Temperature controlling pseudo load container for insulated cold cabinet

Abstract: A temperature controlling pseudo load container (1) for an insulated cold cabinet (16) is provided in which the pseudo load container (1) contains water or physiological saline and comprises at least one sealable opening portion (2) for pouring water or physiological saline into the container (1) and sensor arranging portions (4) in which a temperature controlling sensor (6), and preferably a temperature recording sensor (7) in addition, can be mounted closely to an external wall of the container (1) and kept out of direct touch with the cold air in the insulated cold cabinet (16).

Description: The present invention relates to a temperature controlling pseudo load container for an insulated cold cabinet such as a blood insulated cold cabinet, medicine insulated cold cabinet and food insulated cold cabinet, and to an insulated cold cabinet comprising a pseudo load container. In controlling the inside temperatures of an insulated cold cabinet such as a blood insulated cold cabinet, a medicine insulated cold cabinet and a food insulated cold cabinet, it is common to sense and control the air temperature in the insulated cold cabinet. However, it is difficult to control load temperatures since the air temperature differs from the load temperatures of actual blood, medicine, food, and the like. Particularly in the case of blood preservation, such methods in which temperature control is performed by sensing the air temperature in the cabinet are ineligible in view of the international standards on the preservation of blood (AABB, DIN, and so on). Conventionally, in order to meet the international standards, temperature control is performed with a temperature sensor directly inserted into a container containing water or physiological saline. However, the direct insert of the temperature sensor causes damage to the sensor. This gives rise to a problem in that protective equipment, heat conductive mediums, sealing materials, and the like are required to protect the sensor, along with a problem of complicated structures and higher costs. A device according to the preamble of claim 1 for measuring the temperature of containers placed in a refrigerator is disclosed in EPA 0 565 925. The device comprises a sensor that is brought in contact with the container for controlling the temperature of the content of the container. An object of the present invention is to provide: a temperature controlling pseudo load container for an insulated cold cabinet, in which the inside temperature of the insulated cold cabinet can be controlled to agree with the load temperature of actual blood, medicine, food, and the like; and to provide an insulated cold cabinet comprising the pseudo load container. This object is achieved by a pseudo load container as claimed in claim 1 and by an insulated cold cabinet as claimed in claim 3; the dependent claims are related to further developments of the invention. In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a temperature controlling pseudo load container according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing temperature control sensors and the like being mounted to the temperature controlling pseudo load container according to the present invention shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3.is an explanatory diagram showing a side of the temperature controlling pseudo load container according to the present invention shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a cover of the temperature controlling pseudo load container according to the present invention shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a method for arranging the temperature controlling pseudo load container according to the present invention shown in Fig. 1 inside an insulated cold cabinet; Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-sectional view of the temperature controlling pseudo load container according to the present invention shown in Fig. 1 being arranged onto a wall in the cabinet; Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an insulated cold cabinet provided with a temperature controlling pseudo load container according to the present invention on a wall inside thereof; and present invention. Preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The temperature controlling pseudo load container 1 of the present invention is, for example, a plastic container made by injection molding or blow molding. The material of the container 1 is preferably plastic, but not limited thereto. Materials relatively low in thermal conductivity may be used such as ceramic and glass. Since the container 1 is arranged inside an insulated cold cabinet, it is preferably thin so as not to occupying a larger space. However, the shape of the container 1 is not limited to a particular shape, and may be in a circular or a triangular shape, for example. The container 1 is provided with two opening portions 2 for inpouring water or physiological saline, and through the opening portions 2 water or physiological saline may be poured into the container. In filling water or physiological saline through one of the opening portions 2, the other opening portion 2 let the air out of the container, allowing easy pouring with no spill-out. The opening portions 2 are provided with caps 3 which are screw threaded for sealing so that the water or physiological saline filled in the container 1 is prevented from spill-out or vaporization. The container 1 comprises arranging portions for arranging sensors, composed of recesses 4 provided on an external wall of the container 1 and a cover 5 covering the recesses 4. One of the sensor arranging portions is an arranging portion for a temperature controlling sensor 6, and the other sensor arranging portion is an arranging portion for a temperature recording sensor 7. The temperature controlling sensor 6 and the temperature recording sensor 7 are inserted from above the container 1 into the recesses 4 to be mounted closely to the external wall surface of the container 1. The recesses 4 are covered with the cover 5 so that the respective sensors are fixed firmly and kept out of direct touch with the cold air in the cabinet. Designated by a reference numeral 8 is a mounting portion for arranging the container 1 inside the cabinet. The mounting portion 8 is formed integrally with the container 1. A scale showing, for example, 100 cc and 200 cc is put on the surface of the container 1 to see the capacity of the content to be filled. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the temperature controlling sensor 6 and the temperature recording sensor 7 (not shown in Fig. 3) are inserted into the recesses 4, and the U-shaped cover 5 is fitted over the side wall of the container 1, so as to mount the sensors surely. In order to prevent the respective sensors from being drawn out, the cover 5 is provided with a plurality of beads 9 for support, which are configured to lock body portions 4a and lead lines 4b of the respective sensors. Designated by a reference numeral 10 are concave portions of the cover 5, and 11 are transparent windows of the cover 5 for confirming the sensors inside. Figs. 5 and 6 shows a method for arranging a pseudo load container of the present invention inside a cabinet. The pseudo load container 1 is preferably arranged so as to be fixed to a wall surface 12 of the cabinet, being separated from the wall of the cabinet by a distance L for avoiding the influence of heat conduction from the wall surface 12 in the cabinet. The distance L depends on such as type and size of the insulated cold cabinet and arranging position of the container in the cabinet. Therefore, the distance L is not limited to a particular distance, and may be determined freely. The container 1 is fixed to the wall surface 12 with bolts 15 via a spacer 13 of length L and another spacer 14 at the mounting portions 8 of the container 1, so as to be mounted in no touch with the wall surface 12 in the cabinet. In addition, the container 1 is mounted so that the sensor arranging portions composed of the recesses 4 and the cover 5 face away from the wall surface 12 for avoiding the influence of the heat conduction from the wall surface 12 in the cabinet. Fig. 7 shows an embodiment of an insulated cold cabinet having a temperature controlling pseudo load container of the present invention inside. The insulated cold cabinet 16 is provided with an insulated cold cabinet body 17 thereof formed with heat insulating walls. A storage room 18 for storing blood, medicine, food, and the like is provided in the insulated cold cabinet body 17. A machine room 21 containing a condenser 19, a compressor 20 and the like is provided under the storage room 18, and a vertically-extending duct 22 is provided on the rear side of the storage room 18. A blowing fan 23 for circulating cold air is arranged on the upper part of the duct 22, and an evaporator 24 is mounted within the duct 22. The air cooled by the evaporator 24 is circulated as shown by arrowheaded full lines in the figure, thereby cooling the inside of the storage room 18. Designated by reference numerals 25 are containers containing, for example, blood. The pseudo load container 1 of the present invention containing water or physiological saline is arranged to be fixed to the wall surface 12 in the cabinet, being separated from the wall surface 12 of the cabinet by a distance for avoiding the influence of the heat conduction from the inside wall surface 12. Signals from the temperature controlling sensor 6 mounted to the container 1 are transmitted to a control device (not shown) for temperature control. The above-described configuration enables the temperature distribution of the loads inside the insulated cold cabinet 16 to fall within ±1.5°C, and the differential of the load of the blood inside the blood containers 25 to be controlled within ± 1.0°C. An insulated cold cabinet using a temperature controlling pseudo load container according to the present invention is capable of controlling the inside temperature of the cabinet to agree with the load temperatures of actual blood, medicine, food, and the like, and meeting the international standard regarding the preservation of blood. A temperature recording sensor as well as a temperature controlling sensor may be mounted to the temperature controlling pseudo load container according to the present invention to facilitate the recording of the actual temperature that is controlled so that the inside temperature of the cabinet agrees with the load temperature of actual blood and the like. A sensor arranging portion is easily configured by providing a recess in an external wall of a temperature controlling pseudo load container according to the present invention and by applying a cover over the recess. A temperature controlling pseudo load container of the present invention may be arranged by being fixed to a wall in the cabinet, being separated by a distance for avoiding the influence of heat conduction from the wall in the cabinet, to control to desired temperatures independently of the temperature of the wall in the cabinet. A sensor arranging portion may be arranged so as not to face said wall in the cabinet to control to desired temperatures independently of the temperature of the wall in the cabinet.

