JP4246585B2 - Showcase - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a showcase, and more particularly to a showcase that improves the control of a condenser fan that also serves to evaporate drain water and improves the arrangement of components in a machine room.

  Generally, in a showcase provided with a cooled storage room and a refrigeration cycle for cooling the storage room, an evaporating dish for cooling the storage room and evaporating drain water generated from an evaporator constituting a part of the refrigeration cycle is provided. There is one in which this evaporating dish is disposed on the back of a condenser fan provided behind a condenser constituting a part of the refrigeration cycle, and the condenser fan is also used for promoting the evaporation of drain water on the evaporating dish. (Patent Document 1). However, this Patent Document 1 evaporates all drain water with warm air from a condenser fan, and such a method is possible when the evaporation area of the drain water on the evaporating dish is large. However, in a miniaturized showcase, the area of the evaporating dish is small, and it is difficult to evaporate all the drain water simply by applying hot air from a condenser fan.

  In addition, an evaporating dish is placed on the back of the condenser fan provided behind the condenser, and the condenser fan is also used to promote the evaporation of drain water on the evaporating dish. An evaporation pipe through which the refrigerant flows is disposed and an electric heater is disposed (Patent Document 2). However, in Patent Document 2, the drain water in the evaporating dish is evaporated by the warm air of the condenser fan and the heat radiation of the evaporation pipe and the electric heater. In this case, there is a problem that the power consumption is large and the energy saving effect is low due to heating by the electric heater.

In addition, there is a showcase with an overflow tray that receives drain water that overflows from the evaporating tray. However, this showcase does not allow the drainage by opening the machine room cover and removing the overflow tray, which is inconvenient. (For example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-106747 A (paragraph numbers [0002], [0011], FIG. 2) JP 2000-258038 A (paragraphs [0029], [0040], FIG. 3)

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a showcase that improves the energy saving effect. Another object of the present invention is to provide a showcase in which the overflow tray can be easily removed and the space efficiency of the machine room can be improved.

In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, a compressor that compresses a refrigerant, a condenser that is ventilated by rotation of a condenser fan that also serves to evaporate drain water, condenses the refrigerant, and cools the storage chamber In a showcase having a refrigeration cycle having an evaporator, an evaporating dish for evaporating drain water, an evaporating heater for evaporating the drain water in the evaporating dish, and a detection sensor for detecting the water level of the evaporating dish are provided. Based on the water level information detected by the detection sensor, the heater for evaporation is not energized for a predetermined time, the condenser fan is rotated at a high speed and blown to the evaporating dish, and the evaporation of drain water is promoted. A showcase is provided that is controlled to energize an evaporation heater. Thereby, the showcase which aimed at the improvement of an energy saving effect is implement | achieved.

  According to the showcase according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a showcase with an improved energy saving effect. In addition, it is possible to provide a showcase in which the overflow tray can be easily removed and drained, and the space efficiency of the machine room can be improved.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a showcase according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a showcase according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a conceptual view of the refrigerated showcase, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the machine room.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a showcase 1 according to the present invention is provided with a storage chamber 2 that is open at the top and partitioned by a number of shelves 2 a, and a lower portion thereof, as shown in FIG. 2. It consists of a machine room 4 in which the refrigeration cycle 3 is housed, forms part of the refrigeration cycle 3, is cooled by an evaporator 5 disposed on the back surface of the storage room 2, and blows out from a cold air outlet (not shown) The storage chamber 2 is cooled by the cool air, and after cooling, returns to the evaporator 5 through the cold air inlet 2b and circulates.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, in the machine room 4, a compressor 6 constituting a part of the refrigeration cycle 3 is disposed in the rear part thereof, and a condenser 7 is disposed in the front part thereof. A condenser fan 7 a is disposed between the condenser 7 and the compressor 6. Further, an evaporation tray 8 for drain water evaporation is disposed adjacent to the compressor 6. Further, a condenser fan 7b (hereinafter also referred to as a dual-purpose fan) that also serves as drain water evaporation is disposed between the condenser 7 and the evaporation tray 8 for drain water evaporation. In the present embodiment, the dual-purpose fan 7b is provided between the condenser and the evaporating dish arranged on a straight line, and the equipment can be arranged compactly.

