WO2004008890A1

WO2004008890A1 - Cabinet for the storage of tobacco products

Info

Publication number: WO2004008890A1
Application number: PCT/EP2003/007740
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul Seger; Maurits Van Heyst
Original assignee: SEGER VAN HEYST
Current assignee: SEGER VAN HEYST
Priority date: 2002-07-18
Filing date: 2003-07-15
Publication date: 2004-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 2005-01-18
Also published as: AU2003250973A1

Abstract

Cabinet for the storage of tobacco products such as cigars, cigarettes or the like under climatized conditions, having at least one tray for the storage of cigars, and further comprising means for generating a conditioned air stream around the cigars stored on the tray wherein the tray is made of a heat conductive material such as metal.

Description

Cabinet for the storage of tobacco products

The invention relates to a cabinet for the storage of tobacco products, such as cigars, cigarettes and the like under climatized conditions, having at least one tray for the storage of the tobacco products, and further comprising means for generating a conditioned air stream around the tobacco products stored on the tray.

Such a cabinet is generally known, and normally has wooden trays provided with elongated openings in which the tobacco products can be located. Wood has the disadvantage that it is a poor heat conductor and not able to closely follow the heat changes in the cabinet. More especially it is not possible to under cool the wooden trays.

It is an object of the invention to provide a cabinet of the above mentioned type which is especially adapted for the climatized conservation of tobacco products.

This object is achieved in that the trays are made of a heat conductor material such as metal.

By supporting the cigars in this way it becomes possible to optimize the temperature of the tobacco products as they will adopt the temperature of the tray, which might be well below the temperature of the air circulating within the cabinet.

Other advantages and characteristics will become clear from the following description reference being made to the annexed drawings, in which, Fig. 1 is a front view of the cabinet according to the invention Fig. 2 is a rear view of the cabinet of figure 1

Fig. 3 is a cross-section according to the line III-III in figure 1 Fig. 4 is a cross-section according to the line IN-IN in figure 1 Fig. 5 is a cross-section according to the line N-N in figure 1 showing different implements Fig. 6 is a front view of a tray to be used in the cabinet according to the invention Fig. 7 is a top view, on an enlarged scale of a part of the tray of figure 6 Fig. 8 is a cross-section according to line NIII-NIII in figure 7 Fig. 9 is a cross-section according to line IX-IX in figure 7 Fig. 10 is a schematic cross-section of the water evaporator.

In figure 1 there is shown a front view of a cabinet for the storage under climatized condi- tions of cigars and the like according to the invention. The cabinet 1 has a general shape of a rectangular parallelepipedum comprising a bottom wall 2, a top wall 3, two parallel side walls 4 and 5, a rear wall 6 (fig. 2) and a front wall 7.

As will be explained below the cabinet 1 is divided into a number of spaces by means of plate-like separation walls. The most important space is the storage space 10 for the cigars, which is formed by a bottom wall 11, a top wall 12, a rear wall 13 and two side walls 14, 15. As shown in figures 3 and 4, at least the walls 11, 12, 14 and 15 are double walls with interposed insulating material, in order to insulate the atmosphere inside the storage space from the environment. The front part of the storage space 10 is provided with a door 16, which can be opened through hinges (not shown) in order to access the storage space 10. As is clearly shown in fig. 4, the storage space 10 occupies only part of the space inside the outer walls, the remaining space being used by the air-conditioning equipment needed to climatize the storage space 10. The front door 16 may be transparent so that the content of the storage space 10 is visible from outside.

Inside the storage space 10 there are provided a number of trays 20 for the storage of the cigars. Against the side walls 14 and 15 of the storage space 10 there are provided a number of guides 21, in the embodiment shown there are seven trays and a corresponding number of pairs of guides 21, the different trays 20 being spaced in the vertical direction. The guides 21 may be of conventional design or especially designed for this purpose. The essential feature is that guides are such that a tray 20 can be slided out and into the storage space 10 so as to facilitate access to the tray and improve the viewing of the products such as cigars resting upon the tray.

As shown in fig. 5, the guiding consists of a block provided with a substantial C-shaped guiding channel which accommodates a T-shaped profile 22 connected to the tray 20. In order to have an optimal contact between the products such as cigars stored on the trays 20 and the air inside the storage space 10, each tray 20 consists of a plate 25, made of metal such as aluminium, as a good conductor for heat, the upper surface of which being provided with a number of elevations 26. The use of metal or in general a good heat conducting material is advantageous as it provides a good storage of the heat, whereas it can be cooled below the temperature of the air passing around it. In this way the cigars are at the lowest temperature. As more clearly shown in the figures 6-8 each elevation 26 has the shape of a truncated pyramid with four sides. The elevations 26 on one tray are arranged in a number of parallel rows and columns, whereby the base lines of the pyramids are aligned with respect to each other in each row or column. The dimensions of the pyramid-like elevation 26 are such that a cigar of any shape can be positioned along each row or column with a sufficient support and fixation. Normally this means that the diameter of a cigar is smaller than the base dimension of an elevation as seen along a row or column.

