JPH0555280U - Vending machine product unloading device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] The product thrown out from the product storage unit and flipped up by the splashing member can be reliably conveyed to the product take-out port along the carry-out chute. [Structure] Space for splashing products thrown from the product storage
A carry-out chute 40 is provided from 41 to the upper product outlet 6. The carry-out chute 40 has a side wall with a smooth curved surface that is in contact with the product 61 repelled by the repelling member 46. [Effect] The product thrown out from the product storage part is flipped up.
When the product is unloaded from the transfer chute 40 to the product take-out port at 46, the product holds the propulsive force along the side wall 60 of the carry-out chute 40 and can be smoothly carried to the product take-out port along the side wall with little resistance.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial application]

 The present invention relates to a vending machine for selling products such as cigarettes, and more particularly, to a product carrying-out device for an automatic vending machine, in which a stored product is once thrown out to a lower portion and then guided to an upper product outlet.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 In recent years, vending machines place the product outlet at a considerably higher position than before so that the buyer can take out the product without bending over, placing importance on the operability of the product purchaser. The product can be used without reducing the storage capacity of the product, and the dispensing mechanism that replenishes the product storage unit of the conventional vending machine from above and dispenses it from below the product storage unit can be used as it is. After being ejected to the lower part, it is guided to the upper product take-out port by the product carry-out device.

As a product unloading device that guides products from the lower part to the upper part, for example, the structure described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-76981 is known. This conventional device has a structure in which the product thrown out from the product storage section is guided to the front bucket by the guide passage, the bucket containing the product is lifted by the elevating device, and is taken out to the upper product take-out port. Has been taken.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in the above-described conventional product discharge device, the product discharged from the product storage unit to the lower part is stored in the bucket and carried out to the upper product discharge port. When multiple units are installed side by side in the width direction of the machine body, the bucket will be long in the width direction so that the products thrown out from all the product storage units can be stored, and the product outlet will correspond to the length of the bucket. Even if the products thrown out from the product storage section are stored in various positions in the width direction of the bucket and are carried out from the bucket to the product outlet as they are, the product purchaser does not have to be long in the width direction. There was a problem that the product had to be searched from a long product outlet.

Further, there is a problem that it takes a certain amount of time to lift the bucket, and it takes a long time from when the product is selected by the purchaser until it is delivered to the product outlet.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and a product provided at a single upper position is a product to be ejected from a plurality of product storage units arranged side by side in the width direction of the vending machine body. By enabling delivery to the outlet, the purchaser does not have to search for the product outlet when removing the product from the outlet, and the product is delivered to the outlet after the product is selected by the purchaser. In a vending machine that can shorten the time until the product is released, the product that has been ejected from the product storage section and rebounded by the repulsion member can be smoothly retrieved along the carry-out suit with less resistance. It provides a vending machine product unloading device that can be transported to the exit.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The product unloading device of the vending machine of the present invention has a plurality of product storage units that store products in a stacked state arranged side by side in the width direction of the vending machine body, and the product is placed at the lowest position of each product storage unit by the ejection means. In the automatic vending machine in which the products are sent to the lower part through the discharging chute and then guided to the upper product take-out port by the product carrying-out means, the products are arranged at the bottom of the vending machine body in the width direction of the vending machine body. A conveyor that is installed and places the product dispensed by the dispensing means, and is driven to rotate by the drive means to move the placed product to one side in the width direction; and one side to which the conveyor moves the product. The flip-up space formed in the vicinity of the flip-up space and the side wall that is provided from the flip-up space to the product outlet above and in contact with the flipped-up product have a smooth curved surface. And shoot out, in which a splashed-up member bring splashed on the product outlet through the discharge chute to blow the product moved by the conveyor provided rotatably in said splashed up space.

[0008]

[Action]

 In the product discharge device of the vending machine according to the present invention, the product discharged from the product storage section by the discharging means is sent to the lower conveyor. Then, the product placed on the conveyor is moved to one side in the width direction of the vending machine body by the conveyor and sent into the splashing space.

Next, the product sent into the splashing space is flipped up by the rotation of the splashing member, and the splashed product smoothly goes along the curved surface of the side wall of the carry-out chute in line contact with little resistance. It is carried out to the outlet.

[0010]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, a cigarette vending machine will be described with reference to the configuration of one embodiment of the device for delivering goods of the vending machine according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 9, a coin insertion slot 2, a return lever 3, a bill insertion slot 4, and a display unit 5 for displaying the amount to be inserted and the like are arranged at an upper position on the right side of the vending machine body 1. .. In addition, a merchandise outlet 6 that doubles as a coin return port is provided near the middle of the vending machine body 1 in the height direction below the bill insertion port 4. Further, a product display window 10 having a holder 7 for holding a product sample and a selection button 8 corresponding to the holder 7 is provided in the upper half of the left side of the vending machine body 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, most of the inside of the vending machine body 1 except the lower part is formed into a product storage space 9 for storing products. The product storage space 9 has three left and right directions. It is divided into the divided product storage groups 11, 12, and 13. The left side product storage group 11 is divided into three stages of upper, middle, and lower product storage units 14, 15, 16 and the central product storage group 11 is at the top. And the lower product storage units 17, 18 are divided into two stages, and the right side product storage unit group 11 is formed in one stage of the product storage unit 19, and each of these six product storage units 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 are formed by a plurality of product storage columns 20. As shown in FIG. 5, products are stacked and stored in the front and rear rows, respectively, in each of the product storage columns 20, and the products at the lowest position are alternately and sequentially ejected by the ejection means 21. It is like this.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, one of the carry-out devices 22 for carrying out the dispensed products to the product take-out port 6 located above the lower part of the product storage space 9. Department is set up. At the rear of the carry-out device 22, there are provided discharge chutes 23, 24 at the bottom of the product storage space 9 for receiving the products thrown out from the storage column 20 having a low discharge position and guiding the products to the carry-out device 22. Then, the lower ends of the ejection chutes 23, 24 formed at the front and rear portions are communicated with an outlet portion 25 communicating with the front side carry-out device 22.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a delivery device 22 that communicates with the lower-side lower ejection suit 24 on the rear side of the storage column 20 and ejects the product ejected rearward from the upper storage column 20. A chute 26 is provided to guide you to.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 8, an upper end portion of a curtain-shaped member 27 made of an elastic material is provided in front of the outlet portions 25 of the ejection chutes 23, 24. It is worn and attached in a hanging state.

As shown in FIG. 8, a front door 30 is provided at the front opening of the vending machine body 1 so as to be openable and closable. On the back surface of the inner door portion 30a of the front door 30, at the positions facing the front-side dispensing positions of the columns 20 of the left upper and middle product storage units 14 and 15 and the central upper product storage unit 17, respectively, are disposed. The entrances 35, 36, 37 of the ejection chutes 32, 33, 34 for guiding the released products are opened. Of these dispensing chutes 32, 33, 34, the dispensing chute 34 facing the dispensing position of each column 20 of the product storage section 17 in the central upper stage is directly communicated with the product outlet 6, and the left upper stage and When the front door 30 is closed, the ejection chutes 32 and 33 facing the ejection position of the column 20 of the middle-stage product storage units 14 and 15 are communicated with the ejection short 23 on the lower front side of the vending machine body 1. It has become so.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, a part of the carry-out device 22 provided in the vending machine body 1 and an inner door part 30 a of the front door 30 having the double structure are closed. A transport device is configured with a part of the carry-out device 22 provided on the front surface of the door 30a. A conveyor 38 is disposed laterally of the vending machine body 1 at a position in front of and below the outlets 25 of the ejection chutes 23, 24 provided in the lower part of the vending machine body 1, and the conveyor 38 is arranged from the left side to the upper side of the conveyor 38. A delivery chute 40 formed from the vending machine body 1 to the front door 30 is provided from the product outlet 6. At a position below the carry-out chute 40 and on the left side of the conveyor 38, a slightly wide repelling space 41 is formed, and a revolving body 42 is provided in the repelling space 41.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the rotating body 42 is rotatably supported by a supporting shaft 43 in a clockwise direction, and the supporting shaft 43 is provided on the front surface of the rotating body 42. It is pulled to the right by a tension spring 45 via a link 44 pivotally mounted in an eccentric position away from. On the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body 42, a flip-up member, for example, a base end portion of a flip-up lever 46 made of a metal plate is fixed. The tip of the flip-up lever 46 does not come into contact with the side wall of the carry-out chute 40 and the conveyor 38 when the rotating body 42 rotates, and the tip of the flip-up lever 46 is between the end of the carry-out chute 40 and the side wall of the carry-out chute 40. It is formed to a length that does not create a gap through which goods can pass.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rotating body 42 to which the flip-up lever 46 is attached is attached to the support shaft 43 via a one-way clutch 47, and only in the clockwise direction. It is rotatable, and a concentric arc-shaped groove 48 having a length of about two thirds is formed on the rear surface of the rotating body 42.

