JP3835127B2

JP3835127B2 - Vending machine cabinet

Info

Publication number: JP3835127B2
Application number: JP2000162191A
Authority: JP
Inventors: 真次益田
Original assignee: Fuji Electric Retail Systems Co Ltd
Current assignee: Fuji Electric Retail Systems Co Ltd
Priority date: 2000-05-31
Filing date: 2000-05-31
Publication date: 2006-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 2020-05-31
Also published as: JP2001344645A

Description

【０００１】
【発明の属する技術分野】
本発明は、庫内にサーペンタイン式商品収納ラックを搭載して缶，壜入り飲料商品を販売する自動販売機のキャビネットに関し、詳しくは上下二分割構造になる断熱内扉に装着したガスケットの構造に係わる。
【０００２】
【従来の技術】
まず、本発明の実施対象となる頭記自動販売機の全体構造を図３に示す。図において、１は断熱筐体としてなるキャビネット本体、２はその前面外扉、３，４は上下二分割構造になる上部断熱内扉（商品投入扉），下部断熱内扉、５はキャビネット本体１の庫内に搭載したサーペンタイン式商品収納ラック、６は商品収納ラック５の頂部前面に開口した商品投入口、７は外扉２に設けた商品取出口であり、上部断熱内扉３は外扉２の裏面側に連結して外扉と一緒に開閉するようにしている。また、図示してないがキャビネット本体１の庫内には商品を保冷（コールド商品）ないし、加温（ホット商品）する冷却／加熱ユニットを装備している。
【０００３】
かかる構成で、商品収納ラック５に商品を補給する際には、下部断熱内扉４は閉じたまま外扉２，上部断熱内扉３を開き、庫内前面の上部に開口している商品投入口６に商品（缶，壜商品）を投入する。一方、販売状態で販売指令が与えられると、商品収納ラック５から落下搬出した商品が断熱内扉４の商品払出し扉４ａを押し開いて商品取出口７に転がり出ることは周知の通りである。
【０００４】
また、キャビネット本体１の庫内冷気，ないし暖気が外方に逃げないようにするために、前記した断熱内扉３，４の周縁とキャビネット本体１との間はガスケットにより気密に閉塞するようにしており、さらに上下二分割構造になる断熱内扉を閉じた状態でその上部断熱内扉３と下部断熱内扉４との間の隙間を封止するために、図示のように上部断熱内扉３の下端，および下部断熱内扉４の上端にそれぞれガスケット８，９を敷設し、ガスケット８と９を突き合わせて分割扉合わせ面の隙間を閉塞するようにしている。
【０００５】
次に、従来の分割断熱内扉に採用されているガスケットの構造を図４，図５に示す。すなわち、上部断熱内扉３，下部断熱内扉４に合わせ端面に装着したガスケット８，９は、硬質樹脂材からなる断面三角形の台枠部８ａ，９ａと、該台枠部の傾斜面から突き出した断面半円形になる軟質樹脂材のパッキン部８ｂ，９ｂを一体形成した構成になり、台枠部８ａと９ａが前後に並んでその傾斜面がほぼ同じ高さで向かい合うようにしてそれぞれが上部断熱内扉３の下端面，下部断熱内扉４の上端面に装着されている。なお、８ｃ，９ｃは軟質樹脂材からなるヒレ状パッキンである。
【０００６】
かかる構成で上部断熱内扉３を閉じると、図５で表すようにガスケット８のパッキン部８ｂが下部断熱内扉４に装着したガスケット９の台枠部９ａの傾斜面に当接し、またガスケット９のパッキン部９ｂが相手側ガスケット８の台枠部８ａの傾斜面に当接して分割扉間の隙間を閉塞する。
【０００７】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
ところで、前記した従来のガスケット構造では、断熱内扉の組立性，およびシール機能の面で次に記すような問題点がある。すなわち、
(1) 図５に示した扉の閉状態で分割内扉３，４のいずれか一方，あるいは双方が基準位置から僅かでも上下方向にずれると、ガスケット８，９のパッキン部８ａ，９ａが相手側ガスケットの台枠傾斜面に密着しなくなってシール性が低下したり、逆に断面三角形の台枠部（硬質材）同士が直接重なり合って食い込むなどして扉の開け閉めが困難になるなどの不具合が生じる。
【０００８】
このために、図３に示した自動販売機の組立工程では扉２，３，４の組立精度を厳しく管理しなければならないし、さらに自動販売機のロケーション先で扉開閉の繰り返しに伴うヒンジ金具の磨耗などで扉にガタツキが生じると、これが原因でガスケット８と９が間で前記のような不具合が生じ易くなる。
(2) また、キャビネットの庫内を保冷している運転状態では、庫内外の温度差からガスケット８，９の合わせ目に結露が発生し、その結露水がガスケット８の傾斜面を伝わって下部断熱内扉の表面に垂れ流れてその扉面を濡らし、そのために塵埃などが付着して扉が汚れるといった問題がある。
【０００９】
本発明は上記の点に鑑みなされたものであり、その目的は前記課題を解決し、断熱内扉の組立精度，ガタツキなどの影響を受けずに上下分割形断熱内扉の合わせ面に装着したガスケットの安定したシール性の確保，並びに扉のスムーズな開け閉めが行え、併せてガスケット部に生じた結露水の垂れ流しを防止できるように改良した自動販売機のキャビネットを提供することにある。
【００１０】
【課題を解決するための手段】
上記目的を達成するために、本発明によれば、庫内に商品収納ラック，冷却／加熱ユニットを内蔵し、その前面に外扉，および上下二分割構造になる断熱内扉を装備した自動販売機のキャビネットであり、前記断熱内扉の上部断熱内扉の下端面，および下部断熱内扉の上端面にそれぞれガスケットを装着して扉間の隙間を閉塞するようにしたものにおいて、
(1) 前記ガスケットを硬質材の台枠部と軟質材のパッキン部との一体成形品で、そのパッキン部が台枠部に形成した傾斜面から突き出した構造となし、かつ上部，および下部断熱内扉に装着したガスケットの台枠部相互間に高さ方向の段差を設定し、断熱内扉を閉じた状態でパッキン部同士が前後に重なって密着し合うように組立て構成する（請求項１）。
