Abstract:
A showcase designed to simultaneously store commodities to be cooled at different temperatures has a showcase body having an opening at least in its front, a commodity storage section provided in the showcase body, a first air passage having an air inlet at a lower end of the opening, a blower for causing air to flow from the air inlet into the first air passage, a cooler for cooling the air flowing into the first air passage, a plurality of second air passages formed so as to branch off from the first air passage and extend toward the opening, each second air passage having an air outlet at its end, and a flow rate adjustment mechanism for adjusting the flow rates of air flowing from the first air passage into at least one of the second air passages, whereby the flow rates of air flowing into the second air passages are respectively adjusted to different values.

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 the Related Art  
         [0004]     A conventional showcase of this kind is known which has a showcase body having an opening at least in its front, a commodity storage section provided in the showcase body, a first air passage having an air inlet at a lower end of the opening, a blower for causing air to flow from the air inlet into the first air passage, a cooler for cooling the air flowing into the first air passage, and a plurality of second air passages formed so as to branch off from the first air passage and extend toward the opening, each second air passage having an air outlet at its end.  
         [0005]     In the conventional showcase, each of the flow rates of air flowing from the first air passage to the second air passages cannot be changed. Therefore, different cooling temperatures cannot be set for different portions of the commodity storage section by adjustment of the amounts of air let out through the air outlets of the second air passages. For example, in a case where commodities such as chilled food and a packed lunch to be cooled at different temperatures are sold, showcases having different cooling temperatures are required. It is, therefore, difficult to sell a various kinds of commodity in a store of a small sale room area.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     An object of the present invention is to provide a showcase capable of simultaneously storing commodities to be cooled at different temperatures.  
         [0007]     To achieve the above-described object, according to the present invention, there is provided a showcase including a showcase body having an opening at least in its front, a commodity storage section provided in the showcase body, a first air passage having an air inlet at a lower end of the opening, a blower for causing air to flow from the air inlet into the first air passage, a cooler for cooling the air flowing into the first air passage, a plurality of second air passages formed so as to branch off from the first air passage and extend toward the opening, each second air passage having an air outlet at its end, and a flow rate adjustment mechanism for adjusting the flow rates of air flowing from the first air passage into at least one of the second air passages.  
         [0008]     This arrangement enables the flow rates of air flowing into the second air passages to be respectively adjusted to different values and thereby enables setting of different cooling temperatures for different portions of the commodity storage section, so that commodities such as chilled food and a packed lunch to be cooled at different temperatures can be simultaneously stored in the commodity storage section.  
         [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 perspective view of an essential portion of the showcase, showing the operation of a damper;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is another perspective view of the essential portion of the showcase, showing the operation of the damper;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another example the essential portion of the showcase; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is another perspective view of the another example the essential portion of the showcase. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]     This showcase has a showcase body  10  having openings at its front side, rear side and left or right side, and a duct  20  formed in the showcase body  10 .  
         [0018]     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.  
         [0019]     The lower case  11  is formed by heat insulating walls  11   a  at its font, 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  11   b  placed at a distance from a bottom surface in the lower case  11  formed by the heat insulating wall  11   a . Glass plates  11   c  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  11   b  is visible in a sideway direction from the outside. A machine chamber  11   d  is provided under the lower case  11 . A pieces of refrigeration equipment such as a compressor, a condenser and a condenser blower (not shown) are housed in the machine chamber  11   d.    
         [0020]     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 font-rear direction. A commodity storage section  15  is formed between the bottom plate  11   b  and the ceiling plate  12 . A pair of upper and lower commodity shelves  15   a  are mounted in the commodity storage section  15 . Commodities are placed on upper surfaces of the bottom plate  11   b  and the commodity shelves  15   a.    
         [0021]     An air passage  20  includes a bottom-side air passage  21  formed as a first air passage between the bottom surface in the lower case  11  and the bottom plate  11   b , a side air passage  22  formed as a first air passage so as to extend upward along the side plate  13 , an upper commodity cooling air passage  23  formed as a second air passage along a lower surface of the ceiling plate  12 , a lower commodity cooling air passage  24  formed as a second air passage along a lower surface of the lower commodity shelf  15   a , and a side commodity cooling air passage  25  formed in the supporting column  14 .  
