Automatic vending machine

An automatic vending machine includes: product storage shelves provided along an up-down direction in a product storage region inside a product storage; a back face duct configured to extend along the up-down direction behind the product storage region; a circulating unit configured to flow air inside the product storage into the back face duct from an air inlet of the back face duct to circulate the inside air between an inside of the product storage region and an outside of the product storage region; a temperature adjusting unit configured to adjust the inside air circulated by the circulating unit to a desired temperature; and a side face duct configured to extend along the up-down direction at a place corresponding to front end portions of the product storage shelves in at least one of both side regions of the product storage region, and communicate with the back face duct.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The present application claims priority to and incorporates by reference the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-009502 filed in Japan on Jan. 23, 2017.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates to an automatic vending machine that sells products.

2. Related Art

Automatic vending machines that sell products include automatic vending machines that send out products stored on product storage shelves of product storages therein onto transport trays, and thereafter transport the products on the transport trays and dispense the products to predetermined product take-out regions. The product take-out regions are spaces communicating with outside of the product storages via product take-out openings, and when users insert their hands from the product take-out openings, the users are able to take out the products they have purchased.

Normally, this type of automatic vending machine: has a front surface formed of a transparent face plate of glass or the like; allows products stored on product storage shelves of a product storage therein to be visually recognized and selected; and enables a user to observe how a product purchased by the user and sent out from the product storage shelves is transported to a product take-out region by a transport tray. Such automatic vending machines that allow inside of product storages therein to be visually recognized have advantages, including their ability to increase users' willingness to buy.

With respect to such automatic vending machines, an automatic vending machine has been proposed, for which uniformization of temperature inside a product storage therein is attempted by: provision of one left side face duct and one right side face duct along an up-down direction at both side portions of the product storage, that is, in both side regions of product storage shelves; and discharge of inside air that has been cooled, from respective discharge ports of the side face ducts (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 5949381).

SUMMARY

In recent years, due to diversification of products sold, there is a demand for products at more than one temperature zone to be sold by automatic vending machines.

However, in the automatic vending machine proposed by Japanese Patent No. 5949381, since the uniformization of the temperature inside the product storage is attempted by the discharge of the inside air that has been cooled, from the respective discharge ports of the side face ducts; the products in the product storage are unable to be sold at more than one temperature zone.

In view of the above described actual circumstances, it is desirable to provide an automatic vending machine that is able to sell products on product storage shelves at more than one temperature zone as necessary.

It is an object of the disclosure to at least partially solve the problems in the conventional technology.

In some embodiments, an automatic vending machine includes: product storage shelves that are provided along an up-down direction in a product storage region inside a product storage defined in a main body of the automatic vending machine; a back face duct configured to extend along the up-down direction behind the product storage region; a circulating unit configured to flow air inside the product storage into the back face duct from an air inlet of the back face duct to circulate the inside air between an inside of the product storage region and an outside of the product storage region; a temperature adjusting unit configured to adjust the inside air circulated by the circulating unit to a desired temperature; and a side face duct configured to extend along the up-down direction at a place corresponding to front end portions of the product storage shelves in at least one of both side regions of the product storage region, and communicate with the back face duct. The circulating unit is configured to circulate the inside air by causing the inside air that has flown into the back face duct to enter the side face duct, and causing the inside air to be discharged to a front region including the front end portions of the product storage shelves from discharge ports provided at predetermined intervals along an extending direction of the side face duct, such that the discharged inside air passes backward after substantially spreading over the front region and flows into the back face duct from the air inlet. The automatic vending machine further comprises a restriction mechanism configured to: allow the inside air to be discharged from target discharge ports of the discharge ports when the restriction mechanism is in an open state, the target discharge ports being positioned downstream of air flow in the side face duct with respect to a predetermined position in a height direction of the side face duct; and restrict the inside air from being discharged from the target discharge ports when the restriction mechanism is in a closed state.

The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical and industrial significance of this disclosure will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments of the disclosure, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, by reference to the appended drawings, a preferred embodiment of an automatic vending machine according to the disclosure will be described in detail.