【００１１】
上記の構成において、ガスケット相互間の段差を、扉の組立誤差，上下方向のガタツキを十分吸収できる寸法に設定しておくことにより、上部断熱内扉，下部断熱内扉が基準位置から上下方向に多少ずれても、前後に重なり合うガスケットのパッキン部同士は密着した状態を保ち、またガスケットの台枠部（硬質材）同士が直接当たるような干渉のおそれもなく、これにより扉の組立誤差，ガタツキなどの影響を受けることなく、ガスケットの安定した気密性が確保でき、また扉の開け閉めもスムーズに行える。
【００１２】
(2) また、前項(1) の構成において、下部断熱内扉に装着したガスケットの台枠部に、パッキン部に生じた結露水を受容するダム部を形成する（請求項２）。これにより、自動販売機の保冷運転中にガスケット部に発生した結露水は内扉の表面に垂れ流れることなくダム内に溜まって自然蒸発するので、結露水の垂れ流れに起因する断熱内扉の汚れが防げる。
【００１３】
【発明の実施の形態】
以下、本発明の実施の形態を図１，図２に示す実施例により説明する。なお、実施例の図中で図４，図５に対応する部材には同じ符号を付してある。
すなわち、図示実施例の構成では、上部断熱内扉３の下端面に装着したガスケット８の台枠部８ａは扉板の前部側に、下部断熱内扉４の上端面に装着したガスケット９の台枠部９ａは扉板の後部側に装着されており、かつ両者の間には上下方向に段差ｈ（この段差ｈは扉の組立誤差，扉のガタツキ分を考慮して決定する）を設定しており、この段差ｈにより扉の組立誤差，扉の上下方向のガタツキ分を吸収し、扉３を閉じた状態（図２参照）でガスケット８の台枠部８ａとガスケット９の台枠部９ａの間に十分な間隔を残すようにしている。これにより、扉のガタツキの影響を受けることなく、断熱内扉３の開け閉めがスムーズに行えるようになる。
【００１４】
また、ガスケット８のパッキン部８ｂは前記台枠部８ａの傾斜面から下向きに延在するように突き出し形成し、ガスケット９のパッキン部９ｂは台枠部９ａの傾斜面から前向きに突き出すように形成し、図２に示す扉閉状態ではガスケット８のパッキン部８ａとガスケット９のパッキン部９ｂとが前後に重なり合って扉３と４の間の隙間を気密に閉塞するようにしている。
【００１５】
さらに、図示実施例では、下部断熱内扉４に装着したガスケット９の台枠部９ａの前部に、前縁から起立するフェンスを堰堤としてダム部９ｄを形成している。かかる構成により、庫内の保冷運転状態でガスケットのパッキン表面に生じた結露水はダム部９ｄに滴下して溜まり、ここで自然蒸発する。したがって、従来のように結露水が扉４の表面に垂れ流れて扉面を汚すことがない。
【００１６】
【発明の効果】
以上述べたように本発明の構成によれば次記の効果を奏する。
(1) 請求項１によれば、上部，および下部断熱内扉に装着したガスケットの台枠部相互間に高さ方向の段差を設定し、断熱内扉を閉じた状態でパッキン部同士が前後に重なって密着し合うように構成したことにより、キャビネットの前面に配した断熱内扉の組立誤差，上下方向のガタツキなどの影響を受けることなしに、上部断熱内扉と下部断熱内扉の間の隙間を確実に封止でき、しかもガスケットの硬質材からなる台枠部同士の干渉を防いで断熱内扉の開け閉めをスムーズに行うことができる。
【００１７】
(2) また、請求項２によれば、下部断熱内扉に装着したガスケットの台枠部に、パッキン部に生じた結露水を溜めるダム部を形成したことにより、庫内の保冷運転時にガスケットのパッキン部表面に生じた結露水がそのまま内扉の表面に垂れ流れてその扉面を汚すといった従来構造の問題点を解消できる。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明の実施例に係るガスケット付き断熱内扉の構造を表す断面図で、上部断熱内扉を開いた状態を表す図
【図２】図１の上部断熱内扉を閉じた状態を表す断面図
【図３】自動販売機の扉開放状態を表す外観図
【図４】従来におけるガスケット付き断熱内扉の構造を表す断面図で、上部断熱内扉を開いた状態を表す図
【図５】図４の上部断熱内扉を閉じた状態を表す断面図
【符号の説明】
１キャビネット本体
２外扉
５商品収納ラック
６商品投入口
３上部断熱内扉
４下部断熱内扉
８，９ガスケット
８ａ，９ａ台枠部
８ｂ，９ｂパッキン部
９ｄダム部[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cabinet of a vending machine that sells beverage products containing cans and baskets by mounting a serpentine-type product storage rack in the cabinet, and more specifically, in the structure of a gasket attached to a heat-insulating inner door that has a vertically divided structure. Involved.
[0002]
[Prior art]
First, FIG. 3 shows the overall structure of a head vending machine that is an object of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a cabinet main body as a heat insulating housing, 2 is a front outer door thereof, 3 and 4 are upper and lower heat insulating inner doors (product introduction doors), a lower heat insulating inner door and 5 are cabinet main bodies 1. Serpentine-type product storage rack mounted in the cabinet, 6 is a product inlet opening on the top front of the product storage rack 5, 7 is a product outlet provided in the outer door 2, and the upper heat insulating inner door 3 is the outer door It connects with the back side of 2, and it opens and closes with an outer door. Although not shown, the cabinet body 1 is equipped with a cooling / heating unit for keeping the product cold (cold product) or heating (hot product).
