JP2003287337A - Accommodation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a convenient and compact accommodation device of cooling function and large accommodation capacity. <P>SOLUTION: A compact accommodation device 1 of large accommodation capacity and cooling and/or heating function is provided by combining a bottomed cylindrical accommodation container 2 of vacuum heat insulation structure, with a heat exchange unit 10 functioning as a lid attachable/ detachable to/from an opening 3 of the accommodation container 2. The accommodation container 2 of this accommodation device 1 can be completely cleaned only by detaching the heat exchange unit 10. The accommodation device is convenient and can be used for various kinds of purposes. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a storage device suitable for a rice box capable of keeping white rice cold, a cold storage box for vegetables and fruits, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Rice grains having a cooling capacity have been proposed. In the proposed rice box with cooling function, a storage box for storing rice is arranged in the upper part, and a dispensing device for discharging a desired amount of rice from the storage box is arranged in the lower part to cool the inside of the storage box. The cooling unit is arranged alongside the side of the storage and the payout device.

[0003]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-108128

[0004]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Since a rice bin with a cooling function can easily refrigerate white rice, brown rice, etc. at home, it prevents deterioration of the quality of the rice and is of high utility value to eat delicious rice at any time. . Not only rice, there are foods that should be refrigerated, but they do not need to be cooled as much as a refrigerator, and there are foods that occupy too much space in the refrigerator to store them in the refrigerator. For example, dried foods and pickles. The optimum cold storage temperature of these foods, especially white rice, is around 15 ° C., and when stored in a refrigerator having an internal temperature of about several ° C., the food is cracked or dried too much to deteriorate the taste. For this reason, it is desirable to have a container that can be stored under a temperature condition suitable for the food, in addition to the refrigerator, and the cold-storage rice bin is a product that satisfies such requirements.

However, the cold-reserved rice bin is exclusively for rice and cannot store other foods. It has a special composition for rice jars such as a dispensing device, and it cannot be said that other foods are put in after being used as rice jars. There is also a point that the structure as a storage is not suitable, but there is a problem that the inside of the storage cannot be cleaned when another food is put in after being used as rice jars. Although it is possible to inhale dust and debris with a vacuum cleaner to a certain extent, even if you want to wash the inside of the storage room, the cooling unit that uses the payout device and Peltier element is integrated, so the inside of the storage room is integrated. Washing is a daunting task. The same problem occurs when trying to clean the storage cabinet when inserting new rice while using it as rice bin.

For example, it is possible to propose a storage device of a method in which an inner container is put inside a housing and the inner container is cooled by a Peltier unit or the like installed in the housing. With this storage container, it is possible to remove the inner container and wash the entire container. However, when the inner container is used, the capacity of the inner container is limited with respect to the size of the housing, and it is impossible to realize a compact storage device having a sufficient capacity.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a storage device which has a cooling capacity and can be used as a container for various foods, and which is compact and has a large capacity. . Further, it is also an object of the present invention to provide a storage device which has a cooling capacity and is capable of being washed as a whole.

[0008]

Therefore, in the present invention, a bottomed cylindrical storage container having a vacuum heat insulating structure is adopted, and a heat exchange unit capable of sealing the storage container is provided in the upper opening of the storage container. Adopt a configuration to be attached. That is, the storage device of the present invention has a bottomed cylindrical storage container having a vacuum heat insulation structure, and is attachable to and detachable from the upper opening of the storage container. Is located inside the storage container and has a heat exchange unit in which the first heat exchange section and the second heat exchange section capable of heat exchange are located outside. This storage device uses a vacuum insulation structure storage container, so the storage container itself has a heat insulation function,
It has sufficient heat retention capacity without the need to provide heat insulating material around it or to cover it with a housing. Therefore, the storage container is compact and has a large capacity. Then, by installing a heat exchange unit having a function as a detachable lid in this storage container, it is possible to provide a compact storage device with a large internal capacity in which a cooling or heating function is arranged on the storage device. .

