the hollow wall, when the enclosure surface receives heat from sunlight, this heat is efficiently released into the outside air, which suppresses the temperature rise of the enclosure surface and has the effect of keeping the temperature of the storage space below the upper limit of the storage temperature for AEDs, etc.

[0092] (4) Ventilation holes are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the outer layer at locations corresponding to the cavities in the hollow walls. When the temperature of the enclosure surface rises due to solar radiation, the chimney effect acting on the air inside the cavities creates an upward airflow, which has the effect of suppressing the temperature rise of the outer layer.

[0093] (5) By providing a heat-shielding material in the insulation layer, not only heat conduction but also heat transfer by radiative conduction is suppressed, resulting in the effect of increasing the thermal resistance between the outer and inner layers.

[0094] (6) The insulation layer is equipped with a heat-shielding material and an insulation material with gaps between them, which not only increases the thermal resistance between the outer layer and the inner layer, but also suppresses the decrease in thermal resistance in the event of accidents such as water damage or partial damage to the insulation material.

[0095] (7) Because the storage space is equipped with humidity control properties, condensation is suppressed within the storage space even when the temperature changes, which has the effect of preventing water damage to AEDs and other items stored in the storage space, as well as the growth of mold.

[0096] (7a) The inner layer is made of sheet metal or resin plate, and a humidity control sheet is attached to its inner surface. This provides mechanical strength that prevents deformation or damage when inserting or removing AEDs, and also provides humidity control to the storage space. Furthermore, because the humidity control sheet is thin and has a large surface area, it does not consume the volume of the storage space and has the effect of regulating humidity quickly.

[0097] (7b) Since the inner layer is constructed of wood, it has mechanical strength that prevents deformation and damage when inserting or removing AEDs, and the moisture-regulating properties of wood provide humidity control to the storage space. Furthermore, even if condensation occurs in the storage space, the wood quickly absorbs the condensed water, preventing water damage to the AEDs stored in the storage space. Moreover, since the inner layer is constructed of wood, all the walls (including the ceiling and floor) that form the storage space have a moisture-regulating property, resulting in a fast rate of humidity control. By using sheet metal or resin plates and attaching a humidity-regulating sheet to its inner surface, the device achieves mechanical strength that prevents easy deformation or damage during insertion and removal of AEDs, while also providing humidity control to the storage space. Furthermore, because the humidity-regulating sheet is thin and has a large surface area, it does not consume the volume of the storage space and has the effect of regulating humidity quickly.

[0098] Furthermore, using paulownia wood results in a lighter weight, lower thermal conductivity, faster humidity control, and excellent absorption of condensation.

[0099] (7c) Since it is possible to install a humidifier in the storage space, it has the effect of making it easy for the user of the storage box to install a humidifier as appropriate according to the environment in which it is used.

[0100] (8) By providing a latent heat storage material in the storage space, the temperature change in the storage space is slowed down by the heat of cohesive at the freezing point of the latent heat storage material, and the temperature of the storage space can be maintained above the lower limit of the storage temperature for AEDs, etc., without unnecessarily increasing the thermal resistance of the insulation layer or the heat capacity of the inner layer.

[0101] (8a) Since the latent heat storage material, whose main component is water, is stored in a container that is at least 3 / 4 the height of the storage space, the lower temperature air will remain near the floor of the storage space, mitigating the temperature difference that occurs within the storage space. This reduces the concern that AEDs and other equipment placed on the floor of the storage space may be exposed to temperatures below the lower limit of their storage temperature range.

[0102] (8b) Since the latent heat storage material is equipped with a means to release supercooling, it prevents a situation in which the effect of the heat of cohesive at the freezing point of the latent heat storage material cannot be obtained due to the occurrence of supercooling, and thus ensures that the effect of the latent heat storage material can be reliably obtained.

[0103] (8c) Since it is equipped with a latent heat storage material that solidifies at 0°C to -4°C and melts at 0°C to 2°C, it has the effect of reliably obtaining the effect of the latent heat storage material without having to provide a means to release supercooling.

[0104] (9) By providing a heat shield plate that is placed on the outside of the enclosure with a gap, it is possible to block sunlight and greatly reduce the rise in surface temperature of the enclosure.

[0105] (10) By providing a heat shield on the back side of the heat shield, that is, the side facing the enclosure, the enclosure of the storage box is prevented from receiving radiation from the heat shield, which has become hot due to solar radiation, and this has the effect of reducing the surface temperature of the enclosure even more significantly.

