JP6123580B2 - vending machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vending machine that sells products.

  Some vending machines that sell products are such that the products stored in the product rack of the product storage are delivered to the product tray and then transported by the product tray and delivered to a predetermined product take-out area. . The product take-out area is a space communicated to the outside of the product storage through the product take-out port, and the purchased product can be taken out if the user inserts a hand from the product take-out port.

  Normally, in this type of vending machine, the front door body is configured with a transparent face plate such as glass, and the products stored in the product rack of the product storage are visually selected from outside. In addition, it is possible to observe a state in which the purchased product delivered from the product rack is conveyed to the product take-out area by the product tray. Thus, according to the vending machine in which the inside of the commodity storage can be visually recognized, there is an advantage that the user's willingness to purchase can be enhanced (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  Such vending machines are known in which a rear duct is provided in the vicinity of the rear surface of the product storage box so as to define the ventilation path with a storage area in which the product rack is provided. The rear duct has a suction port for sucking air inside the storage area cooled by cooling means such as an evaporator, and for blowing out the air sucked from the suction port and passed through the ventilation path to the storage area. An air outlet is provided. A plurality of the air outlets are provided along the vertical direction in the upper area of the air inlet.

  In such a vending machine, by driving a fan or the like disposed in the product storage box, the cooled air is blown out from the outlet of each height level in the rear duct, and is stored in the product rack. Cooling to a desired temperature is performed.

JP 2007-34970 A

  By the way, in the vending machine, the internal air sucked into the ventilation path through the suction port passes through the ventilation path upward, and is blown out forward from each outlet in the middle. Actually, the air blown out from the air outlet passes through the upper region of the product in the product rack, contacts the face plate of the door body, and then flows downward and is sucked into the ventilation path again through the air inlet. The ratio was large, and the ratio of the air blown out from the outlet to the product stored in the product rack was small. Therefore, the cooling efficiency of the product is not sufficiently high, and the amount of heat exchange with the outside air is increased by contacting the face material, resulting in excessive heat loss. In particular, in a vending machine in which a product tray conveyance path is formed in the front area of the product rack, the separation distance between the product rack and the door body is large, and the problems of a decrease in cooling efficiency and heat loss have become prominent.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine capable of reducing heat loss and saving energy while improving the cooling efficiency of products stored in a product rack. .

  In order to achieve the above object, a vending machine according to the present invention divides a storage area and a ventilation path by being disposed in the vicinity of the back of a product storage box inside the vending machine body, and the storage area A duct formed with a suction port for sucking in the internal air, and a plurality of outlets provided along the vertical direction in the upper region of the suction port, and along the vertical direction in the storage region of the commodity storage A plurality of stages, each of which stores a product rack, and the air inside the storage area is sucked into the ventilation path from the suction port, and the air that has passed through the ventilation path is supplied to the storage area from the air outlet In a vending machine comprising a circulating means for circulating the internal air inside and outside the storage area by blowing, and a temperature adjusting means for adjusting the internal air circulated by the circulating means to a desired temperature, The blower outlet when it is swingably disposed so as to move forward and backward toward the upper region of the product rack below the body and moves forward into the upper region of the lower product rack. A louver member is provided that abuts the air blown out from the product stored in the product rack.

The present invention, in the vending machine, said Lou bar member, characterized in that the extension length along the lateral direction substantially coincides with the lateral width of the duct.

  In the vending machine according to the present invention, the louver member has permeability.

