JPH0950563A - Vending machine payout product detection device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [PROBLEMS] To provide a dispensed product detection device capable of reliably detecting passage of a dispensed product on the way of a product unloading route without being influenced by the size of the product, the dispensing attitude, and the like. SOLUTION: A dispensed product detection device 12 is disposed near a flapper 8 of a normally closed which is pushed and opened by a dispensed product 7 passing through a product dispense outlet 7 opened in an inner door 3 and near a hinge side of the flapper. Detection lever 15 that works in conjunction with flapper opening and closing
And a biasing spring 16 that presses the tip of the detection lever 15 against the flapper, and a micro switch 17 that responds to the swing position of the detection lever, and the product 9 dispensed from the product rack in the warehouse passes through the shooter 6. When the flapper is pushed open, the detection lever that responds to the flapper opening activates a micro switch to detect the passage of the product.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dispensed product detection device used in a vending machine for cans, bottles and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art First, FIG. 3 shows the structure of an entire vending machine to which the present invention is applied. In the figure, 1 is a vending machine cabinet that serves as a heat-insulating housing, 2 is a product rack housed in the cabinet 1, and 3 is a cabinet 1.
Insulated inner door 4 arranged on the front side of the product, 4 is an outer door, 5 is a product outlet provided in the outer door 4, 6 is a shooter for carrying out the product arranged on the bottom side in the refrigerator, 7 is a shooter 6 and a product outlet Is a commodity outlet that is connected to the inner door 3 and is open to the inner door 3, and 8 is a normally-closed flapper provided at the commodity outlet. The flapper 8 is hung on a flapper mounting frame provided on the inner door 3 via a hinge pin. Lowered and supported.

The product selling operation with such a configuration is well known, and the product 9 dispensed from the product rack 2 based on the sales command rolls on the slope of the shooter 6 by its own weight and pushes the flapper 8 provided on the inner door 3. It is opened and delivered to the product outlet 5. In this case, in terms of sales control, the product 9 paid out from the product rack 2 passes through the shooter 6 and the flapper 8 and the product take-out port 5
It is necessary to detect that the product has been sent to
Products passing through the flapper 8 are detected by a detection lever and a micro switch.

[0004]

By the way, the conventional means for detecting dispensed goods as described above has the following problems in operation. That is, 1) Since the dispensed product hits the detection lever, the detection lever is easily damaged. 2) There are various sizes of products to be sold, and the payout attitude of the products passing through the flapper is not constant.
Depending on the situation, there are problems in terms of reliability, such as the product not passing through without the switch operating.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to make it possible to reliably detect the passage of a discharged product on the way of a product discharge route. It is to provide a detection device.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, the flapper is opposed to a normally closed flapper that is opened by being pushed by a dispensed commodity passing through a commodity dispensing outlet of an inner door. And a detection lever which is arranged on the front side of the flapper and which interlocks with the opening and closing of the flapper, and a commodity detection switch which detects the passage of the flapper of the dispensed commodity in response to the swing position of the detection lever. To do.

Further, the payout product detection device can be specifically configured as follows. 1) Install the detection lever on the flapper mounting frame, facing the plate surface near the flapper hinge side. 2) The detection lever is provided with a biasing spring that pushes the lever tip toward the plate surface of the flapper.

In the above structure, when the product dispensed from the product rack in the store by the selling operation is passed through the flapper provided at the product outlet of the inner door on the way of being sent to the product outlet, the flapper becomes a product. While being pushed and opened forward, the detection lever swings in conjunction with the movement of the flapper, and the product detection switch is turned on to detect the dispensed product.

In this case, since the passing of the dispensed product is detected as the movement of the flapper, the passing of the product can be reliably detected without being influenced by the size of the product and the attitude of the product. In addition, by installing the product detection device on the upper edge hinge side of the flapper, there is no possibility of direct interference such as products passing through the flapper hitting the detection lever, and the detection lever is installed via the biasing spring. By pressing it against the plate surface, the movement of the flapper can be surely transmitted to the detection lever.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In the figure, a flapper 8 is swingably supported by a flapper mounting frame 10 fitted in a product outlet 7 of an inner door 3 via a hinge pin 11.
A dispensed product detection device 12 according to the present invention is installed at the upper edge of the front side of the mounting frame 10 so as to face the flapper 8. The structure is a mounting base 13 and a pin 1 on the mounting base 13.
4 and a biasing spring 16 for pushing the tip of the detection lever 15 toward the plate surface of the flapper 8.
And the mounting base 1 facing the dog portion 15a of the detection lever 15.
It is an assembly with the micro switch 17 for detecting the commodity fixed to 3.

With this structure, the flapper 8
Is closed in a drooping position, and the push button of the micro switch 17 is pushed by the dog portion 15a of the detection lever 15 and the O
FF. On the other hand, when the product 9 paid out from the product rack in the store at the time of product sales rolls on the slope of the shooter 6 and passes through the product payout outlet 7 of the inner door 3, the flapper 8 is pushed by the product 9 to the front. When opened, the detection lever 15 swings counterclockwise in response to this movement. This allows
The dog portion 15a of the detection lever 15 is a micro switch 17
Then, the mysk switch 17 is turned on to detect that the dispensed product 9 has passed through the flapper 8 and has been delivered to the product outlet. The micro switch 17
Is supplied to a sales control unit (not shown) via the lead wire 17a.

Since the commodity detection apparatus having the above-mentioned structure is installed as an independent assembly on the flapper mounting frame 10, it can be easily installed on an existing vending machine without any special modification. it can.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, the process in which the product dispensed from the product rack in the warehouse passes through the flapper of the inner door regardless of the size of the product to be sold and the product delivery attitude. The product can be reliably detected with
As a result, it is possible to provide a highly reliable product detection device with less risk of failure.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a front view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of an entire vending machine to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Cabinet 2 Product Rack 3 Inner Door 5 Product Outlet 6 Shooter 7 Product Discharge Exit 8 Flapper 9 Product 10 Flapper Mounting Frame 11 Hinge Pin 12 Discharge Product Detection Device 15 Detection Lever 16 Energizing Spring 17 Micro Switch (Product Detection Switch)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A product detection device for detecting a product delivered from a product rack in a cabinet in the middle of a product carry-out path leading to a product take-out port of an outer door, and a product payout port opening to an inner door of the cabinet. In those equipped with a normally closed flapper that is opened by being pushed out by the dispensed goods passing through,
A dispenser product detection device for a vending machine, comprising: a detection lever that is interlocked with the opening and closing of the flapper; and a product detection switch that responds to a swing position of the detection lever to detect passage of a dispenser product through the flapper. 2. The dispensed product detection device according to claim 1, wherein the detection lever is installed on the flapper mounting frame so as to face the plate surface near the hinge side of the flapper. . 3. The dispensed product detecting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the detection lever is provided with a biasing spring for pushing the lever tip toward the plate surface of the flapper. Detection device.