Discharge air straightener
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Solution Overview
Problem
Temperature-controlled cases face challenges in maintaining an effective air-curtain barrier due to difficulty in controlling air flow along the length of the door, leading to moisture buildup and increased energy consumption, and lighting elements produce heat that complicates temperature regulation.
Innovation Solution
The integration of air-straighteners with flow guides and luminaires, including LEDs on PCBs, which are mounted within the air-curtain to control air flow and illuminate products, maintaining the air-curtain's integrity and reducing heat generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If lighting elements are placed beneath shelves to illuminate products, then product illumination is improved, but heat generation increases and complicates temperature regulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the lighting function from the shelf structure and integrates it into the air-straightener components. LED luminaires are embedded within the flow guides, separating the illumination source from the shelf beneath the products, thereby providing lighting without the heat generation problems associated with traditional shelf-mounted lighting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional high-power lighting systems with LED technology. LEDs provide sufficient illumination for product display while generating minimal heat, thus resolving the contradiction between illumination intensity and temperature regulation in the refrigerated case.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If air-curtain is used to barrier ambient air, then moisture buildup is reduced, but difficulty in controlling air-curtain along door length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the air-curtain system into multiple segments by integrating flow guides within the air-straighteners at different positions along the door. Each flow guide independently controls the air-curtain at its specific location, allowing precise control along the entire door length without requiring a complex centralized control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The air-straightener components serve multiple functions: they straighten airflow, control the air-curtain at specific positions, and house the lighting elements. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate control mechanisms for each function, thereby managing device complexity while effectively controlling moisture buildup.
3Ease of manufacture
If lighting elements are placed in close proximity to shelves, then installation is simplified, but illuminated region is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the lighting elements within the air-straighteners that extend into the air-curtain region, utilizing the vertical and depth dimensions of the case interior. This positioning allows the lights to illuminate products on shelves from multiple angles without being constrained by horizontal placement under the shelves, thereby expanding the illuminated region while maintaining integration with the shelf system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances the air-curtain's effectiveness as a barrier, reduces moisture buildup, and optimizes energy efficiency by maintaining refrigerated air within the case, while providing uniform illumination across shelves of varying lengths.
Implementation Method 1
The air-curtain originates at an air-curtain discharge and terminates an air-curtain return. The flow guides are located at locations within the air-curtain and are configured to control the air-curtain.
Implementation Method 2
The flow guides individually include a luminaire comprising a number of LEDs coupled to a number of PCBs. The luminaires are configured to illuminate a number of illumination targets.
Data Source
AI summary
A temperature controlled case includes a number of shelves, an air-curtain, and a number of air-straighteners. The number of shelves individually support a displayed product. The number of shelves are mounted to the temperature controlled case. The air-curtain originates at an air-curtain discharge and terminates an air-curtain return. The number of air-straighteners is equal to the number of shelves. The number of air straighteners individually include a flow guide and are individually coupled to one of the number of shelves. The flow guides are located at locations within the air-curtain. The flow guides are configured to control the air-curtain. The flow guides individually include a luminaire comprising a number of LEDs coupled to a number of PCBs. The luminaires are configured to illuminate a number of illumination targets. The number of illumination targets correspond to at least one of the displayed products.