JPH04332374A - Control method of defrosting heater for refrigerating slot machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the sales of a half-molten commodity by a method wherein the elapse of time after closing a door is studied whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed or not when the defrosting time of an evaporator has come and defrosting is effected when the inside temperature of a refrigerator is lower than a predetermined value even if the predetermined period of time is not elapsed while the defrosting time is neglected when the inside temperature is higher than a predetermined value. CONSTITUTION:A loading door is checked through a loading switch 5 whether it is opened or not and when the door has been opened, a door closing time is stored. Next, defrosting time is checked whether it has come or not and when the defrosting time has come, it is checked whether a given period of time has elapsed or not from the door closing time. When the given period of time has not elapsed, the inside temperature of a refrigerator is checked and when the inside temperature is high, defrosting starting time is delayed for a given period of time. When the given period of time has elapsed, a defrosting heater 9 is excited to start defrosting and a refrigerating machine 8 is put OFF. When the defrosting period of time has passed, the excitation of the defrosting heater 9 is put OFF. According to this method, problems such as the sales of a half-molten refrigerated commodity or non-cooling of the inside of the refrigerator for a long period of time can be eliminated.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Field of Application] This invention relates to an evaporator (cooling heat exchange The present invention relates to a method of controlling a defrosting heater that defrosts a device. Note that in the following figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art A prior art of this type is ``Control Device for Refrigerated Vending Machine,'' published in U.S. Pat. In other words, the conventional defrosting heater control is
Decide on a time to defrost (in other words, turn on the defrost heater) once or twice a day, and at this time,
I was defrosting. The reason for this defrosting is that in frozen vending machines, the inside of the freezer where sold products are stored is kept at -10
It is necessary to maintain the temperature at a low temperature below ℃, so the freezing capacity of the refrigerator is increased. Therefore, frost easily forms on the evaporator, and when this frost hardens, it turns into ice, reducing the freezing capacity of the refrigerator and making it impossible to cool the inside of the freezer.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in conventional defrosting heater control, the defrosting heater is not energized regardless of the temperature inside the freezer, after product loading (replenishment), or the operating state of the refrigerator. As a result, the temperature inside the refrigerator rose and products were sold that were about to melt, and the temperature inside the refrigerator sometimes took a long time to come down. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a defrosting heater control method for a frozen vending machine that can eliminate this drawback.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the defrosting heater control method according to claim 1 provides an evaporator that cools a freezer in which merchandise for sale is stored (by supplying refrigerant from a refrigerator 8 or the like). In a frozen vending machine, defrosting is performed via a defrosting heater (9, etc.) at a predetermined defrosting time (using a memory unit 2, a timer unit 3, etc.), opening and closing a door for loading products in the freezer. A door opening/closing detection means (loading switch 5, etc.) is provided to detect the opening/closing of the door, and when the defrosting time arrives, it is determined (via the defrosting control means 1A, etc.) whether or not a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the door was closed. is checked, and if the internal temperature of the freezer is below a predetermined value (detected via temperature sensor 6 etc.) even if this predetermined time has elapsed or has not elapsed, the defrosting is performed and the internal temperature is is greater than the predetermined value, at least ignore the defrosting time,

The defrosting heater control method of claim 2 is the defrosting heater control method of claim 1, in which, when the defrosting time concerned is ignored as described above, at least the next defrosting start time is reset. and

[0006] The defrosting heater control method of claim 3 defrosts the evaporator that cools the freezer in which the products for sale are stored (by supplying refrigerant from the refrigerator 8 or the like) via the defrost heater (9, etc.). In a frozen vending machine that performs defrosting at a predetermined time (using a storage unit 2, a timer unit 3, etc.), a power-on detection means for detecting power-on (in the power supply unit 4, etc.) of the frozen vending machine is provided, When the defrosting time has arrived, it is checked (via the defrosting control means 1A, etc.) whether a predetermined time has elapsed after turning on the power, and whether or not the predetermined time has elapsed or not has elapsed. Even (temperature sensor 6
If the internal temperature of the freezer (detected through, for example, a predetermined value) is below a predetermined value, the defrosting is performed, and when the internal temperature is above the predetermined value, at least the defrosting time is ignored;

In the defrosting heater control method according to claim 4, when the defrosting time concerned is ignored as described above, at least the next defrosting start time is Try resetting it,

