JPH0652421A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the automatic vending machine which restrains the unnecessary driving of blowers for in-box circulation, suppresses a rise in the temperature in a commodity storage chamber, and forcibly stops the cooling operation of vaporizers and performs defrosting operation when the vaporizers enter an excessive frost state. CONSTITUTION:The blowers 6a and 6b for in-box circulation are driven when temperature switches 13a and 13b reach upper-limit set temperature and stopped when they reach lower-limit set temperature, so those blowers 6a and 6b for in-box circulation are prevented from unnecessarily being driven. Further, if the detected temperature of the temperature switches 13 and 13b does not reach the lower-limit set temperature for three hours, namely, when the vaporizers 4a and 4b enters the excessive frost state and the insides of commodity columns 2a and 2b are not cooled sufficiently, the cooling operation of the vaporziers 4a and 4b are forcibly stopped for 10 minutes to perform the defrosting operation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention mainly relates to a vending machine for cooling or heating products contained in cans, bottles, paper packs and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as vending machines of this type, those shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 are known. The vending machine 1 shown in the sectional view of FIG. 2 has a product column 2a (2
b), and the duct 3 is formed between the wall and the back side and the bottom side. An evaporator 4a (4b), a heating device 5a (5b), and an internal circulation blower 6a (6b) are installed on the lower side of the duct 3, and the air in the product column 2 is indicated by a dashed line arrow. Is blown to the evaporator 4a (4b) and the heating device 5a (5b) through the duct 3, and is further circulated in the product column 2a (2b) through the slit 3a. A compressor 8, a condenser 9, and a condenser blower 10 are installed in the machine room 7 below the vending machine.

As shown in the refrigerant circuit of FIG. 3, the vending machine 1 includes a compressor 8, a condenser 9, a capillary tube 11 as a pressure reducing device, and normally closed first and second solenoid valves 12a, 1.
2b, the first and second evaporators 4a and 4b are sequentially connected in series, and the refrigerant of the compressor 8 circulates in this order. The evaporators 4a and 4b are connected in parallel, and the refrigerant flows through one or both of the evaporators 4a and 4b by opening and closing the solenoid valves 12a and 12b. Further, the evaporators 4a, 4b are paired with the internal circulation fans 6a, 6b.
And the heating devices 5a and 5b are installed. In addition, 13
Reference numerals a and 13b are temperature sensors for detecting the temperature in the product columns 2a and 2b, for example, first and second temperature switches, and the corresponding first and second electromagnetic switches based on the detected temperatures of the temperature switches 13a and 13b. Valves 12a and 12b are on
Is controlled to be off, and the compressor 8 is controlled to be turned on and off,
The cooling operation in the product columns 2a and 2b is performed.

The vending machine 1 configured as described above is shown in FIG.
As shown in the time chart of (1), when one of the evaporators 4a (4b) is in the cooling operation, the compressor 8 is constantly driven to supply the refrigerant to each of the evaporators 4a and 4b.
When the first solenoid valve 12a is in the opening operation, the first evaporator 4
In addition, the cooling operation is performed by the second evaporator 4b when the second solenoid valve 12b is opened.

Here, the first and second internal circulation fans 6
a and 6b are always driven, and when the evaporators 4a and 4b are being cooled, cold air is blown to the product column 2
The insides of a and 2b are cooled.

[0006]

However, during the cooling operation of each evaporator 4a, 4b, the first and second in-compartment circulation blowers 6a, 6b must be driven, but each evaporator 4a, 4b. Since it continues to be driven even after the cooling operation of the product is finished, it causes an action of attracting outside air into the product columns 2a, 2b, and the motor heat generated when the blowers 6a, 6b are driven is the product. There has been a problem that the temperature of the product columns 2a, 2b rises by penetrating into the columns 2a, 2b.

In order to solve this problem, the internal circulation fans 6a and 6b may be operated only during the cooling operation of the evaporators 4a and 4b. When frost adheres to 4b and reaches an overfrosted state, insufficient cooling of the product columns 2a, 2b occurs,
The temperature detected by the temperature switches 13a and 13b does not detect the lower limit set temperature for any time, and the cooling operation of the evaporators 4a and 4b is continued in the overfrosting state.

In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to restrict unnecessary driving of a blower for circulation in the refrigerator, suppress an increase in temperature of the product storage chamber, and cause the evaporator to become overfrosted. At times, it is to provide an automatic vending machine in which the cooling operation of the evaporator is forcibly stopped and the defrosting operation is performed.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention according to claim 1 is provided with a cooling device including a compressor, an evaporator, an internal circulation fan, and the like. In an automatic vending machine that intermittently performs cooling operation based on the temperature detected by a temperature sensor in the interior, drives the internal circulation blower, and circulates the air cooled by the evaporator in a product storage chamber,
The internal circulation blower is set to drive when the temperature sensor reaches the upper limit set temperature and stop when the temperature sensor reaches the lower limit set temperature, and the evaporator detects the temperature detected by the temperature sensor for a predetermined time. When the lower limit set temperature is not reached for a certain period of time, it is set to forcibly stop for a predetermined time.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a cooling device including a compressor, an evaporator, an internal circulation fan, etc. is provided, and the evaporator is intermittently operated based on the temperature detected by a temperature sensor in the internal storage. In an automatic vending machine that drives the circulation fan in the refrigerator and circulates the air cooled by the evaporator in a product storage chamber,
The in-compartment circulation blower is set to start and stop in synchronization with the start and stop of the compressor, and the evaporator does not reach the lower limit set temperature for a predetermined time in the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. In this case, the cooling operation is forcibly stopped for a predetermined time.

