Showcase

• US 8,272,755 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Oketani, Tetsuya, Todoroki, Atsushi, Amari, Yoichi, Shibusawa, Sakumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Neils, Peggy A.
• Application Number:
  US12/274,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20090134802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 362/92, 362/125, 362/276, 312/116, 340/815.45
• US Class Current: 362/125
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 11/10 Arrangements of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/18 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An object is to provide a showcase in which appropriate illumination can be realized by an LED illumination apparatus having a high durability against turning ON/OFF and capable of securing a predetermined illumination intensity even under an environment at a low temperature. The showcase in which the inside of a display chamber configured to display commodities is illuminated by an LED illumination apparatus includes a person detecting sensor which detects the approaching of any person, and a control apparatus which adjusts the illumination intensity of the LED illumination apparatus, and the control apparatus gradually increases the illumination intensity of the LED illumination apparatus in a case where the person detecting sensor detects the approaching of the person.

Claims

1. A showcase in which the inside of a display chamber configured to display commodities is illuminated by an LED illumination apparatus, comprising:

a person detecting sensor which detects the approaching of any person;

an illumination intensity sensor which detects an illumination intensity of an area; and

control means for adjusting the illumination intensity of the LED illumination apparatus,

wherein the control means gradually increases the illumination intensity of the LED illumination apparatus in dependence upon the illumination intensity of the area, in a case where the person detecting sensor detects the approaching of the person.

2. The showcase according to claim 1, wherein the person detecting sensor includes a power source of the person detecting sensor itself, a contact which detects the approaching of the person to open/close, a power source terminal connected to the power source, and two contact terminals connected to both sides of the contact,

the showcase further comprising:

a terminal plate to which the respective terminals are detachably connected.

3. A showcase in which the inside of a display chamber configured to display commodities while cooling the commodities is illuminated by an LED illumination apparatus, comprising:

a temperature sensor which detects a temperature in the display chamber; and

control means for adjusting the illumination intensity of the LED illumination apparatus,

wherein the control means decreases the illumination intensity of the LED illumination apparatus to about 50% of the maximum illumination intensity or decreases the illumination intensity of the LED illumination apparatus gradually in a case where the temperature sensor detects that the temperature in the display chamber has risen to a preset high temperature value.

4. A showcase in which the inside of a display chamber configured to display commodities while cooling the commodities is illuminated by an LED illumination apparatus, comprising:

a temperature sensor which detects a temperature in the display chamber;

control means for adjusting the illumination intensity of the LED illumination apparatus,

wherein the control means decreases the illumination intensity of the LED illumination apparatus in a case where the temperature sensor detects that the temperature in the display chamber has risen to a preset high temperature value; and

temperature display means for displaying the temperature detected by the temperature sensor,

wherein when the control means decreases the illumination intensity of the LED illumination apparatus, the control means displays this effect by the temperature display means.