JP6375855B2 - Containment cooling system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a storage cabinet cooling system, and more specifically, a cooling device provided with a refrigerator, and a storage cabinet that is portable and whose storage space can be opened and closed by an opening / closing door, and in which a cold storage material is provided. It is related with the container cooling system provided with.

  Conventionally, what was equipped with the storage and the cooling device as a storage cooling system is known. The storage is used, for example, for transportation of fresh food and the like, and includes a storage body, a cold storage material, and a cooler.

  The container body has a rectangular heat insulating structure with an opening formed on the front surface, and can be moved by a caster disposed at the lower part. The container body is provided with a heat insulating door that opens and closes the opening. The regenerator material has, for example, a flat plate shape, and is configured by accommodating a regenerator therein. This cold storage material is disposed inside the storage body. The cooler is disposed in a state of being thermally connected to the cold storage material. This cooler is provided with a refrigerant flow path. The cooling device incorporates a refrigerator such as a compressor.

  In the storage cabinet cooling system, when the storage and the cooling device are connected in a manner in which the refrigerant can be circulated by connecting the connecting portions to each other at a predetermined joint, the refrigerant supplied from the refrigerator is used. By cooling the regenerator material by evaporating with a cooler, even if the connection state with the cooling device is subsequently released, the internal air of the container body is kept cool using the heat stored in the regenerator material (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP 2014-137158 A

  By the way, after connecting the storage and the cooling device to cool the regenerator material, in order to suppress a decrease in the cooling capacity of the cooling device, the circulating refrigerant is collected by the cooling device and then the storage and the cooling device. Need to be separated.

  However, in the above-described storage cabinet cooling system, since the storage cabinet and the cooling device are simply connected by connecting the connecting portions to each other, before the refrigerant circulated to cool the cool storage material is collected by the cooling device. It was also possible to separate the storage and the cooling device. This is not preferable because the refrigerant is not sufficiently collected by the cooling device, resulting in a decrease in the cooling capacity of the cooling device.

  An object of this invention is to provide the storage container cooling system which can make a cooling device collect | recover the refrigerant | coolant used for cooling a cool storage material reliably in view of the said situation.

  In order to achieve the above object, a storage case cooling system according to the present invention includes a cooling device provided with a refrigerator, a portable storage space that can be opened and closed by an opening / closing door, and a storage material provided with a cold storage material. And cooling the regenerator material with the refrigerant supplied from the refrigerator when the cooling device and the storage are connected by connecting the connecting portions to each other at a predetermined joint portion, A storage case cooling system in which the storage space is kept cold by the cold storage material even after the cooling device and the storage case are detached, and is provided in the joint portion so as to be opened and closed, and the joint portion is closed. A cover body that covers the connecting portion when it is formed, and that exposes the connecting portion when the joint portion is opened, and a lock mechanism that maintains a state in which the door body closes the joint portion; The cooling device and the storage are connected In the case where the refrigerator is driven in a state where the door body closes the joint portion, control means is provided for maintaining the state in which the door body closes the joint portion by the lock mechanism. Features.

  Further, the present invention provides the above-described storage container cooling system, wherein the control unit releases the state where the door by the lock mechanism closes the joint when the drive of the refrigerator is stopped. Features.

  Moreover, this invention is the said storage cabinet cooling system, The said junction part is provided in the side part of the housing | casing of the said storage.

  According to the present invention, when the control unit drives the refrigerator in a state where the cooling device and the storage are connected and the door body closes the joint portion, the door body causes the joint portion to be moved by the lock mechanism. Since the closed state is maintained, there is no possibility that the storage and the cooling device are separated not only when the regenerator material is cooled but also when the refrigerant remaining in the storage is collected by the cooling device. Therefore, there is an effect that the refrigerant used for cooling the regenerator material can be reliably collected by the cooling device.

FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing a storage case cooling system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a circuit configuration of the storage case cooling system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view schematically showing a joint portion. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the locking mechanism. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the locking mechanism. FIG. 6 is a block diagram schematically showing a control system of the storage case cooling system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the contents of processing performed by the cooling control unit.

  Exemplary embodiments of a container cooling system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 and 2 schematically show a storage case cooling system according to an embodiment of the present invention, respectively. FIG. 1 is a front view showing the case viewed from the front, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows a structure. The storage case cooling system illustrated here includes the storage case 1 and a cooling device 40.

  The container 1 is for holding the product accommodated in a state cooled to a desired temperature, and includes a main body cabinet 10 and a front door (open / close door) 20.