[0011]

According to the invention of claim 1, the internal circulation fan is driven when the temperature sensor reaches the upper limit set temperature and stopped when the temperature sensor reaches the lower limit set temperature. The drive of the blower is prevented.

Further, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor does not reach the lower limit set temperature within a predetermined time, that is, when the frost is excessively frosted on the evaporator and the inside of the refrigerator is not sufficiently cooled, evaporation is performed. The cooling operation of the unit is forcibly stopped for a predetermined time. On the other hand, in this overfrosted state, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor has not reached the lower limit set temperature, so the internal circulation blower is operating. In this way, the cooling operation of the evaporator is stopped, and the blower for circulation in the refrigerator is driven,
The blast attached to the evaporator is removed by the air blown by the internal circulation blower.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the drive of the internal circulation fan is controlled based on the drive state of the compressor instead of the detection signal of the temperature sensor of the first aspect. Here, when a large number of evaporators are installed, this compressor is driven whenever any of the evaporators is in a cooling operation,
On the other hand, all evaporators are always stopped when the cooling operation is not performed. Therefore, unnecessary driving of the internal circulation fan is prevented based on the operation control of the compressor.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1, 5 and 6 show a first embodiment of a vending machine according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of this vending machine. The same components as those in FIGS. 2 to 4 showing the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals.

That is, the cooling circuit of the vending machine includes the first and second evaporators 4a and 4b and the first and second heating devices 5a and 5b.
b (for example, electric heat heater), first and second in-compartment circulation blowers 6a and 6b, compressor 8, condenser 9, condenser blower 1
0, capillary tube 11, first and second solenoid valves 12
a and 12b, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 8 is condensed as shown by the one-dot chain line arrow in FIG. 1, condenser 9 → capillary tube 11 → first and second solenoid valves 12a, 12b → third By sequentially circulating the first and second evaporators 4a and 4b to the compressor 8, the cooling operation is performed in each of the evaporators 4a and 4b. Here, the first evaporator 4a and the first heating device 5a
The second evaporator 4b and the second heating device 5b cool or heat different product storage chambers, that is, the product columns 2a and 2b, respectively, and are individually operated and controlled.

In the vending machine having the above-mentioned structure, the CPU 14 having the microcomputer structure is used to compress the compressor 8, the first
And the second internal circulation fans 6a and 6b and the first and second electromagnetic valves 12a and 12b are drive-controlled. Also, this C
The PU 14 has a timer 14a.
The activation of a is controlled by temperature switches 13a and 13b installed in the product columns 2a and 2b for detecting the temperature inside the refrigerator.

FIG. 5 shows the control flow chart of the CPU 14 during the cooling operation of the evaporators 4a and 4b, and FIG. 6 shows the time chart during this cooling operation. here,
The first internal circulation fan 6a, the first electromagnetic valve 12a and the temperature sensor 13a are individually paired with the second internal circulation fan 6b, the second electromagnetic valve 12b and the temperature sensor 13b, respectively. Although they are controlled, since the control methods are the same, they will be described collectively.

It is judged whether or not the temperature switch 13a (13b) is turned on (S1), and here, the product column 2a.
The temperature inside (2b) is still the temperature switch 13a (13b).
When the upper limit set temperature of is not reached, the solenoid valve 12a
(12b) and the internal circulation fan 6a (6b) are stopped (S2, S3). On the other hand, on the contrary, when the upper limit set temperature of the temperature switch 13a (13b) is reached, the electromagnetic valve 12a (12b) and the internal circulation blower 6a (6
drive b) (S4, S5), product column 2a (2b)
Perform cooling operation inside. Due to this intermittent cooling operation, the temperature inside the product column 2a (2b) is maintained at a temperature between the upper limit setting temperature and the lower limit setting temperature of the temperature switch 13a (13b).

During such a cooling operation, the solenoid valve 12
Each time a (12b) and the internal circulation fan 6a (6b) are started to be driven, the timer 14a sets them for 3 hours and counts the timers (S6, S7). Before this time (indicated by T ₁ in FIG. 6) elapses, the temperature switch 13a (1
When 3b) is turned off, that is, when the product column 2a (2b) reaches the lower limit set temperature, the process proceeds to step 2 and the intermittent operation of the cooling operation is continued (S8, S9). On the other hand, when the temperature switch 13a (13b) is not turned off during the three hours and is in the on state for three hours or more, the solenoid valve 12a (12b) is turned off (S1).
0).

