Beverage dispenser

Abstract

To provide a beverage dispenser capable of reducing troublesome work related to collection work of ice in a stocker.SOLUTION: An ice dispenser comprises a shelf part 19 extending horizontally toward the front from a front lower edge part of a housing 11 and located below an ejection part 25, and is configured to freely attach and detach a drain pan 50 on the upper surface side of the shelf part 19. With the shelf part 19 in a state where the drain pan 50 is removed and a holder 100 located at an auxiliary position which is an anterior side of the shelf part 19, a collection container x used when collecting ice in a stocker 23 is supported from an under side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage dispenser having a drain pan provided below a discharge portion that discharges beverages, ice, and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] In restaurants such as family restaurants, beverage dispensers are used to provide beverages, ice, and other items to customers. One example of such beverage dispensers is an ice dispenser that has an ice-making mechanism and a stocker built into the housing. The ice dispenser stores ice produced by the ice-making mechanism in the stocker, and provides the stored ice from a discharge unit provided on the front side of the stocker to a cup (beverage container) at a receiving position (below the discharge unit) on the front side of the housing in response to an operation by a customer or the like. The discharge unit that discharges the ice is composed of an ice guide path that communicates with the stocker, a spout that forms an ice discharge port, a shutter mechanism that opens and closes the entrance to the ice guide path, and the like. When providing drinking water in addition to ice, the discharge unit is configured to include a water injection nozzle and an opening and closing valve that are connected to an external water supply.

[0003] A cover section is provided on the front panel at the front of the housing, covering the discharge section at the front side of the stocker from the front side. The cover section is provided in a shape that does not prevent the discharge of ice and drinking water from the discharge section, and a space is provided below the cover section for placing a beverage container at the receiving position. When an operating lever that is operated by pressing a beverage container (cup) against it is used as the operating section operated by the customer, this operating lever is disposed below the cover section. Then, by placing a beverage container at the receiving position and operating the operating lever so as to push it backward, ice and drinking water are discharged from the discharge section toward the receiving position, so that the ice and drinking water can be received in the beverage container. Note that a button or the like that is pressed by a finger may also be used as the operating section.

[0004] Here, the schematic configuration of a typical conventional ice dispenser (a type that provides only ice) is shown in Fig. 10. In Fig. 10, reference numeral 11 denotes a housing, 15 denotes a front panel, 16 denotes a cover, 18 denotes an operating lever, 20 denotes a receiving position, 21 denotes an ice-making mechanism, 23 denotes a stocker, and 25 denotes a discharging section. In this ice dispenser, a drain pan DP is provided on the opposite side of the receiving position 20 from the discharging section 25 (below the receiving position 20). The drain pan DP is a vessel-shaped (box-shaped with an upward opening) member, and a mesh-plate-shaped grill G is placed over its upper opening like a lid, and a drain pipe P extends downward from the bottom surface. The inlet side of the drain pipe P is connected to the internal space S of the drain pan DP, and a discharge hose H is connected to the outlet side. As a result, the ice received in the drain pan DP either melts on the grill G and turns into water which passes through the grill G, or passes through the grill G in the form of small pieces of ice, flows out of the outlet 54a formed in the bottom wall of the drain pan DP into the drain pipe P, and is then discharged to the outside through the discharge hose H. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-117352 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In a restaurant where the ice dispenser is installed, when ice will not be used for a long time, for example, at the end of business hours, the ice remaining in the stocker 23 is discharged from the discharge part 25 and collected in a collection container such as a bucket so that the ice remaining in the stocker 23 does not harden. In this collection operation, the collection container is placed on the drain pan DP to receive the ice discharged from the discharge part 25. However, if a collection container with a wide bottom is placed on the drain pan DP, the front part of the collection container protrudes forward from the drain pan DP, making the support of the collection container by the drain pan DP unstable, and it becomes necessary for an operator to support the collection container so that it does not fall forward. In addition, generally, the vertical dimension between the drain pan DP and the discharge part 25 is sufficient to place a beverage container such as a cup, and a tall bucket cannot be placed, so the ice collection operation must be performed using a collection container with a shallow bottom. Furthermore, if the capacity of the recovery container used for the recovery operation is small, it will be necessary to empty the recovery container many times before all the ice is discharged, which will increase the workload. In other words, the conventional ice dispenser has the drawback that it is time-consuming for the worker to recover the ice stored in the stocker 23.