[0003]
With this configuration, when the product storage rack 5 is replenished with goods, the outer heat insulating inner door 4 is closed, the outer door 2 and the upper heat insulating inner door 3 are opened, and the product is opened at the upper front of the interior. The product (can, bag product) is put into the mouth 6. On the other hand, it is well known that when a sales command is given in the sales state, the product dropped and carried out from the product storage rack 5 pushes open the product delivery door 4a of the heat-insulating inner door 4 and rolls out to the product outlet 7.
[0004]
Further, in order to prevent the cool air inside the cabinet body 1 or the warm air from escaping outward, the gap between the peripheral edges of the above-described heat-insulated inner doors 3 and 4 and the cabinet body 1 is hermetically closed by a gasket. In order to seal the gap between the upper heat insulating inner door 3 and the lower heat insulating inner door 4 in a state in which the heat insulating inner door which is further divided into two upper and lower parts is closed, the upper heat insulating inner door as shown in the figure. Gaskets 8 and 9 are laid on the lower end of 3 and the upper end of the lower heat-insulating inner door 4, respectively, and the gaskets 8 and 9 are abutted against each other so as to close the gap between the divided door mating surfaces.
[0005]
Next, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show the structure of the gasket employed in the conventional divided heat insulating inner door. That is, the gaskets 8 and 9 attached to the end surfaces in alignment with the upper heat insulating inner door 3 and the lower heat insulating inner door 4 protrude from the frame portions 8a and 9a having a triangular section made of a hard resin material and the inclined surfaces of the frame portions. The packing portions 8b and 9b of a soft resin material having a semicircular cross section are integrally formed, and the frame portions 8a and 9a are arranged in the front and back, and the inclined surfaces face each other at substantially the same height. It is attached to the lower end surface of the heat insulating inner door 3 and the upper end surface of the lower heat insulating inner door 4. In addition, 8c and 9c are fin-like packings made of a soft resin material.
