JPH07120127A - Controller for low-temperature display case - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effect s controlled switching of an indoor temperature to a temperature zone adapted for various commodities and to reduce a cost by simplifying display of a set temperature. CONSTITUTION:An indoor temperature set variable resistor 31 for setting a set temperature in a storage chamber is provided. A display unit 40 in which LEDs 1-4 are provided in parallel is provided. A mode changeover switch 22 for switching the chamber to a plurality of different temperature zones is provided. A microcomputer 21 allows the LEDs 1-4 of the unit 40 to emit lights by a binary notation, thereby displaying a set temperature set by the resistor 31. The set temperature set by the resistor 31 is altered to a temperature zone based on a switching operation of the switch 22, and a cooler is controlled based on the set temperature and the indoor temperature.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a low temperature showcase control device for displaying products while cooling them.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, low temperature showcases of this kind store and hold goods such as foods while cooling them to a predetermined temperature. However, the optimum storage temperature for foods varies depending on their types. Fresh food is -2 ℃ ～ + 6
It is said that the ideal temperature is + 3 ° C to + 11 ° C for daily products such as ℃ and bento, and + 12 ° C to + 20 ° C for sandwiches. For this reason, conventionally, a plurality of types of showcases for controlling the temperature inside the refrigerator have been prepared in a temperature range corresponding to various products.

Further, in order to control the temperature inside the refrigerator to a temperature suitable for these various products, the temperature inside the refrigerator corresponding to each of the above products is set in the controller of the showcase, and the set temperature and the actual refrigerator are set. The cooling device is controlled based on the internal temperature. In this case, the internal temperature and the like are numerically determined by using a plurality of 7-segment LEDs as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-8708 (F25D11 / 00). Display or LCD
A method of displaying numbers with a (liquid crystal display) was adopted.

[0004]

As described above, conventionally, the showcases corresponding to various products have been prepared, so that the control boards for controlling the temperature inside the refrigerator have to be designed individually, which is very important for the development design. In addition to the high cost, the number of types of control boards increases, which makes management difficult, and there is a problem in that it is necessary to prepare a plurality of types of control boards for maintenance.

Further, since the conventional temperature display using a 7-segment LED or LCD is expensive, it has been an obstacle to reducing the cost of the control board and the like. On the other hand, customers do not set the temperature inside the showcase,
Usually, this is done by the user on the store side. Therefore, if the user is informed of the display method in advance, a further simplified display will suffice.

Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional technical problems, the present invention can switch and control the temperature inside the refrigerator to a temperature zone suitable for various products, and simplify the display of the set temperature to reduce the cost. It is an object of the present invention to provide a control device for a low temperature showcase that is intended to be reduced.

[0007]

That is, the control device of the present invention is used in a low-temperature showcase in which the inside of a refrigerator is cooled by a cooling device, and temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature inside the refrigerator and setting inside the refrigerator. A temperature setting means for setting a temperature, a control means for controlling the cooling device, a display means in which a plurality of light emitting means are arranged in parallel, and a mode change switch for switching the inside of the refrigerator to a plurality of different temperature zones, The control means displays the set temperature set by the temperature setting means by causing each of the light emitting means of the display means to emit light in a binary system, and is set by the temperature setting means based on the switching operation of the mode changeover switch. The set temperature is changed to the temperature range, and the cooling device is controlled based on the set temperature and the internal temperature.

[0008]

According to the control device of the low temperature showcase of the present invention, the control means switches the set temperature set by the temperature setting means to a plurality of different temperature zones based on the switching operation of the mode changeover switch, and sets these. Since the cooling device is controlled based on the temperature and the temperature inside the refrigerator, it is possible to realize the temperature inside the refrigerator in a plurality of different temperature zones with one low temperature showcase. Therefore, it is possible to cool and display a plurality of types of products in one low-temperature showcase at the optimum temperature for them.

Further, the display means is constituted by a plurality of light emitting means arranged in parallel, and the set temperature set by the temperature setting means is displayed by causing the light emitting means to emit light in a binary system. It is possible to significantly reduce the cost as compared with the display means using the 7-segment LED or the like.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a control device 50 for a low temperature showcase 1 according to the present invention.
2 is a vertical sectional side view of the low temperature showcase 1. In FIG. 2, the low temperature showcase 1 is composed of a heat insulating wall 3 having an opening 6 on the front surface and having a substantially U-shaped cross section, and a space inside the heat insulating wall 3 exists in the inside of the heat insulating wall 3. A partition plate 2 and a bottom plate 4 are provided, the inside of the partition plate 2 and the bottom plate 4 serves as a storage chamber 5, and the space between the partition plate 2 and the bottom plate 4 and the heat insulating wall 3 serves as an air passage 11.

