JPH05119849A - In-box temperature control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform a more uniform heat treatment to each of contained articles by controlling an operating combination of a heater and a fan so that a difference between the highest and the lowest temperature values becomes within a prescribed value. CONSTITUTION:A control part M operates all heating heaters H1-H3 and agitating fans F1 (not shown in the figure), F2 in the beginning. For instance, the highest value in temperatures detected by thermistors 61-64 reaches a low temperature determined in advance. In this case, the control part M operates these heaters H1-H3 and fans F1, F2 by the time determined in advance each in accordance with plural operating combinations determined in advance and the sequence of its combinations with regard to the heaters H1-H3 and the fans F1, F2. The control part M derives a difference between the highest temperature value and the lowest temperature value detected by the thermistors 61-64 at every opearating combination, and derives a combination at the when this difference becomes within a value determined in advance. Thereafter, the control part M controls an in-box temperature at a set temperature, based on this combination.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention controls the temperature in a room surrounded by a table, such as a tableware heat treatment cabinet used to heat and dry dishes, heat sterilize, heat store, etc. in a kitchen or the like. On how to do.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when using tableware as an example, when it is used in various kitchens, restaurants, commercial kitchens in coffee shops, school kitchens, kitchens in hospitals, etc., it is generally washed and dried before use. Alternatively, it is further heat-sterilized before use. In some cases, it is used in a pre-warmed state.

[0003] Conventionally, a tableware heat treatment cabinet for performing such tableware treatment is usually provided with a heating means for heating the interior of the cabinet and a stirring means for stirring the air in the cabinet. By operating the heating means and the stirring means, the internal temperature is controlled toward the set temperature (target temperature).

[0004]

However, according to the conventional tableware heat treatment cabinet, the temperature inside the cabinet varies depending on the position and the amount of the tableware in the cabinet, and the target heat treatment is performed for each tableware. There is a problem that it is difficult to apply. Although the tableware heat treatment cabinet has been described above as an example, such a problem is not limited to the tableware heat treatment cabinet, and is found in all article heat treatment cabinets that perform heat treatment of articles.

In view of this, the present invention controls the temperature inside the article heat treatment cabinet such as the tableware heat treatment cabinet so that there is little variation depending on the interior position, so that the articles housed in the cabinet are more uniform than before. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling a temperature inside a refrigerator that can perform a heat treatment.

[0006]

According to the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature inside the refrigerator at different positions, a heating means for heating the inside of the refrigerator, and a stirring means for stirring the air inside the refrigerator. Initially, when the heating means and the stirring means are all operated and the maximum value among the temperatures detected by the plurality of temperature detecting means reaches a temperature T1 lower than the set temperature T by a predetermined value, the heating means and the stirring means are With respect to the plurality of predetermined operation combinations and the order of the combination, the heating means and the stirring means are operated for a predetermined time, and the maximum temperature value detected by the plurality of temperature detection means for each combination operation. And a minimum temperature value difference t, the combination when the difference t is within a predetermined value t1 is obtained, and thereafter, the inside temperature for controlling the inside temperature toward the set temperature T based on the combination. Control method It is intended to provide.

For the entire operation of the heating means, the heating means is composed of, for example, a plurality of heaters, and when all of them are operated, or the heating means is composed of one or more heaters,
A case where such a heating means is operated at an output of 100% can be considered. In addition, the entire operation of the stirring means includes a case where the stirring means includes a plurality of stirring fans and when all of them are operated, or the stirring means includes one or more fans.
It is conceivable that such a stirring means is operated at a rotation speed of 100%.

When the operating combination of the heating means and the stirring means cannot be found such that the difference t is within the t1, the difference t
It is also possible to obtain a combination with the lowest value and then control the internal temperature toward the set temperature T based on the combination. In this way, when an operating combination of the heating means and the stirring means that can obtain a state in which the temperature inside the refrigerator is relatively small is obtained, and then the temperature inside the refrigerator is controlled based on the combination, the control is performed only by the combination thereafter. Although it may be performed, the following control may be performed so that the temperature fluctuation range above and below the set temperature T does not become too large.

