JP2004356087A - Heater, food and drink heating device with the heater, and vending machine equipped with the above - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a heater quickly, efficiently, and safely heating an object to be heated by improving heat radiation efficiency of a heating element. <P>SOLUTION: The heater heating the object to be heated comprises a heating element, a base pedestal on which the heater is arranged, and a fixing material in which the heating element arranged on the base pedestal is embedded, conducting heat from the heating element to the object to be heated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a heater for heating an object to be heated, and more particularly to a heater which is configured to be thin and flexible, or which is suitable for directly heating a food / beverage container, and which is provided with a heating means having a heating means having the heater. The present invention relates to a product heating device and a vending machine provided with the food and beverage heating device.

  Generally, as a heater using a heating wire, a bare heating wire as a heating element and a sheathed heater in which the bare heating wire is covered with a sheath are mainly used (for example, Patent Document 1). The sheathed heater has the advantage that it can be bent into any shape according to the object to be heated, but when heating the object to be heated in a short time, it is necessary to cover the surface of the object with more bare heating wires. is there. However, if the naked heating wires are densely arranged, there is a possibility of causing an electric shock, shortening the life of the heating element, and the like.

  Further, as another heater, there is often a system in which a bare heating wire covered with an insulator is wired on a base. However, in the case of such a heater, there is a possibility that the heat generation efficiency is reduced because an air layer exists between the bare heat generation line pitches. Further, when such an air layer is formed, the temperature uniformity of the surface of the heater on the side of the object to be heated is impaired, and there is a possibility that heat cannot be efficiently transferred to the object to be heated. In particular, when the object to be heated is rapidly heated, the heat transfer efficiency is reduced, so that it may not be possible to quickly heat the object to the predetermined temperature in a short time. Further, in the heater as described above, if the insulator covering the bare heating wire is damaged, there is a possibility of electric leakage, so that a beverage container or a food container (hereinafter simply referred to as a food and beverage container) made of a metal material. )) Is not applied to the heating. For this reason, in a food and beverage heating apparatus provided with a heating unit having such a heater, there is a possibility that rapid heating of the food or beverage may not be possible. In addition, the range of heatable products (food and drink) may be limited due to the material and the like of the food and drink container.

Further, in a vending machine of a type equipped with a conventional food and beverage heating device and heating a product at the time of sale, there is a possibility that the selling time may be delayed. Further, if the products are pre-warmed to shorten the sales time, the deterioration of the products stored in the vending machine may be accelerated. Although a vending machine with a built-in microwave oven has been proposed (Patent Document 2), there is a possibility that the demand for downsizing and cost reduction of the vending machine cannot be sufficiently satisfied. In addition, if a microwave oven is used as the heating means, it becomes impossible to heat the beverage in a can, so that there is a possibility that the products available for sale in the vending machine are significantly restricted.
JP-A-02-75186 (pages 1-2) JP-A-2-310692 (pages 1-2, FIG. 1)

  An object of the present invention is to improve the heat generation efficiency of a heating element, secure insulation while increasing the surface area of a heater on the side of an object to be heated, and quickly and safely conduct a conductive object such as a metal. A heater that can be rapidly heated, a food and beverage heating device equipped with the heater, and a food and beverage heating device that is equipped with the food and beverage heating device, can shorten the sales time, expand the number of products that can be heated, and suppress deterioration of food and beverage products. It is to provide a vending machine capable of.

  In order to solve the above problems, a heater according to the present invention is a heater for heating an object to be heated, and includes a heating element, a base on which the heating element is provided, and a base laid on the base. And a fixing material in which the heating element is embedded and which conducts heat from the heating element to the object to be heated.

  Examples of the heating element include a sheet heating element (for example, stainless steel foil) and a bare heating wire obtained by winding a bare wire around a core wire. Further, the heating element can be covered with a flexible material selected from high insulation and high heat conductivity such as polyimide, heat-resistant polyethylene, glass fiber, carbon fiber, silicone, and heat-resistant rubber. Leakage to the object to be heated can be reliably prevented while ensuring high thermal conductivity.

  The core wire can be formed from a combination of one or more flexible materials selected from heat-resistant materials such as glass fiber, aramid fiber, and carbon fiber. Further, the cross section of the core wire and the heating element can be formed in a circle, an ellipse, a square, a polygon, or the like. In particular, when the cross-sectional shape is formed into an elliptical shape or a rectangular shape, the thermal conductivity to the heated object side can be improved. Further, generation of a temperature gradient with respect to the surface of the heater on the side of the object to be heated can be suppressed.