The upper front end of the air passage 11 is opened at the discharge port 12 located at the upper edge of the opening 6, and the lower front end of the air passage 11 is opened at the suction port 7 located at the front edge of the bottom plate 4. An air blower fan 9 is arranged between the partition plate 2 and the heat insulating wall 3 in the cooler 10 of the cooling device (not shown) and in the air blow passage 11 below the bottom plate 4, and the cool air cooled by the cooler 10 is blown. It is accelerated by the fan 9, passes through the air passage 11 as shown by the arrow, is discharged from the discharge port 12, and is sucked from the suction port 7. As a result, the air curtain 13 is formed in the opening 6 of the heat insulating wall 3, and the inside of the storage chamber 5 is cooled to a predetermined temperature by the discharged cool air.

A plurality of product display shelves 8 are provided in the storage room 5.
... is installed. The front and rear widths of the shelves 8 are expanded toward the lower ones, so that the products on the shelves 8 can be easily viewed by the customer. Further, an eaves 25 is attached to the upper front end of the heat insulating wall 3. Further, the lower surface of the front part of the top plate 2a of the partition plate 2, the eaves 25
A fluorescent lamp 14 for illuminating unillustrated products displayed in the storage room 5 is provided on the inner surface of the product and on the lower surface of the front of each product display shelf 8 ...
Is attached.

Next, in FIG. 1, the control device 50 is composed of the control board 20 installed in a place such as the back surface of the low temperature showcase 1 which cannot be easily operated by the customer. A general-purpose microcomputer 21 is attached to the control board 20, and the microcomputer 21 has a mode change switch 22 including a dip switch for changing the temperature of the storage chamber 5 into a plurality of different temperature zones, and a low temperature show. The temperature of the storage chamber 5 of the case 1 or the discharge port 12
Inside temperature sensor 23 for detecting the temperature of cold air discharged from the inside (hereinafter referred to as inside temperature), and cooler 10.
Defrost return temperature sensor 24 for detecting the temperature of the refrigerator, the inside temperature setting volume 31 as temperature setting means for setting the inside temperature, and the defrost return temperature setting volume for setting the defrost return temperature of the cooler 10. 32 outputs are input.

At the output of the microcomputer 21, there are connected a display 40 as a display means composed of four LED's (LED 4 to LED 4) as light emitting means arranged in parallel with each other, and relays 26 and 27. Has been done. Each L
ED1 to LED4 are respectively connected in series with a predetermined resistor 28 ... Between a DC power source and an output terminal of the microcomputer 21. An electromagnetic valve 29 that controls the supply of the refrigerant to the cooler 10 is connected to the relay 26, and a defrost heater 30 of the cooler 10 is connected to the relay 27.

Next, the operation of the low temperature showcase 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. The flowchart of FIG. 3 shows a program of the microcomputer 21, and the microcomputer 21 determines the operation mode in step S2 after the power is turned on in step S1. Here, the operation mode of the low temperature showcase 1 can be switched to three types of a fresh food mode, a daily delivery mode and a sandwich mode by operating the mode changeover switch 22. When the operation mode is set to the fresh food mode by the mode changeover switch 22, the microcomputer 21 proceeds to step S3 to execute the internal temperature control for the fresh food.

That is, in this case, the set temperature of the storage chamber 5 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (4), the temperature range is −2 ° C. to + 6 ° C., which is suitable for storing fresh food. This set temperature is set by rotating the knob 31a of the inside temperature setting volume 31 shown in FIG. 5, and the set temperature of the storage chamber 5 is -2 by changing the direction of the arrow 31b from strong to medium to weak. It is changed in the range of ℃ to +6 ℃. Then, in the inside temperature control of step S3, the microcomputer 21 relays the inside temperature based on the set temperature and the actual inside temperature detected by the inside temperature sensor 23 so that the inside temperature reaches the set temperature on average. Two
6, the solenoid valve 29 is controlled to open and close.

As a result, the inside of the storage chamber 5 is -2 ° C to +6.
℃ will be maintained at a set temperature suitable for storage of fresh food. Next, the microcomputer 21 performs step S
4, the defrosting control of the cooler 10 is executed. The microcomputer 21 has a defrost timer as its function, and when the integrated value of the defrost timer reaches, for example, 12 hours, the microcomputer 21 closes the electromagnetic valve 29 by the relay 26 in step S4, and instead of the relay 2
The defrost heater 30 is energized by 7. The frost that has grown on the cooler 10 due to the heat generated by the defrost heater 30 is melted, and the cooler 1 reaches the defrost return temperature such as + 8 ° C. set by the defrost return temperature setting volume 32.
When the temperature of 0 rises, the relay 27 stops the energization of the defrost heater 30 to end the defrost. Then, thereafter, the cooling operation is restored.

