JPH0476366A - Device for conveying vessel under cooling - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To lower the cost, facilitate the maintenance, and make the apparatus as a whole compact by using a conveying mechanism which consists of a circular table rotated by a drive device. CONSTITUTION:By pushing open a door 12a in a forwarding port 12 a beer mug J is put on a table 3 while the table 3 is being rotated clockwise by a drive motor 21. The beer mug J is conveyed with its side between an inner side guide 8 and an outer side guide 9. During this conveyance, while the beer mug J undergoes spontaneous cooling in an atmosphere of cool air, the beer mug J is exposed to rapid cooling with cooling air forcedly blown on it from fans 17, 17. After thus being cooled, the beer mug J is stopped from moving by contact with the edge of an inwardly curved stopper plate 16 in a gate mechanism 14. The degree to which an adjusting plate 25 projects is adjustable: when a beer mug of large size is conveyed for cooling, the projection of the adjusting plate 25 is reduced or the adjusting plate 25 is removed and, when the mug is of medium size or of small size, the projection is increased.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a container transfer/cooling device that cools liquid beverage containers while continuously transferring them using a transfer mechanism.

[Conventional technology]

As is well known in the art, there is an optimum temperature range for liquid beverages, such as beer, to provide the best taste.

For this reason, when serving beer, etc. in containers such as beer mugs to a large number of customers at a beer hall or restaurant, it is important not only to keep the beer, etc. chilled to an appropriate temperature, but also to chill the container to an appropriate temperature. is desirable. For this reason, a container transfer cooling device that continuously and efficiently cools containers such as mugs has been developed.

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 the transfer mechanism in the freezer from the insertion port of the freezer, and the container is cooled while being transferred. , the container is taken out from the outlet.

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

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

[Problem to be solved by the invention] However, in the container transfer cooling device having the above structure,
The transfer mechanism requires a chain, top plate, sprocket, etc., and its structure is complex and has many parts, resulting in high costs and problems in that internal cleaning and maintenance are difficult.

In addition, the transfer mechanism of the conventional container transfer and cooling device described above has a structure in which a chain is wound around a driving sprocket and a top plate is attached on top of the chain, so the transfer path can be long, which allows the containers to be moved sufficiently. Although cooling is possible, there is a problem in that a large amount of space is wasted within the transfer mechanism and the overall size of the device increases.

The present invention has been developed in view of the above-mentioned points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a container transfer/cooling device that has a simple structure of the transfer mechanism, is low in cost, easy to maintain, and can be downsized as a whole. .

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention stores a transfer mechanism 2 for transferring a liquid beverage container (for example, beer mug J) in a freezer, and connects the transfer mechanism 2 in the freezer through an insertion port 12 of the freezer. After cooling the container without transferring it on the transfer mechanism 2, the container is taken out from the opening 1.
3, the transfer mechanism 2 includes a disk-shaped table 3 on which the container is placed, and a drive device [20] that rotates the table 3.
An inner guide member 8 and an outer guide member 9 for guiding the side surface of the container are provided on the outside and inside of the circumferential transfer path for transferring the container on the top surface of the table 3.

Further, the container transfer cooling device according to the present invention includes a stopper plate 16 provided with recesses 16a at equal intervals on the outer periphery of a disk at a predetermined position on the side of the circumferential transfer path for transferring the containers above the table 3. A gate mechanism 14 including a geared motor 15 for rotating and stopping the stopper plate 16 at a predetermined angle is provided, and the gate mechanism 1 on the side of the circumferential transfer path is provided.
An adjustment plate 25 that protrudes into the circumferential transfer path is provided at a position opposite to 4.

[Effect]

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 reduced compared to the conventional transfer mechanism. Therefore, not only can costs be reduced, but internal cleaning and maintenance are also easier. Furthermore, the weight of the device can be reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, since the container transfer route is circumferential,
There is no wasted space inside the container transfer and cooling device, a relatively large number of containers can be stored in the container transfer and cooling device, and the entire device can be made smaller.

Further, according to the present invention, since the container transfer route is circumferential,
The transport path is shorter than in the past.

Therefore, the time required for transporting and cooling the container can be shortened.