Each ofFIG. 1andFIG. 2illustrates an automatic vending machine that is an embodiment of the disclosure. The automatic vending machine illustrated therein: is a general-purpose automatic vending machine that has fixed form products, such as products in containers and products in boxes, or unfixed form products, such as products in bags, as targets to be sold; and includes a main body cabinet10and an external door20.

The main body cabinet10is a main body of the automatic vending machine, the main body having a box shape, with a front face thereof being open. The external door20is a door body having a flat plate shape with a large thickness dimension, and is held at one side portion of the main body cabinet10so as to open and close the front face opening of the main body cabinet10. Although not clearly illustrated in the figures, each of the main body cabinet10and the external door20has a heat insulating function; and when the front face opening of the main body cabinet10is closed by the external door20, the main body cabinet10and the external door20form a product storage11serving as a heat insulating space inside the main body cabinet10.

A product storage region11A in the product storage11of the main body cabinet10has product storage shelves12provided therein, which are in more than one stage along an up-down direction. Each of the product storage shelves12is: formed by more than one storage column12abeing placed side by side in a left-right direction, the more than one storage column12astoring therein plural products along a front-back direction; and arranged in the product storage11in a state where front ends of the respective product storage shelves12are positioned in the same vertical plane (hereinafter, referred to as “dispensing plane”).

The product storage shelves12are able to be arranged at arbitrary height positions in the product storage11, and heights thereof are able to be set to be different from one another. Further, on each of the product storage shelves12, widths of the storage columns12aalong the left-right direction are able to be set arbitrarily. Each of the storage columns12aset on the product storage shelves12operates individually, and enables a product positioned at the frontmost row to fall downward via the dispensing plane by sequentially sending out products stored therein forward. In this embodiment, the product storage shelves12, which are referred to as a so-called spiral rack that is configured to sequentially send out the products in the storage columns12aforward by rotation of spirals, are illustrated.

The product storage shelves12are not necessarily limited to those that send out the products by the rotation of the spirals, and for example, those configured to send out the products forward by drive of a transport conveyor may be applied as the product storage shelves12.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the external door20has a window portion21and a product take-out opening22provided therein. The window portion21is formed by arrangement of a plane material23, which is made of multi-layered glass or the like, is transparent, and has a heat insulating property; and the window portion21enables products stored in the frontmost rows of all of the storage columns12aof the product storage shelves12to be visually recognized from outside thereof, even when the front face opening of the main body cabinet10is closed by the external door20. Although not clearly illustrated in the figures, identification numbers are set for the storage columns12aand are displayed on front ends of the storage columns12asuch that the identification numbers are able to be visually recognized through the window portion21.

The product take-out opening22is an opening for a user to receive a product purchased, and is formed at a position lower than the window portion21in the external door20. An upper rim of the opening of this product take-out opening22is set to be positioned even lower than the product storage shelf12arranged at the lowermost stage. This product take-out opening22is normally in a closed state by a product take-out door24provided in the external door20, and is able to be opened by the product take-out door24being pushed and turned inward. The product take-out door24is supported on the external door20via an upper end portion thereof by an opening and closing shaft, which is along the left-right direction and not illustrated in the figures, such that the product take-out door24is movable around a central axis of the opening and closing shaft. This product take-out door24opens the product take-out opening22by door opening operation backward (toward the main body cabinet10), and closes the product take-out opening22by door closing operation forward. Although not clearly illustrating in the figures, at a portion positioned around the product take-out opening22in the external door20, a gasket that prevents air inside and air outside the product storage11from circulating to each other through the product take-out opening22is arranged over the entire perimeter of a portion opposite to the product take-out door24.

Further, in the external door20of the automatic vending machine, as illustrated inFIG. 1, an operation unit25is provided collectively in a part that is at a side of the window portion21. The operation unit25is for a user to operate when the user uses the automatic vending machine, and includes a bill insertion slot25a, a coin insertion slot25b, a return lever25c, a coin return opening25d, an input portion25e, and a display portion25f. The bill insertion slot25ais an opening for receiving bills, and the coin insertion slot25bis an opening for receiving coins. The return lever25cis operated when money is returned. The coin return opening25dis a portion, from which returned coins or change are/is dispensed. The input portion25eis for the user to specify a product to be purchased. In this embodiment, the input portion25eis configured to include numeric keys, which become valid when money is inserted, and through which an identification number of the storage column12astoring therein the product to be purchased is directly input. The display portion25fis for displaying thereon input information input through the input portion25e, and various pieces of information needed when the automatic vending machine is used, such as “available for purchase”, the amount of money inserted, “short of change”, and “bills not usable”.