Next, when the operation mode is set to the daily delivery mode by the mode changeover switch 22, the microcomputer 21 proceeds from step S2 to step S5 to execute the internal temperature control for daily delivery. That is, in this case, the set temperature of the storage room 5 is changed to a temperature range of + 3 ° C. to + 11 ° C. suitable for storing daily products as shown in FIG. This set temperature is also set by rotating the knob 31a of the inside temperature setting volume 31 similarly to the above, and similarly, the set temperature of the storage chamber 5 is +3 by changing the direction of the arrow 31b from strong to medium to weak. It is changed in the range of ° C to +11 ° C.

Then, in the inside temperature control of step S5, the microcomputer 21 causes the inside temperature to average to the set temperature based on the set temperature and the inside temperature detected by the inside temperature sensor 23. The relay 26 controls opening / closing of the solenoid valve 29. As a result, the inside of the storage chamber 5 is maintained at a set temperature of + 3 ° C. to + 11 ° C. suitable for storing daily products. Next, the microcomputer 21
Advances to step S6 to execute the defrosting control of the cooler 10 as described above.

When the operation mode is the sandwich mode by the mode changeover switch 22, the microcomputer 21 proceeds from step S2 to step S2.
Proceed to 7 to execute the temperature control in the refrigerator.
That is, in this case, the set temperature of the storage chamber 5 is changed to a temperature range of + 12 ° C. to + 20 ° C. suitable for storing the sandwich as shown in FIG. This set temperature is also set by rotating the knob 31a of the inside temperature setting volume 31 similarly to the above, and similarly, by changing the direction of the arrow 31b from strong to medium to weak, the set temperature of the storage chamber 5 is set. Is +12
It is changed in the range of ℃ to +20 ℃.

In the inside temperature control in step S7, the microcomputer 21 controls the inside temperature to reach the set temperature on average based on the set temperature and the inside temperature detected by the inside temperature sensor 23. The relay 26 controls opening / closing of the solenoid valve 29. As a result, the inside of the storage chamber 5 is maintained at a set temperature of + 12 ° C to + 20 ° C suitable for storing the sandwich. Then, the microcomputer 21 proceeds to step S8 and proceeds to the cooler 10 similar to the above.
Defrost control is executed.

As described above, the control device 50 of the present invention controls the switching of the inside of the storage chamber 5 in the temperature range suitable for three kinds of foods such as fresh food, daily food and sandwich by the switching operation of the mode changeover switch 22. Therefore, one (one model) low temperature showcase 50 can be used to store and display the above-mentioned three types of foods. Therefore, the control board 20 of the control device 50 only needs to be of one type, the development and design cost can be significantly reduced, and it will be sufficient if the control board 20 of the control device 50 can support one type of control board 20.
Maintenance management is also significantly easier.

Here, the microcomputer 21 is based on the above-mentioned rotation operation of the knob 31a of the internal temperature setting volume 31, and the LEDs 1 to L arranged in parallel on the display 40.
The energization of the ED 4 is controlled, and the set temperature set by the inside temperature setting volume 31 is displayed. Below, the flow of FIG.
The display control of the set temperature by the microcomputer 21 will be described based on the chart. Now, assuming that the operation mode by the mode changeover switch 22 is the fresh food mode, the temperature zone set by the inside temperature setting volume 31 is −2 ° C. (strong) to + 6 ° C. (weak). When the microcomputer 21 is powered on in step S10 of FIG. 6, the inside temperature setting volume 3 is set in step S11.
The data (voltage) of the set temperature is read by the output of 1.

Next, the data read in step S12 is converted into a 4-digit binary value by the binary system, and the set temperature is controlled by controlling the light emission of the four LEDs 1 to 4 of the display 40 in step S13. Display as a binary value. That is, when the internal temperature set by the rotation of the internal temperature setting volume 31 is −2 ° C. (strong), the binary value is 0000, and in this case, all the LEDs 1 to 4 are turned off as shown in FIG. .