  Above the evaporating dish 8, a storage bottom plate 9 that partitions the storage chamber 2 and the machine chamber 3 and receives drain water generated from the evaporator 5 is provided. The drain water is disposed behind the machine room 4 via the interior drain port 9a provided on the near side of the interior bottom plate 9 (the front side of the showcase) and the water conduit 10 formed like a bowl. The evaporating dish 8 is guided.

  In the evaporating dish 8, evaporating cloths 8a are provided in a comb-like shape with parallel intervals, and receive warm air from the dual-purpose fan 7b to promote the evaporation of drain water. The evaporation heater 8b provided on the bottom surface of the tray 8 promotes the evaporation of drain water. An overflow tray 11 that receives drain water overflowing from the evaporating dish 8 extends to the front side of the evaporating dish 8 facing the horizontal wall surface of the machine room 4 so that its long side surface 11a is along the horizontal wall surface. The drain water that overflows from the evaporating dish 8 flows into the overflow tray 11 through the overflow pipe 8d. The saucer 11 is detachably mounted (not fixed) on the bottom plate 12 of the machine room 4, and the movement to the other side is restricted by the positioning member 12 protruding from the bottom plate 12, so that it is maintained at a fixed position. It has become.

  Further, the evaporating dish 8 is provided with a float switch 8d that is normally opened and detects a predetermined water level as a water level sensor for detecting the water level of the evaporating dish 8. Further, the overflow receiving tray 11 includes As a water level sensor for detecting the water level of 11, a float switch 11 b is provided that closes when a predetermined water level is detected in the normally open state.

The float switch 11 is rotatably attached to a mounting plate at the bottom of the evaporating dish 8, and when the overflow tray 11 is taken out from the front, the inner wall on the back side contacts the float switch 11, and the A side in FIG. The float switch 11 is pivoted so that the tray 11 can be pulled out. On the other hand, when storing the tray 11, the outer wall on the back side of the tray 11 hits the float switch 11 as the tray 11 is pushed in from the front. If the tray 11 is pushed in as it is, the float switch 11 turns to the B side in FIG. 3, and if it is pushed to a predetermined position, the float switch 11 gets over the outer wall on the back side of the tray 11 and returns to the predetermined position shown in FIG. To do. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, to form a front wall of the machine room 4, the cooling air inlet 4a ₁ is provided machine room cover 4a is adapted to removably by screwing, further condenser 6 And the short side surface 11c of the tray 11 for overflow is facing.

In addition, the showcase 1, is provided with control circuit 13 as shown in FIG. 6, the a control unit 13a, the controller evaporator fan 5a through 5a ₁ is connected, via an inverter 6i The compressor 6 is connected, the condenser fan 7a is connected via the inverter 7ai, and the dual purpose fan 7b is connected via the inverter 7bi.

Further, a float switch 8c of the evaporating dish 8 is connected to the control unit 13a, and is provided below the float switch 11b of the overflow tray 11 and the shelf 2a, and a shelf temperature sensor that indirectly detects the internal temperature. 2a ₁ is connected. Furthermore, the evaporation heater 8b through the triac 8b _1, an alarm buzzer 8e and full water lamp 8f operates based on the level information of the float switch 11b of the overflow pans 11 are connected to the control unit 13a. The controller 13 also includes a damper controller 2c ₁ that controls the opening and closing of a shelf heater 2a ₃ and a cool air control damper 2c provided to heat the shelf 2a of the storage chamber 2 via the triac 2a _2. Is connected.

  Furthermore, the controller 13a is connected with an internal temperature setting device 13b and a heating / cooling changeover switch 13c that can be manually operated by the user as input means for controlling the operation of each of the above-mentioned connected devices.

In addition, since a considerable amount of electric current flows during drain water evaporation and storage chamber cooling, the energization rate of the shelf heater 2a ₃ for detecting the temperature of the shelf 2a and heating the displayed products is gradually increased. It is preferable to control to increase the temperature while suppressing the inrush current. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 14 denotes an expansion valve. The expansion valve 14 is also electrically operated, and its opening degree can be controlled by the control unit 13a.

