JP2019040554A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an automatic vending machine capable of suppressing degradation of quality of a commodity and occurrence of waste loss of a commodity due to damage or the like to a container resulting from freezing of the commodity at the upper part in a commodity storage.SOLUTION: This automatic vending machine 100 includes: a commodity storage 3 that stores commodities 80; a refrigerant circuit device 20 that cools the inside of the commodity storage 3 to a prescribed temperature; an outside temperature sensor 21 that detects an outside temperature; an internal temperature sensor 16 that detects an upper temperature in the commodity storage 3; and a control unit 40 configured to perform upper freezing prevention control for preventing freezing of the commodities 80 stored in the commodity storage 3 by stopping cooling inside the commodity storage 3 performed by the refrigerant circuit device 20 on the basis of the outside temperature detected by the outside temperature sensor 21 and the upper temperature in the commodity storage 3 detected by the internal temperature sensor 16.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a vending machine, and more particularly, to a vending machine including a cooling unit that cools the inside of a product storage box to a predetermined temperature.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a vending machine including a cooling unit that cools the inside of a product storage box to a predetermined temperature is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Patent Document 1 includes a cooling unit that cools the interior of the product storage box to a predetermined temperature. In order to suppress freezing of the product due to overcooling in a cold region, the cooling temperature setting value of the product storage box is set. There is disclosed a vending machine that performs cold district control (freezing prevention control) that is set to a value higher than a normal cooling temperature set value. In the vending machine of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, based on the temperature in the product storage (at the lower part) detected by the internal temperature sensor provided in the lower part of the product storage, the product ( Cold district control is performed to prevent freezing of the next bend product (the product to be supplied next).

JP 2017-058740 A

  However, in the vending machine like the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the antifreezing control is performed based on the temperature of the lower part in the product storage, and therefore the temperature of the upper part in the product storage may not be appropriate. It is believed that there is. For this reason, even if it is adjusted to a temperature at which freezing can be avoided with respect to the lower product in the product storage, the upper product in the product storage may be frozen. . Therefore, in a vending machine like the above-mentioned patent document 1, due to the fact that the product in the upper part of the product storage is frozen, the quality of the product deteriorates or the product is discarded due to the damage of the product container, etc. It is thought that there may be a loss due to (discard loss).

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and one object of the present invention is that the quality of the product deteriorates due to freezing of the product in the upper part of the product storage. An object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine capable of suppressing the loss of merchandise due to damage to the merchandise container.

  In order to achieve the above object, a vending machine according to one aspect of the present invention includes a product storage for storing products, a cooling unit that cools the interior of the product storage to a predetermined temperature, and an outside air that detects an outside air temperature. A temperature sensor, an upper temperature sensor for detecting an upper temperature in the product storage, an outside air temperature detected by the outdoor temperature sensor, and an upper temperature in the product storage detected by the upper temperature sensor. Based on the temperature, the cooling unit is configured to perform upper freezing prevention control for preventing freezing of the product stored in the upper part of the product storage by stopping the cooling of the product storage in the product storage. A control unit.

  In the vending machine according to one aspect of the present invention, as described above, based on the temperature in the upper part of the commodity storage detected by the upper part temperature sensor in the storage, the control unit has the interior of the product storage by the cooling unit. By stopping the cooling, the upper freezing prevention control for preventing the freezing of the goods accommodated in the upper part in the commodity storage is performed. Thereby, since it can suppress that the goods in a goods storage are further cooled at least based on the temperature of the upper part in goods storage, it suppresses freezing of the goods in the upper part in goods storage. Can do. As a result, it is possible to suppress the product quality from being deteriorated due to the freezing of the product in the upper part of the product container or the loss of the product due to the damage of the product container. In addition, by performing upper freezing prevention control based not only on the upper temperature inside the chamber but also on the outside air temperature, it is possible to prevent upper freezing with higher accuracy considering the outside air temperature compared to the case based only on the upper temperature inside the chamber. Control can be performed.

  In the vending machine according to the above aspect, preferably, the vending machine is further provided with an upper heater provided in the upper part of the product storage for heating the upper product in the product storage, and the product storage by the cooling unit. In addition to stopping the cooling of the inside, the upper freezing prevention control is performed by operating the upper heater in the cabinet. If comprised in this way, compared with the case where the heater is not provided in the upper part in a goods storage, by using the upper heater in the goods provided in the upper part in a goods storage, the upper part of a goods storage Can be easily heated. As a result, since the product in the upper part in the product storage can be efficiently heated, it is possible to quickly and more effectively prevent the product from freezing in the upper part in the product storage.

  In the vending machine according to the one aspect described above, preferably, the vending machine further includes an in-compartment lower temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in the lower part of the product storage, and the control unit detects the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor, and the warehouse Based on the temperature of the lower part in the product container detected by the inner and lower temperature sensor, the lower freeze prevention control for preventing the product stored in the lower part of the product container from being frozen is the upper freeze prevention control. It is configured to be performed separately. If comprised in this way, when there is a possibility that goods may freeze in the upper part of goods storage, and when there is a possibility that goods may freeze in the lower part in goods storage, it will prevent freezing by the amount required respectively. Control can be performed. As a result, the freeze prevention control can be performed more accurately and more effectively in each of the upper part and the lower part in the commodity storage. Further, the combination of the upper freezing prevention control and the lower freezing prevention control can reliably prevent the product from freezing in the product storage and efficiently freeze the entire product storage. Prevention control can be performed.

  In the vending machine according to the one aspect described above, preferably, the vending machine is further provided with an air vent provided in an upper part of the product storage for circulating air in the upper part of the product storage. If comprised in this way, it can be made easy to circulate air in the upper part in goods storage using an air vent in the case of upper part freezing prevention control, Therefore Freezing more efficiently in the upper part in goods storage. Prevention control can be performed.

  In the configuration including the above-described upper heater, preferably provided in the upper part of the product storage, further including an upper fan for circulating the air in the product storage, the interior of the product storage by the cooling unit In addition to stopping the cooling, the upper part heater is operated and the upper part fan is operated to perform the upper freeze prevention control. If comprised in this way, the heat | fever which generate | occur | produced by the warehouse upper heater can be efficiently circulated in the upper part in goods storage by the warehouse upper fan. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of bias in the temperature distribution of the product in the upper part of the product storage, and thus it is possible to suppress the phenomenon that the product is excessively heated or the phenomenon that the product is not sufficiently heated. .

  In the vending machine according to the above aspect, preferably, the control unit has an outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor that is equal to or lower than a first threshold value, and the inside of the product storage room detected by the inside temperature sensor in the warehouse. When the upper temperature is equal to or lower than the second threshold, the upper freeze prevention control is started. If comprised in this way, upper freeze prevention control can be started at a suitable timing by setting the 1st threshold value and the 2nd threshold value to the temperature at which there is a risk of freezing in the upper product in the product storage. it can.

  In this case, when the upper freezing prevention control is being performed, the control unit detects that the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor is equal to or higher than the third threshold value that is higher than the first threshold value, or The upper freeze prevention control is configured to end when the temperature of the upper part in the product storage case detected by the upper temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a fourth threshold value that is higher than the second threshold value. With this configuration, the third threshold value and the fourth threshold value are set to values higher than the first threshold value and the second threshold value, respectively. Can have a width. Therefore, the upper freeze prevention control can be restarted immediately after the completion or the upper freeze prevention control can be started so as not to be finished immediately. Therefore, the start and end of the upper freeze prevention control are repeated in a short period of time. This can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to suppress wear of components such as a cooling unit that is turned ON / OFF each time the start and end of the upper freeze prevention control is repeated. In addition, when the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the third threshold value, or when the temperature of the upper part in the product storage box is equal to or higher than the fourth threshold value, the upper freeze prevention control is terminated, thereby It can suppress that cooling of goods continues being stopped. As a result, in the upper freeze prevention control focusing on the upper product in the product storage, the cooling of the lower product in the product storage is also stopped, so that the lower product in the product storage is not properly cooled. The situation can be suppressed.

  In the vending machine according to the above aspect, the control unit preferably does not start the upper freeze prevention control for the first predetermined time after the upper freeze prevention control is ended, and after the upper freeze prevention control is started. The upper freeze prevention control is not terminated only during the second predetermined time. By configuring in this way, it is possible to ensure that the upper freeze prevention control is resumed immediately after the completion or the upper freeze prevention control is started and not immediately finished. It is possible to reliably suppress the end from being repeated in a short period. As a result, it is possible to reliably suppress the consumption of components such as the cooling unit that is turned ON / OFF each time the start and end of the upper freeze prevention control is repeated. In addition, by ending the upper freeze prevention control after the second predetermined time has elapsed, it is possible to reliably prevent the cooling of the product in the product storage by the cooling unit from being stopped by the upper freeze prevention control. As a result, in the upper freeze prevention control focusing on the upper product in the product storage, the cooling of the lower product in the product storage is also stopped, so that the lower product in the product storage is not properly cooled. The situation can be reliably suppressed.

  According to the present invention, as described above, due to the freezing of the product in the upper part of the product storage, the quality of the product is deteriorated or the product is lost due to damage to the product container. Can be suppressed.

It is sectional drawing which showed the internal structure of the vending machine by 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the block diagram which showed the control structure of the vending machine by 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the flow for the freeze prevention control of the vending machine by 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which showed the internal structure of the vending machine by 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the block diagram which showed the control structure of the vending machine by 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the structure of the vending machine 100 by 1st Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated.

(Vending machine configuration)
As shown in FIG. 1, the vending machine 100 is a device that sells products 80 such as canned beverages and plastic bottle beverages by cooling or heating. The vending machine 100 includes a main body cabinet 1 and a front door 2 provided to be openable and closable with respect to the main body cabinet 1. In the following description, the Y1 side where the front door 2 is provided may be referred to as “front side”, and the Y2 side opposite to the Y1 side may be referred to as “back side”.

  The main body cabinet 1 includes a commodity storage 3 for storing the commodity 80 and a machine room 4 for storing the refrigerant circuit device 20. The product storage 3 and the machine room 4 are separated vertically by the partition member 5 (Z-axis direction), so that the upper (Z1 side) product storage 3 and the lower (Z2 side) machine room 4 It is divided into. The main body cabinet 1 is provided with a plurality of product storage boxes 3 (for cooling or heating) in a direction (X-axis direction) perpendicular to the paper surface. The detailed explanation is omitted. The refrigerant circuit device 20 is an example of the “cooling unit” in the claims.

  In the product storage case 3, a heat insulating material is provided so as to surround the internal space by the upper side (Z1 side) and the back side (Y2 side) in contact with the main body cabinet 1 and the lower side (Z2 side) in contact with the partition wall member 5. 6 is provided. As shown in FIG. 1, in the vending machine 100, the space surrounded by the heat insulating material 6 is configured as a substantial commodity storage 3.

  In the product storage 3, the product storage rack 10, the carry-out shooter 11, the internal heat exchanger 20 a, the internal temperature sensor 13, the auxiliary heater 14, the internal fan 15, and the internal temperature sensor 16 are stored. An auxiliary heater 17 and an internal fan 18 are provided. The internal temperature sensor 13 and the internal temperature sensor 16 are examples of the “inside internal temperature sensor” and the “inside internal temperature sensor” in the claims, respectively. Moreover, the auxiliary heater 17 is an example of the “inside upper heater” in the claims. The internal fan 18 is an example of the “internal upper fan” in the claims.