Then, when the inside temperature setting volume 31 is rotated to set the set temperature to, for example, -1 ° C., the binary value becomes 0001. In this case, as shown in FIG.
Only light up. Furthermore, the inside temperature setting volume 31
When the set temperature is set to 0 ° C. by rotating, the binary value becomes 0010, and in this case, only the LED 2 is turned on as shown in FIG. Further, as the set temperature is increased from medium to weak, the binary value is changed to 0011, 0100 ..., By this, only LED1 and LED2 are lit, only LED3 is lit ... Change the state and go. And finally set temperature is + 6 ℃
Then, the binary value becomes 1000, and in this case, only the LED 4 is turned on as shown in FIG.

Here, when the operation mode of the low temperature showcase 1 is changed to the daily delivery mode by the mode changeover switch 22, the binary value becomes 0000 at the set temperature + 3 ° C., and all the LEDs 1 to 4 are set as shown in FIG. While turning off the light, the binary value becomes 0001 at the set temperature + 4 ° C., and only the LED 1 is turned on as shown in FIG.
Similarly, when the operation mode of the low temperature showcase 1 is changed to the sandwich mode by the mode changeover switch 22,
When the set temperature is + 12 ° C., the binary value becomes 0000, and all the LEDs 1 to 4 are turned off as shown in FIG. 4. At the set temperature + 13 ° C., the binary value becomes 0001 and only the LED1 is turned on as shown in FIG.

As described above, the control device 50 of the present invention sequentially emits the set temperature of the storage room 5 set by the inside temperature setting volume 31 from the four LEDs 1 to 4 arranged in parallel by the binary method. Display by turning off the lights. Therefore, if the light emitting state in each operation mode is explained to the user of the store in advance, or if the light emitting state is posted anywhere in the low temperature showcase 1, the inside temperature setting volume 31 is rotated and the light emitting states of the LEDs 1 to 4 are changed. While confirming the change of
It is possible to accurately and easily set the internal cold storage temperature.

In particular, since it is not necessary to use a 7-segment LED or LCD as in the conventional case, the cost is remarkably reduced, and since the LED is made to emit light in a binary system, the number of emitted light of the LED is simply changed from strong to weak. It is possible to significantly reduce the number of LEDs as compared with the case of sequentially increasing the number. In the embodiment, the four LEDs are used to display the set temperature in nine steps, but it goes without saying that the maximum number of steps is 16 steps. Further, although the display 40 is composed of four LEDs, it is possible to use more LEDs or a smaller number of LEDs. Furthermore, in the embodiment, the display device 40 is composed of LEDs, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a normal lamp or the like cannot be used. Furthermore, in the embodiment, the operation mode is switched to three kinds of modes of fresh food, daily food and sandwich, but the present invention is not limited to this, and more temperature zones or temperature zones different from the above may be included.

[0029]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the control means switches the set temperature set by the temperature setting means to a plurality of different temperature zones based on the switching operation of the mode changeover switch, and the setting is performed. Since the cooling device is controlled based on the temperature and the temperature inside the refrigerator, it is possible to realize the temperature inside the refrigerator in a plurality of different temperature zones with one (or one model) low temperature showcase. Therefore, it is possible to cool and store multiple types of products in one (or one model) low-temperature showcase at the optimum temperature for them.
It is possible to significantly reduce the manufacturing and management costs by sharing the control board and the like.

Further, since the display means is composed of a plurality of light emitting means arranged in parallel and the set temperature set by the temperature setting means is displayed by causing the light emitting means to emit light in a binary system, as in the conventional case. It is possible to significantly reduce the cost as compared with the display means using the 7-segment LED or the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an electric circuit diagram of a control device for a low temperature showcase according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view of a low temperature showcase.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a program of a microcomputer regarding switching of operation modes.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a set temperature and a light emitting state of an LED in each operation mode.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the knob for setting the internal temperature setting volume.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a program of a microcomputer relating to LED light emission control.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Low Temperature Showcase 20 Control Board 21 Microcomputer 22 Mode Changeover Switch 23 Temperature Sensor in Room 29 Solenoid Valve 31 Temperature Setting Volume 50 Controller

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A low temperature showcase in which the inside of a refrigerator is cooled by a cooling device, temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature inside the refrigerator, temperature setting means for setting a preset temperature inside the refrigerator, and the cooling device. Control means for controlling, a display means in which a plurality of light emitting means are arranged in parallel, and a mode changeover switch for switching the inside of the refrigerator to a plurality of different temperature zones, and the control means uses the binary display. By causing each of the light emitting means of the means to emit light, the set temperature set by the temperature setting means is displayed, and the set temperature set by the temperature setting means is displayed based on the switching operation of the mode changeover switch. A control device for a low-temperature showcase, wherein the cooling device is changed to a temperature zone and the cooling device is controlled based on the set temperature and the internal temperature.