That is, in controlling the internal cold storage temperature toward the set temperature T based on the obtained operation combination, the highest value among the temperatures detected by the plurality of temperature detection means is higher than the set temperature T in advance. When the temperature becomes higher than a predetermined temperature T2, the heating means is completely stopped and the stirring means is fully operated, and when the maximum value becomes lower than a predetermined temperature T3 which is lower than the set temperature T, the heating means and the stirring means are stopped. You may make it drive completely. In this case, T and T
The difference of 2 may be equal to or different from the difference of T and T3.

[0010]

According to the internal temperature control method of the present invention, the heating means and the stirring means are initially fully operated, and the maximum value among the temperatures detected by the plurality of temperature detecting means is set to a predetermined temperature T1 (<setting). When the temperature T) is reached, the heating means and the stirring means are operated for a certain period of time in accordance with a predetermined operation combination and the combination order thereof, and for each combination operation,
A difference t between the maximum detected temperature and the minimum detected temperature by the plural temperature detecting means is obtained. When the operation combination when the difference t is within a predetermined value t1 (t ≦ t1) is obtained, the internal cold storage temperature is controlled based on the combination thereafter toward the set temperature T.

When a combination that can satisfy t ≦ t1 is not obtained, and a combination with the smallest difference t is obtained,
When the combination of t ≦ t1 is not obtained, the combination with the smallest difference t is obtained, and the temperature control is performed based on this later.
In this way, the difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures is relatively small, in other words, in the case of operating based on a combination that provides a state with a small internal temperature unevenness, the temperature detected by the plurality of temperature detection means When the maximum value becomes higher than a predetermined temperature T2 which is higher than the set temperature T, the heating means is completely stopped and the stirring means is fully operated, and the predetermined temperature T3 in which the maximum value is lower than the set temperature T3. When the temperature becomes lower, when the heating means and the agitating means are fully operated, the internal temperature is accurately controlled with respect to the set temperature T in a state where the vertical swing width is as small as possible.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a front view of a tableware heat treatment cabinet as an example of a heat treatment cabinet for carrying out the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view thereof, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is heating. It is a block diagram of a control circuit of a heater and a fan for air agitation.

The heat treatment cabinet comprises a treatment cabinet main body 1, left and right doors 2 connected to the treatment cabinet main body, and further heating electric heaters H1, H2, H3 provided in the main body 1, an air agitation fan F1,
F2 and operation panel 5 are provided. The main body 1 is formed in a rectangular box shape, and has a tableware entrance / exit opening 11 on the front surface thereof, and the left and right doors 2 can open and close this opening.
Hinged to.

The main body 1 has a space 12 for accommodating tableware,
In the space, several tableware placing shelves 14 in which rods are arranged horizontally and in parallel in the horizontal direction are provided in several stages. On this shelf 14,
For example, tableware 9 placed in a basket 8 having sufficient air permeability is placed. The main body space 12 is partitioned by the left and right side walls 15, the ceiling wall 16 and the back wall 17, and an air duct 18 rises outside each side wall 15, and this duct communicates with a space 19 above the ceiling wall 16.

Each side wall 15 is provided with a number of air outlets 151, and the ceiling wall 16 is provided with a number of air inlets 161 at two locations. A heat insulating layer 10 is formed outside the duct 18, the space 19 above the ceiling wall, and the back wall 17. A heat insulating layer is also formed on the door 2. In the upper space 19 of the ceiling wall 16, the air agitating fans F1 and F2 are installed in front and rear so as to face the air intake port 161, and between the fans, an electric heater H1 is provided in the left-right direction.
H2 and H3 are installed. Each fan is rotationally driven by a motor FM. In the figure, only the motor for the fan F2 on the rear side is shown.

Therefore, by rotating at least one fan by the motor FM, the air in the tableware accommodation space 12 is sucked into the ceiling wall upper space 19, while the ceiling wall upper space 19 is sucked.
The air heated by the heater is sent to the duct 18 and blown out into the space 12 from the air outlet 151 of the duct wall 15, thus heating the tableware 9 in the space 12 while stirring the air.

The left and right ducts 18 are provided with temperature detecting thermistors 61-64. These thermistors are separately arranged at the upper part and the lower part of the duct 18 and detect the temperature inside the chamber at different positions. The processing chamber body 1 is further provided with an exhaust duct 70. This duct 70 is located on the front side of the fan 4 in the space 1 above the ceiling wall.
It extends upward from 9 and is opened and closed by a damper 7. The damper 7 is opened by turning on the solenoid 72 via the link mechanism 71 and closed by turning off the solenoid 72.