At a front end portion of the product storage region11A in the product storage11, a product take-out region11B is secured. The product take-out region11B is a lowermost space, to which a produce purchased by a user is finally transported, and is formed in a part that is on or lower than the upper rim of the product take-out opening22when the external door20is in a closed state.

This product take-out region11B has a take-out guide30arranged therein. The take-out guide30is a dish shaped member for receiving a product dispensed to the product take-out region11B, and is, as illustrated inFIG. 2, configured to include a bottom wall portion31and a pair of let and right side wall portions32. This take-out guide30: receives a product transported by a transport tray35that is movable along the up-down direction above the product take-out region11B; and lets the product to be taken out from the product take-out opening22that has been opened.

FIG. 3is a transverse sectional view of the automatic vending machine that is the embodiment of the disclosure, illustrated inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, and illustration of the spirals of the storage columns12aand the transport tray35is omitted therein.FIG. 4is a perspective view illustrating an internal configuration of the main body cabinet10forming the automatic vending machine illustrated inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, and illustration of the product storage shelves12and the transport tray35is omitted therein.

As illustrated in theseFIG. 3andFIG. 4, a back face duct13and side face ducts14are provided in the product storage11of the main body cabinet10.

The back face duct13is provided to extend along the up-down direction behind the product storage region11A of the product storage11, that is, behind the product storage shelves12. An air outlet (not illustrated in the figure) is provided at a lower front face of this back face duct13, and a wind tunnel member13ais arranged to cover the air outlet. This wind tunnel member13a: connects an evaporator13barranged in front of the wind tunnel member13aand the back face duct13together; and is for guiding air that has gone through the back face duct13and has been blown out from the air outlet to the evaporator13b. The evaporator13b: forms a refrigerating cycle that circulates a refrigerant enclosed therein, by being connected, through a refrigerant piping, to a compressor, a condenser, and the like, which are not illustrated in the figures; and is a temperature adjusting unit that cools and adjusts air that passes around the evaporator13bto a desired cooling temperature, by evaporation of the refrigerant passing through a refrigerant passage of the evaporator13b. Inner blower fans F1and F2are placed side by side in the left-right direction in front of this evaporator13b. These inner blower fans F1and F2are a circulating unit that circulates the air inside the product storage11inside and outside the product storage region11A by being driven.

More than one air inlet13cis provided in the back face duct13. The air inlets13care openings for the air inside the product storage11to be drawn in when the inner blower fans F1and F2are driven. These air inlets13care formed at places not blocked by the product storage shelves12when the product storage shelves12are installed.

The side face ducts14extend along the up-down direction at places corresponding to front end portions of the respective product storage shelves12in both side regions of the product storage region11A of the product storage11; and as illustrated inFIG. 5andFIG. 6, the side face ducts14are made up of a pair of left and right side face ducts.

Each ofFIG. 7andFIG. 8is a diagram for illustration of a configuration of the side face duct14on the left side,FIG. 7is a perspective view illustrating a case where the side face duct14is viewed from outside the storage, andFIG. 8is a perspective view illustrating a case where the side face duct14is viewed from inside the storage. Hereinafter, the side face duct14on the left side will be described, and description of the side face duct14on the right side will be omitted, since the side face duct14on the right side has the same configuration as the side face duct14on the left side except that the side face duct14on the right side is on the right side instead of on the left side as illustrated inFIG. 5andFIG. 6.

The side face duct14is configured, such that: an outer heat insulation board14bis arranged outside an inner heat insulation board14athat has been hollowed out in a predetermined shape, the outer heat insulation board14bhaving an outer diameter dimension that is the same as that of the inner heat insulation board14a; a metal plate member14cis arranged inside the inner heat insulation board14a; and the inner heat insulation board14ais sandwiched between the outer heat insulation board14band the metal plate member14c. That is, the side face duct14is formed by a heat insulating material (heat insulating boards) being processed, the heat insulating material forming a heat insulating structure of the product storage11, and the hollowed portion of the inner heat insulation board14aforms an air duct14a1.

The metal plate member14chas, as illustrated inFIG. 9also, more than one discharge port14d, which is circular, formed therein, at predetermined intervals, along the up-down direction. Illustration of the outer heat insulation board14bis omitted inFIG. 9.

Further, the metal plate member14chas a communicating opening14e, which communicates with a lower portion of the hollowed portion (air duct14a1) of the inner heat insulation board14aand is rectangular, formed therein. As illustrated in an enlarged view inFIG. 10, this communicating opening14eis covered by a connection wind tunnel member15. The connection wind tunnel member15is a box-shaped member that extends along the left-right direction, and is for sending out the air that has been sent by the drive of the inner blower fans F1and F2, that is, the air that has been cooled by the evaporator13b, to the side face duct14.

As described above, the side face duct14communicates with the back face duct13through the connection wind tunnel member15, the evaporator13b, and the wind tunnel member13a. A flow dividing member16, which is V-shaped, is arranged inside this connection wind tunnel member15. The flow dividing member16is formed by a steel plate being bent, and is for dividing and sending out flow of air to the left and the right, the air having been fed by the drive of the inner blower fans F1and F2.

The hollowed portion (air duct14a1) of the inner heat insulation board14aforming the side face duct14is formed such that width of an upper side thereof is narrower than width of a lower side thereof. Thereby, cross sectional area of the air duct14a1of the side face duct14on the left side decreases upward up to a predetermined position in a height direction of the side face duct14, and above that position in the height direction of the side face duct14, the cross sectional area is maintained. Thereby, flow velocity of air discharged from the respective discharge ports14dof the side face duct14is able to be made substantially uniform.

In the above described configuration, by the drive of the inner blower fans F1and F2, the inside air that has flown into the back face duct13through the respective air inlets13cis blown out from the air outlet and cooled by the evaporator13b. The air that has been cooled by the evaporator13breaches the connection wind tunnel member15, flow of the air is divided to the left and the right by the flow dividing member16, and the divided air enters the respective side face ducts14. The inside air that has entered the side face ducts14passes therethrough upward, is blown out at a substantially uniform wind velocity from the respective discharge ports14d, and is discharged to a front region including the front end portions of the product storage shelves12. Thereby, the inside air that has been discharged from the respective discharge ports14dcirculates inside and outside the product storage region11A such that, as illustrated with arrows inFIG. 3, the inside air: passes backward after substantially spreading over the front region; and is drawn into the back face duct13through the air inlets13c.

As illustrated inFIG. 4toFIG. 6, each of the side face ducts14has a restriction mechanism40provided therein.FIG. 11andFIG. 12each illustrate the restriction mechanism40illustrated inFIG. 4toFIG. 6,FIG. 11is a perspective view thereof as viewed from inside the storage, andFIG. 12is an exploded perspective view thereof.

The restriction mechanisms40are in a pair of left and right restriction mechanisms provided in the respective side face ducts14, and as illustrated inFIG. 11andFIG. 12also, each of the restriction mechanisms40is configured to include a restriction support portion41and a restriction piece unit42.

The restriction support portion41is a sheet-like member formed of, for example, a steel sheet. This restriction support portion41has a first support hole41aand a second support hole41b, formed therein.

The first support hole41ais formed at a front end side of the restriction support portion41, and is a long hole with the up-down direction being a longitudinal direction thereof. The second support hole41bis a deformed long hole formed in a curved shape so as to extend along the up-down direction above the first support hole41a, and to be inclined gradually downward from an upper end extended portion thereof backward.

This restriction support portion41is attached on the metal plate member14cat a predetermined position in a height direction of the metal plate member14cby fastening screws43being fastened to the metal plate member14c, the fastening screws43respectively penetrating through attachment holes41cand41dfrom the inside, the attachment holes41cand41dhaving been formed below the first support hole41aand behind the second support hole41b.

