Drainage system for freezing and refrigeration equipment

Abstract

We provide drainage systems for freezing and refrigeration equipment. [Solution] The drainage system for freezing and refrigeration equipment comprises a water collection box, a housing, a control unit, a drainage pump, and a water level detection unit. The water collection box consists of four side walls and a bottom plate. The housing is detachably mounted inside the water collection box. The housing is detachably mounted to two adjacent side walls of the water collection box by two mounting parts, and at the same time, two sides of the wall surface abut against the two side walls of the water collection box, thereby enclosing a portion of the inside of the water collection box and forming an internal space. The housing has multiple downward-facing notches formed at the bottom of the wall surface, and multiple passages for water flow are formed between the multiple notches and the bottom plate of the water collection box, so that water in the water collection box can flow into the internal space from the multiple notches.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to cooling water discharge technology for freezing / refrigerating equipment, and more specifically to a drainage device for freezing / refrigerating equipment. [Background Art]

[0002] In commercially available freezers or refrigerators, the cooling water drainage device is a flat box mounted on the bottom, which collects and drains water from the bottom of the refrigerator. After the drainage device has been used for a long time, a large amount of foreign matter mixed with fallen dust or carcasses of insects such as cockroaches that have entered the device often accumulates inside. In the case of a refrigerator for meat, if foreign matter such as meat scraps enters the drainage device and accumulates on the motor impeller, the motor will not be able to rotate, and the drainage function will be lost.

[0003] When performing maintenance due to dirt accumulated in the drainage device, many conventional technologies divide the water collection box into two spaces, arrange the motor, controller and piping in one space while performing treatment to prevent water from entering, use the other space as a water collection space, and collect and drain water in the space containing water via wiring. However, when performing maintenance, it is necessary to loosen and remove the screws of the motor, controller, wiring and other components one by one from the water collection box, which not only takes time and effort but also results in high maintenance costs.

[0004] Therefore, it is the problem to be solved by the present invention to provide a drainage device that not only resists dirt accumulation and can maintain normal operation, but also allows easy maintenance even after dirt has accumulated. [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0005] The main object of the present invention is to provide a drainage device for freezing / refrigerating equipment, in which dirt is less likely to accumulate in the drainage pump and normal operation can be maintained.

[0006] Another objective of this invention is to provide a drainage system for refrigeration and freezing equipment that allows for easy removal of the housing from the water collection box, enabling smooth maintenance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the aforementioned problems, the drainage system for refrigeration and freezing equipment comprises a water collection box, a housing, a control unit, a drainage pump, and a water level detection unit. The water collection box is a rectangular box composed of four side walls and a bottom plate, and collects cooling water from the refrigeration and freezing equipment. The four sides form the four sides of the rectangle. The housing is detachably mounted inside the water collection box. The control unit is located in the housing. The drainage pump is located in the housing inside the water collection box and is electrically connected to the control unit. The drainage pump has a drain pipe that extends to the outside of the water collection box. The water level detection unit is located in the housing inside the water collection box and is electrically connected to the control unit, and has a water level detection float. The housing has two mounting parts and a wall surface. The housing is detachably mounted on two adjacent side walls of the water collection box by the two mounting parts, and at the same time, the two sides of the wall surface abut against the two side walls of the water collection box, enclosing a part of the water collection box and forming an internal space. The control unit, drainage pump, and water level detection unit are housed in the internal space. The housing has multiple downward-facing notches formed in the bottom of its walls. The multiple notches are spaced apart from each other. The bottom of the housing's walls abuts against the bottom plate of the water collection box, forming multiple passages for water flow between the multiple notches and the bottom plate, thus allowing water from the water collection box to flow into the interior space through the multiple notches. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] Due to the structural features described above, the present invention not only improves the accumulation of dirt in the drainage pump and maintains the smooth operation of the drainage pump, but also allows for easy removal of the housing from the water collection box, enabling smooth maintenance. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a drainage device for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing a drainage device for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention, with the housing and the water collection box separated. [Figure 3] This is an exploded perspective view showing the inside of a housing for a drainage device for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Another exploded perspective view showing the inside of the housing of a drainage device for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a drainage device for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the wall of the housing of a drainage device for freezing and refrigeration equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention has been removed, i.e., the operating state corresponding to a low water level. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the wall of the housing of a drainage device for freezing and refrigeration equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention has been removed, i.e., the operating state corresponding to a high water level. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the wall of the housing of a drainage device for freezing and refrigeration equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention has been removed, i.e., the operating state according to the overflow water level. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view showing a drainage system for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which the water inlet and filter are omitted. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view showing a relatively large water collection box in a drainage system for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The drainage system for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0011] (One embodiment) As shown in Figures 1 to 8, the drainage device 10 for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention consists of a water collection box 11, a housing 21, a control unit 31, a drainage pump 41, and a water level detection unit 51.

