Vending machine with heat transmission system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9396604-B2
Application number	US-201313972248-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2013
Priority date	Dec 20, 2012
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

A vending machine with selectable internal heating and internal cooling functions includes a cabinet and a heat transmitting system. The cabinet includes a heat source and a goods storage space. The heat transmitting system includes a first air inlet tube, a second air inlet tube, an air outlet tube, and a gas valve. The first air inlet tube connects the heat source to the gas valve. The second air inlet tube connects the goods storage space to the gas valve. The air outlet tube connects the gas valve to the outside of the vending machine. The gas valve can connect the first gas inlet tube to the second gas inlet tube to heat the goods storage space using heat generated by the heat source, or can connect the first gas inlet tube to the gas outlet tube to dissipate heat generated by the heat source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vending machine, comprising:
a vending machine cabinet comprising a heat source and a goods storage space; and
a heat transmitting system comprising a first air inlet tube, a second air inlet tube, an air outlet tube, and a gas valve, the first air inlet tube receiving heated air heated by the heat source to the gas valve, the second air inlet tube connecting the goods storage space to the gas valve, the air outlet tube communicating the gas valve to an area outside the vending machine cabinet, wherein when heating the goods storage space by heat generated by the heat source, the gas valve connects the first gas inlet tube to the second gas inlet tube, and when dissipating heat from the heat source, the gas valve connects the first gas inlet tube to the gas outlet tube, and wherein the gas valve is a spool valve, and the heat source is a compressor of the vending machine or a power source of the vending machine.

2. The vending machine of claim 1 , wherein an outer wall of the valve body defines a first connection hole, a second connection hole, and a third connection hole, each of the first connection hole, the second connection hole, and the third connection hole communicates with the receiving hole, a first end of the first air inlet tube is inserted into the first connection hole, a first end of the second air inlet tube is inserted into the second connection hole, a first end of the air outlet tube is inserted into the third connection hole, and the first connection hole is connected to the second connection hole or to the third connection hole by rotating the valve spool rotates in the receiving hole.

3. The vending machine of claim 2 , wherein an extending direction of the first connection hole is same as an extending direction of the third connection hole, and the extending direction of the first connection hole is perpendicular to an extending direction of the second connection hole.

4. The vending machine of claim 2 , wherein an outer wall of the valve spool defines a first vent hole, a second vent hole, and a third vent hole, each of the first vent hole, the second vent hole, and the third vent hole is connected with each other, the valve spool rotates in the receiving hole between a first position and a second position; at the first position, the first vent hole is aligned and connected to the first connection hole, the second vent hole is aligned and connected to the second connection hole, and the third connection hole is blocked by the outer wall of the valve spool; at the second position, the second vent hole is aligned and connected to the first connection hole, the third vent hole is aligned and connected to the third connection hole, and the second connection hole is blocked by the outer wall of the valve spool.

5. The vending machine of claim 4 , wherein an extending direction of the second vent hole is same as an extending direction of the third vent hole, the extending direction of the second vent hole is perpendicular to an extending direction of the first vent hole.

6. The vending machine of claim 1 , wherein the heat transmitting system comprises an air exhausting fan and an air aspirating fan, the air exhausting fan is located between the first air inlet tube and the heat source, and the air aspirating fan is located between the second air inlet tube and the goods storage space.

7. The vending machine of claim 6 , wherein the cabinet defines a first through hole and a second through hole, a second end of the first air inlet tube is inserted into the first through hole to be aligned to the air exhausting fan, and a second end of the second air inlet tube is inserted into the second through hole to be aligned to the air aspirating fan.

8. The vending machine of claim 1 , wherein the cabinet comprises a plurality of mounting pins, the gas valve defines a plurality of mounting holes, and each of the plurality of mounting pins is inserted into each of the plurality of mounting holes.

9. A vending machine, comprising:
a vending machine cabinet comprising a heat source and a goods storage space; and
a heat transmitting system comprising a first air inlet tube, a second air inlet tube, an air outlet tube, and a gas valve, the gas valve comprising a valve body and a valve spool, the first air inlet tube receiving heated air heated by the heat source to the valve body, the second air inlet tube connecting the goods storage space to the valve body, the air outlet tube communicating the valve body to an area outside the vending machine cabinet, and the valve spool is configured to rotate in the valve body between a first position and a second position; at the first position, the goods storage space is heated by heat generated by the heat source by connecting the first gas inlet tube to the second gas inlet tube in the valve body via the valve spool; and at the second position, the heat source is cooled by connecting the first gas inlet tube to the gas outlet tube in the valve body via the valve spool, and wherein the heat source is a compressor of the vending machine or a power source of the vending machine.

10. The vending machine of claim 9 , wherein an outer wall of the valve body defines a first connection hole, a second connection hole, and a third connection hole, each of the first connection hole, the second connection hole, and the third connection hole communicates with the receiving hole, a first end of the first air inlet tube is inserted into the first connection hole, a first end of the second air inlet tube is inserted into the second connection hole, a first end of the air outlet tube is inserted into the third connection hole.

11. The vending machine of claim 10 , wherein an extending direction of the first connection hole is same as an extending direction of the third connection hole, and the extending direction of the first connection hole is perpendicular to an extending direction of the second connection hole.

12. The vending machine of claim 10 , wherein an outer wall of the valve spool defines a first vent hole, a second vent hole, and a third vent hole, each of the first vent hole, a second vent hole, and a third vent hole is connected with each other; at the first position, the first vent hole is aligned and connected to the first connection hole, the second vent hole is aligned and connected to the second connection hole, and the third connection hole is blocked by the outer wall of the valve spool; at the second position, the second vent hole is aligned and connected to the first connection hole, the third vent hole is aligned and connected to the third connection hole, and the second connection hole is blocked by the outer wall of the valve spool.

13. The vending machine of claim 12 , wherein an extending direction of the second vent hole is same as an extending direction of the third vent hole, the extending direction of the second vent hole is perpendicular to an extending direction of the first vent hole.

14. The vending machine of claim 9 , wherein the heat transmitting system comprises an air exhausting fan and an air aspirating fan, the air exhausting fan is located between the first air inlet tube and the heat source, and the air aspirating fan is located between the second air inlet tube and the goods storage space.

15. The vending machine of claim 14 , wherein the cabinet defines a first through hole and a second through hole, a second end of the first air inlet tube is inserted into the first through hole to be aligned to the air exhausting fan, and a second end of the second air inlet tube is inserted into the second through hole to be aligned to the air aspirati

Assignees

• Hongfujin Prec Ind Wuhan
• Hon Hai Prec Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Yun-Lung
• Yeh Chin-Wen
• Xiao Yang
• Guo Kui

Classifications

• G07F9/105 Primary

  Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage (dispensers for food articles requiring a processing by temperature treatment or conditioning before they are ready for dispensing G07F17/0064) · CPC title

• H05K7/20136

  Forced ventilation, e.g. by fans (H05K7/202 takes precedence) · CPC title