JPH0752057B2 - Container transfer cooling device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a container transfer cooling device for cooling a liquid beverage container while continuously transferring it by a transfer mechanism.

[Conventional technology]

As is well known in the art, liquid beverages, such as beer, have an optimum temperature range for drinking them in the best taste.

For this reason, when beer or the like is placed in a container such as a mug and provided to a large number of customers at a beer hall or a restaurant, not only should the beer and the like be cooled to an appropriate temperature, but the container should also be cooled to an appropriate temperature. Is desirable. For this reason, a container transfer cooling device has been developed that continuously and efficiently cools containers such as mugs.

This type of container transfer cooling device has a structure in which a container transfer mechanism is housed in a freezer, and the container is placed on a transfer mechanism in the freezer through an inlet of the freezer, and after cooling the container while transferring. The container is taken out from the outlet.

By the way, in the conventional container transfer cooling device, for example, as proposed by the applicant of the present application in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-294488, a chain is wound around one driving sprocket and a plurality of driven sprockets. The transfer mechanism has a structure in which a top plate made of an elongated rhombic flat plate is attached, and the transfer mechanism is housed in a freezer.

Then, a container such as a beer mug is placed on the transfer mechanism, and the container is cooled while being transferred in the freezer.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

However, in the container transfer cooling device having the above structure,
Since a chain, a top plate, a sprocket, etc. are required as the transfer mechanism and the structure is complicated and the number of parts is large, the cost is high, and the internal cleaning and maintenance are difficult.

Further, since the transfer mechanism of the conventional container transfer cooling device has a structure in which the chain is wound around the drive sprocket and the top plate is mounted thereon, the transfer path can be long, and therefore the container can be sufficiently Although it can be cooled, there is a problem that a large amount of wasted space in the transfer mechanism increases the size of the apparatus as a whole.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a container transfer cooling device that has a simple structure of a transfer mechanism, can be easily manufactured at low cost, and can be downsized.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention stores a transfer mechanism 2 for transferring a container for liquid beverage (for example, a beer mug J) in a freezer, and a transfer mechanism 2 in the freezer from an inlet 12 of the freezer. In the container transfer cooling device in which the container is placed on the container, the container is cooled while being transferred on the transfer mechanism 2, and the container is taken out from the outlet 13,
Includes a table 3 having a disk shape and on which the container is placed, and a drive device 20 for rotating the table 3, and a circular transfer path for transferring the container on the upper surface of the table 3 is provided. An inner guide member 8 and an outer guide member 9 for guiding the side surface of the container are provided on the outer side and the inner side.

Further, the container transfer cooling device according to the present invention includes a stopper plate 16 having recesses 16a provided at equal intervals on the outer circumference of the disk at a predetermined position on the side of the circumferential transfer path for transferring the container on the table 3. A gate mechanism 14 provided with a geared motor 15 for rotating and stopping the stopper plate 16 by a predetermined angle is provided, and the circumferential transfer is provided at a position facing the gate mechanism 14 on the side of the circumferential transfer path. An adjusting plate 25 protruding in the path is provided.

[Action]

According to the present invention, since the transfer mechanism 2 has a structure in which the disk-shaped table 3 is rotated by the drive device 20, the structure is simpler and the number of parts is smaller than that of the conventional transfer mechanism.
Therefore, not only the cost can be reduced, but also the internal cleaning and maintenance are easy to perform. Further, the weight of the device can be reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, since the transfer path of the container is circumferential,
There is no useless space inside the container transfer cooling device, the number of containers stored in the container transfer cooling device can be relatively large, and the overall size of the device can be reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, since the transfer path of the container is circumferential,
The transfer path is shorter than in the conventional case. Therefore, the transfer cooling time of the container can be shortened.

Further, according to the present invention, since the adjusting plate 25 for projecting in the transfer path of the container and adjusting the width of the transfer path of the container is provided, the size of the container to be transferred is adjusted by adjusting the protruding amount of the adjusting plate 25. Even if this is changed, the container can be stopped by the adjusting plate 25 and the gate mechanism 14.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a transfer mechanism 2 of a container transfer cooling device according to the present invention.
2A is a plan view and FIG. 2B is a sectional side view taken along line AA of FIG. 2A.

As shown in the figure, the transfer mechanism 2 is configured such that a circular table 3 is rotatably mounted on a bottom plate F, and the table 3 is rotated by a drive device 20.

Each component will be described below.

The table 3 is formed in a disc shape, and a circular hole 4 is provided in the center thereof. Further, on the outer peripheral side surface of the table 3, teeth 5 with which a timing belt 22 described below is meshed are provided.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3B, a ring-shaped supporting projection 6 is fixed on the floor plate F, and the upper surface thereof slidably supports the table 3 in a circumferential shape.

