Automatic vending machine

An automatic vending machine provided with a storage case for articles to be sold in a housing formed of a heat-insulating box, said storage case being divided into a plurality of compartments in which said articles contained therein are cooled or heated to be sold through one or more outlets, comprising:

• a primary heat unit provided with a compressor and a primary heat exchanger connected with a refrigerant-ejecting pipe and a refrigerant return pipe through a selecting valve;
• a refrigerant flow-controlling valve for controlling amount of refrigerant flowing into said primary heat unit;
• a control unit for controlling said refrigerant flow-controlling valve;
• a plurality of secondary heat units each having a secondary heat exchanger and being located in each of said compartments;
• a plurality of conduit pipes connecting the primary heat unit with said plurality of secondary heat units, each comprising a high-pressure gas pipe connected with said refrigerant-ejecting pipe, a low-pressure gas pipe connected with said refrigerant return pipe, and a liquid pipe connected with said primary heat exchanger;
• and
• a specified secondary heat unit provided in said cooled or heated compartment, having a secondary heat exchanger connected between a liquid pipe and a low-pressure gas pipe or a high-pressure gas pipe;
• each of said secondary heat exchangers being connected selectively with said high-pressure gas pipe and said low-pressure gas pipe through a selecting valve;
• said liquid pipe being provided with a heating/cooling apparatus connected with a refrigerant flow-controlling valve;
• said secondary heat exchanger in said specified secondary heat unit having a volume equal to sum of volumes of said secondary heat exchangers in other secondary heat units.

A vending machine comprising:

• a plurality of article-housing units each thermally insulated from each other;
• a plurality of heat exchangers provided in said plurality of article-housing units;
• a main heat exchanger provided outside said plurality of article-housing units, said main heat exchanger being connected to said plurality of heat exchangers by refrigerant flowing pipes;
• and
• a control unit for controlling operation of said main heat exchanger and said plurality of heat exchangers;
• wherein said plurality of heat exchangers are selectively controlled to operate as a heater or a cooler by said control unit.

In an automatic vending machine comprising a storage case for storing articles to be sold, a housing formed of a heat-insulating box and one or more outlets attached to said storage case;

• said storage case being provided in said housing and divided into a plurality of compartments in which articles contained therein are cooled or heated to be sold through said outlets;
• the improvement wherein the automatic vending machine comprises:
• a primary heat unit provided with a compressor and a primary heat exchanger connected with a refrigerant-ejecting pipe and a refrigerant return pipe through a selecting valve;
• a refrigerant flow-controlling valve for controlling amount of refrigerant flowing into said primary heat unit;
• a control unit for controlling said refrigerant flow-controlling valve;
• a plurality of secondary heat units each having a secondary heat exchanger and being located in each of said compartments;
• and
• a plurality of conduit pipes connecting said primary heat unit with said plurality of secondary heat units, each comprising a high-pressure gas pipe connected with said refrigerant-ejecting pipe, a low-pressure gas pipe connected with said refrigerant return pipe, and a liquid pipe connected with said primary heat exchanger;
• each of said secondary heat exchangers being connected selectively with said high-pressure gas pipe and said low-pressure gas pipe through a selecting valve;
• said liquid pipe being attached to a heating/cooling apparatus connected with a refrigerant flow-controlling valve.