WO2016081393A1

WO2016081393A1 - Air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet

Info

Publication number: WO2016081393A1
Application number: PCT/US2015/060965
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chaochang Zhang; Qianli Fu; Huan HU; Qiong Liu; Gongpeng LAN
Original assignee: Carrier Corporation
Priority date: 2014-11-20
Filing date: 2015-11-17
Publication date: 2016-05-26
Also published as: CN204427391U

Abstract

The present application provides an air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) and belongs to the technical field of refrigerated display. The air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) comprises a cold air auxiliary passage (26) arranged in a display rack (23) of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20), wherein an inlet (261) of the cold air auxiliary passage (26) is connected with a cold air main passage (27) and an outlet (262) of the cold air auxiliary passage (26) substantially faces to a hot spot region (19) inside the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) to complementally enhance a cold air curtain (25) corresponding to the hot spot region (19). The air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) has the advantages that the uniformity of the internal temperature is good, the energy consumption is small, the cost is low and the refrigerated preservation effect of commodities displayed in the hot spot region (19) can be guaranteed.

Description

AIR CURTAIN TYPE REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CABINET

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present utility model belongs to the technical field of refrigerated display and relates to an air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet, in particular to an air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet provided with cold air auxiliary passages.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Air curtain type refrigerated display cabinets are widely used in places such as supermarkets and can display various commodities which need to be refrigerated, so as to facilitate sales. Specifically, the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinets use cold air curtains (also cased as "cold curtains") to isolate the internal portions thereof from external relative hot air and keep the internal temperature of the cabinets to be within a certain range so as to realize the refrigerated preservation effect of the commodities displayed therein.

[0003] Usually, there are requirements on the uniformity of the internal temperature of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinets during normal working. For example, standard IS023953 directly stipulates the range of deviation of the internal temperature of the cabinets, such that the problems that the temperature of some local regions in the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinets is too high and the refrigeration effect is poor can be avoided.

[0004] However, in various practical application places, since the design irregularity of the shape of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet, the problems that the intensity of the air flow of the cold air curtain formed by the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet is not uniform and the cooling effect is not uniform are easily caused, such that a local "hot spot" region with temperature exceeding that required by the range of the deviation of the temperature occurs in the cabinet, especially at the position of a distant corner of the cold air curtain.

[0005] Therefore, a method of improving the cooling capacity of the cold air curtain on the whole is adopted in the prior art to reduce the temperature of the "hot spot" region, for example, reducing the temperature of the cold air curtain and increasing the power of cooling devices such as an evaporator. However, this method obviously has the disadvantages of great energy consumption and high cost. SUMMARY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

[0006] One purpose of the present utility model is to improve the uniformity of the internal temperature of an air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet.

[0007] Another purpose of the present utility model is to improve the refrigeration effect of the hot spot region.

[0008] In order to realize the above-mentioned purposes or other purposes, the present utility model provides an air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet, which comprises a cold air main passage for outputting a main cold air flow to an air curtain opening and substantially downwards forming a cold air curtain at the air curtain opening, wherein the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet further comprises:

a cold air auxiliary passage arranged in a display rack of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet, wherein an inlet of the cold air auxiliary passage is connected with the cold air main passage and an outlet of the cold air auxiliary passage substantially faces to the hot spot region inside the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet to complementally enhance the cold air curtain corresponding to the hot spot region.

[0009] In an air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet according to one embodiment of the present utility model, the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet comprises a plurality of layers of display racks, and the cold air auxiliary passage is arranged in the display rack closest to the hot spot region.

[0010] Specifically, the cold air auxiliary passage is configured to be formed through a cold air auxiliary pipe.

[0011] Specifically, the cold air auxiliary pipe is arranged on a bottom surface of the display rack closest to the hot spot region.

[0012] In an air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet according to another embodiment of the present utility model, a supporting plate of the display rack closest to the hot spot region is arranged to be a structure with dual plates, and the cold air auxiliary passage is formed between the dual plates.

[0013] In an air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet according to another embodiment of the present utility model, the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet is a multi-side display cabinet.

[0014] Specifically, the hot spot region is located at a corner of a bottom display region of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet.

[0015] In the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet according to any one of previous embodiments, the air curtain opening is arranged on a top plate of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet.

[0016] In the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet according to any one of previous embodiments, optionally the cold air auxiliary passage is horizontally arranged.

