JP4003729B2 - vending machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vending machine that cools or heats products such as beverages in containers such as cans, bottles, packs, and PET bottles for sale.

10 and 11 show a conventional vending machine, respectively. FIG. 10 is a transverse sectional view of the vending machine, and FIG. 11 is a three-dimensional view of the vicinity of the shooter of the vending machine.
In this vending machine, a shooter 2 is arranged below the inside of a substantially rectangular product storage 1 in which a heat insulating material is surrounded by upper, lower, front, rear, left and right. A product rack 4 for stacking the products 3 in the vertical direction is formed above the shooter 2. Below the shooter 2, a cooling device composed of the evaporator 6 of the cooling unit 5, a heating device composed of the heater 7, and a heat exchange chamber 8 containing the fan 9 are configured. A discharge air space 15 in which air heated or cooled by the fan 9 of the heat exchange chamber 8 is discharged is formed below the shuter 2 and in front of the heat exchange chamber 8. The circulation duct 11 is provided on the rear surface of the product storage 1 so as to communicate between the product rack 4 and the heat exchange chamber 8.

The shooter 2 has a plate-like body arranged so as to partition the product rack 4 and the heat exchange chamber 8, and inclines so as to gradually become lower toward the front, and the product 3 dropped from the product rack 4 is stored in the product storage. It is possible to roll the product to the product take-out port 10 leading to the front exterior of the 1 and send it out. In addition, the side wall of the product storage 1 has left and right side walls 13, and the front wall 12 that can be opened and closed is arranged on the front surface, and each is made of a heat insulating material, thereby reducing heat intrusion with outside air. , Keeps power consumption low.
In the vending machine configured as described above, for example, when the fan 9 is driven in a state where the cooling unit 5 is driven, the air cooled by the evaporator 6 is discharged air space 15, the vent hole 2 a of the shooter 2, the product rack. 4. The inside of the product storage 1 is circulated through the circulation duct 11, and the product 3 accumulated in the product rack 4 can be cooled. On the contrary, when the fan 9 is driven with the heater 7 being driven, the air heated by the heater 7 circulates inside the product storage 1 through the vent hole 2a of the shooter 2, the product rack 4, and the circulation duct 11. As a result, the product 3 accumulated in the product rack 4 can be heated.

In the conventional vending machine described above, in order to reduce power consumption, a method has been adopted in which the circulation duct is shortened to concentrate the wind flow at the lower part of the product rack 4. That is, the mechanism is that the wind blown by driving the fan 9 passes through the ventilation holes 2a and proceeds to the product rack 4, and flows backward into the circulation duct and flows upward and into the circulation duct. . And if there is much flow which goes up, while the upper goods will be heated / cooled, power will increase because heat flows out of a warehouse because of a temperature difference with a wall surface. In order to prevent the wind flowing upward, a product provided with a wind shielding material on the lower front surface or the lower side surface of the product rack 4 is known (for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-190061 (page 4, FIG. 1)

In recent years, there has been a strong demand for energy saving such as prevention of global warming and reduction of CO2 emissions, and it has become necessary to further reduce the power consumption of vending machines. The inventors have proposed, in Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-299562, a method in which a side duct is provided on a side surface of a wall to reduce the flow of wind moving upward and to reduce power consumption. Further research has been conducted, and the present inventors have verified through experiments that there is a problem with power consumption due to wind flowing upward in a space of several millimeters formed between product racks arranged side by side. Yes.
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide a vending machine capable of reducing power consumption by reducing heat loss during heating or cooling.

In order to achieve the above object, a vending machine according to claim 1 of the present invention is provided with a plurality of products arranged in a horizontal direction in a product storage box surrounded by a heat insulating material, and stores products in a vertical direction. A product rack having a function of carrying out in a direction, a shooter under the product rack for conveying a product cut out from the product rack, and a fan for blowing heated or cooled air under the shooter And a vending machine provided with a circulation duct that is installed at the rear part of the warehouse and communicates between the interior of the cabinet and the fan , each of the suction inlets in the corresponding midway portion in the vertical direction on the side plate facing the adjacent product rack And an intermediate passage means having an air circulation path between the adjacent product rack side plates and the suction port communicating with the circulation duct.

A vending machine according to a second aspect of the present invention is the side plate of the commodity rack according to the first aspect , wherein the vending machine opens at a position facing the suction port of the side passage means or the intermediate passage means. A feature is provided.
The vending machine according to claim 3 of the present invention is characterized in that in claim 2 , a plurality of side passage means or intermediate passage means are provided corresponding to the commodity rack.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the vending machine according to any one of the second to third aspects is characterized in that the opening is composed of a plurality of holes.
The vending machine according to claim 5 of the present invention is characterized in that, in any of claims 1 to 4 , the side passage means is made of a stretchable windshield material. To do.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the vending machine according to the fifth aspect is characterized in that the surface of the wind shield is made of a lubricant.

As apparent from the above description, according to the automatic vending machine according to claim 1 of the present invention, to form a mouth suction to the corresponding mid portions of the longitudinal direction of facing side plates of the commodity rack adjacent, neighboring The air flow path between the product rack side plates is connected to the circulation duct, and the air flow from the fan to the product is returned to the flow path through the intermediate duct to the circulation duct. Since it increases and the flow rate decreases upward, heat loss from the wall 13 to the outside can be reduced, and the power consumption of the vending machine can be reduced.

Further, according to the vending machine according to claim 2 of the present invention, the fluid resistance flowing to the side duct is reduced by providing an opening at a position opposite to the suction port of the side duct at the lower part of the product rack. Power consumption of the vending machine can be reduced.
Further, according to the vending machine according to claim 3 of the present invention, by providing a plurality of side passage means or intermediate passage means corresponding to the product rack, temperature variation in the product rack can be reduced. Can do.
Moreover, according to the vending machine concerning Claim 4 of this invention, when the said opening part was comprised by the some hole, it can also prevent being caught in the bottom of a hole at the time of merchandise fall.
In addition, according to the vending machine according to claim 5 of the present invention, the side duct is made of a stretchable windshield material, so that the rack can be easily attached and detached. is there.

According to the vending machine of the sixth aspect of the present invention, the side duct is made of a stretchable windshield material, and the windshield material surface is made of a lubricant, so that at the time of assembly. As a result, it is possible to prevent part of the windshield material from being lost or caught by contact between the corners of the product rack and the windshield material, so that the workability of assembly and removal of the product rack is improved.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the embodiment described below, the same reference numerals are used for portions corresponding to the above-described conventional technology, and descriptions of substantially the same portions as the conventional technology are omitted.
(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of the vicinity of a lower part of a product rack showing Embodiment 1 of a vending machine according to the present invention, (a) is an overall view, and (b) is a partially enlarged view. is there. In FIG. 1, 19 is a side duct that is disposed on both sides of the lower side surface of the plurality of product racks 4, has a suction port 19 a on the side surface on the rack side, and has a discharge port communicating with the circulation duct 11.
In such a configuration, the wind toward the product 3 from the fan 9 is divided into a component that flows upward through the side surface of the product 3 and a component that flows to the circulation duct 11 through the side duct 19. By arranging the side ducts 19 on both sides of the product rack 4, the flow path to the circulation duct 11 is doubled through the side ducts 19, and the components flowing in this direction are increased. Therefore, according to this structure, since the component which a wind flows upward reduces, the heat loss from the wall 13 to the exterior can be made small.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional view showing Embodiment 2 of a vending machine according to the present invention. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that an intermediate duct 20 is arranged between the product racks 4 arranged in the horizontal direction. That is, 20 is an intermediate duct in which a suction port is formed for each of the lower regions of the adjacent product racks 4, an air circulation path is formed between the adjacent product rack side plates, and the suction port communicates with a circulation duct. is there.
In such a configuration, the wind toward the product 3 from the fan 9 through the shooter hole 2 a hits the surface of the product 3, passes through the intermediate duct 20 and the side duct 19 through the rack side plate, and flows to the circulation duct 11. Further, a part flows upward in the product rack 4 and returns to the circulation duct 11. Compared with Embodiment 1 of FIG. 1 in which two side ducts 19 are arranged in parallel, the passage cross-sectional area can be reduced by the plate thickness of the side ducts, so the amount of inflow into the intermediate duct 20 increases, Since the component in which the wind flows is reduced, the heat loss from the left and right walls 13 of the commodity store 1 to the outside can be reduced. Therefore, according to this configuration, heat loss from the left and right walls 13 to the outside is further reduced, and power consumption can be reduced.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 3 is another three-dimensional view showing Embodiment 3 of the vending machine according to the present invention. The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that the side ducts 19 are arranged on the side surfaces of the product racks 4 arranged in the horizontal direction. Further, the shooter 2 has a vent hole 2 a formed at a position facing the lower side of the product 3. In FIG. 3, since the product racks 4 are arranged in two rows in the left-right direction, the vent holes 2a are perforated in two rows correspondingly.
In such a configuration, the air discharged from the fan 9 branches from the two rows of shooter holes 2a toward the product 3, hits the surface of the product 3, passes through the respective side ducts 19 via the rack side plates, and the circulation duct 11 To flow. Further, a part flows upward in the product rack 4 and returns to the circulation duct 11. Compared with the second embodiment of FIG. 2 in which the vent holes 2a of the shooter are arranged in a row in the center, the wind flowing to the product rack 4 in the left-right direction is evenly distributed, so there is less temperature variation of the product 3 in the left-right direction. Thus, heat loss can be reduced.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a product rack according to another embodiment. As shown in the figure, reference numeral 4b denotes a round hole-shaped suction hole formed in the lower part of the side surface of the product rack 4. A shows a region facing the side duct. The conventional rack side plate is not provided with such a large hole, and forms a structure having a large passage resistance so that the wind along the surface of the product 3 flows in the lateral direction of the product rack 4. According to this configuration, since the fluid resistance flowing from the surface of the product 3 to the side duct 19 and the intermediate duct 20 is further reduced and the component of the wind flowing upward is reduced, the heat loss to the outside is reduced. Can do. This structure can achieve the same effect even when applied to the first and second embodiments.
Moreover, although the shape of the hole opened in the lower part of the product rack side plate 4a is also considered to be rectangular, there is a concern that the end of the product 3 is caught on the bottom of the rectangular hole when the product is dropped. According to the experience of the inventors, it has been confirmed that a circular shape of approximately 10 mm is appropriate from the viewpoint of ventilation resistance and prevention of catching of a product drop. Moreover, it is also confirmed that the effect is sufficiently obtained when the aperture ratio of the hole opened in the lower part of the product rack side plate 4a is 0.5 to 3% with respect to the region A facing the side duct. .

Further, according to experiments by the inventors, in the configuration of the third embodiment, that is, an abbreviation of the can width of each can that accommodates the vent holes on the shooter surface for carrying out the product cut out from the product rack to the product takeout port. Compared to the conventional configuration in the configuration provided in the position corresponding to the center and provided with the suction port provided on the side of the product rack, and the side duct only on the right side as viewed from the product extraction port direction of the product rack. About 14% reduction in power consumption.
(Embodiment 4) FIG. 5 is a partial three-dimensional view showing Embodiment 4 of a vending machine according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a detailed explanatory diagram of FIG. In the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the side passage means or the intermediate passage means is constituted by a wind shielding material 17 in contrast to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 2. The wind shielding material 17 is made of a sponge material that is elastic, and is arranged in two rows in parallel to the lower part of the product rack 4, and according to the upper and lower steps of the product rack 4 connected in the front-rear direction. The ends are connected to each other. Reference numeral 18 denotes a lubricating tape affixed to the surface of the wind shield 17 as shown in FIG.

  According to such a configuration, a passage similar to that of the side duct 19 or the intermediate duct 20 is formed in the lower part of the product rack 4, so that the wind flowing upward is reduced and heat loss to the outside can be reduced. . Furthermore, according to this configuration, there is an effect that the rack can be easily attached and detached. That is, since the duct is affixed to the product rack 4, there is no work of attaching and removing the duct alone. Further, since the wind shield 17 has flexibility, the gap between the two product racks 4 caused by the manufacturing variation of the product rack 4 can be appropriately adjusted by contraction of the wind shield 17. Compared with the case where the rigid side duct is disposed between the two product racks 4, the position adjustment work at the time of attachment is reduced. In addition, there is a concern that the windshield material may be partially missing or caught due to contact between the corners of the product rack 4 and the windshield material during assembly. However, by attaching the windshield material 17 with the tape 18 having lubricity, a slip effect is produced when the corners of the product rack 4 and the wind shield material 17 are in contact with each other, and the lack of the wind shield material 17 is prevented. Assembly and removal of the product rack 4 can be performed smoothly.

(Embodiment 5) The structure of the duct is not limited to a single-stage duct, but is divided into a plurality of ducts or the inside of the duct to divide and branch, thereby improving the flow path and fluid resistance as a whole. The configuration may be optimized.
For example, FIG. 7 is a partial three-dimensional view showing Embodiment 5 of the vending machine according to the present invention. In the embodiment shown in the figure, a duct which is a side passage means or an intermediate passage means is formed by attaching a wind shielding material 17 to the side plate of the product rack 4 as compared with the embodiment 4 shown in FIG. The inside of the duct is divided into divided ducts 28A, 28B, and 28C by a partition member 27. Each of the divided ducts communicates with a suction hole 4b drilled in the side plate of the product rack 4 at the front, and communicates with a suction hole 11a of the circulation duct 11 at the rear. Regarding the height of the divided duct (H in the figure), the height of the divided duct 28A communicated with the front product rack 4 is increased, and the height of the divided duct 28C communicated with the rear rack is increased. Configured low. Further, the suction holes 4b perforated in the side plate of the product rack 4 are also configured such that the suction holes 4b of the front product rack 4 are perforated more than the rear rack.

  According to this configuration, the wind toward the product 3 from the fan 9 (see FIG. 1) hits the surface of the product 3 and is divided into the divided ducts 28A, 28B, and 28C via the suction holes 14a of the rack side plates, respectively. 11 and return to the heat exchange chamber 8 (see FIG. 1). Since the air volume sucked from each rack is determined by the sectional area and distance of the divided duct flow path, the air volume passing through each rack can be controlled by adjusting the divided duct height H and the number of the suction holes 4b. . By increasing the height of the split duct 28A having a long flow path length and decreasing the height of the split duct 28C having a short flow path length, the air volume of each duct becomes substantially the same, and the temperature of the product 3 in the longitudinal direction of the product rack. Variations can be reduced. On the other hand, regarding the variation in the products in the left-right direction, the side ducts 19 or the intermediate ducts 20 arranged on the side surfaces of the product racks arranged in the front-rear direction (in this case, the product racks in three rows in the front-rear direction). By changing the height, the number of suction holes 4b, and the diameter, it is possible to reduce temperature variations between the left and right products in the rack. That is, by adjusting the height of the divided duct and the number of suction holes on the rack side plate as appropriate, the product temperature variation in the product rack is eliminated in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, and ultimately the heat loss to the outside is reduced. can do.

