JP4457539B2 - Vending machine product storage device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a product storage device for a vending machine in which a plurality of rows of product storage passages are provided that meander in the vertical direction and extend and store products stacked therein.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a conventional vending machine equipped with such a conventional product storage device. As shown in the figure, the product storage device 1 includes a product input port 11 through which a product S is input from the front, a product storage passage 2 that extends in a vertical manner to store the input product, and a product. A product unloading mechanism 3 is provided below the storage passage 2 and sells the products S stored in the product storage passage 2 one by one from the bottom based on the sales operation.
[0003]
By the way, as shown in the figure, the product storage passage 2 is provided with a large number of front guide plates 13 and rear guide plates 14 that are each curved in an arc shape and provided with a curled portion at the end portion, facing the side plate 4. Thus, it is formed to extend in a serpentine shape in the vertical direction. Moreover, since the partition part of the product storage passage 2 adjacent to the front and rear is constituted by the rear guide plate 14 of the front product storage passage 2 and the front guide plate 13 of the rear product storage passage 2, the front and rear guide plates 13, A gap is formed between the fourteen.
[0004]
The product storage device 1 configured as described above has a problem in that the product storage passage 2 is composed of a large number of parts, so that the number of parts is large and the number of assembly steps is increased. In addition, there is a problem that the efficiency of storing goods is not good because the gap is formed in the partition part of the adjacent product storage passage 2.
[0005]
Therefore, a configuration described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-77446 has already been proposed as a configuration for solving these problems. In this configuration, for example, a long corrugated passage forming member is disposed between adjacent product storage passages, and the corrugated shape is used to smoothly drop the product S in the product storage passage. A prevention member for preventing the product S from getting stuck in the valley portion is provided by cutting and raising. By comprising in this way, the number of parts which comprise a goods storage passage can be reduced, and the useless space of a partition part can be eliminated. In addition, it is possible to improve the flow of products in the product storage passage and reduce failures such as product clogging.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the configuration described in the above publication, the prevention member for preventing the product S from getting stuck is formed by cutting and raising a cantilevered plate piece in a valley portion of a passage forming member formed in a wave shape. . For this reason, when the plate | board thickness of a channel | path formation member is made thin, the intensity | strength of a cut-and-raised part will be weak and it will deform | transform easily. In addition, the peak portion of the passage forming member forms one wall surface of the product storage passage and has a function of preventing the product clogging by restricting the passage width by the protruding portion. It was necessary to form large. For this reason, in order to manufacture the passage forming member , it is necessary to process a thick steel plate into a wave shape with a large amplitude, which causes an increase in the size of the processing die and a decrease in productivity, resulting in an increase in manufacturing cost, etc. There was a problem.
[0007]
The present invention, along with lowering the production cost by readily processable with pleasure without and easy deformed shape such as a passage forming member, and reduce the number of parts, eliminates wasted space, in product storage passage An object of the present invention is to provide a product storage device for a vending machine that improves the flow of products and reduces failures such as product jams.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is provided with a plurality of rows of product storage passages arranged in parallel in the front-rear direction between the pair of left and right side plates, extending in a vertical manner so as to stack and store products therein. In the product storage device of the vending machine, the first product storage passage and the second product storage passage adjacent to each other are partitioned, and the first convex portion and the second product storage facing the first product storage passage are provided. It consists of the plate-shaped member formed so that the 2nd convex part which goes to a channel | path may continue in the up-down direction alternately, and the front-and-back surface forms the wall surface of the said 1st goods storage path and the said 2nd goods storage path, respectively A partition member, a first passage regulating member provided at a position protruding from the first convex portion toward the first commodity storage passage, and the second commodity further from the second convex portion. No. 1 provided at a position protruding toward the storage passage And a passage regulating member.
[0009]
According to this configuration, the structure of the partition member can be simplified, and a useless space between adjacent product storage passages can be eliminated. Further, by regulating the interval in the front-rear direction of the product storage passage by the passage regulating member, it is possible to prevent the vertical standing of the input product in the product storage passage, and to smooth the flow of the product.
[0011]
Moreover, in the invention concerning Claim 1, the said 1st channel | path control member and the 2nd channel | path control member are the rod-shaped members which cross | intersect the said 1st goods storage path and the 2nd goods storage path in the left-right direction, respectively. The rod-shaped member is disposed rotatably around its axis, thereby reducing the frictional resistance when the product falling in the product storage passage comes into contact with the passage restriction member, and the flow of the product. Can be improved.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same code | symbol is used regarding the same structure as the past.
[0014]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a vending machine including a product storage device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the vending machine includes a main body 21, a door 22 that opens and closes a front opening 21 a of the main body 21, a product storage device 1 disposed in the main body 21, and the like. And this main body 21 is comprised from the heat insulation box, and can cool and sell the goods S accommodated in the internal goods storage apparatus 1 by cooling or heating with the cooling device and heating device which are not shown in figure.