  In the product storage 3, the product storage rack 10 is arranged so as to straddle from the upper part to the lower part in the product storage 3. Further, the carry-out shooter 11, the internal heat exchanger 20 a, the internal temperature sensor 13, the auxiliary heater 14, and the internal fan 15 are provided in the lower part of the commodity storage 3. In addition, the internal temperature sensor 16, the auxiliary heater 17, and the internal fan 18 are provided in the upper part of the commodity storage 3. In the first embodiment, the upper side from the approximate center (line 90 located in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the product storage rack 10 is the “upper part in the product storage 3”, and is higher than the line 90. Let the lower side be a “lower part in the product storage 3”.

  The product storage rack 10 is configured to store the products 80 in a stacked state from the bottom to the top. The product storage rack 10 is provided with a partition 30 so that a plurality of sections are formed therein. The partition 30 is formed with holes through which air can pass, and is configured to allow air to circulate inside the commodity storage rack 10. Further, an opening (not shown) through which the product 80 can pass when the product 80 is discharged is formed in the vicinity of the lower end portion of the product storage rack 10.

  The product storage rack 10 has an opening 31 formed on the back side (Y2 side). The opening 31 includes an opening 31 a formed below the substantially center (line 90 located in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the commodity storage rack 10, and an opening 31 b formed above the line 90. Including. Further, a rear duct 3 a extending in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) is formed between the commodity housing rack 10 and the heat insulating material 6 on the rear side (Y2 side). The opening 31b is an example of the “ventilation hole” in the claims.

  The carry-out shooter 11 is disposed below the product storage rack 10 so as to guide the product 80 discharged from the product storage rack 10 by a carry-out mechanism unit (not shown) to a product outlet (not shown) provided at the lower part of the front door 2. It is configured. The unloading shooter 11 is provided with a plurality of through holes (not shown) so that air can pass along the thickness direction.

  The internal heat exchanger 20a is a part of the refrigerant circuit device 20, and is provided to exchange heat between the air cooled (heated) by the refrigerant circuit device 20 and the air in the commodity storage 3. Yes. The in-compartment heat exchanger 20 a is provided in the vicinity of the lowermost part in the commodity storage 3.

  The internal temperature sensor 13 is provided in the vicinity of the lower end portion of the commodity storage rack 10. The internal temperature sensor 13 is configured to be able to detect the temperature of the lower part in the product storage 3 (internal lower temperature).

  The auxiliary heater 14 is provided on the front side (Y1 side) of the internal heat exchanger 20a. The auxiliary heater 14 is provided to further heat the air heated by the refrigerant circuit device 20 when heating the commodity storage 3 such as antifreezing control.

  The internal fan 15 is provided on the front side (Y1 side) of the auxiliary heater 14. That is, the internal heat exchanger 20a, the auxiliary heater 14, and the internal fan 15 are arranged in this order from the back side (Y2 side) to the front side (Y1 side). The internal fan 15 is arranged so as to face the Y-axis direction, and is configured to be able to blow air from the back side (Y2 side) toward the front side (Y1 side). Thereby, the internal fan 15 can circulate the air in the product storage 3.

  The internal temperature sensor 16 is provided in the vicinity of the upper end portion of the commodity storage rack 10. The internal temperature sensor 16 is configured to be able to detect the temperature of the upper part in the commodity storage 3 (internal temperature).

  The auxiliary heater 17 is provided in the vicinity of the uppermost part in the commodity storage 3. The auxiliary heater 17 is configured to be able to heat the upper product 80 in the product storage 3.

  The internal fan 18 is provided on the front side (Y1) of the auxiliary heater 17. That is, the auxiliary heater 17 and the internal fan 18 are arranged in this order from the back side (Y2 side) to the front side (Y1 side). The internal fan 18 is arranged so as to face the Y-axis direction, and is configured to be able to blow air from the back side (Y2 side) toward the front side (Y1 side). Thereby, the internal fan 18 can circulate the air in the product storage 3.

  The machine room 4 is provided with an internal heat exchanger 20a of the refrigerant circuit device 20 for supplying cooling (heating) air to the commodity storage 3 to cool (heat) the interior of the commodity storage 3 to a predetermined temperature. Part is housed. The refrigerant circuit device 20 includes a compressor for compressing and discharging the refrigerant, an external heat exchanger for exchanging heat with the outside air, and the like inside the machine room 4.

  The machine room 4 is provided with an outside air temperature sensor 21 that detects the outside air temperature. The outside air temperature sensor 21 is provided in the vicinity of an outside air intake port provided in the machine room 4.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the vending machine 100 includes a control unit 40 for controlling the operation of the entire vending machine 100, a storage unit 41 for storing a program used for the control unit 40, and the like. It has.

  The controller 40 is a computer that includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The control unit 40 is configured to perform anti-freezing control for preventing the product 80 stored in the product storage 3 from freezing based on the outside air temperature and the internal temperature. The freeze prevention control is performed on the commodity storage 3 that is cooled by the refrigerant circuit device 20 among the plurality of commodity storages 3.

  The memory | storage part 41 is comprised by the non-volatile memory etc., for example. The storage unit 41 is configured to be able to store information (date and time) related to antifreezing control performed in the past, threshold values of preset outside air temperature and internal temperature, and the like.

(Air circulation in the product storage)
Next, with reference to FIG. 1, the circulation of air in the product storage 3 for adjusting the temperature of the product 80 stored in the product storage 3 will be described. The rough air flow is indicated by a thick arrow in the figure.

  First, the air circulation in the lower part in the commodity storage 3 will be described. When the in-compartment fan 15 is operated in the lower part of the product storage case 3, an air flow from the back side (Y2 side) to the front side (Y1 side) is generated. The air cooled (heated) by the internal heat exchanger 20a (hereinafter referred to as “lower circulating air”) passes through the internal fan 15 and passes through the through-hole formed in the carry-out shooter 11. While changing the direction. The lower circulating air enters the interior of the product storage rack 10 through an opening formed at the lower end of the product storage rack 10.

  Most of the lower circulating air that has entered the commodity storage rack 10 flows from the front side (Y1 side) to the back side (Y2 side) while being directed upward so as to be guided to the opening 31a. And the lower circulating air which passed the opening 31a returns to the internal heat exchanger 20a via the back surface duct 3a. Further, part of the lower circulating air that has entered the product storage rack 10 flows upward from the opening 31 a and is diffused in the upper part of the product storage rack 10. As described above, the lower circulating air circulates in the lower part of the product storage 3 to cool or heat the product 80 stored in the product storage rack 10 (mainly at the lower part of the product storage rack 10). Is possible.

  Next, the air circulation in the upper part in the commodity storage 3 will be described. When the in-compartment fan 18 is operated in the upper part of the product storage case 3, an air flow from the back side (Y2 side) to the front side (Y1 side) is generated. Then, the air heated by the auxiliary heater 17 (hereinafter referred to as “upper circulating air”) passes through the internal fan 18 and enters the inside of the product storage rack 10 from the opening formed in the product storage rack 10. .

  The upper circulating air that has entered the product storage rack 10 flows from the front side (Y1 side) to the back side (Y2 side) while being directed downward so as to be guided to the opening 31b. Then, the upper circulating air that has passed through the opening 31b returns to the auxiliary heater 17 via the rear duct 3a. As described above, when the upper circulating air circulates in the upper part of the product storage case 3, it is possible to heat the product 80 stored in the product storage rack 10 (mainly at the upper part of the product storage rack 10). It is.

(Freezing prevention control)
Next, details of the freeze prevention control by the control unit 40 will be described.

  The control unit 40 is configured to prevent the freezing of the product 80 accommodated in the upper part of the product storage 3 and to prevent the freezing of the product 80 stored in the lower part of the product storage 3. It is possible to perform control. In the first embodiment, the control unit 40 is configured to be able to control the upper freeze prevention control and the lower freeze prevention control independently (separately) from each other. That is, the control unit 40 does not perform any of the upper freeze prevention control and the lower freeze prevention control, performs only the upper freeze prevention control, performs only the lower freeze prevention control, and performs the upper freeze prevention control and the lower freeze prevention control. Freezing prevention control may be performed at the same time.

  In the first embodiment, the upper freezing prevention control (lower freezing prevention control) is performed by the control unit 40 by the outside air temperature and the temperature of the upper part (lower part) in the product storage 3 (the upper temperature in the compartment (lower temperature in the compartment)). It is comprised so that it may be performed based on. Specifically, the upper freezing prevention control (lower freezing prevention control) is performed by the control unit 40 so that the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than a first threshold value (for example, −1 ° C.) that is set in advance, and the upper internal temperature (internal storage). It is configured to start when the lower temperature becomes equal to or lower than a preset second threshold value (for example, 0 ° C.). Further, the upper freezing prevention control (lower freezing prevention control) is performed when the outside air temperature becomes equal to or higher than a preset third threshold value (for example, 1 ° C.) by the control unit 40, or the internal upper temperature (the internal temperature) It is configured to end when the lower temperature becomes equal to or higher than a preset fourth threshold value (for example, 3 ° C.). The third threshold value and the fourth threshold value are preferably higher than the first threshold value and the second threshold value, respectively.

  As the upper freeze prevention control, in the first embodiment, the control unit 40 is configured to perform the following three operations. That is, in the upper freezing prevention control, the controller 40 simultaneously stops the cooling operation by the refrigerant circuit device 20, operates the auxiliary heater 17 intermittently, and operates the internal fan 18. It is configured as follows. When the cooling operation by the refrigerant circuit device 20 has already been stopped by the lower freeze prevention control, the upper freeze prevention control causes the auxiliary heater 17 to be intermittently operated by the control unit 40 and the internal fan. It is comprised so that driving | running | working 18 may be performed simultaneously. The reason why the auxiliary heater 17 is operated intermittently is to prevent the auxiliary heater 17 from excessively heating the inside of the product container 3.

  As the lower freeze prevention control, in the first embodiment, the control unit 40 is configured to perform the following three operations. That is, in the lower freeze prevention control, the control unit 40 simultaneously stops the cooling operation by the refrigerant circuit device 20, operates the auxiliary heater 14 intermittently, and operates the internal fan 15. It is configured as follows. When the cooling operation by the refrigerant circuit device 20 has already been stopped by the upper freeze prevention control, the lower freeze prevention control causes the auxiliary heater 14 to be intermittently operated by the control unit 40 and the internal fan. It is comprised so that driving | running | working 15 may be performed simultaneously.

  In the first embodiment, the control unit 40 freezes only for a preset first predetermined time (for example, 2 minutes) after the completion of the freeze prevention control (upper freeze prevention control and lower freeze prevention control). The prevention control is not started. Further, the control unit 40 does not end the freeze prevention control only for a preset second predetermined time (for example, 2 minutes) after starting the freeze prevention control (upper freeze prevention control and lower freeze prevention control). It is configured.

(Flow for performing upper freeze prevention control)
Next, a flow for performing the upper freeze prevention control based on the outside air temperature and the upper chamber internal temperature will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, since the flow for performing the lower freeze prevention control performed based on the outside temperature and the lower temperature in the cabinet is the same flow as the upper freeze prevention control, detailed description thereof is omitted. Further, the lower freeze prevention control flow is performed separately from the upper freeze prevention control flow.

  First, when the flow for performing the upper freezing prevention control is started, in step S101, the control unit 40 sets in advance from the end of the latest upper freezing prevention control based on the information stored in the storage unit 41 and the like. It is determined whether the first predetermined time has elapsed. If the control unit 40 determines that the first predetermined time has elapsed since the end of the latest upper freeze prevention control, the control unit 40 proceeds to step S102. In addition, when it is determined that the first predetermined time has not elapsed since the end of the latest upper freezing prevention control, the control unit 40 repeats Step S101.

  In step S102, the control unit 40 determines whether or not the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than a first threshold value set in advance and the upper chamber internal temperature is equal to or lower than a second threshold value set in advance. If the controller 40 determines that the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than the first threshold and the upper chamber temperature is equal to or lower than the second threshold, the process proceeds to step S103. Moreover, the control part 40 repeats step S102, when it is judged that external temperature is not below 1st threshold value or internal upper part temperature is below 2nd threshold value.

  In step S103, the control unit 40 starts the upper freeze prevention control. As the upper freeze prevention control, in addition to stopping the cooling operation by the refrigerant circuit device 20, the control unit 40 operates the auxiliary heater 17 intermittently and operates the internal fan 18.

  In step S104, the control unit 40 determines whether or not a second predetermined time set in advance has elapsed since the start of the upper freeze prevention control. If the control unit 40 determines that the second predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the latest upper freezing prevention control, the control unit 40 proceeds to step S105. In addition, when it is determined that the second predetermined time has not elapsed since the start of the latest upper freezing prevention control, the control unit 40 repeats Step S104.

  In step S105, the control unit 40 determines whether or not the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than a preset third threshold value, or whether the interior upper temperature is equal to or higher than a preset fourth threshold value. If the control unit 40 determines that the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the third threshold value, or the upper chamber internal temperature is equal to or higher than the fourth threshold value, the control unit 40 proceeds to step S106. Further, when the control unit 40 determines that the outside air temperature is not equal to or higher than the third threshold value and the upper chamber internal temperature is not equal to or higher than the fourth threshold value, step S105 is repeated.

  In step S106, the control unit 40 ends the upper freeze prevention control.

  In step S <b> 107, the control unit 40 determines whether or not to end the monitoring of the interior upper temperature. The monitoring of the upper chamber temperature can be terminated, for example, by a user operation when the cold district control is no longer necessary. And when it judges that the control part 40 complete | finishes monitoring of the chamber upper temperature, the flow for performing antifreezing control is complete | finished. Moreover, when it is judged that the control part 40 does not complete | finish the monitoring of the chamber upper temperature, it returns to step S101.

(Effect of 1st Embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

  In the first embodiment, as described above, the vending machine 100 is configured to perform the upper freeze prevention control for preventing the freezing of the product 80 stored in the upper part of the product storage 3. 40. The upper freeze prevention control is performed by stopping the cooling of the inside of the product storage 3 by the refrigerant circuit device 20 based on the temperature of the upper part in the product storage 3 detected by the internal temperature sensor 16. Thereby, since it can suppress that the goods 80 in the goods storage 3 are further cooled based on the temperature of the upper part in the goods storage 3, the goods 80 of the upper part in the goods storage 3 can be suppressed. Freezing can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to suppress the quality of the product 80 from being deteriorated due to the freezing of the product 80 in the upper part of the product storage 3 or the disposal loss of the product 80 due to breakage of the container of the product 80 or the like. Can do. In addition, by performing upper freezing prevention control based not only on the upper temperature inside the chamber but also on the outside air temperature, it is possible to prevent upper freezing with higher accuracy considering the outside air temperature compared to the case based only on the upper temperature inside the chamber. Control can be performed.

  Moreover, in 1st Embodiment, as mentioned above, the vending machine 100 is further provided with the auxiliary | assistant heater 17 for heating the goods of the upper part in the goods storage 3 provided in the upper part in the goods storage 3. . The upper freezing prevention control is performed by operating the auxiliary heater 17 in addition to stopping the cooling of the inside of the product container 3 by the refrigerant circuit device 20. Thereby, by using the auxiliary heater 17 provided in the upper part in the product storage 3, the upper part of the product storage 3 can be easily compared with the case where the heater is not provided in the upper part in the product storage 3. Can be heated. As a result, since the upper product 80 in the product storage 3 can be efficiently heated, it is possible to quickly and more effectively prevent the product 80 from freezing in the upper part in the product storage 3. .

  In the first embodiment, as described above, the vending machine 100 further includes the internal temperature sensor 13 that detects the temperature of the lower part in the commodity storage 3. The control unit 40 is configured to perform the lower freeze prevention control for preventing the freezing of the product 80 accommodated in the lower part in the product storage 3 separately from the upper freeze prevention control. The lower freeze prevention control is performed based on the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor 21 and the temperature in the lower part of the product storage case 3 detected by the inside temperature sensor 13. Thereby, the case where the product 80 may be frozen in the upper part of the product storage 3 and the case where the product 80 may be frozen in the lower part in the product storage 3 are prevented from being frozen as much as necessary. Control can be performed. As a result, freezing prevention control can be performed with high accuracy and more effectively in each of the upper part and the lower part in the commodity storage 3. Further, by combining the upper freeze prevention control and the lower freeze prevention control, it is possible to reliably prevent the product 80 from freezing in the product storage 3 and to improve the efficiency in the entire product storage 3. Thus, antifreezing control can be performed.

  Moreover, in 1st Embodiment, as mentioned above, the vending machine 100 is further provided with the opening 31b for circulating air in the upper part in the goods storage 3, provided in the upper part in the goods storage 3. Thereby, at the time of the upper freeze prevention control, air can be easily circulated in the upper part in the product storage 3 using the opening 31b, so that the freezing prevention control can be performed more efficiently in the upper part in the product storage 3. It can be performed.

  Moreover, in 1st Embodiment, as mentioned above, the vending machine 100 is further provided with the internal fan 18 for circulating the air in the goods storage 3 provided in the upper part in the goods storage 3. The upper freeze prevention control is performed by operating the auxiliary heater 17 and operating the internal fan 18 in addition to stopping the cooling of the interior of the commodity storage 3 by the refrigerant circuit device 20. Thereby, the heat generated by the auxiliary heater 17 can be efficiently circulated by the internal fan 18 in the upper part of the product storage case 3. As a result, it is possible to prevent the temperature distribution of the product 80 in the upper part of the product storage 3 from being biased, and thus suppress the phenomenon that the product 80 is excessively heated or not sufficiently heated. be able to.

  Moreover, in 1st Embodiment, as mentioned above, the control part 40 is the goods storage 3 which the outside temperature detected by the outside temperature sensor is below a 1st threshold value, and the inside temperature sensor 16 detected. When the temperature of the upper part is not more than the second threshold value, the upper freezing prevention control is started. Thereby, upper freeze prevention control can be started at an appropriate timing by setting the first threshold value and the second threshold value to a temperature at which there is a risk of freezing the upper product in the product storage 3.

  In the first embodiment, as described above, when the control unit 40 is performing the upper freeze prevention control, the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor 21 is equal to or higher than the third threshold, or The upper freeze prevention control is configured to end when the temperature in the upper part of the product storage case 3 detected by the internal temperature sensor 16 is equal to or higher than the fourth threshold value. The third threshold value and the fourth threshold value are higher than the first threshold value and the second threshold value, respectively. Thus, by setting the third threshold value and the fourth threshold value to values higher than the first threshold value and the second threshold value, respectively, a certain width is provided between the start condition and the end condition of the upper freeze prevention control. be able to. Therefore, the upper freeze prevention control can be restarted immediately after the completion or the upper freeze prevention control can be started so as not to be finished immediately. Therefore, the start and end of the upper freeze prevention control are repeated in a short period of time. This can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to suppress wear of components such as the refrigerant circuit device 20 that is turned ON / OFF each time the start and end of the upper freeze prevention control is repeated. Further, when the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the third threshold value, or when the temperature of the upper part in the product storage case 3 is equal to or higher than the fourth threshold value, the upper freezing prevention control is terminated, whereby the product storage by the refrigerant circuit device 20 is performed. It can suppress that cooling of the goods 80 in the store | warehouse | chamber 3 continues being stopped. As a result, in the upper freeze prevention control focusing on the upper product 80 in the product storage 3, the cooling of the lower product 80 in the product storage 3 is also stopped, so that the lower product in the product storage 3 is stopped. It is possible to suppress the situation where the 80 is not properly cooled.

  In the first embodiment, as described above, the control unit 40 does not start the upper freeze prevention control for the first predetermined time after the upper freeze prevention control is finished, and after starting the upper freeze prevention control. The upper freeze prevention control is configured not to end only during the second predetermined time. As a result, it is possible to ensure that the upper freeze prevention control is resumed immediately after the completion of the upper freeze prevention control or the upper freeze prevention control is started and not immediately ended. Can be reliably suppressed. As a result, it is possible to reliably suppress wear of components such as the refrigerant circuit device 20 that is turned ON / OFF each time the start and end of the upper freeze prevention control is repeated. Further, by terminating the upper freeze prevention control after the elapse of the second predetermined time, it is possible to reliably suppress the cooling of the product in the product storage 3 by the refrigerant circuit device 20 by the upper freeze prevention control. it can. As a result, in the upper freeze prevention control focusing on the upper product 80 in the product storage 3, the cooling of the lower product 80 in the product storage 3 is also stopped, so that the lower product in the product storage 3 is stopped. It is possible to reliably suppress the situation where the 80 is not properly cooled.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. In the second embodiment, an example in which a heater having a configuration different from that of the auxiliary heater 17 of the first embodiment will be described. In the figure, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same components as those in the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the vending machine 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a product storage 203 for storing products. Unlike the vending machine 100 of the first embodiment in which the internal temperature sensor 16, the auxiliary heater 17, and the internal fan 18 are provided in the upper part in the product storage 3, the upper part in the product storage 203 is An internal temperature sensor 16 and an auxiliary heater 217 configured to be able to heat the upper product 80 in the product storage 203 are provided. The auxiliary heater 217 is an example of an “upper chamber heater” in the claims.

  In the product storage 203, a product storage rack 210 is provided so as to extend from the top to the bottom of the product storage 203. As shown in FIG. 4, the auxiliary heater 217 is configured as a sheet-like heat source, and is attached to the partition plate 230 in the commodity storage rack 210. Note that the auxiliary heater 217 is illustrated in the drawing so as to be close to the product 80 for the sake of space, but is actually provided so as not to contact the product 80.

  The auxiliary heater 217 is provided above the approximate center (line 90 located in the height direction (Z-axis direction)) of the commodity storage rack 10. The auxiliary heater 217 is provided in the vicinity of the approximate center in the direction (Y-axis direction) from the front side (Y1 side) to the back side (Y2 side) of the commodity storage rack 10.

  The auxiliary heater 217 is configured so that the amount of heat generated relative to the auxiliary heater 17 of the vending machine 100 of the first embodiment is relatively small. In the vending machine 200 according to the second embodiment, unlike the vending machine 100 according to the first embodiment, the air heated by the auxiliary heater 217 is not circulated actively, but is naturally convected in the product storage box 203. It is configured to diffuse at the top.

  Note that, unlike the vending machine 100 according to the first embodiment in which the opening 31a and the opening 31b are formed on the back side (Y2 side), the commodity storage rack 210 is formed with only the opening 31a on the back side (Y2 side). Has been. This is because the vending machine 200 according to the second embodiment does not actively circulate air by a fan in the upper part of the product storage 203.

  In addition, the vending machine 200 includes a control unit 240 for controlling the operation of the entire vending machine 200, as shown in FIG. The controller 240 is configured to perform anti-freezing control for preventing freezing of the product 80 stored in the product storage 203 based on the outside air temperature and the internal temperature.

  The remaining configuration of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment.

(Freezing prevention control)
Details of anti-freezing control by the control unit 240 will be described.

  The control unit 240 prevents the freezing of the product 80 stored in the upper part of the product storage 203 and prevents the freezing of the product 80 stored in the lower part of the product storage 203. The control can be performed separately.

  As the upper freeze prevention control, the second embodiment is configured to perform the following two operations. That is, in the upper freezing prevention control, the cooling operation by the refrigerant circuit device 20 is stopped and the auxiliary heater 217 is operated intermittently at the same time.

  The lower freeze prevention control in the second embodiment is the same as the lower freeze prevention control in the first embodiment. Further, the other control of the second embodiment is the same as the control of the first embodiment.

(Effect of 2nd Embodiment)
In the second embodiment, as described above, the vending machine 200 is configured to perform the upper freeze prevention control for preventing the freezing of the product 80 stored in the upper part of the product storage 203. 240. The upper freeze prevention control is performed by stopping the cooling of the inside of the product storage 203 by the refrigerant circuit device 20 based on the temperature of the upper part in the product storage 203 detected by the internal temperature sensor 16. As a result, as in the first embodiment, the quality of the product 80 is deteriorated due to the freezing of the product 80 in the upper part of the product storage 203, or the disposal loss of the product 80 due to breakage of the container or the like occurs. Can be suppressed.

  In the second embodiment, as described above, the vending machine 200 is provided with the sheet-like auxiliary heater 217 configured to have a relatively small amount of heat at the upper portion in the commodity storage 203. As a result, as in the case where a heater with a large amount of heat is provided, it is easy to avoid an uneven temperature distribution in the upper part of the product storage box 203 without providing a fan for circulating the air heated by the heater. Can be heated. Further, since the auxiliary heater 217 has a sheet shape, the auxiliary heater 217 can be provided within the thickness of the partition plate 230 without directly contacting the product 80. As a result, the upper freeze prevention control can be performed without worrying about the installation space.

  The remaining effects of the second embodiment are similar to those of the aforementioned first embodiment.

[Modification]
It should be thought that embodiment disclosed this time is an illustration and restrictive at no points. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the description of the above-described embodiment but by the scope of claims for patent, and further includes all modifications (modifications) within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims for patent.

  For example, in the first and second embodiments, the upper side of the product storage racks 10 and 210 in the height direction (Z-axis direction) (line 90 located at the center) is “inside the product storage 3 and 203. The upper part of the product storage box 3 and 203 is shown below the line 90, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the boundary between the upper part and the lower part in the product storage case may be a position other than the approximate center in the height direction of the product storage rack. For example, the upper side and the lower side from the approximate center in the height direction of the product storage itself may be “upper part in the product storage” and “lower part in the product storage”, respectively.

  In the first and second embodiments described above, the control units 40 and 240 only perform a preset first predetermined time after ending the freeze prevention control (upper freeze prevention control and lower freeze prevention control). Although an example in which the freeze prevention control is not started is shown, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the control unit may not determine the time after the completion of the freeze prevention control. In this case, step S101 is omitted in the flow of FIG.

  In the first and second embodiments described above, the control units 40 and 240 only perform a preset first predetermined time after starting the freeze prevention control (upper freeze prevention control and lower freeze prevention control). Although an example is shown in which the freeze prevention control is not terminated, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the control unit may not determine the time from the start of the freeze prevention control. In this case, step S105 is omitted in the flow of FIG.

  In the first and second embodiments, the first predetermined time and the second predetermined time are set to the same time. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the first predetermined time and the second predetermined time may be set to different times.

  In the first and second embodiments, the first threshold value, the second threshold value, the third threshold value, and the fourth threshold value in the upper freeze prevention control, and the first threshold value, the second threshold value, and the third threshold value in the lower freeze prevention control. Although an example in which the threshold value and the fourth threshold value are set to the same value has been shown, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the first threshold value, the second threshold value, the third threshold value, and the fourth threshold value may be set to different values in the upper freeze prevention control and the lower freeze prevention control.

  In the first and second embodiments, the second threshold value is set higher than the first threshold value, and the fourth threshold value is set higher than the third threshold value. Is not limited to this. In the present invention, a value equal to the first threshold value and the second threshold value may be set, or a value equal to the third threshold value and the fourth threshold value may be set.

  Further, in the first and second embodiments, the control units 40 and 240 are configured to prevent the upper freezing control when the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the third threshold value or the upper chamber internal temperature is equal to or higher than the fourth threshold value. Although an example in which (lower freezing prevention control) is configured to end is shown, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the control unit is configured to end the upper freezing prevention control (lower freezing prevention control) when the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the third threshold value and the upper chamber internal temperature is equal to or higher than the fourth threshold value. May be.

  In the first and second embodiments, the controller 40 and 240 determine that the first predetermined time has elapsed since the end of the most recent upper freeze prevention control, and the outside air temperature is Although the example which performed step S102 which judges whether it is below a 1st threshold value and internal upper chamber temperature is below a 2nd threshold value was shown, this invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, step S101 may be performed after step S102.

  In the first and second embodiments, the controller 40 and 240 determine whether the second predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the latest upper freeze prevention control after step S104. Although the example which performed step S105 which judges whether it is below a 3rd threshold value and internal upper part temperature is below a 4th threshold value was shown, this invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, step S104 may be performed after step S105.

  Moreover, in the said 1st and 2nd embodiment, the control part 40 and 240 showed the example comprised so that upper freezing prevention control might be performed based on the outside temperature and the inside upper temperature. Moreover, although the control parts 40 and 240 were configured to perform the lower freeze prevention control based on the outside air temperature and the inside lower temperature, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, when the outside air temperature sensor 21 and the inside temperature sensor 13 (the inside temperature sensor 16) are not operating normally, the upper freezing prevention control (lower freezing prevention control) may not be performed. In this case, for example, it may be configured to determine whether the outside air temperature sensor 21 and the internal temperature sensor 13 (internal temperature sensor 16) are operating normally immediately after step S102 and step S105.

  In the first embodiment, as the upper freeze prevention control, the cooling operation by the refrigerant circuit device 20 is stopped, the auxiliary heater 17 is operated, and the internal fan 18 is operated simultaneously. An example of configuration is shown. In the second embodiment, the example in which the cooling operation by the refrigerant circuit device 20 is stopped and the auxiliary heater 217 is operated at the same time is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Absent. In the present invention, only the cooling operation by the refrigerant circuit device may be stopped as the upper freeze prevention control. In this case, it is not necessary to provide a heater and a fan in the upper part in the commodity storage.

  In addition, as described above, when the heater and the fan are not provided in the upper part in the product storage, as the upper freeze prevention control, the air heated in the lower part in the product storage is sufficiently circulated to the upper part. It is preferable. For example, you may enlarge the air volume of the fan in the store | warehouse | chamber provided in the lower part in goods storage.

  Moreover, in the said 1st Embodiment, the example which provided the auxiliary | assistant heater 17 and the fan 18 in the store | warehouse | chamber in the upper part in the goods storage 3 was shown. Moreover, although the example which provided the auxiliary heater 217 in the upper part in the goods storage 203 was provided in the said 2nd Embodiment, the auxiliary heater 217 was provided, this invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, only the internal fan may be provided without providing the auxiliary heater in the upper part of the product storage. Thereby, it can be made easy to circulate air from the lower part to the upper part in the product storage together with the internal fan 15 provided in the lower part in the product storage.

  Further, in the first and second embodiments, the example in which the auxiliary heaters 17 and 217 are operated intermittently as a part of the operation of the upper freezing prevention control is shown. In addition, as an example of the operation of the lower freeze prevention control, the auxiliary heater 14 is configured to operate intermittently, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the auxiliary heater may be configured to operate continuously. Whether the auxiliary heater is operated intermittently or continuously may be determined according to the amount of heat generated by the auxiliary heater.

  Further, in the first embodiment, the opening 31 a is formed below the approximate center (the line 90 located in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the commodity storage rack 10, and the opening 31 b is formed by the line 90. Although the example formed below is shown, this invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, both the opening 31 a and the opening 31 b may be formed above the line 90, and both the opening 31 a and the opening 31 b may be formed below the line 90.

  Moreover, in the said 2nd Embodiment, although the opening 31a was formed in the lower side rather than the substantially center (line 90 located in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the goods storage rack 210, The present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the opening 31 a may be formed above the line 90. Further, as in the first embodiment, the opening 31a may be formed on either the upper side or the lower side of the line 90.

  In the first and second embodiments, for convenience of explanation, the processing of the control units 40 and 240 has been described using a flow-driven flow that performs processing in order along the processing flow. It is not limited to this. In the present invention, the processing of the control unit may be performed by event-driven (event-driven) processing that executes processing in units of events. In this case, it may be performed by a complete event drive type or a combination of event drive and flow drive.

3, 203 Product storage 13 Internal temperature sensor (Internal temperature sensor)
14 Auxiliary heater (lower heater in the cabinet)
16 Internal temperature sensor (Inside upper temperature sensor)
17, 217 Auxiliary heater (upper heater in the cabinet)
18 Fan in the cabinet (upper fan in the cabinet)
20 Refrigerant circuit device (cooling part)
21 Open air temperature sensor 31b Opening (ventilation hole)
40, 240 Control unit 80 Product 100, 200 Vending machine

Claims (8)

A product storage for storing products;
A cooling unit for cooling the inside of the commodity storage to a predetermined temperature;
An outside temperature sensor for detecting the outside temperature;
An internal temperature sensor for detecting an upper temperature in the product storage;
Based on the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor and the temperature inside the product container detected by the inside temperature sensor, the cooling unit stops cooling the inside of the product container. And a control unit configured to perform upper freeze prevention control for preventing freezing of the product stored in the upper part of the product storage. Provided in the upper part of the product storage, further comprising an upper heater in the store for heating the product in the upper part of the product storage;
The control unit is configured to perform the upper freeze prevention control by operating the upper heater in the warehouse in addition to stopping the cooling of the inside of the commodity storage by the cooling unit. Item 2. The vending machine according to item 1. Further comprising an in-compartment lower temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the lower part in the commodity storage,
The control unit is housed in the lower part of the product storage based on the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor and the temperature of the lower part in the product storage detected by the lower part temperature sensor. The vending machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein lower freeze prevention control for preventing freezing of the product to be performed is performed separately from the upper freeze prevention control.   The vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a vent hole provided in an upper part of the commodity storage for circulating air in the upper part of the commodity storage. Provided in the upper part in the product storage, further comprising an upper fan in the store for circulating the air in the product storage,
The control unit performs the upper freeze prevention control by operating the upper heater in the warehouse and operating the upper fan in the warehouse in addition to stopping the cooling of the interior of the product storage by the cooling unit. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein the vending machine is configured to perform.   The controller is configured such that the outside temperature detected by the outside temperature sensor is equal to or lower than a first threshold value, and the temperature inside the commodity storage detected by the upper temperature sensor inside the box is equal to or less than a second threshold value. The vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the vending machine is configured to start the upper freeze prevention control in some cases.   The control unit, when the upper freeze prevention control is being performed, when the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a third threshold value that is higher than the first threshold value, or The upper freezing prevention control is configured to end when the temperature of the upper part in the product storage case detected by the upper part temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a fourth threshold value that is higher than the second threshold value. The vending machine according to claim 6.   The control unit does not start the upper freeze prevention control only during a first predetermined time after the upper freeze prevention control ends, and only during a second predetermined time after the upper freeze prevention control starts. The vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the vending machine is configured not to end the upper freeze prevention control.

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