JP2701562B2 - Vending machine cooling / heating control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a vending machine in which canned beverages are sold by cooling or heating, and a refrigerator or a heater is forcibly stopped only for a certain period of time.
The present invention relates to a cooling / heating control device for maintaining the product temperature during a forced stop time zone.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Vending machines with built-in refrigerators and heaters reduce the power consumption by forcibly stopping the refrigerators and heaters during a preset time period as a countermeasure for peak power consumption in summer. There are things that try to. In such a case, conventionally, control for merely stopping the power supply to the refrigerator or the heater in the time zone is performed.

[0003]

However, if the refrigerator or the heater is forcibly stopped for a certain period of time, there is a danger that the temperature in the product storage room may deviate from the temperature range required for maintaining the product temperature during that time. Sales of products with lukewarm temperatures will inconvenience users. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a vending machine cooling / heating control device which prevents a problem in maintaining the product temperature even when a refrigerator or a heater is forcibly stopped as a measure against electric power. is there.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a means for setting a preset temperature lower or higher by a fixed temperature range than a temperature set during normal operation, a refrigerator or a heater. And a means for controlling the temperature in the product storage room based on the preset temperature when a predetermined time comes before the time zone for forcibly stopping the product storage.

[0005] The preliminary set temperature is set lower than the set temperature during normal operation when the product is cooled, and set higher when the product is heated. The thermostat that controls the temperature inside the product storage room uses an electronic thermostat with free temperature setting (hereinafter referred to as “electronic thermostat”), and the preliminary temperature is set in the vending machine from the keyboard together with the time before the forced stop time period. It is advisable to enter the settings in the memory.

[0006]

According to the present invention, before the refrigerator or the heater is forcibly stopped, the pre-set temperature is set to be lower when the cooling is performed by a certain temperature width than the set temperature in the normal operation and to be higher when the heating is performed. The temperature in the storage room is controlled, and the product is appropriately supercooled or overheated. Thereby, for example, 1
If the forced stop time is about an hour, the product temperature does not become lukewarm. Then, after the forced stop time period, the temperature control is performed again at the normal set temperature.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention in a canned beverage vending machine for cooling and heating products for sale will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control device. 1 is a control unit composed of a microcomputer for controlling the entire vending machine, 2 is an electronic thermometer installed in a product storage room, and 3 is various data in a memory in the control unit 1. Is a refrigerator (MC) for supplying a refrigerant to an evaporator in the product storage room, and 5 is a heater installed in the product storage room.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the control device. First, prior to the start of the vending machine, the preset temperature of the product storage room from the keyboard 3 during normal operation, and a lower preset value for a cooled product by a certain temperature range (2 ° C.) and a higher preliminary setting for a heated product. A temperature is set and input (step S1). Next, the start time and the end time of the time period in which the operation of the refrigerator 4 and the heater 5 are forcibly stopped and the time before a certain time (for example, one hour) before the start time are similarly set and input from the keyboard 3 ( Step S2).

Therefore, when the vending machine starts operation, the control unit 1 constantly compares the time measured by the built-in clock means with the time set in the memory, and forcibly stops the refrigerator 4 and the heater 5. It is checked whether it is one hour before the time (step S3). Until that time, the refrigerator 4 compares the normal set temperature with the detected temperature of the electronic thermometer.
Then, the heater 5 is turned on and off (step S4). On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3 that it is one hour before the forcible stop time of the refrigerator 4 and the heater 5, it is determined that the set temperature is 2
The temperature is controlled at a preset temperature of lower (cooled product) and higher (heated product). Then, it is checked whether the start time of the forced stop time zone has come (step S6), and when it has come, the refrigerator 4 and the heater 5 are forcibly stopped (step S7).

As described above, in the embodiment, for one hour before the forcible stop of the refrigerator 4 and the heater 5, the temperature of the product storage room is controlled at a temperature lower or higher than the normal set temperature by 2 ° C. Because it ’s supercooled or overheated,
Even if the temperature rises or falls slightly during the forced shutdown, it is possible to sell a product having a temperature comparable to that during normal operation.

[0011]

According to the present invention, even if the refrigerator or heater is forcibly stopped for a certain period of time, the product can be sold at a product temperature that is not unsatisfactory to the user. Can be planned.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the control device of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control part 2 Electronic thermometer 3 Keyboard 4 Refrigerator 5 Heater

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A vending machine which has a built-in refrigerator or heater, controls on / off of the refrigerator and heater to keep the product storage room at a set temperature, and forcibly stops the refrigerator or heater only for a certain period of time. Means for setting a preset temperature which is lower or higher by a fixed temperature range with respect to the set temperature, and when the refrigerator or heater is forcibly stopped for a certain period of time, the preset temperature lowers the temperature in the product storage room. A control / heating control device for a vending machine, comprising: means for controlling.