         [0022]     The bottom-side air passage  21  is partitioned into a first bottom-side air passage  21   a  formed along the heat insulating walls  11   a  at the front side, rear side and right or left side, a second bottom-side air passage  21   b  formed in a lower section except at the first bottom-side air passage  21   a , and a third bottom-side air passage  21   c  formed above the second bottom-side air passage  21   b . A cooler  26  is provided in the third bottom-side air passage  21   c  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 .  
         [0023]     The first bottom-side air passage  21   a  communicates with the commodity storage section  15  through air inlets  21   d  provided between the heat insulating walls  11   a  and the bottom plate  11   b , and also communicates with the second bottom-side air passage  21   b  through a plurality of communication holes  21   f  formed in a partition plate  21   e  between the first bottom-side air passage  21   a  and the second bottom-side air passage  21   b . The second bottom-side air passage  21   b  communicates with the first bottom-side air passage  21   a  through the communication holes  21   f  and with the third bottom-side air passage  21   c  through a communication hole  21   g  provided below the cooler blower  27 . The third bottom-side air passage  21   c  communicates with the second bottom-side air passage  21   b  through the communication hole  21   g  and with the side air passage  22  at its one side.  
         [0024]     The side air passage  22  is provided between the side plate  13  and a duct member  22   a  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 . The side air passage  22  communicates with the lower commodity cooling air passage  24  through three communication holes  22   b  provided in the duct member  22   a  at certain intervals in the widthwise direction. Of the communication holes  22   b , the communication holes  22   b  at the opposite sides in the widthwise direction are opened/closed by a damper  22   c  provided as a closing plate in the side air passage  22 .  
         [0025]     The damper  22   c  is formed of a member in the form of a plate formed into a U-shape and is supported by fixing members  22   e  such as thumbscrews through elongated holes  22   d  formed in the duct member  22   a  so as to extend vertically, the damper  22   c  being vertically movable in a range corresponding to the elongated holes  22   d . The communication holes  22   b  at the opposite sides in the widthwise direction is closed by fixing the damper  22   c  with the fixing members  22   e  positioned at the upper ends of the elongated holes  22   d  and is opened by fixing the damper  22   c  with the fixing members  22   e  positioned at the lower ends of the elongated holes  22   d.    
         [0026]     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. The upper commodity cooling air passage  23  has air outlets  23   a  at its ends at the front side, rear side and left or right side.  
         [0027]     The lower commodity cooling air passage  24  is formed so as to extend along the lower surface of the lower commodity shelf  15   a  from the left or right side to the right or left side. The lower commodity cooling air passage  24  has air outlets  24   a  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 .  
         [0028]     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  25   a  at the left or right side.  
         [0029]     In the showcase constructed as described above, air drawn from the air inlets  21   d  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  21   a  by the cooler blower  27  flows into the bottom-side air passage  21   c  via the second bottom-side air passage  21   b  and is cooled by the cooler  26 . The air cooled by the cooler  26  diverges 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  23   a . Part of the air flowing into the lower commodity cooling air passage  24  is let out through the air outlets  24   a  at the front and rear sides, while the other part of the air flows into the side commodity cooling air passage  25  to be let out through the air outlet holes  25   a  to the left or right side. The commodity storage section  15  is thereby cooled to maintain commodities placed on the commodity shelves  15   a  and the bottom plate  11   b  in a cooled state.  
         [0030]     When the damper  22   c  provided on the duct member  22   a  is at the lower position, all the three communication holes  22   b  for communication between the side air passage  22  and the lower commodity cooling air passage  24  are opened, as shown in  FIG. 4 . In this situation, the commodity storage section  15  is cooled at generally constant temperatures by air flowing through the upper commodity cooling air passage  23  and the lower commodity cooling air passage  24 .  