  Next, the control of the drainage water-related elements of the showcase according to the present invention will be described with reference to the control flowchart shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the showcase is operated, the compressor 6 is activated, cooled by the evaporator 5 disposed on the back surface of the storage chamber 2, and stored in the storage chamber 2 by the cold air blown out from the cold air outlet. After cooling, it returns to the evaporator 5 through the cold air inlet 2b. On the other hand, since moisture contained in the air becomes frost and adheres to the evaporator 5 in the evaporator 5, the cooler control damper 2 c is periodically closed via the damper controller 2 c ₁ , and the controller 5 a ₁ is connected. Then, the evaporator fan motor 5a is stopped, and the defrosting is performed by energizing the defrosting heater or by natural defrosting. The drain water by defrosting of the evaporator 5 is guided to the evaporating dish 8 as shown in FIG.

  Such control is performed by the CPU of the control unit 13a executing a control program stored in the ROM while exchanging data with the ROM and RAM. The operation by the control program will be described with reference to FIG.

First, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is in operation (S1). If it is in operation (Yes), the frequency F ₆ of the inverter 6i of the compressor ₆ (the rotation speed of the compressor 6) is determined from the difference between the internal temperature (shelf temperature) and the set temperature (S2).

Based on the frequency _{F 6} of inverter 6i, (rotational speed of the combined fan 7b) the output frequency _{F b} of the inverter 7Bi, determines the output frequency _{F a} of the inverter 7AI (rotational speed of the fan 7a) (S3). Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the float switch 8c of the evaporating dish 8 is ON (S4).

When the float switch 8c is ON (Yes), that is, when the normally open float switch 8c has detected a predetermined water level in the evaporating dish 8, it is determined that the evaporation of the drain water is insufficient, and the drain water is generated. The frequency F 6 of the inverter 6i of the compressor ₆ (the rotational speed of the compressor 6) is set to a value reduced by a predetermined value α (S5). That is, if the rotation speed of the compressor 6 is reduced, the evaporation temperature rises and icing in the evaporator 5 can be suppressed.

In this state, a value obtained by forcibly increasing the output frequency F _b of the inverter 7bi (the rotational speed of the dual purpose fan 7b) by a predetermined value β from the normal value is set (S6). In this state, the evaporation heater 8b is not energized, and the evaporation of the drain water is promoted by increasing the rotation speed of the dual purpose fan 7b.

Then, whether the time from the start of the reduction and increase of the output frequency F _b of the inverter 7bi frequency F ₆ of the inverter 6i is measured, i.e. to determine the operating clock timer T (S7).

  If the elapsed time has been measured while the timer T is operating (Yes), it is determined whether or not 10 minutes have passed (S8). If the elapsed time has not been measured (No), the timer T is started to measure the elapsed time (re) (S20), and the process proceeds to step S11. If 10 minutes have elapsed since the float switch 8c is on (Yes), the energization rate of the evaporation heater 8b is increased to promote evaporation. When the first evaporation heater 8b is not energized, energization is started (S9). When the float switch 8c is in the OFF state in step S4, if the ON state changes to the OFF state, the timer T is reset and the time measurement is stopped (S21).

  After S9, the timer T is stopped and measurement is temporarily stopped (S10). Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the float switch 11b is ON (S11). If the float switch 11b is OFF (No), it means that the overflow tray 11 has not reached the predetermined water level, and the process proceeds to step S13.

In the state where the float switch 11b is ON (Yes), that is, the ambient condition is severe and the evaporation capacity of the evaporating dish 8 is insufficient and overflows, and the normally open float switch 11b detects the predetermined water level of the overflow tray 11 Then, the output frequency F ₆ b of the inverter 7bi is maximized, the rotation speed of the dual purpose fan 7b is maximized, and the alarm buzzer 8e and the full water lamp 8f are turned on (S12).

  Thus, the evaporation amount of drain water in the evaporator 5 is maximized, and the user is notified that the overflow tray 11 has reached a predetermined water level.