  The main body cabinet 10 is a rectangular parallelepiped heat insulating housing having an opening (hereinafter also referred to as a front opening) formed in a front surface, and a storage chamber 17 serving as a storage space is formed therein. In addition, a caster 16 is disposed at the lower part of the main body cabinet 10, whereby the main body cabinet 10 is movable (portable).

  The front door 20 is large enough to cover the front opening of the main body cabinet 10. The front door 20 has a left edge attached to the main body cabinet 10 via a hinge mechanism 21 and opens and closes the storage chamber 17 by opening and closing. Moreover, the front door 20 has a heat insulation structure by arrange | positioning a heat insulating material inside. In addition, the code | symbol 22 in FIG. 1 is a lock lever.

  The container 1 having such a configuration includes a cooler 11, a regenerator material 12, and an expansion mechanism 25 in addition to the above configuration. The cooler 11 is formed to extend in such a manner that a refrigerant pipe for allowing the refrigerant to pass through meanders, and has a flat plate shape as a whole. The cold storage material 12 is configured by sealing a known cold storage agent such as water and a gelling agent in a case made of resin such as polyethylene, and is formed in a flat plate shape. The regenerator material 12 is thermally connected to the cooler 11 and is in close contact with the back side of the inner wall surface that forms the storage chamber 17. The regenerator material may be disposed inside the storage chamber, or may be disposed inside each wall portion of the main body cabinet so as to be disposed on the back side of the inner wall surface as described above. Also good.

  The expansion mechanism 25 is composed of, for example, a temperature expansion valve, an electronic expansion valve, or the like, and adiabatically expands the refrigerant supplied through the refrigerant pipe 2a connected to the inlet side to form a low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant. . An introduction coupler 3a, which is a connecting portion, is connected to the end of the refrigerant pipe 2a. The refrigerant pipe 2 b connected to the outlet side of the expansion mechanism 25 is connected to the inlet side of the cooler 11. A lead-out coupler 3b which is a connecting portion is connected to an end portion of the refrigerant pipe 2c connected to the outlet side of the cooler 11.

  The cooling device 40 includes a box-shaped device main body 40a. A caster 40b is provided in the lower part of the apparatus main body 40a, and the apparatus main body 40a is movable.

  Inside the apparatus main body 40a, a compressor 41 and a radiator 42 constituting a refrigerator are arranged. The compressor 41 sucks and compresses the refrigerant through the refrigerant pipe 2d connected to the inlet side, thereby converting the refrigerant into a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant. A suction coupler 3c as a connecting portion is connected to an end portion of the refrigerant pipe 2d connected to the inlet side of the compressor 41, and an accumulator 43 is disposed in the middle thereof. The accumulator 43 is gas-liquid separation means for storing the liquid-phase refrigerant and allowing the gas-phase refrigerant to pass therethrough when the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant pipe 2d is a gas-liquid mixed refrigerant.

  The radiator 42 has an inlet side connected to the outlet side of the compressor 41 through the refrigerant pipe 2e, and introduces the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 41 to exchange heat with ambient air to dissipate heat. The heat radiator 42 sends out the radiated refrigerant through the refrigerant pipe 2 f connected to the outlet side of the heat radiator 42. The refrigerant pipe 2f connected to the outlet side of the radiator 42 is provided with an outlet valve 44 in the middle thereof, and a supply coupler 3d as a connecting portion is connected to an end thereof. The outlet valve 44 is a valve body that opens and closes according to a command given from a cooling control unit 50 to be described later. When the outlet valve 44 is opened, the outlet valve 44 allows the refrigerant to pass through the refrigerant pipe 2f, while closing the valve. Regulates the passage of the refrigerant through the refrigerant pipe 2f.

  The container 1 and the cooling device 40 having such a configuration are configured such that the introduction coupler 3a and the supply coupler 3d are connected, and the lead-out coupler 3b and the suction coupler 3c are connected, whereby a refrigerant circuit in which the refrigerant circulates is provided. To form.

  Here, the connection between the introduction coupler 3a and the supply coupler 3d and the connection between the lead-out coupler 3b and the suction coupler 3c are performed at a joint 30 provided on the side of the main body cabinet 10, as shown in FIG. It has been broken. Around the joint portion 30, a door body 31, a door switch 35, and a lock mechanism 36 are provided.

  The door body 31 is provided on a door support member 32 disposed on the side of the main body cabinet 10 so as to be opened and closed via a hinge mechanism 33. A locking piece 34 is provided at the open / close end of the door body 31. The door body 31 closes the joint portion 30 by covering the joint portion 30 when the door body 31 is closed, and opens the joint portion 30 when the door body 31 is opened. Is exposed, that is, the connection state of each coupler 3a and the like is exposed.

