Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D25/00—Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled
  • F25D25/02—Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled by shelves
  • F25D25/024—Slidable shelves
  • F25D25/025—Drawers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47B—TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
  • A47B88/00—Drawers for tables, cabinets or like furniture; Guides for drawers
  • A47B88/40—Sliding drawers; Slides or guides therefor
  • A47B88/42—Vertically-oriented drawers, i.e. drawers where the height exceeds the width
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47F—SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS
  • A47F3/00—Show cases or show cabinets
  • A47F3/04—Show cases or show cabinets air-conditioned, refrigerated
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47F—SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS
  • A47F3/00—Show cases or show cabinets
  • A47F3/06—Show cases or show cabinets with movable or removable shelves or receptacles
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D19/00—Arrangement or mounting of refrigeration units with respect to devices or objects to be refrigerated, e.g. infrared detectors
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D2500/00—Problems to be solved
  • F25D2500/02—Geometry problems

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device intended for the storage of products, in particular of drugs, the storage of which must be done at relatively low temperature.
• This invention relates, more particularly, to a cooling drawer intended for this type of product, and taking place inside a structure of a known type, called a storage column, consisting of superimposed drawers.
• a storage column consisting of superimposed drawers.
• the invention provides a device suitable for storage columns with drawers, which are furniture commonly used in pharmacies and pharmaceutical laboratories.
• the refrigerator is, in general, at a greater or lesser distance from the place of storage of other pharmaceutical products, arranged as indicated above in columns with drawers.
• the interior layout of a refrigerator is not suitable for the storage of small format boxes, the number of which can be of the order of a hundred, which leads to the piling up of the products one on the other. others, with the risk of not easily finding the product sought.
• the size of the refrigerator is also relatively large, compared to the quantity of products it contains.
• the request for French utility certificate N ° 2455256 relates to a refrigerator appliance for the preservation of pharmaceutical products, this appliance being integrated in a storage column with drawers.
• the apparatus in question takes the place of an ordinary drawer of the column, and it is used to produce cold and to distribute this cold to the other drawers of said column.
• the entire column of drawers is thus refrigerated.
• only a small proportion of pharmaceutical products requires storage at low temperature.
• This known device therefore does not appear to be adapted to concrete needs.
• the temperature inside this drawer can vary, and the device therefore does not guarantee a preservation at a temperature properly controlled bass.
• German patent application No. 2744943 describes a cabinet for drawers for pharmacy, provided with a refrigeration device. This device also ensures the distribution of cold to a set of drawers, which is unnecessary compared to current needs.
• the refrigerating device described comprises an evaporator located at the top of a column of drawers, and connected by conduits to a compressor outside the cabinet, installed for example in a cellar. It is therefore a veritable heavy and bulky refrigeration installation, and not an autonomous and compact refrigeration device.
• US Patent No. 5,619,978 relates to a cooling drawer for the storage of drugs, incorporated in a special piece of furniture.
• the drawer is provided with a thermoelectric device, certainly with Peltier effect, to ensure its cooling.
• This technical choice is not appropriate, because it makes temperature control difficult.
• the temperature is controlled by mixing cold air and warmer ambient air, by means of fans creating an air circulation, which is also necessary for avoid excessive condensation on the thermoelectric elements, especially in case of high ambient humidity.
• grilles and fans are provided on the rear of the cabinet, which thus has a specific structure.
• the drawer does not constitute a self-contained sub-assembly, which can be incorporated into a standard piece of furniture, of the sort of storage column with drawers.
• the ventilators consume a significant energy, their electric motors releasing heat which is opposed to the production of cold, and these ventilators propel air loaded with water on the packaging of the medicines placed in the drawer, this which is bad for the packaging and for the medicines themselves.
• the present invention aims to remedy all the drawbacks described above, by providing an autonomous refrigeration device, making it possible to store small quantities of pharmaceutical products at low temperature, the device integrating fully into an existing drawer column, without modification thereof, and operating in a particularly reliable manner, while remaining simple and inexpensive.
• the invention essentially relates to a cooling drawer, intended for the storage of drugs and similar products, intended to occupy the location of an ordinary drawer in a storage column, the cooling drawer comprising, grouped in a block unique and autonomous functional, an insulated box with evaporator, designed to receive the products to be stored, and a refrigeration unit with compressor and condenser, connected to the evaporator.