The inverter 6i is operated with a set value of the frequency F _{6 of the} inverter 6i, the output frequency F _{b of} the inverter 7bi, and the output frequency F _a of the inverter 7ai (S13). That is, if the float switch 8c is ON, the float switch 11b operates to the value set in S5 and S6, and if the float switch 8c is not ON, the value determined in S2 and S3. long as, the frequency _{F 6} frequency number _{F b} to the value set in S12, controls the frequency _{F a.}

In S1, when the operation of the showcase 1 is stopped, the frequency F _{6 of the} inverter 6i, the output frequency F _{b of} the inverter 7bi, and the output frequency F _a of the inverter 7ai are all set to 0 (S14). Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the float switch 8c of the evaporating dish 8 is ON (S15). The float switch 8c is ON (Yes), that is, the normally open float switch 8c has detected a predetermined water level in the evaporating dish 8. In this case, even if the dual-purpose fan 7b is stopped S6 and subsequent controls are performed so as to rotate the motor.

  The float switch 8c is OFF (No), that is, the predetermined water level of the evaporating dish 8 has not reached the predetermined water level, all the components are stopped, and all the stopped states are entered (S16).

  In S4, when the float switch 8c of the evaporating dish 8 is OFF (No), the evaporating dish 8 has not reached the predetermined water level. In this case, it means that drain water is smoothly evaporated in the evaporating dish 8, and even if the timer T has been operating before that, the timer T is stopped and reset, and then the control after S11 is performed. .

  In S12, when the alarm buzzer 8e and the full water lamp 8f are turned on and a warning is issued, the user removes the machine room cover 4a and performs an inspection. An evaporating tray 8 and an overflow receiving tray 11 are provided in the machine chamber 4 and arranged so that the receiving tray 11 can be taken out by opening the machine chamber cover 4a. Is further extended in the horizontal direction, and the drainage port 9a is provided in front, and the water conduit 10 is provided up to the rear evaporating dish 8, so that the overflow tray 11 can be easily removed and the internal drainage port 9a is provided in front. Therefore, the drainage port 9a can be checked for clogging from the front side of the showcase and the space efficiency of the machine room is improved.

  As described above, according to the showcase of the present embodiment, the water level of the evaporating dish is detected by the detection sensor and is set to the first stage in order to evaporate the drain water, and the combined condenser fan is forced to rotate more than normal rotation. As a second stage, the evaporation heater is energized after a predetermined time has passed to promote evaporation, so that energy saving can be achieved. In addition, by opening the machine room cover, maintenance and inspection of the overflow tray can be easily performed, and space efficiency can be improved in the machine room.

The perspective view of the showcase concerning this invention. The conceptual diagram of the refrigerating cycle integrated in the showcase concerning this invention. The longitudinal cross-sectional view of FIG. 5A-A arrow of the machine room of the showcase concerning this invention. The top view of the machine room of the showcase concerning this invention. The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the front view of the machine room of the showcase concerning this invention. The control circuit diagram used for the showcase concerning this invention. 4 is a control flowchart of the showcase according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Showcase, 2 ... Storage room, 2a ... Shelf board, 3 ... Refrigeration cycle, 4 ... Machine room, 4a ... Machine room cover, 5 ... Evaporator, 5a ... Evaporator fan motor, 6 ... Compressor, 7 ... Condenser, 7a ... Condenser fan motor, 7b ... Dual fan motor, 8 ... Evaporating tray, 8c ... Float switch, 11 ... Overflow pan, 11b ... Float switch, 13 ... Control circuit, 13a ... Control unit.

Claims (1)

In a showcase having a refrigeration cycle having a compressor that compresses the refrigerant, a condenser that is ventilated by rotation of a condenser fan that also serves to evaporate the drain water, and that condenses the refrigerant, and an evaporator that cools the storage chamber. An evaporating dish, an evaporating heater for evaporating the drain water of the evaporating dish, and a detection sensor for detecting the water level of the evaporating dish, and based on the water level information detected by the detecting sensor, Is not energized, and the condenser fan is rotated at a high speed and blown to the evaporating dish to accelerate the evaporation of drain water, and the showcase is controlled to energize the evaporating heater after a predetermined time. .

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