EP0903549A2 - Freezing appararus for supplying frozen products, particularly for packed foodstuffs such as ice-cream - Google Patents

Abstract

Deep freeze unit has a thermally insulated freezing container (2) with chamber for frozen goods, accessible through a door (15), and refrigerator unit (9) for cooling chamber. Freezing container is a round column, and reception chamber has stacked storage levels (12a) one above the other, accessible independently, and are rotational about an axis (11a) concentric with central axis of container (12).

Description

The invention relates to a freezer according to the preamble of claim 1.

A freezer of this type is used e.g. B. in supermarkets to provide packaged food used, e.g. B. for ice cream. A well-known freezer in Form of a freezer has a z. B. box-shaped housing open at the top, its removal opening through a cover or several arranged side by side Lid parts made of transparent material must be closed and opened. At a known design with several cover parts, these are directly one above the other arranged levels arranged and optionally in horizontal sliding guides displaceable that part of the opening by sliding two cover parts on top of each other of the freezer and the part of the receiving space underneath it Housing becomes accessible. There is therefore a cover part for removing a food to move horizontally over another cover part and back in after removal to move its closed position. Next to it is a cabinet-type freezer a front removal door known.

There are several requirements for a freezer. An essential requirement is determined by the type and amount of product that is stored in the freezer and should be presented. For a product that is already a relative If a small quantity is sufficient for several days, one is required proportionately small storage room, which is then to be filled at certain intervals. It is also to take into account that the frozen products of different types (shape, size, Dimensions). An essential requirement is therefore different products both space-saving and clear and to be able to provide presentation-friendly. Another requirement is one to ensure good accessibility to the products. It is also about an existing freezer to a series product that is as inexpensive as possible should be producible. The freezer is also said to be energy-saving.

The invention has for its object a freezer of the type specified Art to design so that while ensuring a relatively small space and an energy-saving design, easy-to-use access to the Interior is reached.

This object is solved by the features of claim 1.

The configuration according to the invention is also with a large capacity of your freezer container space-saving because the frozen goods are in at least two, preferably in several Storage levels are stored one above the other, with an arrangement of the storage levels several times one above the other does not require an expansion of the stand. Furthermore The configuration according to the invention enables easy-to-use access to the storage levels. Therefore it is not only possible to fill the storage levels with the frozen goods but also the removal, opening and closing of the doors in a simple manner easy to use and done quickly.

The configuration according to the invention also leads to an energy-saving design. This This is because, on the one hand, the storage space has a round cross-sectional shape in the horizontal Has cut and a separate door is assigned to each storage level. The round Cross-sectional shape leads to a favorable ratio of the volume of the interior and the size of the surface, so that an unavoidable loss of cooling energy in the Area of the wall of the cooling container is relatively small. Furthermore, the Design according to the invention when accessing a storage level only this Storage level associated door opened, so that the energy loss through the open door is relatively small. The rotatability of the storage levels improves the presentation of the refrigerated goods and ensures an even distribution of the cold air. Furthermore, the Design according to the invention several storage rooms available, whereby a assorted provision of different refrigerated goods, e.g. B. different Pack size, is possible.

The embodiment according to the invention is also characterized by a simple construction, because the storage levels by simple shelves on an upright and rotatably mounted Axis can be formed.

The subclaims contain features that make the access to the To further improve storage levels and / or the energy-saving design, too simple Develop designs, enable cost-effective production and a variation allow the size of the door openings.

Fig. 1

ein erfindungsgemäßes Tiefkühlgerät in der Vorderansicht;

Fig. 2

das Tiefkühlgerät in der Seitenansicht von links;

Fig. 3

das Tiefkühlgerät in der Seitenansicht von rechts;

Fig. 4

das Tiefkühlgerät in der Draufsicht;

Fig. 5

das Tiefkühlgerät in abgewandelter Ausgestaltung im horizontalen Schnitt;

Fig. 6

das Tiefkühlgerät in der Seitenansicht von links und im vertikalen Schnitt; und

Fig. 7

ein erfindungsgemäßes Tiefkühlgerät in abgewandelter Ausgestaltung und in perspektivischer Darstellung.

The invention and further advantages which can be achieved by means of advantageous exemplary embodiments and drawings are explained in more detail below. Show it:

Fig. 1

a freezer according to the invention in front view;

Fig. 2

the freezer in a side view from the left;

Fig. 3

the freezer in a side view from the right;

Fig. 4

the freezer in plan view;

Fig. 5

the freezer in a modified design in a horizontal section;

Fig. 6

the freezer in a side view from the left and in a vertical section; and

Fig. 7

a freezer according to the invention in a modified configuration and in perspective.

