WO1992020983A1

WO1992020983A1 - Temperature regulating device, particularly for storage enclosure such as a wine cellar

Info

Publication number: WO1992020983A1
Application number: PCT/FR1992/000453
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ali Oukaci; Jean-Claude Debaye
Original assignee: Boniface, Jacques
Priority date: 1991-05-22
Filing date: 1992-05-21
Publication date: 1992-11-26
Also published as: FR2676798B1; FR2676798A1

Abstract

Temperature regulation device for a storage enclosure such as a storage cellar for wine bottles, comprising outside the enclosure (1) a central control unit (14) for operating, as required, a heat source (15) supplying calories to the housing or a cold source (16) supplying negative calories, the sources being associated with the inside of the enclosure in order to increase or reduce, with a limited response time, the temperature measured with respect to an adjustable but predetermined reference temperature, and a low voltage mains power supply circuit for the central control unit. According to the invention, the device is characterised in that it comprises, inside the enclosure at least one miniature sensor (12a, 12b) having a temperature sensitive element and providing a measurement signal, and a potentiometer providing a reference signal, said signals being compared in the central control unit in order to initiate, according to the value and the sign of the measured deviation, the operation of one or the other of the two sources.

Description

TEMPERATURE REGULATION DEVICE, PARTICULARLY FOR A WINE CELLAR

The present invention relates to a temperature regulation device, in particular for a preservation enclosure, making it possible to control and adjust this temperature as a function of a determined setpoint value, possibly variable, inside a such a closed enclosure, in particular of the kind of an insulated cabinet and more especially still of an apartment wine cellar.

The structure of such insulated mistletoe enclosures is well known for containing foodstuffs for consumption, sometimes for very long periods, in particular in the case of wine bottles, mistletoe lying in rows superimposed on shelves of the enclosure. , must be kept at generally constant temperatures, not only to ensure that the wine is kept in optimal conditions, but also to ensure that the wine in these bottles is brought to and maintained at an adequate temperature until it is consumed.

For this purpose and according to more sophisticated variants of such enclosures, these are often arranged so as to have separate and isolated compartments where the temperatures can be regulated independently of each other. others, depending on the nature of the wine bottles placed in these compartments.

However, in these isothermal enclosures, whether they are regulated to one or more set temperatures in separate zones or not, the temperature control carried out calls on electromechanical thermostats, for example of the type of bimetallic strips, placed inside the cabinet and associated with a control system acting as the case on a source of calories or on the contrary a source of frigories, external to the cabinet, according to the direction of the difference noted between the value of the set point and the instantaneous measured temperature.

D such arrangements for isothermal conservation enclosure have drawbacks, among which we can more particularly note the significant oscillation of the regulated temperature, due in particular to the relatively large mass of the thermostats used opposite the practically zero air movement. inside the enclosure. Also, depending on the value of the regulated temperature and external climatic conditions, condensation and runoff may occur on the walls of the enclosure, the instantaneous temperature of which is lower than the dew point of the atmosphere, the presence of this condensation water which may affect the proper functioning of certain equipment and in particular measurement thermostats. Finally, the electrical connection of these thermostats requires the presence in the enclosure of conductors brought to the potential of the sector, which in certain circumstances may present a risk for the user.

The present invention relates to a temperature control device which avoids these drawbacks, more particularly in the context of its application to an isothermal enclosure and in particular to an enclosure of this kind of wine cellar type, the device also having the advantage of occupying only an insignificant volume inside the enclosure, thus offering the latter a very useful space saving for housing additional bottles .

The invention therefore relates to a regulation device which is safe, easy to maintain, which allows detection of immediate failures, thereby offering a very rapid intervention possibility and which frees up practically the whole of the entire useful volume of the 'pregnant.

To this end, the device considered, comprising, outside the enclosure, a control unit for the implementation, as the case may be, of a heat source supplying calories to the enclosure or of a source of cold supplying frigories, the sources being in relation with the interior of the enclosure to increase or reduce with a limited response time the temperature measured with respect to an adjustable but predetermined set temperature, and a circuit for supplying the central unit with very low electrical voltage from the mains, and inside the enclosure, at least one sensor, comprising a temperature-sensitive element and providing a measurement signal and a potentiometer providing a setpoint signal, these signals being compared in the control unit in order to ensure, depending on the value and the direction of the difference measured, the use of one or the other of the two sources, is characterized in that the sensor temperature is miniaturized and includes in particular a thermistor, preferably in the form of an integrated circuit delivering a signal proportional to the temperature detected, and in that the control unit comprises a threshold circuit joined to an alarm so that , if this threshold is exceeded by the measured temperature, the control unit produces a command signal for this alarm, warning the user of a defect in the regulation of the enclosure.

