JPS6319893Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the invention] [Purpose of the invention] (Industrial application field) This invention changes the circulation of the air inside the storage room for cooling or heating the sales products stored in the storage room from a general distribution to a local distribution. This invention relates to a vending machine that allows selection of any type of wind.

(Prior Art) Generally, vending machines that discharge and sell canned and bottled beverages as products have a storage compartment formed inside the main body,
A product storage column is installed inside the storage space with a predetermined distance from the inner surface of the back wall, and a product storage column is installed at the bottom of this storage column to store the products released from the column. a discharge chute that guides and discharges the gas to the sales opening provided therein; a heat source that is located at the bottom of the discharge chute and is disposed between an inlet and a discharge port that communicate with the storage compartment; It has a blower device that exchanges heat with the air inside the storage and forcibly circulates it through the inlet and outlet, thereby cooling or heating the entire inside of the storage to keep the products for sale at an appropriate temperature. Although the products are made available for sale, the frequency with which the products are sold usually varies greatly depending on the location where the vending machine is installed, the time of day, and other factors. For example, in places where the number of products sold per day is small, it is normal for the time between sales to be long, so it is uneconomical to keep the entire storage room at an appropriate temperature at all times, and in actual use. As mentioned above, it can be said that there will be no problem in sales if the multiple products discharged during the next sales operation are kept at an appropriate temperature. Therefore, if there is a function that can keep only multiple products at the appropriate temperature depending on the situation in such cases, it will save energy because it will not waste power compared to a system that only keeps the entire storage at the appropriate temperature. It is also convenient as it can be expected to be electrified.

From this point of view, we have recently designed a single vending machine so that the circulation of air inside the warehouse by the blower can be switched from general air distribution to local air distribution, depending on the daily sales situation and the installation location. Something appeared.

And the specific one is 52-122795
No. 55-149168, a movable duct or a movable damper is installed in a part of the ventilation passage inside the refrigerator, and the direction of the air flow can be changed according to the situation to provide overall air distribution or local distribution inside the refrigerator. Alternatively, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 56-37168, a two-speed variable speed motor is used as the blowing device, and the blowing force is increased.・Weak switching is possible, allowing you to switch between general air distribution and local air distribution within the warehouse.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) In that each of the conventional configuration means described above is equipped with a local air distribution mechanism, switching is selected depending on the situation, so if sales are infrequent, the switching may be difficult. Although wasteful power consumption can be prevented and the intended purpose of power saving can be achieved, these methods are not necessarily satisfactory in actual use because they cause disadvantages in terms of air blowing efficiency.

In other words, in conventional systems that use movable ducts and movable dampers, members that themselves move in a movable manner are placed directly in the ventilation passage, so these act as passage resistance in the internal circulation ventilation passage, reducing the ventilation capacity. A blowing device with a high blowing capacity commensurate with this is required, and the mechanically operated movable duct and damper are likely to malfunction, and are not practical due to the disadvantages in terms of blowing efficiency.

In addition, in the case where a two-speed variable speed motor is used for the headwind device, the above-mentioned disadvantages can be avoided for the time being, but when distributing air locally, the overall airflow volume is The airflow is greatly reduced compared to when the entire air is distributed, and a new problem arises in that it takes a long time for the products in the lower part to reach the appropriate temperature, resulting in the inconvenience of missing out on a long-awaited sales opportunity.

For this reason, at the start of operation prior to initial sales,
This problem can be solved by starting with a strong general air distribution system and switching to a local air distribution system after the entire interior of the refrigerator reaches an appropriate temperature, but this still poses a management problem.

This invention was developed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and by simply improving the conventional air blower by making it capable of forward and reverse rotation, the circulation path of the air inside the refrigerator can be changed from general air distribution to local air distribution. To provide a vending machine that is easy to convert, has no malfunctions or fluctuations in air blowing capacity, and can switch to the local air distribution mode when sales are infrequent to achieve the desired power saving. purpose.

[Structure of the invention] (Means for solving the problem) The present invention comprises a storage within the main body, and a product storage column installed within the storage with a predetermined distance from the inner surface of the back wall of the storage. , a discharge chute disposed at the bottom of the storage column that guides and discharges the products discharged from the column to a sales opening provided at the lower front side of the main body; and a discharge chute located at the bottom of the discharge chute and communicating with the storage compartment. A heat source disposed between the opened intake port and the discharge port, and an air circulation path that forcibly circulates and exchanges heat in the air inside the storage space through the intake port and the discharge port, which are opposed to the heat source. In a vending machine having an air blowing device, the air blowing device is provided with a switching means for directing or reversing the air blowing, and by selectively switching the switching means, the air circulation path in the compartment is changed from the above-mentioned outlet to storage when the airflow is in the normal direction. It forms an air distribution path throughout the interior of the refrigerator that ascends through the space formed on the inner surface of the back wall of the refrigerator, reaches the upper part of the product storage column, passes through the column from above, and descends to the suction port. At the time of conversion, the suction port and the discharge port are converted and run along the discharge chute from the front side of the main body to the inner surface of the back wall of the storage compartment and cross the lower space formed below the product storage column. A local air distribution path is formed.