  According to the present invention, the louver member that is swingably disposed in such a manner that the louver member moves forward and backward toward the upper region of the product rack on the lower side than itself is advanced to the upper region of the lower product rack. In such a case, since the air blown out from the outlet is brought into contact with the product stored in the product rack, the product stored in the product rack can be efficiently cooled. In addition, the air blown out from the air outlet can be brought into contact with itself to reduce the amount of air flowing forward from itself, and the air is heated to the outside air through a door provided on the front side. The heat loss to be exchanged can be reduced. Therefore, there is an effect that it is possible to save energy by reducing the heat loss while improving the cooling efficiency of the product stored in the product rack.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view schematically showing the internal structure of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the duct shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing a control system of the vending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the cooling operation control processing performed by the control means shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the ventilation path shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view schematically showing the operation of the louver member shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is an explanatory view schematically showing the operation of the communication hole shown in FIG.

  Exemplary embodiments of a vending machine according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view schematically showing the internal structure of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vending machine illustrated here includes a main body cabinet 10 which is a main body of the vending machine.

  The main body cabinet 10 is a rectangular housing having a front surface opened, and a commodity storage 11 is disposed therein.

  The commodity storage 11 has a heat insulating structure by being surrounded by a heat insulating material, and the storage area 11a and the ventilation path 11b are partitioned by the duct 20 being erected on the back side.

  In the storage area 11a of the product storage 11, a plurality of product racks 12 (four in the illustrated example) are provided in the vertical direction. These product racks 12 are provided by being laid between rack support side plates 13 erected on both sides of the storage area 11a. The product rack 12 is configured by a product storage column (not shown) that forms a product storage passage extending in the front-rear direction and arranged side by side on the left and right. The product is stored by being placed.

  A product tray 14 is disposed in a front area of the product rack 12 in the storage area 11a of the product storage 11 so as to be movable in the vertical direction by a transport mechanism (not shown). The product tray 14 receives a product delivered from a product storage column (product rack 12) that stores a desired product, and then moves downward to close the lower side of the front opening of the main body cabinet 10. The product is allowed to be taken out from the product take-out port 16 provided at 15. The closing member 15 closes the front opening of the main body cabinet 10 together with the door body 17 provided thereabove, and the door body 17 is disposed in the main body cabinet 10 so as to be openable and closable. . The product outlet 16 is opened and closed by a product outlet door 18.

  The duct 20 forms a storage area 11 a in its own front area, and forms a ventilation path 11 b between its rear area, that is, the back wall panel 10 a of the main body cabinet 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the duct 20 has a rectangular suction port 21 formed at the lower end portion, and a plurality of circular outlets 22 in the upper region of the suction port 21 in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. It is formed at predetermined intervals along. And as shown in FIG. 1, the duct 20 is standingly arranged in the goods storage 11 in the aspect which gradually inclines back as it goes upwards. That is, the duct 20 is erected in the commodity storage 11 in such a manner that the distance from the back wall panel 10a of the main body cabinet 10 gradually approaches as it goes upward. Thereby, the cross-sectional area of the ventilation path 11b formed between the duct 20 and the back wall panel 10a is gradually reduced as it goes upward.

  An evaporator 24 is disposed in front of the suction port 21 of the duct 20 via a wind tunnel member 23. The evaporator 24 constitutes a refrigeration cycle in which a refrigerant is circulated by being connected to a compressor 26, a condenser 27 and an expansion mechanism 28 disposed in the machine room 25 through a refrigerant pipe 29. Here, the machine room 25 is a room defined in the lower region of the commodity storage 11 and is formed on the upper surface of the base 10 b at the bottom of the main body cabinet 10. A conveyance area for the product tray 14 is formed in a front area of the machine room 25, and is partitioned from the conveyance area via a partition heat insulating material 25a. That is, the front of the machine room 25 is closed by the partition heat insulating material 25a.

  The compressor 26 sucks and compresses the refrigerant that has passed through the evaporator 24. The condenser 27 radiates heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 26. The expansion mechanism 28 adiabatically expands the refrigerant radiated by the condenser 27. The evaporator 24 evaporates the refrigerant and cools the air by exchanging heat between the refrigerant adiabatically expanded by the expansion mechanism 28 and the air inside the product storage 11 passing through the evaporator 24.

