U.S. patent application number 11/370953 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-21 for showcase.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sanden Corporation. Invention is credited to Hirokazu Akabane, Junichi Suda.
Application Number | 20060207281 11/370953 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37008882 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060207281 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Suda; Junichi ; et
al. |
September 21, 2006 |
Showcase
Abstract
A showcase designed to retain stable cooling performance in the
case where the states of temperature as well as moisture of the air
outside a commodity storage section entering the commodity storage
section from respective openings are different has a showcase body
having openings in at least two of its front side, rear side and
left and right sides; a commodity storage section provided in the
showcase body, a bottom-side air passage having an air inlet along
a lower end of each opening; a side air passage extending upward
along one side of the commodity storage section from the
bottom-side air passage; a commodity cooling air passage formed so
as to extend from the side air passage toward the other side,
having an air outlets in each of the openings sides, a blower for
causing air to flow from each of the air inlet into the bottom-side
air passage; a cooler provided inside the bottom-side air passage
for cooling the air flowing into the bottom-side air passage; and a
air guiding section for guiding the air flowing from each of the
air inlet to the bottom-side air passage to the air inflowing side
of the cooler, whereby the air flowing from each of the air inlet
is guided to the air inflowing side of the cooler so as to cool the
commodity storage section with a cooling apparatus in a simple
structure having one cooler.
Inventors: |
Suda; Junichi; (Kiryu-shi,
JP) ; Akabane; Hirokazu; (Isesaki-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BANNER & WITCOFF
1001 G STREET N W
SUITE 1100
WASHINGTON
DC
20001
US
|
Assignee: |
Sanden Corporation
Isesaki-Shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
37008882 |
Appl. No.: |
11/370953 |
Filed: |
March 9, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/256 ;
62/246 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 3/0443
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
062/256 ;
062/246 |
International
Class: |
A47F 3/04 20060101
A47F003/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 15, 2005 |
JP |
073237/2005 |
Claims
1. A showcase comprising: a showcase body having openings in at
least two of its front side, rear side and left and right sides; a
commodity storage section provided in the showcase body; a
bottom-side air passage having an air inlet along a lower end of
each of the openings; a side air passage extending upward along one
side of the commodity storage section from the bottom-side air
passage; a commodity cooling air passage formed so as to extend
from the side air passage toward the other side, having an air
outlet in each of the openings sides; a blower for causing air to
flow from each of the air inlet into the bottom-side air passage; a
cooler provided inside the bottom-side air passage for cooling the
air flowing into the bottom-side air passage; and an air guiding
section for guiding the air flowing from each of the air inlet to
the bottom-side air passage to the air inflowing side of the
cooler.
2. The showcase according to claim 1, wherein: said air guiding
section consist of a first bottom-side air passage formed along
each of the air inlet of a bottom-side air passage, a second
bottom-side air passage provided at the bottom of bottom-side air
passage other than the first bottom-side air passage where the air
to flow through the first bottom-side air passage flows in, and a
third bottom-side air passage provided upward the second
bottom-side air passage with a cooler and a blower being disposed
thereon so the air flowing through the second bottom-side air
passage flows in.
3. The showcase according to claim 2, comprising: a rectifying
section for setting the air flowing from said each air inlet to the
bottom-side air passage at a uniform flow rate in the widthwise
direction of each of the air inlet.
4. The showcase according to claim 3, wherein: said rectifying
section consist of a partition plate for partitioning the first
bottom-side air passage and the second bottom-side air passage and
a plurality of communication holes provided in the partition plate
to bring the first bottom-side air passage and the second
bottom-side air passage into communication so that the opening
ratio in the partition plate at long distance from the blower gets
larger than the opening ratio in the partition plate at short
distance from the blower.
5. The showcase according to claim 2, comprising: a drain pan,
provided below said cooler, having a drainage receiving portion
consisting of a inclined face where drainage derived in the cooler
flows in a predetermined direction and a drainage port provided at
the lowest bottom of the drainage receiving portion.
