JPH10220946A - Thermometer for display case - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thermometer applied to a various type display case without complicated operation even with single specification. SOLUTION: The thermometer 1 comprises a temperature display unit 5, a temperature setting switch 7, a microcomputer, and a transceiver for communicating data between a controller of the case and the microcomputer. In this case, set data set by the switch 7 to the controller of the case is transmitted to the controller of the case via the transceiver. The microcomputer of the thermometer 1 receives identification data from the microcomputer of the controller, and decides a set range by the switch 7 to a range conforming to the controller of the case based on the received data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermometer which is attached to a showcase such as a low-temperature showcase and displays the temperature in a refrigerator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A low-temperature showcase conventionally installed in a supermarket or the like is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-32331.
For the same purpose as that of the prefabricated refrigerator disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1 (F25D13 / 00), a thermometer for displaying the temperature inside the refrigerator is attached. In addition, the control temperature range of the low-temperature showcase varies depending on the products displayed, such as freezing, refrigeration, and ice temperature. It was mounted on the showcase.

On the other hand, the functions of the thermometer include not only displaying the temperature in the refrigerator but also setting the temperature in the refrigerator for a low-temperature showcase. In this case, the set temperature set by the thermometer is transmitted from the microcomputer of the thermometer to the microcomputer constituting the controller of the low-temperature showcase, and the controller controls the cooling device of the low-temperature showcase at this set temperature. Was composed.

[0004]

As described above, since the controller of the low-temperature showcase is equipped with a controller corresponding to the control temperature zone of the low-temperature showcase as described above, the controller is attached with the thermometer as described above. When setting the temperature of the controller of the low-temperature showcase, it is convenient if the temperature range that can be set by the thermometer also conforms to the specifications of the controller.

For this reason, conventionally, a plurality of thermometers having specifications (having a temperature setting range) suitable for each controller are prepared in advance and selectively provided for each low-temperature showcase to be installed, or a thermometer is provided. It is designed in advance so that it can be adapted to various low-temperature showcase controllers, and a changeover switch is provided. When the switch is actually mounted, the temperature range that can be set by the changeover switch is set to the range of the low-temperature showcase controller. Since it is used after being switched to a range that conforms to the specifications, there is a problem that the cost rises and that the selection or setting work becomes complicated.

In particular, since this type of thermometer has a strong optional character, there has been a strong demand for the development of a single specification thermometer which can be used in various low-temperature showcases without complicated operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional technical problems, and has a thermometer which can be applied to various showcases without complicated work even with a single specification. To provide.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A thermometer according to the present invention is provided for exchanging data among a temperature display means, a temperature setting means, a thermometer-side control means, and a case-side control means of a showcase. Communication means, provided in the showcase, for the case-side control means of the showcase, to transmit the setting data set by the temperature setting means to the case-side control means by the communication means, The thermometer-side control means receives the identification data from the case-side control means and, based on the received identification data, determines the setting range by the temperature setting means to a range suitable for the case-side control means of the showcase. is there.

According to the present invention, the thermometer-side control means of the thermometer receives the identification data from the case-side control means and, based on the received identification data, changes the setting range of the thermometer by the temperature setting means. The thermometer automatically determines the temperature setting range according to the specification compatible with the case-side control means of the showcase to which the thermometer is attached, since the temperature is determined to be within the range suitable for the case-side control means of the showcase. .

Therefore, the thermometer of a single specification can be used for showcases of various specifications without any switching work by the user, and the cost is reduced and the convenience is remarkably improved. It will be able to do.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thermometer for a showcase, wherein the thermometer is provided with display switching means for alternatively displaying temperature data and setting data on the temperature display means. .

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above, the thermometer is provided with display switching means for alternatively displaying temperature data and setting data on the temperature display means. The setting operation can be performed by the temperature setting means while displaying on the temperature display means, and the operability is further improved.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the above-mentioned invention, the thermometer-side control means prohibits temperature setting by the temperature setting means outside the determined setting range.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above inventions, the thermometer-side control means prohibits temperature setting by the temperature setting means outside the determined setting range. Can be reliably prevented, and it is possible to prevent the occurrence of damage due to such errors.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of a thermometer 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an electric circuit diagram of the thermometer 1. In each of the drawings, a thermometer 1 is attached to a low-temperature showcase (not shown) as an option, and is used to display the temperature in the refrigerator or to set the temperature in the refrigerator. A temperature display section 5 composed of a two-digit LED of seven segments, a display changeover switch 6 as display changeover means, and a temperature setting switch 7 as temperature setting means are arranged in parallel.

A temperature sensor 4 for detecting the internal temperature of the low-temperature showcase is attached to the rear surface of the thermometer 1. Further, a general-purpose microcomputer 11 as a thermometer-side control unit and a transmission / reception circuit 12 as a communication unit are provided in the thermometer 1. The transmission / reception circuit 12 is connected to the transmission / reception circuit 13 of the controller 2 provided in the low-temperature showcase by the communication line 3.

The controller 2 is constituted by a general-purpose microcomputer 14, and has a specification adapted to a control temperature range of a low-temperature showcase to which the controller 2 is attached. That is, when the low-temperature showcase is a freezing case, the control temperature range is −35.
A controller having a specification of -10 ° C to -10 ° C, a controller having a control temperature range of -10 ° C to + 5 ° C in the case of a refrigeration case, A controller having a specification of −5 ° C. to + 20 ° C. is attached.