Further, this storage device can be washed as a whole by removing the heat exchanging unit, so that the storage container can be washed as a whole, and can be kept in a refrigerator for refrigerating various foods or other desired products. It can be used for the purpose of storing what requires temperature conditions. In particular, since the storage container is a bottomed cylindrical container with a vacuum insulation structure, it is possible to seal the inside by installing a heat exchange unit as a lid, and it is also possible to store the liquid or liquid state as it is Is. Therefore, it is possible to provide a storage device that can be used for various purposes at home such as a container for grains such as rice, a container for powder such as wheat flour, and a container for pickles.

Further, since it is a storage container having a vacuum heat insulation structure, it has sufficient heat insulation performance by itself. Therefore, by adopting a heat exchange unit using a Peltier element in which the first and second heat exchange parts are thermally connected to each other through the Peltier element, sufficient cooling, cold keeping, warming and warming are possible. A compact storage device can be provided.

If the heat exchange unit is used as the lid,
Draining when the inside of the storage container is cooled becomes a problem. When cooled by the heat exchange unit, the first heat exchange section in the storage container serves as a heat absorption section to generate drainage. Therefore, if the drain is left as it is, the object to be cooled put in the storage container may be damaged or mold may be generated. When the first and second heat exchanging parts are arranged in the vertical direction, the first heat exchanging part in the storage container is located below,
In order to process the drainage discharged from there, it is necessary to install a drain pan below the heat exchange section and collect it using a pump or the like. On the other hand, in the storage device of the present invention, the first compact heat exchange unit using the Peltier element is used.
By arranging the second heat exchange section and the second heat exchange section in the upper opening of the storage container in a state where they are substantially horizontally aligned, the drain generated in the first heat exchange section is urged by gravity or capillary action to generate the second heat on the heat generating side. It can be flowed to the exchange section for self-evaporation.

Therefore, in the storage device of the present invention, the first
The drain pan is disposed below the heat exchange section of the second heat exchange section, and a drain discharge device such as a drain pipe extending from the drain pan to the second heat exchange section is provided.
It is possible to guide the heat to the heat exchange part and utilize the heat of the second heat exchange part to self-evaporate the drain. Further, a water absorbing material is provided so as to come into contact with the heat radiating fins of the second heat exchanging portion, and the drain generated in the first heat exchanging portion is guided by the discharge pipe so as to be absorbed by the water absorbing material. The heat of can be directly used for the evaporation of drain. At the same time, since the radiation fins can be cooled by the latent heat of the drain, the radiation fins can be downsized and the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchange unit can be improved. Therefore, it is possible to provide a compact storage device having a higher cooling efficiency.

The storage device according to the present invention is applicable not only to rice jars for keeping white rice cool, but also for keeping vegetables and fruits cool, and also to a device for storing CD-ROM, film and the like. it can. Further, it is possible to keep the temperature inside the storage container not limited to keeping it cool. It is also possible to provide the heat exchange unit alone. Therefore,
It can be attached to and detached from the upper opening of the storage container. When it is attached to the upper opening, the storage container is sealed, and the first heat exchange part is located inside the storage container, and heat is transferred to the first heat exchange part via the Peltier element. A heat exchange unit in which the second heat exchange units connected to each other are positioned outside the storage container, and the first and second heat exchange units are arranged side by side in a substantially horizontal direction. include.

