JPH0568962B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a serving truck used for school lunches in hospitals, etc., and in particular, it has heat retention and cold retention functions, has good operability, and is suitable for serving food at an appropriate temperature. This is about a serving car.

[Prior Art] For example, when feeding inpatients at a hospital, etc., cooking is finished early in the evening due to the working hours of the cook, and the meal is served as soon as it is finished and before it gets cold. The meal time will be from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., which is earlier than the regular meal time. This is undesirable for patients because the time between lunch and dinner becomes too short, and the time between dinner and breakfast the next morning becomes too long.

Therefore, in order to be able to eat hot, freshly-cooked meals during regular meal times (around 6:00 to 7:00), we have developed a devised meal plan that allows cooked food to be immediately stored and kept warm, and then served at meal times. A car is being developed.

That is, the serving car has a heat insulating part and a cold insulating part that are separated by a heat insulating wall, and has shelves or rails for storing the serving trays in the heat insulating part and the cold insulating part, and a shelf or rail on the front side. It has a heat insulating door.

Serving trucks can be used all year round by keeping food warm as mentioned above, as well as keeping things like milk and fruit cold.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The conventional serving carts described above use an electric heater for heating and a refrigerator for cooling.

When a refrigerator is installed in a serving truck, the weight of the serving truck is heavy, making it difficult for the serving truck operator who is responsible for nursing care to push it around.

Equipped with an automatic travel device instead of a manual pusher, the problem was that it would become heavier, difficult to handle, and increase initial and running costs.

To solve this problem, a method has been developed in which the refrigerator is placed separately and the food delivery car is connected to a cold air duct to keep the inside of the car cool, and the duct is separated when serving food, but the equipment is complicated and costs are high. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the problems of the prior art described above.It is equipped with a lightweight and compact heating and cooling device, and can be easily operated by simply plugging it into a power outlet, making it light in weight and easy to handle. Its purpose is to provide a high-quality catering vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a serving car that can reduce the evaporation of moisture in food in the heat-insulating and cold-insulating parts and prevent the food from drying out.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the configuration of the serving cart according to the present invention includes a heat insulating section and a cold insulating section that are partitioned by a heat insulating wall. A serving vehicle comprising at least storage means for serving trays in a heating section and a cold storage section, and a heating door, in which a Peltier effect element is installed in a heat insulating wall that partitions the boundary between the heating section and the cold storage section. be.

More specifically, the wall that partitions the boundary between the heat retaining part and the cold retaining part has flat plates facing the heat retaining part side and the cold retaining part side, and a comb-shaped heat sink plate and heat absorbing plate facing each flat plate. A Peltier effect element is installed in a spatial area where the heat sink on the heat insulating part side and the heat absorbing plate on the cold insulating part side face each other, and a Peltier effect element is installed in the spatial area other than the Peltier effect element in the space area. The space is filled with heat insulating material.

Further, each part of the heat preservation section and the cold preservation section is provided with an air blowing means for causing convection through the air flow passages on the heat preservation section and the cold preservation section side in the partition wall section and circulating air in the heat preservation section and the cold preservation section, respectively. It is.

[Function] The technical concept behind the development of the present invention is based on the phenomenon that when two different metals are connected in a ring and a current is passed, heat is absorbed from one of the contacts and heat is generated from the other contact. This is because the interior of the serving car is heated and cooled using the principle of electronic refrigeration.

A Peltier effect element is provided inside the partition wall that forms the boundary between the heat retention part and the cold retention part, and the Peltier effect element is
Comb-shaped heat dissipation plate (heat insulation part side) and heat absorption plate (cold insulation part side)
When the heat radiating plate and the heat absorbing plate are pressed by a flat plate, an air flow passage is formed in the comb-shaped portion.

The air blown by the air blowing means provided in the heat preservation section and the cold preservation section is heated and cooled in the air flow passage and sent to the heat preservation section and the cold preservation section, and the forced convection brings each section to a predetermined temperature. can be kept.

When the temperature reaches a certain level, the blowing means is stopped and the heat sink,
Food can be kept hot or cold by heat radiation from the flat plate located outside the heat absorbing plate and facing the heat retaining section and the cold retaining section, and water evaporation from the food can be suppressed.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a serving vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the -' arrow in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part showing details of the partition wall of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

First, the configuration of the serving car will be explained.

The serving vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1 is used, for example, for feeding inpatients in a hospital, etc., and is divided into a hot storage room 1A, which is a heat-retaining part, and a cold storage room 1B, which is a cold-retaining part, which are partitioned by a heat insulating wall. have.

2A is the wall of the hot storage room, 2B is the wall of the refrigerator room, 3A
3B is the heat insulation door on the side of the hot storage room 1A, and 3B is the door on the side of the refrigerator room 1B.
A heating door on the side can be opened and closed to put in and take out dishes. 4 is
A partition wall 5, which is a heat insulating wall that partitions the boundary between the hot storage room 1A and the cold storage room 1B, is a Peltier effect element mounted in the partition wall 4.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a serving tray rail related to storage means for serving trays installed in the hot storage room 1A and the cold storage room 1B, and this serving tray rail 6 is provided in multiple stages. 7 is a plug to be inserted into a power outlet for sending a direct current to the Peltier effect element; 8 is a push handle for moving the serving cart 1; and 9 is a wheel.

10 shown in FIG. 2 indicates a heat insulating material filled in the heat insulating wall.

Details of the four partition walls are shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, 41 is a flat plate facing the greenhouse compartment 1A side, 42 is a heat dissipation plate joined to the flat plate 41 in a comb shape, 43 is a flat plate facing the refrigerator compartment 1B side, and 44 is a flat plate facing the refrigerator compartment 1B side. , are heat absorbing plates joined to the flat plate 43 in a comb shape, and these are made of aluminum material.

