JP2003016514A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform energy saving more while maintaining commodities at a desired temperature. SOLUTION: An air duct 311 that demarcates a ventilation path 313 is provided between heat exchangers 306a and 307 and a chute 301.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic vending machine that cools or heats products such as beverages contained in containers such as cans, bottles, packs, and PET bottles for sale.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 10 shows a prior art of this type of vending machine. In this vending machine,
By arranging the shooter 2 inside the container, a stacking chamber 4 for stacking products, for example, can products 3, is formed above the shooter 2. A heat exchange chamber 7 that houses the evaporator 5 a of the cooling unit 5 and the heater 6 is formed below the shooter 2. A blower fan 8 is provided on the front side of the evaporator 5a and the heater 6 to blow air forward. The shooter 2 arranged so as to partition the stacking chamber 4 and the heat exchange chamber 7 is inclined so as to gradually lower toward the front, and sends out the canned product 3 dropped from the rack in the collecting chamber 4 to the product outlet 9. It is possible. Further, the shooter 2 is provided with a large number of ventilation holes 2a for appropriately circulating air between the accumulation chamber 4 and the heat exchange chamber 7. A circulation duct 10 is provided at the innermost side of the storage case 1 so as to connect the accumulation chamber 4 and the heat exchange chamber 7 to each other.

In the vending machine configured as described above, for example, when the blower fan 8 is driven while the cooling unit 5 is driven, the air cooled by the evaporator 5a is discharged into the vent hole 2a of the shooter 2 and the collecting chamber. 4, the inside of the storage 1 is circulated through the circulation duct 10, and the can products 3 accumulated on the racks in the accumulation chamber 4 can be cooled.
On the contrary, when the blower fan 8 is driven while the heater 6 is driven, the air heated by the heater 6 circulates inside the storage case 1 through the ventilation hole 2a of the shooter 2, the accumulation chamber 4, and the circulation duct 10. As a result, it becomes possible to heat the canned goods 3 accumulated on the rack in the accumulation chamber 4.

In this type of vending machine, when the cooling unit 5 or the heater 6 is continuously driven, the can products 3 accumulated in the accumulating chamber 4 are overcooled or overheated. Not only is it a problem as a product, but it is not preferable from the viewpoint of energy saving. Therefore, in these vending machines, a desired temperature range is set in advance, and the cooling unit 5 or the heater 6 is ON (drive) / OFF (stop) controlled so that the inside of the storage case 1 maintains this temperature range. It is common to do so.

For example, when cooling the can products 3 accumulated in the accumulating chamber 4, as shown in FIG. 11 (a), the switching temperature between the PD (pull-down: rapid cooling) operation and the steady operation with respect to the internal temperature A is set, and an ON point B and an OFF point C are set in a range where the temperature is lower than the switching temperature A (however, ON point B> OFF point C).

Then, as shown in FIG. 11B, when the internal temperature exceeds the switching temperature A, the switching temperature A
The cooling unit 5 is continuously driven as follows (PD operation). After that, when the internal temperature becomes equal to or lower than the switching temperature A, the driving of the cooling unit 5 is turned off while the driving of the cooling unit 5 is turned off when the OFF point C is reached.
When the inside temperature reaches the ON point B due to the FF, the driving of the cooling unit 5 is turned on again. When the ON / OFF control of the cooling unit 5 is repeated in this way (steady operation), the temperature inside the refrigerator is turned ON.
Since the temperature range between the point B and the OFF point C is maintained, the can product 3 can be prevented from being supercooled, and energy saving is achieved as compared with the case where the cooling unit 5 is continuously driven. It will be possible.

The defrosting operation shown in FIG. 11 (a) is for periodically removing the frost attached to the evaporator 5a as the cooling unit 5 is driven. Specifically, by continuously operating the blower fan 8 with the cooling unit 5 stopped, the frost attached to the evaporator 5a is melted and removed.

[0008]

By the way, most of the vending machines are continuously operated for 24 hours, and it is the actual situation that further energy saving is desired. Therefore, driving control of the blower fan 8 can be considered. That is, in the present situation, as shown in FIG. 11C, while the vending machine is activated, it is always constant regardless of the operating state of the cooling unit 5 such as the above-described PD operation or steady operation. The blower fan 8 is continuously driven so as to maintain the amount of blown air. Moreover, the amount of air blown is set to that required for rapidly cooling the accumulation chamber 4 during PD operation. Therefore, during steady operation in which rapid cooling is not necessary, excessive air is circulated, and energy saving can be expected by reducing the amount of air blown. Specifically, it is possible to expect energy saving, such as eliminating unnecessary heat loss on the wall surface of the storage case 1, not cooling the canned goods 3 more than necessary, and so on.