Indeed, this temperature sensor 13a (13b)
The ON state of means that the frost adheres to the evaporator 4a (4b) and the frost is excessively frosted to cause insufficient cooling in the product column 2a (2b). When this happens, the timer 14a is set 10 minutes, stops the cooling operation of the evaporator 4a over the 10 minutes (shown by T ₂ of the FIG. 6) (4b) (S11, S12, S13). At this time, since the internal circulation blower 6a (6b) is driven, the frost adhering to the evaporator 4a (4b) is melted by the blown air and defrosting is performed. The defrosting operation is stopped after 10 minutes (S14), and the cooling operation is performed again.

As described above, the first and second internal circulation fans 6a and 6b according to the present embodiment are driven only when the temperature sensors 12a and 12b are turned on, as shown in FIG. Since it is stopped at other times, product column 2
Air does not circulate unnecessarily in the a and 2b, and the invasion of the outside air and the insult of the motor heat of the blowers 6a and 6b are reduced.

Further, the overfrosting state of the evaporators 4a, 4b is judged by the duration of the ON state of the temperature switches 13a, 13b, and when it is judged that the overfrosting state is reached, the solenoid valve 12
Since defrosting operation is performed by turning off a and 12b, the defrosting function is also reliable.

7 and 8 show the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing another example of drive control of the CPU 14, and FIG. 8 is another example. It is a time chart. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the blower 6 for circulation in each compartment
Although the drive control of a and 6b is performed by the temperature sensors 13a and 13b, in the present embodiment, this is also controlled by the blowers 6a and 6b for circulation in the refrigerator based on the drive and stop of the compressor 8.

That is, it is judged whether or not the compressor 8 is turned on (S), and when it is turned on, the blower 6 for circulation in the refrigerator is determined.
a (6b) is driven (S), and when it is off, driving of the internal circulation blower 6a (6b) is stopped (S).

According to this embodiment, the plurality of internal circulation blowers 6a and 6b are simultaneously controlled by one compressor 8, so that the control is simplified. Such control can be said to be suitable for an automatic vending machine that cools one room with a plurality of evaporators.

Although the vending machine for both cooling and heating has been described in the above embodiment, the vending machine dedicated to cooling can be similarly applied.

[0027]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, the internal circulation blower is driven when the temperature sensor reaches the upper limit set temperature and stopped when the temperature sensor reaches the lower limit set temperature. Thus, unnecessary driving of the internal circulation fan is prevented. Also, if the temperature detected by the temperature sensor does not reach the lower limit set temperature within a predetermined time, that is, if the frost is over-frosted on the evaporator and the inside of the refrigerator is not sufficiently cooled, the evaporator is cooled. Forcibly stop the operation for a predetermined time,
Since the defrosting operation is performed, defrosting of the evaporator is surely performed.

The invention of claim 2 not only achieves the effect of the invention of claim 1, but also when a large number of evaporators are installed and any one of the evaporators is in a cooling operation. Always drives the compressor, while the compressor always stops when neither evaporator is cooling. Therefore, the operation control of the internal circulation blower is performed by the operation control of one compressor, and the control becomes simpler.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of a vending machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a vending machine.

[Fig. 3] Refrigerant circuit diagram of a conventional vending machine

[Fig. 4] Time chart of cooling operation in a conventional vending machine

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the cooling operation of the vending machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a time chart of the cooling operation of the vending machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the cooling operation of the vending machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a time chart of the cooling operation of the vending machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Vending machine, 2a, 2b ... Product column, 4a, 4b
... 1st and 2nd evaporators, 6a, 6b ... 1st and 2nd indoor circulation air blowers, 8 ... Compressors, 12a, 12b ... 1st and 2nd solenoid valves, 13a, 13b ... Temperature switch, 14 ... C
PU, 14a ... Timer.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cooling device including a compressor, an evaporator, an internal circulation fan, etc. is provided, and the evaporator is intermittently cooled based on the temperature detected by a temperature sensor in the internal storage, and the internal circulation is performed. In a vending machine that drives an air blower to circulate the air cooled by the evaporator in a product storage chamber, the internal circulation blower is driven when the temperature sensor reaches an upper limit set temperature, and the lower limit setting is performed. The evaporator is set to stop when it reaches a temperature, and the evaporator is forcibly stopped for a predetermined time when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor does not reach the lower limit set temperature for a predetermined time. And vending machines. 2. A cooling device including a compressor, an evaporator, an internal circulation fan, etc. is provided, and the evaporator is intermittently operated based on the temperature detected by a temperature sensor in the internal storage, and the internal circulation is performed. In a vending machine that drives a blower for air and circulates the air cooled by the evaporator in a product storage chamber, the blower for circulation in the refrigerator is set to start and stop in synchronization with start and stop of the compressor. At the same time, the evaporator is set to forcibly stop for a predetermined time when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor does not reach the lower limit set temperature for a predetermined time.