[0007] In addition to the above-mentioned ice dispenser that provides only ice, there are ice dispensers that provide both ice and drinking water, and such ice dispensers (beverage dispensers) are also provided with the above-mentioned discharge part 25 and drain pan DP. In beverage dispensers that can provide at least ice, a similar problem occurs with respect to the recovery operation of discharging all of the ice remaining in stocker 23 from discharge part 25.

[0008] Therefore, in consideration of the above-mentioned problems inherent in conventional beverage dispensers, the present invention has been proposed to optimally solve these problems, and its object is to provide a beverage dispenser that can reduce the effort required for recovering ice from the storage unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to overcome the above problems and achieve the intended purpose, First Measure teeth, A beverage dispenser is provided with a housing, the housing being provided with a discharge section capable of discharging ice stored in a stocker inside the housing downward, and a drain pan is provided below and spaced from the discharge section, The housing includes a shelf portion extending horizontally forward from a lower end of a front surface thereof and positioned below the discharge portion, and the drain pan is detachably mounted on an upper surface side of the shelf portion. The gist of the present invention is that the shelf portion when the drain pan is removed and an auxiliary member attached to the shelf portion so as to be positioned at an auxiliary position forward of the shelf portion are configured to be able to support from below a recovery container used to recover ice in the storage unit. This configuration According to the present invention, the drain pan can be removed from the shelf of the housing, and the recovery container can be placed on the shelf to perform the ice recovery operation, so that the vertical dimension of the space for arranging the recovery container can be made large, and the recovery operation can be performed using a recovery container with a deep bottom (high). In addition, the recovery container can be supported by the shelf and the auxiliary member placed at an auxiliary position forward of the front end of the shelf, so that the recovery operation can be performed using a recovery container with a wide bottom (large front-to-back dimension). In other words, a recovery container with a large capacity can be used in the ice recovery operation, and the effort required for the recovery operation can be reduced. Furthermore, when the recovery operation is not being performed, the auxiliary member can be placed at a storage position rearward of the front end of the shelf, and the auxiliary member can be stored so as not to get in the way.

[0010] Second Measure teeth, A vent hole communicating between the inside and the outside of the housing is formed in a lower wall of the housing, The gist of the present invention is that a filter guide that guides and holds an air filter in a position opposite the air vent is provided so as to extend from a position along the side edge of the air vent on the underside of the lower wall to a position below the shelf portion. This configurationAccording to the present invention, when a recovery container is placed on the shelf of the housing to recover ice, the larger the capacity of the recovery container, the greater the load on the shelf, which may cause deformation or damage to the shelf. By providing a filter guide that was conventionally provided in the lower wall of the housing in an area rearward of the front surface of the housing to extend to a position below the shelf, the filter guide can be used to reinforce the lower wall of the housing, and the lower wall of the housing can be ensured to have a strength sufficient to withstand the load of the recovery container (recovered ice).

[0011] Third Option teeth, The shelf portion is provided with a storage and fixing means for fixing the auxiliary member to a storage position provided on the upper surface side of the shelf portion. This configuration According to the present invention, the storage position for the auxiliary member is provided on the upper surface side of the shelf portion that is exposed when the drain pan is removed, so that the auxiliary member can be easily found when it is used and can be used immediately. Also, the auxiliary member does not get in the way when it is not in use. By providing a holding means for holding the auxiliary member in the storage position, it is possible to prevent the auxiliary member from being lost.

[0012] 4th Measure teeth, The drain pan is provided with a regulating portion that regulates attachment of the drain pan when the auxiliary member is in a position different from the storage position on the upper surface side of the shelf portion. This configuration According to the present invention, when the drain pan is returned to the upper surface of the shelf of the housing after the ice recovery operation is completed, if the auxiliary member is in a position displaced from the storage position on the upper surface of the shelf, the attachment of the drain pan is restricted by the restricting portion, so that the auxiliary member that was placed in the auxiliary position during the recovery operation is reliably returned to the storage position. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the auxiliary member from being lost. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the dispenser of the present invention, a large-capacity collection container can be placed and used without the worker having to support it when collecting ice from a stocker, thereby reducing the effort required for the collection operation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ice dispenser according to the embodiment, seen from the upper left front. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the internal structure of a housing of the ice dispenser. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ice dispenser as seen from the lower right front. [Figure 4] 1A is a perspective view of the drain panel as viewed from the upper right front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the drain panel as viewed from the lower right rear. [Diagram 5] 13 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of a lower part of the housing in which the relay pipe component is provided. FIG. [Figure 6] 1(a) is an enlarged oblique view of the lower front part of the housing as viewed from the front upper right when the drain panel has been removed from the shelf and the holder is in the auxiliary position, and FIG. 1(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the position of the holder that supports the collection container. [Figure 7] 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the lower front surface of the housing when viewed from the upper right front with the drain panel removed from the shelf and the holder in the storage position. FIG. [Figure 8] 11 is a vertical sectional side view showing a state in which the holder is stored between the drain panel and the shelf portion. FIG. [Figure 9] 13A is a perspective view of another example, and FIG. 13B is a perspective view of a shelf portion to which a holder of another example is attached. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional ice dispenser. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Next, a beverage dispenser according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred embodiment. In this embodiment, an ice dispenser (ice / beverage dispenser) that provides ice and beverages will be described, and the same components as those of the conventional ice dispenser (see FIG. 10) described above will be designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted. Note that the configuration of the present invention can be applied to beverage dispensers that provide only ice or only beverages, in addition to ice dispensers. In the following description, the left-right, up-down, and front-rear (front-rear) directions are defined based on the state in which the ice dispenser is viewed from the front side (front side). EXAMPLES

