EP1073871A1

EP1073871A1 - Refrigerating drawer for storage column

Info

Publication number: EP1073871A1
Application number: EP99913412A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Pierre Guichon; Jean-Luc Pluton
Original assignee: PLUTON JEAN LUC
Current assignee: PLUTON JEAN LUC
Priority date: 1998-04-24
Filing date: 1999-04-14
Publication date: 2001-02-07
Also published as: CN1301337A; WO1999056071A1; CA2329628A1; TR200003109T2; PL343723A1; BR9909843A; FR2777985A1; FR2777985B1; AU3154399A

Abstract

The invention concerns a refrigerating drawer (3) for storing medicines to be kept at low temperature, incorporated in a storage column (1) with drawers (2), such as those used in chemist's shops. The refrigerating drawer (3) designed to be autonomous is substituted for an ordinary drawer (2) and combines, in one single functional unit, an isothermal chest (6) with evaporator, designed to receive the products to be stored, and a refrigeration unit with compressor and condenser, connected to the evaporator.

Description

Refrigerator drawer for storage column

The present invention relates to a device intended for the storage of products, in particular of drugs, the storage of which must be done at relatively low temperature. This invention relates, more particularly, to a cooling drawer intended for this type of product, and taking place inside a structure of a known type, called a storage column, consisting of superimposed drawers. Thus, the invention provides a device suitable for storage columns with drawers, which are furniture commonly used in pharmacies and pharmaceutical laboratories.

Among all pharmaceutical products, only a small proportion of products need to be stored at low temperature. The storage of these products is generally done inside a conventional refrigerator (which is usually found in a kitchen). This storage method is not very practical for the user, and it has, in particular, the following drawbacks:

- The refrigerator is, in general, at a greater or lesser distance from the place of storage of other pharmaceutical products, arranged as indicated above in columns with drawers.

- The interior layout of a refrigerator is not suitable for the storage of small format boxes, the number of which can be of the order of a hundred, which leads to the piling up of the products one on the other. others, with the risk of not easily finding the product sought.

- The working position of the person looking for a product in the refrigerator is not very comfortable.

- The size of the refrigerator is also relatively large, compared to the quantity of products it contains.

- Finally, each time the refrigerator door is opened, all of the products it contains undergoes a thermal variation, more or less long and significant, depending on the search time for a determined product. Other solutions have already been considered, but they are not entirely satisfactory, or do not correspond to real needs.

Thus, the request for French utility certificate N ° 2455256 relates to a refrigerator appliance for the preservation of pharmaceutical products, this appliance being integrated in a storage column with drawers. The apparatus in question takes the place of an ordinary drawer of the column, and it is used to produce cold and to distribute this cold to the other drawers of said column. The entire column of drawers is thus refrigerated. However, as indicated above, only a small proportion of pharmaceutical products requires storage at low temperature. This known device therefore does not appear to be adapted to concrete needs. In addition, depending on whether an ordinary drawer is more or less distant from the cold producing apparatus, the temperature inside this drawer can vary, and the device therefore does not guarantee a preservation at a temperature properly controlled bass.

German patent application No. 2744943 describes a cabinet for drawers for pharmacy, provided with a refrigeration device. This device also ensures the distribution of cold to a set of drawers, which is unnecessary compared to current needs. In addition, the refrigerating device described comprises an evaporator located at the top of a column of drawers, and connected by conduits to a compressor outside the cabinet, installed for example in a cellar. It is therefore a veritable heavy and bulky refrigeration installation, and not an autonomous and compact refrigeration device.

US Patent No. 5,619,978 relates to a cooling drawer for the storage of drugs, incorporated in a special piece of furniture. The drawer is provided with a thermoelectric device, certainly with Peltier effect, to ensure its cooling. This technical choice is not appropriate, because it makes temperature control difficult. In fact, in the case of US Pat. No. 5,661,978, the temperature is controlled by mixing cold air and warmer ambient air, by means of fans creating an air circulation, which is also necessary for avoid excessive condensation on the thermoelectric elements, especially in case of high ambient humidity. In particular, grilles and fans are provided on the rear of the cabinet, which thus has a specific structure. It is therefore a complicated and expensive system, in which the drawer does not constitute a self-contained sub-assembly, which can be incorporated into a standard piece of furniture, of the sort of storage column with drawers. In addition, the ventilators consume a significant energy, their electric motors releasing heat which is opposed to the production of cold, and these ventilators propel air loaded with water on the packaging of the medicines placed in the drawer, this which is bad for the packaging and for the medicines themselves.

Thus, in general, known solutions have the drawbacks of cooling the whole of a storage unit, and / or of locating part of the cold production equipment outside this unit, and / or to be complex and expensive, in particular because they require special furniture.

The present invention aims to remedy all the drawbacks described above, by providing an autonomous refrigeration device, making it possible to store small quantities of pharmaceutical products at low temperature, the device integrating fully into an existing drawer column, without modification thereof, and operating in a particularly reliable manner, while remaining simple and inexpensive.

To this end, the invention essentially relates to a cooling drawer, intended for the storage of drugs and similar products, intended to occupy the location of an ordinary drawer in a storage column, the cooling drawer comprising, grouped in a block unique and autonomous functional, an insulated box with evaporator, designed to receive the products to be stored, and a refrigeration unit with compressor and condenser, connected to the evaporator.

Thus, the invention provides a fully autonomous refrigerating drawer, both mechanically (this drawer replacing an ordinary drawer, which it retains the dimensional characteristics) and in terms of the production of cold. Such a device has many advantages:

- It avoids the need for a refrigerator, located at a greater or lesser distance from the main storage place for medicines. - The autonomous refrigerating drawer constitutes a device of reduced size, sufficient for the storage of products needing to be kept at low temperature, and requiring for its operation no connection to any external system (other than the supply of electrical energy) , hence an optimization from the point of view of congestion.

This cooling drawer uses a simple and proven cold production system, namely a refrigeration unit with compressor, condenser and evaporator, which is reliable and economical, easy to maintain, and avoids condensation phenomena, thus making the presence of d 'a fan ; if provided, the fan is associated with the condenser only to reduce the surface thereof, and in no case should the furniture itself be modified or adapted to receive other fans or be ventilated by any means ( this contrary to the aforementioned US patent No. 5661978). - The device which is the subject of the invention makes it possible to store pharmaceutical products, requiring cold storage, in the middle of other products, the conservation of which does not require any particular precautions from the thermal point of view.

- This device also makes it possible to keep, for the storage of products to be kept cold, a classification method in alphabetical order or in galenical form, specific to the pharmaceutical field.

- The insulated box keeps products requiring cold storage at the ideal temperature, avoiding any unnecessary loss of cold to the other drawers of the storage column.

- Insofar as it has the bulk of a conventional drawer, and where it is truly autonomous from the functional point of view, the refrigerated drawer which is the subject of the present invention can be very easily adapted to a storage column already in place , and requiring no modification, substituting for an ordinary drawer, and this with great flexibility of use: possibility of choosing the position of the refrigerated drawer, deleting this refrigerated drawer for the replacement of an ordinary drawer, replacing '' other traditional drawers with refrigerated drawers (if the cold storage needs exceed the capacity of a single drawer), etc.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the refrigerating drawer comprises the functional block with insulated box and cold production group, inserted inside an existing drawer, which then serves as a support, and performs the function of sliding. In this case, the functional block in question can occupy either the entire interior volume of the existing drawer, or only a fraction of the interior volume of this drawer, the latter possibility being advantageous in the case where a very small quantity of products must be kept. in the cold, while the drawers are relatively large.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the cooling drawer includes not only the functional block with insulated box and cooling unit, but also a frame with sliding system, and it thus constitutes a complete drawer which replaces an ordinary drawer.

Advantageously, the insulated box of the cooling drawer, object of the invention, is internally divided into several compartments, by internal partitions which are preferably modular. The upper part of the insulated box is closed by a plurality of thermally insulating hatches, giving access to the various compartments of said insulated box. These provisions further facilitate the storage of products, and above all they limit the thermal variations undergone by the products when the refrigerating drawer is opened. The cooling drawer, object of the invention, can in particular be presented as a drawer of relatively low height, fitting into a storage column provided with a multiplicity of drawers of low height, which corresponds to a usual structure of column of drawers.

However, according to another possibility within the scope of the invention, the refrigerated drawer is presented as a drawer of relatively great height, equal to a multiple of the height of an ordinary drawer a storage column; in this case, access to the interior of the drawer, therefore to products kept cold, can be done laterally, in particular by side doors, themselves made accessible when the drawer is extended. The present invention also relates, as such, to an autonomous functional block for a cooling drawer as defined above, this functional block comprising an isothermal box with evaporator, and a refrigeration unit with compressor and condenser, connected to the evaporator. . The invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawing representing, by way of examples, some embodiments of this cooling drawer for a storage column:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a storage column, equipped with a cooling drawer according to the present invention, according to a first embodiment;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of this cooling drawer, along 11-11 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view from above, without the closing flaps and with parts broken away, of the cooling drawer of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of another storage column, equipped with two cooling drawers according to the present invention, but constituting embodiments different from the previous one; Figure 5 is a side view, partially in section, of one of the refrigerator drawers of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the cooling drawer of Figure 5.

FIG. 1 represents a storage column with drawers for pharmacy, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, which in this example comprises three vertical series of drawers 2, each of relatively small height h. One of the ordinary drawers 2 is replaced by a cooling drawer 3, with the same external dimensions (length, width and height), the cooling drawer 3 therefore also having, in particular, a low height h. Figures 2 and 3 show, in more detail, the structure of the cooling drawer 3. This drawer 3 has a frame, provided with lateral slides 4, the frame and the slides not being modified with respect to those of a drawer 2 ordinary. The cooling drawer 3 also includes a front panel 5, the structure and appearance of which are identical to the front panels of the other drawers 2.

Most of the volume of the cooling drawer 3 is occupied by an insulated box 6, comprising a horizontal bottom 7, longitudinal vertical walls 8, a front vertical wall 9 and a rear vertical wall 10, of thermally insulating material, of thickness sufficient. The interior of the insulated box 6 is divided into several compartments 1 1 by internal partitions 12, preferably modular. The upper part of the insulated box 6 is closed by a plurality of hatches 13 made of thermally insulating material; the opening of the hatches 13, made possible when the cooling drawer 3 is extended (see FIG. 1), gives access to the various internal compartments 11 of the insulated box 6.

The cooling drawer 3 also comprises, behind the insulated box 6, a cold production group 14 itself composed of a compressor 15 of small volume, a ventilated or non-ventilated condenser 16, and an electric relay 17. The refrigeration unit 14 is connected, by conduits 18 carrying the refrigerant, to a flat evaporator 19 arranged horizontally, on the bottom 7 of the insulated box 6. The evaporator 19 is covered by a protective plate 20 , also constituting the bottom of compartments 1 1.

The refrigeration unit 14 being connected to an appropriate source of electrical energy, by connections compatible with the sliding of the drawer, there is obtained in all a refrigerating drawer 3 of autonomous character, replacing an ordinary drawer 2 and designed for receive, and keep cold, pharmaceutical products that need to be stored at low temperatures. To ensure proper control of its operation, the refrigerated drawer 3 can also be fitted with a regulation thermostat, guaranteeing an adequate temperature inside the insulated box 6, as well as an operating and / or indicator light. a temperature indicator placed on its front panel 5, these accessories not being shown in the drawing. FIG. 4 shows another storage column 1 ′, comprising ordinary drawers 2 and two refrigerating drawers 3 and 3 ′.

