JPH07190601A - Temperature alarm for cold storage - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an alarm device for the temperature of a cold storage, by which an alarm can be given quickly about abnormality of the temperature inside the storage chamber due to disturbance. CONSTITUTION:An alarm device for temperature 1 comprises a sensor 3 for detecting the temperature inside a storage chamber, and a microcomputer 2 for controlling a buzzer 4 and a lamp 5 on the basis of an output of the sensor 3. The microcomputer 2 actuates the buzzer 4 and the lamp 5 when the temperature inside the storage chamber has reached a first alarm point of high temperature which is higher than the set point and if this condition of high temperature has lasted until the elapse of a specified alarm-suppressing time. When the temperature has reached a second alarm point of high temperature which is higher than the first alarm point of high temperature, the buzzer 4 and lamp 5 are actuated without awaiting the elapse of the alarm-suppressing time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a temperature alarm device which performs an alarm operation at a predetermined high temperature alarm temperature or low temperature alarm temperature based on the internal temperature of a cold storage.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a cold storage such as a showcase or a refrigerator, frozen foods are melted or frozen by freezing due to a high temperature due to a failure of a cooling device or a failure of a temperature control device. In order to eliminate the inconvenience caused by, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-32311 (F25D13).
/ 00), high temperature alarm temperature (alarm upper limit temperature) and low temperature alarm temperature (alarm lower limit temperature) above and below the set temperature.
Is provided, and when the internal temperature rises and reaches the high temperature alarm temperature, or when the internal temperature decreases and reaches the low temperature alarm temperature, a buzzer, a lamp or the like is configured to issue an alarm. ing.

Further, in order to prevent a false alarm from being generated due to a temporary rise in the internal temperature when the power is turned on or during defrosting, and a temporary decrease in the internal temperature due to the influence of ambient temperature. An alarm exclusion time is provided, and an alarm is issued only when the high temperature alarm temperature or the low temperature alarm temperature continues until the alarm exclusion time elapses.

[0004]

However, when a large amount of hot food, frozen food, or the like is put in the refrigerator, or when the door is left open and the door is left open (hereinafter, , These are collectively referred to as disturbances), the temperature inside the chamber suddenly changes, and rises to an abnormally high temperature in a short time.
Alternatively, the temperature may drop to an abnormally low temperature.

Even in the event of such an abnormality, since the alarm has been conventionally issued after waiting for the alarm exclusion time to elapse, the response is delayed and the frozen food in the refrigerator may be melted or the refrigerated food may be frozen and damaged. There was damage such as receiving.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional technical problems, and provides a temperature alarm device for a cooling storage, which can quickly give an alarm for an abnormal temperature inside the storage due to a disturbance. With the goal.

[0007]

A temperature alarm device 1 according to a first aspect of the present invention performs an alarm operation based on the internal temperature of a cold storage, and a sensor 3 for detecting the internal temperature,
Control device (microcomputer) for controlling the alarm device (buzzer 4, lamp 5) based on the output of the sensor 3
This control device (microcomputer) consists of 2 and
Reference numeral 2 drives the alarm device (buzzer 4, lamp 5) when the internal temperature reaches the first high temperature alarm temperature higher than the set temperature and the state continues until the predetermined alarm exclusion time elapses. When the second high temperature alarm temperature higher than the first high temperature alarm temperature is reached, the alarm device (buzzer 4, lamp 5) is driven without waiting for the alarm exclusion time to elapse.

Further, the temperature alarm device 1 according to the invention of claim 2
Is for performing an alarm operation based on the internal temperature of the cold storage, and a sensor 3 for detecting the internal temperature and an alarm device (buzzer 4, lamp 5) based on the output of the sensor 3.
And a control device (microcomputer) 2 for controlling the internal combustion chamber, the control device (microcomputer) 2 having reached a first low temperature alarm temperature at which the internal temperature is lower than a set temperature, and the state of which is a predetermined alarm exclusion time. If the alarm device (buzzer 4, lamp 5) is driven when the temperature of the alarm continues to elapse, and the second low temperature alarm temperature lower than the first low temperature alarm temperature is reached, wait for the alarm exclusion time to elapse. Without
The alarm device (buzzer 4, lamp 5) is driven.

Further, in the temperature alarm device 1 according to a third aspect of the present invention, in each of the above inventions, the control device (microcomputer) 2 has a second high temperature alarm temperature or a second high temperature alarm temperature when power is turned on or when defrosting is performed. Low temperature alarm It is characterized by prohibiting alarm operation by temperature.