[0016] As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the ice dispenser 10 of the embodiment accommodates an ice making mechanism 21 for making ice (offered items) such as chipped ice, a stocker 23 for storing the made ice, and the like, inside (machine chamber 11a) of a vertically elongated rectangular housing 11 that constitutes the outer shell. The housing 11 is basically composed of a box-shaped housing base 13 that opens forward, and a front panel 15 that is arranged to cover the front opening of the housing base 13, and is self-supporting by four legs 33 extending from a flat base plate 31 (see Fig. 3) that constitutes the lower wall of the housing base 13 (the lower wall of the housing 11). In other words, when the ice dispenser 10 (housing 11) is installed on a flat surface, a gap of a vertical dimension corresponding to the length of the legs 33 is secured below the base plate 31, which is the lower wall. The air in that gap (outside air) is taken in through a lower air vent (intake port) 133 formed in the base plate 31 and rises into the machine chamber 11a, and is then discharged above the housing 11 through an upper air vent (exhaust port) 35a formed in the upper wall 35 of the housing base 13.

[0017] 3, a portion of the front end side of the base plate 31 extends forward from the housing base 13. If the portion of the base plate 31 that covers the machine room 11a from below is referred to as the base main body portion 31B, and the portion extending forward is referred to as the base extension portion 31A, then the lower ventilation opening 133 described above is formed in the base main body portion 31B. In contrast, the upper surface of the base extension portion 31A is covered by a flat shelf portion 19 that extends forward from the lower edge portion of the front panel 15, and a drain panel 50 (described later) is disposed above the base extension portion 31A.

[0018] (Regarding the emission section 25) As shown in Fig. 2, a discharge section 25 is provided on the front side of the stocker 23, which discharges ice and drinking water from a discharge port 26 downward (to a position 20 where ice is received by a drinking container such as a cup). The discharge section 25 in this embodiment is composed of a mechanism for discharging ice from the stocker 23 (ice guide passage 25a, spout 25b, and shutter mechanism 25c) and a mechanism for discharging drinking water from an external water supply (water injection nozzle 25d and an opening / closing valve, not shown). Alternatively, the discharge section 25 may be composed of only a mechanism for discharging either ice or drinking water. Note that a detailed description of this discharge section 25 is omitted, since it has a conventionally known structure.

[0019] (About the cover part 16 and the concave part 17) As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a cover section 16 is disposed on the upper part of the front panel 15 to cover the discharge section 25 from the front side. As shown in Fig. 2, the cover section 16 is recessed with the opening side facing backward, and the discharge section 25 is accommodated in this recessed portion. A part of the cover section 16 is disposed detachably as a separate member 16x with respect to the front panel 15, so that the discharge section 25 is exposed by removing the separate member 16x, and cleaning, maintenance, and the like can be performed. Also, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the lower part of the front panel 15 (below the mounting position of the cover section 16) is formed so that the front surface is recessed backward (hereinafter referred to as "concave section 17"). The concave section 17 ensures a space below the cover section 16, making it easy (possible) to place a beverage container in the lower area (receiving position 20) of the cover section 16 (discharge section 25). As shown in FIG. 3, a lower wall 16a of the cover portion 16 is formed with an exposure opening 16b for exposing the discharge port 26 at the lower end of the discharge portion 25.