By joining the flat plate 41 and the heat sink plate 42, a large number of air flow passages 4A on the side of the greenhouse room 1A are formed in the comb-shaped part, and by joining the flat plate 43 and the heat absorbing plate 44, a number of air flow passages 4A on the side of the refrigerator compartment 1B are formed in the comb-shaped part. A large number of side air flow passages 4B are formed.

Note that here, the flat plate 41, the heat sink plate 42, and the flat plate 43, and the heat absorbing plate 44 may be integrally processed by extrusion molding of aluminum.

These heat sinks 42 on the side of the greenhouse room 1A and the refrigerator room 1B
In the spatial region 40 facing the side heat absorption plate 44,
A plurality of Peltier effect elements 5 (three in Fig. 5)
It is installed and connected to a power outlet by a plug 7 shown in FIG. The space other than the Peltier effect element 5 in the space region 40 is filled with a heat insulating material 40a, and the greenhouse chamber 1
Heat is isolated between A and the refrigerator compartment 1B.

As shown in Figure 2, a greenhouse room 1A, a refrigerator room 1B
The air flow passages 4 in the partition walls 4 of each room are
Fans 11A and 11B are installed above A and 4B.

The operation of the serving cart having such a configuration will be explained.

When the plug 7 is inserted into the power outlet, a direct current flows through the Peltier effect element 5, heating the greenhouse compartment 1A side through the heat sink 42 and flat plate 41, and heating the refrigerator compartment 1B side through the heat absorbing plate 44 and flat plate 43. and cooled down.

When the fans 11A and 11B are operated, the air flows as shown by the arrows in FIGS. 2 and 3. Air flows from top to bottom in the air flow path 4A on the side of the greenhouse 1A, and from bottom to top in the air flow path 4B on the side of the refrigerator room 1B. The air is heated in the air flow passage 4A, and the heated air is sent into the greenhouse chamber 1A, and the fan 11A
Circulate by forced convection, and the inside of the greenhouse 1A is 60-80%
Keep warm at ℃. On the other hand, the air is cooled in the airflow passage 4B, and the cooling air is sent into the refrigerator compartment 1B and circulated by forced convection by the fan 11B, keeping the interior of the refrigerator compartment 1B cool at 5 to 10°C.

With the hot storage room 1A and the cold storage room 1B at a predetermined temperature, the heat insulation doors 3A and 3B are opened, and food is stored through the serving tray rail 6 to keep it warm and cold. When the room containing food is kept warm or cool at a predetermined temperature, the operation of the fans 11A and 11B is stopped, and the food is kept warm and cold only by heat radiation from the flat plates 41 and 43.

Furthermore, it is also possible to adjust the amount of heat (temperature adjustment) by manually or automatically adjusting the voltage applied to the Peltier effect element.

According to this embodiment, there are the following effects.

(1) Compared to conventional serving trucks equipped with electric heaters for heating and refrigerators for cooling, the serving truck of this embodiment has both heating and cooling functions using a Peltier effect element. Therefore, the weight of the serving truck is 20~
This has been reduced by 30%, making it easier for nurses to operate food delivery vehicles at hospitals, for example.

(2) Since heat and cold insulation can be used by radiation, less water evaporates from food than when forced convection is used, and food can be prevented from drying out.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, an example of a serving car with a partition wall in the center and a refrigerator compartment and a hot storage compartment on the left and right sides was explained, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the partition wall is arranged in two parts. Needless to say, it is possible to provide a serving vehicle with more than one, for example, a refrigerated, hot, and cold storage compartment, or a serving vehicle that is equipped with a hot, refrigerated, and hot storage compartment.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained in detail above, according to the present invention,
Equipped with lightweight and compact heating and cooling equipment,
It is possible to provide a meal delivery vehicle that is light in weight and easy to handle, which can be easily operated by simply plugging it into a power outlet.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a serving car that can reduce the evaporation of moisture in food in the heat-insulating and cold-insulating parts and prevent the food from drying out.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a serving vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the -' arrow in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part showing details of the partition wall of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. 1... Serving car, 1A... Hot storage room, 1B... Cold storage room, 3
A, 3B...Heat insulation door, 4...Partition wall, 5...Peltier effect element, 6...Rail for serving tray, 11A, 1
1B... Fan, 41, 43... Flat plate, 42... Heat sink, 44... Heat absorbing plate, 4A, 4B... Air flow passage, 4
0... Spatial area, 40a... Heat insulating material.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1 It has a heat insulating part and a cold insulating part that are separated by a heat insulating wall, and in these heat insulating part and cold insulating part, at least means for storing a serving tray is provided, and a heat insulating door is provided. A serving vehicle comprising: a Peltier effect element mounted within a heat insulating wall that partitions the boundary between the heat insulating section and the cold insulating section. 2. In a serving vehicle that has a heat insulating part and a cold insulating part separated by a heat insulating wall, and is equipped with at least means for storing a serving tray in these heat insulating parts and cold insulating parts, and has a heat insulating door. , the wall that partitions the boundary between the heat retention part and the cold retention part,
Each flat plate facing the heat insulating part side and the cold insulating part side, and a comb-shaped heat sink and a heat absorbing plate facing each flat plate, respectively, form an air flow passage, and these heat sinks on the heat insulating part side and A catering cart, characterized in that a Peltier effect element is installed in a space region where a heat absorption plate on a side of a cold storage section faces, and a heat insulating material is filled in a space other than the Peltier effect element in the space region. 3. Each part of the heat retention part and the cold retention part is provided with a blowing means for causing convection through the air flow passages on the heat retention part and cold retention part sides of the partition wall part and circulating air in the heat retention part and the cold retention part, respectively. The catering vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: