WO2004015641A1 - Appareil de distribution de produits alimentaires, notamment de produits congeles ou surgeles - Google Patents

Appareil de distribution de produits alimentaires, notamment de produits congeles ou surgeles Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2004015641A1
WO2004015641A1 PCT/IB2002/004665 IB0204665W WO2004015641A1 WO 2004015641 A1 WO2004015641 A1 WO 2004015641A1 IB 0204665 W IB0204665 W IB 0204665W WO 2004015641 A1 WO2004015641 A1 WO 2004015641A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
products
foregoing
food products
product
compartment
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2002/004665
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Sergio Carbone
Original Assignee
Sergio Carbone
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sergio Carbone filed Critical Sergio Carbone
Priority to AU2002344393A priority Critical patent/AU2002344393A1/en
Publication of WO2004015641A1 publication Critical patent/WO2004015641A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B6/00—Heating by electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields
    • H05B6/64—Heating using microwaves
    • H05B6/80—Apparatus for specific applications
    • H05B6/808—Microwave heating adapted for vending machines
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F11/00—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles
    • G07F11/02—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines
    • G07F11/38—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines in which the magazines are horizontal
    • G07F11/42—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines in which the magazines are horizontal the articles being delivered by motor-driven means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F11/00—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles
    • G07F11/62—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/0064—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for processing of food articles
    • G07F17/0078—Food articles which need to be processed for dispensing in a hot or cooked condition, e.g. popcorn, nuts
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F9/00—Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus
    • G07F9/10—Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling
    • G07F9/105—Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage

Definitions

  • Ready-made meals consisting, for example, of pasta preparations which are refrigerated or deep-frozen are also known. These are packaged and sold in the dishes out of which they can be eaten.
  • food products of this kind have the disadvantage of being large and bulky: much larger, in fact, than the ice creams mentioned above.
  • ice cream dispensing machines are designed to provide products that must be eaten cold and cannot, under any circumstances, be used for foods which must be eaten hot. Summary of the invention
  • the aim of the present invention is, therefore, to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages.
  • the invention provides an apparatus for dispensing food products, particularly refrigerated food products and preferably frozen and/or deep-frozen products .
  • the apparatus is characterised in that it comprises a frame that mounts means for storing and dispensing the food products and means for heating the food products, the means for storing and dispensing the food products comprising a cell for the storage of the food products and refrigerating means housed inside the storage cell.
  • the mounting frame of the apparatus forms a compartment for housing the heating means, the refrigerating means being located behind the heating means .
  • the apparatus can contain a large number of products but occupies very little floor space. Therefore, a considerable amount of space is available inside the apparatus not only for the active compartments, from which the product is dispensed, but also for an additional storage compartment. This means that the storage space provided by the apparatus is optimised in relation to its footprint.
  • the product storing and dispensing means of the apparatus comprise a plurality of compartments each accommodating a row of food products and means for feeding the products towards the end where the products are transferred from or allowed to drop out of the respective compartment.
  • the means for supporting the products within the compartments are constituted by the feed means themselves, which consist of a vertical, rotating spiral element where, between one coil and another, there is a space or gap designed to accommodate a food product. Thanks to the vertical configuration of the product support and feed means, it is possible to keep a large number of products while occupying very little floor space and maintaining a relatively simple structure.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic front view, with the front door open, showing the lower inside section of the first preferred embodiment
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic side view, with a cutaway to illustrate the lower inside section of the first preferred embodiment, with the front door open;
  • FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross section, schematically illustrating, in the first preferred embodiment of the apparatus, a top view of a row of compartments supported on a respective shelf;
  • - Figure 5 is schematic front view of the row of compartments shown in Figure 4;
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of a compartment of the first preferred embodiment
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic front view, with the front door open, showing the lower inside section of a second preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.
  • Figure 8 is a schematic side view, with a cutaway of the lower portion to illustrate the lower inside section and the front product compartments in the second preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention
  • FIG. 9 is a schematic top view of the surface on which the products are fed towards the dispensing area in the second preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.
  • FIG. 10 is a schematic front view of a third preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 11 is a schematic front view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention.
  • Figures 1 to 6 illustrate a first preferred embodiment 10 of the apparatus for dispensing food products 15, especially refrigerated, frozen and/or deep-frozen food products 15.
  • the apparatus advantageously comprises a frame 12 that mounts means 14 for storing and dispensing the food products 15 and means 16 for heating the food products.
  • the means 14 for storing and dispensing the food products 15 in turn comprise a storage cell 18, which contains the food products, and means 20 for cooling the storage cell 18.
  • the storage cell 18 comprises an outer casing 22 and an inner casing 23, insulated by interposed insulating material 24 of suitable thickness.
  • cooling surfaces which are not illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whose cooling effect is accomplished by a refrigerant fluid (for example, the fluid known as "R507" in the field, or traditional Freon) , which contacts the surfaces through a circuit that also extends outside the cell (even the refrigerant circuit is not shown in the accompanying drawings) .
  • the refrigerant circuit leads out of customary cooling means comprising a power-driven compressor, a tank for the refrigerant fluid, a condenser and an evaporator.
  • the cooling means in the cell are generically indicated in their entirety by the numeral 20.
  • the heating means preferably consist of one or more microwave ovens 16. However, other food heating means might also be used.
  • the dispensing apparatus comprises appropriate food product payment and selection means. As shown in the drawings, the payment means may comprise a slot 26 into which a coin, banknote, card or other token may be inserted.
  • the payment and selection means may be of well known type and are not therefore described in detail so as not to unduly complicate the present description.
  • the payment means are positioned on the front 11a of the apparatus, at a large selection area 11 'b where the available food products are named or illustrated and where there is a button 30 or similar means for selecting the desired food product.
  • the apparatus may also include means for indicating whether a particular product is available or has run out. These may consist of a LED which is green when the related product is available or red when the product is finished.
  • the products once selected, are fed towards the dispensing area, as described in more detail below, and can be collected from a dispensing door 32 forming part of an opening giving access to the interior of the apparatus .
  • the numeral 27 in Figure 1 denotes the exterior of a coin box or a token box that can be used in the dispensing apparatus according to the invention.
  • the frame 12 presents an outer covering, that is essentially prismatic in shape, and defines on the inside of it a compartment 12a for housing the heating means 16, which can be accessed from the outside through corresponding openings 16' made at the top lie of the front face of the outer covering.
  • the means 20 for cooling the product storage cell 18 are located above the storage cell and behind the heating means 16.
  • the apparatus can contain a large number of products in the storage cell 18 but occupies a minimum of floor space .
  • the heating means 16 are mounted above the food product dispensing area 24, the food product may be safely taken out of the respective oven without the risk of its being contaminated by other users who are, at that moment, selecting other products .
  • This arrangement is especially preferred.
  • the advantage of the arrangement is that the apparatus extends upwards, providing more storage space for the food products while at the same time limiting the footprint of the apparatus.
  • Other arrangements, for example, with the heating means positioned laterally with respect to the product dispensing area, should be considered possible without departing from the scope of the invention.
  • the openings giving access to the heating means once the product has been heated to be positioned well clear of the floor on which the apparatus rests and on which other users tread.
  • the means for heating the food products are accessible from the front 11a of the apparatus, that is to say, the same side as that from which the food products are taken out of the dispensing apparatus through the door 32 for dispensing the deep-frozen products or the like.
  • the frame 12 further comprises a large front door 12s giving access to the product storage cell 18 for the purposes of replenishing the apparatus with products .
  • the upper compartment 12a that houses the heating means 16 presents, behind the heating means 16 themselves, a large area 12' for the passage of cooling air which may be used both by the ovens 16 and by the cooling means 20.
  • the apparatus comprises a plurality of ovens 16 for heating the food products. More specifically, the first preferred embodiment comprises microwave ovens whose doors open from the front and which can therefore be easily accessed by users.
  • the ovens are arranged in horizontal rows, each consisting of a pair of ovens on two or more levels. More specifically, in the first preferred embodiment, the ovens 16 are mounted on three levels, at different heights, one above the other.