[0012] The water collection box 11 is a rectangular box composed of four side walls 12 and a bottom plate 14, which collects cooling water from refrigeration and freezing equipment. The four side walls 12 form the four sides of the rectangle.

[0013] The housing 21 is detachably installed inside the water collection box 11.

[0014] The control unit 31 is located in the housing 21.

[0015] The drain pump 41 is located in a housing 21 inside the water collection box 11 and is electrically connected to a control unit 31. The drain pump 41 has a drain pipe 42 that extends to the outside of the water collection box 11. In this embodiment, one side wall 12 of the water collection box 11 has a recessed storage groove 121 formed at its top. Since the drain pipe 42 is positioned to be exposed to the water collection box 11 through the storage groove 121, when the drain pump 41 is lifted together with the housing 21 and removed from the water collection box 11, the drain pipe 42 lifts up and separates from the storage groove 121.

[0016] The water level detection unit 51 is disposed on the housing 21 in the water collection box 11, is electrically connected to the control unit 31, and includes a water level detection float 52. The control unit 31 detects the water level in the water collection box 11 via the water level detection unit 51, that is, determines the water level in the water collection box 11 as a low water level LL, a high water level HL or an overflow water level OL via the water level detection float 52. As a specific water level detection technique employs the method of using the above-described components in combination with a microswitch, that is, a well-known method, description thereof will be omitted. When the water level is determined to be the low water level LL, that is, when the water level reaches the low water level LL through the drainage processing of the drainage pump 41, the control unit 31 causes the drainage pump 41 to stop operating. When the water level is determined to be the high water level HL, that is, when the water level reaches the high water level HL, the control unit 31 starts the drainage pump 41 to perform drainage processing. Furthermore, even if the drainage processing of the drainage pump 41 proceeds, when the water level still rises due to a failure or other reasons, exceeds the high water level HL, reaches a warning level, that is, is determined to be the overflow water level OL, the control unit 31 issues a warning. The water level detection float 52 can independently detect the low water level LL, the high water level HL or the overflow water level OL. In addition, in order to prevent unexpected situations, for example, the water level detection float 52 being damaged and becoming unable to detect the water level, an overflow detection float 54 can be additionally provided. In this case, the low water level LL and the high water level HL can be detected by the water level detection float 52, and the overflow water level OL can be detected by the overflow detection float 54. The present embodiment takes an example where the water level detection float 52 and the overflow detection float 54 are disposed at the same time.

[0017] The housing 21 has two mounting portions 212. The housing 21 is detachably mounted to two adjacent side walls 12 of the water collection box 11 via the two mounting portions 212. In the present embodiment, the two adjacent side walls 12 of the water collection box 11 each have a fitting portion 122. The two mounting portions 212 of the housing 21 are hook-shaped. The two mounting portions 212 of the housing 21 are detachably hooked to the fitting portions 122 of the two side walls 12.

[0018] The housing 21 further has a wall surface 28. The wall surface 28 has two sides 281. The two sides 281 and the two opposing side walls 12 of the water collection box 11 abut each other, enclosing a portion of the inside of the water collection box 11 and forming an internal space IS. The control unit 31, the drain pump 41 and the water level detection unit 51 are housed in the internal space IS. The housing 21 has a plurality of downward-facing notches 282 formed at the bottom of the wall surface 28. The plurality of notches 282 are arranged at intervals from each other. The bottom of the wall surface 28 of the housing 21 abuts against the bottom plate 14 of the water collection box 11, forming a plurality of passages 141 for water to flow between the plurality of notches 282 and the bottom plate 14, so that water in the water collection box 11 can flow into the internal space IS from the plurality of notches 282. In this embodiment, an inlet 29 can also be added to the wall surface 28 depending on the actual situation. The cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 29 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the passage 141. Furthermore, by adding a filter 291 to the water inlet 29, the efficiency of water flowing into the internal space IS can be increased, and at the same time, dirt can be prevented from flowing into the internal space IS. In this embodiment, the water inlet 29 and filter 291 are not necessarily required. Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a drainage device 10 for refrigeration equipment in which the water inlet 29 and filter 291 are not placed in the water collection box 11.