[0015]
As in the prior art, the product storage device 1 includes a product input port 11 through which products are input from the front, a product storage passage 2 that extends in a vertical manner to store the input products, and a lower portion of the product storage passage 2. And a product carry-out mechanism 3 for selling the products S stored in the product storage passage 2 one by one from the bottom based on the sales operation. In the case of the present embodiment, the product storage device 1 includes a front product passage unit 1a composed of two adjacent product storage passages 2 on the front side and a rear product storage unit 2 composed of two adjacent product storage passages 2 on the rear side. It is comprised from the side goods channel | path unit 1b.
[0016]
The two product storage passages 2 in the front product passage unit 1a are disposed at a front portion between a pair of side plates 4 disposed opposite to each other in the left-right direction through a predetermined gap. A front passage guide plate 5 that forms a front passage wall of the front product storage passage (first product storage passage) 2a and a rear product storage passage (second second passage) disposed in the rear part between the side plates 4 Product storage passages) 2b, the rear passage guide plate 6 forming the rear passage wall, and the convex portions 7a, 7b facing the respective two product storage passages 2a, 2b disposed substantially at the center between the side plates 4. And a product partition further forward from the convex portion (first convex portion) 7a of the channel partition plate 7 facing the product storage passage 2a on the front side. A first passage regulating member 8 provided at a position protruding toward the passage 2a; From the second passage regulating member 9 provided at a position protruding further from the convex portion (second convex portion) 7b of the passage partition plate 7 toward the commodity storage passage 2b on the side to the rear commodity storage passage 2b side. It is configured. That is, the front product storage passage 2 a is formed from the side plate 4, the front passage guide plate 5, the passage partition plate 7, and the first passage restriction member 8, and the side plate 4, the rear passage guide plate 6, and the passage partition plate 7 A rear product storage passage 2 b is formed from the second passage restriction member 9. The front and rear surfaces of the passage partition plate 7 form a wall surface of the front product storage passage 2a and a rear product storage passage 2b, respectively. The front passage guide plate 5 and the rear passage guide plate 6 are arranged in the front-rear direction. Convex and concave portions that extend in the vertical direction are alternately formed to extend in a meandering manner, and constitute the passage walls of the front product storage passage 2a and the rear product storage passage 2b, respectively.
[0017]
By configuring the product storage device 1 in this way, the structure of the passage partition plate 7 that partitions the adjacent product storage passages 2a and 2b can be simplified, and a useless space between the product storage passages 2a and 2b can be saved. It can be lost. Furthermore, by arranging the passage regulating members 8 and 9 in the product storage passages 2a and 2b, respectively, the distance in the front-rear direction of the product storage passages 2a and 2b is regulated, and in the product storage passages 2a and 2b of the input product S. Can be prevented. Accordingly, it is possible to provide the product storage device 1 in which the passage forming member is easily manufactured, the product storage efficiency is good, and the product is not clogged.
[0018]
FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view showing the passage partition plate 7 of the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the passage partition plate 7 has an upward and downward inclined surface 7ab that bends the convex portion 7a toward the front product storage passage 2a backward from the vertical surface (first vertical surface) 7aa and the upper and lower ends of the vertical surface 7aa. 7ac, and the convex portion 7b toward the rear product storage passage 2b is composed of a vertical surface (second vertical surface) 7ba and upper and lower slopes 7bb and 7bc bent forward from the upper and lower ends of the vertical surface 7ba. The lower slope (first lower slope) 7ac constituting the convex portion 7a toward the front product storage passage 2a and the upper slope (second upper slope) constituting the convex portion 7b toward the rear product storage passage 2b ) 7bb is continuous, and the lower slope (second lower slope) 7bc constituting the convex portion 7b toward the rear product storage passage 2b and the upper slope constituting the convex portion 7a toward the front product storage passage 2a ( 1st upper slope) 7ab is formed to be continuous To have.
[0019]
In this way, the passage partition plate 7 is formed in a shape that bends into a wave shape by connecting the vertical surfaces 7aa, 7ba having different front and rear positions vertically, thereby preventing the product S from getting stuck in the wave-shaped trough. The flow of S can be improved, the amplitude of the wave shape can be reduced, and the mold for processing / manufacturing the passage partition plate 7 can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.
[0020]
Further, the first passage restriction member 8 and the second passage restriction member 9 are respectively provided with shaft centers 8a and 9a horizontally disposed between the left and right side plates in parallel with the front and rear surfaces of the passage partition plate 7, and the shaft center 8a. , 9a are formed from rod-like members 8b, 9b that are rotatable about the center. This reduces the frictional resistance when the product S falling in the product storage passage 2 comes into contact with the passage regulating members 8 and 9 to improve the flow of the product S, and prevents the product from being jammed in the product storage passage 2. Can be reduced.
[0021]
As described above, the front product passage unit 1a is configured. Further, the rear product passage unit 1b constituting the product storage device 1 of the present invention is configured in substantially the same manner as the front product passage unit 1a.
[0022]
FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a vending machine provided with a product storage device 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view showing the partition plate 7 of the second embodiment. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. As shown in the figure, in the second embodiment, the first passage restriction member 8 provided on the product storage passage 2 side of the convex portions 7a and 7b of the passage partition plate 7 in the first embodiment, respectively, Instead of the second passage restriction member 9, the first passage restriction protrusion 7ad and the second passage restriction protrusion 7bd are provided on the vertical surfaces 7aa and 7ba constituting the protrusions 7a and 7b of the passage partition plate 7, respectively. It is formed by projecting at three places on the product storage passage 2 side. With this configuration, the passage partition plate 7, the first passage restriction protrusion 7ad, and the second passage restriction protrusion 7bd can be integrally formed, and the number of parts and the number of assembly steps can be reduced. Manufacturing cost can be reduced. Further, the first passage restriction protrusion 7ad and the second passage restriction protrusion 7bd are formed so that the upper and lower ends are supported by the passage partition plate 7 and protrude from the central portion, so that they are difficult to be deformed, and by press working It can be easily formed. For this reason, the plate thickness of the passage partition plate 7 can be reduced, and the processing cost can be reduced. Here, it is desirable that the convex portions 7a and the convex portions 7b of the passage partition plate 7 and the shapes of the first passage restriction projecting portions 7ad and the second passage restriction projecting portions 7bd are formed in the same manner. As a result, the passage partition plate 7 has no difference between the front and rear surfaces, and can be easily handled and processed and assembled.
[0023]
In addition, it is desirable that the front and rear passage guide plates 5 and 6 forming the product passage wall have the same meandering shape in the vertical direction. This makes it possible to use a common mold or the like for processing / manufacturing the front passage guide plate 5 and the rear passage guide plate 6, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and shortening the lead time until production. Is possible.
[0024]
In the above-described embodiment, the product storage device 1 in which the product passage units 1a and 1b including two adjacent product storage passages 2 are arranged in two rows in the front-rear direction has been described. The present invention is not limited and can be applied within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention can be applied to the product storage device 1 of a vending machine having three or more product storage passages 2 adjacent to each other. Is possible.
[0025]
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the structure of the partition member can be simplified, the useless space between adjacent product storage passages can be eliminated, and the space between the product storage passages in the front-rear direction is further reduced. Is controlled by the passage restricting member to prevent the input product from standing upright in the product storage passage, and the product is reduced in friction resistance when the product falling in the product storage passage comes into contact with the product restricting member. The flow can be made smooth. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a merchandise storage device for a vending machine with a good quality, in which the passage forming member can be easily manufactured, the merchandise storage efficiency is good, and the product clogging is small.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a vending machine provided with a product storage device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view showing a passage partition plate according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a vending machine equipped with a product storage device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view showing a passage partition plate according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of a vending machine including a conventional product storage device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Product storage apparatus 2 Product storage path 2a The front product storage path (1st product storage path)
2b Rear product storage passage (second product storage passage)
4 Side plate 7 Passage partition plate (partition member)
7a Convex part (first convex part)
7aa Vertical plane (first vertical plane)
7ab upper slope (first upper slope)
7ac Lower slope (first lower slope)
7ad 1st channel | path regulation protrusion part 7b Convex part (2nd convex part)
7ba Vertical plane (second vertical plane)
7bb Upper slope (second upper slope)
7bc Lower slope (second lower slope)
7bd Second passage restriction projecting portion 8 First passage restriction member 8a Axis 8b Rod member 9 Second passage restriction member 8a Axis 8b Rod member

Claims (1)

In a product storage device of a vending machine in which a plurality of product storage passages are arranged in parallel in the front-rear direction, meandering in the vertical direction between a pair of left and right side plates, and stacking and storing products inside.
The first product storage passage and the second product storage passage that are adjacent to each other are partitioned, and the first convex portion that faces the first product storage passage and the second convex portion that faces the second product storage passage, And a partition member whose front and rear surfaces respectively form the wall surfaces of the first product storage passage and the second product storage passage, and the first protrusions. A first passage regulating member provided at a position further projecting toward the first product storage passage from the portion, and a position projecting further toward the second product storage passage from the second convex portion. A second passage restricting member, and the first passage restricting member and the second passage restricting member are bar-shaped that traverse the first product storage passage and the second product storage passage in the left-right direction, respectively. The rod-shaped member is around its axis Product storage device of a vending machine, characterized in that is rotatably disposed.

Images