6. The showcase according to claim 5, wherein: said drain pan has a
plurality of drainage receiving portions and drainage ports.
7. The showcase according to claim 6, wherein: said each of the
drainage receiving portions is mutually disposed in the
longitudinal direction of the drain pan.
8. The showcase according to claim 1, comprising: a flow dividing
section for making the flow rate of the air flowing out from each
of the air outlet uniform in the widthwise direction of each of the
air outlet.
9. The showcase according to claim 8, wherein: said flow dividing
section consist of a plurality of air guiding plates provided on
the top or the bottom inside the commodity cooling air passage so
as to go perpendicular to the air flowing direction and mutually
disposed at an interval in the air flowing direction, and each of
the air guiding plates is longer in size in the vertical direction
than the adjacent air guiding plate in the upstream side in the air
flowing direction.
10. The showcase according to claim 9, wherein: each of the air
guiding plates is inclined so as to direct its tip portion in the
air flowing direction.
11. The showcase according to claim 2, wherein: said cooler
consists of a tube provided with a plurality of bent portions in
order to let refrigerant flow in a direction perpendicular to the
blowing direction of the blower, a plurality of fins provided in
the tube so as to extend in the blowing direction of the blower, a
pair of side plates with each bent portion of the tube being
present through them and covering sides of the fins, and a
hermetically sealed member provided between sides of the fins end
and each of the side plates; and a part of the side of the third
bottom-side air passage is formed by each of the side plates.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a showcase installed in a
store such as a supermarket, or a convenience store.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] A conventional showcase of this kind is known which has a
showcase body having openings at its front side, rear side and left
or right side, a commodity storage section provided in the showcase
body, a bottom-side air passage formed along the bottom side of the
commodity storage section, a side air passage formed along the
other side of the commodity storage section, a commodity cooling
air passage so as to branch off from the side air passage and
extend toward the other side, and a cooler as well as a blower
provided in a bottom-side air passage so as to cool the air flowing
in from air inlets provided along the bottom of each of the
openings of the showcase body to the bottom-side air passage and
let it flow out from air outlets provided in each opening side of
the commodity cooling air passage to cool the commodity storage
section.
[0005] Since the above described showcase having openings at its
front side, rear side and left or right side, the states of
temperature as well as moisture of the air outside the commodity
storage section entering the commodity storage section may differ
depending on the respective openings. Since the bottom-side air
passage is provided with coolers brought into connection in
parallel to a refrigerant circulation at its front side and rear
side or each opening, different frost formation amount for the
coolers could result in occurrence of difference in cooling
performance. In case of defrosting operation, each cooler is
different in the frost formation amount and therefore could make
sure defrosting controls on the coolers complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a showcase
capable of retaining stable cooling performance also in the case
where the states of temperature as well as moisture of the air
outside a commodity storage section entering the commodity storage
section from the respective openings differ.
[0007] To achieve the above-described object, according to the
present invention, there is provided a showcase including a
showcase body having openings in at least two of its front side,
rear side and left and right sides, a commodity storage section
provided in the showcase body, a bottom-side air passage having an
air inlet along a lower end of each of the openings, a side air
passage extending upward along one side of the commodity storage
section from the bottom-side air passage, a commodity cooling air
passage formed so as to extending from the side air passage toward
the other side, having air outlets in each of the openings sides, a
blower for causing air to flow from each of the air inlet into the
bottom-side air passage, a cooler provided inside the bottom-side
air passage for cooling the air flowing into the bottom-side air
passage, and a air guiding section for guiding the air flowing from
each of the air inlet to the bottom-side air passage to the air
inflowing side of the cooler.
[0008] This guides the air flowing in from respective air inlets to
the air inflowing side of the cooler and therefore a cooling
apparatus in a simple structure having one cooler cools the
commodity storage section. This arrangement enables the commodity
storage section to be cooled with a cooling apparatus in a simple
structure having one cooler and thereby enables temperature control
as well as defrosting control to be implemented easily. Also in the
case where the state of temperature or moisture of the air outside
entering the commodity storage section from respective openings is
different, no difference in the frost formation amount will occur
as in case of providing a plurality of coolers, but stable cooling
performance can be retained.
