JP2009174761A - Showcase - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a showcase carrying out reduction of costs, and capable of carrying out sufficiently high efficient operation. <P>SOLUTION: The showcase has a plurality of commodity mounting shelves 13a-13d for mounting commodities plurally provided along a vertical direction in a housing chamber 12 of a case body 10, an air circulation unit 20 circulating air between an interior and an exterior of the housing chamber 12, and a cooling passage 30a extended along the vertical direction outside the housing chamber 12. It is equipped with an evaporator 30 adjusting air passing through the cooling passage 30a upward from beneath by the air circulation unit 20 to a predetermined temperature, and the commodities mounted on the commodity mounting shelves 13a-13d are retained in desired temperature states. It is equipped with blow fans 41-43 respectively arranged at different height levels, separating air passing through the cooling passage 30a from the cooling passage 30a in response to each height level, and sending the air to upper regions of the corresponding commodity mounting shelves 13a-13d. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement in a showcase in which a commodity to be stored is held at a desired temperature state.

  Conventionally, the following is known as a showcase in which a commodity to be stored is held at a desired temperature state. For example, a plurality of product placement shelves are provided in the upper and lower stages inside the storage area of the case main body with an opening formed on the front surface, and the products are placed on the product placement shelves. In addition, in the area inside the case body and outside the storage area, a plurality of evaporators that adjust the air inside the storage area sucked through the suction port to different temperatures are arranged, and the temperature of each evaporator is Two or more different temperature zones are formed inside the storage area by blowing out the adjusted air from different outlets into the storage area, and the product placed on the product placement shelf is in a desired temperature state. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-292400 A

  However, in the showcase as proposed in Patent Document 1 described above, an evaporator is required for each temperature zone having a different storage area. Therefore, as many solenoid valves and expansion valves as the number of installed evaporators are used. Since an evaporator control device is required, the cost may increase, and an excessive burden is imposed on the compressor that supplies the refrigerant to each evaporator due to fluctuations in the refrigerant flow rate. There was a possibility of causing a decrease in operating efficiency.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a showcase capable of reducing costs and driving with sufficiently high efficiency.

  In order to achieve the above object, a showcase according to claim 1 of the present invention includes a case main body that is a heat-insulating housing having an opening formed on the front surface, and a plurality of the case along the vertical direction in a storage area inside the case main body. A plurality of product placement shelves that are provided in stages and on which products to be stored are placed; an air circulation means that circulates air between the inside and outside of the storage area; and an upper and lower sides outside the storage area in the case body A heat exchanging passage extending along a direction, and a temperature adjusting means for adjusting the air passing through the heat exchanging passage from below to upward by the air circulating means to a predetermined temperature. In the showcase in which the products placed on the shelf are held at a desired temperature state, the air that is disposed at different height levels and passes through the heat exchange passage is at each height level. Meet Characterized by comprising a blower means for sending to the region above the product platform shelf the corresponding by withdrawal from the heat exchange passages Te.

  Moreover, the showcase according to claim 2 of the present invention is the showcase according to claim 1 described above, wherein the air blowing means is disposed on the rear side of the corresponding product mounting shelf, and the air separated from the heat exchange passage is removed. It sends out toward the front in the aspect which passes the upper area of this goods mounting shelf.

  According to the present invention, the air blowing means arranged at different height levels causes the air passing through the heat exchange passage to be separated from the heat exchange passage according to each height level, and corresponding product placement is performed. Since it sends out to the upper area of the shelf, the temperature of the air sent out to the storage area can be made different with only one temperature adjusting means, and an evaporator is not required for each different temperature zone as in the past. For this reason, the number of temperature adjusting means and their control devices can be minimized, and the cost can be reduced. In addition, since there is only one temperature adjustment means, there is little fluctuation in the refrigerant flow due to on / off of the temperature adjustment means (control of the refrigerant flow rate), for example, stable operation of the compressor is possible, and high efficiency operation is possible. Become. Therefore, the cost can be reduced and the operation can be performed with sufficiently high efficiency.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a showcase according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram simply showing the internal structure of a showcase according to an embodiment of the present invention. The showcase illustrated here includes a case body 10. The case main body 10 is a substantially rectangular heat insulating housing having an opening 11 formed on the front surface. A storage chamber 12 is defined in the case body 10 and an air circulation unit (air circulation means) 20 is provided therein. is there.

  The storage chamber 12 is defined so as to face the opening 11, and product placement shelves 13a to 13d are arranged in a plurality of stages along the vertical direction. The product placement shelves 13a to 13d are each for placing products and are rectangular plate-like bodies. Further, the case body 10 that defines the storage chamber 12 is provided with a suction port 14 and an air outlet 15. The suction port 14 is an opening for sucking air inside the storage chamber 12, and extends along the left-right direction of the storage chamber 12. The suction port 14 is disposed at the lower front edge of the storage chamber 12, that is, at the lower portion near the opening 11 of the case body 10. The air outlet 15 is an opening for blowing air into the interior of the storage chamber 12, and extends along the left-right direction of the storage chamber 12, similar to the suction port 14. The air outlet 15 is disposed at the upper front edge of the storage chamber 12, that is, disposed in the upper part near the opening 11 of the case body 10.

  The air circulation unit 20 includes an air passage 21 and a circulation fan 22. The air passage 21 is a passage of air from the suction port 14 to the blowout port 15. Such an air passage 21 includes a lower duct 211 outside and below the storage chamber 12, a rear duct 212 outside the storage chamber 12 and on the back side, and outside the storage chamber 12 and above it. And an upper duct 213. The lower duct 211, the rear duct 212, and the upper duct 213 are formed in a manner in which they communicate with each other. The circulation fan 22 circulates air and is disposed at an upper part of the back duct 212.

  In such an air circulation unit 20, when the circulation fan 22 is driven, the air inside the storage chamber 12 is sucked through the suction port 14, and the sucked air is blown through the lower duct 211, the rear duct 212, and the upper duct 213. The air is circulated between the inside and the outside of the storage chamber 12 by sending the air to the outlet 15 and blowing the air sent through the outlet 15 into the storage chamber 12.

  An evaporator (temperature adjusting means) 30 is provided in the rear duct 212 constituting the air passage 21. The evaporator 30 constitutes a refrigerant circulation unit that circulates refrigerant together with the compressor 31, the condenser 32, and the expansion valve 33. Here, the compressor 31 compresses the refrigerant, and the condenser 32 condenses the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 31. The expansion valve 33 is for adiabatic expansion of the refrigerant condensed in the condenser 32 to bring it into a low temperature and low pressure state.

  The evaporator 30 has a cooling passage (heat exchanger passage) 30a extending in the vertical direction, and the air passing through the cooling passage 30a upward from below by driving the circulation fan 22. Heat exchange with the refrigerant adiabatically expanded by the expansion valve 33, more specifically, the air passing through the cooling passage 30a is cooled by evaporating the refrigerant. The refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator 30 is returned to the compressor 31 and compressed.

  In the showcase, a plurality (three in the illustrated example) of blower fans (blowing means) 41 to 43 and a plurality (two in the illustrated example) of heaters 44 and 45 are provided.

  The blower fans 41 to 43 are disposed at different height levels in the rear duct 212. Hereinafter, the first blower fan 41, the second blower fan 42, and the third blower fan 43 are referred to in order from the upper side.

  The first blower fan 41 is below the circulation fan 22 and is provided at the same height as the first blower port 46. The 1st ventilation port 46 is one of the openings formed in the back which defines the storage chamber 12, and is located between the uppermost product placement shelf 13a and the second product placement shelf 13b from the top. It is provided at the corresponding height level. In other words, the first blower fan 41 is provided at a height level corresponding to the middle between the uppermost product placement shelf 13a and the second-stage product placement shelf 13b from the top. The first blower fan 41 is driven by a command to cause the air passing through the cooling passage 30a to be separated from the cooling passage 30a in accordance with the arranged height level, and the first blower port 46 to the storage chamber 12. The air sent out through the first blower port 46 passes through the upper region of the second-stage product placement shelf 13b from the top.

  The second blower fan 42 is below the first blower fan 41 and is provided at the same height as the second blower port 47. The second air outlet 47 is one of the openings formed on the back surface that defines the storage chamber 12, and includes a second product stacking shelf 13b from the top and a third product mounting shelf 13c from the top. It is provided at a height level corresponding to the middle. That is, the 2nd ventilation fan 42 is provided in the height level corresponded in the middle of the product mounting shelf 13b of the 2nd step from the top, and the product mounting shelf 13c of the 3rd step from the top. The second blower fan 42 is driven by a command to cause the air passing through the cooling passage 30a to be separated from the cooling passage 30a according to the arranged height level. 47 is sent out to the storage chamber 12. The air sent out through the second blower port 47 passes through the upper region of the third product stacking shelf 13c from the top.

  The third blower fan 43 is below the second blower fan 42 and is provided at the same height as the third blower port 48. The 3rd ventilation port 48 is one of the openings formed in the back surface which defines the storage chamber 12, and is located between the product placing shelf 13c at the third level from the top and the product placing shelf 13d at the bottom level. It is provided at the corresponding height level. That is, the 3rd ventilation fan 43 is provided in the height level equivalent to the middle of the goods mounting shelf 13c of the 3rd step | paragraph from the top, and the goods mounting shelf 13d of the lowest step. The third blower fan 43 is driven by a command to cause the air passing through the cooling passage 30a to be separated from the cooling passage 30a in accordance with the arranged height level, and the third blower port. 48 is sent out to the storage chamber 12. The air sent out through the third air outlet 48 passes through the upper region of the lowermost product placement shelf 13d.

  As described above, the blower fans 41 to 43 are disposed at different height levels, and the air passing through the cooling passage 30a is separated from the cooling passage 30a according to the respective height levels, and the corresponding product placement is performed. The ventilation means which sends out to the upper area of the shelves 13b-13d is comprised.

  The heaters 44 and 45 are disposed at different height levels. Hereinafter, the heaters 44 and 45 will be referred to as a first heater 44 and a second heater 45 in order from the upper side. The first heater 44 is provided in the rear duct 212 in a manner adjacent to the second air blowing port 47, that is, adjacent to the second air blowing fan 42. The second heater 45 is provided in the rear duct 212 in a manner adjacent to the third blower port 48, that is, adjacent to the third blower fan 43. These heaters (the first heater 44 and the second heater 45) are turned on to heat the ambient air when a drive command is given.

  In the showcase having the above-described configuration, the products placed on the product placement shelves 13a to 13d are brought to a desired temperature by giving commands to the circulation fan 22 and the blower fans 41 to 43 and driving them. Can be held. As a premise for the following description, it is assumed that the compressor 31 is driven at a predetermined rotational speed, the opening degree of the expansion valve 33 is appropriately adjusted, and the refrigerant is circulating. Therefore, the refrigerant also passes through the evaporator 30. The heaters 44 and 45 are assumed to be in an off state.

  By driving the circulation fan 22 and the blower fans 41 to 43, the air inside the storage chamber 12 is sucked through the suction port 14, passes through the lower duct 211, reaches the rear duct 212, and passes through the cooling passage 30 a of the evaporator 30. To do.

  Then, when the circulation fan 22 is driven, the air that has passed through the cooling passage 30 a reaches the upper duct 213 from the rear duct 212 and is blown out from the outlet 15 into the storage chamber 12. On the other hand, a part of the air passing through the cooling passage 30a is separated from the cooling passage 30a by the driving of the blower fans 41 to 43, and is sent out from the first blower port 46 to the storage chamber 12 and the second stage from the top. It passes through the upper area of the product mounting shelf 13b, is sent from the second air outlet 47 to the storage chamber 12, passes through the upper area of the third product mounting shelf 13c from the top, and passes from the third air outlet 48 to the storage room 12 Is passed through the upper region of the lowermost product mounting shelf 13d. The air blown out from the air outlet 15 and the air sent out from the air outlets 46 to 48 are sucked again through the air inlet 14 and passed as described above. It will circulate with the outside.