  An internal blower fan F <b> 1 is disposed on the front side of the evaporator 24. The internal blower fan F <b> 1 is driven by a drive command given from the control unit 50 described later, and the air inside the storage area 11 a of the commodity storage 11 is passed around the evaporator 24, and then the suction port 21 is a circulation means that circulates air inside and outside the storage area 11a by sucking the air from the air passage 21 into the ventilation area 11b and blowing the air that has passed through the ventilation path 11b to the storage area 11a from each of the air outlets 22.

  Of the product racks 12 arranged in the storage area 11a, the product rack 12 excluding the lowermost product rack 12, that is, the uppermost product rack 12, the second product rack 12 from the top, and the third product from the top. A louver member 30 is provided at the front end of the rack 12. The louver member 30 is a long member whose longitudinal direction is the left-right direction, and its extending length in the left-right direction substantially matches the left-right width of the duct 20. The louver member 30 is made of a colorless and transparent resin material such as a Mylar sheet or a vinyl sheet and has transparency.

  In such a louver member 30, the upper end 32 can swing to the front end of the product rack 12 in the upper region of the product rack 12 in such a manner that the lower end 31 moves forward and backward to the upper region of the product rack 12 on the lower side. It is supported and provided. More specifically, the louver member 30 that is swingably supported by the front end portion of the uppermost product rack 12 may move the lower end portion 31 forward and backward from the top to the upper region of the second product rack 12. The louver member 30 that is swingably supported at the front end of the second stage product rack 12 from above can move the lower end 31 forward and backward to the upper region of the third stage product rack 12 from above. The louver member 30 that is swingably supported at the front end of the third stage product rack 12 from the top can move the lower end 31 forward and backward to the upper region of the lowermost product rack 12. It is.

  By the way, in the vicinity of the condenser 27 in the machine room 25, an outside air blowing fan F2 as an outside air blowing means is disposed. The outside blower fan F2 is driven when a drive command is given from the control means 50. A communication hole 40 is formed in the base 10 b constituting the machine room 25 at a location on the front side of the condenser 27. The communication hole 40 includes a first intake hole 41 disposed on the lower side of the double-structure base 10b and a second intake hole 42 disposed on the upper side of the base 10b. Thus, the outside of the main body cabinet 10 and the machine room 25 are communicated. Since the communication holes 40 (the first air intake holes 41 and the second air intake holes 42) are formed in the base 10b as described above, the outside fan F2 is connected to the external air that has passed through the communication holes 40 when driven. Air can be passed around the condenser 27. In addition, the code | symbol 45 in FIG. 1 is a drain pan. The drain pan 45 is disposed on the downstream side of the flow of the outside air by the external fan B2 and stores drain water such as condensed water generated in the commodity storage 11.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing a control system of the vending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. What is illustrated here is only an example of what is characteristic in the description of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the vending machine includes an internal temperature sensor S <b> 1, an outside air temperature sensor S <b> 2, and a control means 50.

  The internal temperature sensor S1 is disposed in the storage area 11a of the commodity storage 11, and detects the internal temperature of the storage area 11a, that is, the internal temperature. The internal temperature detected by the internal temperature sensor S1 is given to the control means 50 as a detection signal.

  The outside air temperature sensor S2 is disposed outside the main body cabinet 10 and detects the outside air temperature. The outside temperature detected by this outside temperature sensor S2 is given to the control means 50 as a detection signal.

  The control means 50 controls driving of the compressor 26 and the like according to programs and data stored in the memory 60, and includes an input processing unit 51, a comparison unit 52, a compressor driving processing unit 53, and a fan driving processing unit 54. ing. The control means 50 may be configured to be incorporated in a vending machine control unit (not shown) that performs vending machine sales processing, or may be configured independently of the vending machine control unit. It may be.

  Various information is stored in the memory 60, and in this embodiment, drive reference information and post-processing reference information are stored. The drive reference information is information serving as a reference for driving the compressor 26 and the like, and includes an upper limit temperature and a lower limit temperature. The upper limit temperature is a temperature that becomes a threshold value for starting driving of the compressor 26 and the like, and the lower limit temperature is a temperature that is lower than the upper limit temperature and becomes a threshold value for stopping the driving of the compressor 26 and the like. is there. The post-processing reference information is information serving as a reference for post-processing driving of the external fan B2, and includes set temperature. The set temperature is a temperature that serves as a threshold value for determining whether or not the external blower fan F2 is post-process driven.

  The input processing unit 51 inputs the internal temperature or the external temperature by performing an input process on the detection signal given from the internal temperature sensor S1 or the external temperature sensor S2. The comparison unit 52 compares the temperature input through the input processing unit 51 with various temperatures stored in the memory 60.

  The compressor drive processing unit 53 controls the drive of the compressor 26 by giving a drive command or a drive stop command to the compressor 26. The fan drive processing unit 54 gives a drive command or a drive stop command to the internal blower fan F1 or the external blower fan F2, and controls the drive of the internal blower fan F1 or the external blower fan F2.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the cooling operation control processing performed by the control means shown in FIG. The operation of the vending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described while explaining the cooling operation control process.

  When the compressor 26, the internal fan F1, and the external fan F2 are stopped (step S101: Yes), the control unit 50 waits for input of a detection signal from the internal temperature sensor S1 ( Step S102). When the control unit 50 inputs the internal temperature by inputting the detection signal from the internal temperature sensor S1 through the input processing unit 51 (step S102: Yes), the control unit 50 drives the reference from the memory 60 through the comparison unit 52. The information is read out, and it is compared whether or not the internal temperature input through the input processing unit 51 exceeds the upper limit temperature included in the drive reference information (step S103).

  When the internal temperature exceeds the upper limit temperature (step S103: Yes), the control means 50 gives a drive command to the compressor 26 through the compressor drive processing unit 53 to drive it, and the storage means through the fan drive processing unit 54 A drive command is given to the internal blower fan F1 and the external blower fan F2 to drive them (step S104, step S105, step S106), and then the procedure is returned to end the current process.

  The vending machine operates as follows by driving the compressor 26, the internal fan F1 and the external fan F2 as described above. The refrigerant compressed by the compressor 26 reaches the condenser 27 through the refrigerant pipe 29, dissipates heat in the condenser 27, and reaches the expansion mechanism 28. The refrigerant that has reached the expansion mechanism 28 is adiabatically expanded and reaches the evaporator 24, evaporates in the evaporator 24, and then is sucked into the compressor 26 and circulates in the refrigeration cycle.

  On the other hand, the internal air in the storage area 11a of the product storage 11 passes through the periphery of the evaporator 24 by driving the internal blower fan F1, and is cooled by exchanging heat with the refrigerant passing through the evaporator 24. The cooled air is sucked into the ventilation path 11b from the suction port 21 through the wind tunnel member 23, passes through the ventilation path 11b, and is blown out from the blowout port 22. The air blown out from the air outlet 22 then circulates so as to pass through the storage area 11a and again around the evaporator 24.

  In this case, the duct 20 has a plurality of air outlets 22 provided in the upper and lower directions and the left and right directions in the upper area of the air inlet 21 and the cross sectional area of the air passage 11b becomes smaller as it goes upward. Since it is arrange | positioned, the pressure of the upper part in the ventilation path 11b can be made higher than a lower part.

  Thereby, the quantity of the air which passes toward the upper part of the ventilation path 11b will reduce relatively. Therefore, according to the vending machine according to the present embodiment, the air volume blown out from each outlet 22 is made substantially uniform, and the products stored in each product rack 12 are satisfactorily used with a uniform air volume. Can be cooled.

  Then, the louver member 30 becomes a position in which the lower end 31 advances and moves to the upper region of the product rack 12 below itself, so that the louver member 30 becomes a baffle plate member as shown in FIG. The air blown toward the front can be brought into contact with the product stored in the product rack 12, and the air volume abutting on the door body 17 can be reduced. Heat loss in which air exchanges heat with outside air can be reduced.

  Thereby, according to the said vending machine, heat loss can be reduced and energy saving can be aimed at, improving the cooling efficiency of the goods accommodated in the goods rack 12. FIG.

  Moreover, since the louver member 30 has transparency, there is no possibility that the visibility of the products stored in the product rack 12 will be hindered.

  Furthermore, since the communication hole 40 which connects the exterior of the main body cabinet 10 and the machine room 25 is formed in the base 10b, when the external ventilation fan F2 drives, as shown in FIG. The outside air passing through the first intake hole 41 and the second intake hole 42 can be passed around the condenser 27.

  Thereby, according to the vending machine, it is not necessary to form a large opening for intake air in the door body 17 or the closing member 15, and the air volume passing through the condenser 27 can be improved. Without changing the design balance, it is possible to secure a sufficient amount of heat radiation in the condenser 27 and improve the cooling efficiency.

  As a result of the operation of the vending machine in this manner, the internal temperature of the commodity storage 11 is lowered.

  By the way, when the internal temperature is equal to or lower than the upper limit temperature in step S103 (step S103: No), the control unit 50 returns the procedure without performing the steps S104, S105, and S106, and performs the current process. finish. According to this, the internal temperature of the product storage 11 will rise.

  Next, when the compressor 26 or the like is driven in step S101 (step S101: No), the control unit 50 waits for input of a detection signal from the internal temperature sensor S1 (step S107). When the control unit 50 inputs the internal temperature by inputting the detection signal from the internal temperature sensor S <b> 1 through the input processing unit 51 (step S <b> 107: Yes), the driving reference is made from the memory 60 through the comparison unit 52. The information is read out, and it is compared whether or not the internal temperature input through the input processing unit 51 is lower than the lower limit temperature included in the drive reference information (step S108).

  When the inside temperature is equal to or higher than the lower limit temperature (step S108: No), the control unit 50 returns the procedure without performing the process described later, and ends the current process.

  When the internal temperature is lower than the lower limit temperature (step S108: Yes), the control unit 50 gives a drive stop command to the compressor 26 through the compressor drive processing unit 53 to stop the drive, and the fan drive processing unit. A drive stop command is given to the internal blower fan F1 through 54 to stop the drive (step S109, step S110).

  According to this, by stopping the driving of the compressor 26, the refrigerant stops circulating in the refrigeration cycle, and further, the air inside the storage area 11a is stopped from circulating inside and outside the storage area 11a. The inside temperature of this will rise.

  Thus, the control means 50 which stopped driving the compressor 26 and the internal fan F1 waits for input of a detection signal from the outside air temperature sensor S2 (step S111). Then, when the outside air temperature is input by inputting the detection signal from the outside temperature sensor S2 through the input processing unit 51 (step S111: Yes), the control unit 50 performs post-processing reference information from the memory 60 through the comparison unit 52. Are compared and whether or not the outside air temperature input through the input processing unit 51 is equal to or higher than the set temperature included in the post-processing reference information (step S112).

  When the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the set temperature (step S112: Yes), the control unit 50 performs post-processing driving for maintaining driving of the outside fan B2 through the fan drive processing unit 54 for a predetermined time (step S113, Step S114: No), after the elapse of a predetermined time, a drive stop command is given to the external fan F2 through the fan drive processing unit 54 to stop the drive (Step S114: Yes, Step S115), and then the procedure is returned. This process is terminated.

  As described above, when the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the set temperature, by performing the post-processing drive for continuously driving the outside fan B2, the surroundings of the sufficiently high temperature around the condenser 27 even after the compressor 26 is stopped. The outside air that has passed through can be brought to a high temperature state equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, and the high temperature outside air can be passed in the vicinity of the drain pan 45. Thereby, the drain water stored in the drain pan 45 can be favorably evaporated.