[0009] The above-described and other objects, features and
advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the
following detailed description of the invention with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the whole of a showcase
which represents an embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a sectional front view of the showcase;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the showcase;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view of the showcase showing a
partition plate;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the showcase showing a drain
pan;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the essential portion of the
showcase showing a manifold;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the essential portion of a
cooler; and
[0017] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the essential portion of the
cooler.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] This showcase has a showcase body 10 having openings at its
front side, rear side and left or right side, and an air passage 20
formed in the showcase body 10.
[0019] The showcase body 10 has a lower case 11 in the form of a
box opened at its top, a ceiling plate 12 provided as a top cover,
and a side plate 13 provided as a left or right side cover.
[0020] The lower case 11 is formed by heat insulating walls 11a at
its front, rear and bottom sides and right or left side and by the
side plate 13 at the left or right side. The top opening of the
lower case 11 is covered with a bottom plate 11b placed at a
distance from a bottom surface in the lower case 11 formed by the
heat insulating wall 11a. Glass plates 11c are provided on
upper-end peripheral portions of the lower case 11 except at the
side plate 13 side so as to extend upward so that the bottom plate
11b is visible in a sideway direction from the outside. A machine
chamber lid is provided under the lower case 11. Pieces of
refrigeration equipment such as a compressor, a condenser and a
condenser blower (not shown) are housed in the machine chamber
11d.
[0021] The ceiling plate 12 is a member in the form of a plate
having a heat insulating property. The ceiling plate 12 is
supported by an upper end of the side plate 13 and a supporting
column 14 extending upward from a position closer to an end of the
lower case 11 in the widthwise direction and generally at a center
in the front-rear direction. A commodity storage section 15 is
formed between the bottom plate 11b and the ceiling plate 12. A
pair of upper and lower commodity shelves 15a are mounted in the
commodity storage section 15. Commodities are placed on upper
surfaces of the bottom plate 11b and the commodity shelves 15a.
[0022] The air passage 20 includes a bottom-side air passage 21
formed between the bottom surface in the lower case 11 and the
bottom plate 11b, a side air passage 22 formed so as to extend
upward along the side plate 13, an upper commodity cooling air
passage 23 formed as commodity cooling air passage along a lower
surface of the ceiling plate 12, a lower commodity cooling air
passage 24 formed along a lower surface of the lower commodity
shelf 15a, and a side commodity cooling air passage 25 formed in
the supporting column 14.
[0023] The bottom-side air passage 21 is partitioned into a first
bottom-side air passage 21a formed along the heat insulating walls
11a at the front side, rear side and right or left side, a second
bottom-side air passage 21b formed in a lower section except at the
first bottom-side air passage 21a, and a third bottom-side air
passage 21c formed above the second bottom-side air passage 21b. A
cooler 26 is provided in the third bottom-side air passage 21c
closer to the left or right side, and a cooler blower 27 is
provided at one side of the cooler 26 closer to the right or left
side of the showcase body 10.
[0024] The first bottom-side air passage 21a communicates with the
commodity storage section 15 through air inlets 21d provided
between the heat insulating walls 11a and the bottom plate 11b, and
also communicates with the second bottom-side air passage 21b
through a plurality of circular communication holes 21f formed in a
partition plate 21e between the first bottom-side air passage 21a
and the second. bottom-side air passage 21b. The respective
communication holes 21f are provided in series at the front side,
rear side and left or right side of the partition plate 21e as
shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, and the distance L2 between the
respective communication holes 21f is formed smaller than the
distance L1 between the respective communication holes 21f so that
one side of the partition plate 21e has larger opening ratio at its
front side and rear side than the other side. That is,the opening
ratio of the communication holes 21f in the partition plate 21e at
long distance from the cooler blower 27 is formed to be larger than
the opening ratio of the communication holes 21f in the partition
plate 21e at short distance from the cooler blower 27 so as to make
the flow rate of the air to flow in from each air inlet 21d become
uniform in the widthwise direction of each opening.