Further, the heat exchange unit is not limited to the heat exchange unit which can be attached to and detached from the upper opening of the storage container, and has a heat absorbing portion and a heat radiating portion thermally connected to the heat absorbing portion via a Peltier element. And the heat dissipation part is a heat dissipation fin,
A heat exchange unit having a water absorbing material arranged so as to come into contact with the radiating fins and having a drain discharge device for guiding the drain generated in the heat absorbing portion so that the water absorbing material absorbs the drainage generated in the heat absorbing portion. The heat can be evaporated and processed in the heat radiating section, and the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat radiating section can be enhanced by the latent heat accompanying the evaporation of the drain. Therefore,
By using this heat exchange unit, the heat exchange efficiency is improved, the size of the heat dissipation part is reduced, the fan for cooling the heat dissipation fin is omitted, and the Peltier element is downsized. The range that can be changed is expanded.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an outline of a storage device according to the present invention. The storage device 1 of this example includes a storage container 2 having a vacuum heat insulation structure and having a bottomed tubular shape, and the storage container 2
And a heat exchange unit 10 functioning as a detachable lid in the upper opening 3. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the heat exchange unit 10 can be removed from the storage container 2, and when the heat exchange unit 10 is removed from the storage container 2, the storage container 2 can be washed by itself.
On the other hand, when the heat exchange unit 10 is attached to the opening 3 of the storage container 2, it becomes a closed type cold storage container, and the white rice 5 is put into the storage container 2 to be used as cold storage rice bins or as a storage for pickles, It can be used as a storage for CD-ROMs and films.

The storage container 2 is a tubular or cup type having an opening 3 at the top, and the structure 4 constituting the peripheral wall and the bottom wall is a double structure having an inner wall and an outer wall made of stainless steel, and the inside pressure is reduced. It is in a state close to a vacuum. Therefore, the heat insulating efficiency is high, and the inside of the container 2 can be protected from the influence of heat from the outside without attaching a heat insulating material to the surroundings.

The heat exchange unit 10 as a whole is provided with a structure as a lid for closing the storage container 2 as a lid for the opening 3 of the storage container 2. For this reason, the heat exchange unit 10 comprises a main body 11 and a main body 1 for insertion into the opening 3.
1 and a cylindrical mounting portion 12 protruding downward. The unit body 11 is mainly made of resin,
First opened towards container 2 when mounted on container 2
And a second space 14 open to the outside. In the first space 13, a heat absorbing fin 21 which is a heat absorbing portion (first heat exchanging portion) when cooling the container 2 is arranged, and in the second space 14, a heat radiating portion (second heat exchanging portion). The heat radiation fins 22 are arranged. A Peltier element 23, which serves as a heat exchange element, is arranged in a portion that separates the first space 13 and the second space 14, and when the inside of the container 2 is cooled or kept cool, the Peltier element 23 is removed from the first heat exchange section 21. The heat is absorbed and radiated from the second heat exchange section 22, and when the inside of the container 2 is heated or kept warm, the heat is absorbed from the second heat exchange section 22 and radiated from the first heat exchange section 21. Below,
A case where the heat exchange unit 10 operates as a cooling unit will be described as an example.

The first space 13 and the second space 14 are arranged in the main body 11 so as to be substantially horizontal, and the Peltier element 23 extends in a substantially vertical direction so as to partition these spaces 13 and 14. It is located in. A drain pan 17 for collecting the drain 15 is arranged below the heat absorbing fins 21, and an evaporation tray 19 connected to the drain pan 17 by a pipe 18 is arranged below the heat radiating fins 22. Further, a water-absorbent sheet 26 stands up from the evaporation tray 19 so as to come into contact with the heat radiation fins 22. For this reason, the drain 15 generated in the heat absorbing fins 21 of the heat exchange unit 10 is the drain pan 1 installed below.
7 and is led to the evaporation tray 19 via the drain pipe 18. Further, the drain of the evaporation tray 19 is absorbed by the water absorbing sheet 26 and guided to the vicinity of the radiating fins 22 to evaporate, and at the same time, a part of it wets the radiating fins 22 and evaporates on the surface of the radiating fins 22. Therefore, the radiation fin 22
Can be cooled by latent heat when the drain evaporates, and the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipation fins 22 can be improved.

A groove 16 is formed on the back surface 11b of the main body 11 facing the container 2 so as to engage with the upper end 3a of the container 2, and when the heat exchange unit 10 is put on the opening 3 of the container 2, the container 2 is opened. Can be sealed. Furthermore, a part of the discharge pipe 18 for discharging the drain 15 is bent downward in a U shape and sealed with water.
Air is prevented from flowing between the first space 13 and the second space 14. Therefore, the storage device 10 of this example
As shown in FIG. 1, by mounting the heat exchange unit 10 on the container 2, the inside of the storage container 2 is shut off from the outside and cooled, kept cold, warmed, or kept warm. be able to.

Further, since the storage container 2 has a vacuum heat insulating structure, it has a sufficient heat insulating function itself, and it is not necessary to cover it with a heat insulating material or a housing. Therefore, a compact storage device having a cooling capacity is provided.
Further, since the heat insulating effect is high, the amount of heat entering the storage container 2 can be greatly suppressed, and the Peltier element 2 which is relatively compact.
3, a sufficient cooling capacity can be obtained, and it can be used as a compact and high-performance refrigerating apparatus as a whole. Further, since the heat absorbing sheet 26 for evaporating the drain 15 is in contact with the radiating fins 22, the radiating fins 22 are cooled by latent heat. Particularly, when the temperature difference from the outside is large, a large amount of drain 15 is generated, but by utilizing the latent heat, a large amount of heat can be efficiently emitted from the heat radiation fins 22. Even if the area is small, a sufficient cooling capacity can be obtained.
Therefore, also in this respect, it is possible to provide the compact heat exchange unit 10 having a high cooling capacity, and by combining it with the heat insulating container 2, it is possible to provide the compact storage apparatus 1 having a high cooling capacity.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, when the heat exchange unit 10 is removed from the storage container 2, the storage container 2 can be easily washed in a circle. In particular, the storage container 2 is made of stainless steel, is resistant to corrosion, and is not easily scratched. Therefore, the storage container 2 is suitable as a container for storing food. For this reason, when the storage device 1 is used as a rice bin, bran of white rice may be accumulated in the storage container 2, but since it can be easily washed, it can be always kept clean. In addition, by washing, it can be used not only as rice grains but also for other purposes. Therefore, it is possible to provide the compact storage device 1 that can be easily used for various purposes at home.

In the storage device 1, the heat exchange unit 1
The heat absorbing fins 21 and the heat radiating fins 22 of 0 are arranged side by side in a substantially horizontal direction, and the drain 15 generated in the heat absorbing fins 21 is easily guided to the heat radiating fins 22.
It is also possible to arrange the heat absorbing fins and the heat radiating fins vertically, and in this case, the drain can be supplied to the heat exhausting fins by a pump or the like to be self-evaporated and the latent heat of the drain can be utilized. However, a mechanism such as a pump that consumes electric power is required, and the arrangement of the fins above and below tends to consume the volume of the container 2. Also,
Since the heat-absorbing fin faces downward, if the drain cannot be collected, it will hang on the rice and cause molds and insects. On the other hand, when the heat absorbing fins 21 and the heat radiating fins 22 are arranged substantially horizontally, the drain can be easily introduced from the drain pan 17 to the evaporation tray 19 and self-evaporated due to its own weight or a capillary phenomenon. Further, since the heat absorbing fins 21 are also easily extended in the vertical direction, it is easy to collect the drain without leaking. Although the heat absorbing fins 21 and the heat radiating fins 22 can be arranged diagonally,
By arranging the heat exchange unit 10 so as to be inclined from the horizontal direction, the thickness of the heat exchange unit 10 tends to increase, and it becomes difficult to compact the whole.

In the storage device 1 of the present invention, the heat dissipation efficiency is improved by evaporating the drain while wetting a part or all of the heat dissipation fins. Further, as shown in FIG. It is also possible to provide a fan 27 for supplying outside air to the fins 22. Fan 27
Thus, by ensuring the flow of the outside air from the intake side 28 to the exhaust side 29, the heat radiation efficiency can be further enhanced, so that the heat exchange unit 10 having a higher cooling capacity and a compact size can be provided. Therefore, the storage device 1 that is compact and has a high cooling capacity can be provided.

Further, since the heat exchange unit 10 of the present invention is installed on the upper part of the storage container 2, the inside of the storage container is cooled by natural convection such that cold air generated by the heat absorbing fins 21 flows down into the storage container. Suitable for Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the heat exchange unit 10 is provided with a passage 33 for circulating the inside air (cold air) in the storage container, and an inside air circulation fan 31 for supplying the inside air to the heat absorbing fins 21. Is also possible. Internal air circulation fan 31
Thus, the internal air can be forcedly circulated, so that the heat absorption efficiency can be further enhanced. Therefore, the heat exchange unit 10 provided with the fan 27 that supplies the outside air to the heat radiation fins 22 and the fan 31 that supplies the inside air to the heat absorption fins 21 is compact, but is suitable as a unit having a very high cooling capacity. Is. This internal air circulation fan 31 is
Not only when the heat exchange unit 10 is operated to cool the inside of the storage container 2, but the storage container 2 is operated at all times.
There can be always an air flow inside. By creating an air flow inside the storage container 2, the storage container 2
It is possible to make the internal condition of the food even more uniform, and to prevent the situation where the humidity rises partly and causes mold and insects, or the part is dried and the quality of the food deteriorates.

The storage device 1 shown in FIG. 5 does not have a mechanism for collecting drainage, but the storage device is for cooling to the extent that dew condensation does not occur, and the storage device is for heating or keeping heat. Then, by omitting the mechanism for collecting the drain, it can be made more compact.

In the storage device 1 shown in FIG. 6, the heat absorbing fins 2 are attached to the mounting portion 12 protruding downward so as to be accommodated in the container 2.
1, heat exhaust fin 22, Peltier element 23 and substrate 30
The functions of the main body 11 including the above are arranged, and although the storage capacity of the container 2 is reduced, the entire storage device 1 can be compactly provided, and a storage device excellent in design can be provided.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a method of controlling the storage device 1 of this example. As shown in FIG. 1, the storage device 1 includes a sensor S1 such as a thermistor for measuring the temperature inside the container 2 in the first space 13 of the heat exchange unit 10 and an outside air temperature in the second space 14. Since the sensor S2 for measuring the temperature can be arranged, it is possible to control the temperature inside and outside the container 2 while controlling the temperature inside the container so as not to cause dew condensation. At that time, it is desirable to further install the sensor S3 on the surface of the heat absorbing fin 21 so that the temperature of the surface of the heat absorbing fin 21 is controlled so that dew condensation does not occur. When the storage device 1 is used as a cold rice box for storing white rice, the applied voltage of the Peltier element 21 is controlled to be turned on and off, and the voltage value is controlled so that the inside of the storage container 2 is closed as shown by the solid line in FIG. It is desirable to gradually reduce the temperature of. By gradually lowering the temperature, it is possible to gradually lower the humidity in the container by utilizing the hygroscopicity of the white rice 5. Therefore, even under conditions of high temperature and high humidity such as an outside air temperature of 35 ° C. and a relative humidity of 75%, the temperature inside the storage container 2 does not always fall below the dew point. Can be lowered. Further, with this control method, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of drainage, and therefore the treatment of drainage is unnecessary.
Since the humidity inside the machine will not become too low, 5
It can maintain suitable humidity for storing. Therefore,
It is also possible to prevent cracking due to drying and deterioration of taste.

The storage device 1 is applicable not only to rice bins but also to a storage device for keeping vegetables and fruits cold. Further, the present invention is not limited to food products, but can be applied to devices for accommodating precision equipment such as CD-ROMs, films and silicon wafers.