Further, three support members 7 are erected on the floor plate F.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the support member 7 is configured by rotatably attaching a cylindrical member 73 having a flange on a cylindrical rod member 71 fixed to the floor plate F. The three support members 7 are in contact with the inner surface of the table 3 on the hole 4 side, and support the table 3 rotatably from the inside.

Next, on the table 3, an inner guide member 8 having a circular shape and standing slightly upward from the upper surface of the table 3.
Is fixed.

Further, an outer guide member 9 formed by winding a pipe in a circular shape is arranged slightly above the upper surface of the table 3 and near the outer periphery thereof. The outer guide member 9 is fixed and supported by a bracket 10 having one end fixed to the floor plate F.

A guard rail 11 formed by winding a flat plate in a circular shape is arranged above the outer guide member 9 and at a height at which the handle of the jug J placed on the table 3 comes into contact. The guard rail 11 is also fixed to the bracket 10.

Further, on the floor plate F, an insertion door 12a and an extraction door 13a are mounted rotatably around rotation shafts 12b and 13b, respectively.
Here, the portion of the insertion door 12a serves as the inlet 12 of the jug J, and the portion of the outlet door 13a serves as the outlet 13 of the jug J.

Further, on the outer peripheral side of the table 3 near the take-out door 13a, there is provided a gate mechanism 4 for temporarily stopping the transferred jug J at this position.

The gate mechanism 14 is configured by attaching a flat stopper plate 16 to the rotation shaft of a geared motor 15. As shown in FIG. 2, the stopper plate 16 is composed of six circular arc-shaped recesses 16a provided on the outer circumference of the disk.

Next, the drive device 20 includes a drive motor 21 and a timing belt 22 that engages with a gear attached to the rotation shaft of the drive motor 21.
It is composed by. The timing belt 22 is wound around the outer peripheral side surface of the table 3 and engaged with the teeth 5 thereof.

Reference numeral 17, 17 shown in FIG. 7A is a fan for blowing the ambient cool air directly onto the jug J.

Also, on the side of the insertion door 12a and the extraction door 13a of the transfer mechanism 2,
A heat insulating partition 18 (shown by a chain double-dashed line in FIG. 1A) is provided. This heat insulating partition 18 exposes a part of the transfer mechanism 2 to the outside when the whole of the transfer mechanism 2 is covered with a heat insulating wall and the inside thereof is used as a freezer.
This is for inserting and removing.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an essential part of the heat insulating partition 18 as seen from the drive motor 21 side in FIG.

As shown in the figure, the heat insulating partition 18 is a flat upper plate 18a.
And an L-shaped side plate 18b. The side plate 18b is provided with an L-shaped mounting plate 19 for adjusting plate 2
5 is installed.

The adjusting plate 25 is located on the upper surface side of the table 3 and is fixed to the transfer path of the jug J on the table 3 so as to project from the inner peripheral side. The amount of protrusion can be adjusted.

Then, by covering the entire transfer mechanism 2 shown in FIG. 1 (a) with a heat insulating wall and cooling the inside with a cooler, a container transfer cooling device is completed.

Next, the operation of this container transfer cooling device will be described.

First, the jug J is placed on the table 3 while pushing and opening the insertion door 12a of the insertion port 12 shown in FIG.

At this time, since the table 3 is rotated clockwise by the drive motor 21, the jug J is transferred onto the table 3. At this time, the jug J is transported while being guided by the inner guide member 8 and the outer guide member 9 on its side surface.

Then, during this transfer, the jug J is naturally cooled by the surrounding cool air, and the cool air is forcibly blown by the fans 17, 17 for rapid cooling.

The mug J cooled as described above abuts on the stopper plate 16 of the gate mechanism 14 in the vicinity of the end of the recess 16a and stops its movement.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which the mug J is stopped by the gate mechanism 14 and the adjusting plate 25.

As shown in the figure, the jug J has stopper plates on both sides.
It is stopped by contacting 16 and the adjusting plate 25.
At this time, the bottom surface of the jug J is sliding on the top surface of the table 3.

There are various types of the jug J, such as a large jug and a medium jug. Therefore, in the present invention, the amount of protrusion of the adjusting plate 25 is adjusted. That is, when transferring and cooling a large jug, the amount of protrusion of the adjusting plate 25 is reduced or the adjusting plate 25 is removed, while when transferring and cooling a medium jug or a small jug, the amount of protrusion of the adjusting plate 25 is increased. You can do this. The amount of protrusion may be adjusted by changing the mounting position of the adjusting plate 25 on the mounting plate 19 shown in FIG. By providing the adjusting plate 25 in this way,
It became possible to transfer and cool many types of containers with one type of container transfer cooling device.