  • the cold storage cell 18 comprises a plurality of compartments 36, each accommodating a row 38 of food products 15 and means 40 for feeding the products towards the end 42 where the products are transferred from or allowed to drop out of the respective compartment 36.
  • the feed means 40 consist of a rotating spiral element where, between one coil 40' and another, there is a space or longitudinal gap designed to accommodate a respective food product 15.
  • the feed spiral By rotating the feed spiral by a predetermined amount, corresponding to a full rotation of the spiral mounting shaft 40a, the products 15 are fed forward and the one at the front is allowed to drop off the shelf 44 that supports the products.
  • each spiral has at the back of it a microswitch actuated by a cam attached to the rotating means and whose profile is designed to actuate the microswitch in order to stop the feed means after the spiral has performed one full turn to release a corresponding food product.
  • the product is guided by suitable surfaces into an appropriate compartment at the dispensing door.
  • the surfaces that guide the product as it drops are not illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings, whilst the receiving compartment might consist, for example, of a cavity made in a dispensing door 32 shaped substantially like a wedge with an open top, as can be inferred from Figure 3, which is of well known type and therefore not described in further detail.
  • each longitudinal row 38 on the respective pull-out shelf 44 there is a thin spring plate which tends to be pushed upwards by its own elastic action and which, under the weight of a product, trips a switch S2.
  • the elements SI and S2 constitute sensor means which, when the respective compartment is empty, issue a signal that indicates this condition. This is because, when the products in a row run out, the switch S2 is not tripped.
  • the apparatus further comprises a plurality of shelves 44 mounted at different heights and each designed to support a plurality of compartments 36 for the products. More specifically, there are three shelves 44, each supporting four compartments or rows of products .
  • the aforementioned guide means consist of first and second vertical side walls 46, 46 supported by the shelves 44.
  • the intermediate side walls 46 separate adjacent compartments 36 from each other.
  • the shelf 44 can be pulled out of the cell 18, since it is slidably supported on runners 49 and wheels 48, the latter being mounted on the sides of the cell 18. In this way, the compartments can be easily filled with products from above.
  • the spiral feed means 40 extend along a longitudinal axis L40 and have coils 40' each of which, as it turns, engages a corner portion of a product in such a way as to feed it forward longitudinally.
  • the cold storage cell 18 also includes a spare storage compartment R.
  • the spare product storage compartment R is situated under the lowermost shelf 44.
  • the product storage cell 18 is essentially in the shape of a prism with a quadrangular base. While the above is an especially preferred shape, it will be understood that the frame of the apparatus may have other shapes without departing from the scope of the invention.
  • the apparatus according to the invention provides a considerable amount of space inside it not only for the active compartments 36, from which the product is dispensed, but also for the spare storage compartment.
  • the storage space provided by the apparatus is optimised in relation to its footprint.
  • the means for cooling the cold storage cell 18 for the products can lower the temperature in the cell to -18°C, suitable for the storage of deep-frozen products or the like.
  • the cell might also be kept at a temperature 0 to -4°C suitable for the storage of frozen foods.
  • Figures 7 to 9 illustrate a second preferred embodiment 100 of the apparatus according to the invention.
  • the second preferred embodiment has several features in 10
  • the products are contained in compartments 136 which extend vertically.
  • first and second side walls 146, 146 for containing and guiding the products. None of the side guide walls are shared with other compartments 136. Further, for each compartment 136, the first and second side walls 146, 146 for containing and guiding the products extend vertically and parallel with the direction in which the compartment extends .
  • the vertical compartments 136 are arranged in longitudinal rows consisting, in this case, of three vertical compartments supported by shared pull-out means comprising an upper bracket 144, which bears the longitudinally aligned compartments 136 and which runs in longitudinal guide means 148 attached to the inside of the storage cell 18.
  • the vertical compartments 136 are open on both longitudinal sides so that, once the row of compartments has been pulled out of the storage cell 18 in a longitudinal direction, the products 15 can be easily loaded from both sides of the row of compartments.
  • the product support means are constituted by the coils of the feed spiral 140, whose longitudinal axis extends in a vertical direction.
  • the products 15 weigh down on the lower section of the coils 140' of the feed spiral 140.
  • the spiral is turned by a predetermined amount, the products held within the spiral coils are fed downwards, guided by the side walls 146 and the product at the bottom of the row drops onto means 150 that feed it towards the dispensing area.
  • the means 150 for feeding the product towards the dispensing area are located under the compartments 136 and comprise a supporting and transfer surface 152 and a rear contact crossbar 154 that pushes 11
  • the crossbar is driven by side chains 156, looped around corresponding sprockets 158, and moves first one way to push the product towards the dispensing door and then back, remaining above the surface 152.
  • the surface 152 has sections 158' that converge on the dispensing door in such a way as to guide the product towards the dispensing door.
  • the cold storage cell 18 includes a spare storage compartment R' .
  • the spare product storage compartment R' is situated under the supporting and transfer surface 152.
  • FIG 10 illustrates a third preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.
  • the third preferred embodiment 200 of the apparatus includes product payment and selection means.
  • the payment means include a slot 26 into which payment for the product can be inserted and a slot 28 for change.
  • the payment and selection means are positioned on a lateral section or column 11' a of the front 11a of the apparatus, next to a large product selection area 11 'b where the available food products are named or illustrated and where there is a button 30 or similar means for selecting the desired food product.
  • the apparatus may also include means 31 for indicating whether a particular product is available or has run out. These may consist of a green light that indicates when the related product is available and a red light that indicates when the product is finished.
  • Figure 11 illustrates a fourth preferred embodiment 300 of the apparatus according to the present invention.
  • the fourth preferred embodiment also has features in common with the other preferred embodiments described above. These shared features are denoted by the same reference characters and, for brevity, are not described again.
  • the top frame section 12 'd that houses the ovens 16 extends horizontally from the lower section 12d that houses the cold storage cell containing the food products. This configuration makes it possible 12
  • the top frame section 12 ' d extends from the lower section 12d on both sides so that its weight is equally distributed and well balanced.
  • the ovens 16 are arranged in horizontal rows, each consisting of four ovens on two or more levels. More specifically, in the fourth preferred embodiment, the ovens 16 are mounted on two levels, at different heights, one above the other.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Vending Machines For Individual Products (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention se rapporte à un appareil permettant de distribuer automatiquement des produits alimentaires, notamment des produits alimentaires congelés et de préférence des produits alimentaires surgelés. Ledit appareil comprend un bâti (12) qui supporte des moyens (14) permettant de stocker et de distribuer lesdits produits alimentaires et des moyens (16), se présentant sous la forme de fours à micro-ondes, permettant de chauffer les produits alimentaires. Les moyens permettant de stocker et de distribuer les produits alimentaires comprennent une cellule d'entreposage à froid (18) qui contient les produits alimentaires et dont l'intérieur est réfrigéré par des moyens de refroidissement adaptés (20).
PCT/IB2002/004665 2002-08-02 2002-11-07 Appareil de distribution de produits alimentaires, notamment de produits congeles ou surgeles WO2004015641A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2002344393A AU2002344393A1 (en) 2002-08-02 2002-11-07 An apparatus for dispensing food products, especially frozen or deep-frozen products