[0020] (Regarding the operating lever 18) 1 to 3, an operating lever 18 that is operated when discharging ice from the discharging portion 25 is provided so as to extend downward from between the lower wall 16a of the cover portion 16 and the upper edge of the concave portion 17. This operating lever 18 can swing back and forth with its upper end side as a fulcrum, is biased forward by a biasing means (not shown), and is always located at the front end of its swing range. Therefore, by pressing a beverage container against the front surface of the operating lever 18 and swinging the operating lever 18 backward, ice is discharged from the discharging portion 25 toward the beverage container below (receiving position 20), and the ice can be received in the beverage container.

[0021] (About Drain Panel 50) As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a drain panel (drain pan) 50 for drainage treatment is provided in front of the concave portion 17 of the front panel 15 and below the discharge portion 25. This drain panel 50 receives ice and drinking water discharged from the discharge portion 25 in an internal space S when no beverage container is prepared at the receiving position 20, and discharges them from an outlet 54a on the bottom surface to a discharge route R (see Fig. 8). The drain panel 50 is a container-shaped (box-shaped) synthetic resin member, and a grill (not shown) having a plurality of mesh-like openings is placed over the upper opening like a lid. Fig. 1 shows the drain panel 50 with the grill removed as viewed from diagonally above.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 4, the drain panel 50 is provided with a dish forming portion 52 that forms an internal space S, and a covering plate 53 that covers the front surface and the left and right side surfaces of the dish forming portion 52. As shown in FIG. 4(a), the dish forming portion 52 has a central portion in the left and right direction of the rear wall portion 55 that protrudes rearward in accordance with the shape of the concave portion 17 (see FIG. 3) of the front panel 15. Also, as shown in FIG. 4(b), three ribs 56, 57 extending in the front and rear direction are formed on the lower surface of the bottom wall 54 of the dish forming portion 52 (the long ribs on the left and right are referred to as "first ribs 56" and the short rib in the center is referred to as "second rib 57"). The first rib 56 and the second rib 57 are formed so that the height positions of the respective lower end surfaces are aligned with each other. The covering plate 53 extends downward from the upper edge portion of the dish forming portion 52 to a position slightly lower than the lower end surfaces of the ribs 56, 57. As a result, the drain panel 50 of this embodiment (drain panel 50) is placed on the shelf portion 19 of the front panel 15 with the lower end surfaces of the ribs 56, 57 supported on the upper surface of the shelf portion 19, and the lower end portion of the covering plate 53 is configured to cover the front end surface of the shelf portion 19 from the front side.

[0023] An outlet 54a for discharging wastewater received in the internal space S is formed in a position biased toward the side end (left end side) of the bottom wall 54 of the dish forming portion 52 (see FIG. 4(b)). In addition, a start pipe 60 (see FIG. 4(b)) for discharging wastewater flowing out from the outlet 54a is provided so as to extend downward from the position of the outlet 54a on the bottom wall 54 of the dish forming portion 52. The start pipe 60 is a rigid (non-flexible) synthetic resin pipe, and forms the upstream side (hereinafter referred to as the "first path 60a") of the discharge path R that connects the internal space S of the drain panel 50 and a discharge hose H from the outside.

[0024] (Regarding relay pipe component 37) 5, the relay pipe component 37 forming the downstream side (second path 37a) of the discharge path R is provided on the lower surface side of the housing 11 (base plate 31) and configured to relay between a start pipe 60 provided on the drain panel 50 and a discharge hose H connected to an external discharge destination. The second path 37a formed by this relay pipe component 37 is a pipe line that slopes downward toward the rear on the lower surface side of the housing 11, and causes the wastewater flowing in from the drain panel 50 (via the first path 60a) to flow down toward the discharge hose H. Note that the relay pipe component 37 in this embodiment is configured to connect two rigid (non-flexible) pipes with a soft (flexible) hose.

[0025] (About complete ice discharge) Next, the full discharge of ice in the ice dispenser 10 will be described. The ice dispenser 10 includes a control unit (not shown) consisting of a microcomputer or the like that controls components such as the ice making mechanism 21, and this control unit is electrically connected to the operation panel (touch panel) 15a on the front surface of the housing 11. In this embodiment, as control modes by the control unit, there are provided an operation mode in which ice and drinking water are discharged in response to the operation of the operation lever 18 described above, and a full discharge mode in which ice discharge is continued until the ice in the stocker 23 runs out regardless of whether the operation lever 18 is operated or not, and the control unit is configured to change the control mode from the operation mode to the full discharge mode based on a specific operation being performed on the operation panel 15a. The full discharge of ice from the stocker 23 using this full discharge mode is performed, for example, before the ice dispenser 10 is unused, such as at the end of business hours at a restaurant, or when cleaning inside the stocker 23 is started. An operator who performs full discharge of ice first places a recovery container used for recovering ice below the discharge unit 25, and in this state, performs a specific operation on the operation panel 15a to switch the control mode from the operation mode to the full discharge mode. In this way, all ice discharge from the discharge portion 25 is started with the transition to the full discharge mode, and the ice discharged from the discharge portion 25 is collected in the collection container.

