JPH03168894A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily take out a commodity by carrying the commodity in an erected state to a commodity take-out port although commodities in a commodity stock room are stored in the laid state. CONSTITUTION:The automatic vending machine is provided with a commodity erecting guide 14 for guiding a commodity so as to project it in the erected state to a commodity receiver 10. The commodity carried from a commodity carrying-out device 3 is projected to the commodity receiver 10 so as to be erected by the guide 14 and the commodity is carried to the take-out port 13 together with the commodity receiver 10, so that although laid commodities are stored in the commodity stock room 2, the erected commodities can be carried to the take-out port 13. Since the erected commodity can be carried to the take-out port 13 without especially changing the stock room 2, the commodity can easily be taken out.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a vending machine, and particularly to an automatic vending machine equipped with a means for conveying a product to a product outlet provided at a relatively high position. Regarding vending machines.

(Prior art) In general, in conventional vending machines, the product storage chamber is located at a higher position than the product takeout port, and due to the difference in height between the product storage chamber and the product takeout port, the products taken out naturally fall or slide down. , and is configured to be guided to the product outlet. Also,
In order to store as many products as possible, the vertical dimension of the product storage chamber is made large, but if the product storage chamber with a large vertical dimension is set at a high position, the vertical dimension of the vending machine will increase. , product replenishment becomes difficult. For these reasons, the product outlet has to be set at a relatively low position, making it extremely difficult for adults to remove products from the product outlet as they must bend over. There is.

Therefore, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-201893, an automated system is proposed in which the product taken out from the product storage chamber is slid down by a chute and then transported to the product takeout port using a conveyor device. A vending machine is proposed. According to this groove, it is possible to increase the product storage capacity without increasing the height dimension of the vending machine unnecessarily, and it is also possible to set the product and product outlet at a high position. , the purchaser can take out the product without bending over, but in the conventional vending machine mentioned above, the product is stored upside down in the product storage chamber, so the product removal port is inevitably closed. Even when the product is taken out, it is in an overturned state. However, in vending machines where the product outlet is located at a high position, especially when the product is a canned beverage, the product is placed in a high position to make it easier to take out the product, and also from a design perspective. It is preferable that the product in the outlet be in an upright position rather than in an overturned position.

The method for transporting the products in an upright position at the product takeout point is to store the product in an upright position in the product storage room from the beginning. The first idea is to carry out and convey S6 in the same position.

However, this method not only increases the size of the product storage chamber in the height direction, but also complicates the work of storing the products, making it extremely impractical.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) As mentioned above, in conventional vending machines that use a conveyance device to transport products to a product outlet set at a relatively high position, it is difficult to store products in an upright position. Since the product cannot be transported to the product take-out port, it is not desirable in terms of ease of product removal and design.Furthermore, storing the product in an upright position in the product storage room increases the height dimension, making it difficult to store the product. The problem was that it became difficult.

The present invention was made in order to solve such problems, and is a vending machine that transports products to a product outlet set at a relatively high position. To provide a vending machine capable of transporting products in an upright position at a product take-out point while storing the products in an overturned state.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a product receptacle that is provided to be able to lift and lower products carried out from the lower part of a product storage chamber that stores a plurality of products. In a vending machine, the product is received at approximately the bottom dead center position by the machine, the product tray is raised to almost the top dead center position, and the product in the product tray is conveyed to the product takeout port by the product conveyance means. The product is characterized by being equipped with a product standing guide that guides the product to be put in the product in an upright state.

Further, in the present invention, it is preferable that a guide moving mechanism that is linked to the product transport means is further provided, so that when the product is put into the product receptacle, the product raising guide is positioned above the product receptacle so that the product receptacle is raised by the product transport means. When the product is moved, the product raising guide is retracted from the transport path of the product transport means.

(Function) In the present invention, the product carried out from the product carrying means is thrown into the product receiver in an upright state by the upright guide, and the product is transported together with the product receiver to the takeout port, so that the product in the product storage room is in an overturned state. Even if the product is stored in an upright position, the product is conveyed to the product outlet in an upright position.

In this way, without making any special changes to the product storage room,
Since the product is conveyed to the product outlet in an upright state, it is extremely easy to take out the product. Further, it is preferable from a design point of view that the product in the product outlet be taken out in an upright state.

Furthermore, by providing the guide movement mechanism, even if the product upright guide is in the conveyance path, that is, above the product receiver at the dead center position, it will not interfere with the conveyance of the product receiver, so the product upright guide can be moved in a simple manner. It can be made into a shape that is advantageous for miniaturization.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the main parts of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view, and Fig. 3 shows the main parts of the product raising guide and guide moving mechanism. FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a product storage chamber 2 for storing a plurality of products (for example, canned drinks) in a stacked manner in an overturned state is arranged in the main body 1 of the vending machine. At the bottom of the chamber 2, there is disposed a product delivery device 3 that drops and carries out products selected by a customer one by one from the bottom when the product selection switch 25 is pressed. A chute 5 is disposed below the product carrying out device @3 for receiving the carried out product 4 and sliding it down and guiding it toward the lower front of the main body 1. Export port 6 which is the exit of this chute 5
is provided with a door 7 for heat insulation that can be opened and closed freely.