The operation panel 5 is provided for setting tableware heating conditions (set temperature, time) and performing operation, and is provided above the front of the processing cabinet main body 1 and above the door 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the front operation unit 51 of the operation panel 5 indicates a 3-digit 7-segment display unit DS, a light emitting diode LED1 indicating that the display unit displays time, and indicates that the display unit displays temperature. Equipped with a light emitting diode LED2, a switch SW1 for switching display of time and temperature, a switch SW2 for switching start or stop of operation, a slide switch SW3 for switching time setting and temperature setting, and up / down switches SW4 and SW5 for setting time or temperature. There is.

The switches SW1 to SW5 are all tact switches. The operation panel 5 includes a control unit for controlling the operations of the heater and the fan 4, and this control unit is centered on the micro computer M shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the computer M is connected to a front operation unit 51 (its switch, display unit, light emitting diode), and further, the load relays R1 to R6.
Through heaters H1, H2, H3, fans F1, F
2. The damper drive solenoid 72 is connected. Further, temperature information is input from temperature detecting thermistors 61, 62, 63, 64 installed in the air duct 18 of the main body of the processing cabinet.

The computer M is configured to perform the following operations. That is, the switch S on the operation panel 5
When W2 (see Fig. 1) is turned on, LED1, LED
2. Make the display section DS repeat blinking for a predetermined time,
After that, turn LED1 off and LED2 on,
The display unit DS is caused to display the current inside temperature. This temperature is the highest of the temperatures detected by the four thermistors.

Further, the slide switch SW3 is first switched from the neutral position to the upper side or the time side, and one or both of the upper up switch SW4 and the lower down switch SW5 are pressed and displayed. While setting the heat treatment time while watching the display of the section DS, this time the slide switch SW3 is switched to the lower side and the temperature side,
The heating temperature can be set with the up / down switch. It is also possible to set the temperature first and then set the time.

After setting the temperature and the time, the switch SW2 is turned on again to shift to the temperature control, and the heater and the fan are turned on so that the temperature inside the refrigerator is directed to the set temperature (target temperature) T by the procedure described below. Control. Further, the solenoid 72 is controlled so that the exhaust damper 7 is kept open during the control. By opening the damper 7, water vapor can be released.

When the switch SW1 is pressed during the temperature control, the LED2 is turned on until then, and when the display section DS is displaying the temperature, the LED2 is turned off and the LED1 is turned on, and the display section DS is heated. Display the remaining time of. When the switch SW1 is pressed again, the temperature display is switched. The computer M is configured to perform the following control when the time and the temperature are set as described above and the temperature control is started.

That is, initially, the heaters H1, H2, H3
And the fans F1 and F2 are all operated, and the thermistors 61 to
When the maximum value among the temperatures detected at 64 reaches a predetermined temperature T1 (here, T-10 ° C.) lower than the set temperature T, then, regarding the heater and the fan, the predetermined values shown in FIG. 5 are set. According to a plurality of operation combinations P1 to P18 and the order of the combination, a predetermined time (here, 30 to 6)
The heater and the fan are operated by a constant value TM seconds for 0 seconds), and the difference t between the maximum temperature value TH _MAX and the minimum temperature value TH _MIN detected by the thermistors is calculated for each combination operation, The difference t is a predetermined value t1 (here, 5 ° C.)
If the difference t is t1
When the operation combination within the range is not obtained, the combination with the smallest difference t is obtained, and thereafter, the internal cold storage temperature is controlled toward the set temperature T based on the combination.

During the control of the internal temperature toward the set temperature T based on the obtained operation combination, the maximum value TH _MAX among the temperatures detected by the plurality of thermistors is set to the set temperature T.
When the temperature becomes higher than a higher predetermined temperature T2 (here T + 5 ° C.), all the heaters H1, H2, H3 are stopped and all the fans F1, F2 are operated, and the maximum value is lower than the set temperature T. T3 (here T-5 ° C)
When lower, it drives all heaters and fans.