  The bare wire wound around the core wire may be made of an iron-chromium-aluminum alloy, a nickel-chromium alloy, platinum (including an alloy containing platinum), molybdenum (including an alloy containing molybdenum), and tantalum ( Formed from a combination of one or more flexible materials selected from tantalum-containing alloys, tungsten (including tungsten-containing alloys), silicon carbide, molybdenum-silicite, and carbon Is possible.

  The fixing material is preferably a material having high insulation and high thermal conductivity. This is for realizing rapid heating of the object to be heated while preventing electric leakage to the object to be heated. Further, if the fixing material is made flexible, the surface shape of the heater on the side of the object to be heated can be changed along the surface shape of the object to be heated, so that the contact area with the object to be heated can be increased. , More rapid heating can be realized. Examples of the fixing material include a silicone-based material having high insulation, high thermal conductivity, and flexibility. In addition, a high heat conductive substance such as a metal powder can be added to the fixing material. For example, if the powder of iron, copper, and aluminum is added, the thermal conductivity of the fixing material can be improved.

  It is preferable to interpose a first interposition material between the fixing material and the object to be heated. For example, if a high-insulating film-like material is interposed, it is possible to more reliably prevent leakage to the object to be heated, and to safely heat a metal food and drink container. Further, if the first interposition member is configured to be flexible, the surface shape of the heater on the side of the object to be heated can be changed along the surface shape of the object to be heated. Can be expanded, and more rapid heating can be realized. The first interposition material and a second interposition material described later can be formed in a film shape, a sheet shape, or a tape shape. The first interposition material can be formed from, for example, resin, rubber, or the like.

  A second metal interposed material may be interposed between the first interposed material and the object to be heated. By providing such a metal interposer, the temperature gradient on the surface of the heater on the side of the object to be heated can be eliminated. Further, the heat conduction area for the object to be heated can be increased. Therefore, the whole object to be heated can be quickly and efficiently heated. Further, if the second interposition member is configured to be flexible like the first interposition member, the surface shape of the heater on the side of the object to be heated can be changed along the surface shape of the object to be heated. Therefore, the contact area with the object to be heated can be enlarged, and more rapid heating can be realized. As such a material, for example, a metal material made of copper, aluminum, stainless steel (SUS), or the like is preferable. In addition, since the first insulating material having high insulation and high thermal conductivity is interposed between the metal second insulating material and the fixing material, it is possible to reliably prevent electric leakage to the object to be heated. it can.

  It is preferable to provide a heat insulating material on the back side of the surface on which the heating elements of the base are arranged, in other words, on the back side of the surface of the heater on the side of the object to be heated. If a heat insulating material is provided on the back surface, heat loss can be prevented, so that efficient heat generation of the heating element and, consequently, heating of the object to be heated can be made more efficient. In addition, if the heat insulating material is configured to be flexible, the surface shape of the heater on the side of the object to be heated can be changed along the surface shape of the object to be heated, so that the contact area with the object to be heated can be increased. , More rapid heating can be realized. As such a material, for example, a material such as glass wool or rock wool is preferable.

  The base can be formed by combining one or more materials selected from polyimide, heat-resistant polyethylene terephthalate, glass fiber, aramid fiber, silicone, and heat-resistant rubber. In addition, if the base is formed in a sheet shape, a film shape, or a tape shape, the entire heater can be configured to be flexible, so that the entire heater is brought into contact with the object to be heated according to the shape of the object to be heated. Can be.

  Preferably, the heater is provided with a temperature control unit having a temperature detection unit and a temperature adjustment unit.

  In such a heater as described above, a fixing material made of, for example, a silicone-based material having high insulation and high heat conductivity is provided on a base on which the heating element is provided. No air layer is formed between the heating element pitches, and the heat generation efficiency of the heating element is improved. Further, when the heating element is embedded in the fixing material, the heat radiated from the heating element is quickly conducted to the surface of the object to be heated via the fixing material having high thermal conductivity. Further, the contact area is greatly increased as compared with the conventional heater in which the heating element is brought into contact with the object to be heated. Therefore, the object to be heated can be quickly and efficiently heated without uneven temperature. With such a configuration, even if the object to be heated is, for example, a food and drink container made of metal, the risk of electrical leakage can be completely eliminated. In the heater of the present invention, all materials can be made flexible. Therefore, since the surface shape of the heater on the side of the object to be heated can be changed along the surface shape of the object to be heated, the contact area with the object to be heated can be increased, and more rapid heating can be realized.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the heater which concerns on this invention, even if it is a to-be-heated material formed from a conductive or insulating material, it can heat safely and quickly. Examples of the object to be heated include food and beverage containers such as metal cans, plastic bottles, paper packs, paper / plastic containers, and plastic containers made of iron, aluminum, or the like. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and heating can be performed as long as it can directly contact the heater. For example, the food can be heated as it is.

