Meal Tray Trolley Coupling for Centralized Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing meal tray transport and distribution systems are bulky, heavy, and expensive due to the integration of refrigeration units, and lack automatic temperature regulation and the ability to handle superimposed trays with both hot and cold dishes.
Innovation Solution
The system consists of isothermal trolleys with insulating envelopes and a fixed terminal equipped with a refrigeration unit and control unit, featuring air inlet and outlet vents connected via pipes for efficient temperature control, allowing for automatic regulation and the use of both single and double refrigeration modes, and includes means for reheating meal trays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If refrigeration units are integrated inside each trolley, then temperature control capability is improved, but the trolley becomes bulky, heavy, and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigeration unit is extracted from the trolley and relocated to a fixed terminal. The trolley now only contains an evaporator and insulating envelope, while the compressor, condenser, and expansion device remain at the fixed terminal, connected via refrigerant pipes. This extraction eliminates the heavy components from the moving trolley while maintaining temperature control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigeration system is segmented into mobile and stationary parts. The evaporator and insulating envelope form the mobile portion in the trolley, while the compressor, condenser, and control systems form the stationary portion at the fixed terminal, connected through refrigerant piping.
2Temperature
If refrigeration units are integrated inside each trolley, then temperature control capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex components (compressor, condenser, expansion device) are extracted from the trolley and centralized at the fixed terminal, reducing the complexity of the mobile unit while maintaining full refrigeration functionality through the distributed evaporator system.
3Weight of stationary object
If a fixed terminal with centralized refrigeration is used, then trolley weight and complexity are reduced, but automatic temperature regulation capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
Temperature sensors are installed in the trolley compartments to detect actual temperature conditions. This feedback is transmitted to the control unit at the fixed terminal, which automatically adjusts the refrigeration cycle parameters (compressor speed, expansion valve opening) to maintain the desired temperature setpoints without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-regulation through automatic control. The control unit continuously monitors temperature via sensors and autonomously adjusts refrigeration parameters to maintain optimal conditions, eliminating the need for manual operation while the trolley is in transit or at the terminal.
4Ease of manufacture
If the fixed terminal design is simplified, then ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to handle multiple trolley formats is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed terminal is designed with universal connection interfaces that can accommodate different trolley formats and sizes. The refrigerant piping system includes multiple connection points and adjustable components that can serve various evaporator configurations, allowing a single terminal design to support multiple trolley types without requiring complex customization.
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
The solution provides an efficient, cost-effective, and automatically regulated temperature control system for meal trays, enabling the transportation of both hot and cold dishes without the need for manual handling and accommodating multiple tray formats, while reducing the system's size and complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a fixed terminal comprising a refrigeration unit and a control unit
Implementation Method 2
isothermal trolleys with insulating envelopes
Implementation Method 3
at least one air inlet vent and at least one air outlet vent connected via ducts with the cold compartment
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~8
AI summary
The installation has a fixed terminal (16) comprising two parallel walls (19) each with cold air blowing socket pieces (27) complimentary to air inlet socket pieces (12) of a carriage. Air suction socket pieces (28) and the pieces (27) communicate with a refrigeration unit via channels. A temporary coupling unit (31) allows carriage maintenance in a fixed coupling position for which the pieces (27, 28) cooperate with the pieces (12) and air outlet socket pieces (13). The terminal has a coldness regulation and control unit controlling the carriages.