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITBO2002A000517 2002-08-02
IT000517A ITBO20020517A1 (it) 2002-08-02 2002-08-02 Apparecchiatura per la distribuzione di prodotti alimentari,

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2004015641A1 true WO2004015641A1 (fr) 2004-02-19

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ID=11440362

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2002/004665 WO2004015641A1 (fr) 2002-08-02 2002-11-07 Appareil de distribution de produits alimentaires, notamment de produits congeles ou surgeles

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AU (1) AU2002344393A1 (fr)
IT (1) ITBO20020517A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2004015641A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN108573571A (zh) * 2017-03-13 2018-09-25 富士电机株式会社 自动售货机

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3397817A (en) * 1966-01-10 1968-08-20 Microtherm Ltd Dispensing apparatus with heating chamber
US4149653A (en) * 1978-02-13 1979-04-17 Gross-Given Manufacturing Company Insert member for a helical dispensing coil
US4687119A (en) * 1985-10-23 1987-08-18 Hubert Juillet Dispenser for hot and cold products
US5209373A (en) * 1992-05-20 1993-05-11 Vendtron, Inc. Vending machine with self-contained, limited access microwave oven
GB2284805A (en) * 1993-12-15 1995-06-21 Leslie George Hamilton Dispensing heated food products
EP1063620A1 (fr) * 1999-06-25 2000-12-27 FAS International S.p.A. Machine de vente pour produits alimentaires cuisinés

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3397817A (en) * 1966-01-10 1968-08-20 Microtherm Ltd Dispensing apparatus with heating chamber
US4149653A (en) * 1978-02-13 1979-04-17 Gross-Given Manufacturing Company Insert member for a helical dispensing coil
US4687119A (en) * 1985-10-23 1987-08-18 Hubert Juillet Dispenser for hot and cold products
US5209373A (en) * 1992-05-20 1993-05-11 Vendtron, Inc. Vending machine with self-contained, limited access microwave oven
GB2284805A (en) * 1993-12-15 1995-06-21 Leslie George Hamilton Dispensing heated food products
EP1063620A1 (fr) * 1999-06-25 2000-12-27 FAS International S.p.A. Machine de vente pour produits alimentaires cuisinés

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN108573571A (zh) * 2017-03-13 2018-09-25 富士电机株式会社 自动售货机

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2002344393A1 (en) 2004-02-25
ITBO20020517A1 (it) 2004-02-03
ITBO20020517A0 (it) 2002-08-02

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