[0008] The defrosting heater control method according to claim 5 includes means (thermostat 6A, etc.) for detecting the upper and lower limits of the internal temperature of the freezer in which merchandise for sale is stored, and a means for detecting the upper and lower limits of the internal temperature of the freezer in which sold products are stored; a refrigerator (such as 8) which is turned off based on the detection of the lower limit value, and an evaporator that is cooled by the refrigerator and cools the freezer; In a refrigerating vending machine that starts defrosting at a predetermined defrosting time via a defrosting control means 1B, etc., the defrosting starts when the refrigerator is first turned off after the defrosting time arrives (via a defrosting control means 1B, etc.). Let the frost start,

The defrosting heater control method according to claim 6 is the defrosting heater control method according to claim 5, in which when the defrosting time arrives and the refrigerator is in an OFF state, the refrigerator is immediately turned off. and also,

[0010] The defrosting heater control method according to claim 7 includes means (thermostat 6A, etc.) for detecting the upper and lower limits of the internal temperature of the freezer in which the products for sale are stored, and a means for detecting the upper and lower limits of the internal temperature of the freezer in which the products for sale are stored; a refrigerator (such as 8) which is turned off based on the detection of the lower limit value, and an evaporator that is cooled by the refrigerator and cools the freezer; In a refrigerated vending machine that starts at a predetermined defrosting time via the defrosting control means 1B, etc., if the refrigerator is turned off a predetermined time before the defrosting time (via the defrosting control means 1B, etc.), the refrigerating machine is turned off immediately. This refrigerator shall be turned on.

[0011]

[Function] Regarding the inventions of claims 1 and 2: In addition to memorizing the opening and closing of the loading door, if the defrosting time comes within a certain time after the door is closed, the defrosting start time is delayed or I checked the temperature value and started defrosting.

Regarding the inventions of claims 3 and 4: Even if the defrosting time comes within a certain period of time after the power is turned on, the defrosting is delayed or the defrosting is not performed until the temperature drops.

Regarding the inventions of claims 5 and 6: When the defrosting heater is to be energized at the defrosting time, check the operating state of the refrigerator at that time, and wait until the refrigerator is turned on or turn it on.
Then, when it was turned off (in other words, when the inside of the refrigerator was at its coldest), the defrost heater was energized.

[0014] Regarding the invention according to claim 7: The refrigerator is forcibly energized for a certain period of time before the defrosting time, and the defrosting time is started after the inside of the refrigerator has cooled down.

[0015]

Embodiments An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a control unit consisting of a microcomputer, etc., which detects the opening and closing of the loading door that is opened to replenish products in the freezer via the loading switch 5 (switch is also abbreviated as SW), and The temperature sensor detects the temperature inside the freezer, and the power supply section 4 detects power ON/OFF. Furthermore, the control unit 1 operates the relay unit 7 to operate the refrigerator (also abbreviated as MC),
Defrost the evaporator (not shown) by energizing the defrosting heater. Note that 1A is a defrosting control means as a main partial functional section when it is assumed that the functions of the control section 1 are shared.

[0016] 2 is a storage unit, and loading SW 5 is turned on.
It also remembers the power on, the operating time, and the temperature at which defrosting is possible. 3 is a timer unit that measures the defrosting time and the time after the loading SW 5 and the power are turned on.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of the operation of the defrosting control means 1A. Next, the figure will be explained. Note that hereinafter, the symbols S1 to S9 indicate steps in the figure. In FIG. 2, first, in step S1, it is checked whether the loading door has been opened via the loading SW5, and if it has been opened (branch Y), the loading door closing time is memorized in step S2, and the loading door is closed in step S2. In S3, it is checked whether or not the defrosting time has arrived, and if it is not the defrosting time (branch N), the process returns to step S1, and if it is the defrosting time (S3, branch Y), step S4 At step S9, it is checked whether a certain period of time has elapsed since the loading door was closed, and if the certain period of time has not elapsed (branch N), the temperature sensor 6 checks if the temperature inside the refrigerator is low (or not). If the internal temperature is high (branch N), the defrosting start time is set to be delayed after a certain period of time in step S8, and
Return to 3. Here, if this fixed time is set to match the next defrosting start time determined in advance, it is possible to skip defrosting once.