  In this circulation, the air blown out from the blower outlet 15 by the circulation fan 22 completely passes through the cooling passage 30a from the start point to the end point, so that the heat exchange area with the refrigerant becomes the largest and is cooled most. . The air sent from the first blower port 46 after leaving the cooling passage 30a by the first blower fan 41 has left the cooling passage 30a in the middle, so that the heat exchange area is reduced and blown out from the blowout port 15. It is slightly hotter than the air that is produced. The air sent from the second blower port 47 after leaving the cooling passage 30a by the second blower fan 42 is more cooled than the air sent from the first blower port 46 due to the height level of the air. As a result, the heat exchange area is further reduced and the temperature is slightly higher than that of the air sent from the first blower port 46. The air sent from the third blower port 48 after leaving the cooling passage 30a by the third blower fan 43 has the shortest distance passing through the cooling passage 30a due to the height level at which it is disposed, so that heat exchange is performed. The area is even smaller and the hottest.

  Therefore, in the above showcase, the temperature of the air sent to the storage chamber 12 through the air outlet 15, the first air outlet 46, the second air outlet 47 and the third air outlet 48 is different, and the temperature inside the storage chamber 12 is different. The band storage area can be defined, and the products placed on the product placement shelves 13a to 13d can be held in desired temperature states in different temperature zones.

  Moreover, in the said showcase, when it wants to cool the goods mounted in each goods mounting shelf 13a-13d at a common temperature, the drive of each ventilation fan 41-43 is stopped, and only the circulation fan 22 is used. By driving, air is circulated between the inside and the outside of the storage chamber 12 through the suction port 14 and the air outlet 15, so that the products on the product placement shelves 13 a to 13 d can be cooled.

  Furthermore, the temperature of the air sent out through the second air outlet 47 and the third air outlet 48 can be increased by turning on the heaters 44 and 45 as necessary, and the temperature range of the storage chamber 12 can be increased. The degree of freedom can be improved.

  As described above, according to the showcase in the embodiment of the present invention, the air blowing fans 41 to 43 are arranged at different height levels, and the air passing through the cooling passage 30a by the air blowing fans 41 to 43 is provided. Are separated from the cooling passage 30a according to their respective height levels and sent to the upper area of the corresponding product placement shelves 13b to 13d, so that they are sent to the storage chamber 12 by only one evaporator 30. Since the temperature of the air to be used can be made different and an evaporator is not required for each different temperature zone as in the prior art, the number of evaporator control devices such as the evaporator 30 and the expansion valve 33 is minimized. And cost can be reduced. In addition, since there is one evaporator 30 for one compressor 31, there is little refrigerant flow rate fluctuation due to on / off of the evaporator 30 (control of the refrigerant flow rate), and stable operation of the compressor 31 is possible. Thus, highly efficient operation becomes possible. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the cost and operate with sufficiently high efficiency.

It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the internal structure of the showcase which is embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Case main body 13a-13d Goods mounting shelf 20 Air circulation unit 22 Circulation fan 30 Evaporator 30a Cooling passage 41 1st ventilation fan 42 2nd ventilation fan 43 3rd ventilation fan 44 1st heating heater 45 2nd heating heater 46 4th 1 air outlet 47 second air outlet 48 third air outlet

Claims (2)

A case body which is a heat insulating housing with an opening formed on the front surface;
A plurality of product placement shelves that are provided in a plurality of stages along the vertical direction in the storage area inside the case body, and on which products to be stored are placed,
Air circulating means for circulating air between the inside and outside of the storage area;
A temperature having a heat exchanging passage extending in the vertical direction outside the storage area in the case body, and adjusting the air passing through the heat exchanging passage from below to above by the air circulation means to a predetermined temperature. In a showcase provided with an adjusting means, the product placed on the product placement shelf is held at a desired temperature state,
Air that is disposed at different height levels and that is passing through the heat exchanging passages is separated from the heat exchanging passages according to the respective height levels and is sent to the upper area of the corresponding product placement shelf. A showcase characterized by comprising means.   The air blowing means is disposed on the rear side of the corresponding product placement shelf, and sends air released from the heat exchange passage toward the front in a manner of passing through the upper area of the product placement shelf. The showcase according to claim 1, wherein the showcase is characterized.

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