Further, the other end of the tension spring 45 for urging the rotating body 42 is attached to the front plate 50 of the carry-out device 22 via a mounting plate 49.

Further, a first gear 51 supported by a support shaft 43 of the rotating body 42 is located behind the rotating body 42, and the rotating body 42 is provided on the front surface of the first gear 51. Engaging pins 52 that engage with the grooves 48 are provided upright. The second gear 53 meshing with the first gear 51 is attached to the output shaft 55 of the stepping motor 54 attached to the rear side, and the first gear 51 is driven via the second gear 53 by driving the motor 54. When the gear 51 is rotated and the engaging pin 52 reaches the end of the groove 48 of the rotating body 42 on the rotation direction side, the rotating body 42 is pushed and rotated.

The delivery chute 41 formed from the splashing space 41 to the upper product take-out port 6 extending over the vending machine body 1 and the front door 30 comes into contact with the product flipped up by the flipping lever 46. The side wall 60 is formed into a smooth curved surface.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. When the purchaser inserts coins or bills into the coin insertion slot 2 or the bill insertion slot 4 and the selection button 8 is pressed within the inserted amount, the product storage units 14 and 15 storing the corresponding products. , 16, 17, 18, and 19 the ejection means 21 of the column 20 in which the selected commodities are accommodated are activated, and the commodities in the lowest position stacked in the column 20 are ejected.

Then, when the product is ejected forward from the column 20 of the upper central product storage unit 17, it is delivered to the product ejection port 6 through the ejection chute 34 provided in the front door 30. In addition, when the product is released from the column 20 of the product storage unit 14, 15, 16, 18, 19 other than the central upper stage, or when it is shipped rearward from the column 20 of the product storage unit 17 of the central upper stage. , It passes through each ejection chute 23, 26, 24, 32, 33 and falls onto the conveyor 38 in the unloading device 22.

Even if the product dropped onto the conveyor 36 from the respective ejection chutes 23, 26, 24, 32, 33 is repelled by the conveyor 38, the front face of the product comes into contact with the curtain member 27 of the exit portion 25. As it rises while keeping it, it returns to the conveyor 38 with the same posture. As a result, the product will not be in a horizontal position and will not be blocked near the exit portion 25 of the ejection chute 23, 24.

Next, the conveyor 38 operates and the product is sent into the flip-up space 41. After that, when the rotating body 42 is rotated by the drive of the motor 54 and the engaging pin 52 exceeds the imaginary straight line connecting the mounting plate 49 and the support shaft 43, the tension of the tension spring 45 causes the rotating body 42 to move as shown in FIG. Then, it is rapidly rotated clockwise, and the splashing lever 46 hits the product in the splashing space 41. The hit product 61 is repelled upward along the side wall of the carry-out chute 40 and sent to the product outlet 6.

