Bidirectional wind pressure detecting apparatus

Provided is a measuring apparatus capable of measuring a wind pressure, and in particular, a bidirectional wind pressure detecting apparatus having wind pressure sensors installed at an air introduction port and an air ejection port, respectively, to measure a wind pressure regardless of a direction of the air.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2011-0034066, filed Apr. 13, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a measuring apparatus capable of measuring a wind pressure, and more particularly, to a bidirectional wind pressure detecting apparatus including wind pressure sensors installed at introduction and discharge ports, through which air is introduced and discharged, to measure a wind pressure even when a direction of the wind is reversed.

2. Discussion of Related Art

In general, as is well known in the art, a freezing and refrigerating apparatus includes a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, a condensing heat exchanger and a condensing fan configured to condense a high temperature and high pressure refrigerant compressed by the compressor into a liquid refrigerant state, an expansion valve configured to expand the liquid refrigerant condensed from the condensing heat exchanger and change the refrigerant into a two-phase state of a liquid phase and a gas phase, and an evaporation heat exchanger and an evaporation fan configured to evaporate the two-phase refrigerant expanded through the expansion valve.

Here, since an exchange operation in the evaporation heat exchanger absorbs heat from the suctioned air, a temperature difference occurs between the inside and the outside of the evaporation heat exchanger.

When the temperature difference between the inside and the outside of a forced circulation evaporation heat exchanger6is above a certain level, frost formation, in which an outer wall of the evaporation heat exchanger is covered with frost, occurs.

Since such a frost layer acts not only as a heat resistor configured to prevent heat transfer between air and a refrigerant but also to increase a system resistance of the air by blocking a flow path of the air passing through the evaporation heat exchanger, an air volume introduced into the evaporation heat exchanger6is reduced to decrease an air-side heat transfer coefficient of the evaporation heat exchanger and to cause a reduction in heat transfer of the evaporation heat exchanger.

A defrosting operation may be performed to flow the refrigerant in an opposite direction of a normal operation, or a separate electric heater installed around the evaporation heat exchanger covered with frost may be operated to prevent generation of such a problem.

In the related art, a wind pressure detecting apparatus20shown inFIGS. 1 to 4is used to detect such a defrosting start point.

FIG. 1is a schematic side view showing the conventional wind pressure detecting apparatus20installed at an evaporation heat exchanger11of a freezing and refrigerating apparatus and a freezing apparatus. The wind pressure detecting apparatus20is installed at a forced circulation evaporation heat exchanger11provided with a fan12.

Here, the defrosting start point is detected by the wind pressure detecting apparatus20.

The wind pressure detecting apparatus20is installed at the evaporation heat exchanger11of the freezing and refrigerating apparatus and the freezing apparatus to detect a variation in wind pressure caused by the fan12, performing a function of activating a defrosting operation.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, the wind pressure detecting apparatus20includes a housing21, a wind pressure sensor22and an operation plate23.

That is, when frost formation of the forced circulation evaporation heat exchanger11applies a load to the fan12and air flow in the forced circulation evaporation heat exchanger11is reduced, external air is introduced into the forced circulation evaporation heat exchanger11, and at this time, the wind pressure sensor22is operated by the operation plate23.

The operation plate23is installed in the housing21and connected to the wind pressure sensor22. When external air is introduced into the housing21, the operation plate23is pushed toward the wind pressure sensor22by the air flow to operate the wind pressure sensor22.

Since the conventional wind pressure detecting apparatus is disclosed in detail in Korean Patent No. 674180, overlapping description will be omitted.

However, the conventional wind pressure detecting apparatus20can be operated only when the air introduced from the outside is in one direction.

That is, as shown inFIG. 1, only when the air is introduced from a right side to a left side of the drawing, is the operation plate23operated to activate the wind pressure sensor22.

However, as shown inFIG. 1, while the air flows from the right side to the left side of the operation plate23in the case of the forced circulation evaporation heat exchanger11, the air may flow in a reversed direction according to embodiments.

That is, as shown inFIG. 4, when the forced circulation evaporation heat exchanger11is installed in the reversed direction, the air flows in the opposite direction of the direction that can be measured by the conventional wind pressure detecting apparatus20, and thus the wind pressure cannot be measured.