  In order to solve the above problems, a food and beverage heating apparatus according to the present invention includes a heating means having a heater according to any one of claims 1 to 17. According to the food and beverage heating apparatus including the heating means having the heater as described above, a wide variety of foods and beverages can be quickly and reliably heated to a predetermined temperature regardless of the type of food or beverage.

  The heating means is preferably provided with a heating promoting means for imparting rotation or vibration to the food or drink filled with the food or drink to be heated. If such a heating promoting means is provided, vibration or the like can be imparted to the food or beverage. For example, in the case of a beverage or the like, the food or beverage is stirred, so that the food or beverage can be rapidly heated.

  It is preferable that the heating means is provided with a temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the food or drink. By providing such a temperature detecting means, it is possible to always grasp the temperature of the food or beverage to be heated, so that overheating or insufficient heating of the food or beverage can be prevented, and the food can be quickly and reliably heated to a predetermined temperature. .

  It is preferable that the heating means is provided with a heating temperature setting means capable of presetting the temperature of the food or beverage to be heated. In addition, if the above-mentioned temperature detecting means and the heating temperature setting means are combined, it is possible to automatically heat to the optimum finishing temperature according to the type of food or drink.

  The means for supplying power to the heating means is not particularly limited, but may be configured as, for example, a commercial power supply, a storage battery, an electric two-layer capacitor, a solar cell, or a means combining at least two of these.

  It is preferable that the heating unit is provided with a heating necessity determining unit that determines whether the food or beverage conveyed to the heating unit needs to be heated. By providing such a heating necessity determining means, it is possible to prevent inconvenience such as erroneously heating food or drink such as fruit juice beverage that does not need to be heated.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a vending machine according to the present invention comprises a food and beverage heating device according to any one of claims 18 to 24. If such a food and beverage heating apparatus is provided, the food or beverage as a product can be quickly and reliably heated to the optimum temperature at the time of sale, and the selling time can be shortened. Further, in this case, for example, all the products can be refrigerated, so that deterioration of the products can be suppressed. In this specification, the selling time refers to a time required from when information on a purchased product selected by a user of the vending machine or the like is input to the vending machine to when the product is transported to the product outlet. .

  The food and beverage heating device is formed in a main body box, and in a transport passage in which products are transported from a product storage room in which foods and beverages as products are stored to a product outlet from which a user or the like takes out products. Preferably, it is provided. If a food and beverage heating device is provided in the transport passage, the food and beverage can be quickly heated during transport, so that the sales time can be significantly reduced.

  Specifically, the food / beverage heating device can be provided, for example, between the product payout port of the product storage room and the inner door of the main body box, or between the inner door of the main body box and the product takeout port.

  It is preferable that a conveyance unit (for example, a lifter, a conveyor, or the like) that conveys the food or beverage to the food or beverage heating device is provided in the conveyance passage. If such a transporting means is provided, the food or beverage is quickly and reliably transported and heated to the food or beverage heating device, and the selling time can be further reduced. In addition, since food and drink are quickly and reliably heated by the food and drink heating device, the preheating temperature can be set to a relatively low temperature. Therefore, deterioration of food and drink is not accelerated.

  Food and drink sold in the vending machines described above are diverse, and the temperature and time to be heated are also different. Therefore, in order to quickly complete the heating during transportation, it is preferable to provide a preheating means capable of preheating the food or beverage in the product storage room. In this way, various foods and beverages can be reliably heated to a predetermined temperature within a limited transport time.

  As the preheating means as described above, for example, a heating heater or a heat pump utilizing heat radiation from each device in the vending machine can be used.

  According to the heater according to the present invention, the heating element is embedded on the base and the fixing material that conducts heat to the object to be heated is provided. Insulation can be ensured while increasing the heat conduction area to the object to be heated. Therefore, the object to be heated made of metal can be quickly, efficiently and safely heated. Further, in the heater according to the present invention, all of the heating element, the base, the fixing material, and the first interposition material, the second interposition material, and the heat insulating material may be made of a flexible material. it can. Therefore, since the surface shape of the heater on the side of the object to be heated can be changed along the surface shape of the object to be heated, the contact area with the object to be heated can be increased, and more rapid heating can be realized.