The freezer, generally designated 1, has a hollow cylindrical cooling container 2 in the form of a column, which is arranged in an upright position, preferably on a likewise hollow cylindrical base 3 of the same or slightly smaller diameter. The one from a flat bottom wall 4, one extending upwards from this hollow cylindrical peripheral wall 5 and a flat top wall 6 also existing Wall of the cooling container 2 has a thermal insulation W, and encloses it a hollow cylindrical interior 7 which serves as a receiving space for frozen goods, especially packaged foods such as ice cream. In the cavity 8 of the base 3 is a Freezer unit 9 is arranged, which in a manner not shown with cooling lines at least one, preferably arranged in the upper region of the interior 7 Freezer is connected. The peripheral wall 5 can the base 3 by a part of it Reach over height h.

Coaxial in the interior 7 is a rotary shaft 11 in bearings, not shown, on the Bottom wall 4 and the top wall 6 about a vertical and coaxial to the central axis of the Column-running axis of rotation 11a rotatably supported by a drive, not shown drivable. On the rotary shaft 11 are several round turntables 12 in unequal or same vertical distances a fixed from each other, with the rotary shaft 11 a free Form a rotatable turntable. The lowest turntable 12 is located below Consideration of a play of movement over the bottom wall 4. The diameter size the turntables 12 is in consideration of a movement game to the Adjusted inner diameter of the peripheral wall 5, the turntables 12, the Form storage levels 12a, divide part interiors, the storage rooms 13 for the Form frozen goods, each through an associated removal opening 14 with a own lock door 15 are accessible. The shutter doors 15 are each one lateral hinge joint 10 pivotally mounted. Which is at the front located extraction openings 14 can each through a separate opening in the Circumferential wall 5 or through a common, over the entire height of Storage spaces 13 extending opening 16 (Fig. 6) may be formed. Limit in the latter case the stacked doors 15 sealed to each other, so that when Opening a shutter door 15, the associated laterally through the edge portions of the common opening 16 and top and bottom through the neighboring Lock doors 15 limited removal opening 14 results. The height of the shutter doors 15 corresponds approximately to the vertical pitch a of two arranged one above the other Turntables 12.

The locking doors 15 can be arranged on the outer surface of the peripheral wall 5 be, whereby they are dimensioned accordingly larger than the opening, so that they on the Can rest on the edge of the opening. In the present embodiment, the Locking doors 15 let into the opening 16 so that their outer sides with the Completely complete the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 5, each with a grip element 18 can protrude from the outside of each shutter door 15. Preferably both Locking doors 15 and the hinge joints 10 are sunk in the opening 16 arranged.

Due to the rotatability of the turntables 12, the storage spaces 13 are simpler Way to fill both with the frozen goods and when removing the frozen goods to empty. The rotation also causes 13 placed frozen goods in the area of the respective removal opening 14, where they can be gripped and removed quickly and easily. A deep intervention in the storage rooms 13 to reach their rear areas is thus not mandatory. In addition, when the air is rotated, it is circulated in the interior 7 or generated in the storage rooms 13, which leads to an equalization of the Internal temperature leads. This function can be intensified by turning one turntable 12 another turntable 12, preferably an adjacent one Turntable 12, is rotated in the opposite direction. This can be done through a between the respective turntables 12 effective direction reversal gear take place both when turning manually and when turning with the drive. Alternatively, two z. B. coaxially arranged drive shafts be provided, wherein a drive shaft is driven counterclockwise and with a first group of turntables, preferably every second turntable, is connected and the other drive shaft is driven clockwise and with the rest Rotary ticket is connected.

Because of this simplified removal, the removal openings 14 can be opened with a relatively small opening size. This helps to save energy with, since in the open state there is a relatively small loss of energy than with larger removal openings. However, the freezer 1 is also intended to accommodate large ones Frozen goods parts are suitable, there are also appropriately large removal openings 14 to provide. It is possible within the scope of the invention to have different sizes To provide removal openings 14 with associated lock doors 15, whereby Different storage rooms 13 for accommodating frozen food parts of different sizes are suitable. In Fig. 4, differently sized removal openings 14 are included associated locking doors 15 shown. In a first embodiment, one is Removal opening 14 of small width b with a correspondingly small closing door 15a intended. At least one other storage space 13 can have a removal opening 14 have a larger width b1, which is almost the diameter of the interior 7 can correspond to a large part of frozen goods in the associated storage space 13 to be able to insert and remove.

Within the scope of the invention it is possible to have a wide locking door 15 in at least two Subdivide partial doors, which are connected by another hinge joint are (not shown), so the width of the removal opening 14 by use only one or both door parts can be varied. It is also possible to have a shutter door 15 or store door parts in a surrounding door frame, which in turn by one side hinge between a closed position and an open position is horizontally pivotable. This allows removal openings of different sizes Realize, opening only one or two door parts or the door frame can.