However, if the amount of air blown by the blower fan 8 is simply reduced in the conventional vending machine, there is a possibility that the following problems may occur. That is, as shown by the broken line arrow in FIG. 10, the air in the cold storage whose flow velocity has decreased with the decrease in the amount of blown air is again reheated by the negative pressure in the vicinity of the blower fan 8 immediately after passing through the shooter 2. 7, the can products 3 accumulated in the accumulation chamber 4 are not sufficiently reached. Therefore, the cooling of the canned product 3 may be insufficient, or the cooling temperature of the canned product 3 may vary greatly. The above-mentioned problem can occur not only when the can product 3 is cooled but also when the can product 3 is heated.

In view of the above situation, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic vending machine capable of further saving energy while maintaining a desired temperature state of a product.

[0011]

In the vending machine according to the present invention, a shooter having a ventilation hole is arranged inside a storage box to form a product accumulating chamber above the shooter. A heat exchange chamber accommodating a heat exchanger is formed in the lower part of the shooter, and further, the accumulation chamber and the heat exchange chamber are connected to each other by a circulation duct, and the air in the storage chamber is heated by the blower fan to drive the heat to the heat storage chamber. An automatic vending machine configured to maintain the accumulation chamber in a desired temperature range by sequentially circulating the exchange chamber, the vent hole of the shooter, the accumulation chamber, and the circulation duct, the heat exchanger and the shooter. A baffle plate for preventing the passage of air from the accumulation chamber to the heat exchange chamber is provided between them (Claim 1).

Further, in the vending machine according to the present invention, the shooter having the ventilation hole is arranged inside the storage box to form a product accumulating chamber above the shooter, while the lower part of the shooter is arranged. To form a heat exchange chamber accommodating a heat exchanger, and further connect the accumulation chamber and the heat exchange chamber to each other by a circulation duct, and drive the air blowing fan to move the air in the storage chamber to the heat exchange chamber, In a vending machine configured to maintain the accumulation chamber in a desired temperature range by sequentially circulating the air through the ventilation hole of the shooter, the accumulation chamber, and the circulation duct, the heat exchanger and the shooter are connected between the heat exchanger and the shooter. A baffle for blocking the passage of air from the accumulation chamber to the heat exchange chamber is provided, and when the accumulation chamber is out of the temperature range, the heat exchanger is driven and the air blower is provided. While securing a predetermined air volume from § down, if it satisfies a preset condition, characterized in that to reduce the air blowing amount from the blower fan (Claim 2).

The condition for reducing the amount of air blown from the blower fan is that the preset time has elapsed from the time when the temperature of the accumulation chamber reached the temperature range (claim 3) or the time when the heat exchanger was driven ( It may be set as in claim 4).

Further, in the vending machine according to the present invention, the shooter having the ventilation hole is disposed inside the storage box to form a product accumulating chamber above the shooter, and the lower part of the shooter. To form a heat exchange chamber accommodating a heat exchanger, and further connect the accumulation chamber and the heat exchange chamber to each other by a circulation duct, and drive the air blowing fan to move the air in the storage chamber to the heat exchange chamber, An automatic vending machine which maintains a desired temperature range in the accumulation chamber by sequentially circulating the heat through the ventilation hole of the shooter, the accumulation chamber, and the circulation duct and controlling the heat exchanger to be turned on / off as appropriate. A baffle plate is provided between the heat exchanger and the shooter to prevent passage of air from the accumulation chamber to the heat exchange chamber, and the accumulation chamber is out of the temperature range. When the heat exchanger is driven and the predetermined amount of air is blown from the blower fan, ON / OFF of the heat exchanger is preset after the accumulation chamber reaches the temperature range. When the number of times is reached, the amount of air blown from the blower fan is reduced (claim 5).

In these inventions, it is preferable that an AC motor is applied as a drive source of the blower fan and the ratio of the voltage application time to the AC motor is changed to change the amount of blown air from the blower fan ( Claim 6). A cushioning material is preferably interposed between the shooter and the baffle (claim 7). The baffle is preferably a ventilation duct that defines a ventilation path between the heat exchanger and the shooter (claim 8). When the ventilation duct is provided, it is preferable to separate it from the inner wall surface of the storage (claim 9). As the blower fan, it is preferable that the blower fan is arranged in the heat exchange chamber, and the wind tunnel member surrounding the periphery thereof and the ventilation duct are integrally formed (claim 10). It is preferable that the shooter has a vent hole only in a portion communicating with the ventilation duct (claim 11). A rectifying plate is preferably provided inside the ventilation duct (claim 12). The circulation duct extends to a position above the product located at the lower end in the stacking chamber, has an intake hole at the upper end thereof, and has a second intake hole near the product located at the lower end. Is preferably opened (claim 1
3).

Further, in the vending machine according to the present invention, the shooter having the ventilation holes is arranged inside the storage box to form a product accumulating chamber above the shooter, while the lower part of the shooter is provided. A heat exchange chamber accommodating a cooler therein, and further, the accumulation chamber and the heat exchange chamber are made to communicate with each other by a circulation duct, and the air in the storage chamber is driven by a fan to drive the heat exchange chamber and the shooter. In the vending machine which maintains the accumulation chamber in a desired temperature range by sequentially circulating the air through the ventilation hole, the accumulation chamber, and the circulation duct, when the accumulation chamber exceeds the temperature range. Drives the cooler and secures a predetermined amount of air blown from the blower fan, while increasing the amount of air blown from the blower fan when defrosting the cooler. It characterized the door (claim 14).

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of a vending machine according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional side view showing an embodiment of an automatic vending machine according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the vending machine illustrated here has three housings 100, 200, 300 inside a main body cabinet 20, and temperature control of each housing 100, 200, 300 is performed individually. It is possible to Of these, the left housing 100 facing the front is dedicated to cooling, while the two right housings 200 and 300 facing the front are capable of switching cooling / heating. That is, in the left housing 100, a heat exchanger dedicated to cooling is arranged. On the other hand, the two storage boxes 200, 300 on the right side are provided with heat exchangers capable of switching cooling / heating. Except for the heat exchanger, all the storages 100, 200, 300 have the same configuration. Therefore, in the following, the storage box 30 on the right side when facing the front will be described.
Only 0 will be sequentially described.

As shown in FIG. 1, this vending machine has
The shooter 30 is divided into upper and lower parts of the storage 300.
1 is arranged, and an accumulation chamber 302 is formed above the shooter 301, while a heat exchange chamber 303 is formed below the shooter 301.

In the accumulating chamber 302, the rack 3 is provided above the accumulating chamber 302.
04a, 304b, 304c, 304d, 304e are arranged. Racks 304a, 304b, 304c, 3
04d and 304e are provided in a plurality of rows (five rows in the embodiment) along the depth direction of the accumulating chamber 302, and a plurality of products, for example, can products 305 can be accumulated in each. Racks 304a, 304b, 304 in each row
c, 304d, 304e are can products 3 filled from above.
05 are discharged one by one from the lower end. As can be seen from the figure, the racks 30 in the rear three rows
4c, 304d, 304e are arranged such that their lower end surfaces are located above the lower end surfaces of the racks 304a, 304b in the two rows on the front side.

In the heat exchange chamber 303, an evaporator 306a, a heater 307, and a blower fan 308 are sequentially arranged from the back. The evaporator 306a constitutes the cooling unit 306 with the compressor 306b, the condenser 306c, and the expander 306d arranged in the lower part of the storage 300. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, individual evaporators 106a, 206a, 306a are arranged in the three storages 100, 200, 300, respectively, while the compressor 306b, the condenser 306c and the expander are arranged. Thirty
Regarding 6d, one shared by each evaporator 106a, 206a, 306a is arranged at the lower part of the storage 100, 200, 300, and the electromagnetic valve 106e interposed in each refrigerant supply line, 206e, 306e
The evaporator 106a, which is driven by appropriately opening and closing the
206a and 306a can be selected. The heater 307 is driven to generate heat when a predetermined voltage is applied. The blower fan 308 is the AC motor 30.
9 (see FIG. 4) as a drive source, and when the AC motor 309 is driven, air is blown from the back of the heat exchange chamber 303 toward the front. The evaporator 306a and the heater 307 have a frame body 310 whose front and rear end surfaces are open.
It is located inside.

A ventilation duct 311 is provided in the heat exchange chamber 303. The ventilation duct 311 is, as shown in FIG. 3, provided in the shape of a rectangular tube so as to extend the wind tunnel member 312 surrounding the blower fan 308.
06a and the frame body 310 surrounding the heater 307
An air passage 313 is defined between the front end of the and the part reaching the shooter 301. The ventilation duct 311 is provided with a guide member 314 along the vertical direction at the front end thereof, and the discharge port 315 is opened only at a portion in contact with the shooter 301 described above. As is clear from Fig. 1,
The ventilation duct 311 and the guide member 314 are provided in the storage case 3.
It is provided so as to secure an appropriate interval between the inner wall surface of the No. 00 and the inner wall surface. The ventilation duct 311 is provided in the wind tunnel member 31.
2 may be provided separately, but if integrally molded with the wind tunnel member 312, the number of parts to be handled during manufacturing can be reduced, and there is a risk of causing a problem such as air leakage between the two. Disappear.