  Further, according to the food and beverage heating device according to the present invention, the food and beverage can be quickly and reliably heated. Further, according to the vending machine of the present invention, it is possible to significantly suppress the deterioration of the product while shortening the sales time.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a heater according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show a heater according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a heater, particularly an extremely thin heater of several tens to several hundreds of microns. The heater 1 has a bare heating wire 2 as a heating element, and a base 3 on which the bare heating wire 2 is wired. The bare heating wire 2 is wired on the surface 4 on which the heating element is provided. On the surface 4 of the base 3, a fixing material 5 for fixing the bare heating wire 2 is provided. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the bare heating wire 2 is embedded in the layer 6 of the fixing material 5. As the fixing material 5, a silicone-based material having high insulation, high thermal conductivity and flexibility is used.

  An object to be heated 7 (for example, food or drink) heated by the heater 1 is in direct contact with the layer 6. The object to be heated 7 is not particularly limited as long as it can directly contact the heater 1, more specifically, the layer 6. In the present embodiment, the object to be heated 7 is a metal can filled with a beverage. is there.

  The bare heating wire 2 is composed of a core wire 8 and a bare wire 9 wound on the surface of the core wire 8 as shown in FIG.

  The core wire 8 can be formed from a fiber appropriately selected from flexible heat-resistant materials such as glass fiber, aramid fiber, and carbon fiber (carbon).

  1 and 2, the cross-sectional shape of the bare heating wire 2 as a heating element is formed to be substantially circular, but as shown in FIG. 3, the cross-sectional shape of the bare heating wire 2 is formed to be elliptical. You may. In FIG. 3, the long axis of the ellipse is arranged substantially parallel to the base 3 so that heat can be widely conducted from the bare heating wire 2 to the object 7 to be heated. Further, the cross-sectional shape of the bare heating wire 2 as a heating element may be formed in a square as shown in FIG. As in the case of FIG. 3, heat is widely conducted to the object 7 to be heated. If the cross-sectional shape of the bare heating wire 2 as a heating element is formed as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the heat radiated from the bare heating wire 2 can be widely and uniformly conducted to the object 7 to be heated. As a result, the object to be heated 7 can be further quickly and efficiently heated.

  On the other hand, the bare wire 9 includes an iron-chromium-aluminum alloy, a nickel-chromium alloy, platinum (including an alloy containing platinum), molybdenum (including an alloy containing molybdenum), and tantalum (including an alloy containing tantalum). ), Tungsten (including an alloy containing tungsten), silicon carbide, molybdenum-silicite, carbon, or the like, and can be formed from one flexible material appropriately selected.

  In the present embodiment, the bare heating wire 2 as a heating element is covered with a covering material 10 as shown in FIG. As the coating material 10, a flexible material having high insulation and high heat conductivity such as polyimide, heat-resistant PET, glass fiber, aramid fiber, silicone, and heat-resistant rubber can be used. Note that the covering material 10 does not have to be provided on the entire circumference of the bare heating wire 2. For example, a coating material 10 may be provided as shown in FIG.

  The base 3 is made of a highly insulating and flexible material such as polyimide, heat-resistant polyethylene terephthalate, glass fiber, aramid fiber, carbon fiber, silicone, and heat-resistant rubber. The base 3 is formed as a sheet. Therefore, the entire heater 1 can be deformed into an arbitrary shape. Therefore, the layer 6 of the fixing material 5 can be brought into close contact with the shape of the object 7 to be heated.