In the refrigerating drawer 3, which here constitutes a variant of that previously described, the functional block, comprising the insulating box 6 and the cold production group, occupies only a fraction of the total internal volume of the drawer 3. In particular, this block functional occupies only a fraction (about two thirds) of the total width of the drawer 3, and the rest of the interior volume of this drawer 3 constitutes a storage space for products which do not need to be kept cold.

The other refrigerating drawer 3 ′ visible in FIG. 4, and also shown in more detail in FIGS. 5 and 6, is of a configuration quite different from those previously described. In fact, this refrigerating drawer 3 'has a relatively large height H, equal to a multiple of the height h of an ordinary drawer 2 of the storage column 1', the width of the refrigerating drawer 3 'being however less than that d '' an ordinary drawer 2 (for example equal to half the width of a drawer 2).

The refrigerating drawer 3 ′ also has an insulated box 6, here of great height, behind which is placed the cold production group 14 composed of a compressor 15, a condenser 1 6 and an electrical relay 17, connected by conduits 18 with a flat evaporator 19 placed at the base of the insulated box 6, under a protective plate 20.

A plurality of storage shelves 21 are placed inside the insulated box 6. One of the side faces of the cooling drawer 3 'is provided with several side doors 22, preferably transparent, which become accessible when the drawer 3' is out, and which then themselves give access to the pharmaceutical products placed inside the insulated box 6, on the shelves 21. Of course, the external dimensions of the cooling drawer, as well as its interior arrangement, can be modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1 - Refrigerant drawer, intended for the storage of drugs and similar products, to be stored at relatively low temperature, characterized in that it is intended to occupy the location of an ordinary drawer (2) in a storage column (1, 1 "), the cooling drawer (3, 3 ') comprising, grouped in a single and autonomous functional block, an insulated box (6) with evaporator (19), designed to receive the products to be stored, and a production group of cold (14) with compressor (15) and condenser (16), connected (at 18) to the evaporator (19).

2 - Refrigerant drawer for storage column according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the functional block with insulated box (6) and cold production group (14), inserted inside an existing drawer ( 2).

3 - Refrigerating drawer for storage column according to claim 2, characterized in that the aforementioned functional block occupies the entire interior volume of the existing drawer (2). 4 - Refrigerating drawer for storage column according to claim 2, characterized in that the aforementioned functional block occupies a fraction of the interior volume of the existing drawer (2).

5 - Refrigerating drawer for storage column according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises not only the functional block with insulated box (6) and cold production group (14), but also a frame with sliding system ( 4), and thus constitutes a complete drawer (3) substitutable for an ordinary drawer (2).

6 - Refrigerating drawer for storage column according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that its insulated box (6) is internally divided into several compartments (1 1), by internal partitions (12) preferably modular .

7 - Refrigerating drawer for storage column according to claim 6, characterized in that the upper part of the insulated box (6) is closed by a plurality of hatches (13) thermally insulating, giving access to the various compartments (1 1) of said box isothermal (6). 10

8 - Refrigerant drawer for storage column according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it is in the form of a drawer (3) of relatively low height (h), fitting into a storage column ( 1) provided with a multiplicity of drawers (2) of low height (h).

9 - Refrigerating drawer for storage column according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is in the form of a drawer (3 ') of relatively great height (H), equal to a multiple of the height ( h) an ordinary drawer (2) of a storage column (V).

10 - Refrigerating drawer for storage column according to claim 9, characterized in that the access to the interior of this drawer (3 ') is lateral, and ensured in particular by side doors (22), themselves made accessible when the drawer (3 ') is out. 11 - Autonomous functional block for cooling drawer according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising an insulated box (6) with evaporator (19), and a cold production unit (14) with compressor (15) and condenser ( 16), connected (at 18) to the evaporator (19).