JP3679262B2 - Cooling system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cooling device capable of executing a defrosting operation of a cooler at an arbitrary time using a defrost timer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a cooling device provided with a cooler, for example, an ice cream dispenser, frosting on the cooler that cools the inside of the refrigerator progresses with the cooling operation, leading to a decrease in cooling capacity. Need to run. In this case, if the defrosting operation is performed, the inside temperature rises and becomes unsuitable for the ice cream extraction, and therefore, the time for executing the defrosting operation is preferably outside business hours. Therefore, conventionally, a defrosting timer including, for example, a 24-hour timer that allows the user to arbitrarily set the execution time of the defrosting operation is provided, and is set once a day based on the ON operation of the defrosting timer. The defrosting operation is executed at the time.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above configuration, if the user forgets to set the defrost timer or a failure occurs in the defrost timer, the cooling operation is continued for a long time without performing the defrost operation. . If the necessary defrosting operation is not performed in this manner, the frosting of the cooler proceeds abnormally, the internal temperature rises, causing the ice cream to melt, and the fan device for supplying cold air There was also a risk of damage due to locking due to frost formation.
[0004]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to be able to freely set the execution time of the defrosting operation by the defrosting timer, resulting from forgetting to set the defrosting timer or failure. It is in providing the cooling device which can prevent a malfunction beforehand.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 is a cooling device including a cooler, wherein a defrosting timer capable of freely setting a defrosting operation execution time for the cooler, and the frost A defrosting control means for executing a defrosting operation based on an ON operation of the defrosting timer, and forcibly executing the defrosting operation when a state in which the defrosting timer is not ON continues for a predetermined time or more and an abnormality notification. It is characterized in that a forced defrosting execution means is provided.
[0006]
The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that, in claim 1, the abnormality notification by the forced defrosting execution means is continued until the next defrosting operation is performed based on the ON operation of the defrosting timer. Have
[0007]
[Action and effect of the invention]
<Invention of Claim 1>
When the defrosting operation execution time set by the defrosting timer is reached, the defrosting operation is executed by the defrosting control means based on the defrosting timer being turned on. In this case, when the user sets an arbitrary execution time of the defrosting operation, the defrosting operation can be repeatedly performed periodically at a desired time. And, if the user forgets to set the defrost timer or if a failure occurs in the defrost timer, the state where the defrost timer does not turn on continues for a predetermined time or more. The forced defrosting execution means forcibly performs the defrosting operation and notifies the abnormality. Therefore, a situation in which the cooling operation is continued for a long time without performing the defrosting operation is avoided, and it is possible to prevent a trouble caused by forgetting to set the defrosting timer or a failure, and also by the user. Can know that the defrost timer has been forgotten to be set or that there has been a failure by notifying the abnormality, and can take immediate action.
[0008]
<Invention of Claim 2>
If the abnormality notification is performed by the forced defrosting execution means, the abnormality notification is continued until the next normal defrosting operation is performed based on the ON operation of the defrost timer. By returning to the normal state where the defrosting operation is performed by the timer, the abnormality notification is canceled. Therefore, it becomes possible to notify the user of the occurrence of an abnormality in the defrosting timer more reliably, and the state where the defrosting timer is forgotten to be set continues for a long time or the defrosting timer is left broken. It will be excellent in the effect which suppresses being done.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an ice cream dispenser will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0010]
3 and 4 schematically show the overall configuration of the main body 1 of the ice cream dispenser as the cooling device according to the present embodiment. The main body 1 has a vertically long rectangular box shape as a whole. In the main body 1, a machine room 2 is provided at the lower end, and the front is open at the top. The freezer compartment 3 which consists of the heat insulation box which was made is provided. A front door 4 made of a heat insulating wall is provided on the front surface of the freezer compartment 3, and the front opening of the freezer compartment 3 is closed so as to be openable and closable. A front cover 5 is also provided on the front surface of the machine room 2 so as to be openable and closable.
[0011]
The front door 4 is provided with an operation panel 6 located at the upper part and an ice cream dispensing nozzle 8 having a dispensing lever 7 located slightly below the operation panel 6. Furthermore, a cradle 9 (see FIG. 3) is provided at the lower part of the front door 4. As shown in FIG. 5, the operation panel 6 includes a temperature setting button 10, a temperature setting up button 11 and a down button 12, a display panel 13 for displaying a set temperature, normal dispensing and timer dispensing. There are provided a dispensing switching button 14 for switching, a timer dispensing lamp 15 that lights when the timer is dispensed, a piston lowering button 16 that lowers the piston, which will be described later, and a lowering lamp 17 that lights when the piston descends.