[0010]

According to the present invention, a temperature alarm device 1 for a cooling storage is provided.
According to the above, when the internal temperature rises rapidly due to a disturbance to exceed the first high temperature alarm temperature and reaches the second high temperature alarm temperature, the control device ( The microcomputer 2 immediately drives the alarm device (buzzer 4, lamp 5), so if the temperature inside the chamber rises to an abnormally high temperature in a short time, quickly take action (temporary food is temporarily It is possible to evacuate to, to close the door, etc.). Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of damage such as melting of the frozen food stored in the refrigerator.

Further, according to the temperature alarm device 1 of the cooling storage of the invention of claim 2, the internal temperature of the cold storage sharply drops due to the disturbance, falls below the first low temperature alarm temperature, and reaches the second low temperature alarm temperature. In this case, the control device (microcomputer) 2 immediately drives the alarm device (buzzer 4, lamp 5) without waiting for the alarm exclusion time to elapse, so that the temperature inside the refrigerator is abnormally low in a short time. If it drops to
It becomes possible to take prompt action (temporarily refrigerating frozen food, closing doors, etc.). Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent damage such as freezing of the refrigerated food stored in the refrigerator.

Further, according to the temperature alarm device 1 of the cooling storage of the invention of claim 3, in addition to the above, the control device (microcomputer) 2 has a second high temperature alarm temperature when the power is turned on or when defrosting is performed. Or, since the alarm operation by the second low temperature alarm temperature is prohibited, the occurrence of false alarm in such a case can be eliminated.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an electric circuit diagram of a temperature alarm device 1 for a cooling storage according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a program of a microcomputer 2 as a control device. In FIG. 1, a temperature alarm device 1 of the present invention includes a general-purpose microcomputer 2 as a control device, a sensor 3 (for example, a thermistor sensor) that detects the internal temperature of a cold storage such as a showcase (not shown), and an alarm device. It is composed of a buzzer 4 and a lamp 5.

The output of the sensor 3 is amplified by the amplifier circuit 6, digitally converted by the A / D converter 7 and input to the microcomputer 2. The lamp 5 is connected in series with the resistor 8, and the series circuit is connected in parallel with the buzzer 4 between the power supply Vcc and the output terminal of the microcomputer 2.

The operation of the temperature alarm device 1 of the present invention having the above construction will be described below with reference to FIG. Here, the cooling storage (not shown) is, for example, a freezing showcase for freezing and storing frozen foods, and the set temperature in the storage set by the temperature control device (not shown) is, for example, −25 ° C.
Then, when the cooling storage is powered on, the microcomputer 2 starts the control operation, and first determines in step S1 whether or not the cooling storage is currently being pulled down.

A compressor (not shown) constituting the cooling device of the cooling storage is started by the temperature control device when the power is turned on to start the cooling operation and, for example, a predetermined lower limit temperature lower than the set temperature by 2 ° C. to 3 ° C. If the
The temperature controller shuts down the compressor. This period is referred to as a pull-down period, and thereafter, the compressor is operated / stopped by the temperature controller between the set temperature and the lower limit temperature.

During the pull-down, the microcomputer 2 advances from step S1 to step S6. If the pull-down is not being performed, the process proceeds to step S2, and it is determined whether or not the cooler (not shown) of the cooling device is being defrosted, and when defrosting (during defrosting and / or for a predetermined period after defrosting ends (Including), the process proceeds to step S6.

In step S6, the microcomputer 2 determines whether the inside temperature RT (read by the sensor 3) is equal to or higher than the first high temperature alarm temperature HT1 which is higher than the set temperature by 10 ° C., for example. Here, if the temperature is currently being pulled down, or if the internal compartment temperature RT is high due to the defrosting and is equal to or higher than the first high temperature alarm temperature HT1, the process proceeds to step S9 and the microcomputer 2 Counts an alarm timer having its function, and in step S10, it is determined whether the count of the alarm timer reaches a predetermined alarm exclusion time. In the case of a high temperature alarm, this alarm exclusion time is, for example, 45 minutes to 75 minutes,
In the case of the low temperature alarm, it is, for example, 20 to 40 minutes, and if it has not elapsed, the process returns to step S1.