[0025] The second bottom-side air passage 21b communicates with the
first bottom-side air passage 21a through the communication holes
21f and with the third bottom-side air passage 21c through a
communication hole 21g provided below the cooler blower 27.
[0026] The third bottom-side air passage 21c communicates with the
second bottom-side air passage 21b through the communication hole
21g at its one side and with the side air passage 22 at its other
side. The cooler 26 disposed in the third bottom-side air passage
21c is a heat exchanger of a fin tube type consisting of a tube 26b
for distributing refrigerant for heat exchange in the front-rear
direction repeatedly and a plurality of fins 26a disposed in series
in the front-rear direction. The cooler 26 is covered at the front
and rear sides by a pair of side plates 26c with the bent portion
of the tube 26b integrated to the cooler 26c so as to come through
it as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. A hermetically sealed member 26d
such as a rubber packing is provided along the outer circumference
between each side plate 26c and the fin 26a disposed inside it so
as to prevent leakage of the air from the through portion 26e of
the tube 26b provided in each side plate 26c. That is, the third
bottom-side air passage 21c where the cooler 26 is located and the
first bottom-side air passage 21a are designed to be partitioned by
respective side plates 26c so that the air flowing in the third
bottom-side air passage 21c and the first bottom-side air passage
21a derived by pressure difference is discontinued by the
hermetically sealed member 26d. Under the cooler 26, a drain pan
26f for receiving drainage as a result of cooled air and defrosting
of the cooler 26 is provided. The drain pan 26f is designed to
partition the second bottom-side air passage 21b and the third
bottom-side air passage 21c up and down. The drain pan 26f is
provided with a plurality of drainage receiving portions 26g having
inclined face toward its one side and the central side in the
front-rear direction as shown in FIG. 5. At the lowest bottom of
each drainage receiving portion 26g, a drainage port 26h to let the
drainage flow to the second bottom-side air passage 21b side is
provided.
[0027] The side air passage 22 is provided between the side plate
13 and a duct member 22a formed so as to be U-shaped in section and
extending vertically, and communicates with the upper commodity
cooling air passage 23 and with the lower commodity cooling air
passage 24.
[0028] The upper commodity cooling air passage 23 is formed so as
to extend along the lower surface of the ceiling plate 12 from the
left or right side to the right or left side and has air outlets
23a at its ends at the front side, rear side and left or right
side. On the top inside the upper commodity cooling air passage 23,
a plurality of air guiding plates 28 for letting the air flow out
uniformly in the widthwise direction along each air outlet are
provided as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 6. Each air guiding plate 28
is provided so as to extend in the front-rear direction and
consists of a plurality of first air guiding plates 28a disposed in
the width direction at an interval each other and a pair of second
air guiding plates 28b adjacent to the air outlet 23a at one side.
Each first air guiding plate 28a is formed so that its bottom side
is inclined to direct to one side and the size in the vertical
direction is longer than the first air guiding plate 28a located in
the other adjacent side. Each second air guiding plate 28b is
provided so as to extend obliquely toward the front and rear ends
of the air outlets 23a respectively located in one side from the
central portion in the front-rear direction of the top commodity
cooling air passage 23.
[0029] The lower commodity cooling air passage 24 is formed so as
to extend along the lower surface of the lower commodity shelf 15a
from the left or right side to the right or left side. The lower
commodity cooling air passage 24 has air outlets 24a at its ends at
the front and rear sides. Further, an end of the lower commodity
cooling air passage 24 at the left or right side communicates with
the side commodity cooling air passage 25.
[0030] The side commodity cooling air passage 25 is formed so as to
extend vertically in the supporting column 14, and has a plurality
of air outlet holes 25a at the left or right side.
