Product simulating probe and method

• US 20040159714A1
• Filed: 02/11/2004
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Abtar Singh, Herb Rippe, Jim Chabucos, William Gatling
• Inventors: Singh, Abtar, Chabucos, Jim, Rippe, Herb, Gatling, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,150,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/51
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/075 with parallel compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/22 Refrigeration systems for supermarkets
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2500/04 Calculation of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/10 Sensors measuring the temperature of the evaporator
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/12 Sensors measuring the inside temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/123 more than one sensor measuring the inside temperature in a compartment
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/16 Sensors measuring the temperature of products
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2007/422 Dummy objects used for estimating temperature of real objects
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control

Abstract

A probe and method for simulating refrigerated product temperature includes a housing containing a thermal mass having thermo-physical properties similar to refrigerated food product, a temperature sensing element operable to measure the temperature of the thermal mass, and a transceiver in communication with the sensing element and operable to wirelessly transmit data from a refrigeration display case to a remote receiver.

Claims

1. A probe for simulating refrigerated product temperature in a refrigeration display case, comprising:

a thermal mass having thermo-physical properties similar to refrigerated food product;

a temperature sensing element operable to measure a temperature of said thermal mass; and

a transceiver connected to said temperature sensing element and operable to wirelessly transmit measured temperature data from the refrigeration display case to a remote receiver.

2. The probe of claim 1 further comprising a housing containing said thermal mass and said temperature sensing element.

3. The probe of claim 2 wherein said housing contains said transceiver.

4. The probe of claim 1 wherein said temperature sensing element is positioned approximately centrally in said thermal mass.

5. The probe of claim 1 wherein said transceiver is a radio frequency device operable to transmit and receive parametric data.

6. The probe of claim 1 wherein said transceiver is operable to transmit control signals.

7. A method for simulating refrigerated product temperature in a refrigeration display case, comprising:

employing a thermal mass having thermo-physical properties similar to refrigerated food product;

measuring a temperature of said thermal mass; and

wirelessly transmitting said measured temperature from the refrigeration display case to a remote receiver.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said transmitting includes transmitting said measured temperature through a transceiver.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said transmitting includes transmitting said measured temperature data from said receiver to a main controller.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising collecting measured temperature data.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising analyzing measured temperature data.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising controlling temperature based on said measured temperature data.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising containing said thermal mass in a housing.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising containing a transceiver in said housing and wherein said transceiver wirelessly transmits said measured temperature.

15. A method for simulating refrigerated food product temperature, comprising:

disposing a thermal mass having thermo-physical properties similar to refrigerated food product in a refrigeration display case;

installing a sensor to measure a temperature of said thermal mass; and

enabling wireless transmission of said measured temperature to a remote receiver.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said installing includes positioning a temperature sensing element in said thermal mass.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said enabling includes positioning said transceiver in a housing containing said thermal mass.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said enabling includes positioning said transceiver external to a housing containing said thermal mass.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said enabling includes enabling transmission of said measured temperature to a system controller.