As shown in fig. 7, each oblique side face of each pyramid-like elevation is provided with a bore 27 extending through the plate and thereby providing a hole for the transport of air through the tray 20. In the embodiment shown the bores extend in a perpendicular direction with respect to the plate, but if needed they may be inclined with a different angle with respect to the plate 25. Otherwise the plate 25 is provided with a second set of holes 28, which are located at the common corner of the four neighbouring pyramid-like elevations 26.

As shown in fig. 1, the storage space 10 is divided into a number of compartments by means of the trays 20. By means of the holes 27 and 28 it is guaranteed that it is possible to have an air flow between the neighbouring compartments, which can be a natural air flow generated by convection, or a forced air flow generated by fans or the like. Because of the bores 27 it is furthermore guaranteed that this air flow will be in intimate contact with the cigars stored on the pyramid like elevations 26 on the trays 20.

It is obvious that the invention is not restricted to this specific embodiment of the tray, but that numerous modifications may be applied without departing from the scope of the claims. It is especially possible to modify the shape of the elevations. Instead of p)τamid-like elevations, conical elevations can be used or pyramids with other than four sides, e.g. three, six or eight, provided that they give sufficient support to the cigars with the less possible contact surface. Also these shapes of elevations can be provided with bores such as the bores 27. Important is that the bores are positioned in such a way that the air comes into close contact with the cigar supported by the elevations, i.e. the bores in one row of elevations are at least partly directed to the centre line of that row. The number of openings 27, 28 is not very critical but must be sufficient to ensure a smooth and equalized flow of air through the tray 20 and around the cigars.

As shown in fig. 2 the rear wall 6 is provided with perforation 35 allowing an open commu- nication between the space 36 between the wall 6 and the wall 13. Inside the storage space 10 there is mounted another vertical wall 37 which is parallel to the wall 13 and which is also provided with a number of perforations allowing an air communication between the storage space 10 and space 38 between the walls 13 and 37.

The wall 13 is otherwise provided with a number of rectangular openings, e.g. three openings in which cooling units can be positioned and fixed. The cooling units 39 to be used can be of the type Supercool ^® Air-to-Air systems which in fact are micro-electric cooling systems having a cooling side and a heating side and provided with fans for air-circulation.

The cooling side 40 of the units 39 is directed towards the storage space and the fans are organized in such a way that air is suctioned through the central portion of the wall 37 (see fig. 3), cooled by the unit 39 and returned through both side portions of the wall 37 as indicated by the arrows 42. At the heating side air is also suctioned centrally and the heated air is evacuated laterally and blown to the environment through the perforations 35 in the rear wall 6. In order to reduce the noise level and improve the air flow, a special vertical wall 45 may be positioned between the rear wall 6 and the wall 13. Otherwise an additional wall 46 may be provided between the walls 13 and wall 45, which wall 46 on the one hand serves as mounting wall for the cooling units 41 and otherwise define a space 47 which serves as insulating air layer between the hot and cold side of the cooling unit 41 and can be used for the electric circuitry for the cooling units 41 or any other electrical implement present in the cabinet. As a result of the position of the different cooling units 41 in the cabinet combined with the trays 20, a horizontal circulating air flow is generated between each pair of neighbouring trays 20. In this way the temperature can be adequately regulated in the whole cabinet. For that purpose a control unit 50 is provided at the top of the wall 37, which control unit comprises a thermometer regulating the operation of the different cooling units 41 as is well known in the art. In order to improve the horizontal effect of the different cooling units, horizontal separation walls 51, 52, 53 and 54 are provided between the walls 37 and 13.

Otherwise a vertical air flow is generated through the storage space by means of a number of fans as will be described below.

In the upper portion of the wall 37 there is made an opening, thereby connecting space 10 with the space between the walls 37 and 13. Because of the wall 51 the air cannot flow downwardly from this upper level, but can pass through openings 60 and 61 proyided in the walls 13 and 46. Behind the opening 61 there is mounted a fan 62 which is suctioning the air from the space 10 through the openings 61, 62 and into vertical pipes 63, directing the air downwardly. Near the bottom part the pipes 63 are connected to a horizontal pipes 64 directing the air back into the space between the walls 37 and 13, which part is insulated from the rest of that space and from there the air is forced into a box 65, which has a perforated upper wall portion 66 through which the air can be returned into the space 10.