[0017] In the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet according to any one of previous embodiments, optionally one cold air auxiliary passage is arranged corresponding to each hot spot region.

[0018] In the present utility model, by arranging the cold air auxiliary passage corresponding to the hot spot region, the cold air curtain corresponding to the hot spot region can be enhanced, the pertinence is strong, the normal operation of the cold air curtain is not influenced on the whole, the uniformity of the internal temperature of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet is improved, the energy consumption is small, the cost is low, and the refrigerated preservation effect of commodities displayed in the hot spot region can be guaranteed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The following detailed description in combination with the drawings will make the above-mentioned and other purposes and advantages of the present utility model be more complete and clear, wherein the same or similar elements are represented by the same mark signs.

[0020] Fig. 1 is a structural schematic view of an air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet according to a conventional embodiment.

[0021] Fig. 2 is a structural schematic view of an air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet according to one embodiment of the present utility model.

[0022] Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a sectional structure and an air path of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2.

[0023] Fig. 4 is a structural schematic view of a cold air auxiliary pipe according to one embodiment of the present utility model.

[0024] Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a local structure of a position for installing the cold air auxiliary pipe in the air curtain type refrigerated cabinet in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Some of multiple possible embodiments of the present utility model will be introduced below for the purpose of providing a basic understanding to the present utility model instead of confirming key or decisive elements of the present utility model or defining the range to be protected. It is easy to understand that one skilled in the art can put forward other mutually replaceable implementation ways according to the technical solution of the present utility model without changing the substantive spirit of the present utility model. Therefore, the following specific embodiments and drawings are only exemplary descriptions to the technical solution of the present utility model and shall not be viewed as full scope of the present utility model or definitions or limitations to the technical solution of the present utility model.

[0026] In the following descriptions, parts of various embodiments which are described by using directional terms (such as "above", "below", "bottom surface" and "bottom") and similar terms refer to directions shown in the drawings or directions which can be understood by one skilled in the art. These directional terms are used for making relative descriptions and clarifications, instead of defining the orientation of any embodiment to a specific direction or orientation.

[0027] Fig. 1 is a structural schematic view of an air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet according to a conventional embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet mainly comprises a body 11, a top plate 12, a plurality of display racks 13a, 13b and 13c, and a bottom display region 14. In this embodiment, the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet 10 is a three-side display cabinet and is designed to be a substantially cuboid structure, wherein a cold air flow blown out from the top plate 12 forms a cold air curtain 15 and the cold air curtain 15 substantially encloses openings in three sides of the refrigerated display cabinet 10. The cold air curtain 15 isolates the internal portion of the cabinet from external relative hot air and keeps the internal temperature of the cabinet to be within a certain range, so as to realize the refrigeration of commodities displayed in the internal display racks 13a, 13b and 13c and the bottom display region 14.

[0028] The applicant finds that, the temperature at the distant end of the cold air curtain 15, especially in the corner region of the bottom display region 14, is higher than the temperature of other regions in the cabinet, i.e., the "hot spot" region 19 in the present application is formed (as shown in Fig. 1). This is usually a result caused by non-uniform air flow intensity of the cold air curtain 15 due to the design irregularity of the shape of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet 10 (such as corner design). For example, for hot spot region 19 in the bottom display region 14, the distance from the cold air curtain 15 corresponding to the hot spot region 19 to the air curtain opening of the top plate 12 is relatively longer, and the corresponding cold air curtain 15 forms an air curtain corner, the cold air flow is therefore easily dispersed and thereby the air flow intensity is reduced. As a result, the hot spot region 19 with temperature higher than that of other regions is formed. At the hot spot region 19, the normal temperature easily exceeds a predetermined temperature value and it is difficult to guarantee the refrigeration effect of the displayed commodities.

[0029] Fig. 2 is a structural schematic view of an air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet according to one embodiment of the present utility model. As shown in Fig. 2, in this embodiment, the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet 20 can be a three-side display cabinet and the main body structure thereof is designed to be a substantially cuboid structure. However, it shall be understood that the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet 20 is not limited to such structure type and the main body structure thereof can be specifically designed according to the space shape of the place occupied by the refrigerated display cabinet and the display demands of the commodities. For example, the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet can also be a multi-side display cabinet such as a double-side display cabinet. It shall be understood that, in the multi-side display cabinet, due to the needs of multi-side display, a corner design needs to be formed at an intersecting position of two sides, the corner also needs to be formed on the corresponding air curtain and thereby the hot spot region in the present application easily exist. The air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet 20 comprises a body 21, and the body 21 is provided with a top plate 22, a plurality of display racks 23a, 23b and 23c in a layered design and a bottom display region 24, wherein the display racks 23 are arranged below the top plate 22 and are fixed on the body 21, the distance from the display rack 23a to the top plate 22 on which the air curtain opening 221 is arranged is the shortest, and the distance from the display rack 23c to the top plate 22 on which the air curtain opening 221 is arranged is the longest. It shall be understood that the layers of the display racks 23 are not limited to three layers as described in this embodiment.

[0030] Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a sectional structure and an air path of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a structural schematic view of a cold air auxiliary pipe according to one embodiment of the present utility model and Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a local structure of a position for installing the cold air auxiliary pipe in the air curtain type refrigerated cabinet in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2. The air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet 20 according to the embodiment of the present utility model will be described below in detail in combination with Figs. 2-5.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 3, an air curtain opening 221 which is opened substantially downwards is arranged on a top plate 22. A vertical cold air main passage 27 of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet 20 is communicated with the air curtain opening 221, a cold air flow which is cooled by an evaporator 28 to a predetermined temperature passes through the cold air main passage 27 and forms a main cold air flow and is output to the air curtain opening 221 such that a cold air curtain 25 in a shape shown in Fig. 2 is formed substantially downwards, the air curtain opening 221 is arranged close to the edge position of the periphery of the top plate 22 such that the formed cold air curtain 25 can substantially enclose openings in three sides of the refrigerated display cabinet 20, and display racks 23a, 23b and 23c are also enclosed by the cold air curtain 25 to realize the refrigeration effect of the internal space of the cabinet. Specifically, the cold air main passage 27 can be formed in a vertical supporting structure for fixing display racks 23, in which the evaporator 28 and a fan 29 used for forming a cold air flow circulation loop can also be arranged.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, in this embodiment, the cold air curtain 25 may form similar hot spot region 19 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 at corners of a bottom display region 24. In order to eliminate the hot spot region 19, in this embodiment, a cold air auxiliary pipe 26 is arranged in the display rack 23c closet to the hot spot region 19, i.e., in the display rack 23c which is furthest away from the air curtain opening 221, wherein one cold air auxiliary pipe 26 is arranged corresponding to each hot spot region 19.

[0033] In connection with Figs. 2-6, each cold air auxiliary pipe 26 comprises an inlet 261 and an outlet 262, the cold air auxiliary pipe 26 is substantially horizontally fixed and disposed, the inlet 261 thereof is directly connected with the cold air main passage 27 of a rear wall portion, the outlet 262 thereof is substantially aligned to the hot spot region 19, i.e., aligned to a corner of the bottom display region, such that a small portion of the cold air flow of the cold air main passage 27 can be distributed to the cold air auxiliary pipe 26 to form an auxiliary cold air flow 251 blown to the hot spot region 19, and the auxiliary cold air flow 251 can well complementally enhance the cold air curtain 25 corresponding to the position of the hot spot region, enhance the cooling to the hot spot region 19, prevent the temperature thereof from being too high and enable the internal temperature of the cabinet to be more uniform.

[0034] Therefore, the cold air auxiliary pipe 26 is substantively a cold air auxiliary passage, and the air flow rate thereof is far smaller than that of the cold air main passage 27. The magnitude of the air flow rate of the cold air auxiliary pipe 26 can be set according to the magnitude of the deviation of the temperature of the hot spot region 19 relative to other regions in the cabinet, and the magnitude of the sectional area of the cold air auxiliary pipe 26 can also be designed according to the demand for the magnitude of the air flow rate. In one embodiment, in order to minimize the influence of the cold air auxiliary pipe on the magnitude of the main cold air flow output from the air curtain opening 221 by the cold air main passage 27, the flow rate of cold air flowing out from the cold air auxiliary pipe 26 (i.e., the flow rate of the auxiliary cold air flow 251) is less than 20-10% of the cold air flow rate of the cold air main passage 27.

[0035] In this embodiment, the cold air auxiliary pipe 26 is fixed on a bottom surface of the display rack 23c, i.e., is fixed on a reverse side of the side on which commodities are displayed, such that the overall appearance of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet 20 is not influenced. In addition, the length of the cold air auxiliary pipe 26 is designed such that the cold air auxiliary pipe 26 does not stretch out of the display rack 23c.

[0036] Continuously as shown in Fig. 3, the cold air curtain 25 and the auxiliary cold air flow 251 are sucked into the refrigerated display cabinet 20 from edge positions of the bottom display region 24, further driven by the fan 29 and cooled by the evaporator 28, so as to continuously form the cold air flow circulation loop as shown in Fig. 3.

[0037] It needs to be understood that, in the present utility model, the hot spot region refer to a region which is weakly cooled by the cold air curtain in the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet and the temperature thereof is higher than the temperature of other regions in the cabinet by a certain predetermined value, such as 3 degrees Celsius. The specific size, number and specific position of the hot spot region are not limited by the embodiment of the present utility model. For example, the number thereof can also be one or three. Under normal circumstances, the hot spot region 19 as shown in Fig. 2 is easily formed at the furthest end position of the cold air curtain where the air flow intensity is lower.

[0038] In another embodiment, the cold air auxiliary passages can be embedded in the display rack 23c; the supporting plate of the display rack 23c can be specifically designed into a structure with dual plates and the cold air auxiliary passage is formed between the dual plates (not shown); and similarly, the inlet of the cold air auxiliary passage is communicated with the cold air main passage 27 and the outlet of the cold air auxiliary passage is substantially aligned to the hot spot region 19.

[0039] In the three-side display cabinet in the embodiments as shown in Figs. 2-6, the cold air auxiliary passage is arranged in the display rack 23c corresponding to the hot spot region 19 to complementally enhance the cold air curtain 25 corresponding to the hot spot region 19, enhance the cooling effect and reduce the deviation of temperature of the hot spot region 19 relative to the temperature of other regions in the cabinet, such that the refrigerated preservation effect of commodities displayed in the hot spot region 19 can be guaranteed. For example, the corner of the bottom display region 24 of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet 20 can also obtain the substantially same refrigerated preservation effect. In addition, by using the cold air auxiliary passages, the air flow rate is relatively small, the normal operation of the cold air curtain 25 is not influenced on the whole, the pertinence is strong, the uniformity of the internal temperature of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet is improved, the energy consumption is small and the cost is low.

[0040] The above-mentioned examples mainly describe the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet of the present utility model. Although only some of embodiments of the present utility model are described, one skilled in the art shall understand that the present utility model can be implemented in many other forms without departing from the spirit and range thereof. Therefore, the described examples and embodiments shall be viewed as exemplary instead of restrictive. The present utility model may cover various modifications and replacements without departing from the spirit and range of the present utility model as defined by the attached claims.

Claims

1. An air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20), comprising a cold air main passage (27) for outputting a main cold air flow to an air curtain opening (221) and substantially downwards forming a cold air curtain (25) at the air curtain opening (221); characterized in that the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) further comprises:

A cold air auxiliary passage (26) arranged in a display rack (23) of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20), wherein an inlet (261) of the cold air auxiliary passage (26) is connected with the cold air main passage (27) and an outlet (262) of the cold air auxiliary passage substantially faces to a hot spot region (19) inside the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) to complementally enhance the cold air curtain (25) corresponding to the hot spot region (19).

2. The air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet comprises a plurality of layers of display racks (23a, 23b and 23c), and the cold air auxiliary passage (26) is arranged in the display rack (23c) closest to the hot spot region.

3. The air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) according to claim 2, characterized in that the cold air auxiliary passage (26) is configured to be formed through a cold air auxiliary pipe (26).

4. The air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) according to claim 3, characterized in that the cold air auxiliary pipe (26) is arranged on a bottom surface of the display rack (23c) closest to the hot spot region.

5. The air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) according to claim 2, characterized in that a supporting plate of the display rack (23c) closest to the hot spot region is designed into a structure with dual plates, and the cold air auxiliary passage (26) is formed between the dual plates.

6. The air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) is a multi-side display cabinet.

7. The air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that the hot spot region (19) is located at corners of a bottom display region (24) of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20).

8. The air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that the air curtain opening is designed on a top plate (22) of the air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20).

9. The air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cold air auxiliary passage (26) is horizontally arranged.

10. The air curtain type refrigerated display cabinet (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that one cold air auxiliary passage (26) is arranged corresponding to each hot spot region (19).