As shown in FIG. 7, the product 61 flipped up by the flipping lever 56 hits the side wall 60, and at a certain moment when the product 61 is conveyed along the side wall 60, the product 61 has a side wall of the carry-out chute 40. A propulsive force F _{1 that} is parallel to a straight line connecting the contact portions A ₁ and B ₁ with 60 acts. Also, after a moment, the propulsive force F ₁ tries to act, but since the contact part between the product 60 and the side wall is moving, the original propulsive force is the straight line connecting the new contact parts A ₂ and B _2. Is divided into a new propulsive force F ₂ parallel to the above and a force F ₃ perpendicular to the straight line. The force F ₃ perpendicular to the straight line acts as a force for pressing the product 61 against the side wall 60, the product 61 is less likely to be separated from the side wall 60, and can be reliably delivered to the product outlet 6.

Further, since the side wall 60 of the carry-out chute 40 is curved, the contact between the product 61 and the side wall 60 is not a surface contact but two line contact, and the resistance is reduced, and the product 61 is urged in the middle of the carry-out chute 40. It is reliably delivered to the outlet 6 without being lost.

The rotating body 42, which is rapidly rotated by the tension spring 45, rotates until the engaging pin 52 engaged with the groove 48 of the first gear 51 comes into contact with the rear end of the groove 48, and continues to rotate. The engaging pin 52 of the first gear 51 moving inside the groove 48 is stopped until it reaches the tip of the groove 48. Then, when the engaging pin 52 reaches the tip of the groove 48 after a certain time, the rotating body 42 is rotated integrally with the first gear 51, the drive is stopped at the rotation position shown in FIG. Wait for unloading operation.

[0030]

[Effect of the device]

 According to the present invention, it is possible to carry out a product thrown out from a plurality of product storage sections arranged side by side in the width direction of the vending machine main body to a product take-out port provided at one upper position. The buyer does not have to search for the product outlet when removing the product from the product outlet, and the time from when the product is selected by the buyer to when the product is delivered to the product outlet can be shortened. In such an automatic vending machine, the product thrown out from the product storage section falls on the conveyor, and the product is carried out from the transfer chute to the product take-out port by the repelling member, and the product picked up by the carry-out chute. Holds the propulsive force along the side wall of the carry-out suit and can smoothly carry the side wall to the product outlet with little resistance.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a carry-out mechanism portion of an automatic vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention in a state where an inner door portion of a front door is closed.

FIG. 2 is a front view in which a part of a state where a front door is removed is cut away.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional plan view of the above-mentioned article carrying-out device section.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional front view of the above-mentioned article carrying-out device section.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the product storage unit and the dispensing chute unit of the above.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a force acting on a product conveyed through the carry-out chute.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a force acting on a product conveyed through the carry-out chute.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which a front door of the same automatic vending machine is opened.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the same automatic vending machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Vending machine main body 6 Product outlet 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 Product storage unit 21 Discharging means 22 Carrying out device of product discharging means 38 Conveyor of carry-out device 22 Carry-out chute 41 Repelling space 46 Repelling member Repelling lever 60 Side wall 61 Products

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A plurality of product storage units that store products in a stacked state are arranged side by side in the width direction of the vending machine body, and the products are ejected in order from the lowest position product of each product storage unit by ejection means. In an automatic vending machine in which the product is delivered to the lower part through a dispensing chute and then guided to the upper product outlet by means of the product discharging means, the vending machine is disposed at the bottom of the vending machine body in the width direction of the vending machine body, A conveyor for placing the discharged product on it and for moving the mounted product to one side in the width direction by being rotationally driven by the driving means, and a flip-up formed near one side where the product is moved by this conveyor. A space and a carry-out chute having a smooth curved surface formed on the side wall for contacting the repelled product, the space being provided from the repellent space to the product outlet above. Article conveying device for an automatic vending machine characterized in that it comprises a splashing up member bring splashed on the product outlet through the discharge chute to blow the item moved by rotatably provided above the conveyor in the space.