Further, the above-disclosed method of arranging the water absorbing material so as to contact with the radiation fins and self-evaporating the drain of the heat absorbing portion to improve the radiation efficiency is installed as the lid of the container of this example. The present invention is not limited to the heat exchange unit, but can be applied to all other cooling units. By applying this method to a Peltier type refrigerator in which a Peltier unit is mounted in the housing and a Peltier refrigerator, the drain can be efficiently processed and the heat dissipation efficiency can be improved. The storage device provided can be made compact.

[0030]

As described above, in the present invention, a bottomed cylindrical storage container having a vacuum heat insulating structure and a heat exchange unit functioning as a lid detachably attached to the opening of the storage container are combined. Thus, a compact and large-capacity storage device having a cooling and / or heating function is provided. And with this storage device, you can wash the storage container by simply removing the heat exchange unit.
It is easy to use and can be used for various purposes.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of a storage device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state where a heat exchange unit is removed from a storage container.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a heat exchange unit in which a fan for supplying outside air is attached to a radiation fin.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a heat exchange unit in which a fan for supplying the inside air is attached to a heat absorbing fin.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a heat exchange unit in which a drain processing function is omitted.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a modified example of the storage device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of controlling temperature and humidity in a storage container of a storage device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 storage device 2 storage containers 3 Upper opening 10 heat exchange unit 11 body 12 Mounting part 13 First space 14 Second space 15 drain 17 Drain pan 18 drainage pipe 19 evaporation tray 21 Endothermic fins (first heat exchange part) 22 Radiating fins (second heat exchange part) 26 Water absorption sheet 27 fans

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A vacuum-heat-insulating structure, a cylindrical storage container with a bottom, and a storage container that can be attached to and detached from an upper opening of the storage container. When the storage container is attached to the upper opening, the storage container is sealed and a first heat exchange section is provided. A storage device having a heat exchange unit located inside the storage container and having a first heat exchange section and a second heat exchange section capable of exchanging heat, located outside. 2. The heat exchange unit according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange unit includes a Peltier element, and the second heat exchange section is thermally connected to the first heat exchange section through the Peltier element. And a storage device in which the first and second heat exchange units are arranged side by side in a substantially horizontal direction. 3. The storage device according to claim 2, further comprising: a drain pan disposed below the first heat exchange section, and a drain discharge device that guides drain from the drain pan to the second heat exchange section. 4. The second heat exchanging portion according to claim 3, wherein the second heat exchanging portion includes a heat radiating fin and a water absorbing material arranged so as to be in contact with the heat radiating fin. A storage device that is a discharge pipe that guides drain from the drain pan so that water is absorbed. 5. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange unit is substantially housed inside the storage container. 6. The storage container is attachable to and detachable from an upper opening of the storage container. When the storage container is attached to the upper opening, the storage container is hermetically sealed, and the first heat exchange section is located inside the storage container, and the first heat exchange unit is disposed via a Peltier element. A second heat exchange unit, which is thermally conductively connected to the first heat exchange unit, is located outside the storage container, and the first and second heat exchange units are substantially horizontal. Heat exchange units arranged side by side. 7. The heat exchange unit according to claim 6, further comprising: a drain pan disposed below the first heat exchange section, and a drain discharge device for guiding the drain from the drain pan to the second heat exchange section. . 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second heat exchanging section includes a heat radiation fin and a water absorbing material arranged so as to be in contact with the heat radiation fin. A heat exchange unit that is a discharge pipe that guides the drain from the drain pan so that the water absorbent material absorbs the water. 9. The heat exchange unit according to claim 6, wherein the heat exchange unit is installed in the storage container and is substantially contained in the storage container. 10. A heat exchange unit having a heat absorbing portion and a heat radiating portion thermally connected to the heat absorbing portion via a Peltier element, the heat radiating portion being in contact with the heat radiating fin. And a water absorbing material arranged as described above, and the heat exchanging unit having a drain discharging device that guides the drain generated in the heat absorbing portion so that the water absorbing material absorbs water. 11. The heat exchange unit according to claim 10, wherein the heat absorbing portion and the heat radiating portion are arranged substantially horizontally.