On the other hand, the shooter 301 located between the accumulation chamber 302 and the heat exchange chamber 303 is arranged so as to be gradually lowered toward the front, and each rack 304a, 304b, 304c of the accumulation chamber 302, 304d, 304e
The can product 305 dropped from the
It is possible to send out to the commodity outlet 317 through 6. The shooter 301 includes the ventilation duct 311.
Vent holes 30 only in the portion corresponding to the exhaust port 315 of
1a is provided. As shown in FIG. 3, these ventilation holes 301a are formed on two straight lines extending in the left-right direction, and air can be appropriately circulated between the inside of the ventilation duct 311 and the accumulation chamber 302. Is. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of ventilation holes 301a located on the straight line on the front side are located in the front row from the inside of the ventilation duct 311, that is, below the rack 304a provided in the front first row. It is formed so as to face the end face. A plurality of ventilation holes 301a located on a straight line at the rear side
Are the racks 304b provided in the second front row and the racks 3 provided in the third front row from the inside of the ventilation duct 311.
It is formed so as to face the stepped portion with respect to 04c.

Further, the vending machine has a storage box 30.
A circulation duct 318 is provided at the innermost position of 0 along the vertical direction. The upper end of the circulation duct 318 extends to a position above the last row, that is, the lowermost can product 305 accumulated in the rack 304e in the fifth row in the front, and the intake end 318a is provided at the extending end. is doing. The lower end of the circulation duct 318 reaches the heat exchange chamber 303 beyond the shooter 301, and communicates with the rear end of the frame 310 surrounding the evaporator 306a and the heater 307.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a temperature control system of the vending machine. In FIG. 4, the operation input unit 31
Reference numeral 9 denotes a portion where the installer of the vending machine or a maintenance worker performs setting input, and is provided at a position exposed to the outside when the outer door 320 for opening and closing the front surface of the main body cabinet 20 is opened, for example. As the setting items input from the operation input unit 319, for example, as described above, there are settings for selecting whether to cool or heat the two right-side storage sheds 200, 300. . The setting input information from the operation input unit 319 is given to the temperature control unit 321 described later. The internal thermistor 322 is a sensor for detecting the internal temperature of the accumulating chamber 302, and is provided at an appropriate position in the accumulating chamber 302. The detection result of the in-compartment thermistor 322 is given to the temperature control unit 321 described later. Temperature controller 3
Reference numeral 21 denotes a program or data stored in advance in the memory 323, further setting input information from the operation input unit 319,
In addition, it is a part that controls the driving of the cooling unit 306, the electromagnetic valve 306e, the heater 307, and the AC motor 309 according to the detection result of the thermistor 322 in the refrigerator.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing the drive timing of the cooling unit 306 and the blower fan 308 under the control of the temperature control section 321. Hereinafter, with reference to this timing chart, the control content of the temperature control unit 321 when the can products 305 accumulated in the accumulation chamber 302 are cooled will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 5A, a switching temperature A, which is a switching point between PD operation and steady operation, is set in advance in the memory 323 of the temperature controller 321 and this switching is performed. The ON point B and the OFF point C are set in a temperature range lower than the temperature A (however, O
N point B> OFF point C).

The outer door 320 and the inner door 316 are opened,
Racks 304a, 304b, 304c, 304d, 30
When the inside temperature detected by the inside thermistor 322 is equal to or higher than the switching temperature A by, for example, filling the can product 305 in 4e, as shown in FIG. The electromagnetic valve 306e is kept open while the cooling unit 306 is driven for cooling (PD operation). After that, when the internal temperature becomes equal to or lower than the switching temperature A, the electromagnetic valve 306e is closed when the OFF point C is reached, and the internal temperature is turned ON when the electromagnetic valve 306e is closed. In the case of, the electromagnetic valve 306e is opened again to cool the inside of the refrigerator. By appropriately repeating ON / OFF of the electromagnetic valve 306e (steady operation), the internal cold storage temperature can be maintained between the ON point B and the OFF point C, for example, the rack 304.
It is possible to maintain the can products 305 accumulated in a, 304b, 304c, 304d, 304e at the optimum cooling temperature (about 3 ° C.).