[0031] In the showcase constructed as described above, air drawn
from the air inlets 21d at the lower ends of the openings at the
front side, rear side and left or right side into the first
bottom-side air passage 21a by the cooler blower 27 flows into the
bottom-side air passage 21b via communication holes 21f opened in
the partition plate 21e. At this time, the interval of the
communication holes 21f opened in the partition 21e is formed to
make the interval of the communication holes 21f of the partition
plate 21e located in the other side at long distance from the
cooler blower 27 smaller than the interval of the communication
holes 21f of the partition plate 21e located in one side at short
distance from the cooler blower 27. Thereby, the air flows in at a
uniform flow rate in the widthwise direction of each air inlet 21d.
The air flowing into the second air passage 21b flows into the
third air passage 21c via the communication hole 21g and is cooled
by the cooler 26. The air cooled by the cooler 26 branches off and
flows from the side air passage 22 into the upper commodity cooling
air passage 23 and into the lower commodity cooling air passage 24.
The air flowing into the upper commodity cooling air passage 23
flows out through the air outlets 23a. Then, the air flowing in the
top commodity cooling air passage 23 contacts each air guiding
plate 28 and flows to one side. Thereby the air flowing out from
each air outlet 23a derives a uniform amount of air discharge in
the widthwise direction of each air outlet 23a. Part of the air
flowing into the lower commodity cooling air passage 24 is let out
through the air outlets 24a at the front and rear sides, and also
the other part of the air flowing into the lower commodity cooling
air passage 24 flows into the side commodity cooling air passage 25
to be let out through the air outlet holes 25a to the left or right
side. The commodity storage section 15 is thereby cooled to
maintain commodities placed on the commodity shelves 15a and the
bottom plate 11b in a cooled state.
[0032] The drainage such as dew condensation water, defrosting
water and the like derived in the cooler 26 will not be accumulated
between the fins 26a but will be guided by the respective drainage
receiving portions 26g of the drain pan 26f to flow from the
drainage port 26h to the second bottom-side air passage 21b.
Therefore, the cooler 26 will not decrease in heat exchange area
nor drop in cooling efficiency.
[0033] Thus, according to the showcase of the present embodiment,
the air caused to flow in from each air inlet 21d to the
bottom-side air passage 21 respectively is designed to be guided to
the air inflowing side of the cooler 26 so as to enable the
commodity storage section 15 to be cooled by a cooling apparatus in
a simple structure having one cooler 26 and enable temperature
control as well as defrosting control to be implemented easily.
Also in the case where the state of temperature or moisture of the
air outside entering the commodity storage section 15 from
respective openings is different, stable cooling performance can be
retained.
[0034] The bottom-side air passage 21 consists of the first
bottom-side air passage 21a formed along each air inlet 21d, the
second bottom-side air passage 21b formed at the bottom other than
the first bottom-side air passage 21a and the third bottom-side air
passage 21c having a cooler 26 and the cooler blower 27 being
disposed to be formed above the second bottom-side air passage 21b
so as to enable the air flowing in from each air inlet 21d to flow
through the first bottom-side air passage 21a, the second
bottom-side air passage 21b and the third bottom-side air passage
21c sequentially to let it flow to the cooler 26, and thus there is
no need to dispose the cooler 26 in the widthwise direction of each
air inlet 21d and the cooler 26 can be planned on reduction in
size.
[0035] The air is let to flow in uniformly in the widthwise
direction of each air inlet 21d so as to enable the air inside the
commodity storage section 15 to flow out from each air inlet 21d
without any bias and enable temperature inside the commodity
storage section 15 to be planed to become uniform.
[0036] The first bottom-side air passage 21a and the second
bottom-side air passage 21b are partitioned with the partition
plate 21e and the opening ratio of the communication holes 21f in
the partition plate 21e at long distance from the cooler blower 27
is designed to be larger than the opening ratio of the
communication holes 21f in the partition plate 21e at short
distance from the cooler blower 27 so as to let the air flow in
uniformly in the widthwise direction of each air inlet 21d and
thereby the air can be let flow in uniformly in the widthwise
direction of each air inlet 21d with a simple member so as to
enable reduction in manufacturing cost to be planned.