  The heater 1 is provided with a temperature control unit 11. The temperature control means 11 is detected by the temperature detection means 12 for detecting the temperature of the object 7 to be heated, the temperature detection means 13 for detecting the temperature of the bare heating wire 2 as a heating element, and both temperature detection means 12 and 13. Temperature control means 14 for controlling the application of power to the bare heating wire 2 based on the temperature. The temperature detecting means 12, 13 can be composed of, for example, a temperature detecting sensor. FIG. 6 shows an example of temperature control. First, when temperature control is started (Step 1), power is applied to the bare heating wire 2 as a heating element (Step 2), and the bare heating wire 2 is heated (Step 3). The object 7 to be heated is heated by the heating of the bare heating wire 2 (step 4). Next, it is determined whether or not the bare heating wire set temperature required for heating the object to be heated to the set temperature is reached (step 5). If it is determined in step 5 that the temperature of the bare heating wire has not reached the set temperature, it is determined whether the current temperature of the bare heating wire is equal to or higher than a set value (step 6). If the temperature is equal to or higher than the set value, since the set temperature of the bare heating wire is a temperature sufficient to heat the object to be heated to the set temperature, the application of power to the bare heating wire is stopped (step 7). Steps 4 and 5 are repeated without applying power to the bare heating wires. On the other hand, when the temperature is equal to or lower than the set value, it is necessary to heat the bare heating wire, so steps 3 to 5 are repeated.

  If it is determined in step 5 that the temperature has reached the bare heating wire set temperature, it is determined whether or not the heated object 7 has reached the heated object set temperature (step 8). If it is determined in step 8 that the temperature of the object 7 is equal to or lower than the set temperature, steps 4 to 8 are repeated. On the other hand, when it is determined in step 8 that the temperature has reached the set temperature, the application of power is stopped (step 9), and the temperature control is ended (step 10). In addition, the temperature control means 11 in this embodiment can also be provided in the following embodiments.

  In this embodiment, a fixing material 5 made of a silicone-based material having high insulation, high heat conductivity and flexibility is provided on the surface 4 of the base 3 on which the bare heating wire 2 as a heating element is wired. A layer 6 is provided, and the bare heating wire 2 is embedded in the layer 6. Therefore, since no air layer is formed between the pitches of the bare heating wires 2 unlike the conventional heater, heat loss is suppressed and the heating efficiency of the bare heating wires 2 can be improved. Further, the heat radiated from the bare heating wire 2 as a heating element is quickly and thermally conducted to the entire heated object 7 which is in wide surface contact with the layer 6 via the fixing material 5 having high thermal conductivity. In the conventional heater, heat is transferred from the heating element to the object to be heated, whereas in the present embodiment, heat is transferred from the entire layer 6 of the fixing material 5. Therefore, the object to be heated 7 can be heated quickly and efficiently without uneven temperature.

  The fixing material 5 is made of a highly insulating silicone material, and the bare heating wire 2 as a heating element is also covered by the highly insulating coating material 10. Leakage can be completely prevented. Therefore, the object 7 to be heated, which is a metal can, can be safely heated.

  In addition, each of the core wire 8, the bare wire 9, and the covering material 10 constituting the fixing material 5 and the bare heating wire 2 as a heating element are made of a flexible material, and the base 3 is also usable. Since the sheet is formed using a flexible material, the entire heater 1 can be arbitrarily deformed so as to conform to the shape of the object 7 to be heated. Therefore, the object to be heated of any shape can be quickly and efficiently heated.

  FIG. 7 shows a heater 15 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The same members as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, a flexible stainless steel foil 16 is provided as a heating element. Also in this embodiment, according to the operation of the first embodiment, the object 7 can be heated quickly, efficiently, and safely. In addition, if the stainless steel foil 16 is used as the heating element, the thickness of the heater 15 (vertical direction in FIG. 7) can be reduced, which can contribute to a reduction in thickness. Furthermore, since the stainless steel foil having flexibility is used, the surface shape of the heater on the side of the object to be heated can be changed along the surface shape of the object to be heated, so that the contact area with the object to be heated is increased. And more rapid heating can be realized.

  FIG. 8 shows a heater 17 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The same members as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. In the present embodiment, a film 18 as a first interposition material is provided between the layer 6 of the fixing material 5 and the object 7 to be heated. The film 18 is made of a material having flexibility, for example, resin, rubber, or the like. The film 18 is formed of a material having high insulation and high thermal conductivity. In addition, on the back surface 19 of the surface 4 of the base 3, a heat insulating material 20 made of a flexible material such as glass wool or rock wool is provided.

  Further, the metal powder 21 is added to the fixing material 5 as shown in FIG.

  Also in this embodiment, the object to be heated 7 can be heated quickly, efficiently, and safely according to the operation of the above-described embodiment. Further, in the present embodiment, since the highly insulating film 18 is provided between the layer 6 of the fixing material 5 and the object 7 to be heated, even when the object 7 to be heated is a metal can. Leakage is completely prevented and safe heating is ensured.