[0012]
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, a fluid pressure cylinder 18 and an antifreeze liquid tank 19 are provided in the freezer compartment 3, and a cooler chamber 20 is provided in the upper part of the freezer compartment 3. An antifreeze liquid C is stored in the antifreeze liquid tank 19, and a lower end portion of the antifreeze liquid tank 19 is connected to a suction port 23 of the pump 22 disposed in the machine room 2 through a pipe 21. Has been. The port 24 on the output side of the pump 22 is connected to the lower end of the fluid pressure cylinder 18 through a pipe 25.
[0013]
A piston 26 is provided in the fluid pressure cylinder 18 so as to be movable up and down. In the fluid pressure cylinder 18, a lower side of the piston 26 serves as a pressure chamber 27, and an upper side of the piston 26 serves as a bag storage chamber. 28. In the bag housing chamber 28, an ice cream bag 29 containing ice cream therein is exchangeably accommodated. At this time, the upper end portion of the ice cream bag 29 is connected to the ice cream dispensing nozzle 8 via the dispensing tube 30.
[0014]
Thus, when the pump 22 is driven, the antifreeze C in the antifreeze tank 19 is supplied to the pressure chamber 27 of the fluid pressure cylinder 18 so that the pressure in the pressure chamber 27 is increased and the piston 26 is raised. Accordingly, the ice cream in the ice cream bag 29 is extruded and poured out from the ice cream dispensing nozzle 8 through the dispensing tube 30. The pump 22 is configured to be able to reversely rotate, and the piston 26 is lowered by the reverse rotation.
[0015]
Furthermore, a refrigeration cycle is incorporated in the main body 1. This refrigeration cycle includes a compressor 31, a condenser, a dryer, a throttling device (all not shown) provided in the machine chamber 2, and a cooler 32 provided in the cooler chamber 20. It is connected in a closed loop by a refrigerant pipe 33 (only part of which is shown), and has a known configuration in which a required amount of refrigerant is accommodated. In the cooler chamber 20, an internal fan 34 for sending cold air into the internal compartment is also provided. As shown only in FIG. 2, a defrost heater 35 for defrosting is provided in the vicinity of the cooler 32, and a defrost thermo 36 for detecting the completion of defrosting is attached to the cooler 32. Yes. Further, as shown only in FIG. 2, a condenser fan 37 for cooling the compressor 31 and the condenser is provided in the machine room 2.
[0016]
FIG. 2 shows the electrical configuration of this ice cream dispenser. Here, the main body 1 is provided with a microcomputer 38 (hereinafter abbreviated as “microcomputer 38”) which is configured to include a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like and functions as an operation control means for controlling the entire operation. . The operation panel 6 is connected to the microcomputer 38, and operation signals for the buttons 10, 11, 12, 14, and 16 are input, and display control for the display panel 13 and the lamps 15 and 17 is performed. It is like that. The microcomputer 38 receives a signal from an extraction switch 39 that is operated by operating the extraction lever 7, and also receives a defrosting completion signal from the defrost thermo 36. The inside temperature detection signal from the thermistor 40 that detects the temperature in the chamber 3 is input. The microcomputer 38 has a timer function.
[0017]
The microcomputer 38 controls normal rotation and reverse rotation of the defrost heater 36, the compressor 31, the condenser fan 37, the internal fan 34, and the pump 22 through a drive circuit (not shown). Yes. At this time, based on the signal from the thermistor 40, the microcomputer 38 maintains the freezer compartment 3 at the set temperature (for example, −10 ± 2 ° C.) set in the operation panel 6. The cooling operation is executed by controlling disconnection of the electric power.
[0018]
At the same time, the microcomputer 38 drives the pump 22 in the normal direction based on the signal from the dispensing switch 39 to execute the ice cream dispensing operation. At this time, the pump 22 is driven during normal dispensing (the dispensing switch 39 is on (the dispensing lever 7 is operated)) by operating the dispensing switching button 14 provided on the operation panel 6. ) And timer dispensing (when the dispensing switch 39 is turned on, the pump 22 is driven for a certain period of time). Further, when the piston lowering button 16 of the operation panel 6 is turned on, for example, when the ice cream bag 29 is replaced, the microcomputer 38 drives the pump 22 in the reverse direction to move the piston 26 to the bottom of the fluid pressure cylinder 18. It is designed to be lowered.