• the invention provides a fully autonomous refrigerating drawer, both mechanically (this drawer replacing an ordinary drawer, which it retains the dimensional characteristics) and in terms of the production of cold.
• This drawer replacing an ordinary drawer, which it retains the dimensional characteristics
• Such a device has many advantages:
• the autonomous refrigerating drawer constitutes a device of reduced size, sufficient for the storage of products needing to be kept at low temperature, and requiring for its operation no connection to any external system (other than the supply of electrical energy) , hence an optimization from the point of view of congestion.
• This cooling drawer uses a simple and proven cold production system, namely a refrigeration unit with compressor, condenser and evaporator, which is reliable and economical, easy to maintain, and avoids condensation phenomena, thus making the presence of d 'a fan ; if provided, the fan is associated with the condenser only to reduce the surface thereof, and in no case should the furniture itself be modified or adapted to receive other fans or be ventilated by any means (this contrary to the aforementioned US patent No. 5661978).
• the device which is the subject of the invention makes it possible to store pharmaceutical products, requiring cold storage, in the middle of other products, the conservation of which does not require any particular precautions from the thermal point of view.
• This device also makes it possible to keep, for the storage of products to be kept cold, a classification method in alphabetical order or in galenical form, specific to the pharmaceutical field.
• the insulated box keeps products requiring cold storage at the ideal temperature, avoiding any unnecessary loss of cold to the other drawers of the storage column.
• the refrigerated drawer which is the subject of the present invention can be very easily adapted to a storage column already in place , and requiring no modification, substituting for an ordinary drawer, and this with great flexibility of use: possibility of choosing the position of the refrigerated drawer, deleting this refrigerated drawer for the replacement of an ordinary drawer, replacing '' other traditional drawers with refrigerated drawers (if the cold storage needs exceed the capacity of a single drawer), etc.
• the refrigerating drawer comprises the functional block with insulated box and cold production group, inserted inside an existing drawer, which then serves as a support, and performs the function of sliding.
• the functional block in question can occupy either the entire interior volume of the existing drawer, or only a fraction of the interior volume of this drawer, the latter possibility being advantageous in the case where a very small quantity of products must be kept. in the cold, while the drawers are relatively large.
• the cooling drawer includes not only the functional block with insulated box and cooling unit, but also a frame with sliding system, and it thus constitutes a complete drawer which replaces an ordinary drawer.
• the insulated box of the cooling drawer is internally divided into several compartments, by internal partitions which are preferably modular.
• the upper part of the insulated box is closed by a plurality of thermally insulating hatches, giving access to the various compartments of said insulated box.
• These provisions further facilitate the storage of products, and above all they limit the thermal variations undergone by the products when the refrigerating drawer is opened.
• the cooling drawer, object of the invention can in particular be presented as a drawer of relatively low height, fitting into a storage column provided with a multiplicity of drawers of low height, which corresponds to a usual structure of column of drawers.
• the refrigerated drawer is presented as a drawer of relatively great height, equal to a multiple of the height of an ordinary drawer a storage column; in this case, access to the interior of the drawer, therefore to products kept cold, can be done laterally, in particular by side doors, themselves made accessible when the drawer is extended.
• the present invention also relates, as such, to an autonomous functional block for a cooling drawer as defined above, this functional block comprising an isothermal box with evaporator, and a refrigeration unit with compressor and condenser, connected to the evaporator. .
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a storage column, equipped with a cooling drawer according to the present invention, according to a first embodiment
• FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of this cooling drawer, along 11-11 of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a plan view from above, without the closing flaps and with parts broken away, of the cooling drawer of Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 4 is a perspective view of another storage column, equipped with two cooling drawers according to the present invention, but constituting embodiments different from the previous one;
• Figure 5 is a side view, partially in section, of one of the refrigerator drawers of Figure 4;
• Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the cooling drawer of Figure 5.
• FIG. 1 represents a storage column with drawers for pharmacy, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, which in this example comprises three vertical series of drawers 2, each of relatively small height h.
• One of the ordinary drawers 2 is replaced by a cooling drawer 3, with the same external dimensions (length, width and height), the cooling drawer 3 therefore also having, in particular, a low height h.
• Figures 2 and 3 show, in more detail, the structure of the cooling drawer 3.