[0006]
When the upper heat insulating inner door 3 is closed in such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 5, the packing portion 8 b of the gasket 8 comes into contact with the inclined surface of the base frame portion 9 a of the gasket 9 attached to the lower heat insulating inner door 4. The packing portion 9b abuts against the inclined surface of the frame portion 8a of the counterpart gasket 8 and closes the gap between the divided doors.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, the above-described conventional gasket structure has the following problems in terms of assembling property and sealing function of the heat insulating inner door. That is,
(1) When one or both of the divided inner doors 3 and 4 are slightly displaced from the reference position in the vertical direction with the door closed as shown in FIG. 5, the packing portions 8a and 9a of the gaskets 8 and 9 are opposed to each other. It becomes difficult to open and close the door, for example, because the sealability of the side gasket is not tightly adhered to the side gasket and the sealing performance is reduced. A malfunction occurs.
[0008]
For this reason, in the vending machine assembly process shown in FIG. 3, the assembly accuracy of the doors 2, 3 and 4 must be strictly controlled, and the hinge fitting accompanying the repeated opening and closing of the door at the vending machine location. When the door is rattled due to wear or the like, the above-described problems are likely to occur between the gaskets 8 and 9 due to this.
(2) Also, in the operation state where the inside of the cabinet is kept cold, condensation occurs at the joint of the gaskets 8 and 9 due to the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the cabinet, and the condensed water travels down the inclined surface of the gasket 8 to the lower part. There is a problem that the surface of the heat-insulating inner door drips down and wets the door surface, so that dust or the like adheres to the door and the door becomes dirty.
[0009]
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and the object thereof is to solve the above-described problems, and to be mounted on the mating surface of the vertically split type heat-insulating inner door without being affected by the assembly accuracy of the heat-insulating inner door, rattling or the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved vending machine cabinet which can secure a stable sealing property of a gasket, smoothly open and close a door, and prevent the dripping water from flowing down in a gasket portion.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a vending machine equipped with a product storage rack and a cooling / heating unit in a cabinet, and equipped with an outer door on the front side and a heat insulating inner door that has a vertically divided structure. In the cabinet of the machine, in which the gasket is attached to each of the lower end surface of the upper insulating inner door and the upper end surface of the lower insulating inner door to close the gap between the doors,
(1) The gasket is an integrally molded product of a hard base frame portion and a soft material packing portion, and has a structure in which the packing portion protrudes from an inclined surface formed in the base frame portion, and upper and lower heat insulation. A step in the height direction is set between the frame parts of the gaskets attached to the inner door, and the packing parts are assembled so that they are in close contact with each other with the heat insulating inner door closed. ).
[0011]
In the above configuration, by setting the level difference between gaskets to a size that can sufficiently absorb the door assembly error and vertical backlash, the upper and lower insulated doors are moved vertically from the reference position. Even if there is a slight shift, the gasket packing parts that overlap in the front and back remain in close contact with each other, and there is no risk of interference caused by direct contact between the gasket frame parts (hard materials). It is possible to secure a stable airtightness of the gasket without being affected by the above, and to open and close the door smoothly.
[0012]
(2) Further, in the configuration of the preceding item (1), a dam portion for receiving condensed water generated in the packing portion is formed on the base frame portion of the gasket attached to the lower heat insulating inner door (claim 2). As a result, the condensed water generated in the gasket during the cold storage operation of the vending machine accumulates in the dam without dripping on the surface of the inner door and spontaneously evaporates. Dirt can be prevented.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the examples shown in FIGS. In the drawing of the embodiment, members corresponding to those in FIGS. 4 and 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals.
That is, in the configuration of the illustrated embodiment, the base frame portion 8a of the gasket 8 attached to the lower end surface of the upper heat insulating inner door 3 is formed on the front side of the door plate, and the gasket 9 attached to the upper end surface of the lower heat insulating inner door 4 is. The frame part 9a is mounted on the rear side of the door plate, and a vertical step h is set between the two (this step h is determined in consideration of door assembly errors and door rattling). The step h absorbs the door assembly error and the backlash in the vertical direction of the door, and the door frame 3 is closed (see FIG. 2). A sufficient interval is left between 9a. As a result, the heat-insulating inner door 3 can be opened and closed smoothly without being affected by the rattling of the door.