[0037] The drainage receiving portions 26g disposed beneath the
cooler 26 consisting of an inclined face of letting the drainage
derived in the cooler 26 flow in a predetermined direction, and a
drain pan 26f having a drainage port 26h disposed at the lowest
bottom of the drainage receiving portion 26g are provided so as to
enable the drainage derived in the cooler 26 to be guided to the
respective drainage receiving portions 26g of the drain pan 26f
without allowing accumulation between the fins 26a to flow from the
drainage port 26h to the second bottom-side air passage 21b, giving
rise to no decrease in heat exchange area of the heat exchanger 26
to enable prevention of the drop in cooling efficiency.
[0038] The drainage receiving portions 26g of the drain pan 26f are
provided in plurality in the drain pan 26f so as to enable the
length of the inclined face of each drainage receiving portion 26g
to be formed short and enable the size in the vertical direction of
the drain pan 26f to be small.
[0039] The drainage receiving portions 26g of the drain pan 26f are
provided in plurality in the longitudinal direction of the drain
pan 26f so as to enable the size in the vertical direction of the
drain pan 26f to be formed small also in the case where the
inclined face is provided so as to incline in the longitudinal
direction of the drain pan 26f.
[0040] The air is designed to let to flow out uniformly in the
widthwise direction of each air outlet 23a so as to enable
temperature of the commodity storage section 15 to be retained
uniformly without any bias and enable commodities in the commodity
storage section 15 to be certainly cooled.
[0041] A plurality of first guiding plates 28a are provided so as
to be provided on the top inside the top commodity cooling air
passage 23 so as to extend perpendicular in the direction of the
air flow and be mutually disposed at an interval in the direction
of the air so that the air is designed to let to flow out uniformly
in the widthwise direction of each air outlet 23a by forming each
air guiding plate 28a to have the size in the vertical direction to
get longer than the air guiding plate 28a at the mutually adjacent
upstream side, and thereby the air can be let to flow out uniformly
in the widthwise direction of each air outlet 23a with a simple
member so as to enable reduction in manufacturing costs.
[0042] Each first air guiding plate 28a is caused to get inclined
so as to direct the bottom side in the direction of the air flow so
as to enable the air to be guided to each air outlet 23a
efficiently with the first air guiding plate 28a without hampering
the flow of the air.
[0043] The cooler 26 consists of the tube 26b provided with a
plurality of bent portions in order to let refrigerant flow in the
direction perpendicular to the direction of the air flow of cooler
blower 27, a plurality of fins 26a provided in the tube so as to
extend in the direction of the air flow of the cooler blower 27, a
pair of side plates 26c covering the side of the fin 26a located in
its end with their respective bent portions of the tube 26b to come
through it, and hermetically sealed member 26d provided between the
side of the fins 26a located in its end and the side plate, and a
part of the side of the third bottom-side air passage 21c is formed
by each side plate 26c, and thereby leakage of the air from the
through portion 26e can be prevented and the air flow between the
first bottom-side air passage 21a and the third bottom-side air
passage 21c can be certainly prevented.
[0044] While the embodiment has been described with respect to the
arrangement in which the present invention is applied to the
showcase having openings at its front side, rear side and left or
right side, a showcase having openings at its frond side and rear
side or a showcase having openings a least in two faces such as a
showcase having openings at its front side and rear side can give
rise to the above described effect.
[0045] While the embodiment has been described with respect to the
arrangement in which the cooler blower 27 is provided to the
upstream side of the cooler 26, the cooler blower 27 may be
provided to the downstream side of the cooler 26. In such a case,
the air flow from the first bottom-side air passage 21a to the
third bottom-side air passage 21c is discontinued by the
hermetically sealed member 26d.
[0046] The preferred embodiment described in this specification is
not limitative but illustrative of the present invention. The scope
of the present invention is defined in the appended claims, and all
modifications within the meanings of the claims are included in the
present invention.
* * * * *