The restriction piece unit42is formed of, for example, a steel plate, and has an acting portion42aand a proximal portion42b. The acting portion42ais, in the example ofFIG. 11andFIG. 12, a long flat plate shaped member with the front-back direction being a longitudinal direction thereof. When the longitudinal direction is the front-back direction, this acting portion42ahas a size that is able to substantially block the air duct14a1. The proximal portion42bis, in the example ofFIG. 11andFIG. 12, a flat plate shaped part that extends downward from an inner end portion of a front end portion of the acting portion42a. This proximal portion42bhas two screw holes42b1and42b2formed therein. In the example ofFIG. 11andFIG. 12, the screw hole42b1in the front is also referred to as “first screw hole42b1”, and the screw hole42b2at the back is also referred to as “second screw hole42b2”.

The restriction piece unit42is supported on the restriction support portion41by: a first stepped screw44being screwed into the first screw hole42b1, and a second stepped screw45being screwed into the second screw hole42b2, the first stepped screw44penetrating through the first support hole41afrom the inside, the second stepped screw45penetrating through the second support hole41bfrom the inside, in a state where the metal plate member14chas been interposed between the restriction piece unit42and the restriction support portion41.

By displacement of the second stepped screw45along the extending direction of the second support hole41b, the restriction piece unit42is able to swing in the up-down direction with respect to the restriction support portion41around a central axis of the first stepped screw44.

As illustrated inFIG. 13, by the first stepped screw44penetrating through an upper end portion of the first support hole41aand the second stepped screw45penetrating through a back end portion of the second support hole41b, this restriction mechanism40is brought into a closed state where the acting portion42aof the restriction piece unit42extends along the front-back direction. In this closed state, as illustrated inFIG. 14, the restriction piece unit42(acting portion42a) substantially blocks the air duct14a1.

By the restriction piece unit42being swung upward around the central axis of the first stepped screw44from the closed state such that the second stepped screw45is displaced forward in the second support hole41b; as illustrated inFIG. 15, the first stepped screw44penetrates through a lower end portion of the first support hole41a, the second stepped screw45penetrates through a front end portion of the second support hole41b, and thereby the restriction mechanism40is brought into an open state where the acting portion42aof the restriction piece unit42extends along the up-down direction. In this open state, the restriction piece unit42opens the air duct14a1that the restriction piece unit42has been substantially blocking in the closed state.

As described above, in the open state, by opening the air duct14a1, the restriction mechanism40allows the inside air to be discharged from the discharge ports14d(target discharge ports14d) that are higher than the position in the height direction of the side face duct14where the restriction mechanism40has been arranged; while in the closed state, the restriction mechanism40restricts the inside air from being discharged from the target discharge ports14dby substantially blocking the air duct14a1.

In the above described automatic vending machine according to the embodiment, when the pair of left and right restriction mechanisms40is in the open state, by the drive of the inner blower fans F1and F2, the inside air that has flown into the back face duct13through the respective air inlets13cis caused to enter each of the side face ducts14, and the inside air is caused to be discharged from the respective discharge ports14dat a substantially uniform wind velocity; thereby, the inside air is circulated inside and outside the product storage region11A such that the discharged inside air passes backward after substantially spreading over the front region including the front end portions of the product storage shelves12and flows into the back face duct13from the air inlets13c; and thus, products at the back of the respective product storage shelves12are also able to be cooled well while the frontmost products on the respective product storage shelves12are infallibly cooled to a desired temperature.

When the pair of left and right restriction mechanisms40is in the closed state, by the drive of the inner blower fans F1and F2, the inside air is circulated inside and outside the product storage region11A such that the inside air that has entered the respective side face ducts14from the back face duct13is caused to be discharged from the discharge ports14dlower than the restriction mechanisms40and the discharged inside air passes backward after substantially covering the front region including the front end portions of the product storage shelves12lower than the restriction mechanism40and flows into the back face duct13from the air inlets13c; and thus the product storage region11A is able to be divided into two temperature zones at the position in the height direction of the side face duct14where the restriction mechanisms40are provided. That is, a region lower than the restriction mechanisms40is able to be made a cooled region, and a region higher than the restriction mechanisms40is able to be made a cool region higher in temperature than the cooled region.

