Refrigerated Showcase Side-Access Cooling Unit Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerated showcases face challenges in maintenance operations due to the obstruction and weight of the front glass, which requires multiple operators and increases maintenance time and costs, especially when defects occur in the cooling mechanism.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerated showcase design featuring a detachable side panel and unit base that allows the cooling mechanism to be drawn out laterally or rearwardly, eliminating the need to remove the front glass for maintenance, with a unit base that can be easily accessed and removed via side or rear openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the front glass is used to cover the machine chamber to eliminate seams and facilitate cleaning, then the appearance and cleaning ease are improved, but the maintenance operation becomes difficult and requires multiple operators
Solution Approach 1:
The front glass is divided into two separate parts: one part covering the storage chamber and another part covering the machine chamber. This segmentation allows the machine chamber's front glass to be removed independently during maintenance, eliminating the need to remove the entire front glass assembly and enabling single-operator maintenance while preserving the seamless appearance during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The front glass of the machine chamber is extracted as a separate removable component from the overall front glass assembly. This extracted portion can be independently removed to provide direct access to the cooling mechanism for maintenance operations, while the remaining front glass structure maintains the seamless appearance when assembled.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the front glass is made large and integral to cover both storage chamber and machine chamber, then the seamless appearance is improved, but the weight increases and requires multiple operators for handling
Solution Approach 1:
The integral front glass is segmented into separate portions, with the machine chamber's front glass being a distinct component. This segmentation reduces the weight of any single glass piece that needs to be handled during maintenance, while the assembled structure maintains the seamless appearance when all components are in place.
3Ease of operation
If the front glass is removed for maintenance operation, then the access to cooling mechanism is improved, but the operation time increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The front glass of the machine chamber is extracted as a separate removable component that can be quickly removed and reinstalled. This extracted design provides direct access to the cooling mechanism for maintenance operations without requiring removal of the entire front glass assembly, significantly reducing the time required for maintenance while maintaining the seamless appearance during normal operation.
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 design enhances maintenance efficiency and reduces operational costs by allowing single-operator maintenance without disassembling the front glass, improving operability and reducing the time required for maintenance operations.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling mechanism disposed in the machine chamber to circularly supply a refrigerant to a cooler equipped in the heat insulating box
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerated showcase is provided that can easily carry out a maintenance operation and the like of a cooling mechanism disposed in a machine chamber. A machine chamber 13 is defined on a side of a heat insulating box 16 defining a storage chamber 12 and also provided with a cooler to cool the storage chamber 12 to have a cooling mechanism 80 disposed therein to circularly supply a refrigerant to the cooler, and a front side of the storage chamber 12 and the machine chamber 13 is covered with a single front glass 14. Then, a side of the machine chamber 13 is defined by a detachable second side panel to configure the machine chamber 13 to open laterally in a state of removing the second side panel, and also the cooling mechanism 80 is placed on a unit base 38 drawable from the machine chamber 13 to configure to allow the unit base 38 to be drawn from the machine chamber 13 via a side opening of the machine chamber 13 opened by removing the second side panel.