Tempered space with device for air circulation for cooling meals in a multi-layer tray trolley
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature-controlled rooms for multi-level transport vehicles, such as refrigerated display cases and refrigerators, face challenges in maintaining effective temperature control without contaminating the air flow, as the air streams come into contact with soiled or difficult-to-clean surfaces during the movement of transport carriages, compromising hygiene and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A suction channel is arranged on the floor, extending from the front side to the rear wall, with a suction opening on the upper side and floor rails on both sides, deflecting horizontal air flows downwards to prevent contact with soiled surfaces and ensuring effective temperature control from back to front, while allowing easy cleaning and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If air streams are circulated through the temperature-controlled room, then temperature control effectiveness is improved, but the air flows come into contact with soiled floor surfaces and are contaminated
Solution Approach 1:
The suction channel is extracted and positioned in a location that does not contact soiled surfaces. By placing the suction channel on the ceiling or upper wall rather than at floor level, the air intake is separated from the contaminated floor area, allowing effective air circulation while preventing contamination of the cooling air supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction channel acts as an intermediary element that bridges the air circulation system and the temperature-controlled room environment. By positioning this intermediary component in a clean zone (ceiling or upper wall) rather than direct contact with soiled floors, it mediates between the need for air circulation and the requirement to avoid contamination.
2Productivity
If the suction channel intake opening is positioned at floor level, then air circulation is effective, but the intake contacts soiled surfaces during trolley movement
Solution Approach 1:
The suction channel intake opening is relocated from the horizontal floor level (one dimension) to the vertical ceiling or upper wall position (another dimension). This dimensional change allows the air circulation to remain effective while the intake opening is positioned above the soiled floor surfaces, preventing contamination during trolley movement.
3Ease of operation
If the front panel with air collection chamber is removable, then trolley access is enabled, but hygiene requirements are not met due to difficult cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The air collection chamber is extracted from the removable front panel and integrated into the fixed structure of the temperature-controlled room (ceiling or upper wall). This separation allows the front panel to remain removable for easy trolley access while the air collection system stays fixed and can be properly sealed and cleaned to meet hygiene requirements.
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 effectively circulates temperature-controlled air without contaminating it, maintaining hygiene and efficiency by preventing air flow contact with soiled surfaces, ensuring consistent cooling or heating of the room without interruption of the cold chain during food distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a blower at its rear end, which moves air through the suction channel
Implementation Method 2
A suction channel is arranged on the floor, extending from the front side to the rear wall, with a suction opening on the upper side, deflecting horizontal air flows downwards
Implementation Method 3
The transport trolley placed in the temperature-controlled room is subjected to temperature-controlled horizontal airflows that enter the room through wall openings, are extracted, and circulated
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The device has a vacuum channel (14) extending a front side (10) of a cooling chamber (1) to a rear wall (7) of the cooling chamber. The vacuum channel includes an air suction opening (15) arranged at the front side of the cooling chamber. A rearward end of the vacuum channel is adjoined to a connection opening, which is provided with a compressor (6), in the rear wall of the cooling chamber. The suction opening is arranged at an upper side of the vacuum channel, and extends over entire width of the vacuum channel.