JP2002190061A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a storage inside structure for providing high energy saving effect by lowering thermal penetration into the storage without any increase of a heat insulating material using amount or an outside dimension of a cabinet. SOLUTION: A commodity housing rack 4, a commodity convey-out chute 5, and a cooling/heating unit 6 are arranged vertically inside the storage of the cabinet 1 constructed as a thermally insulated case body, and air cooled/ heated by the cooling/heating unit is circulated inside the storage for cooling/ heating a commodity 9 stored in the rack for selling it as a cooled/heated commodity. A clearance between the commodity housing rack and the storage inside wall face of the cabinet is sealed by means of a clearance cover 10 so that cold/warm air blown out from the cooling/heating unit is prevented from passing through the clearance, and in this part, a retention air layer functioning as a heat insulating layer is formed to lower thermal penetration from the outside into the inside of the storage. A high heat insulating property is secured by forming a commodity discharging door 7 communicated with a commodity outlet 2a of a hollow door plate or sticking a heat insulating material to the door plate.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine for selling products containing cans, bottles, and PET bottles as cold or hot products. Related to

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art First, a conventional structure of a vending machine equipped with a serpentine type product storage rack is shown in FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a cabinet serving as a heat-insulating housing, 2 denotes a front outer door, and 3 denotes a heat-insulating inner door. A product unloading shooter 5 and a cooling / heating unit 6 are provided. Note that the shooter 5 has a large number of air guide holes opened in its plate surface. The heat-insulated inner door 3 is made of a resin plate having a thickness of about several mm so as to close a product outlet opening from the product unloading shooter 5 to the product outlet 2a provided in the outer door 2. And a flapper-type merchandise discharge door 7 that is supported by and hung down.

Here, the cooling / heating unit 6 comprises:
A cooler (evaporator of a refrigerator) 6a and an electric heater 6b are built in the wind tunnel, and a fan 6c is provided on the front side of the cooler. It is installed at the bottom of the refrigerator. With such a configuration, a product 9 is stored in each column of the product storage rack 4 as shown in the figure, and when a bend mechanism (not shown) selected based on a sales command is activated, the bottom of the column is placed. It is well known that after the lined-up products are discharged downward, they roll along the slope of the product discharge shooter 5, open the product discharge door 7 and are discharged to the product outlet 2a.

The cooling / heating unit 6 is cold / heated.
Either the cooler 6a or the electric heater 6b is selected and operated according to the hot selling mode. Thereby, the internal air cooled or heated by the cooler 6a or the electric heater 6b is blown forward by the internal fan 6c, and the cool air flow or the warm air flow is turned upward as shown by the arrow in the figure. The air is passed through the space inside the refrigerator, and is circulated and blown from the rear side of the refrigerator through the suction duct 8 to return to the cooling / heating unit 6 again. Then, the product 9 stored in the product storage rack 4 is kept cool or heated by heat exchange with the cool air flow or the warm air flow (hereinafter referred to as “circulating air flow”).

[0005] Further, the cabinet 1 and the heat-insulating inner door 3 of the heat-insulating housing insulate the inside and outside of the store to suppress the intrusion of the outside air into the store, and furthermore, the heat-insulating inner door 3 is moved from the product outlet to the store. The product discharge door 7 prevents cold air and warm air inside from leaking out of the refrigerator.

[0006]

By the way, as described above, in the vending machine for cold products and hot products, the running cost is reduced due to the large ratio of electric power consumed for keeping and heating the products stored in the refrigerator. It is an important issue to promote energy saving so as to keep it as low as possible.

[0007] From this point of view, considering the ventilation path of the circulating air flow that passes through the interior of the conventional vending machine described above, the circulating air flow blown forward from the cooling / heating unit 6 as shown in FIG. After passing through the air guide hole of the product take-out shooter 5, the inside of the product storage rack is cooled and heated by turning upward from the front to ventilate the inside of the product storage rack.
A part of the circulating airflow blown forward from the cooling / heating harmful gas 6 in the process of the circulation ventilation hits the door surface of the commodity carry-out door 7 provided at the lower part of the heat-insulating inner door 3 and reverses its direction. The gap g remaining between the front surface of the product storage rack 4 and the heat-insulating inner door 3 is ventilated upward to exchange heat with the cabinet 1. Further, the circulating air flow blown from the rear side of the shooter to the left and right without passing through the air guide holes of the product takeout shooter 5 rises along the side wall of the cabinet 1 as it is, and the gap between the circulating airflow and the side surface of the product storage rack 4 is increased. g to exchange heat with the cabinet 1.