[0019] The housing 21 is either integrally molded or composed of multiple parts, depending on the actual situation. In this embodiment, the housing 21 is composed of multiple parts. Specifically, the housing 21 consists of a waterproof box 22, a first frame 24, and a second frame 26. The control unit 31 is housed in the waterproof box 22. The first frame 24 and the waterproof box 22 are connected and separated by the structure of hooks 221 and fitting grooves 222. The water level detection unit 51 is mounted on the first frame 24. The second frame 26 and the waterproof box 22 are connected and separated by the structure of hooks 221 and fitting grooves 222. The drainage pump 41 is mounted on the second frame 26. The wall surface 28 of the housing 21 is formed extending downward from the edges of the first frame 24 and the second frame 26. Two mounting parts 212 are located in the waterproof box 22.

[0020] The combination of the housing 21 and the water collecting box 11 is not limited to the above, and a fastening method using bolts 99 may also be used. The waterproof box 22, the first mount 24 and the second mount 26 may be fastened by bolts 99 according to actual conditions, or may be fastened by a combination of bolts, a hook 221 and a fitting groove 222.

[0021] The above is the description of the structure of the present embodiment. Hereinafter, the operating state of the present embodiment will be described.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 6, the drainage device 10 for freezing and refrigeration equipment is mounted at the bottom of the freezing and refrigeration equipment (not shown in the figures) to collect cooling water. When the cooling water flows into the water collecting box 11, that is, when the cooling water flows into the internal space IS through the plurality of passages 141 and the filter 291 of the water inlet 29, the water level in the internal space IS coincides with the water level in the water collecting box 11.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, when water continuously flows into the water collecting box 11 and raises the water level to the high water level HL, the control unit 31 activates the drainage pump 41 to perform drainage treatment. When the water level drops to the low water level LL, the control unit 31 causes the drainage pump 41 to stop the drainage treatment.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 3, when the drainage device fails and loses its drainage function, for example, when the drainage device cannot operate normally due to dirt accumulated in the drainage pump 41 or a component failure, water continuously flows into the water collecting box 11, the water level exceeds the high water level HL and reaches the overflow water level OL. In response to this, the control unit 31 detects this via the overflow detection float 54 and issues an alarm.

[0025] Next, the assembling work of the present embodiment will be described.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, when attaching the housing 21 to the water collection box 11, the two mounting parts 212 of the waterproof box 22 can be hooked onto the fitting parts 122 of the two side walls 12 of the water collection box 11, and the drain pipe 42 can be passed through the storage groove 121. When removing the housing 21 from the water collection box 11, the housing 21 can be lifted out of the water collection box 11, the two mounting parts 212 can be separated from the fitting parts 122, and the drain pipe 42 can be separated from the storage groove 121. Since the control unit 31, water level detection unit 51, and drain pump 41 are housed in the housing 21, the control unit 31, water level detection unit 51, drain pump 41, and housing 21 can be lifted out of the water collection box 11 together, and maintenance on each component is easy. After maintenance on each component is completed, when attaching all the components to the water collection box 11, the above steps can be repeated to assemble them.

[0027] The waterproof box 22, the first frame 24, and the second frame 26 can be connected or separated, making them highly convenient for performing maintenance separately.

[0028] As shown in Figure 5, the present invention prevents relatively large debris by limiting the diameter of the multiple passages 141 formed between the wall surface 28 of the housing 21 and the bottom plate 14 of the water collection box 11, and improves water intake efficiency by adding water inlets 29 and filters 291, while simultaneously effectively preventing relatively small debris.

[0029] In summary, the technology presented in this invention not only improves the accumulation of dirt in the drainage pump 41 and maintains normal drainage treatment, but also improves the convenience of removing internal components for maintenance. More specifically, the housing 21, the first frame 24, and the second frame 26 can be separated and maintained separately.