If the predetermined time has elapsed in step S4 (branch Y), the defrosting heater 9 is energized to start defrosting in step S5. At this time, the refrigerator 8 is turned on at the same time.
FF. Then, in step S6, the end of the defrosting time is checked, and if the defrosting time has passed (branch Y), step S
At step 7, the defrosting heater 9 is de-energized and the process returns to step S1.

Next, FIG. 3 shows the second operation of the defrosting control means 1A.
FIG. In the figure, steps S1, S2, and S4 are respectively S1A, S2A, and S2 in contrast to FIG.
It has been replaced by 4A. That is, the operation of FIG. 3 is the same as that of FIG. 2, except that the detection of opening/closing of the loading door via the loading SW 5 is changed to the detection of power ON via the power supply unit 4, and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the main structure of a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, unlike FIG. 1, the temperature sensor 6 is replaced by a thermostat 6A that turns on at the upper limit of the internal temperature setting and turns off at the lower limit of the temperature setting, and the on/off state of the refrigerator 8 is reliably determined from the voltage across both ends of the temperature sensor 6. An MC on/off detection circuit 8A is added, and the defrosting control means is replaced by 1B. Note that the loading SW 5 is not shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, the control unit 1 controls the ON/O of a thermostat (also abbreviated as thermo) 6A.
When the FF is detected, the refrigerator 8 is turned on and off via the relay of the relay section 7 to cool the inside of the refrigerator, and the defrosting heater 9 is energized to defrost the evaporator. Also, the control section 1
also detects the input from the MC on/off detection circuit 8A of the refrigerator 8 and controls the timing of defrosting. In FIG. 4, the storage unit 2 stores the states such as that the defrosting time has come, the ON/OFF operation of the refrigerator 8, and the ON/OFF operation of the defrosting heater 9. Further, the timer unit 3 in FIG. 4 measures the defrosting time, or measures a certain period of time before defrosting.

FIG. 5 shows ON/OF of the refrigerator 8 in FIG.
It is a time chart showing an example of the state of F, the defrosting time, the ON/OFF state of the defrosting heater that defrosts after the defrosting time, and the transition of the internal temperature. In FIG. 5, the point in time when the defrosting heater 9 is energized is changed from the ON state of the refrigerator 8 to the OFF state.
Since this is the time when the FF state is switched (the time when the inside of the refrigerator is the coldest), it indicates that the temperature inside the refrigerator has not increased much even if the defrosting heater 9 is energized.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of the operation of the defrosting control means 1B shown in FIG. Note that S11~
The reference numeral S16 indicates a step in FIG. Next, the figure will be explained. First, the defrosting time is checked in step S11, and if the defrosting time has come (branch Y), step S12
Go to and check whether the refrigerator (MC) 8 is turned on. If the refrigerator 8 is not turned on (branch N), wait until the refrigerator 8 is turned on, and if it is turned on (branch Y), go to step S13. In step S13, O
It is checked whether or not the refrigerator 8 has been turned off, and if it has not been turned off (branch N), the system waits until it is turned off (in other words, it waits until the inside of the refrigerator becomes the coldest). When the refrigerator 8 is turned off (branch Y), the defrosting heater 9 is energized in step S14. Then, in step S15, it is checked whether the defrosting time has ended or not, and when the defrosting time has ended (branch Y), the defrosting heater 9 is turned off in step S16. Note that the defrosting can also be finished by checking the temperature of the evaporator inside the refrigerator instead of by checking the time.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the operation of the defrosting control means 1B shown in FIG. In Figure 7, Figure 6
However, step S12A is added, and when the refrigerator is in the OFF state in step S12 (branch N), the refrigerator is forcibly turned on in step S12A. Next, FIG. 8 shows the defrosting control means 1B of FIG.
12 is a flowchart showing a third example of the operation of FIG. Note that the symbols S21 to S27 indicate steps in FIG. Next, the figure will be explained. First, in step S21, it is checked whether it is a certain period of time before the defrosting time, and if it is a certain period of time before the defrosting time (branch Y), the refrigerator 8 is forcibly turned on in step S22. , keep the temperature inside the refrigerator cool,
Then, in step S23, a check is made to see if the defrosting time has come, and until the defrosting time comes (branch N), the process returns to step S22 and the refrigerator 8 is kept ON. When the defrosting time comes (S23, branch Y), the refrigerator 8 is turned off in step S24, and the defrost heater 9 is energized in step S25. Next, in step S26, it is checked whether or not the defrosting time has ended, and if it has ended (branch Y)
, the defrosting heater 9 is turned off in step S27. Note that this defrosting can also be completed by checking the temperature of the evaporator in the same manner as described above.