• This drawer 3 has a frame, provided with lateral slides 4, the frame and the slides not being modified with respect to those of a drawer 2 ordinary.
• the cooling drawer 3 also includes a front panel 5, the structure and appearance of which are identical to the front panels of the other drawers 2.
• insulated box 6 comprising a horizontal bottom 7, longitudinal vertical walls 8, a front vertical wall 9 and a rear vertical wall 10, of thermally insulating material, of thickness sufficient.
• the interior of the insulated box 6 is divided into several compartments 1 1 by internal partitions 12, preferably modular.
• the upper part of the insulated box 6 is closed by a plurality of hatches 13 made of thermally insulating material; the opening of the hatches 13, made possible when the cooling drawer 3 is extended (see FIG. 1), gives access to the various internal compartments 11 of the insulated box 6.
• the cooling drawer 3 also comprises, behind the insulated box 6, a cold production group 14 itself composed of a compressor 15 of small volume, a ventilated or non-ventilated condenser 16, and an electric relay 17.
• the refrigeration unit 14 is connected, by conduits 18 carrying the refrigerant, to a flat evaporator 19 arranged horizontally, on the bottom 7 of the insulated box 6.
• the evaporator 19 is covered by a protective plate 20 , also constituting the bottom of compartments 1 1.
• the refrigeration unit 14 being connected to an appropriate source of electrical energy, by connections compatible with the sliding of the drawer, there is obtained in all a refrigerating drawer 3 of autonomous character, replacing an ordinary drawer 2 and designed for receive, and keep cold, pharmaceutical products that need to be stored at low temperatures.
• the refrigerated drawer 3 can also be fitted with a regulation thermostat, guaranteeing an adequate temperature inside the insulated box 6, as well as an operating and / or indicator light. a temperature indicator placed on its front panel 5, these accessories not being shown in the drawing.
• FIG. 4 shows another storage column 1 ′, comprising ordinary drawers 2 and two refrigerating drawers 3 and 3 ′.
• the functional block comprising the insulating box 6 and the cold production group, occupies only a fraction of the total internal volume of the drawer 3.
• this block functional occupies only a fraction (about two thirds) of the total width of the drawer 3, and the rest of the interior volume of this drawer 3 constitutes a storage space for products which do not need to be kept cold.
• the other refrigerating drawer 3 ′ visible in FIG. 4, and also shown in more detail in FIGS. 5 and 6, is of a configuration quite different from those previously described.
• this refrigerating drawer 3 ' has a relatively large height H, equal to a multiple of the height h of an ordinary drawer 2 of the storage column 1', the width of the refrigerating drawer 3 'being however less than that d '' an ordinary drawer 2 (for example equal to half the width of a drawer 2).
• the refrigerating drawer 3 ′ also has an insulated box 6, here of great height, behind which is placed the cold production group 14 composed of a compressor 15, a condenser 1 6 and an electrical relay 17, connected by conduits 18 with a flat evaporator 19 placed at the base of the insulated box 6, under a protective plate 20.
• the cold production group 14 composed of a compressor 15, a condenser 1 6 and an electrical relay 17, connected by conduits 18 with a flat evaporator 19 placed at the base of the insulated box 6, under a protective plate 20.
• a plurality of storage shelves 21 are placed inside the insulated box 6.
• One of the side faces of the cooling drawer 3 ' is provided with several side doors 22, preferably transparent, which become accessible when the drawer 3' is out, and which then themselves give access to the pharmaceutical products placed inside the insulated box 6, on the shelves 21.
• the external dimensions of the cooling drawer, as well as its interior arrangement, can be modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
• Medical Preparation Storing Or Oral Administration Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9525860

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (14)

Family Cites Families (9)

• 1998
  • 1998-04-24 FR FR9805437A patent/FR2777985B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1999
  • 1999-04-14 BR BR9909843-1A patent/BR9909843A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-04-14 AU AU31543/99A patent/AU3154399A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-04-14 CN CN99806315A patent/CN1301337A/zh active Pending
  • 1999-04-14 PL PL99343723A patent/PL343723A1/xx unknown
  • 1999-04-14 WO PCT/FR1999/000879 patent/WO1999056071A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-04-14 CA CA002329628A patent/CA2329628A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-04-14 EP EP99913412A patent/EP1073871A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-04-14 TR TR2000/03109T patent/TR200003109T2/xx unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events