JPH06162340A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a vending machine which reduces the work for commodity replenishment and improves the efficiency. CONSTITUTION:A package case 21 where a prescribed number of canned or bottled commodities 20 are stored in several stages is set to a carrier 13 consisting of a one-stage or several-stage pushing-forward mechanism provided in a vending machine 10, and a part of the package case 21 is so opened that commodities 20 are sent to the carrier 13 in order, and the commodities are sent from the carrier 13 to a commodity carrying mechanism 15 and are thrown to a commodity taking-out hole 11 from a chute 15. A counter 23 or a commodity passage detecting sensor which detects discharge of the prescribed number of commodities 20 stored in the package case 21 may be arranged in the vicinity of the carrier 13.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine for selling products such as soft drinks in cans and bottles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in vending machines for products such as soft drinks in cans and bottles, the replenishment of the products is performed by the sales staff or the store owner opening the product storage case each time and inserting the product from the slot. It was common to throw in one by one to replenish.

Therefore, if such a replenishing method is adopted, it takes time and labor in accordance with the number of replenished items, and there is a problem in working efficiency.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic vending machine which reduces the work required for replenishing products and improves efficiency.

[0005]

In the vending machine according to the present invention, a packaging case in which a predetermined number of cans or bottles of goods are divided and stored in a plurality of stages is provided inside the vending machine. It can be set on the loading platform with a push-forward mechanism of several stages, open a part of the packaging case so that the products can be fed to the loading platform in order, and send the products from the loading platform to the product transport mechanism to administer them from the shooter to the product outlet. And then
A counter or a product passage detection sensor that detects the discharge of a predetermined number of products stored in the packaging case is arranged near the loading platform.

[0006]

When the product is replenished, the product packaging case is set in the main body of the vending machine, and the predetermined position of the product packaging case is opened. The commodities in the packaging case are sent one by one to the loading platform, and the pushing mechanism of the loading platform feeds the merchandise transporting mechanism at the rear, and at the time of purchase, the merchandise is dispensed through the shooter to the merchandise outlet.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of a vending machine according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, at the lower part of the front side of the main body 10 of the vending machine, there is provided a product outlet 11 through which a customer takes out a purchased product. In addition, for example, the entire front surface of the main body 10 is a door 12 that can be opened and closed in preparation for supplying products and for maintenance of various machines. In the storage of the main body 10, a loading platform 13 for holding a case 21 in which a product 20 such as a fixed unit of can is packed is provided in one or more stages in the vertical direction.

The structure of the loading platform 13 is provided with a push-forward mechanism for sequentially forwarding the products 20 from the packaging case 21 one by one, and the product transport mechanism in which the products 20 are arranged rearward by the push-feed mechanism. It is possible to send it toward 14. A structure that can be considered as a push-feed mechanism is a structure that utilizes the elastic force of a spring or a motor-driven piston pushing structure. Body 1
At the lower part of the product transport mechanism 14 extending in the vertical direction of 0, a shooter 15 inclined downward to the front side is provided, and the product 20 delivered from the product transport mechanism 14 is input from the shooter 15 to the above-mentioned product take-out port 11. It

Here, in the structure of the packaging case 21 of the product 20, the material of the case 21 itself is usually made of corrugated paper,
A plurality of partition plates 22 are provided inside in the vertical direction, and the products 20 are aligned and stored between the partition plates 22. The front side of each partition plate 22 is intermittent, and one product 20
Can be dropped downwards. At the lowest position of this drop path, the product 20 is opened in such a size that one product 20 can pass therethrough, and the product 20 between the partition plates 22 is sequentially dropped from this opening and sent to the loading platform 13. It is a structure.

On the other hand, in a suitable place of the loading platform 13,
A counter 23 that can count the number of products 20 stored in the packaging case 21 is provided.
It is possible to count the fact that all the commodities 20 are discharged from one packaging case 21 and become empty boxes. When one packaging case 21 becomes an empty box with respect to the packaging cases 21 held in several stages, it is possible to adopt a control method in which the administration from the next packaging case 21 to the loading platform 13 is continued. is there. Also, the counter 2
In combination with 3, it is also possible to arrange a sensor for detecting the discharge of the product 20. Therefore, the technology for detecting that all the commodities 20 have been taken out in one packaging case 21 is
It is possible by an electronic control device such as a microcomputer in combination with a product passage detection sensor or the like.

[0011]

As described above, in the vending machine according to the present invention, when replenishing products, it is only necessary to set the product packaging case once in the main body of the vending machine and set the products one by one as in the conventional case. Labor is reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a vending machine according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Vending machine main body 11 Product outlet 12 Front door for replenishment 13 Pushing mechanism loading platform 14 Product transport mechanism 15 Shooter 20 Canned or bottled product 21 Product packaging case 22 Partition plate 23 Product counting counter

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A packing case in which a predetermined number of cans or bottles of goods are divided into a plurality of stages and stored, is set on a loading platform provided with a one-stage or several-stage pushing mechanism provided inside the vending machine body, An automatic vending machine characterized in that a part of the packaging case is opened so that the products can be sequentially fed to the loading platform, and the products can be sent from the loading platform to the merchandise transport mechanism to be administered from the shooter to the merchandise outlet. 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a counter or a product passage detection sensor for detecting the discharge of a predetermined number of products stored in the packaging case is arranged near the loading platform.