MXPA06008517A - A hot and cold vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A hot and cold vending machine. The vending machine may include a product compartment (141), a refrigeration system (305), and a ventilation system (180) in communication with the refrigeration system and the product compartment. The ventilation system may include a valve (240) positioned in communication with the product compartment. A heater (270) may be positioned about the product compartment. The valve and the heater may be selectively activated such that product compartment may be hot or cold.

Description

SELLING MACHINE IN HOT AND IN FRIÓ TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates generally to cooling and heating systems and more specifically relates to a removable cooling cassette for use with a vending machine with hot and cold selling compartments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Hot and / or cold vending machines are common in certain countries. For example, such vending machines are particularly popular in Japan. These vending machines typically have several compartments that can run hot or cold. Vending machines generally use a standard Ran ine cycle cooling device. The general refrigeration system can include evaporators in each compartment connected to the Rankine cycle device through valves and refrigeration lines. These valves can control which evaporators are "on", thus controlling which compartments are cold. Each of the compartments can also have a heater. The heater can be lit in any compartment with products that are going to be sold hot.

One of the disadvantages with these vending machines is that the evaporators are usually fixed within their respective compartments. Similarly, the Rankine cycle device can be fixed within the general enclosure. The removal or restitution of the cooling system or the individual components in it can therefore be difficult and time-consuming. Other disadvantages with the known hot and cold vending machines is the use of the Rankine cycle device itself. For example, a Stirling cycle cooler may be desirable when compared to a Rankine cycle device because the Stirling cycle cooler is non-polluting, efficient, and has very few moving parts. The integration of Stirling cycle chillers in conventional refrigeration cabinets, however, requires different manufacturing, installation and operational techniques when compared to those used for conventional refrigeration systems. An example the use of a Stirling cycle cooler is shown in the commonly owned US Patent No. 6,581,389 B2, entitled "Marketer using Stirling Expandable Refrigeration Cabinet". What is desired, therefore, is a hot and cold vending machine with an easily removable cooling system. In addition, such a cooling system can be driven by a Stirling cycle cooling system, although a conventional Rankine cycle system or any type of known cooling system can be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention thus provides a hot and cold vending machine. The selling machine can include a product compartment, a cooling system, and a ventilation and communication system with the cooling system and the product compartment. The ventilation system may include a valve placed in communication with the product compartment. A heater can be placed over the product compartment. The valve and heater can be activated selectively so that the product compartment can be hot or cold. The hot and cold vending machine can also include a number of product compartments and the ventilation system can include a number of valves. The selling machine can have a number of hot compartments and a number of cold compartments. The product compartment can include a number of product depots. Product deposits may include vents placed on them.

The ventilation system may include a supply air duct on a first side of the product compartment and a return air duct on a second side of the product compartment. A first valve can be placed on the supply air duct and a second valve can be placed on the return air duct. The valve may include a butterfly valve. The cooling system may include a removable cooling cassette. The cooling system may include a cooling device. The cooling device can include a Stirling cycle cooler, a Rankine cycle device, or any similar type of device. The cooling system may include a heat exchanger in communication with the cooling device. The cooling system may include a fan placed adjacent to the heat exchanger. The cooling system may include a ventilation path in communication with the ventilation system. A method of the present invention can make it possible to operate a vending machine with a number of product compartments. Each of the product compartments may include a heater therein. The vending machine can have a cooling system in communication with each of the product compartments through a ventilation system. The method may include the steps of determining which of product compartments will be heated and which of the product compartments will be cooled, open or confirm that the ventilation system in communication with those compartments of products to be cooled is opened, and Close or confirm that the ventilation system in communication with those product compartments that are going to be heated closes. The method may also include the steps of turning on the heater in those product compartments to be heated and circulating cool air from the refrigeration system through those product compartments to be cooled by the ventilation system. The method can also include the steps of determining which of the product compartments will be at room temperature and closing or confirming that the ventilation system in communication with those product compartments that are going to be at room temperature is closed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a front plan view of a hot and cold vending machine of the present invention. Figure 2 is a front cross-sectional view of the hot and cold vending machine of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top cross-sectional view of the hot and cold vending machine of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view of one of the hot and cold vending machine compartments of Figure 1 Figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a hot and cold vending machine. Figure 6 is a perspective view of a product area of the hot and cold vending machine of Figure 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings, in which like numbers indicate elements through the various views, Figures 1-4 show an example of a hot and cold vending machine 100 of the present invention. The hot and cold selling machine 100 may include an insulated shield 110. The insulated shield 110 may be formed of expanded polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, or similar types of insulating materials. The insulated shield 110 can take any desired shape or size. The insulated shield 110 may include a cooling cassette area 120 and a product area 130. The cooling components, as described in greater detail in the following, may be placed within the cooling case area 120. The cooling cassette area 120 and the product area 130 are generally in communication with each other to circulate the cold air from the cooling cassette area 120 through the product compartment 130 and back again. The product area 130 can have a number of hot and cold selling compartments 140. By compartments 140"hot and cold" vendors are referred to as "hot and / or cold". In this example, the hot and cold compartments 140, three (3) are shown, a first compartment 141, a second compartment 142, and a third compartment 143. Any number of compartments 140 in hot and cold can be used. Each compartment 140 in hot and cold can in turn be subdivided into any number of individual product deposits 150. Each of the product containers 150 can have a door 160. The operation of the doors 160 can be controlled in a conventional manner with the payment of the appropriate amount of money or with any other type of conventional activation event. A product or products 170 may be placed within each product reservoir 150. The product 170 may be any type of dispensable article that is intended to be served hot, cold or at room temperature. For example, a soft drink or an ice cream product may be offered cold; and a coffee or soup can be offered hot; and chips, candy or any other type of items can be offered at room temperature. The product area 130 may include ventilation system 180 to circulate cool air therethrough. The ventilation system 130 may include a number of insulated air conduits 185. The conduits 185 can be formed of plastic, metal or similar types of materials. The air ducts 185 may include a supply air duct 190. The supply air conduit 190 may be in communication with the cooling cassette area 120. In turn, each hot and cold compartment 140 can have a supply compartment duct 200 in communication with the supply air duct 190. Any number of supply compartment ducts 200 can be used. Each compartment 140 in hot and cold can also have a number of internal vents 210 placed between each of the product reservoirs 150. The system 180 of ventilation may also include a number of return compartment ducts 230 in communication with each compartment 140 in hot and cold. Any number of return compartment ducts 200 can be used. Ventilation system 180 may also have a return air duct 220. The return air duct 220 may be in communication with each of the return compartment ducts 200 and the cooling cassette area 120. The venting system 180 in this manner includes a path from the cooling cassette area 120 through the supply air conduit 190, in each of the supply compartment ducts 200, through each hot and cold compartment 140, out of each return compartment duct 230, through the return air duct 220, and again the dome area 120 cooling cassette. Any similar type of ventilation trajectory or circulation scheme also be used in the present. Ventilation system 180 may also include a supply air valve 240 positioned within each supply compartment duct 200 and a return air valve 250 positioned within each return compartment duct 230. The valves 240, 250 can be a conventional butterfly valve 260. Specifically by the use of the term "valve" is meant any regulating type of on or off, or opening or closing or a similar type of device. Alternatively, each product reservoir 150 may have its own valve assembly 240, 250. Each hot and cold compartment 140 may also include a heater 270. The heater 270 may be any type of resistance heater or similar type of device. The heater 270 can be activated selectively. In addition, the heater 270 can only be turned on when a hot product 170 is selected. Alternatively, each product reservoir 150 may have its own heater 270. Placed within the cooling cassette area 120 may be a cooling cassette 300. The cooling cassette 300 may include one or more cooling devices 305 placed therein. The cooling device 305 can be a Stirling cycle cooler, a Rankine cycle device, a critical transition carbon dioxide cycle system, or any other type of cooling system. For example, the cooling device 305 may be a Stirling cycle cooler 310. One type of Stirling cycle cooler 310 that may be used herein is a free piston Stirling cooler. Such a Stirling cycle cooler 310 may be commercially available from Global Cooling, Inc. of Athens, Ohio under the designation "M100B". Similar types of devices can also be used in the present.

The Stirling cycle cooler 310 may include an acceptor or a ground end 320 and a rejector or a current end 330. A regenerator 340 can separate the ground end 320 from the current end 330. As is known, the Stirling cycle cooler 310 may include a piston driven by a linear motor. The piston and the linear motor may be placed within a shield 350 and a heat removal armor 360 may surround the shield 350. A fan 370 or other type of air movement device may be placed around the armor 360. The fan 370 it can direct an ambient air flow through the end 330 with stream of the Stirling cycle cooler 310. The functions of the Stirling cycle cooler 310 and its internal components are well known to those skilled in the art. The respective sizes and numbers of the Stirling cycle coolers 310 and the components therein may vary within the specific application and operating environment of the hot and cold vending machine 100 as a whole. The cooling cassette 300 itself may include a cooling device area 380. The cooling device 305 can be placed within the area 380 of the cooling device. The cooling device area 380 may include vents 390 or other types of inlets and outlets as appropriate to communicate with the insulated shield 110 and the exterior thereof. The cooling cassette 300 may also include an isolated area 400. The isolated area 400 may be formed of polyurethane foam, expanded polystyrene foam or similar types of insulating materials. The isolated area 400 may include a ventilation path 410. The ventilation path 410 may have a cold air conduit 440 in communication with the supply air conduit 190 of the ventilation system 180 of the product area 130. The isolated area 400 may also have an exhaust air duct 430. The exhaust air duct 430 may be in communication with the return air duct 220 of the ventilation system 180 of the product area 130. Also placed within the ventilation path 410 of the insulated area 400 may be a heat exchanger 440. The heat exchanger 440 may be a conventional tube and fin type heat exchanger, a microchannel heat exchanger or any similar type of heat exchanger device. A similar type 445 fan of air movement device may be placed within the ventilation path 410 to circulate air therethrough. The ground end 320 of the Stirling cycle cooler 310, or any cooling device 305 that may be used, may be placed within a heat transfer loop 450 with the heat exchanger 440. Any type of conventional heat transfer loop 450 may be used. A conventional heat transfer fluid can be used herein. A heat exchanger 460 of cooling device can be placed on the cooling device 305. The heat exchanger 440 within the ventilation path 410 can be connected by the heat transfer loop 450 with the heat exchanger 460 of the cooling device. The heat transfer loop 450 can circulate the heat transfer fluid therein via a pump 470 or other type of transfer device. In the case of the Stirling cycle cooler 310, the heat transfer loop 450 may be in the form of a thermosiphon as described in detail in commonly owned US Patent No. 6,550,255. Any similar type of heat transfer loop 450 can be used in the present. As described in the above, the cooling cassette 300 may be similar to that described in the commonly owned US Patent No. 6., 581,389. The cooling cassette 300 may be removable from the insulated shield 110 and the ventilation system 180. One or more seals 480 may be placed over conduits 420 or 430 to provide efficient air flow between the cooling cassette area 120 and the product area 130. Seals 480 can be formed from vinyl extrusion, elastomeric foam, or similar types of materials. In use, a determination is made of which of the hot and cold compartments 140 may be hot, which may be cold and which may be at room temperature. For example, it can be determined that the first compartment 141 and second compartment 142 will be cold and that the third compartment 143 will be hot. If so, then the valves 240, 250 within the compartment ducts 200, 230 open in the first and second compartments 141, 142. Similarly, the valves 240, 250 in the third compartment ducts 200, 230. compartment 143 are closed. The heater 270 within the third compartment 143 or within a single product reservoir 150 can then be activated. Alternatively, the heater 270 may remain off until a particular product 170 is selected. The cooling device 305 may also be activated so that the cooling device 305 cooperates with the exchanger 440 via the heat transfer loop 450 to remove the heat within the air passing through the ventilation path 410. The fan 445 then circulates the cold air through the cold air duct 420, into the supply air duct 190, and into the supply compartment ducts 200 of the first and second compartments 141, 142. The cold air then cools the products 170 within compartments 141, 142 and within each 150 product deposit. The exhaust air then leaves the compartments 141, 142 via the return compartment air ducts 230, the return air duct 220, and again in the ventilation path 410 via the exhaust air duct 430. Meanwhile, the valves 240, 250 closed within the compartment conduits 200, 230 of the third compartment 143 insulate the third compartment 143 of the cold air flow. At least valve 240 must be closed. The heater 270 can heat the products 170 within the product tanks 150. Each of the compartments 140 can be heated or cooled depending on the desired inventory of product 170 within the hot and cold selling machine 100. Similarly, one of the compartments 140 can also be maintained at room temperature by closing the valves 240, 250 but not by turning off the heater 270. The number of hot and cold compartments 270 can be altered between hot, cold or room temperature in any moment. The cooling cassette 300 can be removed to make the cooling unit 305 easily accessible for restitution, repair or maintenance. The ventilation system 180 and the product area 130 do not need to be altered. Figures 5 and 6 show an alternative embodiment, with the hot and cold selling machine 500. The selling machine 500 is similar to the hot and cold selling machine 100 described above, but in this case the selling machine 500 has 510, 520, 530 selling areas. Hot or cold products 170 may fall into one of the 510, 520, 530 selling areas. Any number of 510, 520, 530 selling areas can be used. In Figure 6 an area 540 of product of the selling machine 500 is shown. The product area 540 of the selling machine 500 may also have a number of hot or cold compartments 550. In this case, a first compartment 551 hot and cold, a second compartment 552 hot, and cold and a third compartment 553 hot and cold. The hot and cold 170 products can be stacked vertically inside each 550 hot and cold compartment. Each compartment 550 of hot and cold product may include a conventional release mechanism for dropping hot or cold products 170 in areas 510, 520, 530 vendors. As described above, each hot and cold compartment 550 can be connected to the ventilation system 180. Specifically, the ventilation system 180 includes the circuit of the cooling cassette area 120 through the supply area conduit 190, in each of the supply compartment conduits 200, through the hot and cold compartment 550 selected, out of each return compartment duct 230, through the return air duct 220, and again the cooling cassette area 120. A supply air valve 240 can be positioned within each supply compartment duct 200 and a return air valve 250 can be placed within each return compartment duct 230. Valves 240, 250 may be open or closed to heat or cool each hot or cold compartment 550 as described above.