[0026] In the ice dispenser 10, the drain panel 50 is located below the discharge portion 25, and a collection container is generally placed on the drain panel 50, but the area of ​​the upper surface of the drain panel 50 is not large enough to place a collection container with a wide bottom. In order to realize a configuration in which the shape and size of the drain panel 50 is maintained and a collection container with a wide bottom is placed without tipping forward, it is possible to place an auxiliary member that assists in supporting the collection container placed on the upper surface of the drain panel 50 so that the collection container does not tip forward. However, there is only a space between the discharge portion 25 and the drain panel 50 to place a beverage container such as a cup, and the vertical dimension is not sufficient to place a tall collection container. In order to collect all the ice in the stocker 23 at once, it is necessary to use a large collection container having the same capacity as the stocker. On the other hand, since a collection container such as a tall general bucket cannot be placed on the drain panel 50, the problem cannot be solved by simply using an auxiliary member.

[0027] Therefore, in the ice dispenser 10 of this embodiment, the drain panel 50 is configured to be detachable from the housing 11. That is, when the drain panel 50 is removed from the housing 11, the vertical dimension of the space below the discharge section 25 is expanded, and this expanded space is used to place a tall, large collection container x (see FIG. 6(b)). In this case, the collection container is supported from below by the upper surface of the shelf section 19 that is exposed when the drain panel 50 is removed, and the holder 100 as the above-mentioned auxiliary member is placed at a position (auxiliary position) where the collection container x supported by the shelf section 19 can be supported so as not to fall forward. Hereinafter, the attachment and detachment of the drain panel 50 will be described first, and then the configuration of the holder 100 will be described.

[0028] (Configuration for attaching and detaching the drain panel 50) As described above, the front panel 15 is provided with a flat shelf portion 19 (see FIG. 6) that extends forward from the lower edge portion thereof and covers the base extension portion 31A from above. The holding portions 17a, 19b, and 19d that detachably hold the drain panel 50 are provided on the shelf portion 19 facing the lower surface of the drain panel 50 and on the concave portion 17 facing the rear surface of the drain panel 50. Although a description of the specific holding structure is omitted, the holding portions 17a, 19b, and 19d in this embodiment are composed of a locking piece 19b that locks the locked portion 53a provided on the drain panel 50, a first rib 56 and a hook 58 that clamp the clamped portion 19d provided on the drain panel 50, and a fitting groove portion 17a into which a fitting portion 59 provided on the drain panel 50 fits (see FIGS. 4, 5, and 6). By attaching or detaching the drain panel 50 to or from the housing 11, the first path 60a formed by the start pipe 60 and the second path 37a formed by the relay pipe component 37 can be connected or separated.

[0029] (Configuration of holder 100 and auxiliary position) The holder 100 is a metal rod bent into a U-shape, and when all ice is to be discharged, the holder 100 is placed in an auxiliary position in front of the shelf 19 with both ends hooked on two hooking holes 19e penetrating the shelf 19 and the base plate 31 (base extension 31A) as shown in FIG. 6(a). The holder 100 has a linear support 101 at its center, and arms 102 are provided so as to extend perpendicularly from both ends of the support 101. The extending ends of the arms 102, i.e., both ends of the holder 100, are hooked parts 102a that are hooked on the hooking holes 19e on the housing 11 side. When the holder 100 is placed in the auxiliary position, the center 102b of the arms 102 contacts the upper surface of the shelf 19, and the hooked parts 102a pass through the hooking holes 19e and contact the lower surface of the base plate 31 (base extension 31A) as shown in FIG. 6(b). In this state, the support portion 101 is positioned higher than the shelf portion 19 by the inclined portion 102c provided on the support portion 101 side of the center portion 102b of the arm 102. Therefore, the support portion 101 supports the raised bottom surface of the recovery container x from below, and can bear the weight of the recovery container x. Since the holder 100 supports a portion of the bottom surface of the recovery container x that is forward of the center in the front-to-rear direction, the holder 100 can prevent the recovery container x from tipping forward even if ice is collected into the recovery container x and the load increases.