[0019]
Now, in the main body 1, there is provided a defrost timer 41 comprising a 24-hour timer in this case for setting the execution time of the defrost operation for the cooler 32. Although not shown in detail, the defrost timer 41 is provided in the machine room 3 at a position where the front surface of the machine room 3 appears when the front cover 5 is opened. As is well known, the defrost timer 41 is configured to have a clock mechanism and an electrical part (switch), and the user can set a desired defrost operation execution time within 24 hours per day. It is like that. In the defrosting timer 41, the switch is turned on at a set time, and the on operation signal is input to the microcomputer 38 via a detection circuit (not shown).
[0020]
The microcomputer 38 performs a defrosting operation on the cooler 32 based on the input of an ON operation signal from the defrost timer 41 (detection circuit). This defrosting operation is performed by turning on the defrost heater 35 with the compressor 31, the condenser fan 37, and the internal fan 34 turned off. Thereby, the frost adhering to the cooler 32 is melted by the heat of the defrost heater 35, and the defrost water is discharged to the outside of the main body 1 through a drainage channel and a drain hose (not shown). The defrosting operation is terminated by the reversal of the defrost thermo 36, and after completion, the defrosting operation is returned to the cooling operation. Therefore, the microcomputer 38 functions as a defrosting control means.
[0021]
As will be described later in the description of the operation, the microcomputer 38 is forced to frost by the software configuration when the defrost timer 41 is not turned on for a predetermined time (25 hours in this case). In addition to executing the operation, an abnormality notification (in this case, an error code “E1” is displayed on the display panel 13 of the operation panel 6) is performed. Accordingly, the microcomputer 38 functions as a forced defrosting execution means. Further, in the present embodiment, the abnormality notification (error display on the display panel 13) is continued until the next defrosting operation is performed based on the ON operation signal from the defrost timer 41. .
[0022]
Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. In the ice cream dispenser having the above-described configuration, frost formation on the cooler 32 progresses with the cooling operation, leading to a decrease in cooling capacity, and therefore, it is necessary to execute the defrosting operation on the cooler 32 at an appropriate time. Therefore, when operating the ice cream dispenser, the user operates the defrost timer 41 to set a desired defrosting operation execution time in 24 hours. In this case, since there is a situation in which the internal temperature rises when the defrosting operation is performed, an arbitrary time outside business hours such as midnight or early morning can be set as the execution time of the defrosting operation. Based on the signal from the defrost timer 41, the defrost operation is executed at a time set once a day.
[0023]
Therefore, in the above configuration, if the user forgets to set the defrost timer 41 or if the defrost timer 41 is out of order and no longer turns on at the set time, the defrost operation is performed. In such a situation, the cooling operation is continued for a long time. However, as will be described below, the microcomputer 38 constantly monitors the presence or absence of an ON operation signal output from the defrost timer 41 (detection circuit), and the state in which no ON operation signal is input is longer than a predetermined time (25 hours). When the operation is continued, the defrosting operation is forcibly executed and abnormality notification is performed.
[0024]
That is, the flowchart of FIG. 1 shows a procedure of processing (interrupt processing) related to the forced defrosting operation executed by the microcomputer 38. Although not shown, when the main body 1 is powered on, the forced defrost timer set in the microcomputer 38 is started. First, in step S <b> 1, it is determined whether there is an ON operation signal input from the defrost timer 41. Here, when the ON operation signal is output from the defrost timer 41 at the set defrost operation execution time (Yes in step S1), an error described later on the display panel 13 in the next step S2. It is determined whether the display is made and if an error display is made (Yes in step S2), the error display is canceled in step S3, and then the defrosting operation is executed in step S4. When no error is displayed (No in step S2), the process proceeds to step S4 and the defrosting operation is executed.
[0025]
As described above, this defrosting operation is performed by turning on the defrost heater 35 with the compressor 31, the condenser fan 37, and the internal fan 34 turned off, so that the defrosting of the cooler 32 is performed. Is called. When the defrosting operation is completed, the forced defrosting timer count is reset in step S5. On the other hand, when the ON operation signal is not output from the defrost timer 41 (No in step S1), it is determined in the next step S6 whether the forced defrost timer has counted 25 hours.
[0026]
Then, when 25 hours have passed without the ON operation signal being output from the defrost timer 41 (Yes in step S6), an error is displayed on the display panel 13 in step S7. In this case, an error code “E1” is displayed. At the same time, a forced defrosting operation is executed in step S8. This forced defrosting operation is also performed in the same manner as the normal defrosting operation. Thereafter, in step S9, the count of the forced defrosting timer is reset. As a result, even if the defrosting timer 41 is not turned on for more than 24 hours, when 25 hours have passed since the previous defrosting operation, the defrosting operation is forcibly executed and an abnormality notification is issued. It is. The user can know from the error display on the display panel 13 that he / she has forgotten to set the defrost timer 41 or that there has been a failure, and can take prompt action.
[0027]
In this case, the error display is continued until the next time it becomes Yes in step S1, that is, until the next normal defrosting operation is performed based on the ON operation signal of the defrost timer 41, The error display is canceled by returning to the normal state where the defrosting operation is performed by the defrosting timer 41 (steps S2 and S3). Therefore, when the user sets the defrost timer 41 that the user has forgotten to set again or repairs the failure of the defrost timer 41, the error is displayed when the next normal defrost operation is performed. Will be canceled. In spite of this error display, if the forgetting to set the defrost timer 41 or the failure is not resolved, the forced defrost operation is repeated many times with the error displayed when 25 hours have passed again. It will be done.
[0028]
As a result, in the state where the defrost timer 41 is set correctly and is operating normally, the defrost operation once every 24 hours is periodically repeated at a desired time. Frost does not progress greatly, and a good cooling capacity can always be ensured. If the user forgets to set the defrost timer 41 or if a failure occurs in the defrost timer 41, the forced defrost operation is executed when 25 hours have elapsed. The situation in which the cooling operation is continued for a long time without being performed is avoided, and the frosting of the cooler 32 proceeds abnormally, so that sufficient cooling capacity cannot be obtained, or the internal fan 34 is frosted. This prevents the problem of locking.
[0029]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the defrosting operation can be performed repeatedly at desired times by setting the execution time of the defrosting operation freely by the defrosting timer 41. When the state where the defrosting timer 41 is not turned on continues for 25 hours, the defrosting operation is forcibly executed and an error is displayed, so that the cooling is performed without the defrosting operation being performed. The situation where the operation is continued for a long time is avoided, and it is possible to prevent problems caused by forgetting to set the defrosting timer 41 or malfunctions.
[0030]
Along with this, the user can easily know that the defrosting timer 41 has been forgotten to be set or has failed due to an error display, and can quickly deal with it. In particular, in the present embodiment, the error display is continued until the next normal defrosting operation is performed based on the ON operation signal of the defrosting timer 41. Therefore, the occurrence of an abnormality in the defrosting timer 41 is used. The defrosting timer 41 is forgotten to be set for a long time, or the defrosting timer 41 is prevented from being left with a failure. It will be a thing.
[0031]
<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention, and further, other than the following, within the scope not departing from the gist. Various expansions and modifications are possible.
[0032]
(1) In the above embodiment, a 24-hour timer is adopted as the defrosting timer so that the defrosting operation is performed once a day. However, the idea of the cooler differs depending on the characteristics of the cooling device. It is only necessary that the defrosting operation can be performed periodically at a necessary time according to the characteristics. For example, any device that outputs an ON signal periodically at a set time such as a 48-hour timer or a weekly timer may be used.
[0033]
(2) In the above embodiment, the time for performing the forced defrosting operation is set when 25 hours have passed without the defrosting operation, but the predetermined time is longer than the cycle in which the defrosting operation is performed. If necessary, it can be changed as appropriate, and the forced defrosting operation may be performed at a predetermined time (such as midnight) after a predetermined time has elapsed.
[0034]
(3) In the above embodiment, the error display is continuously performed until the next normal defrosting operation is performed. However, the error display may be canceled by a user's switch operation, As an abnormality notification mode, an abnormality notification lamp may be turned on (flashing), or an audio notification such as a buzzer may be performed together.
[0035]
(4) The present invention is not limited to ice cream dispensers, and can be widely applied to all cooling devices including a refrigerator, such as a refrigerator, a freezer, and an ice making device.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a procedure of forced defrosting operation according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing an electrical configuration. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an ice cream dispenser. ] Vertical side view of ice cream dispenser [Figure 5] Front view of operation panel [Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Main body 2 ... Machine room 3 ... Freezer room 6 ... Operation panel 13 ... Display panel 20 ... Cooler room 31 ... Compressor 32 ... Cooler 34 ... Inside fan 35 ... Defrost heater 36 ... Defrost thermo 38 ... Microcomputer ( Defrosting control means, forced defrosting execution means) 41 ... Defrosting timer

Claims (2)

In a cooling device comprising a cooler,
A defrost timer that can freely set the execution time of the defrost operation for the cooler;
A defrosting control means for executing a defrosting operation based on the ON operation of the defrosting timer, and forcibly executing the defrosting operation when the state where the defrosting timer is not ON is continued for a predetermined time or more. A cooling device comprising forced defrosting execution means for performing notification. The cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality notification by the forced defrosting execution unit is continued until a next defrosting operation is performed based on an ON operation of the defrosting timer.

Images