Further, according to the present invention, since the adjustment plate 25 is provided that protrudes into the container transfer path to adjust the width of the container transfer path, by adjusting the protrusion amount of the adjustment plate 25, the size of the container to be transferred can be adjusted. Even if the adjustment plate 25 and gate mechanism 14 are changed,
You can stop the container by

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a transfer mechanism 2 of a container transfer cooling device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a portion of
) is a cross-sectional side view taken along line A-A in FIG.

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

Each component will be explained below.

The table 3 is formed into a disk shape, and a circular hole 4 is provided in the center of the table 3. Furthermore, teeth 5 are provided on the outer peripheral side surface of the table 3, with which a timing belt 22, which will be described below, is engaged.

On the other hand, as shown in the diagram (b), a ring-shaped support protrusion 6 is fixed on the floor plate F, and the upper surface of the ring-shaped support protrusion 6 supports the table 3 in sliding contact with the circumference.

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

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

Next, on this table 3, there is an inner guide member 8 having a circumferential shape and rising slightly upward from the top surface of the table 3.
is fixed.

Further, an outer guide member 9 made of a pipe wound in a circumferential shape is disposed slightly above the top surface of the table 3 and near its outer periphery. Note that this outer guide member 9 is fixed at one end to a bracket 10 fixed to the floor plate F, so that it cannot be fully supported.

Further, above the outer guide member 9, at a height where the handle of the mug J placed on the table 3 comes into contact, a guard rail 11 is provided, which is a flat plate wound around in a circular shape. This guardrail 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 rotating shafts 12b and 13b, respectively. Here, the insertion door 12a serves as the insertion inlet 12 for the mug J, and the removal door 13a serves as the outlet 13 for the mug J.

Further, a gate mechanism 14 is provided on the outer peripheral side of the table 3 near the take-out door 13a to temporarily stop the transferred mug J at this position.

This gate mechanism 14 is constructed by attaching a flat stopper plate 16 to the rotating shaft of a geared motor 15. As shown in FIG. 2, this stopper plate 16 is constructed by providing six arc-shaped recesses 16a on the outer periphery of a disc.

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

Incidentally, reference numerals 17 and 17 shown in FIG. 3A are fans for blowing ambient cold air directly onto the mug J.

Further, a heat insulating partition wall 18 (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1(a)) is provided on the side of the insertion door 12a and the extraction door 13a of the transfer mechanism 2. This heat insulating partition wall 18 covers the entire transfer mechanism 2 with a heat insulating wall so that when the inside thereof is used as a freezer, a part of the transfer mechanism 2 is exposed to the outside so that the mug J can be inserted and taken out. It is for.

FIG. 3 shows the heat insulating bulkhead 18 connected to the drive motor 2 of FIG. 1(a).
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the main parts seen from the first side.

As shown in the figure, this heat insulating partition wall 18 is a flat upper plate 1.
8a and an L-shaped side plate 18b. An adjustment plate 25 is attached to this side plate 18b via a plate 19 in an L-shape.

This adjustment plate 25 is located on the upper surface side of the table 3 and is fixed to the transfer path of the mug J on the table 3 so as to protrude from the inner peripheral side. Note that 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 thereof with a cooler, the container transfer and cooling device is completed.

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

First, the mug J is placed on the table 3 while pushing open the insertion door 12a of the insertion port 12 shown in FIG. 1(a).

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

During this transfer, the jacket J is naturally cooled by the surrounding cold air, and the cold air is forcibly blown by the fans 17 and 17, thereby achieving rapid cooling.

Then, the mug J cooled in the above manner comes into contact with the vicinity of the end of the recess 16a of the stopper plate 16 of the gate mechanism 14 and stops its movement.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the state when the jogger J is stopped by the gate mechanism 14 and the adjustment plate 25.

As shown in the figure, the jogger J is stopped when its both sides abut against the stopper plate 16 and the adjustment plate 25. At this time, the bottom surface of the mug J is sliding on the top surface of the table 3.

Note that Jotsuki J includes types such as large Jotsuki and medium Jotsuki. For this reason, the present invention is configured so that the amount of protrusion of the adjustment plate 25 can be adjusted. In other words, when transferring and cooling a large mug, the amount of protrusion of the adjustment plate 25 is reduced or removed, while when transferring and cooling a medium or small mug, the amount of protrusion of the adjustment plate 25 is increased. All you have to do is make it . Note that the protrusion amount i*t is determined by changing the position of the adjustment plate 25 on the plate 19 as shown in FIG. By providing the adjustment plate 25 in this manner, it is possible to transfer and cool many types of containers using one type of container transfer and cooling device.

When several mugs J are put into the container transfer cooling device, the rear mug J is placed on the stopper plate 1.
It comes into contact with the first jogger J stopped at step 6 and stops behind it.

Next, by operating the operation panel installed outside the container transfer cooling device and instructing the number of mugs J to be taken out, the signal is sent to the geared motor 15, and the geared motor 1
5 rotates by the required amount.

As a result, the stopper plate 16 rotates by the required amount, and the required number of mugs J passes through the stopper plate 16 along the recessed portion 16a of the stopper plate 16.

These mugs J push open the take-out door 13a with their own weight and are transferred to the front side of the heat-insulating partition wall 18, that is, to the outside of the container transfer cooling device. Then, the jogger J comes into contact with the side plate 18b of the heat insulating partition wall 18 (the part located on the upper surface of the table 3) and stops.

In the above embodiment, a timing belt method was used as a means for rotationally driving the disc-shaped table 3, but the present invention is not limited to this method. For example, any drive device may be used.

Here, FIGS. 5 to 7 are schematic plan views showing other drive 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 inner peripheral side 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. be.

Furthermore, the drive system shown in FIG. 6 differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 29 and rotates the table 3.

Furthermore, the drive system shown in FIG. 7 is a system in which a drive motor 30 is disposed at the center of the table 3, and the table 3 is fixed directly to the rotating shaft of the drive motor 30 to rotate the table 3.

In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which a beer mug J was used as a container to be cooled by the container transfer cooling device.
The present invention is not limited to this, and can be used for cooling various other containers.

〔Effect of the invention〕

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

■The transfer mechanism used in the present invention has a structure in which a disk-shaped table is rotated by a drive device, so the structure is simpler and the number of parts is smaller than that of conventional transfer mechanisms, which not only reduces costs. , internal cleaning and maintenance are easy. Furthermore, the weight of the device can be reduced.

■Since the container transfer path is a circumferential path, there is no wasted space inside the container transfer cooling device, and a relatively large number of containers can be stored in the container transfer cooling device, and the overall device can be made smaller. .

(2) Furthermore, since the container transfer path is circumferential, the transfer path is shorter than in the past, and therefore the container transfer and cooling time can be shortened.

■Also, in the present invention, since the adjusting plate for adjusting the width of the container transfer path is provided so as to protrude into the circumferential transfer path for transferring the containers on the top of the table, it is only necessary to adjust the protrusion amount of the adjusting plate. Therefore, even if the size of the container to be transported differs, it can be easily transported and cooled.

[Brief explanation 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, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the main part of the heat insulating partition 18 seen from the drive motor 21 side of FIG. 1(a), and FIG. 4 is a gate mechanism. 14 and the adjustment plate 25, and FIG. 5, FIG. 6, and FIG. 7 are schematic plan views showing other drive devices for rotating the table 3, respectively. In the figure, J...Jockey, 2...Transfer mechanism, 12...
・Inlet, 13... Outlet, 14... Gate mechanism,
15... Geared motor, 16... Stopper plate, 2
0... Drive device, 25... Adjustment plate, 3... Table, 8... Inner guide, 9... Outer guide. Patent applicant Ebara Corporation Representative Patent attorney Takashi Kumagai (1 other person) Figure 2 Figure 7 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A transfer mechanism for transferring a liquid beverage container is stored in a freezer, and the container is placed on the transfer mechanism in the freezer from the insertion opening of the freezer, and the container is transferred while being transferred on the transfer mechanism. In a container transfer cooling device that takes out the container from an outlet after cooling the container, the transfer mechanism includes a disk-shaped table on which the container is placed, and a drive device that rotates the table. A container transfer/cooling device comprising: a guide member for guiding a side surface of the container on the outside and inside of the circumferential transfer path for transferring the container on the top surface of the table. (2) At a predetermined position on the side of the circumferential transfer path for transferring the container on the top of the table, there is a stopper plate provided with recesses at equal intervals on the outer periphery of the disk, and the stopper plate is rotated and stopped at a predetermined angle. A gate mechanism comprising a geared motor is disposed, and an adjusting plate protruding into the circumferential transfer path is attached at a position opposite to the gate mechanism on the side of the circumferential transfer path. A container transfer cooling device according to claim (1).