[0106] (11) The enclosure is constructed of hollow walls made of extruded members with cavities that penetrate vertically in at least a portion of the walls, ventilation openings are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the outer layer of the enclosure at locations corresponding to the cavities in the hollow walls, the insulation layer of the enclosure is equipped with a heat shield and an insulation material, the inner layer of the enclosure is made of a material with humidity control properties, the storage space is equipped with a latent heat storage material, a heat shield is provided on the outside of the enclosure with a gap, and a heat shield is provided on the surface of the heat shield facing the enclosure, so that the storage box can enjoy all the effects described in (1)(2)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10). [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0107] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of the storage box according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram showing the door portion of one embodiment of the storage box according to the present invention in a rotated state. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of the upper part of the housing and the area near the heat shield of the storage box according to the present invention. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a shielding plate for a storage box according to the present invention. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of one embodiment of the storage box according to the present invention. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of the hollow wall of a storage box according to the present invention. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment of the hollow wall of the storage box according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0108] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the storage box according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. [Examples]

[0109] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of the storage box according to this embodiment, and Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the storage box with the door open. Figures 3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams showing the heat shield and the upper part of the housing of the storage box, and the back surface of the heat shield (the surface facing the housing), respectively. Furthermore, Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of the storage box when it is cut by a plane perpendicular to the front-to-back direction near the center. In addition, Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the hollow walls provided on the left and right sides of the storage box. The reference numerals shown in these figures are common to all of them.

[0110] The storage box (1) according to this embodiment comprises a housing (2) having a storage space (5) inside, and a shielding plate (4) provided above the housing (2) with a gap between them, and the housing (2) and the shielding plate (4) are attached via a shielding plate mounting fixture (4a).

[0111] The shielding plate mounting bracket (4a) is a spacer made of polyacetal copolymer resin, which has a lower thermal conductivity than metal, thus suppressing the transfer of heat from the shielding plate (4), which is heated by solar radiation, to the housing (2). In this embodiment, only one shielding plate (4) is attached to the top of the housing (2), but depending on the installation environment of the collection box (1), it is also possible to add shielding plates to the left and right sides of the housing (2), or to the front of the housing (2), i.e., the door section (3). For example, if the storage box (1) is installed so that the front faces south, and there is a building or wall on the east side that blocks the sunlight from the east in the morning, it is not necessary to install a shielding plate on the right side (east side) facing the storage box (1). On the other hand, if there is no building or other structure that blocks the sunlight from the west in the afternoon, it is effective to install a shielding plate on the left side (west side) facing the storage box (1).

[0112] A sheet-like heat shield (4b) is attached to the back surface of the shielding plate (4), that is, the surface facing the housing (2). Although it is called a heat shield, in this embodiment a heat-insulating material made of foamed resin with an aluminum vapor-deposited film attached to it, and the aluminum vapor-deposited surface is attached facing the housing (2). As a result, the heat from the heat shielding plate (4), which becomes hot due to solar radiation, is blocked by the heat-insulating sheet of the heat shield (4b), the temperature of the aluminum vapor-deposited surface does not become very high, and furthermore, since the aluminum vapor-deposited surface has the property of hardly emitting heat radiation, heat transfer from the shielding plate (4) to the housing (2) by heat conduction and heat radiation is minimized, and the temperature rise of the housing (2) is suppressed.

[0113] The enclosure (2) has an opening (2d) on the front side that allows an AED (not shown) or the like to be inserted into and removed from the internal storage space (5), and the opening (2d) is fitted with a door (3) that can be opened and closed. A packing (5a) is fitted around the perimeter of the opening (2d), so when the door (3) is closed the storage space (5) is sealed, preventing dust, rainwater and the like from entering the storage space (5), as well as ensuring airtightness, so that there is no exchange of air between the inside and outside of the storage space (5), thus suppressing temperature changes inside the storage space (5).

[0114] Furthermore, the door (3) is equipped with a handle (3b), which allows it to be securely locked in the closed position. Although a detailed explanation is omitted here, an alarm bell is installed inside the storage space (5), and when the lock on the handle (3b) on the door (3) is released, an alarm sounds without waiting for the door (3) to be opened. This is because the primary purpose of this storage box (1) is to store AEDs, etc., and the opening of the door (3) usually indicates the occurrence of an emergency requiring an AED, etc., so the purpose is to alert those nearby with an alarm sound. In addition, by emitting an alarm sound when the lock on the handle (3b) is released before the door (3) is opened, it is also expected to have the effect of deterring vandalism to the storage box (1) installed in an accessible location such as outdoors.

[0115] Furthermore, the enclosure (2) is provided with mounting means (not shown) on the back and bottom. This storage box (1) is primarily intended to be attached to the walls or fences of buildings, and can be bolted directly to the walls or fences, or hook-shaped or L-shaped fittings can be bolted to the walls or fences and then the storage box (1) can be hung or placed on them. The necessary screw holes are provided on the back and bottom, but these are not unique to this storage box and are based on any standard method.

[0116] The enclosure (2) has a three-layer structure consisting of an outer layer (2a), an insulating layer (2b), and an inner layer (2c), with the left and right sides of the outer layer (2a) being composed of hollow walls (6). The hollow walls (6) are aluminum extruded members, and since the extrusion direction is vertical, their cross-sectional shape is the same at any height. The hollow walls (6) have an overall thickness of approximately 12 mm and are provided with a cavity (6a) that penetrates vertically, as well as screw holes (6b) to which sheet metal members that form the top and bottom surfaces of the enclosure (1) can be screwed. The hollow walls (6) are made of aluminum alloy and are relatively lightweight due to the presence of the cavity (6a), but are much thicker than sheet metal members of about 1.2 mm to 1.6 mm thickness that are usually used in sheet metal products of this size, resulting in superior strength and shape stability.

[0117] The outer layer (2a) is made of sheet metal except for the left and right sides, but the sheet metal members on the top and bottom surfaces are provided with ventilation holes (2a1) at positions corresponding to the cavities (6a) of the hollow wall (6). As is clear from this configuration, the cavities (6a) of the hollow wall (6) are open to the outside air at their top and bottom ends, so when the temperature of the hollow wall (6) rises due to solar radiation, the air inside the cavities (6a) is heated, and the chimney effect generates buoyancy, creating a strong upward flow of air inside the cavities (6a) and producing an air-cooling effect. Furthermore, since the cavities (6a) are pipe-shaped structures with no openings except at the top and bottom ends, there is no risk of dust or rainwater entering the cavities (6a) and entering further inside the housing (2), that is, into the insulation layer (2b) or the storage space (5).

[0118] The thermal insulation layer (2b) consists of a sheet-like thermal insulation shield (2b1) attached to the inside of the outer layer (2a), a thermal insulation body (2b2) ​​attached to the outside of the inner layer (2c), and an air gap between them. The thermal insulation shield (2b1) is made of a thermal insulation material in which an aluminum vapor-deposited film is bonded to a foamed resin sheet, and when the temperature of the outer layer (2a) of the housing (2) fluctuates due to solar radiation or changes in outside temperature, it mitigates the conduction of heat into the interior by thermal conduction and thermal radiation. Furthermore, the thermal insulation body (2b2) ​​provided with the air gap in between mitigates the transfer of heat that reaches the air gap to the inner layer (2c) and the storage space (5). In other words, the thermal insulation layer (2b) has the function of increasing the thermal resistance between the outer layer (2a) and the inner layer (2c) by blocking thermal conduction and thermal radiation. Incidentally, it is also possible to obtain higher thermal resistance by constructing the insulating material (2b2) ​​with insulating and heat-shielding materials.

[0119] The inner layer (2c) is constructed by assembling paulownia wood into a box shape. Paulownia wood is suitable for the necessary functions of this storage box for several reasons: it is relatively easy to process but has sufficient strength; it is lightweight due to its low specific gravity; it has sufficient heat capacity when made to a thickness of about 1.5 cm; it has low thermal conductivity which contributes to increasing the thermal resistance between the outer layer (2a) and the storage space (5); and although it has relatively low water absorption compared to other woods, using paulownia wood about 1.5 cm thick provides sufficient humidity control to the storage space and prevents condensation.

[0120] The door (3), like the housing (2), is generally a three-layer structure consisting of an outer layer, an insulating layer, and an inner layer, and its function is the same as that of the outer layer (2a), insulating layer (2b), and inner layer (2c) of the housing (2). However, the door (3) is provided with a window (3a) so that the inside of the storage space (5) can be seen without opening the door (3). Since it is not possible to use an opaque material such as an insulating heat shield for the window (3a), an outer window panel (3a1) and an inner window panel (3a2) are provided, and an air layer is created between them to minimize the reduction in the overall insulation performance of the storage box (1).

[0121] Furthermore, the storage space (5) is equipped with a fastener (5d) to which a latent heat storage material (5b) is attached. Any latent heat storage material (5b) can be used as long as it solidifies at 0°C to -4°C and melts at 0°C to 2°C. Water may also be used, but since it may not solidify even at temperatures below -5°C due to supercooling, it is preferable to add appropriate supercooling countermeasures when using water. In addition, the fastener (5d) can be a simple hook that allows the latent heat storage material (5b) to be hung, but it is also possible to use something like hook-and-loop fasteners as fasteners. [Examples]

[0122] Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram of a hollow wall according to another embodiment of the storage box according to the present invention. Since this embodiment is common to all parts except the hollow wall with Example 1, only the hollow wall will be described below.

