# US 2017/0280896 A1 · Showcase and operation method thereof

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- Number: US 2017/0280896 A1
- Document ID: US20170280896A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/442,118
- Filed: 2017-02-24
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-31
- Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: KEIKO WATANABE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170280896A1

## CPC

- A47F 3/0447: {with air curtains}
- A47F 3/0478: {Control or safety arrangements}
- A47F 3/0482: {Details common to both closed and open types}
- A47F: SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS

## Abstract

A showcase includes: a casing having a front opening through which a product is picked up; a product storage located in the casing and including a shelf on which the product is displayed; a first airflow generator that sends air for a first air curtain to flow outside along the product storage; a second airflow generator that sends air for a second air curtain to flow outside along the first air curtain; and a controller that causes the first airflow generator to operate and causes the second airflow generator to reduce an output of the second airflow generator from an output at a first timing, upon arrival of a second timing when a break of the second air curtain due to disturbance is greater than a break of the second air curtain at the first timing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A showcase comprising:
a casing having a front opening through which a product is picked up;
a product storage located in the casing and including a shelf on which the product is displayed;
a first airflow generator that sends air for a first air curtain to flow outside along the product storage;
a second airflow generator that sends air for a second air curtain to flow outside along the first air curtain; and
a controller that causes the first airflow generator to operate and causes the second airflow generator to reduce an output of the second airflow generator from an output at a first timing, upon arrival of a second timing when a break of the second air curtain due to disturbance is greater than a break of the second air curtain at the first timing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The showcase according to claim 1, wherein at the second timing, the controller causes the second airflow generator to reduce an output of the second airflow generator such that the output of the second airflow generator becomes lower than an output of the first airflow generator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The showcase according to claim 1, wherein at the second timing, the controller causes the first airflow generator to reduce an output of the first airflow generator and an output of the second airflow generator lower from their respective outputs at the first timing.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The showcase according to claim 2, wherein at the second timing, the controller stops an output of the second airflow generator.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The showcase according to claim 1, wherein a temperature of air for the second air curtain is higher than a temperature of air for the first air curtain.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The showcase according to claim 1 further comprising:
an intake that sucks air for the first air curtain, wherein
the second timing is a timing when a temperature of air flowing into the intake is higher than a temperature at the first timing.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The showcase according to claim 1 further comprising:
an intake that sucks air for the first air curtain, wherein
the second timing is a timing when an enthalpy of air flowing into the intake is higher than an enthalpy at the first timing.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The showcase according to claim 1, wherein the second timing is a timing during which a frequency of taking out products from the product storage is higher than a frequency at the first timing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The showcase according to claim 1, wherein the second timing is a timing during which the number of customers in a store equipped with the showcase is larger than the number of customers at the first timing.

### Claim 10

An operation method of a showcase comprising:
sending air for a first air curtain by a first airflow generator;
sending air for a second air curtain to flow outside along the first air curtain, by a second airflow generator; and
causing the first airflow generator to operate and causing the second airflow generator to reduce an output of the second airflow generator from an output at a first timing, upon arrival of a second timing when a break of the second air curtain due to disturbance is greater than a break of the second air curtain at the first timing.