During this time, the temperature control section 321 is operated by
As shown in (c), the amount of air blown is large only while the internal temperature exceeds the switching temperature A, while the amount of air blown during the period when the internal temperature is below the switching temperature A is reduced.
The number of rotations of 09 is controlled. That is, when the in-compartment temperature exceeds the switching temperature A, a sufficient amount of air is blown from the blower fan 308, while when the in-compartment temperature reaches the switching temperature A, the amount of air blown from the blower fan 308 is reduced. I am trying. As a specific method for reducing the amount of air blown from the blower fan 308, an AC motor 309 that is a drive source thereof is used.
Is duty controlled, that is, the ratio of the voltage application time to the AC motor 309 is reduced.

As described above, the blower fan 3 is operated in accordance with the operating state of the cooling unit 306, more specifically, the operating state of the evaporator 306a by opening / closing the electromagnetic valve 306e.
According to the vending machine in which the amount of air blown from 08 is changed, the cooling time can be shortened during PD operation that requires rapid cooling, while rapid cooling is not required during steady operation. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a situation in which excess air circulates in the storage 300 and save energy.

Here, according to the vending machine, the frame body 31 surrounding the evaporator 306a and the heater 307 is provided.
A ventilation duct 311 that defines a ventilation path 313 is provided between the front end of 0 and the portion reaching the shooter 301. Therefore, even when the amount of air blown from the blower fan 308 is reduced and the flow velocity of the air is accordingly reduced, the air immediately after passing through the vent holes 301a of the shooter 301 is sucked into the heat exchange chamber 303 again. There is no fear of inviting. Moreover, the vent holes 301a of the shooter 301 are arranged only at the portions corresponding to the exhaust ports 315 of the ventilation ducts 311. Further, the respective vent holes 301a are provided at the lower end surface of the rack 304a provided at the front first row and at the front second row. Rack 304
It is formed so as to face a portion where cooling is apt to be insufficient, such as a step portion between b and the rack 304c provided in the third row in the front. As a result, the blower fan 308
Even when the amount of air blown from the
The air cooled by 6a is used for the can product 3 in the accumulation chamber 302.
It ’s possible to get around to 05,
Cooling of the canned product 305 becomes insufficient, or the canned product 305
The temperature does not vary greatly.
Further, since the ventilation duct 311 is provided so as to be separated from the inner wall surface of the storage case 300, the storage case 300 can be supplied with a large or small amount of air blown from the blower fan 308.
There is almost no heat loss through the walls.

Further, since the amount of air blown from the blower fan 308 is changed by controlling the duty of the AC motor 309, an expensive device such as an inverter is not required, and the application cost significantly increases. There is no fear of doing it.

By the way, in the above vending machine, the evaporator 306 is driven by the driving of the cooling unit 306.
Since frost adheres to a and its cooling efficiency decreases, it is necessary to regularly perform the defrosting operation. That is, in the vending machine according to the present embodiment, it is necessary to continuously operate the blower fan 308 with the electromagnetic valve 306e closed to melt and remove the frost attached to the evaporator 306a.

When such a defrosting operation is performed, the temperature control section 321 causes the blower fan 308 to operate further than when the internal temperature exceeds the switching temperature A, as shown in the latter half of FIG. 5 (c). I am trying to increase the amount of airflow. In the vending machine in which the amount of air blown from the blower fan 308 is increased in this way, the blower fan 308
More energy is required to increase the airflow of the. However, by increasing the amount of air blown by the blower fan 308, it is possible to shorten the defrosting operation time. Therefore, it is possible to save energy by reducing the total amount of energy required during the defrosting operation. It will be possible. Furthermore, as the defrosting operation time is shortened, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise of the accumulation chamber 302 as much as possible, and the PD operation time thereafter is shortened. It becomes possible to make energy.

The timing for reducing the amount of air blown from the blower fan 308 is not necessarily limited to that shown in FIG. 5 (c). For example, as shown in FIG. 5 (d), when the internal temperature exceeds the switching temperature A, the cooling unit 306 is driven (the electromagnetic valve 306 e is opened) to sequentially decrease the temperature, and when the OFF point C is reached. The air flow rate may be reduced by. In the example shown in FIG. 5D, the OFF point C for the first time is set as the timing for reducing the air flow rate, but the OFF point C for the second time and thereafter may be set for the timing for reducing the air flow rate.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5 (e), the cooling unit 306 is generated when the internal temperature exceeds the switching temperature A.
When the electromagnetic valve 306e is opened, the time measurement may be started from the time when the electromagnetic valve 306e is opened, and the time when the measured time reaches a preset time T0 may be the timing of the reduction of the air flow. However, as the set time T0, it is preferable to set the time until the internal temperature is sufficiently lower than the switching temperature A, for example, about 1 to 2 hours.