Claims (18)

1. CLAIMS 1. A hot and cold selling machine, comprising: a product compartment; a cooling system; wherein the refrigeration system comprises a removable cooling cassette ventilation system in communication with the refrigeration system and the product compartment; the ventilation system comprises a valve placed in communication with the product compartment; and a heater placed on the product compartment; the valve and heater are activated selectively so that the product compartment can be hot or cold.
2. 2. The hot and cold vending machine of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of product compartments and wherein the ventilation system comprises a plurality of valves.
3. 3. The hot and cold vending machine of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of hot compartments and a plurality of cold compartments.
4. 4. The hot and cold vending machine of claim 1, wherein the product compartment comprises a plurality of product reservoirs.
5. The hot and cold vending machine of claim 4, wherein the plurality of product reservoirs comprises a plurality of vents placed therein.
6. The hot and cold vending machine of claim 1, wherein the ventilation system comprises a supply air duct on a first side of the product compartment and a return air duct on a second side of the product compartment.
7. The hot and cold vending machine of claim 6, wherein the ventilation system comprises a first valve positioned on the supply air duct and a second valve positioned on the return air duct.
8. 8. The hot and cold vending machine of claim 1, wherein the valve comprises a throttle valve.
9. 9. The hot and cold vending machine of claim 1, wherein the cooling system comprises a cooling device.
10. The hot and cold vending machine of claim 9, wherein the cooling device comprises a Stirling cycle cooler.
11. 11. The hot and cold vending machine of claim 9, wherein the cooling device comprises a Rankine cycle device.
12. The hot and cold vending machine of claim 9, wherein the cooling system comprises a heat exchanger in communication with the cooling device.
13. The hot and cold vending machine of claim 9, wherein the cooling system comprises a fan positioned adjacent to the heat exchanger.
14. 14. The hot and cold vending machine of claim 1, wherein the cooling system comprises a ventilation path in communication with the ventilation system.
15. 15. A method for operating a vending machine with a number of compartments of individual products, with each of the number of individual product compartments comprising a heater therein, and with the vending machine having a cooling system in communication with each of the individual product compartments by means of a ventilation system, the method comprises: determining which of the product compartments will be heated and which of the product compartments will be cooled; open or confirm that the ventilation and communication system with those compartments of products that are going to cool opens; and close or confirm that the ventilation and communication system with those product compartments that are to be heated is closed.
16. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of turning on the heater in those product compartments to be heated.
17. 17. The method of claim 15, which also includes the stage of circulating cold air from the cooling system through those compartments of products that are to be cooled by the ventilation system.
18. 18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of determining which of the product compartments will be at room temperature and closing or confirming that the ventilation system and communication with the product compartments will be at room temperature. environment closes.