GB2427237A

GB2427237A - Cold room sliding door

Info

Publication number: GB2427237A
Application number: GB0512449A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sew Hing Woo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-06-18
Filing date: 2005-06-18
Publication date: 2006-12-20
Also published as: GB0512449D0

Abstract

A sliding door for a cold room is in the form of a solid panel 5 acting as a curtain. The panel is suspended from a supporting track 6 and driven by a chain 8 from electric motor 9. Guides 10 may be provided to prevent the door wobbling. The panel may have a viewing window 11, which may be heated. Also disclosed is a full length metallic strip 12 on one edge of the door which is connected to an electrical or mechanical switch, and a handle 14 for mechanical operation.

Description

Solid Curtain This invention relates to a solid curtain in the form of a

solid panel opening and closing over the door opening inside a temperature controlled storage room.

In our homes, we have a refrigerator to store chill food and a freezer (either on its own or a compartment within the refrigerator) to store frozen food. The same principle is used commercially and industrially but on a much larger scale.

Instead of small refrigerators or freezers, specially constructed rooms made from insulated panels are used to store food in chilled temperature conditions (normally at or above 0 C during normal operation) or in freezing temperature conditions (normally at or below -21 C during normal operation). Access into these insulated rooms is only via the external insulated door.

Opening the external insulated door is obviously necessary and when it opens, there is an immediate breach or opening in the insulated room. Through this opening', a temperature gradient is created between the air inside the room and outside. Because of this temperature gradient, the chill or freezing air will flow out from the room. Furthermore, there is ingress of outside ambient air containing moisture into the room.

To minimise the chill or freezing air flowing out of the room and the ingress of moisture into the room when the external insulated door is opened, this invention proposes a solid curtain opening and closing inside the room over the door opening by means of a solid panel. This solid panel creates a barrier over the door opening when in a closed position.

This invention will now describes by way of example and with reference to the accompanying diagrams in which, Fig 1 shows the chill or freezing air flowing out (1) and the ingress of moisture into the room (2) when the external insulated door (3) is opened.

Fig. 2 shows the solid curtain assembly from inside the room.

The solid panel (5) is made with minimum thickness but of robust and rigid manufacture. The material is capable of operating in a temperature controlled environment. There is a viewing window (11) of reasonable size fitted in the solid panel. This is preferred to allow a clear view from the outside to inside and vice versa.

Page 1 Electrical heaters of adequate capacity are fitted strategically in the solid panel and viewing window when there is a possibility of frost forming on the surfaces of the solid panel and viewing window.

Preferably a full length metallic strip (12) connected to an electrical or mechanical switch is fitted to one vertical edge of the solid panel. The position is as indicated on Fig 2. This metallic strip when contacted will activate the electric motor to open or close the solid panel. An optional added feature to this metallic strip is when after a pre set number of repeated and continuous contacts are made, the whole system will switched off and preferably an audio noise will sound. The whole system can only be operational again once the reset switch is reset.

The solid panel hangs off a supporting track (6) and one end the hanger (7) is securely fixed to the solid panel and the other end rests on the supporting track. The supporting track will be fixed to the insulated panel (4) of the storage room.

Door guides (10) are preferably fitted to assist the solid panel movement during the opening and closing modes. This is to minimise the twobble effect.

The preferred method of opening and closing the solid panel is using an electric motor (9) complete with all mechanical attachments and electrical accessories and preferably with a chain (8). This chain is attached to the solid panel using a chain attachments (13).

The geared shaft being one of the electric motor mechanical attachments rotates when activated and in doing so moves the chain which in turns moves the solid panel. This movement of the chain can either be opening or closing mode.

The preferred opening and closing mode of the solid panel is sliding.

The electric motor complete with all the mechanical attachments and electrical accessories is preferably located outside the storage room.

The electric motor is activated and deactivated preferably by electrical or/and mechanical signals generated by electrical or/and mechanical switches and timers.

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Claims

Claims.

1. A solid curtain in the form of a solid panel with a chain attached to it preferably sliding along a supporting track over the door opening inside a temperature controlled storage room where the opening and closing of the solid panel is by an externally mounted electric motor geared shaft rotating on a chain such that when the solid panel is in a closed position, it creates a barrier between the air inside and outside the storage room.

2. The alternative method to using the electric motor and chain to opening and closing the solid panel in accordance to Claim 1 above can be by using electric motor driving screwed spindles, pneumatic pistons, springs, dead weights or a combination of all mentioned.

3. The alternative position of the electric motor according to Claim 1 above is inside the room.

4. The alternative type of chain in accordance to Claim 1 above, is of plastic manufacture or others so long as it can be used to move the solid panel and driven by an electric motor.

5. The temperature controlled room in accordance to Claim 1 above can be chilled temperature conditions (normally at or above 0 C during normal operation) or in freezing temperature conditions (normally at or below -2 1 C during normal operation).

6. A solid curtain according to Claim 1 above, the opening and closing means by the electric motor can be more than one. The number of electric motors used will be dependant on the size, weight of the solid panel and the room type.

7. A solid curtain according to Claim 1 in which the electric motor is activated and deactivated by mechanical or/and electrical signals generated by mechanical or/and switches and timers.

8. A solid curtain according to Claim 1 above includes for anti frosting measures including the use of electrical heaters, insulating material and vacuum or a combination of all mentioned.

9. A solid curtain according to Claim 1 above includes for a viewing window in the solid panel.

10. A solid curtain includes for a full length metallic strip connected to a mechanical or electrical switch fixed to one vertical edge of the solid panel when on contact will activate the electric motor to open or close the solid panel.

11. A solid curtain includes for a handle (14) fitted on both sides of the solid panel in the event when it is necessary to open or close the solid panel manually.

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