Even in the methods shown in FIGS. 5 (d) and 5 (e), when the above-mentioned defrosting operation is performed, the air blowing is further carried out than when the internal temperature exceeds the switching temperature A. The point that the amount of air blown from the fan 308 is increased is similar to the method of FIG.

The control by the temperature control section 321 described above is as follows.
Not only when cooling the canned goods 305 in the accumulation chamber 302,
The same process is performed when heating the canned goods 305. FIG. 6 shows the heater 30 under the control of the temperature controller 321.
7 is a timing chart showing drive timings of the air conditioner 7 and the blower fan 308. As is clear from FIG. 6, when the can product 305 is heated, the relationship between the switching temperature A ′, the ON point B ′, and the OFF point C ′ set to the inside temperature is opposite to that in the case of cooling, that is, OFF. Although point C ′> ON point B ′> switching temperature A ′, there is no substantial difference in the timing of turning on / off the heater 307 or increasing / decreasing the amount of air blown from the blower fan 308. That is, when the internal temperature is equal to or lower than the switching temperature A ′, the PU (pull-up: rapid heating) operation is performed, and the heater 307 is continuously driven to rapidly heat the accumulation chamber 302. After that, when the internal temperature becomes equal to or higher than the switching temperature A ′, the heater 307 is turned off at the time of reaching the OFF point C ′, while the heater 307 is turned off.
When the internal temperature reaches the ON point B ′ due to FF,
The heater 307 is turned on again to achieve heating. By appropriately repeating ON / OFF of the heater 307 (steady operation), the internal cold storage temperature can be maintained between the ON point B ′ and the OFF point C ′.
It is possible to maintain the can products 305 accumulated on the 04b, 304c, 304d, and 304e at the optimum heating temperature (about 55 ° C.).

In the meantime, regarding the operation of switching the amount of air blown from the blower fan 308, which is carried out by the temperature controller 321:
As shown in FIGS. 6 (c) to 6 (e), the amount of air blown is large only while the internal temperature is lower than the switching temperature A ′, while the amount of air is sent during the period when the internal temperature is equal to or higher than the switching temperature A ′. The rotation speed of AC motor 309 is controlled so as to reduce the air volume. However, in the case of heating, it is not necessary to perform defrosting operation,
The amount of air blown from the blower fan 308 is two, large and small. Further, as the time T1 set in FIG. 6 (e), it is preferable to set the time until the internal temperature sufficiently exceeds the switching temperature A ', for example, about 10 to 12 hours.

In the above embodiment, the circulation duct 318 is provided with the intake port 318a only at the upper end, but as in the modification shown in FIG. The second intake port 31 is provided at a position in the vicinity of the lowermost can product 305 accumulated in the rack 304e of the row.
8b may be provided. When the second intake port 318b is provided as described above, a part of the air that has passed through the ventilation hole 301a of the shooter 301 and reaches the accumulation chamber 302 is a part of each rack 304a, 304b, 304c, 304.
It passes along the can product 305 accumulated at the lowermost end of d, 304e, that is, the can product 305 to be sold next, and is then sucked into the second intake port 318b. As a result, even when the amount of air blown from the blower fan 308 is reduced, the racks 304a, 304b, 304c, 304
It becomes possible to effectively cool / heat the canned goods 305 that is closer to sale than the canned goods 305 accumulated in the upper layer of d, 304e.

The ventilation duct 311 is shown in FIG.
As in the first modified example shown in FIG. 7, if the flow regulating plate 324 is provided in the vicinity of the discharge port 315, the air can be efficiently circulated inside the storage case 300, and thus the amount of air blown from the blower fan 308. Can be reduced to 3
The cooling / heating efficiency of 05 can be sufficiently maintained. Further, as in the second modified example shown in FIG. 9, if the cushioning material 325 is interposed between the back surface of the shooter 301 and the back surface of the shooter 301, even if there is a dimensional error between the two, it is possible to ensure close contact between them. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent air leakage and efficiently circulate air, and there is no fear of generating noise even when the ventilation duct 311 vibrates due to the driving of the blower fan 308.

The products sold by the vending machine are not necessarily canned products, and of course, other products sold as long as they require cooling and / or heating. It is possible. In this case, the storage of the vending machine does not have to support both cooling and heating, and may be dedicated to cooling or heating. Also, the stacking unit rack is not always 5
It does not have to be a column. The number of storages provided in the vending machine is not limited to three. Further, a ventilation duct is provided between the heat exchanger and the shooter to prevent the passage of air from the accumulation chamber to the heat exchange chamber. It is sufficient to provide baffles to prevent the passage of air to the exchange chamber. Furthermore, the position of the ventilation hole provided in the shooter can be arbitrarily changed according to the arrangement mode of the products accumulated in the accumulation chamber.

[0043]

As described above, according to the vending machine according to the first and second aspects, the passage of air from the accumulation chamber to the heat exchange chamber is provided between the heat exchanger and the shooter. Since a baffle for blocking is provided, there is no risk of insufficient cooling / heating of the product or large variations in temperature even when the amount of air blown from the blower fan is reduced. Further, it becomes possible to further save energy while maintaining the product at a desired temperature.
Further, according to the vending machine according to claim 2, while the predetermined air flow rate is secured when the accumulation chamber is out of the desired temperature range, the air flow rate is reduced only when the preset condition is satisfied. Therefore, the rapid cooling / heating time can be shortened.

According to the automatic vending machine according to the sixth aspect, an AC motor is applied as a drive source of the blower fan, and the ratio of voltage application time to the AC motor is changed to change the blown amount from the blower fan. Since it is changed, an expensive air flow rate switching device such as an inverter is not required, and there is no fear that the application cost will significantly increase.

Further, according to the vending machine according to the eighth to tenth aspects, since the ventilation duct is applied as the baffle plate, it becomes possible to enhance the air circulation efficiency in the storage box. Energy saving can be achieved by improving cooling / heating efficiency. Furthermore, according to the vending machine of the ninth aspect, since the ventilation duct is separated from the inner wall surface of the storage case, there is almost no heat loss through the wall of the storage case. Further, according to the vending machine of the tenth aspect, since the ventilation duct is formed integrally with the wind tunnel member surrounding the blower fan, it is possible to reduce the number of parts to be handled during manufacturing. Therefore, there is no fear of causing a problem such as air leakage between the two.

According to the vending machine of the fourteenth aspect, when the temperature of the accumulating chamber exceeds the temperature range, the cooler is driven and a predetermined amount of air is blown from the blower fan, while the cooler is used. When the defrosting operation is performed, the amount of air blown from the blower fan is further increased, so that the defrosting operation time can be shortened and the total energy amount required during the defrosting operation is reduced. This makes it possible to save energy. Furthermore, as the defrosting operation time is shortened, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise of the accumulation chamber as much as possible, so that it is possible to shorten the subsequent drive time of the cooler and save energy. become.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional side view conceptually showing an automatic vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional front view of the vending machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part of the vending machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a temperature control system of the vending machine shown in FIG.

5 is a timing chart showing drive timings of the cooling unit and the blower fan with respect to the internal cold storage temperature of the vending machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing driving timings of a heater and a blower fan with respect to the internal temperature of the vending machine shown in FIG.

7 is a sectional side view conceptually showing a modified example of the vending machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a sectional side view showing a first modified example of the ventilation duct.

FIG. 9 is a sectional side view showing a second modified example of the ventilation duct.

FIG. 10 is a sectional side view conceptually showing a conventional vending machine.

FIG. 11 is a timing chart showing drive timings of the cooling unit and the blower fan with respect to the internal cold storage temperature of the conventional vending machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

20 main body cabinet 300 housing 301 shooter 301a ventilation hole 302 accumulation chamber 303 heat exchange chamber 304a, 304b, 304c, 304d, 304e
Rack 305 Can product 306 Cooling unit 306a Evaporator 306b Compressor 306c Condenser 306d Expander 306e Electromagnetic valve 307 Heater 308 Blower fan 309 AC motor 310 Frame 311 Ventilation duct 312 Wind tunnel member 313 Ventilation path 314 Guide member 315 Outlet 316 Door 317 Product outlet 318 Circulation duct 318a Intake port 318b Second intake port 319 Operation input section 320 Outer door 321 Temperature control section 322 Internal thermistor 323 Memory 324 Rectifier plate 325 Buffer material

Front page continuation (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ identification code FI theme code (reference) F25D 17/08 317 F25D 17/08 317 G07F 9/00 109 G07F 9/00 109F (72) Inventor Kuboyama Kodo Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture No. 1-1 Tanabe-Shinden, Kawasaki-ku, Fujita Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Riichi Sawano 1-1 Tanabe-Shinden, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Naoki Inoshita Kanagawa 1-1-1 Tanabe Nitta, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 3E044 AA01 CC08 DB16 FB02 FB08 FB12 3L045 AA04 BA01 CA02 DA02 EA01 LA09 LA10 MA02 NA03 NA18 PA01 PA02 PA04 3L081 AA01 AB06 BA05 BB02

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A heat exchange having a heat exchanger accommodated in a lower part of the shooter while arranging a shooter having a ventilation hole inside a storage box to form a product accumulation chamber in an upper part of the shooter. A chamber is formed, and further, the collection chamber and the heat exchange chamber are communicated with each other by a circulation duct, and the air in the storage is driven by a blower fan so that the heat exchange chamber, the vent holes of the shooter, the collection chamber, and An automatic vending machine which maintains the collection chamber in a desired temperature range by sequentially circulating the circulation duct, wherein the collection chamber reaches the heat exchange chamber between the heat exchanger and the shooter. An automatic vending machine, which is equipped with a baffle that blocks the passage of air. 2. A heat exchange in which a shooter having a ventilation hole is arranged inside a storage box to form a product accumulation chamber above the shooter and a heat exchanger is stored below the shooter. A chamber is formed, and further, the collection chamber and the heat exchange chamber are communicated with each other by a circulation duct, and the air in the storage is driven by a blower fan so that the heat exchange chamber, the vent holes of the shooter, the collection chamber, and An automatic vending machine which maintains the collection chamber in a desired temperature range by sequentially circulating the circulation duct, wherein the collection chamber reaches the heat exchange chamber between the heat exchanger and the shooter. Providing a baffle that blocks the passage of air,
And when the accumulation chamber is out of the temperature range, the heat exchanger is driven and a predetermined air flow is secured from the air blow fan, while the air blow fan is set when a preset condition is satisfied. A vending machine characterized by reducing the amount of air blown from. 3. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein the amount of air blown from the blower fan is reduced when the temperature of the accumulation chamber reaches the temperature range. 4. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein the amount of air blown from the blower fan is reduced when a preset time has elapsed from the time when the heat exchanger was driven. 5. A heat exchange having a heat exchanger accommodated in the lower part of the shooter while arranging a shooter having a ventilation hole inside the container to form a product accumulation chamber in the upper part of the shooter. A chamber is formed, and further, the collection chamber and the heat exchange chamber are communicated with each other by a circulation duct, and the air in the storage is driven by a blower fan so that the heat exchange chamber, the vent holes of the shooter, the collection chamber, and An automatic vending machine which maintains the accumulation chamber within a desired temperature range by sequentially circulating the circulation duct and appropriately controlling ON / OFF of the heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger and the shooter are connected to each other. A baffle that blocks the passage of air from the accumulation chamber to the heat exchange chamber is provided between
And when the accumulation chamber is out of the temperature range, the heat exchanger is driven, and while a predetermined air flow is secured from the blower fan, after the accumulation chamber reaches the temperature range, the An automatic vending machine, which reduces the amount of air blown from the blower fan when ON / OFF of the heat exchanger reaches a preset number of times. 6. An air-conditioning motor is applied as a drive source for the air-blowing fan, and the amount of air blown from the air-blowing fan is changed by changing the ratio of voltage application time to the AC motor. The vending machine according to any one of 2 to 5. 7. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a cushioning material is interposed between the shooter and the baffle plate. 8. The automatic vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the baffle plate is a ventilation duct that defines a ventilation path between the heat exchanger and the shooter. Machine. 9. The vending machine according to claim 8, wherein the ventilation duct is provided separately from an inner wall surface of the storage case. 10. The blower fan is arranged in the heat exchange chamber, and a wind tunnel member surrounding the blower fan and the ventilation duct are integrally formed. Vending machine. 11. The vending machine according to claim 8, wherein the shooter has a vent hole only in a portion communicating with the ventilation duct. 12. The vending machine according to claim 8, wherein a current plate is provided inside the ventilation duct. 13. The circulation duct extends up to a portion above a product located at a lower end of the collection chamber,
The vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein an intake hole is opened at an upper end portion thereof, and a second intake hole is opened near a commodity located at the lower end portion. . 14. A heat exchanging chamber having a cooler accommodated in a lower part of the shooter while arranging a shooter having a ventilation hole inside the container to form a product accumulating chamber in an upper part of the shooter. The collection chamber and the heat exchange chamber are further communicated with each other by a circulation duct, and the air in the storage chamber is driven by a blower fan so that the heat exchange chamber, the vent hole of the shooter, the collection chamber and the In a vending machine configured to maintain the accumulation chamber in a desired temperature range by sequentially circulating it in a circulation duct, when the accumulation chamber exceeds the temperature range, the cooler is driven, and While ensuring a predetermined air flow rate from the air blower fan, further increasing the air flow rate from the air blower fan when performing the defrosting operation of the cooler. Machine.