It should be noted that the shape of the divided duct is not only linear but also zigzag along the bottom edge of the three product racks, the divided duct is not divided and formed independently. It may be.
(Sixth Embodiment) FIG. 8 shows a sixth embodiment of the vending machine according to the present invention, which is a partial cross-sectional view of the cross section of the product rack as viewed from above, and FIG. (B) is an example of the duct by a wind-shielding material. The sixth embodiment shown in the figure is the same as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 except for the structure of the side surface of the product rack, and the others. Reference numeral 41 denotes a lightweight product rack in which both side end portions are formed in a curl shape. By making both ends curl, a lightweight and highly rigid rack can be obtained. However, the convex part of the curled part of the product rack 41 has a passage sectional area of the side duct 19 as shown in FIG. Decrease and increase fluid resistance. However, as shown in FIG. 5B, in the intermediate duct made of the wind shield 17, the entire gap between the product racks 41 can be used as a duct passage, so that the duct cross-sectional area is increased and the fluid resistance is reduced. . As a result, the wind flowing upward is reduced, and the heat loss from the upper region in the warehouse to the outside can be reduced.

  FIG. 9 is a partial three-dimensional view of another example showing Embodiment 4 of the vending machine according to the present invention. The upper wind shielding material 17 may be disposed obliquely as shown in FIG. According to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the fluid resistance by preventing the vortex generated at the corner portion of the windshield material, and to reduce the cost by reducing the length of the windshield material to be used. it can.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a three-dimensional view of the product rack lower part vicinity which shows Embodiment 1 of the vending machine by this invention, (a) is a general view, (b) is the elements on larger scale. It is a three-dimensional view showing Embodiment 2 of the vending machine according to the present invention. It is a three-dimensional view showing Embodiment 3 of the vending machine according to the present invention. It is a block diagram of the goods rack regarding another Example. It is a partial three-dimensional view which shows Embodiment 4 of the vending machine by this invention. FIG. 6 is a detailed explanatory diagram of FIG. 5. It is a partial three-dimensional view which shows Embodiment 5 of the vending machine by this invention. Fig. 10 shows a fifth embodiment of the vending machine according to the present invention, and is a partial cross-sectional view of the cross section of the product rack as viewed from above; It is an example of the duct by a wind material. It is a partial three-dimensional figure of another Example which shows Embodiment 4 of the vending machine based on this invention. It is a side view which shows the conventional vending machine. It is a three-dimensional view near a shooter of a conventional vending machine.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Goods storage 2 Shuta 3 Goods 4 Goods rack 4A Goods rack side plate 4b Suction hole 5 Cooling unit (cooling device)
6 Evaporator (cooling device)
7 Heater (heating device)
8 Heat Exchange Room 9 Fan 10 Beverage Exit 13 Left and Right Side Walls 17 Windshield 18 Tape 19 Side Duct 19a Suction Port 20 Intermediate Duct 20a Suction Port 27 Partition Material 28 Divided Duct 41 Lightweight Product Rack

Claims (6)

A product rack that is arranged side by side in a product storage box surrounded by heat insulating materials and has a function of storing products in the vertical direction and sequentially transporting the products downward, and the product rack below the product rack. A shooter that conveys the product cut out from the rack, a fan that blows heated or cooled air below the shooter, and a circulation duct that is installed at the rear of the chamber and communicates between the chamber and the fan In the vending machine with
An intermediate portion in which suction ports are respectively formed in the corresponding middle portions in the vertical direction of the side plates facing each other of the adjacent product racks, an air circulation path is formed between the adjacent product rack side plates, and the suction ports communicate with a circulation duct. A vending machine having passage means . The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein an opening is provided at a position opposite to a suction port of the side passage means or the intermediate passage means on a side plate of the commodity rack . The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of side passage means or intermediate passage means are provided corresponding to the product rack . The vending machine according to any one of claims 2 to 3, wherein the opening is configured by a plurality of holes . The vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the side passage means or the intermediate passage means is made of a stretchable windshield material . 6. The vending machine according to claim 5, wherein the surface of the windshield is made of a lubricant .

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