In this case, the cabinet 1, the heat insulating inner door 3
The heat transfer between the inside of the refrigerator and the air inside the refrigerator that contacts the inner wall of the refrigerator depends on the temperature difference between the insulation wall and the refrigerator air, the heat transfer area, and the condition of the refrigerator air. When flowing as an air flow, the amount of heat transfer is larger than in the case where the inside air in contact with the inside wall surface of the cabinet is in a stagnant state, and heat flows through the heat insulating walls of the cabinet 1 and the heat insulating inner door 3. The amount of heat transfer increases. Moreover, when the product 9 is loaded in each column of the product storage rack 4, a sufficient gap is not secured inside the rack, so that the ventilation resistance as a ventilation path in the rack is large. Since there is no obstacle in the gap between the door 3 and the outer peripheral surface of the product storage rack 4 and its ventilation resistance is smaller than the ventilation resistance inside the rack, the circulation flowing in the gap between the cabinet and the rack peripheral surface. The amount of air flow increases. In addition, the circulating air flow that has flowed into the gap rises as it is and circulates and ventilates around the upper part of the interior of the cabinet 1, so that the products 9 in the sales order stored in the lower part of the product storage rack 4 can be efficiently used. Insufficient cooling or heating.

Further, the cold / warm air blown out from the cooling / heating unit 6 is applied to the goods discharge door 7 disposed at a place leading from the goods discharge chute 5 to the goods take-out port 2a in the refrigerator. Is the largest. Moreover, the conventional product discharge door 7 is made of a thin and lightweight resin molded door plate so as not to hinder the operation of discharging the product 9, and has a low heat insulating property. The amount of heat flowing between the outside and the inside of the refrigerator also increases.

For this reason, if the conventional structure is used, the amount of heat flowing between the inside and outside of the warehouse through the cabinet 1, the heat insulating wall of the heat insulating inner door 3, and the product carrying door 7 is increased, and the cooling / heating unit 6 is accordingly increased. And the running cost of the vending machine increases. In order to enhance the heat insulating performance of the heat insulating wall of the cabinet 1 and the product carrying door 7, it is conceivable to make the heat insulating wall and the door plate thicker. In addition to an increase in the volume, the cost increases, and the outer dimensions of the cabinet also increase. Further, when the thickness of the product exit door 7 is increased, the weight of the door itself increases, and a light product 9 may cause a transport trouble such that the product exit door cannot be pushed open by its own weight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to solve the above-mentioned problems and to allow heat to flow between inside and outside of a refrigerator without increasing the amount of heat insulating material used and the external dimensions of the cabinet. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vending machine in which the cabinet internal structure is improved so that a high energy saving effect can be obtained by reducing the cost.

[0012]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, a cooling / combination unit combined with a product storage rack, a product carrying-out shooter, and a fan in a refrigerator is provided in a cabinet of a cabinet serving as a heat insulating casing. A vending machine that arranges heating units vertically and sells products stored in a product storage rack as cold products or hot products, and circulates or blows air that has been cooled or heated by the cooling / heating unit into the refrigerator. The product is cooled or heated, and a normally-closed product discharge door is provided at a product discharge opening communicating with a product take-out opening outside the storage, wherein the cooling / heating unit is provided inside the storage of the cabinet. (1) a windshield that suppresses the flow of cool air or warm air blown forward from the inside of the cabinet along the inside wall of the cabinet. , The air shield means is constituted by a concrete manner, such as: Symbol.

(1) As a wind shield, a gap opening between the outer periphery of the lower end of the product storage rack and the inner wall surface of the cabinet is closed with a gap cover. (2) As a wind shield means, a wind shield cover extending downward from the left and right side edges of a perforated product carryout shooter having a hole for guiding air on the plate surface is provided. This prevents cold air and warm air blown out of the cooling / heating unit from flowing out to the side and ventilating the side wall surface of the cabinet.