Next, the operation of the computer M of the operation panel 5 in this temperature control will be described based on the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In the following description, each step in the flowchart is indicated by the letter "S" and the number following it. As shown in FIG. 6, when the program starts, first, all heaters and all fans are operated (S
1). This full load operation is continued until the inside temperature reaches T1 and when the inside temperature reaches T1 (S2), first, the heater H3 is operated and the fan F1 is operated by the operation combination P1 shown in FIG. , F2 are operated (S3).
After continuing this operation for TM seconds, the maximum value TH _MAX and the minimum value TH _MIN among the temperatures detected by the thermistors
If the difference t is within 5 ° C., the operation combination pattern is stored if it is within 5 ° C. (S10), and if it is larger than 5 ° C., the pattern is stored for the time being (S10).
5) The next pattern P2, that is, the operation of the heater H2 and the fans F1 and F2 is executed (S6). After executing this pattern P2 for TM seconds, it is judged whether or not this pattern is the last pattern P18 (S7).
Since it is not, it returns to step S4 again, and TH _MAX and TH
_Judge whether the difference t of _MIN is within 5 ° C. 5 ° C
If it is within the range, the pattern P2 is stored (S1
0) When the temperature is higher than 5 ° C, the pattern having the smallest difference t between TH _MAX and TH _MIN is stored including the pattern executed previously and the pattern executed this time (S5), and the next pattern is executed. Yes (S6).

In this way, while switching the operation pattern from P1 to P17, each pattern is executed for each TM seconds, and TH _MAX and TH are set in step S4 in the middle thereof.
_{If a} pattern with a _MIN difference t within 5 ° C. is found, the pattern is stored (S10). If no such pattern is found in any of P1 to P17, the pattern of P18 is finally obtained in S6. Run
In step S7, it is determined that the pattern is P18, and in step S8, the difference t between TH _MAX and TH _MIN is t.
Is within 5 ° C. If the temperature is within 5 ° C., the pattern P18 is stored, and the process proceeds to the next step S11 (S10).
Of the patterns that have been executed up to that point, including 18, the pattern having the smallest difference t is stored (S9), and the process proceeds to the next step S11.

The driving all the heaters and all fans again in step S11, which continued until TH _MAX reaches the set temperature T (S12), the TH _MAX reaches the temperature T,
The set time is set (S13), and the operation pattern stored as described above is started to be executed (S14). Next, it is judged whether or not the set time has been finished (S15), and if the set time has been finished, the mode is shifted to the next mode (S24), and the program is finally finished. However, if the set time is not yet finished, it is determined whether TH _MAX is higher than T + 5 ° C (S16), and if it is higher, the process proceeds to step S17, where T + 5.
If the temperature is not higher than C, the process proceeds to step S20.

If TH _MAX is higher than T + 5 ° C. in step S16, all heaters are stopped in step S17, all fans are operated to move TH _MAX to the set temperature T, and then the set time is over. Judge whether or not (S
18) If it is the end, the process proceeds to S23, but if it is not the end, it is judged whether TH _MAX has reached the set temperature T (S19), and when it reaches T, the process returns to step S14 again, but reaches T. If not, the process returns to S17.

In step S16, TH _MAX is T + 5.
TH _MAX is T in step S20 when within ℃
If it is lower than -5 ° C, and if it is lower than THC, all heaters and all fans are operated in order to quickly move TH _MAX to the set temperature T (S21), and then it is determined whether the set time is over (S22). ), When the set time is over, the mode is shifted to the next mode (S23), but when the set time is not over yet, TH is set.
_It is determined whether _MAX has reached the set temperature T. If the temperature has not reached the temperature T, the process returns to step S21. When TH _MAX has reached the set temperature T in step S23, the process returns to step S14. In this way, among the temperatures detected by the four thermistors, the difference between the maximum temperature TH _MAX and the minimum temperature TH _MIN must be set within 5 ° C for the set time,
Continue the temperature control and finally end the program.

