Temperature range display apparatus for storage chamber

Abstract

The present invention relates to a temperature range display device for a storage facility. The technical problem to be solved is to provide a temperature range display device for a storage facility that uses a color-changing film that changes color according to temperature changes inside the storage facility to detect the temperature state inside the storage facility in a non-contact manner, quantifies it, and displays it so that the user can intuitively recognize it. To this end, the present disclosure provides a temperature range display device for a storage facility comprising: a color-changing film portion that changes color according to temperature changes inside the storage facility; a color sensor portion that detects the color of the color-changing film portion in a non-contact manner and calculates RGB values; a control portion that calculates a matching temperature range by comparing the RGB values ​​received from the color sensor portion with a pre-stored reference RGB value; and a display portion that visually displays the calculated temperature range.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a temperature range display device for a storage facility, and more specifically, to a temperature range display device for a storage facility that improves the efficiency of temperature management for pharmaceuticals and provides a warning in case of temperature abnormalities. Background Technology

[0003] Generally, storage facilities for the storage of food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, etc., are configured to maintain a constant internal temperature to prevent changes in the quality of the stored items.

[0004] To this end, a method is widely used in which a temperature sensor is installed inside the storage facility to measure the temperature, and a cooling or heating device is controlled according to the measured temperature value.

[0005] However, these contact-type temperature sensors have problems such as a long thermal response time or discrepancies with the actual internal temperature depending on the sensor's position.

[0006] In addition, there are reliability issues, such as difficulty in accurate temperature measurement when the sensor is contaminated or condensation occurs, and a decrease in sensor sensitivity during prolonged use.

[0007] Meanwhile, thermochromic materials, which change color according to temperature changes, have been used in some cases to simply check the temperature status of storage facilities due to their advantage of allowing visual recognition of temperature conditions.

[0008] However, since the user must observe the color of these color-changing films directly, their use is limited in structures where the inside of the storage is dark or difficult to check from the outside, and there is a limitation in that it is difficult to make a quantitative judgment of temperature because color determination is subjective.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need to improve this.

[0010] The background technology of the present invention is disclosed in Korean Published Patent Application No. 10-2018-0089652 (published August 9, 2018, Title of Invention: Refrigerator-attached vaccine management device). The problem to be solved

[0012] The present invention has been devised to improve upon the aforementioned problems and provides a temperature range display device for a storage unit that non-contactually detects the temperature status inside the storage unit using a color-changing film that changes color according to temperature changes inside the storage unit, quantifies the temperature, and displays it so that the user can intuitively recognize it. means of solving the problem

[0014] A temperature band display device for a storage tank according to one embodiment of the present invention may include: a color-changing film portion whose color changes according to a temperature change inside the storage tank; a color sensor portion that detects the color of the color-changing film portion by a non-contact method and calculates RGB values; a control portion that calculates a matching temperature band by comparing the RGB values ​​received from the color sensor portion with a reference RGB value stored in advance; and a display portion that visually displays the calculated temperature band.

[0015] The control unit includes a mapping table that stores a plurality of reference RGB values ​​and corresponding temperature band data, and can calculate a corresponding temperature band by searching for the reference RGB value closest to the RGB value input from the color sensor unit.

[0016] The control unit can calculate a temperature band corresponding to the RGB values ​​detected in real time by performing linear interpolation or polynomial regression on the interval between the reference RGB values.

[0017] The control unit may include a storage unit that stores a reference white value and a reference black value of the color sensor unit; and a data correction unit that normalizes the RGB values ​​in real time using the reference values ​​stored in the storage unit to correct deviations caused by changes in lighting intensity or sensor sensitivity.

[0018] The above display unit may be configured to display at least one form of color, icon, character, or numerical value in correspondence with the temperature band transmitted from the control unit.

[0019] The above control unit may be configured to output an alarm signal and display a visual warning on the display unit when the temperature band exceeds or falls below a preset reference range.

[0020] The above control unit may further include a communication unit configured to transmit the temperature band calculation results to an external server or terminal for remote monitoring. Effects of the invention

[0022] As described above, the temperature band display device of the storage tank according to the present invention can precisely calculate the temperature band inside the storage tank and visually display the result by detecting color information of a color-changing film that changes color according to temperature changes inside the storage tank in a non-contact manner and comparing the detected RGB value with a reference RGB value.