According to the above configuration, the cool air flow or the warm air flow blown forward from the cooling / heating unit is blocked by the gap cover and the wind shield cover, so that the outer peripheral surface of the product storage rack and the inner wall surface of the cabinet are separated. In this manner, the internal space of the merchandise storage rack is intensively ventilated without ventilating the space between the merchandise storage racks. Therefore, a stagnant air layer that hardly flows in contact with the wall surface is formed inside the cabinet of the cabinet. In addition, the stagnated air layer exhibits high heat-insulating performance as a heat-insulating layer, so that heat loss that enters and exits through the heat-insulating walls of the cabinet can be kept low, thereby increasing the thickness of the heat-insulating walls of the cabinet. In addition, the heat load of the cooling / heating unit installed inside the refrigerator is reduced, and a high energy saving effect can be obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, in order to enhance the heat insulating property without impairing the door function of the above-mentioned product carry-out door, the product carry-out door is constituted by an insulated door (claim 4). Specifically, the product carrying door is constituted by a door plate having a hollow structure in which an air layer is sealed between the front wall and the rear wall (claim 5), or the product carrying door is provided on the surface of the door plate. A heat insulating material such as foamed plastic is overlapped and configured.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In the drawings of the respective embodiments, members corresponding to those in FIG. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. [Embodiment 1] FIGS. 1A and 1B show an embodiment corresponding to claims 1 and 2 of the present invention. In this embodiment, the product storage rack 4 housed in the cabinet of the cabinet 1
The outer peripheral wall (front, left and right sides) along the lower edge
The product storage rack 4 is inserted between the cabinet 1 and the inner wall surface of the heat insulating inner door 3 with a gap cover indicated by reference numeral 10 interposed therebetween.
And the end face of the gap opening between them is closed. The gap cover 10 is made of, for example, a foamed resin material such as polyethylene foam, and is adhered and fixed to the wall surfaces of the cabinet 1 and the heat insulating inner door 3 with an adhesive.

As a result, the circulating air flow (cold air flow or warm air flow) that has been blown out of the cooling / heating unit 6 through the air guide hole of the product unloading shooter 5 and blown out into the interior space of the product is stored as indicated by the arrow in the drawing. Inflow into the gap g remaining between the outer peripheral wall surface of the rack 4 and the cabinet 1 and the heat insulating inner door 3 is prevented by the gap cover 10, and the air is intensively ventilated toward the inside of the article storage rack 4 and stored in the rack. The product 9 is cooled or heated. Moreover, in this state, the stationary air layer stagnates in the gap g between the product storage rack 4 and the cabinet 1 and the heat insulating inner door 3 without flowing, and this air layer becomes the heat insulating layer. To prevent heat from entering the interior from outside. Note that the gap cover 10 is not limited to the one made of foamed resin, and the gap can be closed by a wind shield plate.

[Embodiment 2] FIGS. 2A to 2C show an embodiment in which a product take-out chute having a structure corresponding to claim 3 of the present invention is combined with the internal structure shown in FIG. Show. In this embodiment, the product unloading shooter 5 laid on the lower surface side of the product storage rack 4 in a forwardly inclined posture has the following configuration. That is, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), the product take-out chute 5 has a large number of air guide holes 5a opened on its plate surface (shooter surface), and further, on both left and right sides of the chute, along the longitudinal direction. The windshield cover 11 extends downward. The wind shield cover 11 can be adhered or screwed to the side edge of the shooter 5 as a plastic plate, or can be formed of a sheet metal integrally with the shooter 5.

The merchandise unloading shooter 5 having the above configuration is combined with the internal structure of FIG. 1 so that the cooling / heating unit can be operated during the operation of the vending machine as shown by arrows in FIGS. The circulating airflow blown out from the inner space 6 into the space on the back side of the product carry-out shooter 5 is blocked by the wind shield cover 11 and does not flow out to the side of the shooter 5 but passes through the wind guide hole 5a opened in the shooter plate surface. Then, the air is blown forward or upward in the refrigerator, and the air is ventilated from here toward the interior of the product storage rack 4. As a result, a circulating air flow does not flow through the gap between the wind shield cover 11 of the product carrying-out shooter 5 and the lower side wall surface of the cabinet 1, and a stagnant air layer effective as a heat insulating layer is formed in this portion. Will be done.

[Embodiment 3] Next, claims 4 and 5 of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a product carry-out door corresponding to FIG. In this embodiment, the product exit shooter 5 in the warehouse is connected to the front door 2.
The flapper-type product discharge door 7 provided at the product discharge port of the heat-insulating inner door 3 on the way of the product discharge passage leading to the product discharge port 2a is constituted by an insulated door having the following structure.

That is, a product exit door 7 made of resin mold
Is a hollow-structured door in which a cavity is formed between the front wall and the rear wall and air is sealed therein. Here, the air layer 7b sealed in the hollow door plate 7a serves as a heat insulating layer to enhance the heat insulating property of the door plate. As a result, the cool air or warm air blown forward from the cooling / heating unit 6 during operation of the vending machine blows against the rear wall of the product discharge door 7, and therefore, the product discharge door 7 communicates with the outside air outside the refrigerator. Even if there is a large temperature difference between the inside and the outside, the amount of heat flowing in and out of the inside and outside of the warehouse by flowing through the door plate of the product carrying door 7 is reduced, and unnecessary heat load on the cooling / heating unit 6 is reduced. Increase can be prevented.