Accordingly, since the conventional wind pressure detecting apparatus20cannot detect a wind pressure when the forced circulation evaporation heat exchanger11is installed in the reversed direction, an additional wind pressure detecting apparatus20must be installed to detect a wind pressure of the air flow in the reversed direction.

In addition, since the conventional wind pressure detecting apparatus20includes a heater disposed at the outside thereof, the temperature in the wind pressure detecting apparatus20cannot be easily controlled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to provide a bidirectional wind pressure detecting apparatus capable of measuring a wind pressure even when a direction of air introduced into and discharged from a housing is reversed by installing wind pressure sensors at an air introduction region and an air ejection region of the housing, and easily controlling the temperature in the wind pressure detecting apparatus using a heater installed therein.

One aspect of the present invention provides a bidirectional wind pressure detecting apparatus including wind pressure sensors SW configured to turn on/off a switch SC using an operation plate D operated by a wind pressure to measure the wind pressure, and a housing110in which the wind pressure sensors SW are installed, wherein the wind pressure sensors SW are installed at an air introduction region and an air ejection region of the housing110, respectively, so that the wind pressure can be measured regardless of a direction of the air introduced into and ejected from the housing110.

In addition, another aspect of the present invention provides a bidirectional wind pressure detecting apparatus including a wind pressure sensor SW configured to turn on/off a switch SC using an operation plate D operated by a wind pressure to measure the wind pressure, and a housing110in which the wind pressure sensor SW is installed, wherein the housing110includes a hollow housing main body111, and a first port114and a second port115formed at one side surface of the housing main body111and through which air is introduced and ejected, and the wind pressure sensor SW includes a first wind pressure sensor120and a second wind pressure sensor130installed at the first port114and the second port114, respectively, so that the wind pressure can be measured regardless of a direction of the air introduced into and ejected from the housing110.

Here, the bidirectional wind pressure detecting apparatus may further include a heater180installed in the housing110to uniformly maintain the temperature of the wind pressure sensor SW, and a heater control unit BM configured to control the heater180.

In addition, the heater control unit BM may include a heater operation control unit160configured to operate the heater180when the temperature in the housing110is within a certain range and stop an operation of the heater180when the temperature exceeds the certain range, and a heater operation cutoff unit170configured to cut a power supply to the heater180when the temperature in the housing110exceeds the certain range.

Further, the heater control unit BM may be formed of a bio-metal.

Furthermore, the bidirectional wind pressure detecting apparatus may further include a support plate112installed in the housing main body111in a horizontal direction, wherein the wind pressure sensor SW and the control unit BM are mounted on the support plate112, and the heater180is mounted on a bottom surface of the support plate112.

In addition, the bidirectional wind pressure detecting apparatus may further include a flow rate adjusting unit190installed at the first port114, wherein the first port114may include a plurality of openings114aformed in a longitudinal end surface of the housing main body111having a hollow cylindrical shape at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction thereof, and a shielding unit114bformed between the openings114a, and the flow rate adjusting unit190may include an adjusting unit main body191having a disc shape and rotatably mounted on the first port114, a plurality of openings191aformed at the adjusting unit main body191at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction thereof, and a shielding unit191bformed between the openings191a.

Further, the wind pressure sensor SW may include a switch SC configured to generate and send a signal due to contact with the operation plate D, an operation arm SW2having a rod shape, rotatably mounted on the switch SC at one side thereof to be resiliently deformed in an introduction or ejection direction of the air, and on which the operation plate D is mounted, and a contact unit SW1pressed by the operation arm SW2to operate the switch SC, and the operation plate D may include an operation plate main body D1having a disc shape and configured to contact the air, and a mounting unit D2formed at one side of the operation plate main body D1and on which the operation arm SW2is mounted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various forms. The following embodiments are described in order to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and practice the present invention.

With reference to the appended drawings, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. To aid in understanding the present invention, like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description of the figures, and the description of the same elements will be not reiterated.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference toFIGS. 5 to 7.

Embodiment

A wind pressure detecting apparatus of the present invention includes wind pressure sensors SW configured to detect a wind pressure by turning on/off a switch SC using an operation plate D operated by the wind pressure, and a housing110at which the wind pressure sensor is installed.