The bottom end of the pipe 64 is connected to pipes 67 which are further connected with a water evaporator 69 which will be described below. Water vapour will rise into the pipes 63 in counter flow with the air and in this way this water vapour is intimately mixed with the air before the obtained mixture is evacuated through pipes 64. The amount of water vapour mixed with the air can be regulated by the control unit 50.

In the box 65 there are provided a number of fans 70 supporting the air flow from the pipes 63, 65 through the opening 61 into the space 10. Additionally a labyrinth like device may be placed between the inlet side of the box and the fans in order to reduce the dust level of the air and to deposit any water droplet which might be carried with the incoming air. In fig. 10 there is shown a schematic cross-section of the water evaporator 69. It consists of a water reservoir, in which three elements are mounted for controlling the water level and the evaporation.

The first element is a heating element 73, which is in fact a conventional electrical resistance heater. The second element is a temperature sensor 74 which is connected to the control unit 50 and which regulates the temperature of the water in the water evaporator reservoir. The third element is a level indicator 75 having at least two floating devices 76 and 77. The floating device 76 is generating a signal to the control unit 50 which is indicator of the maximum level. When floating 76 is in a low position it will generate a signal whereby water can be added to the evaporator 79 through a pump and a container for spare water (not shown). This supply of water is stopped as soon as the floating device 76 reaches its top position. Floating device 77 is a safety device which stops the operation of the heating element 73 at this device 76 reaches a bottom position, indicating that the water supply to the evaporator has been stopped or interrupted. If needed this can be coupled with an external warning signal in order to supply additional water to the system.

An additional safety device may be present, e.g. in the control unit 50, for detection of water droplets in the air stream in the space 10. Because of the combined action of the cooling units and the water supply it might happen that the air is oversaturated whereby droplets may be formed which can form condensed water on the cigar and this is unwanted.

Such a droplet detector can be placed at any convenient place within the air flow-system and if needed more than one can be installed. Such a droplet detector may be of the type Galltec FGO/FGS. As soon as a droplet has been detected the cooling is switched off as well as the supply of water through the evaporator.

From the above it is clear that a mixed air flow is generated in the space 10. On the one hand there is a horizontal air flow, responsible for the temperature control and on the other hand there is a vertical air flow, responsible for the humidity control in the space 10. These combined flows ensure a good control on temperature and humidity. It is to be understood that air flow can be a hot air flow but it is especially important to use a clean air flow i.e. free from bacteria or a sterilized air flow, in order to improve the conservation of the cigars stored inside the cabinet.

It is obvious that the invention is not restricted to the above described embodiment, but that within the scope of the claims modifications may be made. More especially the invention is not restricted to cigars as described above, but other tobacco products can be conserved like this such as cigarettes or pure tobacco or mixtures thereof.

Claims

1. Cabinet for the storage of tobacco products such as cigars, cigarettes or the like under climatized conditions, having at least one tray for the storage of cigars, and further comprising means for generating a conditioned air stream around the cigars stored on the tray, characterized in that the tray is made of a heat conductive material such as metal.

2. Cabinet according to claim 1, characterized in that the tray comprises a plate member carrying a number of elevations, each elevation having a cross section gradually decreasing from the tray end to the top end of the elevation.

3. Cabinet according to claim 2, characterized in that each elevation has a pyramid like shape.

4. Cabinet according to claim 3, characterized in that each elevation has a gradually decreasing square cross-section.

5. Cabinet according to claim 2, characterized in that each elevation has a conical shape.

6. Cabinet according to any one the the preceding claims, characterized in that the elevations are arranged in a a number of parallel rows.

7. Cabinet according to claim 6, characterized in that the elevations are arranged in a matrix pattern.

8. Cabinet according to any one the preceding claims, characterized in that the tray is provided with a number of holes for air flow.

9. Cabinet according to claim 8, characterized in that the holes are arranged between the elevations.

10. Cabinet according to claim 9, characterized in that the holes are made through the elevations.

11. Cabinet according to claim 10, characterized in that the holes are made both between the 5 elevations and in the elevations.

12. Cabinet according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that each elevation is provided with four holes regularly arranged around the circumference of the elevation.

10 13. Cabinet according to claim 6 and 4 or 5 and 12, characterized in that at least two of the holes are facing the direction of the row.

14. Cabinet according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that means are provided for generating two gas flows, a first gas flow substantially in a direction 15 perpendicular to the trays and a second flow substantially parallel to the trays.