  Further, in the present embodiment, since the metal powder 21 having high thermal conductivity such as iron, copper, or aluminum is added to the fixing material 5, the heat radiated from the bare heating wire 2 can be efficiently removed by the film. 18. Heat can be conducted to the object 7 to be heated. Further, by providing the heat insulating material 20, heat radiation from the surface 19 of the base 3 to the outside is prevented. Therefore, the heating efficiency of the bare heating wire 2 and the heating efficiency of the object 7 to be heated can be improved. Furthermore, also in this embodiment, since the film 18 and the heat insulating material 20 as the first interposition material are made of a flexible material, the object to be heated by the heater follows the surface shape of the object to be heated. Since the side surface shape can be changed, the contact area with the object to be heated can be enlarged, and more rapid heating can be realized.

  FIG. 10 shows a heater 22 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The same members as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. In the present embodiment, a film 23 as a second interposition material is provided between the film 18 as the first interposition material and the object 7 to be heated. The film 23 is made of a flexible metal such as copper, aluminum, and stainless steel (SUS).

  Also in the present embodiment, the object to be heated 7 can be quickly, efficiently and safely heated according to the operation of the above-described embodiment. In the present embodiment, a metal film 23 as a second interposition material is provided between the film 18 as the first interposition material and the object 7 to be heated. The film 23 has high conductivity. Therefore, when the film 23 is heated, the entire temperature is made substantially uniform. Therefore, the entire object 7 to be heated can be uniformly heated without uneven temperature, and the heating efficiency can be further improved. Furthermore, also in the present embodiment, since the film 23 as the second interposition material is made of a flexible material, the surface shape of the heater on the side of the object to be heated follows the surface shape of the object to be heated. Can be changed, so that the contact area with the object to be heated can be enlarged, and more rapid heating can be realized.

  FIG. 11 shows a food and beverage heating device 24 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, wherein the heating means 25 of the food and beverage heating device 24 includes a heater as shown in the first to fourth embodiments. It is composed of those having. On the base 3, the bare heating wires 2 are arranged in a meandering manner. In the layer 6 of the fixing material 5 of the base 3, a temperature detecting means 26 (temperature sensor) for detecting the temperature of the heater is embedded. The temperature detecting means 26 is connected to the control means 36. The control means 36 includes a heating temperature setting means capable of setting a heating end temperature in accordance with the type of the food or beverage 37 (for example, canned beverage), and heating for detecting the type of the food or beverage 37 and determining whether heating is necessary. A function as necessity determination means is also provided. Further, the food and beverage heating device 24 is provided with a heating promoting means (not shown) for applying vibration to the food and beverage 37.

  Holes 27 are arranged at a constant pitch at the end of the base 3 in the width direction. The holes 27 are engaged with the projections 30, 31 of a pair of take-up rollers 28, 29, as shown in FIGS. The pair of winding rollers 28 and 29 are driven by a motor 32. One end of the base 3 is wound on the roller 28 side, and the other end is wound on the roller 29 side. Further, the heating means 25 is provided with a pair of feed rollers 33 and 34, and a substantially cylindrical food and drink holding portion 35 is formed at the tip of the pair of feed rollers 33 and 34.

  Then, when the food and drink 37 is sent to the food and drink holding unit 35, the rollers 28, 29, 33, and 34 rotate in the directions of arrows in FIG. 13 so that the food and drink holding unit 35 comes into close contact with the surface of the food and drink 37. Has become.

  Since the food and beverage heating device 24 according to the present embodiment is provided with the heating means 25 having the heater according to any one of claims 1 to 17, regardless of the type of the food or beverage 37, a wide variety of foods and beverages are provided. The food or beverage 37 can be quickly and reliably heated to a predetermined temperature.

  In addition, since the heating means 25 is provided with a heating promoting means for applying vibration to the food or drink filled with the food or drink to be heated, the vibration is applied to the food or drink 37, so that the food or drink 37 Can be heated.

  Further, since the heating means 25 is provided with the temperature detecting means 26 for detecting the temperature of the food or drink 37, the temperature of the food or drink 37 to be heated can be always grasped. Therefore, overheating or insufficient heating of the food / drink 37 can be prevented.

  Further, the heating means 25 is provided with a heating temperature setting means capable of presetting the temperature of the food or drink 37 to be heated. In addition, in the present embodiment, since the temperature detecting means 26 is provided, if both are combined, it is possible to automatically heat to the optimum finishing temperature according to the type of the food or beverage 37.

  Further, the heating means 25 is provided with heating necessity determining means for determining whether heating of the food or beverage conveyed to the heating means 25 is performed. Inconvenience such as heating.

  FIG. 14 shows a vending machine according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, and the food and beverage heating device of the vending machine uses the food and beverage heating device 24 shown in the fifth embodiment. The vending machine 38 has a main body box 39. In the main body box 39, a product storage room 40 in which foods and drinks 37 as products to be sold are stored is provided. A product storage shelf 41 is provided in the product storage room 40. The commodity storage room 40 is provided with a commodity payout port 42 for paying out food and drink 37. The product storage room 40 may be provided with a preheating means (not shown) for preheating the stored food and drink 37 in advance. Since the heating time by the heating device 24 can be reduced, the sales time can be further reduced. The preheating means can be constituted by a heat pump that uses heat radiation of other equipment (for example, a compressor in a refrigeration circuit) incorporated in the vending machine 38. Since the food and beverage 37 is quickly and reliably heated by the food and beverage heating device 24, the preheating temperature can be set to a relatively low temperature. Therefore, the deterioration of the food and drink 37 in the product storage box 40 is not accelerated.

  On the front of the vending machine 38 (the left side in FIG. 14), an outer door 44 provided with a product outlet 43 from which a user or the like takes out the food or drink 37 is provided.

  An inner door 45 is provided between the product storage room 40 and the outer door 44. A transport passage 46 for transporting the food and drink 37 dispensed from the commodity outlet 42 to the commodity outlet 42 is provided below the commodity storage room 40.

  The food / beverage heating device 24 that heats the food / beverage 37 as needed is provided in the transport passage 46. In the present embodiment, the food / beverage heating device 24 is provided in a transport passage 46 that extends from the commodity outlet 42 to the inner door 45. However, the food and beverage heating device 24 may be provided in the middle of the transport passage 46 from the inner door 45 to the product outlet 43 as shown in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the food or beverage 37 selected by the user or the like is delivered from the product payout port 42 of the product storage room 40 and is transported to the product outlet 43 through the transport path 46. The food / beverage heating device 24 is provided at 46, and the transportation and the heating are performed substantially in parallel, so that the sales time can be greatly reduced. In addition, since the installation space for the food and beverage heating means 25 can be greatly reduced as compared with a conventional vending machine with a built-in microwave oven, the vending machine 38 can be reduced in size and cost. In addition, the variety of foods and drinks 37 that can be heated can be expanded.

  FIG. 16 shows a vending machine 47 according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. The same members as those in the sixth embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. In the present embodiment, a lifter 48 is provided as a transport unit that transports the food and drink 37 from the transport passage 46 to the food and beverage heating device 24 and returns the heated food and beverage 37 to the transport passage 46 again. The lifter 48 is activated only when the food / beverage product 37 to be sold is determined to require heating by the heating necessity determination means of the food / beverage heating device 24, and when it is determined that heating is not required, The food / beverage 37 is passed as it is without operation.

  Also in this embodiment, the food and drink 37 can be heated quickly and reliably according to the operation of the sixth embodiment, so that the vending machine 47 can be reduced in size and cost while shortening the sales time. Can contribute to Further, in the present embodiment, since the lifter 48 is provided as a transport unit, even if the transport path of the transport path 46 becomes complicated, rapid heating and transport can be realized.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The heater according to the present invention can be applied to, for example, a food / beverage heating apparatus that heats food / beverage, and according to the food / beverage heating apparatus, various kinds of food / beverage can be quickly and reliably heated. Further, the food and beverage heating apparatus according to the present invention is suitable for use in vending machines which need to quickly heat food and beverages at the time of sale.

It is a sectional view of a heater concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the heating element of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a heater using a heating element of another mode different from the heating element of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a heater using a heating element of another embodiment different from the heating element of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a heater using a heating element of another embodiment different from the heating element of FIG. 2. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of temperature control of the heater in FIG. 1. It is a sectional view of a heater concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a sectional view of a heater concerning a 3rd embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged sectional view of the heater of FIG. 8. It is a sectional view of a heater concerning a 4th embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of a heating means of a food and beverage heating device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the food-drinks heating apparatus of FIG. It is a top view of the food-drinks heating apparatus of FIG. It is a schematic structure figure of a vending machine concerning a 6th embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the vending machine of an aspect different from FIG. It is a schematic structure figure of a vending machine concerning a 7th embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of reference numerals