This door 7 is normally closed, and is pushed open by the product 4 when the product 4 passes through.

On the front side of the main body 1, there is a transfer belt 8 that receives the products 4 led from the product storage chamber 2 through the product unloading device 3, chute 5, and exit 6 by pushing open the door 7, and transfers them laterally. ,
A motor 9 that drives the transfer belt 8, and a motor 9 that drives the transfer belt 8.
a product receiver 10 for receiving the product 4 discharged from the end of the
A conveyor belt 11 for raising the product receiver 10 and transporting the product 4 and a motor (not shown) for driving the belt 11 are provided. Endless belts are used for the transport belt 8 and the transport belt 11. The conveyor belt 11 is driven by a motor, and conveys the product 4 received by the product receiver 10 at almost the bottom dead center position %X to the product receiver 10.
Raise the inside of 812 and take out the product that is almost at the top dead center
3, and then the product receiver 10 is lowered to the dead center position.

Then, above the position where the product 4 discharged from the end of the transfer belt 8 begins to fall into the product receiver 10, the product 4 is placed in an upright state, and a pair of product receivers are placed in the product receiver 10. 14 guides are installed. Further, a guide moving mechanism 15 is connected to each of these product upright guides 14, and movement is controlled by the guide moving mechanism 15 in conjunction with the operation of a conveyor belt 11, which is a product conveying means, via a product receiver 10.

FIG. 3 shows in detail the configuration of the product raising guide 14 and the guide moving mechanism 15. As shown in the figure, the product upright guide 141 is formed into two slant-shaped sections, and one horizontal guide is installed in the transfer path 12 of the product transfer means so as to protrude from both sides and face each other. The opposite end is curved towards the opposite side. The guide movement mechanism 15 includes a shaft 16, a composite arm 17 having three arm parts 17a, 17b, and 17c rotatably supported on the shaft 16, a spring 18 that applies rotational force to the composite arm 17, Stopper 19a for determining the stop position of arm 17. 19b.

The arm portion 17a is for moving the product standing guide 14,
It has a notch 20 at its tip, and a bin 22 provided on a support member 21 of the product standing guide 14 is engaged with this notch 20. The arm portion 17b is used for transmitting rotational force to apply rotational force to the moving arm portion 17a on the right side in the figure in the clockwise direction in the drawing and to the moving arm portion 17a on the left side in the figure in the counterclockwise direction in the drawing when the product receiver 10 is facing upward. When the product receiver 10 is lowered, the other arm part 17c applies rotational force to the moving arm part 17a on the right side in the figure in the counterclockwise direction in the figure, and to the transfer arm part 17a on the left side in the figure in the clockwise direction in the figure. It is for transmitting rotational force that gives respectively. In addition, product receiver 1
0 has a knock pin 2 that engages with the arm portions 17b and 17c.
3 is provided.

Next, the operation of the vending machine of this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG.

First, the customer inserts a predetermined amount of coins into a coin slot (not shown), looks at the product display can 24, and presses the product selection switch 25 to select the desired product. The product is carried out from the -F part of the storage room 2 by the product carrying out device 3. The transported product 4 slides down the chute 5 toward the conveyance target 6, then pushes open the door 7 and transfers it to the conveyance belt 8.
fall on top.

The product 4 on the transfer belt 8 is in an overturned state with its longitudinal direction facing the transfer direction, and after the belt 8 is driven by the motor 9 and is transferred to the left toward the product receiver 10, the product 4 is moved to the product stand-up guide. Reach below 14. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the composite arms 17 on the right and left sides of the guide movement mechanism 15 are applied with counterclockwise and clockwise rotational forces by the springs 18, respectively, so that the product can be erected. The curved part of the guide 14 is the product receiver 1
It is located above 0.

Therefore, the product 4 that has reached the bottom of the product upright guide 14 is regulated by the curved portion of the product upright guide 14, and enters the product receiver 10 in an upright state with one end on the traveling direction facing the product receiver 10.

In this case, even if the transport speed of the product 4 on the transport belt 8 is relatively high, this operation can be performed reliably.