Preferably, the setpoint signal is taken at the output of an adjustable potentiometer, making it possible to adjust the value of this setpoint.

According to a particular characteristic of the device according to the invention, the power supply to the central unit is carried out through a circuit comprising a transformer whose primary is connected to the sector and whose secondary provides a very low constant voltage, usefully filtered and regulated before power the sensor.

Advantageously, the control signal can cause an emergency telephone dialer to start up, a control lamp, of the signal lamp or light-emitting diode type serving as a witness when the security threshold is crossed, and an audible warning device.

Other characteristics of a temperature device according to the invention, in particular for an insulated conservation enclosure, in particular of the type of an apartment cellar for the storage of wine bottles, will become more apparent from the following description of the invention. '' an exemplary embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawing in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a wine cellar, provided with a regulating device according to the invention.

- Figure 2 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the control unit and temperature sensors.

- Figure 3 schematically illustrates, in front view, a connection plate for the various connections leading to or leaving the control unit. In Figure 1, the reference 1 designates an isothermal enclosure of the wine cellar type usually comprising a cabinet 2 of generally parallelepiped shape, provided in its front face with a closing door 3 hinged on one of the vertical uprights of 1 ' cabinet by means of hinges 4 allowing the door to pivot and access to the interior of the cabinet, the door being provided with a handle 5, preferably incorporating a closing lock.

The interior of the cabinet 2 comprises, in known manner, an internal coating 6 of an appropriate isothermal material, held between the external wall 7 of the cabinet and a support box 8 of the same profile. On the parallel lateral faces of the latter are provided superimposed cleats 9 for mounting in the cabinet of shelves or shelves 10, the shape of which is of little importance to the invention but which are preferably arranged so that they allow the support in the lying position of rows of bottles of wine or other liquids to be stored inside the cabinet, in particular in an atmosphere whose temperature can be suitably adjusted and regulated according to the nature of the wine contained in the bottles.

Preferably, the cabinet 2 is designed in such a way that the temperature regulation according to the invention is carried out differently in distinct zones of the enclosure, the temperature being for example higher in the upper region of the cabinet reserved for the installation of bottles of red wines whose ideal temperature of conservation is generally of the order of 8 to 10 °, this temperature being different in one or more of the lower compartments of the cupboard where bottles can be placed intended for immediate consumption, brought to 14 or 16 ^{th in the} case of red wines or on the contrary struck at 5 or 6 ° in the case of certain white wines in particular. In a manner known in itself in this type of conservation cabinet, especially for wine bottles, the temperature regulation is carried out by a set of control and command comprising sensors which measure the internal temperature in certain areas or compartments of the cabinet and which act on a source of calories of the electrical resistance type and / or a source of frigories such as a compressor refrigerator, in communication with the interior of the enclosure. However, in conventional embodiments, the sensors are constituted by electromechanical thermostats which occupy a large volume in the cabinet and which above all lead to significant oscillations of the regulated temperature, due in particular to the relatively large mass of the detector member. of these thermostats vis-à-vis virtually non-existent air movements inside such cabinets. In addition, the electrical connection of these thermostants requires the presence in the cabinet of conductors at sector potential, which may present a risk to the user.

According to the invention, there is inside the cabinet 2, in line with certain separate compartments provided therein, one and preferably several miniaturized sensors such as 12a and 12b, applied against the wall of the internal box 8 , in particular in the bottom of the cabinet 2, each of these sensors being joined by a connection 13 to a control unit 14, the details of which are set out below, this unit making it possible to energize an electrical resistance 15 or a refrigeration unit 16, housed in a compartment 17 outside the enclosure, preferably in the rear part of the cabinet 2.

The control unit 14 schematically represented in FIG. 2 with its connections 13 with the sensors 12a and 12b is also joined by a connection 18 to the sector power supply and by connections 19 and 20, respectively to the electrical heating resistance and to the rigging assembly. Finally, the central unit 14 is connected by another connection 21 to an appropriate alarm circuit 40.

The control unit 14 is housed inside a flat box 22, accessible by removing a protective cover 23, and in particular comprises a wiring board 24, partially shown in Figure 3, the studs 25 (a, b , c) and 26 (a, b, c) being respectively connected to the connection connections 13 with the sensors 12a and 12b. The pads 27 (a, b) are connected to the mains and supply, via relays 28 and 29, pads 30 and 31 respectively, themselves connected by the connections 19 and 20 to the source of calories and to the source of frigories ensuring the functioning of the enclosure. The card 24 also includes an additional relay 32, joined to studs 33 (a, b, c), themselves connected by the connection 21 to the alarm 40, comprising in particular an audible warning 34 and a warning light 35 of the like light emitting diode for example. If necessary, the alarm 40 can also be connected to an automatic telephone dialer 36, making it possible to transmit remotely to a preselected telephone number a warning signal, in the event of an anomaly in the operation of the cabinet.

The miniaturized sensors 12a and 12b (Figure 2) are preferably constituted by thin plates 37, each incorporating an integrated circuit 38, comprising a thermistor, capable of providing a signal depending on the temperature measured by the sensor in the corresponding compartment. These sensors are supplied with very low voltage through a transformer whose primary is connected to the mains and whose secondary provides the desired voltage, after having been advantageously filtered and regulated. The central unit 14 provides, from the signals from the sensors and adjustable setpoint signals produced by means of adjustment potentiometers 39, carried by the plates 37 of these sensors, a resulting signal such that, as a function of the difference measured, either open or closed one or other of the relays 28 or 29 controlling the sources of calories and frigories respectively, in the direction allowing to cancel this difference and to maintain the temperature in the compartment associated with each of the sensors considered at the corresponding setpoint.

The central unit 14 also prepares an additional setpoint signal, representing a maximum and / or minimum safety threshold beyond or below which the alarm must be activated, in particular to allow, after closing of the relay 32, to warn the user, either by the horn 34 and the indicator light 35, or by the answering machine associated with the automatic dialer 36. The alarm allows in particular to constantly monitor the power supply of the central unit as well as the difference between the measured temperature and the set value displayed by potentiometer 39, by detecting anomalies corresponding to a cut in the mains current and in the cabinet supply, when the safety threshold is exceeded, if necessary for a prolonged opening of the cabinet door, to a temperature drift resulting from a failure on the heating resistor 15 or the refrigeration unit 16, or to a neck pure or short circuit of one of the sensors.

This produces a device for regulating the temperature of a conservation enclosure, in particular a wine cellar, of very simple design and which makes it possible to group in a small box all the supply and control elements. of this enclosure, using miniaturized sensors occupying in the enclosure a very small space, the assembly being further associated with a monitoring system controlling the proper functioning of the assembly and capable of triggering an alarm in the event of anomalies.

Of course, it goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiment more specifically described above and shown in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, it embraces all its variants. In particular, it would be perfectly possible to envisage using only one sensor in the enclosure or, on the contrary, a number of these greater than two to improve regulation and to separate zones in the cabinet at different temperatures.

Claims

1 - Device for regulating the temperature of a conservation enclosure, in particular of the cellar type for storing wine bottles, comprising, outside the enclosure (1), a control unit (14) for setting works as the case of a heat source (15) providing calories to the enclosure or a cold source (16) providing frigories, the sources being in relation to the interior of the enclosure to increase or reduce with a limited response time the temperature measured with respect to an adjustable but predetermined set temperature, and a power supply circuit of the central unit with very low electric voltage from the mains, and inside the enclosure, at least one sensor (12a, 12b), comprising a temperature-sensitive element and providing a measurement signal, and a potentiometer providing a setpoint signal, these signals being compared in the control unit in order to ensure, according to the value r and the direction of the difference measured, the implementation of one or the other of the two sources, characterized in that the temperature sensor (12a, 12b) is miniaturized and in particular constituted by a thermistor, of pαéference in the form of an integrated circuit (38), mounted in a thin plate (37) applied against the internal wall of the enclosure, this circuit delivering a signal proportional to the temperature recorded, and in that the control unit ( 14) comprises a threshold circuit joined to an alarm (40) so that, if this threshold is exceeded by the measured temperature, the control unit produces a command signal for this alarm.

2 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the setpoint signal is taken at the output of an adjustable potentiometer (39), for adjusting the value of this setpoint. 3 - Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the power supply to the central (14) is effected through a circuit comprising a transformer whose primary is connected to the sector and whose secondary provides a very constant low voltage, usefully filtered and regulated.

4 - Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the control unit (14) comprises a threshold circuit joined to an alarm (40) so that, if this threshold is exceeded by the measured temperature, the control unit produces a control signal for this alarm.

5 - Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the alarm (40) activates an emergency telephone dialer (36), a control light (35) and an audible warning (34).