When several jugs J are put in the container transfer cooling device, the jug J on the rear side is provided with the stopper plate 16
It comes into contact with the first jug J stopped at the end and stops behind it.

Next, when an operation panel provided outside the container transfer cooling device is operated to indicate the number of the jugs J to be taken out, the signal is sent to the geared motor 15 and the geared motor 15 rotates by a required amount.

As a result, the stopper plate 16 rotates by the required amount, and the required number of jugs J pass through the stopper plate 16 along the recess 16a of the stopper plate 16.

Then, these mugs J are transferred to the front side of the heat insulating partition 18, that is, the outside of the container transfer cooling device by pushing open the take-out door 13a by its own weight. The jug J is a heat insulating partition.
It comes into contact with the side plate 18b of 18 (the portion located on the upper surface of the table 3) and stops.

In the above embodiment, the timing belt system is used as the means for rotating the disk-shaped table 3;
The present invention is not limited to this method, and any driving device may be used as long as it rotates the table 3.

Here, FIG. 5 to FIG. 7 are schematic plan views showing other driving devices for rotating the table 3, respectively.

As a drive device for rotating the table 3, there is a system as shown in FIG.

That is, an internal gear 26 is provided on the circumferential side surface of the table 3, a gear 27 is meshed with the internal gear 26, and a drive motor (not shown) attached to the gear 27 is driven to rotate the table 3. is there.

The driving method shown in FIG. 6 is different from the embodiment shown in FIG. This is a method of rotating the table 3 by engaging 29.

Further, the drive system shown in FIG. 7 is a system in which a drive motor 30 is arranged at the center of the table 3, the table 3 is directly fixed to the rotary shaft of the drive motor 30, and the table 3 is rotated.

Although the beer mug J is used as the container to be cooled by the container transfer cooling device in the above embodiment,
The present invention is not limited to this, and can be used for cooling various other types of containers.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described in detail above, the container transfer cooling device according to the present invention produces the following excellent effects.

Since the transfer mechanism used in the present invention has a structure in which a circular table is rotated by a drive device, the structure is simpler than the conventional transfer mechanism, the number of parts is small, the cost is reduced, and the internal cleaning is performed. And easy to maintain. Further, the weight of the device can be reduced.

Since the container transfer path is a circular path, there is no wasted space inside the container transfer cooling device, the number of containers stored in the container transfer cooling device can be relatively large, and the overall size of the device can be reduced.

Further, since the container transfer path is circumferential, the transfer path is shorter than in the conventional case, and thus the transfer cooling time of the container can be shortened.

Further, according to the present invention, since the adjusting plate for adjusting the width of the transfer path of the container is arranged so as to protrude into the circumferential transfer path for transferring the container on the table, it is only necessary to adjust the protruding amount of the adjusting plate. Even if the size of the container to be transferred is different, it can be easily transported and cooled.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a transfer mechanism 2 of a container transfer cooling device according to the present invention.
2 is a plan view of the stopper plate 16, and FIG.
1 is a perspective view of the heat insulating partition 18 as seen from the drive motor 21 side in FIG. 1 (a), and FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which the mug J is stopped by the gate mechanism 14 and the adjusting plate 25, Fifth
FIGS. 6, 6 and 7 are schematic plan views showing other driving devices for rotating the table 3, respectively. In the figure, J ... mug, 2 ... transfer mechanism, 12 ... inlet, 13 ... outlet, 14 ... gate mechanism, 15 ... geared motor, 16 ... stopper plate, 20 ... drive unit, 25 ... adjustment plate, 3 ... table, 8 ... inner guide, 9 ... outer guide.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A transfer mechanism for transferring a container for liquid beverage is housed in a freezer, the container is placed on the transfer mechanism in the freezer through an inlet of the freezer, and transferred on the transfer mechanism. While the container is cooled, in the container transfer cooling device for taking out the container from the outlet, the transfer mechanism is a disk-shaped table on which the container is placed, and a drive for rotating the table. And a guide member that guides a side surface of the container on the outside and inside of the circumferential transfer path that transfers the container on the table upper surface. 2. A stopper plate having concave portions at equal intervals on the outer periphery of the disc at a predetermined position on the side of a circumferential transfer path for transporting the container on the table, and the stopper plate is rotated by a predetermined angle. A gate mechanism having a geared motor for stopping is provided, and an adjusting plate protruding into the circumferential transfer path is attached to the side of the circumferential transfer path facing the gate mechanism. The container transfer cooling device according to claim 1, wherein: