FR2868671A1 - Insulating cart for hospital environment, has fluid circulating streamer with input and output connections accessible from exterior of container, where ratio between refrigerant fluid volumes in container and streamer lies in preset range - Google Patents

Abstract

The cart has a chillness producing unit (5) comprising a refrigerant fluid container (6) mounted inside an insulating casing. A fluid circulating streamer is placed in the unit (5) and is equipped with input and output connections accessible from the exterior of the container and connected to a fluid delivery circuit (20). A ratio between volumes of refrigerant fluid contained in the container and streamer lies in a preset range. An independent claim is also included for an installation for cooling insulating carts containing meal tray.

Description

2868671 1

  The present invention relates to the technical field of transport and distribution of meals using trays on which are placed dishes and various utensils necessary for the consumption of food.

  The object of the invention finds a particularly advantageous application in the field of transport and distribution of meals, particularly in hospitals.

  In a usual manner, a meal tray is intended to receive cold and hot dishes placed in containers adapted to the nature of the food. According to the so-called hot link process, the hot dishes are, as soon as they are prepared, conveyed and kept at the consumption temperature until they are distributed to the consumer. In the so-called cold-binding process, the hot dishes are brought to the temperature of consumption just before they are dispensed to the consumer, since they have been rapidly cooled as soon as they have been prepared, with a view to cold storage being possible. to reach several days.

  It is known in the prior art different solutions trolleys for the transport and distribution of meal trays. In general, such a transport and distribution trolley comprises, for example, as illustrated by US Pat. No. 3,975,393, two separate compartments, one of which is intended to receive trays provided with utensils and cold dishes, while the other receives the containers containing the hot dishes. The so-called hot compartment is equipped with heating means to place and maintain the food at their consumption temperature. The so-called cold compartment is connected to an on-board refrigeration unit, generally comprising a compressor unit, a condenser and an evaporator.

  Such trolleys have the disadvantage of being particularly bulky, heavy and expensive due, in particular, to the assembly of a cold production unit inside each trolley.

  In an attempt to solve this problem, patent application EP 0 161 178 has proposed an installation comprising a fixed cold and hot production terminal and on which is intended to be connected at least one isothermal trolley for the transport and distribution of meals. . The fixed terminal has a compartment including a source of cold air capable of pulsing the air inside the cold compartment of the truck, when the latter is attached to the production terminal.

  2868671 2 If such an installation prevents the refrigeration unit from being loaded on each of the carriages, it must be considered that such an installation does not make it possible to maintain the cold compartment of the trolley at a given temperature for a relatively long period of time, after the disconnecting the trolley from the power supply terminal.

  Patent FR 2 068 042 has proposed an installation for cooling carts comprising a refrigerant dispensing apparatus mounted stationary and having a refrigerant supply circuit cooled by a refrigeration unit. The refrigerant supply circuit is equipped with a controlled circulator and at least one pair of connectors intended to be connected to the inlet and outlet connections of a refrigerant accumulator fitted to a trolley.

  Such an installation has the advantage of having trolleys with a limited weight, since the refrigerating unit is not loaded on each of the trolleys, while offering a good autonomy by keeping the dishes placed inside the trolley at a minimum. setpoint temperature for a specified period. However, it appears that such an installation is relatively expensive because of the cooling capacity required to allow the cooling of a fleet of trucks.

  The object of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art by proposing a new technique for which, on the one hand, each isothermal trolley of transport and distribution of trays does not include sufficient autonomous cooling capacity to ensure its maintaining a cold temperature for a relatively long period, and secondly, the cooling capacity necessary for cooling a fleet of trucks is reduced compared to known solutions.

  To achieve this objective, the object of the invention relates to an isothermal trolley comprising an insulating envelope accessible by at least one door and delimiting at least one compartment provided internally with support means in the superimposed position of meal trays, means for producing cold inside the compartment, and means for reheating the meal trays.

  According to the invention, the means for producing cold comprise a reserve of a refrigerant fluid mounted inside the insulating casing and in which is placed a circulation coil of a refrigerant fluid provided with connections of inlet and outlet accessible from outside the reserve and intended to be connected to a circuit of a refrigerant mounted at a fixed station, the ratio of the refrigerant volume of the reserve to the volume of refrigerant contained in the coil is greater than 3 and preferably between 4 and 6.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the refrigerant contained in the reserve and the refrigerant circulating in the coil are glycol water.

  Another object of the invention is an installation for cooling isothermal trolleys for containing trays and comprising: at least one isothermal trolley according to the invention, and a device for dispensing a refrigerant fluid, mounted stationary and comprising a refrigerant supply circuit cooled by a refrigeration unit, the circuit comprising at least a pair of connectors intended to be connected to the inlet and outlet connections of a coil of an isothermal trolley .

  Various other characteristics appear from the description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of non-limiting examples, embodiments of the subject of the invention.

  Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a cooling installation according to the invention.

  Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a feature of the subject of the invention.

  Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing characteristic details of the subject of the invention.