  The door switch 35 has a contact that protrudes toward the outside, and is disposed at a position that is in contact with the open / close end of the door body 31 that is closed. The door switch 35 outputs an ON signal when the contact is not pressed, and outputs an OFF signal when the contact is pressed. That is, the door switch 35 detects the opening and closing of the joint portion 30 by the door body 31.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lock mechanism 36 includes a solenoid 36 a and a hook member 36 c. The solenoid 36 a is supported on the side portion of the main body cabinet 10 via a solenoid support member 37. The solenoid 36a is energized and de-energized according to a command given from the cooling controller 50. When energized, the solenoid 36a sucks the plunger 36b and points the plunger 36b upward. It is to be displaced.

  As for the hook member 36, the base end part is arrange | positioned at the front-end | tip of the plunger 36b via the base end support shaft 35e. The hook member 36 is provided at its front end with a locking portion 36c1 projecting downward. The hook member 36 is supported by a solenoid support member 37 via a central support shaft 36f at the center portion thereof. Yes. The hook member 36 is rotatable around the central axis of the central support shaft 36f.

  In such a locking mechanism 36, as shown in FIG. 4, when the solenoid 36a is in a non-energized state, the plunger 36b has a proximal end support shaft 35e and a central support shaft 36f which are urged by the biasing force of the spring member 36d. Are arranged at a reference position located on the same plane. In this case, the hook member 36 has a posture extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the extending direction of the plunger 36b.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the solenoid 36a is energized, the plunger 36b is displaced upward against the urging force of the spring member 36d. As a result, the base end support shaft 35e is positioned above the center support shaft 36f, so that the hook member 36 has a posture in which the tip is rotated downward. When the door member 31 closes the joint portion 30 when the hook member 36 is rotated downward as described above, the hook member 36 is formed on the locking piece 34 of the door body 31 to be locked. It is possible to restrict the locking portion 36c1 from entering the door body 31 and opening the door body 31.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram schematically showing a control system of the storage case cooling system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the storage case cooling system includes a cooling control unit 50. The cooling control unit 50 is mounted on the cooling device 40, and when the cooling device 40 is connected to the storage 1 to form a refrigerant circuit, the cooling control unit 50 is arranged in the storage 1 via a communication line different from this. It is electrically connected to the provided door switch 35 and solenoid 36a.

  The cooling control unit 50 comprehensively controls the operation of each unit of the storage 1 and the cooling device 40 in accordance with programs and data stored in the memory 55, and includes an input processing unit 51, a valve drive processing unit 52, and a compression unit. A machine drive processing unit 53 and a solenoid energization processing unit 54 are provided.

  The input processing unit 51 performs input processing on signals given from the input means 60 provided in the door switch 35 or the cooling device 40. Here, the input means 60 is provided on a predetermined operation surface of the cooling device 40, and is used by an operator to perform various operation inputs.

  The valve drive processing unit 52 gives a command to the outlet valve 44 to open and close it. The compressor drive processing unit 53 gives a command to the compressor 41 to drive or stop driving. The solenoid energization processing unit 54 makes the solenoid 36a energized or not energized.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the contents of processing performed by the cooling control unit 50. The operation of the storage case cooling system will be described while explaining the processing content of FIG.

  As a premise, the container 1 and the cooling device 40 are connected to each other by connecting the introduction coupler 3a and the supply coupler 3d, and connecting the outlet coupler 3b and the suction coupler 3c. It is assumed that the door body 31 is closed. In this case, in the door switch 35, the contact is pressed by the door body 31, and an off signal is output.

  When the cooling control unit 50 inputs an off signal from the door switch 35 through the input processing unit 51 and a cooling command is given through the input means 60 (step S101: Yes, step S102: Yes), the valve drive processing unit 52 The outlet valve 44 is opened through (step S103). The cooling control unit 50 that has opened the outlet valve 44 in this manner drives the compressor 41 through the compressor drive processing unit 53 and energizes the solenoid 36a through the solenoid energization processing unit 54 to set a preset cooling time. (Step S104, Step S105, Step S106: No).

  The cooling operation is performed by driving the compressor 41 in step S104. That is, the refrigerant (high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant) compressed by the compressor 41 reaches the radiator 42 through the refrigerant pipe 2e, and is condensed and dissipated by exchanging heat with ambient air in the radiator 42. The refrigerant radiated by the radiator 42 passes through the refrigerant pipes 2f and 2a, reaches the expansion mechanism 25, and is adiabatically expanded by the expansion mechanism 25.