When the inside temperature RT becomes lower than the first high temperature alarm temperature HT1 during the pulldown or during defrosting, the process proceeds to step S7, and this time, the first low temperature lower than the lower limit temperature by, for example, -2 ° C. It is determined whether the alarm temperature is LT1 or lower. If the internal temperature RT is lower than the first high temperature alarm temperature HT1 and higher than the first low temperature alarm temperature LT1, the microcomputer 2 proceeds to step S8 to clear the alarm timer.

As described above, the microcomputer 2 is pulled down, or even when the temperature temporarily rises during defrosting,
Since the alarm is not issued during the alarm exclusion time, the user will not feel uncomfortable due to a false alarm.

Next, when the cooling storage is neither pulled down nor defrosted, the microcomputer 2 proceeds to step S3 to read the internal temperature RT by the sensor 3, and at step S4, a second temperature of, for example, -5 ° C. is read. Of the high temperature alarm temperature (that is, 20 ° C. higher than the set temperature) above HT2. Here, if the inside temperature RT is lower than the second high temperature alarm temperature HT2, the microcomputer 2 proceeds to step S5, and the inside temperature RT is lower than the first low temperature alarm temperature LT1. It is determined whether or not the temperature is equal to or lower than the second low temperature alarm temperature LT2. If not, the process proceeds from step S5 to step S6, and the same control as described above is executed.

When the temperature RT in the refrigerator gradually rises due to a failure of the temperature control device or the cooling device and becomes equal to or higher than the first high temperature alarm temperature HT1, the microcomputer 2 at that stage. From step S6 to step S9, the alarm timer is similarly counted.
Then, if this state continues until the alarm exclusion time elapses, the microcomputer 2 proceeds from step S10 to step S11 to set the output terminal to a low potential, and the buzzer 4
Also, the lamp 5 is energized to issue a warning to the user. As a result, the user can recognize a high temperature abnormality in the refrigerator due to a device failure or the like, and can perform maintenance work to avoid damage to food.

Here, when a large amount of high-temperature food is put into the refrigerator, or when a disturbance occurs such as forgetting to close the door of the cold storage and leaving it open, the temperature RT of the refrigerator
Rapidly rises above the first high temperature alarm temperature HT1 and reaches the second high temperature alarm temperature HT2 in a short time.
Then, the microcomputer 2 proceeds from step S4 to step S11, sets the output terminal to a low potential and energizes the buzzer 4 and the lamp 5 as described above, and issues a warning to the user.

That is, in the microcomputer 2, the internal temperature rapidly rises due to the above-mentioned disturbance and exceeds the first high temperature alarm temperature HT1, and the second high temperature alarm temperature HT is reached in a short period of time.
When the number reaches 2, the alarm is issued immediately without waiting for the alarm exclusion time to elapse, so that it is possible to temporarily save hot food or take actions such as closing the door. . Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of damage such as melting of the frozen food stored in the refrigerator.

When the cooling storage is being pulled down or is being defrosted as described above, the microcomputer 2 proceeds from step S1 or step S2 to step S2.
Since the process proceeds to step 6, the alarm operation based on the second high temperature alarm temperature HT2 as described above is prohibited. Therefore, it becomes possible to eliminate the occurrence of false alarm due to a temporary temperature rise during pull-down or defrosting.

On the other hand, when the cooling storage is a refrigerating showcase, the set temperature in the storage set in the temperature control device is + 7 ° C., for example. And in this case the first
High temperature alarm temperature HT1 is + 15 ° C., second high temperature alarm temperature HT2 is + 20 ° C., first low temperature alarm temperature LT1
Is a lower limit of 2 ° C to 3 ° C lower than the set temperature by 2 ° C
Low, for example + 2 ° C to + 3 ° C, second low temperature alarm temperature LT2
Is, for example, a freezing temperature of -1 to -2 ° C. Similarly, when the power is turned on, the microcomputer 2 starts the control operation, and first determines in step S1 whether or not the cooling storage is currently being pulled down.

When the cooling storage is being pulled down, the microcomputer 2 similarly proceeds from step S1 to step S6. If the pull-down is not being performed, the process proceeds to step S2 to determine whether or not the cooler is being defrosted, and when defrosting (including a predetermined period after defrosting and / or after defrosting is completed). If there is also step S6
Then, the same operation as described above is executed.