[0123] The hollow wall (6) in this embodiment is an extruded aluminum alloy member with an overall thickness of approximately 12 mm, similar to that in Embodiment 1. It is characterized by having a cavity (6a) and screw holes (6b) that penetrate vertically, as well as a heat dissipation fin (6c) with a height of approximately 20 mm. The heat dissipation fin (6c) more than doubles the surface area of ​​the hollow wall (6) that is in contact with the outside air, and therefore the thermal resistance from the hollow wall (6) to the air is reduced by about half. On the other hand, the surface area that receives solar radiation hardly changes, so the heat dissipation fin (6c) greatly reduces the temperature rise of the hollow wall, and the temperature rise of the storage space in the storage box can be reduced even during high temperatures in summer.

[0124] In this embodiment, the only difference is that the hollow wall (6) is equipped with heat dissipation fins (6c), and in all other respects, it is exactly the same as the previous embodiment, resulting in a storage box with a smaller temperature rise during the summer. Alternatively, the temperature rise margin created by providing the heat dissipation fins (6c) can be used to simplify other parts of the storage box. For example, the heat shield (4b) attached to the back surface of the shielding plate (4) could be omitted. These design changes should be made as appropriate, taking into account the performance and cost required for the storage box. [Industrial applicability]

[0125] The storage box according to the present invention provides a storage box for AEDs and the like that prevents water, dust, etc. from entering the internal storage space even when installed outdoors, maintains the temperature of the storage space within a predetermined range even with high temperatures in summer, low temperatures in winter, and sunlight, while suppressing condensation, has a robust and damage-resistant inner surface, and is smaller and lighter than conventional boxes, offering greater flexibility in installation location. Its industrial value is extremely high. [Explanation of symbols]

[0126] 1 Storage box 2 cabinets 2a Outer layer 2a1 Ventilation holes 2b Insulation layer 2b1 Thermal insulation and heat shield 2b2 Insulator 2c Inner layer 2d opening 3 Door Body 3a Window section 3a1 Outside window board 3a2 Inner window panel 3b handle 3c Handle Latch 4 Shielding plate 4a Shield plate mount 4b Heat shield 5 Storage space 5a Packing 5b Latent heat storage material 5c alarm bell 5d fixture 6 hollow wall 6a cavity 6b Screw hole 6c heat sink fins

Claims

1. A housing having a storage space inside capable of housing at least an automated external defibrillator, An opening provided in the housing, The opening is provided with a door that can be opened and closed, At least a portion of the wall of the housing is composed of a hollow wall having a cavity that penetrates in the vertical direction, Furthermore, at least a part of the enclosure is The outer layer has weather resistance, An insulating layer with heat-insulating properties, The inner layer is made of a hard material and It is said to have at least three layers. A storage box characterized by the following features.

2. The hollow wall is made of an extruded member. A storage box according to claim 1, characterized in that it is the storage box described in claim 1.

3. Heat dissipation fins are provided on the outer surface of the hollow wall on the upper and lower surfaces of the outer layer. The storage box according to claim 2, characterized in that...

4. Ventilation holes are provided in the locations corresponding to the cavities in the hollow walls of the upper and lower surfaces of the outer layer. The storage box according to claim 2, characterized in that...

5. The aforementioned insulation layer is equipped with a heat-shielding material. A storage box according to claim 1, characterized in that it is the storage box described in claim 1.

6. The aforementioned insulation layer is provided with insulation material with a gap between it and the heat shielding material. The storage box according to claim 5, characterized in that it is a storage box according to claim 5.

7. The aforementioned storage space is equipped with humidity control properties. A storage box according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that

8. The storage space is equipped with a latent heat storage material. A storage box according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that

9. The housing is equipped with a heat shield plate positioned with a gap between it and the surrounding area. A storage box according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that

10. The heat shield plate is provided with a heat shielding material on the surface facing the housing. The storage box according to claim 9, characterized in that it is the storage box described in claim 9.

11. The inner layer is made of a material that has moisture-regulating properties. A latent heat storage material is provided within the aforementioned storage space. The housing is provided with a heat shield plate positioned with a gap between it and the surrounding area. The heat shield plate is provided with a heat shielding material on the surface facing the housing. The storage box according to claim 6, characterized in that it is a storage box.

Images