  The refrigerant adiabatically expanded by the expansion mechanism 25 passes through the refrigerant pipe of the cooler 11 after passing through the refrigerant pipe 2b. The refrigerant passing through the cooler 11 cools the cold storage material 12 by evaporating through heat exchange with the cold storage material 12 that is thermally connected. The refrigerant that has passed through the cooler 11 passes through the refrigerant pipes 2c and 2d, is gas-liquid separated by the accumulator 43, is sucked into the compressor 41, is compressed again, and circulates through the refrigerant circuit. By circulating through the refrigerant circuit in this way, the regenerator material 12 is cooled and gradually frozen.

  Further, by energizing the solenoid 36a in step S105, as shown in FIG. 5, when the plunger 36b is sucked, the hook member 36 has a posture in which the tip is rotated downward. The locking portion 36c1 enters the locking hole 34a, and the door body 31 maintains a state where the joint portion 30 is closed.

  Thereafter, when the cooling time has elapsed (step S106: Yes), the cooling control unit 50 closes the outlet valve 44 through the valve drive processing unit 52 and waits for elapse of a preset refrigerant recovery time (step S107). , Step S108: No).

  Even if the outlet valve 44 is closed as in the above step S107, the compressor 41 keeps driving, so that the refrigerant remaining inside the storage 1 can be sucked by the compressor 41 and circulated. The refrigerant can be recovered.

  When the refrigerant recovery time has elapsed (step S108: Yes), the cooling control unit 50 stops driving the compressor 41 through the compressor drive processing unit 53 and sets the solenoid 36a in the non-energized state through the solenoid energization processing unit 54. (Step S109, Step S110), and then the current process is terminated.

  According to this, since the solenoid 36a is in a non-energized state, the locking portion 36c1 can be detached from the locking hole 34a by moving the hook member 36 in a posture in which the tip is turned upward, and the door The body 31 is allowed to move open. Therefore, when the door body 31 is moved open by the operator, the connected state of the couplers 3a and the like in the joint portion 30 can be released, and the container 1 can be separated from the cooling device 40.

  According to the container cooling system having the above configuration, the cooling control unit 50 gives a cooling command in a state where the cooling device 40 and the container 1 are connected and the door body 31 closes the joint 30. In this case, the compressor 41 is driven and the lock mechanism 36 maintains the state where the door body 31 closes the joint portion 30, so that not only the cool storage material 12 is cooled but also remains in the storage 1. Even when the refrigerant to be recovered is collected in the cooling device 40, there is no possibility that the storage 1 and the cooling device 40 are separated. Therefore, the refrigerant used to cool the regenerator material 12 can be reliably collected by the cooling device 40.

  The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made.

  In the above-described embodiment, the cooling control unit 50 mounted on the cooling device 40 controls the driving of the compressor 41, the opening / closing of the outlet valve 44, and the energization of the solenoid 36a. However, in the present invention, the control means Is not limited to the cooling control unit mounted on the cooling device, but may be mounted on the storage, or the storage and the cooling device may be configured separately.

  In the above-described embodiment, the joint portion 30 for connecting the couplers 3a and the like is provided on the side portion of the main body cabinet 10. However, in the present invention, the joint portion may be provided on the cooling device. The arrangement location is not particularly limited.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Storage container 3a Introduction coupler 3b Derivation coupler 3c Suction coupler 3d Supply coupler 10 Main body cabinet 11 Cooler 12 Cold storage material 17 Storage chamber 20 Front door (opening / closing door)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 25 Expansion mechanism 30 Junction part 31 Door body 34 Locking piece 35 Door switch 36 Lock mechanism 36a Solenoid 36c Hook member 40 Cooling device 41 Compressor 42 Radiator 44 Outlet valve 50 Cooling control part

Claims (3)

A cooling device equipped with a refrigerator;
A portable storage space that can be opened and closed by an open / close door, and a storage room provided with a cold storage material.
When connecting the cooling device and the storage by connecting the connecting portions to each other at a predetermined joint, the cool storage material is cooled by the refrigerant supplied from the refrigerator, and the cooling device and the storage A storage cooling system in which the storage space is kept cold by the cold storage material even after the storage is detached from the storage,
A door that is provided in the joint so as to be openable and closable, covers the connecting part when the joint is closed, and exposes the connecting part when the joint is opened;
A lock mechanism that maintains a state in which the door body closes the joint; and
When the refrigerator is driven in a state where the cooling device and the storage are connected and the door body closes the joint, the door closes the joint by the lock mechanism. And a control means for maintaining the state.   2. The container cooling according to claim 1, wherein when the drive of the refrigerator is stopped, the control unit releases the state where the door by the lock mechanism closes the joint. system.   3. The storage case cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the joint portion is provided on a side portion of a housing of the storage case.

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