Here, the wind pressure sensors SW may be installed at an air introduction region and an air ejection region of the housing110to measure a wind pressure regardless of a direction of the air introduced into or ejected from the housing110.

That is, as shown inFIG. 5, one wind pressure sensor SW is disposed at a left side of the housing110in the drawing, and the other wind pressure sensor SW is disposed at a right side of the housing110in the drawing.

Even when the external air is introduced in Direction I (from a left side to a right side in the drawing) or in Direction II (from the right side to the left side in the drawing), the wind pressure can be measured in all cases.

In the conventional art, as described above, since the air can be measured in only one direction, when the direction of the air is reversed, the conventional wind pressure detecting apparatus should be additionally installed in a reversed direction.

However, in the present invention, since the wind pressure can be measured regardless of the direction of the air, i.e., whether the air flows in a normal direction (Direction I) or a reversed direction (Direction II), there is no need to install an additional wind pressure detecting apparatus as in the conventional art.

Meanwhile, the housing110may include a hollow housing main body111, and a first port114and a second port115formed at one side surface of the housing main body111to introduce and eject the air.

Here, the wind pressure sensor SW may include a first wind pressure sensor120and a second wind pressure sensor130installed at the first port114and the second port115, respectively, to measure wind pressures in both directions, as described above.

In other words, regardless of the direction of the air introduced into and ejected from the housing110, i.e., whether the air flows in the normal direction (Direction I) or the reversed direction (Direction II), the wind pressure can be measured.

Meanwhile, in order to normally operate the wind pressure detecting apparatus100, the wind pressure detecting apparatus100must be in an appropriate temperature environment.

For this, in the conventional art, a heater180is installed at the outside of the housing to adjust the temperature of the wind pressure detecting apparatus100.

However, in the conventional art, since the heater180is disposed at the outside of the housing, it is difficult to appropriately control the inside of the housing, i.e., the temperature around the wind pressure detecting apparatus.

The present invention solves this problem. The heater180(to be described later) is installed in the housing110to uniformly maintain the temperature of the wind pressure sensor SW.

Here, as shown inFIG. 5, the heater180may be disposed at a bottom surface of the wind pressure sensor SW. InFIG. 5, the heater180is shown in dotted lines.

Meanwhile, a heater control unit BM configured to control the heater180may be further provided.

In order to maintain the wind pressure sensor SW of the wind pressure detecting apparatus100within a certain temperature range, operation of the heater180must be maintained or stopped.

For this, the heater control unit BM is provided.

Here, the heater control unit BM may include a heater operation control unit160configured to operate the heater180when the temperature in the housing110is within a certain range and stop an operation of the heater180when the temperature departs from the certain range, and a heater operation cutoff unit170configured to cut a power supply to the heater when the temperature in the housing110departs from the certain range.

That is, the heater operation control unit160functions to control the operation or stoppage of the heater180such that the temperature in the housing110is within the certain range, and as an additional safety apparatus, the heater operation cutoff unit170functions to cut the power supply to prevent the operation of the heater180when the temperature in the housing110departs from the certain range.

For example, when the heater operation control unit160is controlled to operate or stop the heater180to maintain the temperature in the housing110within a range of 30° C. to 40° C. and the temperature in the housing110exceeds 45° C. to 55° C., the heater operation cutoff unit170cuts the power supplied to the heater180.

Here, the housing110may be formed of aluminum to insulate the inside of the housing110from surroundings.

Meanwhile, the heater control unit BM may be formed of a bio-metal.

The bio-metal refers to a metal that remembers a shape at a certain temperature, and is well known in the art.

In the present invention, the heater180is controlled using the bio-metal.

As shown inFIG. 6, the heater control unit BM using the bio-metal may include a base BM1mounted on a support plate112(to be described later), and a pair of blade pieces BM2mounted on the base BM1.

Here, the blade pieces BM2formed of a bio-metal are varied according to a variation in ambient temperature to function as a kind of switch.

Since a switching technique using the bio-metal is well known in the art, detailed description and illustration thereof will be omitted.

Meanwhile, as shown inFIG. 6, the support plate112installed in the housing main body111in a horizontal direction may be further provided, the wind pressure sensor SW and the control unit BM may be mounted on the support plate112, and the heater180may be mounted on a bottom surface of the support plate112.