  By the way, when the outside air temperature is lower than the set temperature in step S112 (step S112: No), the control unit 50 drives the outside blower fan F2 through the fan drive processing unit 54 without performing the processes of steps S113 and S114. A stop command is given to stop driving (step S115), and then the procedure is returned to end the current process.

  In this way, when the outside air temperature is lower than the set temperature, even if the outside air passes through the periphery of the sufficiently high-temperature condenser 27 even after the compressor 26 stops, the outside air remains in a high temperature state that is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. Must not. Therefore, even if the outside air is passed in the vicinity of the drain pan 45, it is difficult to evaporate the drain water stored in the drain pan 45 well. Therefore, when the outside air temperature is lower than the set temperature, it is possible to suppress an increase in power consumption by stopping the driving of the outside fan B2.

  The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made.

  In the above-described embodiment, the duct 20 is erected on the commodity storage 11 in such a manner that the duct 20 gradually inclines rearward as it goes upward, but in the present invention, the duct is an air passage. As long as the cross-sectional area is arranged so as to decrease upward, the arrangement posture and shape thereof are not particularly limited.

  In the above-described embodiment, the louver member 30 is swingably disposed at the front end portion of the product rack 12. However, in the present invention, the louver member is an upper region of the product rack below itself. Since it should just be arrange | positioned so that it can rock | fluctuate in the aspect which moves forward / backward, you may be arrange | positioned so that rocking | fluctuation is possible on the ceiling wall of the vending machine main body (main body cabinet). According to this, the cooling efficiency of the product stored in the uppermost product rack can be improved.

  In the above-described embodiment, outside air is introduced into the machine chamber 25 through the communication hole 40 provided in the base 10b so as to pass around the condenser 27. An opening is formed in the lower end portion and an opening is also formed in the partition heat insulating material, so that the outside air that has passed through the opening of the blocking member and the partition heat insulating material is allowed to pass around the condenser as a part. Good.

10 Main body cabinet (Vending machine main body)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10a Back wall panel 10b Base 11 Commodity storage 11a Storage area 11b Ventilation path 12 Commodity rack 15 Closure member 17 Door body 20 Duct 21 Suction port 22 Outlet 24 Evaporator 25 Machine room 26 Compressor 27 Condenser 28 Expansion mechanism 30 Louver member 31 Lower end portion 32 Upper end portion 40 Communication hole 41 First intake hole 42 Second intake hole 50 Control means 51 Input processing section 52 Comparison section 53 Compressor drive processing section 54 Fan drive processing section 60 Memory F1 Internal fan ( Circulation means)
F2 External fan (external fan means)
S1 Inside temperature sensor S2 Outside temperature sensor

Claims (3)

A suction area for separating the storage area and the ventilation path by being disposed in the vicinity of the back of the commodity storage inside the vending machine main body, and a suction port for sucking the internal air of the storage area, and above the suction opening A duct formed with a plurality of outlets provided along the vertical direction in the region,
A product rack provided in a plurality of stages along the vertical direction in the storage area of the product storage, each storing a product,
The internal air in the storage area is sucked into the ventilation path from the suction port, and the internal air is circulated inside and outside the storage area by blowing the air that has passed through the ventilation path to the storage area from the outlet. Circulation means,
In a vending machine comprising temperature adjusting means for adjusting the internal air circulated by the circulation means to a desired temperature,
When the air outlet is disposed so as to be swingable in a manner of moving back and forth toward the upper region of the lower product rack, and the posture is advanced to the upper region of the lower product rack. A vending machine comprising a louver member that abuts air blown from a product stored in the product rack. The Lou bar member, vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the extending length along the lateral direction substantially coincides with the lateral width of the duct.   The vending machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the louver member has permeability.

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