Next, when the product 4 enters the product receptacle 10, it is detected by a product presence/absence detector in the product receptacle (not shown), and based on this, a motor (not shown) drives the conveyor belt 11 under control from a control circuit (not shown). ) is driven. Therefore, the product receiver 10 is moved up in the conveyance path 12 by the conveyor belt 11 as shown by the arrow in FIG. The arm portion 17b of the composite arm 17 comes into contact with the arm portion 17b of the composite arm 17. As a result, the composite arms 17 on the right side and the left side in the drawing rotate clockwise and counterclockwise, respectively, using the shaft 16 as a fulcrum against the spring 18. The line connecting both ends A and B of the spring 18 forms a ball with the line connecting the shaft 16 and one end A of the spring 18! ! 3 (at this time, the spring 18 is in the maximum stretched state), when the compound arms 17 on the right and left sides of the figure rotate simultaneously in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions, the spring 18 The moving arm portion 17a further rotates until it hits the stopper 19a, and maintains this state thereafter. At this time, by rotating the compound arms 17 on the right and left sides of the figure in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions, the product raising guide 1
4 moves in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3(a) and retreats from the conveyance path 12. Therefore, the product receiver 10 is the product standing guide 1
4. Can ascend unhindered.

The product receiver 10 is raised to almost the top dead center position by the conveyor belt 11, and the products 4 in the product receiver 10 exit to the product outlet 13 while remaining upright. Then, when the product 4 is taken out from the product take-out port 13 by the purchasing customer, the product take-out n
Based on a signal from a non-illustrated product presence/absence detector in the retrieval eye that detects the presence or absence of a product in L3, the motor that drives the conveyor belt 11 is rotated in the opposite direction, and the product receiver 10 is lowered.

Here, when the product receiver 10 is lowered above the product upright guide 14, the product receiver 10 is lowered as shown in FIG. 3(b).
The knock bottle 23 fixed to hits the arm portion 17c of the composite arm 17.

As a result, the composite arms 17 on the right and left sides of the figure are
They rotate counterclockwise and clockwise against the spring 18, respectively. Then, the line connecting both ends A and B of the spring 18 is
When the composite arms 17 on the right and left sides of the figure rotate counterclockwise and clockwise until they overlap the line connecting the shaft 16 and one end A of the spring 18, the spring 18 biases the composite arms 17.
Further, the arm portion 17c rotates until it hits the stopper 19b as shown in FIG. 3(a), and maintains this state thereafter. In this state, the product standing guide 14 is as shown in Fig. 3(a).
It protrudes into the conveyance path 12 as shown in FIG. Further, the product receiver 10 descends to a position below the product upright guide 14, which is approximately the bottom dead center position, and enters a standby state.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, the product carried out from the product storage room in an overturned state is reliably and smoothly placed into the product receptacle in an upright state by the product upright guide, and then transported to the product takeout port. Therefore, customers do not have to twist their hands when taking out the product, making it extremely easy to take out the product.Also, the product in the product outlet is always upright, making it visually pleasing. Become. Furthermore, in the present invention, the products can remain in the overturned state in the product storage room as before, so the height dimension of the vending machine does not increase more than necessary, and the storage work does not become complicated.

Furthermore, a guide moving mechanism positions the product upright guide above the product receiver when the product is placed in the product receiver, and retracts the product upright guide from the transport path of the product transport means when the product receiver is raised by the product transport means. By providing this, even if the product raising guide is in the conveyance path, it will not interfere with the conveyance of the product receiver, so the product raising guide may have a simple shape, which is advantageous for downsizing.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the vending machine according to the same embodiment, and FIGS. 3(a) and (b) FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the detailed configuration and operation of a product standing guide and a guide moving mechanism in the same embodiment. 1...Vending machine body, 2...Product storage room, 3...
・Product unloading device, 10...Product receiver, 11...Transport belt, 12...Transport path, 13...Product outlet, 1
4... Product standing guide, 15... Guide moving mechanism,
17... Composite arm, 18... Spring, 19a, 19
b...stopper, 23...knock pin.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A product carried out from the lower part of a product storage room that stores multiple products is received at approximately the bottom dead center position by a product tray that can be raised and lowered, and the product tray is raised to approximately the top dead center position. , a vending machine in which a product in a product tray is conveyed to a product takeout port by a product conveying means, characterized by comprising a product upright guide that guides the product to be placed in the product tray in an upright state. vending machine. (2) A product carried out from the lower part of a product storage room that stores multiple products is received at approximately the bottom dead center position by a product tray that is movable up and down, and the product tray is raised to approximately the top dead center position. , in a vending machine in which a product in a product tray is transported to a product takeout port by a product conveyance means, a product stand-up guide that guides the product to be placed in the product tray in an upright state, and interlocked with the product conveyance device. and a guide for positioning the product raising guide above the product receiver when the product is placed in the product receiver, and retracting the product riser guide from the conveyance path of the product conveyance means when the product receiver is raised by the product conveyance means. A vending machine characterized by comprising a moving mechanism.