Therefore, the automatic vending machine enables the product storage region11A to be cooled into a single temperature zone when the restriction mechanisms40are in the open state, and the product storage region11A to be cooled into two temperature zones when the restriction mechanisms40are in the closed state; and thus, enables products on the product storage shelves12to be sold at more than one temperature zone as necessary.

A preferred embodiment of the disclosure has been described above, but the disclosure is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications may be made.

In the above described embodiment, an example, in which the restriction mechanism40is provided singly in each of the side face ducts14, has been described, but according to the disclosure, as illustrated inFIG. 16toFIG. 18, plural (in the illustrated example, two) restriction mechanisms40aand40bmay be provided at different positions in the height direction of the side face duct14in each of the side face ducts14. That is, in the side face ducts14, pairs of left and right restriction mechanism40aand40bmay be provided at different positions in the height direction of the side face duct14. InFIG. 16toFIG. 18, the restriction mechanisms40aand40bprovided in the side face duct14on the left side are illustrated, and similarly toFIG. 9, illustration of the outer heat insulation board14bhas been omitted therein.

By all of the restriction mechanisms40aand40bbeing brought into the closed state as illustrated inFIG. 16, the product storage region11A is able to be divided into two temperature zones at the position in the height direction of the side face duct14where the lower restriction mechanisms40aare arranged. Further, by the lower restriction mechanisms40abeing brought into the open state, and the upper restriction mechanisms40bbeing brought into the closed state, as illustrated inFIG. 17; the product storage region11A is able to be divided into two temperature zones at the position in the height direction of the side face duct14where the upper restriction mechanisms40bare arranged. Furthermore, by all of the restriction mechanisms40aand40bbeing brought into the open state as illustrated inFIG. 18, the product storage region11A is able to be cooled into a single temperature zone.

In the above described embodiment, the restriction mechanisms40are provided in a pair of left and right restriction mechanisms in the respective side face ducts14, but according to the disclosure, as long as the amount of discharged wind from the discharge ports14dis able to be obtained sufficiently, the side face duct14may be provided on either one of the left side and the right side, and in this case, the restriction mechanism just needs to be provided in that side face duct14only.

In the above described embodiment, the air that has entered the side face ducts14passes upward, but according to the disclosure, a configuration, in which the air that has entered the side face ducts14passes downward, may be adopted.

In the above described embodiment, the restriction mechanisms40are provided to open and close the air ducts14a1of the side face ducts14, but according to the disclosure, restriction mechanisms may be provided to open and close discharge ports14dof side face ducts14. Further, according to the disclosure, a back face side restriction mechanism may be provided in a back face duct13. In an open state thereof, this back face side restriction mechanism allows inside air to be drawn in from some air inlets (which may, hereinafter, be referred to as “target air inlets”) of air inlets13c, the some air inlets being higher than a position in the height direction of the side face duct14where the above described restriction mechanisms40are arranged, while in a closed state thereof, restricting the inside air from being drawn in from the target air inlets. This back face side restriction mechanism is brought into the open state when the above described restriction mechanisms40are in the open state, and is brought into the closed state when the above described restriction mechanisms49are in the closed state. Accordingly, when both the above described restriction mechanisms40and the back face side restriction mechanism are in the closed states; on the upper side of a predetermined position in the height direction of the side face duct14, drawing of the inside air from the target air inlets and discharge of the air from the target discharge ports are restricted, and the product storage region is able to be divided into more than one temperature zone infallibly.

According to some embodiments, when the restriction mechanisms are in the open state, the restriction mechanisms allow the inside air to be discharged from the target discharge ports of the discharge ports, the target discharge ports being positioned downstream of air flow in the side face duct with respect to a predetermined position in a height direction of the side face duct; and thus the circulating unit enables the inside air to be discharged to the front region including the front end portions of the product storage shelves from the target discharge ports and the discharge ports upstream of the target discharge ports. When the restriction mechanisms are in the closed state, the restriction mechanisms restrict the inside air from being discharged from the target discharge ports; and thus the circulating unit enables the inside air to be discharged to the front region including the front end portions of the product storage shelves from the discharge ports upstream of the target discharge ports, and the product storage region is able to be divided into two temperature zones at the predetermined position in the height direction of the side face duct. Therefore, an effect of being able to sell products on product storage shelves at more than one temperature zone as necessary is achieved.