1, 15, 17, 22 Heater 2 Bare heating wire as heating element 3 Base 4 Surface on which heating element is disposed 5 Fixing material 6 Layer of fixing material 7 Heated object 8 Core wire 9 Bare wire 10 Covering material 11 Temperature Control means 12, 13 Temperature sensor as temperature detecting means 14 Temperature adjusting means 16 Stainless steel foil 18 Film 19 Backside 20 Insulation material 21 Metal powder 23 Film 24 Food and beverage heating device 25 Heating means 26 Temperature detecting means 27 Holes 28, 29 Winding Rollers 30, 31 Protrusion 32 Motor 33, 34 Feeding roller 35 Food and drink holding unit 36 Control means 37 Food and drink 38, 47 Vending machine 39 Main box 40 Product storage room 41 Product storage shelf 42 Product payout 43 Product takeout 44 Outer door 45 Inner door 46 Transfer path 48 Lifter

Claims (30)

  A heater for heating an object to be heated, comprising: a heating element; a base on which the heating element is disposed; and a heating element laid on the base, wherein the heating element is embedded and heat is applied from the heating element to the object to be heated. A heater comprising: a conductive fixing material.   2. The heater according to claim 1, wherein said heating element comprises a sheet heating element.   The heater according to claim 1, wherein the heating element comprises a bare heating wire in which a bare wire is wound around a core wire.   The heater according to claim 3, wherein the core wire is made of any one selected from glass fiber, aramid fiber, and carbon fiber.   The bare wire is made of any material selected from iron-chromium-aluminum-based alloy, nickel-chromium-based alloy, platinum, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, silicon carbide, molybdenum-silicite, and carbon. Item 3. The heater according to item 3 or 4.   The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the heating element is covered with a material selected from polyimide, heat-resistant polyethylene terephthalate, glass fiber, carbon fiber, silicone, and heat-resistant rubber.   The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the heating element is formed in any one of a circular shape, an elliptical shape, and a rectangular shape.   The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the fixing material is made of a silicone-based material.   The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a metal powder is added to the fixing material.   The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the base is made of any material selected from polyimide, heat-resistant polyethylene terephthalate, glass fiber, aramid fiber, silicone, and heat-resistant rubber.   The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein a first interposition material is interposed between the fixing material and the object to be heated.   The heater according to claim 11, wherein the first interposition material is made of resin or rubber.   13. The heater according to claim 11, wherein a second interposition member made of metal is interposed between the first interposition member and the object to be heated.   14. The heater according to claim 13, wherein the second interposition material is made of any material selected from copper, aluminum, and stainless steel.   The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein a heat insulating material is provided on a back surface of the base on which the heating element is disposed.   16. The heater of claim 15, wherein said insulating material comprises either glass wool or rock wool.   The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 16, further comprising a temperature control unit configured to control a temperature of the heating element.   A food / beverage heating apparatus comprising heating means having the heater according to any one of claims 1 to 17.   19. The food and beverage heating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the heating means is provided with a heating promoting means for imparting rotation or vibration to the food or beverage to be heated.   The food / beverage heating apparatus according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the heating means includes a temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of the food / beverage product.   21. The food and beverage heating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the heating means is provided with a heating temperature setting means capable of setting a heating end temperature according to the type of food or drink.   The food / beverage heating apparatus according to any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein the power supply means for the heating means comprises a commercial power supply, a storage battery, an electric two-layer capacitor, a solar cell, or a combination of at least two of these. apparatus.   23. The food and beverage heating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the heating means is provided with a heating necessity determining means for determining whether or not the food or beverage conveyed to the heating means needs to be heated.   A vending machine comprising the food and beverage heating device according to any one of claims 18 to 23.   The food and beverage heating device is formed in the main body box and is provided in the middle of the transport path where the product is transported to the product outlet from the product storage room in which the food or beverage as the product is stored, The vending machine of claim 24.   26. The vending machine according to claim 24, wherein the food / beverage heating device is provided in a transport passage from a product payout opening of a product storage room to an inner door of the main body box.   26. The vending machine according to claim 24, wherein the food / beverage heating device is provided in a transport path from an inner door of the main body box to a product outlet.   28. The vending machine according to claim 24, wherein a conveying unit that conveys the product to the food and beverage heating device is provided in the conveying path.   The vending machine according to any one of claims 24 to 28, wherein a pre-heating means for pre-heating the product is provided in the product storage room.   30. The vending machine according to claim 29, wherein said preheating means comprises a heating heater or a heat pump.

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