Claims: A temperature controlling pseudo load container (1) for being arranged in an insulated cold cabinet (16), said pseudo load container comprising an opening (2) for pouring water or physiological saline to the inside of said pseudo load container, said opening being sealable, and an arranging portion (4) for mounting a sensor adjacently to an external wall of said pseudo load container and preventing said sensor from direct touching with cold air in a storage room (18) of the insulated cold cabinet, characterized in that said arranging portion (4) has a recess provided on an external wall of said pseudo load container (1) and a cover (5) for covering the recess. The pseudo load container according to claim 1, wherein said pseudo load container (1) comprises at least two separate arranging portions (4), one of which is for arranging a temperature control sensor (6) and the other of which is for arranging a temperature record sensor (7). An insulated cold cabinet (16) comprising a pseudo load container (1) according to claim 1, wherein said pseudo load container is fixed to a wall (12) of said storage room (18) so as to be separated by a distance (L) for avoiding the influence of heat conduction from said wall. The insulated cold cabinet (16) according to claim 3, wherein said arranging portion (4) of the pseudo load container for arranging the sensor is arranged so as not to face directly said wall (12) of said storage room (18). The insulated cold cabinet according to claim 3 or 4, said insulated cold cabinet comprising said storage room (18), sensors (6, 7) for measuring the inside temperature of said storage room, a duct (22) for circulating cooled air to the inside of said storage room, an evaporator (24) provided within said duct, a machine room (21) being provided with a condenser (19) and a compressor (20), and a body of said insulated cold cabinet (17) being formed with heat insulating walls.

Inventors: ARAI TAKASHI, SAKATA YASUSHI, ARAI, TAKASHI, SAKATA, YASUSHI, Arai, Takashi c/o Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sakata, Yasushi c/o Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
Applicants: SANYO ELECTRIC CO, SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: F25D29
IPC codes: G01K1, F25D11, F25D29