Further, the product discharge door 7 having the above structure has almost the same weight as the conventional door structure, so that the product discharge function of the flapper type product discharge door is not impaired. The interior of the hollow door plate may be evacuated instead of enclosing air. [Embodiment 4] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a product carrying door according to claim 6 of the present invention. In this embodiment, a lightweight heat insulating material 7d such as a foamed polyethylene resin is adhered to the outer plate surface of a door plate 7c made of a resin mold with an adhesive. As a result, the flapper-type product carrying door 7 is provided in the same manner as in the third embodiment.
While maintaining the door function, the heat insulation inside and outside can be enhanced. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat insulating material 7d is replaced with the door plate 7c.
Is attached to the outside, but the same effect can be obtained even when attached to the inside.

[0023]

As described above, according to the structure of the present invention, cool air or warm air blown out from the cooling / heating unit into the interior space of the cabinet flows along the interior wall surface of the cabinet inside the interior space of the cabinet. A windshield means shall be provided to suppress the flow of air, and the windshield means shall be closed with a gap cover between the outer periphery of the lower end of the product storage rack and the inner wall surface of the cabinet with a gap cover, or be guided to the plate surface. By providing a windshield cover extending downward from the left and right side edges of the perforated product carrying shooter having an open air hole, the cool air flow or the warm air flow blown forward from the cooling / heating unit can be introduced into the product storage rack. A stagnant air layer, which effectively functions as a heat insulating layer, is formed in the gap between the product storage rack and the cabinet while allowing the ventilation to concentrate. Without or thicker, suppressing the heat loss and out by heat passing through the cabinet cooling /
Unnecessary heat load of the heating unit can be suppressed to improve the energy saving effect.

Also, the product discharge door leading to the product outlet is an insulated door, and air that functions as a heat insulating layer is sealed in a door plate having a hollow structure, or a heat insulating material such as foam resin is adhered to the door plate. By improving the thermal insulation of the door,
While ensuring the door function of the product exit door, the heat insulation of the door can be enhanced to contribute to the improvement of energy saving effect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vending machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views in different directions.

FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b) are cross-sectional views of main parts in different directions, respectively, and FIG. 2 (c) is a perspective view of a product unloading shooter according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a vending machine equipped with a product discharge door having a heat insulating structure corresponding to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a vending machine equipped with a product discharge door for insulated mulberry corresponding to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of the inside of a conventional vending machine,
(a) and (b) are cross-sectional views in different directions.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cabinet 2 Outer door 2a Merchandise exit 3 Insulated inner door 4 Merchandise storage rack 6 Cooling / heating unit 6c In-compartment fan 7 Merchandise exit door 7a Hollow door plate 7b Air layer 7c Door plate 7d Insulation material 9 Merchandise 10 Gap cover 11 Interception Wind board

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shunji Mori 1-1-1, Tanabe-Nitta, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. No. 1 Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 3E044 AA01 FB05 FB08 FB12 FB17 3L102 JA05 KA07 MB29 MB30

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A cooling / heating unit combined with a product storage rack, a product carrying-out shooter, and a fan in a warehouse is vertically arranged in a cabinet of a cabinet serving as a heat insulating housing,
A vending machine that sells products stored in a product storage rack as cold products or hot products, and cools or heats the products by circulating and blowing air cooled or heated by the cooling / heating unit into the refrigerator. And a normally-closed product exit door at the product exit that leads to the product exit outside the warehouse.
A vending machine comprising a wind shield means for suppressing a flow of cool air or warm air blown out from a cooling / heating unit into an internal space of a cabinet along an inner wall surface of the cabinet. 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a gap opening between the outer periphery of the lower end of the product storage rack and the inner wall surface of the cabinet is closed by a gap cover as wind shielding means. vending machine. 3. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a wind-shielding cover is provided as the wind-shielding means extending downward from the left and right side edges of a perforated product takeout chute having an air guide hole opened in the plate surface. Vending machine characterized by the following. 4. A cooling / heating unit combined with a product storage rack, a product carry-out shooter, and a fan in the warehouse is vertically arranged in a cabinet of a cabinet serving as a heat insulating casing,
A vending machine that sells products stored in a product storage rack as cold products or hot products, and cools or heats the products by circulating and blowing air cooled or heated by the cooling / heating unit into the refrigerator. A vending machine characterized by comprising a normally-closed product exit door at a product exit opening to a product exit outside the warehouse, wherein the product exit door is constituted by an insulated door. 5. A vending machine according to claim 4, wherein the commodity carrying-out door is constituted by a door plate having a hollow structure in which an air space is sealed between a front wall and a back wall. Machine. 6. The vending machine according to claim 4, wherein the commodity carrying door is constructed by laminating a heat insulating material on the surface of the door plate.