According to the tableware heat treatment cabinet described above, in the tableware heat treatment, as shown in FIG. 2, first, the tableware 9 is put in the tableware storage space 12 in the processing cabinet body, and then the door 2 is closed. The switch SW2 is turned on. Then, as described above, by setting the time and temperature of the heat treatment on the operation panel 5, and then pressing the switch SW2 again, the temperature in the refrigerator is reduced in a small amount according to the programs shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Temperature is controlled, and each tableware in the refrigerator is heat-treated substantially uniformly.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but can be implemented in various other modes. For example, instead of the temperature control procedure shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, it is possible to adopt the control procedure of the computer M as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. That is, when the program starts, all the heaters and all the fans are operated in step S101 shown in FIG. 8, and this operation is continued until the internal cold storage temperature reaches T1 (S102), and then step S103 and subsequent steps are executed. In step S103 and thereafter, during the temperature control, both the fans F1 and F2 are kept in operation, the heater output is initially set to 100%, and then the pattern is decreased by 10%.
A heater output pattern in which the difference t between TH _MAX and TH _MIN is within 5 ° C. is obtained (S103 to S108), and this pattern is stored if found (S110), but if not found, TH _MAX and TH _MIN The heater output pattern having the smallest difference is stored (S109). Next in FIG.
The process moves to step S111 shown in, where all the heaters and all the fans are operated to make TH _MAX reach the set temperature T (S
111, S112) and then set the set time (S
113), the temperature control is started with the heater output pattern stored as described above (S114). Temperature control is continued until the set time ends, but TH
_{When MAX} becomes higher than T + 5 ° C, the heater output is decreased by 10% to move TH _MAX to the set temperature T (S116).
~ S119), the storage pattern is executed again. On the other hand, T
When H _MAX is lower than T-5 ℃, heater output is 10%
By gradually increasing TH _MAX toward the set temperature T (S1
20-123), the storage pattern is executed again. Thus, the internal temperature is controlled to T, and when the set time is over, the next mode is entered (S124), and the program is finally ended.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, the temperature inside the article heat treatment warehouse such as the tableware heating warehouse is controlled so that there is little variation depending on the inside position, and each of the articles housed in the warehouse is controlled. It is possible to provide a method for controlling the temperature inside the refrigerator, which can perform more uniform heat treatment than before.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a tableware heat treatment cabinet as an example of an article heat treatment cabinet for carrying out the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the processing cabinet of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control circuit of a heater and an air agitation fan.

FIG. 5 is a table showing an operation combination and order of a heater and an air stirring fan.

FIG. 6 is a part of a flowchart showing the operation of a microcomputer that controls the operations of the heater and the air agitation fan.

FIG. 7 is a continuation of the flowchart shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a part of a flowchart showing another example of operation control of a heater and an air agitation fan by a microcomputer.

9 is a continuation of the flowchart shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Processing cabinet main body 2 Doors H1, H2, H3 Heating heaters F1, F2 Air agitation fan 5 Operation panel 51 Front operation unit SW1 time, temperature display changeover switch SW2 Operation start / stop changeover switch SW3 Slide switch SW4 Temperature, time setting Up switch SW5 Temperature and time setting down switch DS Display LES1, LED2 Light emitting diode M Microcomputer

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature inside the refrigerator at different positions, a heating means for heating the inside of the refrigerator, and a stirring means for stirring the air inside the refrigerator are prepared, and initially the heating means and the stirring means are fully operated. However, among the temperatures detected by the plurality of temperature detecting means, the maximum value T is a predetermined lower temperature than the set temperature T.
When it reaches 1, according to a plurality of predetermined operation combinations and the order of the combination for the heating means and the stirring means,
The heating means and the stirring means are operated at predetermined time intervals,
For each combination operation, the difference t between the maximum temperature value and the minimum temperature value detected by the plurality of temperature detecting means is obtained, and the combination when the difference t is within a predetermined value t1 is obtained,
After that, a method for controlling the temperature inside the refrigerator which controls the temperature inside the refrigerator toward the set temperature T based on the combination. 2. When the operating combination of the heating means and the agitating means in which the difference t is within the t1 cannot be obtained, a combination having the smallest difference t is obtained, and thereafter, the inside of the refrigerator is based on the combination. The internal temperature control method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature is controlled toward the set temperature T. 3. In the control for directing the in-compartment temperature to the set temperature T based on the obtained operation combination, a predetermined maximum value of the temperatures detected by the plurality of temperature detection means is higher than the set temperature T. When the temperature becomes higher than the temperature T2, the heating means is completely stopped and the stirring means is fully operated, and when the maximum value becomes lower than a predetermined temperature T3 which is lower than the set temperature T, the heating means and the stirring means are completely operated. The internal temperature control method according to claim 1 or 2, which is operated.