The microcomputers 14 of the controller 2 of each specification have different identification data, for example, "1" in the case of the frozen case specification, "2" in the case of the refrigerated case specification, and In the case of a sandwich case, for example, identification data of "3" is provided. When the power is turned on, the microcomputer 1
Reference numeral 4 denotes a transmitting / receiving circuit 13 through which the thermometer 1 is connected via the communication line 3.
To transmit the identification data.

The controller 2 is further provided with a control temperature sensor (not shown) and a temperature setting volume (not shown). By controlling the solenoid valve or the electric compressor of the cooling device based on the data, the operation is performed to maintain the internal temperature at the set temperature.

On the other hand, the microcomputer 11 of the thermometer 1 always displays the internal temperature data (temperature data) of the low-temperature showcase detected by the temperature sensor 4 in the temperature display section 5.
When the display changeover switch 6 is operated, the set temperature data (set data) described later set by the temperature setting switch 7 is displayed.

That is, the temperature setting switch 7 sets the set value (set temperature) of the internal temperature of the low-temperature showcase in the microcomputer 11, and the microcomputer 11 operates the display changeover switch 6 as described above. In the state, the set temperature data is digitally displayed on the temperature display section 5. Thus, the temperature can be easily and reliably set while watching the display on the temperature display section 5.

The microcomputer 11 of the thermometer 1 transmits the set temperature data set by the temperature setting switch 7 to the communication line 3 and the transmission / reception circuit 13 by the transmission / reception circuit 12.
Is transmitted to the microcomputer 14 of the controller 2 via the. The microcomputer 14 executes the inside temperature control as described above based on the transmitted set temperature data.

Next, the operation of determining the specifications of the thermometer 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of the microcomputer 11 in FIG. The thermometer 1 is turned on at the same time when the power is turned on.
In step 1, the identification data is read from the controller 2 on the low-temperature showcase side. Next, in step S2, it is determined whether or not the identification data is "1". If the identification data is "1", the process proceeds to step S3 to determine that the temperature setting range 1 is adopted.

This temperature setting range is the temperature setting switch 7
Is the temperature range that can be set in the above.
Is -35 ° C to -10 ° C. The temperature setting range 2 is −10 ° C. to + 5 ° C., and the temperature setting range 3 is −5 ° C.
If the temperature is outside this range, the microcomputer 11 prohibits the setting operation. That is, setting outside the above range cannot be performed by the temperature setting switch 7.

If the answer in step S2 is NO,
Proceeding to step S4, it is determined whether or not the identification data is "2". If it is "2", the process proceeds to step S5 to determine to adopt the temperature setting range 2. Further, if the answer is NO in step S4, the process proceeds to step S6, and it is determined whether or not the identification data is “3”. If the identification data is “3”, the process proceeds to step S7 to adopt the temperature setting range 3. To decide.

That is, the microcomputer 1 of the thermometer 1
1 reads the identification data from the controller 2 after the power is turned on, determines the temperature setting range within a range that matches the control temperature range of the controller 2, and prohibits the temperature setting outside the range.

As described above, the thermometer 1 automatically determines the temperature setting range to a specification compatible with the controller 2 of the low-temperature showcase to which the thermometer 1 is attached, so that the user does not need to perform any switching work. A single-specification thermometer can be adopted for low-temperature showcases of various specifications, and cost reduction and remarkable improvement in convenience can be achieved.

Further, the microcomputer 11 prohibits temperature setting by the temperature setting switch 7 outside the determined setting range, so that incorrect temperature setting and unnecessary temperature display can be reliably prevented. It becomes possible to avoid the occurrence of damage due to error.

In the embodiment, the thermometer of the present invention is applied to a low-temperature showcase. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is also effective for a warm storage showcase and the like.

[0030]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the thermometer-side control means of the thermometer receives the identification data from the case-side control means, and sets the temperature of the thermometer based on the received identification data. Since the setting range by the means is determined to be a range suitable for the case-side control means of the showcase, the thermometer automatically adjusts to a specification compatible with the case-side control means of the showcase to which it is attached. The temperature setting range is determined.

Therefore, it is possible to use the thermometer of a single specification for a showcase of various specifications without performing any switching work by the user, and to reduce the cost and remarkably improve the convenience. It will be able to do.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above, the thermometer is provided with the display switching means for alternatively displaying the temperature data and the setting data on the temperature display means. The setting operation can be performed by the temperature setting means while displaying on the temperature display means, and the operability is further improved.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above inventions, the thermometer-side control means prohibits temperature setting by the temperature setting means outside the determined setting range. Can be reliably prevented, and it is possible to prevent the occurrence of damage due to such errors.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a thermometer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an electric circuit diagram of the thermometer of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a temperature setting range determining operation of the thermometer according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Thermometer 2 Controller 4 Temperature sensor 5 Temperature display part 6 Display changeover switch 7 Temperature setting switch 11, 14 Microcomputer

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A display device comprising: a temperature display means; a temperature setting means; a thermometer-side control means; and a communication means for exchanging data with a case-side control means of a showcase. A thermometer provided for a case-side control unit of the showcase and transmitting setting data set by the temperature setting unit to the case-side control unit by the communication unit; wherein the thermometer-side control unit includes: Showcase, wherein the identification data is received from the case-side control means, and the set range by the temperature setting means is determined to be a range suitable for the case-side control means of the showcase based on the received identification data. For thermometer. 2. A thermometer for a showcase according to claim 1, wherein said thermometer includes a display switching means for selectively displaying temperature data and setting data on a temperature display means. 3. The showcase thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the thermometer-side control means prohibits temperature setting by the temperature setting means outside the determined setting range.