[0023] The present invention enables more precise calculation of temperature bands by storing a plurality of reference RGB values ​​and corresponding temperature band data in the form of a mapping table, and by searching for the closest reference value by comparing the detected RGB value with the reference RGB value in the mapping table, or by performing a linear interpolation or polynomial regression algorithm on the interval between the reference RGB values. This allows for the identification of temperature bands with high precision even when the color change of the photochromic film is subtle, and improves the resolution and reliability of temperature detection.

[0024] The present invention allows a user to intuitively recognize the temperature status from the outside without opening the door of the storage unit by displaying it in the form of colors, icons, characters, or numerical values ​​through a display unit.

[0025] The present invention transmits temperature band data calculated through a communication unit to an external server or management terminal, thereby enabling integration with a remote monitoring system and allowing for the simultaneous monitoring of multiple storage facilities, cloud-based temperature history management, and automatic alarm transmission. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a pharmaceutical storage tank according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a pharmaceutical storage tank according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a temperature band display device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view schematically showing a temperature band display device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a display unit of a temperature band display device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0027] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a non-contact temperature sensing device for a storage tank according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. In this process, the thickness of lines or the size of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of explanation.

[0028] Furthermore, the terms described below are defined in consideration of their functions in the present invention, and these may vary depending on the intent or practice of the user or operator. Therefore, the definitions of these terms should be based on the content throughout this specification.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a pharmaceutical storage tank according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a pharmaceutical storage tank according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a temperature range display device of a storage tank according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a color-changing film part (100), a color sensor part (200), a control part (300), and a display part (400).

[0031] First, the storage tank (10) may be equipped with a storage room (12) in which temperature-insensitive substances such as pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and reagents can be stored.

[0032] The storage unit (10) may consist of an outer and an inner section, and the outer section may form an outer case and form an exterior. The outer section accommodates the inner section, and a door (14) is rotatably installed to open and close the storage room (12) of the inner section.

[0033] The door (14) can be rotatably connected to the outside by a hinge.

[0034] A liquid insulating material is foamed between the inner and outer layers to maintain the internal temperature of the storage room (12), and a gasket is provided on the door (14) to seal the storage room (12) when the door (14) is closed to maintain the internal temperature.

[0035] A storage tank (10) may be configured with a machine room (16) that forms a refrigeration cycle consisting of a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator, and thereby the storage room of the storage tank (10) may be cooled to a constant temperature.

[0036] Pharmaceuticals can be provided in a variety of types and sizes, ranging from small vial units to box forms.

[0037] A shelf (18) on which medicines can be placed may be provided inside the storage room (12).

[0038] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a temperature band display device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a temperature band display device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a display unit (400) of a temperature band display device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, the color-changing film portion (100) according to the present embodiment is provided inside a storage tank (10), and the color may change according to the temperature change inside the storage tank (10).

[0040] The color-changing film portion (100) includes a thermochromic material, and when the temperature inside the storage tank (10) exceeds or falls below a set critical temperature, the color may change reversibly or irreversibly.

[0041] The color-changing film portion (100) can be attached to the inner wall of the storage room (12) or to the shelf (18).

[0042] The color-changing film portion (100) can be designed to exhibit a distinct color change at upper and lower critical temperatures centered around an appropriate temperature range of the storage room (12), for example, 2°C to 8°C. Additionally, the color-changing film portion (100) may include a thermochromic pigment, a microcapsule-type thermochromic ink, or a heat-sensitive dye dispersed in a polymer matrix.

[0043] These thermochromic materials can be formed on a transparent or translucent substrate by coating, printing, or laminating.

[0044] The color-changing film portion (100) may be attached to the inner wall surface of the storage room (12), the upper surface of the shelf (18), or the rear panel according to the internal structure of the storage room (10), and may be formed in the form of a dot, a band, or an area as needed. For example, it may be installed in the center of the wall so as to be located within the field of view of the color sensor portion (200) described later so as to facilitate color detection.

[0045] The color sensor unit (200) can function as a configuration that detects the color of the color-changing film unit (100) in a non-contact manner and calculates RGB values.

[0046] The color sensor unit (200) includes a lighting means (210) that illuminates the color-changing film unit (100), and can detect light reflected after being irradiated from the lighting means (210) to the color-changing film unit (100).

[0047] The color sensor unit (200) may be configured to have a plurality of photosensitive elements corresponding to red (R), green (G), and blue (B), and to calculate RGB values ​​using the output of the photosensitive elements.

[0048] That is, when the color of the color-changing film part (100) changes due to a change in the internal temperature of the storage unit (10), the color sensor part (200) optically detects this color change and converts it into an electrical signal, and the magnitude of this signal is expressed as an RGB value and transmitted to the control part (300).

[0049] The control unit (300) can use the RGB values ​​received from the color sensor unit (200) to compare with the previously stored reference RGB values ​​and calculate a matching temperature band, and based on the calculated result, determine the temperature state inside the storage unit (10) and control the display unit (400).

[0050] The control unit (300) may include a data correction unit (310) that normalizes the detected RGB values ​​to correct deviations caused by changes in lighting intensity and sensor sensitivity.

[0051] The data correction unit (310) includes a storage unit (330) that stores the reference white value and reference black value of the color sensor unit (200), and can normalize the RGB value received in real time using the reference values ​​stored in the storage unit (330).

[0052] At this time, the data correction unit (310) can normalize the RGB signal, for example, as in the following mathematical formula.

[0053]

[0054] Here, R, G, and B are output values ​​of the real-time detected color sensor unit (200), and Rwhite, Gwhite, Bwhite and Rblack, Gblack, and Bblack represent the reference white value and reference black value, respectively.

[0055] The RGB values ​​corrected in this way can be used as highly reliable color data that minimizes the influence of external illumination or changes in sensor sensitivity. Through this, color changes of the color-changing film part (100) can be detected stably and reliably despite changes in the external environment or output deviations of the color sensor part (200) due to long-term use.

[0056] The control unit (300) may include a mapping table (320) that stores a plurality of reference RGB values ​​and corresponding temperature band data.

[0057] The control unit (300) can compare the RGB values ​​received in real time with the reference RGB values ​​of the mapping table (320) to find the closest reference RGB value and calculate the temperature band corresponding thereto.

[0058] And, the control unit (300) can calculate a temperature band corresponding to the RGB values ​​detected in real time by performing linear interpolation or polynomial regression on the interval between reference RGB values.

[0059] This is for calculating a more precise temperature range, and the control unit (300) calculates a precise temperature range corresponding to the RGB values ​​detected in real time by performing an algorithm such as linear interpolation or polynomial regression on the interval between reference RGB values.

[0060] The control unit (300) can output a warning signal when the calculated temperature range exceeds or falls below a preset reference range to display a visual warning on the display unit (400) described later or generate an auditory alarm.

[0061] The display unit (400) can function as a configuration that visually displays temperature band information calculated from the control unit (300) to the user. The display unit (400) can be configured to display at least one form of a color, icon, text, or numerical value corresponding to the transmitted temperature band.

[0062] For example, depending on the temperature range, green can be used to indicate the optimal temperature and red to indicate an abnormal temperature, or text such as 'Normal' or 'Defective' can be displayed. Additionally, by directly displaying the calculated temperature values, quantitative information can be clearly conveyed to the user.

[0063] The control unit (300) may further include a communication unit (340) configured to transmit the temperature band calculation result to an external server or terminal for remote monitoring.

[0064] The communication unit (340) may include a wired or wireless communication module.

[0065] The operation and effects of a temperature range display device for a storage tank according to one embodiment of the present invention are described below.

[0066] The temperature band display device of the storage tank according to the present invention has the effect of being able to determine the temperature state inside the storage tank (10) in real time by changing the color of the color-changing film portion (100) according to the temperature change inside the storage tank (10) and by the color sensor portion (200) detecting this color change in a non-contact manner and converting it into an electrical signal.

[0067] Since the color-changing film portion (100) includes a thermochromic material, it can display a clear color change when the temperature inside the storage tank (10) exceeds or falls below a set threshold temperature.

[0068] Accordingly, the user can intuitively check the internal temperature condition without opening the door of the storage tank (10) and quickly determine whether the quality of the stored medicines, vaccines, reagents, etc. is maintained.

[0069] In addition, the color sensor unit (200) quantifies the color of the color-changing film unit (100) into RGB values ​​and transmits them to the control unit (300), and the control unit (300) calculates an accurate temperature range by comparing it with a reference RGB value, thereby enabling precise temperature determination beyond simple color change.

[0070] Unlike conventional simple color-changing indicators, this enables more objective and reliable temperature monitoring by converting temperature changes into digital signals and quantifying them.

[0071] The control unit (300) includes a data correction unit (310) to correct errors caused by changes in lighting intensity or sensor sensitivity, thereby minimizing deviations caused by external lighting conditions or sensor aging. Accordingly, even in a long-term usage environment, the color change of the color-changing film unit (100) is detected stably and accurately, thereby improving the reliability of the system.

[0072] In addition, the control unit (300) stores temperature band data corresponding to a plurality of reference RGB values ​​in the form of a mapping table (320), and can calculate a precise temperature band corresponding to the RGB values ​​calculated in real time through linear interpolation or a polynomial regression algorithm.

[0073] That is, a table consisting of data pairs of color values ​​detected by the color sensor unit (200) and corresponding actual temperature values ​​can be stored, and then real-time RGB values ​​can be compared with this table to calculate the temperature band.

[0074] Accordingly, even minute temperature changes can be precisely detected, making it particularly useful for medical storage (10) or vaccine refrigerators where high-precision temperature control is required.

[0075] The control unit (300) can quickly recognize an abnormal temperature condition by providing a visual warning through the display unit (400) or, if necessary, outputting an auditory notification when the calculated temperature range exceeds or falls below a reference range. Therefore, the user can prevent deterioration or damage to the stored material through immediate response.

[0076] In addition, the control unit (300) can transmit the temperature band information calculated through the communication unit (340) to an external server or user terminal, so the temperature status of the storage unit (10) can be monitored in real time even at a remote location. This increases management efficiency, reduces the burden of human management, and contributes to the digitalization and automation of the storage system.

[0077] As a result, the temperature range display device of the storage tank (10) according to the present invention can accurately detect the temperature state in a non-contact and non-intrusion manner through the combination of the color-changing film part (100) and the color sensor part (200), calculate a precise temperature range through the correction and mapping algorithm of the control part (300), and provide intuitive and reliable temperature information through display and communication functions, thereby improving the quality control and safety of the stored material.

[0078] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, this is merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent alternative embodiments are possible therefrom.

[0079] Therefore, the true technical scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the patent claims. Explanation of the symbols

[0081] 10 : Storage 12 : Storage room 14 : Door 16 : Machine room 18 : Shelf 100 : Color-changing film section 200 : Color sensor unit 210 : Lighting means 300: Control unit 310: Data correction unit 320 : Matching table 330 : Storage unit 340 : Communication unit 400 : Display unit

Claims

Claim 1 A color-changing film portion whose color changes according to temperature changes inside the storage unit; a color sensor portion that detects the color of the color-changing film portion in a non-contact manner and calculates RGB values; and a control portion that calculates a matching temperature range by comparing the RGB values ​​received from the color sensor portion with pre-stored reference RGB values. The control unit includes a display unit that visually displays the temperature band calculated above, and the control unit includes a mapping table that stores a plurality of reference RGB values ​​and corresponding temperature band data, and calculates a corresponding temperature band by searching for the reference RGB value closest to the RGB value input from the color sensor unit using the mapping table, and the control unit calculates a temperature band corresponding to the RGB value detected in real time by performing linear interpolation or polynomial regression on the interval between the reference RGB values, and the temperature band is configured to be determined as one of a plurality of preset temperature bands, and the color sensor unit includes a lighting means that illuminates the color-changing film unit, and detects light reflected after being irradiated from the lighting means to the color-changing film unit, and the control unit includes a storage unit that stores a reference white value and a reference black value of the color sensor unit; A temperature band display device for a storage unit, comprising: a data correction unit that normalizes the RGB values ​​in real time using reference values ​​stored in the storage unit to correct deviations caused by changes in lighting intensity or sensor sensitivity; wherein the display unit is configured to simultaneously provide a color display indicating the state and a character display explaining the state corresponding to the temperature band transmitted from the control unit, and to display a temperature value corresponding to the temperature band together; and wherein, when the temperature band exceeds or falls below a preset reference range, the control unit outputs an alarm signal to display a visual warning on the display unit and simultaneously generate an auditory alarm. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 delete Claim 5 delete Claim 6 delete Claim 7 A temperature band display device for a storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit further includes a communication unit configured to transmit the calculation result of the temperature band to an external server or terminal for remote monitoring.

Images