[0024]

[Effects of the Invention] According to the invention related to claims 1 to 4, immediately after opening the loading door (immediately after replenishing the product)
Even if the defrosting time arrives at 2000 or immediately after the power is turned on, the defrosting heater is not immediately energized to start defrosting, and according to claims 5 to 7. According to the invention, when energizing the defrosting heater 9, it is done after the refrigerator 8 is turned on and the temperature inside the refrigerator has decreased.

[0025] Problems such as selling soft (almost melted) frozen products and the temperature inside the refrigerator not cooling down for a long time are eliminated. Furthermore, there is no longer a need to load products at a time that avoids the defrosting time, and the product can be loaded at any time.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a first example of the operation of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the operation in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 5] Time chart for explaining the operation in Figure 4

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a first example of the operation of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the operation in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a third embodiment of the operation in FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Control section 1A Defrost control means 1B Defrost control means 2. Storage section 3. Timer section 4 Power supply section 5 Loading switch 6 Temperature sensor 6A Thermostat 7 Relay part 8 Refrigeration machine (MC) 8A MC on/off detection circuit 9 Defrost heater

Claims (7)

[Claims] [Claim 1] A refrigerated vending machine in which an evaporator that cools a freezer in which sold products are stored is defrosted at a predetermined defrosting time via a defrosting heater, in which a door for loading products of the freezer is opened and closed. A door opening/closing detection means is provided to detect the opening/closing of the door, and when the defrosting time has arrived, after the door is closed,
It is checked whether a predetermined time has elapsed, and if the predetermined time has elapsed or even if the predetermined time has not elapsed but the internal temperature of the freezer is below a predetermined value, the defrosting is performed, and the internal temperature is 1. A defrosting heater control method for a frozen vending machine, characterized in that at least the defrosting time is ignored when the defrosting time is greater than a predetermined value. 2. In the defrosting heater control method according to claim 1, when the defrosting time is ignored as described above,
A defrosting heater control method for a frozen vending machine, comprising resetting at least the next defrosting start time. [Claim 3] In a frozen vending machine that defrosts an evaporator that cools a freezer in which sales products are stored via a defrosting heater at a predetermined defrosting time, power-on of the frozen vending machine is detected. When the defrosting time arrives, it is checked whether a predetermined time has elapsed after the power is turned on, and whether or not the predetermined time has elapsed or not, the defrosting time is detected. The automatic refrigeration system is characterized in that the defrosting is performed when the internal temperature of the freezer is below a predetermined value, and at least the defrosting time is ignored when the internal temperature is above the predetermined value. How to control the defrost heater of a vending machine. 4. In the defrosting heater control method according to claim 3, when the defrosting time concerned is ignored as described above,
A defrosting heater control method for a frozen vending machine, comprising resetting at least the next defrosting start time. 5. Means for detecting the upper and lower limits of the internal temperature of a freezer in which products for sale are stored, and a freezer that is turned on based on the detection of the upper limit value and turned off based on the detection of the lower limit value. and an evaporator that is cooled by the refrigerator and cools the freezer, and starts defrosting the evaporator at a predetermined defrosting time via a defrosting heater. A defrosting heater control method for a frozen vending machine, characterized in that the defrosting is started when the refrigerator is turned off for the first time after a time has arrived. 6. The defrosting heater control method according to claim 5, wherein when the defrosting time arrives and the refrigerator is in an off state, the refrigerator is turned on immediately. A defrosting heater control method for a refrigerated vending machine. 7. Means for detecting the upper and lower limits of the internal temperature of a freezer in which products for sale are stored, and a refrigerator that is turned on based on the detection of the upper limit value and turned off based on the detection of the lower limit value. and an evaporator that is cooled by the refrigerator and cools the freezer, and starts defrosting the evaporator at a predetermined defrosting time via a defrosting heater. 1. A defrosting heater control method for a frozen vending machine, characterized in that when the refrigerator is in an off state before a predetermined time, the refrigerator is turned on immediately.