Here, as shown inFIG. 7, a heater holder113having a space formed therein may be further provided at the bottom surface of the support plate112to mount the heater180on the bottom surface of the support plate112.

Here, the heater180may be disposed to have a large length in a longitudinal direction to be disposed at bottom surface sides of the first wind pressure sensor120and the second wind pressure sensor130.

The support plate112may have a rectangular plate shape as shown in the drawing.

However, as described above, the support plate112is provided for the purpose of supporting the control unit BM, the heater180and the wind pressure sensor SW. Of course, the support plate112may have different shapes without departing from the spirit of the invention as long as the purpose is satisfied.

Meanwhile, as shown inFIG. 6, the housing110may include a housing assembly unit116detachably attached thereto, and a fixing hole116amay be formed in the housing assembly unit116so that a fixing tool FF passes through the fixing hole116ato be fixed to the housing main body111.

Meanwhile, inFIGS. 5 and 6, a connecting circuit configured to electrically connect the control unit BM, the heater180and the wind pressure sensor SW is not shown.

However, since the circuit configured to connect the control unit BM, the heater180and the wind pressure sensor SW is well known in the art, detailed illustration thereof will be omitted.

Meanwhile, as shown inFIG. 5, the first port114and the second port115of the housing110may be formed to pass through a left side and a right side of the housing110.

In addition, a flange FL having a larger diameter than the second port115may be formed around the second port115.

Here, the first port114and the second port115are provided for the purpose of introducing or ejecting the air as described above. Of course, the first port114and the second port115may have different shapes without departing from the spirit of the invention as long as the purpose is satisfied.

Meanwhile, a flow rate adjusting unit190mounted on the first port114may be further provided to adjust a flow rate of the air introduced through the first port114.

Here, the first port114includes a plurality of openings114aformed at a longitudinal end surface (a left side surface in the drawing) of the hollow cylindrical housing main body111at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction thereof, and a shielding unit114bformed between the openings114a.

In addition, the flow rate adjusting unit190includes a disc-shaped adjusting unit main body191rotatably mounted on the first port114, a plurality of openings191aformed at the adjusting unit main body191at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction thereof, and a shielding unit191bformed between the openings191a.

A flow rate of the air introduced into the first port114through the flow rate adjusting unit190can be adjusted.

That is, the openings191aof the flow rate adjusting unit190may align with the openings114aof the first port114to adjust the number of flow paths, through which the air flows, adjusting a flow rate of the air.

Meanwhile, a rotary fixing mechanism F (for example, a bolt or a screw) is installed at a through-hole191cformed in the adjusting unit main body191and a through-hole114cformed in the first port114so that the adjusting unit main body191can be rotatably installed.

Meanwhile, the openings114aof the first port114and the openings191aof the flow rate adjusting unit190may have a fan shape.

However, the openings114aand191aare provided for the purpose of allowing a flow of the air. Of course, the openings114aand191amay have different shapes or numbers without departing from the spirit of the invention as long as the purpose is satisfied.

Meanwhile, as shown inFIG. 5, the wind pressure sensor SW may include a switch SC configured to generate and send a signal due to contact with the operation plate D, an operation arm SW2having a rod shape, rotatably mounted on the switch SC at one side thereof to be resiliently deformed in an introduction or ejection direction of the air, and on which the operation plate D is mounted, and a contact unit SW1pressed by the operation arm SW2to operate the switch SC.

Here, the operation plate D may include an operation plate main body D1having a disc shape and configured to contact the air, and a mounting unit D2formed at one side of the operation plate main body D1and on which the operation arm SW2is mounted.

That is, when the operation plate D is moved by the air, the operation arm SW2installed at the operation plate D is interlocked with the operation plate D to be operated.

Here, when the operation arm SW2presses the contact unit SW1of the switch SC, the switch SC is operated to generate a predetermined signal.

As the wind pressure sensors SW are installed at the first port114and the second port115, the wind pressure can be measured in both flow directions of the air.

As can be seen from the foregoing, since the wind pressure can be measured regardless of the direction of the air introduced into and ejected from the housing, there is no need to install an additional wind pressure detecting apparatus, and cost can be reduced.

In addition, since the heater is installed in the housing, the temperature around the wind pressure detecting apparatus can be easily controlled.