  Fig. 1 illustrates an installation 1 adapted to ensure the cooling of at least one, and preferably a series of isothermal carriages 2 for storing and transporting unrepresented trays. Conventionally, each carriage 2 comprises an insulating or isothermal envelope 3 whose internal volume is accessible by at least one door not shown. The internal walls of the enclosure 2868671 4 are provided with various equipment and in particular support means for maintaining in the superimposed position of the meal trays. The envelope 3 is arranged to delimit at least one so-called cold compartment and at least one so-called hot compartment. Of course, the hot and cold compartments are intended to receive respectively hot and cold dishes meal trays. In a conventional manner, each carriage 2 is equipped with reheating means not shown trays but of any type known per se.

  Each carriage 2 is equipped with means 5 for producing cold according to the invention comprising a reserve or accumulator 6 of a refrigerant fluid mounted inside the insulating enclosure 3. Each reserve 6 is mounted either at the inside a partition constituting the carriage, either directly inside the compartments. As is more particularly apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3, each reserve 6 which contains a determined volume called static refrigerant fluid constitutes a closed chamber in which is placed a coil 12 for circulating a refrigerant with a connector, a plug or a connector 15 and a connector, a plug or an output connector 16. The inlet 15 and outlet 16 connections are mounted to be accessible from outside the reserve 6 and preferably also from outside the isothermal enclosure 3.

  As it appears in fig. 1, the connections 15 and 16 are intended to be connected to a circuit 20 for supplying a refrigerant fluid forming part of a dispensing device 21 mounted in a stationary position. The dispensing device 21 comprises a refrigeration unit of any type making it possible to cool the refrigerant brought back by the circuit 20. In the example illustrated, the supply circuit 20 is formed by two ducts 201, 202 respectively for feeding and returning refrigerant, on which are connected in parallel at least one, and in the example shown, four pairs of connectors, sockets or connectors 22, 23 intended to be assembled respectively with the input connectors 15 and output 16 fitted to the 2. It should be considered that the connections 15, 16 of the coil 12 and the connections 22, 23 of the supply circuit 20 are of complementary nature and of any type known per se to ensure a circulation of the fluid between the coil. 12 and the supply circuit 20. Preferably, the connectors 15, 16 also provide a sealing function and constitute quick-engagement couplings. The connectors 15, 16 of the coil 12 are mounted for easy access by the user and assembled to the connectors 22, 23 which may, for example, be mounted on flexible pipes 25 connected to the supply circuit 20. Similarly, it may be envisaged that the connection of the coil 12 of a carriage 2 to the supply circuit 20 is obtained as a result of the movement of the carriage to ensure the engagement of the connectors 15, 16 with respectively the complementary connections 22, 23 of the circuit of supply 20 mounted in a fixed manner.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the refrigerant contained in the reserve 6 is brine. Similarly, the refrigerant circulating in the coils 12 is glycol water.

  According to a characteristic of the invention, the ratio between the volume of refrigerant contained in the reserve 6 on the volume of the refrigerant contained in the coil 12 is greater than 3, and preferably between 4 and 6. In other words, the reserve 6 and the coil 12 are dimensioned so that each of them can contain a volume of refrigerant fluid to correspond to the ratio given above. It follows that the refrigerating unit may have a power and a refrigerant reserve volume lower than the previous installations, this implies that the cooling phase of the carriages is possible for a longer period compared to previous installations.

  The object of the invention is therefore to use for each carriage 2, a double heat exchanger consisting of a coil 12 ensuring when connected to the supply circuit 20, the circulation of the refrigerant inside the reserve 6 in order to cool the refrigerant contained in this reserve 6. When the cold generating means 5 are disconnected from the supply circuit 20, the coil 12 filled with its cooling fluid and immersed in the reserve 6 of refrigerant, is in combination with the reserve 5, a cold accumulator for the temperature maintenance phase of the carriage 2. Such an installation 1 thus reduces the cooling capacity of the supply circuit 20 as well as the volume of coolant in motion.

  The invention is not limited to the examples described and shown because various modifications can be made without departing from its scope.

2868671 6

Claims (3)

  1 - Isothermal trolley comprising: an insulating casing (3) accessible by at least one door and delimiting at least one compartment provided internally with support means in superimposed position of meal trays, means (5) for producing cold to the interior of the compartment, and means for reheating the meal trays, characterized in that the means (5) for producing cold comprise a reserve (6) of a refrigerant fluid mounted inside the insulating jacket (3) and in which is placed a cooling fluid circulation coil (12) provided with inlet (15) and outlet (16) connections accessible from outside the supply (6) and intended to be connected to a circuit (20) mounted at a fixed station, a refrigerant, the ratio between the refrigerant volume of the reserve (6) and the volume of refrigerant contained in the coil (12) is greater than at 3 and preferably between 4 and 6.   2 - isothermal trolley according to claim 1, characterized in that the refrigerant contained in the reserve (6) and the refrigerant circulating in the coil (12) are brine.   3 - Installation for cooling isothermal carriages (2) for containing meal trays, characterized in that it comprises: at least one isothermal trolley (2) according to claim 1 or 2, and a device Refrigerant delivery system (21) mounted with a refrigerant refrigerant supply circuit (20), the circuit (20) having at least one pair of connectors (22, 23) for connection to the inlet (15) and outlet (16) connections of a coil (12) of an isothermal carriage.