[0030] As shown in Figure 10, in another embodiment of the present invention, two adjacent sides 281' of the wall surface 28' and two adjacent side walls 12' of the water collection box 11' abut each other and enclose a portion of the interior of the water collection box 11', forming an internal space (see Figures 6, 7, and 8). The housing 21' is detachably installed inside the water collection box 11' and is applicable to a relatively large water collection box 11'. In other words, the housing 21' is not limited to the size of the water collection box 11 described above, but is applicable to water collection boxes 11' of different sizes.

[0031] The present invention is not limited in any way to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0032] 10: Drainage systems for freezing and refrigeration equipment 11, 11': Water collection box 12, 12': side wall 121: Storage groove 122: Fitting part 14: Bottom plate 141: Passageway 21, 21': Housing 212: Mounting part 22: Waterproof box 221: Hook 222: Fitting groove 24: First mounting base 26:Second mount 28, 28': Wall surface 281, 281': side 282: Chipped 29: Water inlet 291: Filter 31: Control Unit 41: Drainage pump 42: Drain pipe 51: Water level detection unit 52: Water level sensing float 54: Flood detection float 99: Bolt HL: High water level IS: interior space LL: Low water level OL: Overflow level

Claims

1. It comprises a water collection box, housing, control unit, drainage pump and water level detection unit, The water collection box is composed of four side walls and a bottom plate, and is a rectangular box for collecting cooling water from freezing and refrigeration equipment, with the four side walls forming the four sides of the rectangle. The housing is detachably mounted inside the water collection box. The control unit is located in the housing. The drain pump is located in the housing within the water collection box and is electrically connected to the control unit, and has a drain pipe that extends to the outside of the water collection box. The water level detection unit is located in the housing within the water collection box and is electrically connected to the control unit, and has a water level detection float. The housing has two mounting portions and a wall surface, and the housing is detachably attached to two adjacent side walls of the water collection box by the two mounting portions, and at the same time, the two sides of the wall surface abut against the two side walls of the water collection box, thereby enclosing a part of the interior of the water collection box and forming an internal space. The control unit, the drainage pump, and the water level detection unit are housed in the internal space. The drainage device for refrigeration and freezing equipment is characterized in that the housing has a plurality of downward-facing notches formed in the bottom of the wall surface, the plurality of notches are spaced apart from each other, the bottom of the wall surface and the bottom plate of the water collection box are in contact with each other, a plurality of passages for water to flow are formed between the plurality of notches and the bottom plate, and water in the water collection box can flow into the internal space from the plurality of notches.

2. The two adjacent side walls of the aforementioned water collection box each have a fitting portion, The two mounting portions of the housing are in the shape of hooks. The drainage device for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing is detachably attached to the two side walls of the water collection box by the two mounting portions hooking onto the fitting portions.

3. The housing comprises a waterproof box, a first frame, and a second frame, the first frame being detachably mounted to the waterproof box, and the second frame being detachably mounted to the waterproof box. The control unit is housed in the waterproof box. The water level detection unit is mounted on the first frame, The drainage pump is mounted on the second frame, The drainage device for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the wall surface of the housing extends downward from the edges of the first frame and the second frame.

4. The first frame and the waterproof box can be connected or separated by a hook and fitting groove structure. The drainage device for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that the second frame and the waterproof box can be connected or separated by a hook and fitting groove structure.

5. The two adjacent side walls of the aforementioned water collection box each have a fitting portion, The two mounting parts are formed in the shape of hooks on the waterproof box. The drainage device for freezing and refrigeration equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that the waterproof box is detachably hooked onto the fitting portions of the two side walls of the water collection box by the two mounting portions.

6. The drainage device for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to claim 1, wherein the housing further has an inlet and a filter on the wall surface, the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the passage, and the filter is attached to the inlet.

7. The drainage device for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the two sides of the wall surface abut against the two opposing side walls of the water collection box, thereby enclosing a part of the interior of the water collection box and forming an internal space.

8. The drainage device for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the two sides of the wall surface abut against the two adjacent side walls of the water collection box, thereby enclosing a part of the inside of the water collection box and forming an internal space.

9. The drainage device for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the water level detection unit further has an overflow detection float.

10. The water collection box has a recessed storage groove formed at the top of one of the side walls. The drainage device for refrigeration and freezing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the drain pipe is arranged to pass through the storage groove and be exposed to the water collection box.

Images