(Function) The present invention allows the air circulation path inside the storage compartment to be corrected simply by selecting and switching the switching means. Inversely, the route can be freely changed into a general air distribution path that extends above and below the inside of the warehouse, and a local air distribution path that mainly covers the lower part of the product storage column. In other words, during normal rotation, the air inside the warehouse, which is heat exchanged by the heat source, is sent out from the discharge port and rises between the inner surfaces of the back wall of the storage and reaches above the product storage column. Due to the suction force of the device, the air that reaches the top passes through the product storage column, transmits heat to the products, descends, and circulates again, which works in the same way as conventional storage cabinets that maintain the appropriate temperature at all times. do. On the other hand, during reverse rotation, the suction port and discharge port during normal rotation are reversed, and the heat exchange air inside the warehouse is sent to the space formed between the discharge chute and the lower end of the product storage column, but the air is sent out above the space. In this case, the product storage column and the products inside the column act as resistance and suppress the upward circulation, whereas the suction port, which functions as the discharge port during normal rotation, is in the space. Since it is formed close to the rear, the suction force of the blower acts on this part, and the local distribution mainly consists of the lower product that circulates from the front of the main body toward the back wall and across the space. A wind path is formed to maintain the appropriate temperature of the product.

(Example) An example of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a vending machine main body formed in the shape of a box with an opening on the entire surface.The main body 1 has a double-walled structure with an inner wall 2 made of a heat insulating material and an outer panel 3 on the open surface of the main body 1. A door 4 is pivotally mounted so that it can be opened and closed. On the other hand, the interior of the main body 1 is partitioned into a storage 6 and a machine room 7 by a heat insulating partition wall 5. In the storage 6, a product storage column 10, which has a plurality of conveyance paths 9 meandering in the front-rear direction by a plurality of rail members 8, is arranged in a predetermined manner so as to form a duct 11 between it and the inner surface of the back wall of the storage 6. At the bottom of each of the conveyance paths 9, a sales mechanism 12 is provided, which releases the stored products A one by one in response to a sales instruction. Further, below the product storage column 10, that is, at the inner bottom of the storage 6, there is an evaporator 13 as a heat source for cooling the stored products A, and an evaporator 13 for circulating cold air from the evaporator 13 into the storage 6. Motor 14 capable of forward and reverse rotation
A blower device 16 consisting of a fan 15 and a fan 15 are provided in parallel. Thus, the evaporator 13, motor 14, and fan 15 are located with their upper surfaces covered by the discharge chute 18 below the lower end of the product storage column 10, and have their rear sides opened in communication with the duct 11, and The front side forms an air circulation outlet and an inlet for the storage 6 through a communication hole 17 opened to the discharge chute 18 on the left side as shown in FIG. In addition, 22 is a sales opening provided at the lower part of the main door 4,
The sales product A discharged from the product storage column 10 is guided and discharged into the discharge chute 18, and 23 is a sales port door rotatably connected to the sales port.

On the other hand, in the machine room 7, there are installed a condenser 19, a compressor 20, a blower motor 21, etc. that constitute a cooling cycle together with the evaporator 13 installed in the product storage 6.

Next, the main parts of the electric circuit in the above embodiment will be explained based on FIG. 3.

Reference numerals a and b are power supply terminals connected to a DC power supply, and one terminal a of the power supply terminals a and b is connected to the first switch of the first changeover switch 25 via a thermostat 24 arranged near the evaporator 13. A fixed contact 25a and a second fixed contact 26b of a second changeover switch 26 whose switching is controlled in conjunction with the first changeover switch 25 are connected to each other, and the other power supply terminal b is connected to a second a first fixed contact 26a of the changeover switch 26;
Second fixed contact 25 of first changeover switch 25
b are connected to each other. The motor 14 is connected to the movable contacts 25c and 26c of the first and second changeover switches 25 and 26, and the first and second changeover switches 25 and 26 are connected to the motor 14.
5 and 26 constitute a switching means of the air blower.

When the vending machine of the present invention having the above configuration is installed in a place where sales are frequently performed, the first and second changeover switches 25 and 2, which serve as the changeover means, are used.
6 movable contacts 25c and 26c are closed to the first fixed contacts 25a and 26a, respectively, and the motor 14
rotates in the positive direction. As a result, the circulation of cold air is set to the entire air distribution, and the cold air generated from the heat source 13 is circulated from the discharge port in the forward direction to the back wall of the storage compartment and the product storage column 10 by the rotation of the fan 15, as shown by the solid line arrow in FIG. It rises to the upper part of the storage 6 through the duct 11 formed between the two.
That is, the product storage column 10, the product A stored in this storage column 10, and the vending mechanism 12 located at the lowest end act as resistance members and act to guide the circulating air upward into the storage 6. . The cool air that has risen to the upper part of the storage 6 descends through the space between the conveyance path 9 and the product storage column 10 while cooling the product A, uniformly cooling the entire interior of the storage 6. This cooling operation is controlled by the operation of a thermostat 24 placed near the evaporator 13 to maintain the interior of the product storage 6 at a predetermined temperature.

In this state, when a set amount of coins is inserted from a coin slot (not shown), the sales mechanism 12 operates and product A is discharged, but in this overall distribution, product A is not sold continuously. Even if the operation is performed, it can be sold without any problem.

On the other hand, if the switch is installed in a place where sales are infrequent, the movable contacts 25c and 26c of the first and second changeover switches 25 and 26, which serve as switching means, are closed to the second fixed contacts 25b and 26b, respectively. Then, make the motor 14 rotate in the opposite direction. As a result, the circulation of cold air is set to local distribution, and the cold air generated from the heat source 13 is discharged through the communication hole 17 of the discharge chute 18, which serves as an inlet in the forward direction, as shown by the dotted line arrow in Figure 2, by the rotation of the fan 15. As an exit, this discharge chute 18 and the product storage column 10
It is sent to the space formed between the lower ends, and while cooling the product A located at the bottom of the product storage column 10, it is sucked and circulated through the intake side of the fan 15 (the intake port that functions as a discharge port in the forward direction). be done. That is, the cool air sent into the space at the lower end of the product storage column 10 is prevented from circulating upward by the product storage column 10 and the product A, and the fan 1
5, a so-called localized air distribution state occurs in which only the several products A located at the bottom of the product storage column 10 are actively cooled, as shown by the dotted arrows.

In this case of local wind distribution, sales are less frequent, so
It is possible to sufficiently handle sales by simply cooling and maintaining only a few products to be sold next time at a predetermined temperature. This will shorten the operating time until the thermostat 24 opens and the motor 14 and heat source stop.

Note that this is not limited to the case where products are sold after being cooled.
For example, a heating device as a heat source may be disposed at the bottom of a product storage and the product may be heated and sold without any problem.

[Effects of the invention] As explained above, the vending machine of the invention uses a blower installed in the product storage to reverse the circulation direction of the air in the storage using the switching means, thereby achieving overall air distribution and local air distribution. The system is configured to convert the airflow, and it is possible to select the air distribution method according to the sales frequency without installing a movable duct or damper in the ventilation passage or switching the blowing force between strong and weak. becomes.

Therefore, with an extremely simple configuration, it is possible to handle sales from general air distribution to internal air distribution, or local air distribution when sales are infrequent, without blowing resistance or impediment to air blowing capacity as in the past. Therefore, depending on the installation situation of the vending machine, products can be kept at the appropriate temperature, and the vending machine can be operated efficiently and economically.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 1 is a front view of the vending machine with the main door removed, Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the vending machine, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the vending machine.
The figure is an electric circuit diagram related to the switching means of the blower device. 1... Body, 6... Storage, 10... Product storage column, 13... Heat source, 16... Air blower, 18
...Discharge chute, 22...Sales port, 25,2
6... Switching means for the blower device consisting of first and second switching switches.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] a storage within the main body; a product storage column installed within the storage with a predetermined distance from the inner surface of the back wall;
A discharge chute is disposed at the bottom of this storage column and guides and discharges the products discharged from the column to a sales opening provided at the lower front side of the main body, and a discharge chute is located at the bottom of this discharge chute and communicates with the storage compartment. A heat source is disposed between the intake port and the discharge port, and an air circulation path is formed that faces the heat source and forcibly circulates the air in the storage through the intake port and the discharge port to exchange heat. In a vending machine having an air blower, the air blower is provided with a switching means for directing or reversing the air flow, and by selectively switching the switching means, the air circulation path in the compartment is changed from the discharge port to the storage compartment when the rotation is in the normal direction. It forms an air distribution path for the whole interior of the warehouse that ascends through the gap formed on the inner surface of the back wall, reaches the upper part of the product storage column, passes through the column from above, and descends to the suction port. Sometimes, the suction port and the discharge port are converted to a local area along the discharge chute from the front side of the main body to the inner surface of the back wall of the storage compartment, crossing the lower space formed below the product storage column. A vending machine characterized by forming an air distribution path.