         [0031]     When the damper  22   c  is at the higher position, the communication holes  22   b  at the opposite sides are closed and only the central communication hole  22   b  is opened, as shown in  FIG. 5 . The flow rate of air flowing into the lower commodity cooling air passage  24  and let out through the air outlets  24   a  is thereby reduced. In this way, the temperature at which a lower portion (on the bottom plate  11   b ) of the commodity storage section  15  is cooled can be set higher than that at which an upper portion (on each commodity shelf  15   a ) of the commodity storage section  15  is cooled.  
         [0032]     Thus, in the showcase of this embodiment, the flow rate of air flowing from the side air passage  22  into the lower commodity cooling air passage  24  can be adjusted and the flow rate of air flowing into the lower commodity cooling air passage  24  and let out through the air outlets  24   a  can be reduced relative to the flow rate of air flowing into the upper commodity cooling air passage  23  and let out through the air outlets  23   a  to increase the temperature at which the lower portion of the commodity storage section  15  is cooled relative to the temperature at which the upper portion of the commodity storage section  15  is cooled, so that commodities to be cooled at different temperatures, e.g., chilled food and a packed lunch can be simultaneously stored in the commodity storage section  15 .  
         [0033]     Communication is provided between the side air passage  22  and the lower commodity cooling air passage  24  by means of the three communication holes  22   b  provided in the duct member  22   a  at intervals in the widthwise direction, and the communication holes  22   b  at the opposite sides are opened/closed by the damper  22   c  vertically movably provided on the duct member  22   a . Thus, the flow rate of air flowing from the side air passage  22  into the lower commodity cooling air passage  24  can be changed by the device having a simple construction, and the showcase can be manufactured at a limited cost.  
         [0034]     The communication holes  22   b  at the opposite sides in the widthwise direction are opened/closed by moving the damper  22   c  in the opening/closing direction. The communication holes  22   b  can be opened/closed without removing/attaching the damper  22   c . Thus, the operation for opening/closing communication holes  22   b  can be easily performed.  
         [0035]     The damper  22   c  is moved in the communication hole  22   b  opening/closing direction by means of the elongated holes  22   d  provided in the duct member  22   a  and the fixing members  22   e  connected to the damper  22   c  by being passed through the elongated holes  22   d . The communication holes  22   b  can be opened/closed by the device simple in construction. Thus, the operability of the communication hole  22   b  opening/closing operation can be improved while limiting the manufacturing cost.  
         [0036]     The embodiment has been described with respect to the arrangement in which communication is provided between the side air passage  22  and the lower commodity cooling air passage  24  by the three communication holes  22   b  provided in the duct member  22   a  at intervals in the widthwise direction, and in which the communication holes  22   b  at the opposite sides are opened/closed by the damper  22   c  vertically movably provided on the duct member  22   a . However, a different arrangement is also conceivable in which, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , communication is provided between the side air passage  22  and the lower commodity cooling air passage  24  by one communication hole  22   f  provided in the duct member  22   a  so as to extend in the widthwise direction and a portion of the communication hole  22   f  is opened/closed by the damper  22   c  vertically movably provided on the duct member  22   a . The same advantages as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained by using such an arrangement. In this case, the flow rate of air let out to flow into the commodity storage section  15  can be freely set by changing the opening ratio of the communication hole  22   f.    
         [0037]     While the embodiment has been described with respect to the arrangement in which communication is provided only between the side air passage  22  and the lower commodity cooling air passage  24  and in which the communication holes  22   b  are opened/closed by the damper  22   c , communication may be provided between the side air passage  22  and the upper commodity cooling air passage  23  by at least one communication hole as well as between the side air passage  22  and the lower commodity cooling air passage  24  and the communication hole may be opened/closed by a damper. In such a case, the flow rate of air flowing into the upper commodity cooling air passage  23  and the flow rate of air flowing into the lower commodity cooling air passage  24  can be respectively adjusted and the temperatures in the upper and lower portions of the commodity storage section  15  can be respectively set more reliably.  
         [0038]     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.