When the temperature RT in the refrigerator gradually decreases due to a failure of the temperature control device or the cooling device and becomes equal to or lower than the first low temperature alarm temperature LT1, the microcomputer 2 starts from step S7. In step S9, the alarm timer is similarly counted. When this state continues until the alarm exclusion time elapses, the microcomputer 2 proceeds from step S10 to step S1.
Proceed to 1 and issue the same alarm as above. This allows the user to recognize a low temperature abnormality in the refrigerator due to equipment failure, etc.
Maintenance work can be performed to prevent food from freezing.

Here, when a large amount of frozen food is put into the storage, or when disturbance occurs such as forgetting to close the door of the cooling storage and keeping it open in an environment where the ambient temperature is abnormally low In addition, the internal temperature RT drops sharply to fall below the first low temperature alarm temperature LT1 and reaches the second low temperature alarm temperature LT2 in a short time. Then, the microcomputer 2 proceeds from step S5 to step S11 to set the output terminal to a low potential and set the buzzer 4 and the lamp 5 in the same manner as described above.
The power is turned on and the user is alerted.

That is, the microcomputer 2 rapidly drops the internal cold storage temperature due to the above-mentioned disturbance to fall below the first low temperature alarm temperature LT1, and the second low temperature alarm temperature LT in a short period of time.
When the number reaches 2, the alarm is issued immediately without waiting for the alarm exclusion time to elapse, so that it is possible to temporarily save frozen foods or take actions such as closing the door. . Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent damage such as freezing of the refrigerated food stored in the refrigerator.

The high temperature abnormality is the same as in the case of the above-mentioned refrigeration showcase, and the description thereof will be omitted. Further, when the cooling storage is being pulled down or during defrosting, the microcomputer 2 proceeds from step S1 or step S2 to step S6.
The alarm operation due to the low temperature alarm temperature LT2 is prohibited. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the occurrence of false alarm due to a temporary temperature drop during pulldown (when the outside temperature is abnormally low).

Furthermore, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to showcases, but is also effective for household or commercial refrigerators, prefabricated refrigerators, and the like.

[0033]

As described in detail above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the internal temperature of the refrigerator rapidly rises due to the disturbance to exceed the first high temperature alarm temperature and reaches the second high temperature alarm temperature. Since the control device immediately drives the alarm device without waiting for the alarm exclusion time to elapse, it is possible to promptly deal with the case where the inside temperature rises to an abnormally high temperature in a short time. It will be possible. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of damage such as melting of the frozen food stored in the refrigerator.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the internal temperature of the refrigerator suddenly drops due to the disturbance and falls below the first low temperature alarm temperature and reaches the second low temperature alarm temperature, the alarm exclusion time is reached. Since the control device immediately drives the alarm device without waiting for the elapse of the above condition, it is possible to promptly deal with the case where the internal cold storage temperature falls to an abnormally low temperature in a short time. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent damage such as freezing of the refrigerated food stored in the refrigerator.

Further, according to the invention of claim 3, in addition to the above, the control device prohibits the alarm operation by the second high temperature alarm temperature or the second low temperature alarm temperature at the time of turning on the power or defrosting. Since this is done, it is possible to eliminate the occurrence of false alarms in this case.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an electric circuit diagram of a temperature alarm device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a program of a microcomputer of the temperature alarm device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Temperature alarm device 2 Microcomputer 3 Sensor 4 Buzzer 5 Lamp

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A temperature alarm device for performing an alarm operation based on the temperature inside a cold storage, comprising a sensor for detecting the temperature inside the storage and a controller for controlling the alarm device based on the output of the sensor. The controller drives the alarm device when the internal temperature reaches a first high temperature alarm temperature higher than a set temperature and the state continues until a predetermined alarm exclusion time elapses, and A temperature alarm device for a cooling storage, wherein when the second high temperature alarm temperature higher than the first high temperature alarm temperature is reached, the alarm device is driven without waiting for the alarm exclusion time to elapse. 2. A temperature alarm device for performing an alarm operation based on the internal temperature of a cold storage, comprising a sensor for detecting the internal temperature and a control device for controlling the alarm device based on the output of the sensor. The control device drives the alarm device when the inside temperature reaches a first low temperature alarm temperature lower than a set temperature and the state continues until a predetermined alarm exclusion time elapses. A temperature alarm device for a cooling storage, wherein when the second low temperature alarm temperature lower than the first low temperature alarm temperature is reached, the alarm device is driven without waiting for the alarm exclusion time to elapse. 3. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller prohibits an alarm operation based on the second high temperature alarm temperature or the second low temperature alarm temperature when the power is turned on or when defrosting. 2. Temperature alarm device for cooling storage.