[0030] (Reinforcement structure of shelf portion 19) In addition, when the holder 100 is placed in the auxiliary position to receive the load of the recovery container x, the hooking port 19e on which the holder 100 is hooked is located at the front end side of the shelf portion 19, so that a force that tends to deform downward is applied from the holder 100 to the front end side of the shelf portion 19. Here, as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 6(b), a filter guide FG is provided on the lower surface of the base plate 31 (the lower surface of the housing 11) to guide and hold the air filter AF that covers the lower ventilation port 133 from below to a position facing the lower ventilation port 133, and this filter guide FG extends from a position along the side edge of the lower ventilation port 133 in the base main body portion 31B to the base extension portion 31A (a position below the shelf portion 19). That is, the shelf portion 19 on which the recovery container x is placed when all ice is discharged is reinforced by the filter guide FG in addition to the reinforcement by the base extension portion 31A overlapping the lower side of the shelf portion 19.

[0031] (Regarding the storage position of the holder 100) The holder 100 is not used except when discharging all the ice, so it is basically moved to a position other than the auxiliary position. For example, the holder 100 can be held by a hook on the side of the housing 11, but this is unsightly and may get in the way or be lost. However, if the holder 100 is stored in a position away from the ice dispenser 10, it may be difficult to find the holder 100 immediately when it is needed to use it, or it may take time to go to the storage location to get the holder 100. Therefore, in this embodiment, the storage position of the holder 100 is secured below the drain panel 50, which is detachable from the housing 11, and on the upper surface side of the shelf portion 19, which is exposed when the drain panel 50 is removed.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 7, the concave surface 17 of the front panel 15 is provided with a storage fixing means 17b for fixing and holding the holder 100 in a specific posture at the storage position above the shelf 19. Here, the holder 100 is turned upside down from the case where it is placed in the auxiliary position, and the support part 101 is positioned on the left side, so that the holder 100 can be fixed to the storage position by the storage fixing means 17b. The storage fixing means 17b is composed of a first fixing part 171 that faces the left and above the support part 101 when the holder 100 is in the specific posture, and a second fixing part 172 that faces the extending end side of the arm 102 from above and below. The first fixing part 171 and the second fixing part 172 are formed so as to protrude forward from the concave surface 17 of the front panel 15. Therefore, with the holder 100 in a specific posture, it can be moved backward along the upper surface of the shelf portion 19 so as to approach the concave portion 17, thereby fixing it to the storage and fixing means 17b, and the holder 100 can be released from the fixation by the storage and fixing means 17b by pulling it out so as to move it forward and away from the concave portion 17.

[0033] Here, in this embodiment, the first rib 56 and the second rib 57 provided on the lower surface of the bottom wall 54 of the drain panel 50 function as a restricting portion that restricts the attachment of the drain panel 50 when the holder 100 is not in the correct position (storage position). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the two left and right first ribs 56 are spaced from each other by a distance that is slightly larger than the length of the arm 102 of the holder 100. The second rib 57 has a length in the front-rear direction shorter than that of the first rib 56, and is provided at a position biased toward the front end side of the lower surface of the bottom wall 54 between the two first ribs 56. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the space between the lower surface of the drain panel 50 and the upper surface of the shelf portion 19 is restricted by the first rib 56 and the second rib 57 to an extent that the holder 100 can be positioned in a specific posture. That is, when the drain panel 50 is attached to the upper surface side of the shelf part 19 in a state where the holder 100 is fixed in a specific posture by the above-mentioned storing and fixing means 17b, the holder 100 is stored between the two first ribs 56 on the left and right and behind the second rib 57, and in this case, the drain panel 50 can be attached without any problem. On the other hand, when the holder 100 is in a position different from the stored position on the upper surface side of the shelf part 19 because it is in a posture other than the specific posture, it is impossible to attach the drain panel 50 to the upper surface side of the shelf part 19 (holding by the above-mentioned holding parts 17a, 19b, 19d). That is, by limiting the storage position of the holder 100 to a minimum size by the first rib 56 and the second rib 57, it is possible to know that the storage state of the holder 100 is incorrect when the drain panel 50 cannot be attached.

[0034] [Effects of the embodiment] The effects of the ice dispenser 10 according to this embodiment are as follows.

[0035] The drain panel 50 is detachably attached to the upper surface of the shelf 19, which extends horizontally forward from the lower end of the front surface of the housing 11 and is located below the discharge section 25. The shelf 19 with the drain panel 50 removed and the holder 100 attached to the shelf 19 so as to be located at an auxiliary position forward of the shelf 19 support the recovery container x used when recovering ice from the stocker 23 from below. Since the drain panel 50 can be removed from the shelf 19 of the housing 11 in this way, the recovery container x used when recovering ice can be placed on the shelf 19, and the vertical dimension of the space in which the recovery container x is placed can be made large. That is, the recovery operation can be performed using a recovery container x with a deep bottom (high). Also, since the recovery container x can be supported by the shelf 19 and the holder 100 located at the auxiliary position (forward of the front end of the shelf 19), the recovery operation can be performed using a recovery container x with a wide bottom (large front-to-rear dimension). That is, a recovery container x having a large capacity can be used in the ice recovery operation, and the effort required for the recovery operation can be reduced. Furthermore, when the recovery operation is not being performed, the holder 100 can be positioned at a storage position behind the front end of the shelf portion 19, and the holder 100 can be stored so as not to get in the way.

[0036] A lower vent 133 that is formed in the base plate 31, which is the lower wall of the housing 11, and communicates between the inside and outside of the housing 11, is covered from below by an air filter AF, and a filter guide FG that guides and holds the air filter AF to a position facing the lower vent 133 is provided so as to extend from a position along the side edge of the lower vent 133 on the lower surface of the base plate 31 to a position below the shelf portion 19. Here, when a recovery container x is placed on the shelf portion 19 of the housing 11 to perform ice recovery work, the larger the capacity of the recovery container x, the more load is applied to the shelf portion 19. Therefore, the shelf portion 19 may be deformed or damaged. In contrast, by arranging the filter guide FG, which was conventionally provided within the range of the base main body portion 31B of the base plate 31, to extend over the base extension portion 31A of the base plate 31, the base plate 31 and the shelf portion 19 can be reinforced using the filter guide FG, and the base plate 31 and the shelf portion 19 can be ensured to have sufficient strength to withstand the weight of the recovery container x (recovered ice).

[0037] By providing a storage position for the holder 100 on the upper surface side of the shelf portion 19 that is exposed when the drain panel 50 is removed, the holder 100 can be easily found when it is used and can be used immediately. Also, when the holder 100 is not in use, the holder 100 does not get in the way. Furthermore, by providing a storage and fixing means 17b that holds the holder 100 in the storage position, it is possible to prevent the holder 100 from being lost.

[0038] The drain panel 50 is provided with a first rib 56 and a second rib 57 as a restricting portion that restricts the attachment of the drain panel 50 when the holder 100 is in a position on the upper surface side of the shelf portion 19 different from the storage position. In other words, when the ice collection operation is completed and the drain panel 50 is returned to the upper surface side of the shelf portion 19 of the housing 11, if the holder 100 is in a position on the upper surface side of the shelf portion 19 that is shifted from the storage position, the attachment of the drain panel 50 is restricted by the first rib 56 and the second rib 57. Therefore, the holder 100 that is placed in the auxiliary position during the ice collection operation is reliably returned to the storage position. This makes it possible to prevent the holder 100 from being lost. Another example

[0039] Hereinafter, another example of the configuration of the auxiliary member used when discharging all the ice in the ice dispenser 10 according to the embodiment described above will be described with reference to FIG.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 9(a), the holder 200 of the other example includes a bottom plate portion 201, two opposing walls 202 rising upward from opposing edges of the bottom plate portion 201, and a support wall 203 connecting one end of each opposing wall 202. A support plate 204 is provided so as to extend from the upper edge of the support wall 203 in parallel with the bottom plate portion 201, and is configured to support the above-mentioned recovery container x from below by the support plate 204. In addition, the holder 200 is provided with a slide plate 205 and a protrusion 206 on each opposing wall 202. As shown in Fig. 9(b), the shelf portion 19 that holds the holder 200 is formed with a notched slide engagement portion 211 extending rearward from its front end surface, and a slide restriction hole 212 is formed slightly spaced rearward from the slide engagement portion 211. That is, by engaging the opposing walls 202 of the holder 200 with the slide engagement parts 211 of the shelf part 19, the presence of the slide plate 205 prevents the holder 200 from detaching downward from the shelf part 19, and in this state, when the holder 200 is slid backward along the slide engagement parts 211 and reaches the slide end position, the protrusions 206 fit into the slide restriction holes 212 from below, and the holder 200 is fixedly positioned at the auxiliary position. The holder 200 configured in this manner has strength because the bottom plate part 201 and the support wall 203 connect between the two opposing walls 202, and can reliably support the collection container x.

[0041] [Example of change] The present application is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, and for example, the following configurations can be appropriately adopted. (1) In the embodiment, the drain pan (drain panel) is configured to be removably held on the shelf portion of the housing by a holding portion (engagement groove portion, locking piece, clamped portion) provided on the housing, but the drain pan may be configured to be removably held on the housing by a holding portion made of a separate member from the housing. (2) In the embodiment, the holding member (holder) is configured to be attachable (fixable) to two locations, the auxiliary position and the storage position, but the auxiliary member may be disposed on the shelf portion so as to be slidable between the auxiliary position and the storage position. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 11 housing, 17b storage and fixing means, 19 shelf portion, 23 stocker, 25 discharge portion, 31 base plate, 50 drain panel (drain pan), 56 first rib (regulating portion), 57 second rib (regulating portion), 100 holder (auxiliary member), 133 lower vent (vent), AF Air Filter, FG Filter Guide, x Collection Container

Claims

1. A beverage dispenser comprising: a housing (11) provided with a discharge section (25) capable of discharging ice stored in a stocker (23) inside the housing (11) downward; and a drain pan (50) provided below the discharge section (25) and spaced apart therefrom; The housing (11) includes a shelf portion (19) extending horizontally forward from a lower end of a front surface thereof and positioned below the discharge portion (25), and the drain pan (50) is detachably attached to an upper surface side of the shelf portion (19). The drain pan (50) is provided with an auxiliary member (100) that is detachably attached to the shelf portion (19) in a state where the drain pan (50) is removed, The shelf portion (19) with the drain pan (50) removed and the auxiliary member (100) attached to the shelf portion (19) so as to be located at an auxiliary position forward of the shelf portion (19) are configured to be able to support from below a recovery container (x) used when recovering ice in the stocker (23). A beverage dispenser comprising:

2. A beverage dispenser comprising: a housing (11) provided with a discharge section (25) capable of discharging ice stored in a stocker (23) inside the housing (11) downward; and a drain pan (50) provided below the discharge section (25) and spaced apart therefrom; a shelf portion (19) extending horizontally forward from a lower end of a front surface of the housing (11) and positioned below the discharge portion (25), and the drain pan (50) is detachably mounted on an upper surface side of the shelf portion (19); a recovery container (x) used for recovering ice in the stocker (23) can be supported from below by the shelf portion (19) with the drain pan (50) removed and an auxiliary member (100) attached to the shelf portion (19) so as to be located at an auxiliary position forward of the shelf portion (19); The drain pan (50) is provided with restriction portions (56, 57) for restricting the attachment of the drain pan (50) when the auxiliary member (100) is in a position different from the storage position provided on the upper surface side of the shelf portion (19). A beverage dispenser comprising:

3. A beverage dispenser comprising: a housing (11) provided with a discharge section (25) capable of discharging ice stored in a stocker (23) inside the housing (11) downward; and a drain pan (50) provided below the discharge section (25) and spaced apart therefrom; a shelf portion (19) extending horizontally forward from a lower end of a front surface of the housing (11) and positioned below the discharge portion (25), and the drain pan (50) is detachably mounted on an upper surface side of the shelf portion (19); a recovery container (x) used for recovering ice in the stocker (23) can be supported from below by the shelf portion (19) with the drain pan (50) removed and an auxiliary member (100) attached to the shelf portion (19) so as to be located at an auxiliary position forward of the shelf portion (19); A vent hole (133) that communicates between the inside and the outside of the housing (11) is formed in the lower wall (31) of the housing (11), A filter guide (FG) that guides and holds an air filter (AF) in a position opposite the vent hole (133) is provided so as to extend from a position along the side edge of the vent hole (133) on the lower surface of the bottom wall (31) to a position below the shelf portion (19). A beverage dispenser comprising:

4. The beverage dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a storage and fixing means (17b) for fixing the auxiliary member (100) to a storage position provided on the upper surface side of the shelf portion (19).

5. 4. A beverage dispenser as claimed in claim 1 or 3, wherein the drain pan (50) is provided with a regulating portion (56, 57) that regulates the attachment of the drain pan (50) when the auxiliary member (100) is in a position different from the storage position provided on the upper surface side of the shelf portion (19).

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