[0014]
In addition, the packing portion 8b of the gasket 8 is formed so as to protrude downward from the inclined surface of the base frame portion 8a, and the packing portion 9b of the gasket 9 is formed to protrude forward from the inclined surface of the base frame portion 9a. In the closed state shown in FIG. 2, the packing portion 8a of the gasket 8 and the packing portion 9b of the gasket 9 overlap in the front-rear direction so as to airtightly close the gap between the doors 3 and 4.
[0015]
Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, a dam portion 9d is formed in the front portion of the base frame portion 9a of the gasket 9 attached to the lower heat insulating inner door 4 with a fence rising from the front edge as a dam. With such a configuration, the dew condensation water generated on the packing surface of the gasket in the cold-reserving operation state in the refrigerator drops and accumulates on the dam portion 9d and spontaneously evaporates here. Therefore, the dew condensation water does not flow down on the surface of the door 4 and does not contaminate the door surface as in the prior art.
[0016]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the configuration of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) According to claim 1, the height difference is set between the frame parts of the gaskets attached to the upper and lower heat insulating inner doors, and the packing parts are moved forward and backward with the heat insulating inner door closed. By being configured so as to overlap and adhere to each other, there is no influence from the assembly error of the heat insulation inner door arranged on the front of the cabinet, rattling in the vertical direction, etc., between the upper heat insulation inner door and the lower heat insulation inner door. In addition, it is possible to reliably seal the gaps between the frames, and to prevent the frame parts made of the hard material of the gasket from interfering with each other, thereby smoothly opening and closing the heat-insulating inner door.
[0017]
(2) Further, according to claim 2, the dam part for storing the condensed water generated in the packing part is formed in the base part of the gasket attached to the lower heat insulating inner door, so that the gasket is kept at the time of the cold storage operation in the warehouse. The problem of the conventional structure in which the condensed water generated on the surface of the packing part spills on the surface of the inner door as it is to contaminate the door surface can be solved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a heat-insulated inner door with a gasket according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state in which the upper heat-insulating inner door is opened. FIG. 2 is a state in which the upper heat-insulating inner door in FIG. [Fig. 3] External view showing the door open state of the vending machine [Fig. 4] Cross-sectional view showing the structure of a conventional insulated inner door with a gasket, and showing the upper insulated inner door opened [ FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the upper heat insulating inner door of FIG. 4 is closed.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cabinet body 2 Outer door 5 Product storage rack 6 Product inlet 3 Upper heat insulation inner door 4 Lower heat insulation inner door 8, 9 Gasket 8a, 9a Base frame part 8b, 9b Packing part 9d Dam part

Claims

庫内に商品収納ラック，冷却／加熱ユニットを内蔵し、その前面に外扉，および上下二分割構造になる断熱内扉を装備した自動販売機のキャビネットであり、前記断熱内扉の上部断熱内扉の下端面，および下部断熱内扉の上端面にそれぞれガスケットを装着して扉間の隙間を閉塞するようにしたものにおいて、前記ガスケットが硬質材の台枠部と軟質材のパッキン部との一体成形品で、かつパッキン部が台枠部に形成した傾斜面から突き出した構造になり、上部，および下部断熱内扉に装着したガスケットの台枠部相互間に高さ方向の段差を設定し、断熱内扉を閉じた状態でパッキン部同士が前後に重なって密着し合うようにしたことを特徴とする自動販売機のキャビネット。A cabinet of a vending machine with a product storage rack and a cooling / heating unit built in the cabinet, an outer door on the front side, and a heat insulating inner door that is divided into two upper and lower parts. A gasket is attached to each of the lower end surface of the door and the upper end surface of the lower heat-insulating inner door so as to close the gap between the doors, and the gasket includes a hard material frame portion and a soft material packing portion. It is an integrally molded product and has a structure in which the packing part protrudes from the inclined surface formed in the base frame part, and a step in the height direction is set between the base part of the gasket attached to the upper and lower insulated inner doors. The vending machine cabinet is characterized in that the packing parts overlap each other in close contact with each other with the inner door closed.

請求項１記載のキャビネットにおいて、下部断熱内扉に装着したガスケットの台枠部に、パッキン部に生じた結露水を受容するダム部を形成したことを特徴とする自動販売機のキャビネット。2. The vending machine cabinet according to claim 1, wherein a dam portion for receiving dew condensation water generated in the packing portion is formed in a base frame portion of a gasket attached to the lower heat insulating inner door.