It is also possible within the scope of the invention, as shown in FIG. 5, one or more or all storage spaces 13 by radial partitions 19 in two or more To divide storage compartments 13a. This increases the number of storage rooms. This configuration is very suitable for a cooling product with a larger number different varieties. Each level of rotation can be a specific type of Cooling product, e.g. B. a certain type of ice cream, where there are several Subspecies exist, e.g. B. different flavors. In this configuration is it is advantageous to the partition walls 19 made of transparent material such as glass or plastic produce, so that a view through the removal opening 14 in each case rear storage compartments is possible and, if necessary, a desired type of cooling product can be selected and made accessible by rotating the turntable 12.

In the context of the invention, it is also possible to freeze 1 To further develop dispensing device or sales device (machine). This is the Freezer preferably on its outer surface, a pre-selection device 21 for Selecting a certain type or number of refrigerated products, a payment device 22 for inserting a bill, a coin, a card, a chip or the like and a control device 23 assigned, taking into account the Preselection releases a certain shutter door 15 for opening and - with a subdivision of the storage rooms 13 in storage sub-rooms 13a - by a controlled drive Turntable 12 rotates so that the selected frozen part or the associated one Storage compartment 13a reaches the respective removal opening 14.

The freezer shown in Fig. 7, with the same or comparable parts the same reference numerals, differs from the above Embodiment essentially in that two freezers 1 directly or in a distance are arranged side by side by a connecting part in shape an upstanding connecting web 24 are firmly connected. The connecting web 24 can start from the bottom of the freezer 1 or one vertical distance from the ground, and it can also extend to the top of the Freezers 1 extend or have a distance therefrom. The front surface and the rear surface of the connecting web 24 can be flat surfaces. In the present In an embodiment, they are curved concavely in the shape of a cylindrical section around a vertical axis.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 7, it is not only the capacity of the freezer 1 doubled, but it also increases the stability of this combination device enlarged. The individual, identical freezers 1a, 1b can in the sense of be described embodiments. If as a dispenser, is possibly designed as a sales device, it is advantageous to the associated operating and Control elements, here the pre-selection device 21, the payment device 22 and the Control device 23 accessible from the operating side 3 on the connecting web 24 to arrange.

A freezer 1 enables the supply to be independent of certain ones Opening hours. Preferred locations for a vending machine are e.g. B. leisure pools, Cinemas, shopping arcades, zoos, rest areas, train stations, airports, schools, canteens, Gastronomy areas and fitness center.

In all of the above-described exemplary embodiments, the turntables 12 can be used as Variant be rotatably mounted on a fixed axis.

Claims (10)

Freezer (1) for storing frozen goods, in particular for packaged foods such as ice cream, with a heat-insulated cooling container (2) which encloses a receiving space for the frozen goods, which is accessible via at least one removal door (15), and a cooling unit (9) for Cooling the recording room,
characterized,
that the freezer container (2) is designed in the form of a round column and the receiving space is divided into a plurality of storage levels (12a) arranged one above the other for receiving the frozen goods, each of which is accessible independently of one another via a separate removal door (15) assigned to a storage level (12a) and that the bearing planes (12a) are rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation (11a) concentric with the central axis of the round column. Freezer according to claim 1,
characterized,
that the bearing planes (12a) are formed by round disks (12) which are rotatably mounted on an axis or are fastened to a rotary shaft (11) which is rotatably supported. Freezer according to claim 2,
characterized,
that the rotary shaft (11) or the rotatable letter (12) is assigned a drive motor. Freezer according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the height of the removal doors (15) corresponds essentially to a vertical distance (a) between the storage levels (12a). Freezer according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the deep-freeze container (2) has an opening (16) which extends over several storage levels (12a), and in its closed position connect the removal doors (15) tightly to one another at their mutually facing upper and lower edges. Freezer according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that one, several or all bearing level (s) (12a) is or are subdivided into several bearing segments (13a) by a plurality of separating members (19). Freezer according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that a preselection device (21) for preselecting a specific part of frozen goods from the frozen goods and a control device (23) for unlocking the unlocking device of an associated removal door (15) and / or for rotating a certain or all of the disks (12) into one through the removal door (15 ) accessible removal position are provided. Freezer according to claim 7,
characterized,
that a payment device (22) is provided which, after the introduction of a monetary amount, a card or a chip, unlocks a removal door (15) preselected by the preselection device (21). Freezer according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that two freezers (1a, 1b) are arranged directly next to one another or at a distance from one another and are connected to one another by a connecting part (24), preferably in the form of an upright web. Freezer according to claim 9,
characterized,
that the controls of the pre-selection device (21) and / or the payment device (23) on the connecting part (24), in particular on the front, are arranged.

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