Refrigeration – Automatic control – Of external fluid or means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-02
2001-02-06
Tanner, Harry B. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Automatic control
Of external fluid or means
C062S182000, C062S179000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182455
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for controlling a cooling unit, and more particularly to, a cooling unit-controlling apparatus comprising a compressor, a condenser fan motor, an evaporator fan motor, etc. in a cooling and heating unit for an automatic vending machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1
shows a conventional apparatus for controlling a cooling unit which comprises a microcomputer
10
, n-transistors
1
,
2
and
3
, relays R
1
and R
2
connected between a collector of the transistor
1
and a power supply terminal V
1
, relays R
3
and R
4
connected, respectively, between collectors of the transistors
2
and
3
and the power supply terminal V
1
, resistances
4
,
5
and
6
connected, respectively, between bases of the transistors
1
,
2
and
3
and power supply terminals V
2
to which a DC voltage lower than a threshold voltage of the transistors
1
,
2
and
3
is applied, a compressor C, a condenser fan motor CF, evaporator fan motors EF
1
and EF
2
, contacts R
1A
, R
2A
, R
3A
and R
4A
which are turned on correspondingly in accordance with the energization of the relays R
1
, R
2
, R
3
and R
4
, and an AC power supply AC for applying an AC voltage via the turned-on contacts R
1A
, R
2A
, R
3A
and R
4A
to the compressor C, the condenser fan motor CF, the evaporator fan motors EF
1
and EF
2
, wherein the compressor C is driven to compress a coolant flowing in the cooling unit in an automatic vending machine, the condenser fan motor CF is driven to rotate a condenser fan, and the evaporator fan motors EF
1
and EF
2
are driven to rotate two evaporator fans for two article-cooling containers in the vending machine.
In operation, when ON signals are supplied from the microcomputer
10
to the bases of the transistors
1
,
2
and
3
, the transistors
1
,
2
and
3
are turned on to energize the relays R
1
, R
2
, R
3
and R
4
so that the contacts R
1A
, R
2A
, R
3A
and R
4A
are turned on to drive the compressor C, the condenser fan motor CF, and the evaporator fan motors EF
1
and EF
2
. Normally, the compressor C and the condenser fan motor CF are simultaneously driven by the common transistor
1
, and the evaporator fan motors EF
1
and EF
2
are driven independently of the driving of the compressor C and the condenser fan motor CF.
Such a cooling unit-controlling apparatus is disclosed in, for instance, the Japanese Patent Kokai No. 9-91510 published on Apr. 4, 1997.
In the conventional cooling unit-controlling apparatus, AC motors are used for the condenser fan motor CF, the evaporator fan motors EF
1
and EF
2
to be driven by the AC power supply AC, so that there is no problem in driving a plurality of loads simultaneously, because the AC power supply AC has a sufficient capacity of electric energy.
However, there is a disadvantage in that an AC motor is worse in energy efficiency than a DC motor. For this reason, it is discussed that such DC motors are used to save energy in an automatic vending machine.
FIG. 2
shows a cooling unit-controlling apparatus using DC motors for a condenser fan motor CF, and evaporator fan motors EF
1
and EF
2
, and a DC paver supply
20
for driving the DC motors CF, and EF
1
and EF
2
, wherein like parts are indicated by like reference numerals and symbols as used in FIG.
1
.
In operation, if the condenser fan motor CF, and the evaporator fan motors EF
1
and EF
2
are driven simultaneously by the DC power supply
20
, a large amount of loads are applied to the DC power supply
20
. For this reason, the DC power supply
20
is required to have a large capacity to provide the condenser fan motor CF, and the evaporator fan motors EF
1
and EF
2
with starting currents which are much bigger in current value than those in stable driving states, thereby causing the increase of the cost in manufacturing a cooling unit in the vending machine, and the increase of size for the cooling unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object or the invention to provide an apparatus for a controlling a cooling unit in which the manufacturing cost is suppressed to be increased, even if DC motors are used to save electric energy.
It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus for controlling a cooling unit, the size of which is suppressed to be increased, even if DC motors are used to save electric energy.
According to the invention, an apparatus far controlling a cooling unit, comprising:
a first DC motor for a condenser fan and a second DC motor for an evaporator fan, respectively, provided in said cooling unit;
a DC power supply for the first and second DC motors; and
a controller for controlling the DC power supply to apply a controlled DC voltage to the first DC motor at the starting stage of the first DC motor, the controlled DC voltage being a DC voltage to be gradually increased.
In the apparatus, the controller controls the first and second DC motor to sequentially start with a predetermined interval.
In the apparatus, the controller controls a compressor provided in the cooling unit and at least one of the first and second DC motors to sequentially start with a predetermined interval.
In the apparatus, the controller controls the DC power supply to increase the DC voltage in a step-shaped manner.
In the apparatus, the controller controls the DC power supply to increase the DC voltage in a gradation pattern.
In the apparatus, the DC power supply comprises a first DC power supply for generating a first DC voltage by receiving an AC voltage from an AC power supply, and a second DC power supply for generating a second DC voltage smaller than said first DC voltage, and a third DC voltage smaller than the second DC voltage by receiving the first DC voltage, the third, second and first voltages being applied to the fist DC motor in sequential order of the third to first voltages.
In the apparatus, the DC power supply further comprises a transistor provided between the first DC power supply and the first DC motor, the transistor being controlled to be turned on, thereby applying the first DC voltage to the first DC motor.
In the apparatus, the second DC motor comprises a plurality of DC motors allocated for a plurality of article-cooling containers.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3815378 (1974-06-01), Hoenisch
patent: 4941325 (1990-07-01), Nuding
patent: 5144812 (1992-09-01), Mills, Jr. et al.
patent: 5605053 (1997-02-01), Otori
patent: 5983653 (1999-11-01), Lee
patent: 9-091510 (1997-04-01), None
McDermott & Will & Emery
Sanyo Electronic Co., Ltd.
Tanner Harry B.
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