JPH1097676A - Carry-out mechanism for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely convey article dropped from the underline of an article rack to an article take-out port without damaging it by attaching an article carry conveyer to a vertically movable article receiving member arranged by the side of the underline of the article rack. SOLUTION: Article 200 dropped from the lower edge of the article rack by operating an article stopper is housed in the groove-shaped cross-sectional member of an article receiving member 5 just under the lower edge of the article rack 1. The article 200 housed in the article receiving member 5 is conveyed to an article take-out port 102 by moving down the article receiving member 5 after moving it down or up and by operating an article carry conveyer 9. In this case, the article conveyer 9 is driven by the falling article receiving member 5 and kinetic energy due to the dead weight of merchandise 200. Only when the article receiving member 5 housing the article 200 gets closer from the upside to the article take-out port 102, the kinetic energy due to the article receiving member 5 and the dead weight of article 200 is transmitted to the article carry conveyer 9.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an unloading mechanism of a vending machine for merchandise packed in containers such as bottles, cans and plastic bottles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an unloading mechanism of a vending machine for a product packed in a container such as a bottle, a can, a plastic bottle, etc., a plurality of products stacked vertically at an interval and inclined downward to one side. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known an unloading mechanism including a shelf and a product drop control mechanism that prevents a product placed on the product shelf from falling from a lower edge of the product shelf and allows the product to fall. As an example of a product drop control mechanism, a hinge-shaped first stopper having a support end at one end and a free end at the other end, a hinge-shaped second stopper having a support end at one end and a free end at the other end, and a first stopper at one end are provided. A seesaw type product stopper having an intermediate arm rotatably connected to the free end and the other end rotatably connected to the free end of the second stopper. The seesaw-type product stopper is disposed parallel to the product shelf below the lower edge of each product shelf with the support end of the first stopper directed obliquely upward and the support end of the second stopper directed obliquely downward.

In the above-described carrying-out mechanism provided with a seesaw-type product stopper as a product drop control mechanism, the product is extended from the upper edge to the lower edge of the product shelf with the central axis extending parallel to the lower edge of the product shelf. It is placed on a product shelf in a line up. The intermediate arm of the product stopper is biased obliquely downward by a spring or the like, and the joint of the second stopper projects above the product shelf through an opening formed in the product shelf. As a result, the commodity at the lower end of the commodity row is supported by the second stopper, and the fall of all the commodities belonging to the commodity row is prevented. When unloading the product, the intermediate arm is pushed obliquely upward against the urging force of a spring or the like. As a result,
The joint of the second stopper retreats below the product shelf, and the product at the lower end of the product row loses support and falls downward from the lower edge of the product shelf. On the other hand, the joint portion of the first stopper protrudes above the product shelf through the opening formed in the product shelf, and supports the second product from the lower end of the product row. As a result, the remaining products in the product row are prevented from falling. When the unloading of the product is completed, the force of pushing the intermediate arm upward diagonally is released, the intermediate arm moves diagonally downward by the urging force of a spring or the like, and the joint of the second stopper projects onto the product shelf, and The stopper retracts below the shelf. As a result, the remaining products in the product row move toward the lower edge of the product shelf, and the products at the lower end are supported by the second stopper.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a plurality of merchandise shelves stacked vertically and spaced apart from each other and inclined downward to one side, and a plurality of merchandise shelves placed on the merchandise shelves. A carry-out mechanism including a product drop control mechanism for preventing a fall from an edge and allowing a fall, and a means for reliably transporting a product dropped from a lower edge of a product shelf to a product take-out port without damaging the product shelf. It is an object to provide an unloading mechanism.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, there are provided a plurality of product shelves stacked vertically and spaced apart from each other and inclined downward to one side, A product drop control mechanism for preventing and allowing the product placed on the product shelf from falling from the lower edge thereof, and a product receiving member disposed on the side of the lower edge of the product shelf and capable of moving up and down,
An unloading mechanism for a vending machine, comprising: a product transport conveyor attached to a product receiving member; and a product transport conveyor driving device. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the product transport conveyor driving device is a device that irregularly transmits the kinetic energy of the product receiving member to the product transport conveyor. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The product transport conveyor driving device has a rack attached to the vending machine and movable between a retracted position and an operating position, and a gear supported by the product receiving member and meshable with the rack at the operating position. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the product transport conveyor drive device is a friction plate attached to a vending machine and movable between a retracted position and an operating position, and a friction plate supported by a product receiving member and located at the operating position. And a friction wheel that can be abutted. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the commodity transfer conveyor driving device is provided with an arm attached to the vending machine and movable between a retracted position and an operating position, and an arm supported by the commodity receiving member and in the operating position. A possible slide piece, a wire having one end fixed to the slide piece, a gear around which the wire is wound and the other end of the wire fixed, and a spring for urging the gear to rotate in a predetermined direction. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the commodity transfer conveyor driving device is provided with an arm attached to the vending machine and movable between a retracted position and an operating position, and an arm supported by the commodity receiving member and in the operating position. It has a possible slide piece, a wire having one end fixed to the slide piece, a friction wheel around which the wire is wound and the other end of the wire fixed, and a spring for urging the friction wheel to rotate in a predetermined direction.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following description, the directions of arrows I, II, III, IV, V, and VI in FIGS. 1 to 5 will be referred to as forward, backward, left, right, upward, and downward, respectively. A delivery mechanism of a vending machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in a right half portion of a casing 100 of a vending machine, seven commodity shelves 1 laminated vertically and inclined downward from right to left are inclined. It is arranged. On each product shelf 1,
Product 2 packed in containers such as bottles, cans, and PET bottles
00 are placed in the left-right direction with the central axis extending in the front-rear direction. Two rows of products 200 are placed on the uppermost row and the second product shelf 1 from the top, and three rows of products 200 are placed on the other product shelves 1.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a hinge-shaped first stopper 2a whose upper end is rotatably supported by the product shelf 1 and whose lower end is a free end, and whose lower end is rotatable by the product shelf 1. The hinged second stopper 2b whose upper end is a free end and the upper end is rotatably connected to the free end of the first stopper 2a, and the lower end is rotatably connected to the free end of the second stopper 2b. A seesaw-type product stopper 2 having a connected intermediate arm 2c is disposed directly below the left end, which is the lower edge of each product shelf 1, and directly below each row of products 200. The product stopper 2 is a first stopper 2a
The second stopper 2b is disposed parallel to the product shelf 1 with the upper end of the second stopper 2b directed obliquely upward and downward and the lower end of the second stopper 2b directed obliquely downward and upward. First on each shelf 1
An opening 1a is formed to allow the joint of the stopper 2a and the joint of the second stopper 2b to protrude above the product shelf 1. The intermediate arm 2c is supported by the product shelf 1 so as to be movable in parallel with the product shelf 1 between a first position diagonally lower left and a second position diagonally upper right. Intermediate arm 2
“c” is urged by a spring 3 downward and obliquely to the left in parallel with the product shelf 1. Solenoid 4 arranged in parallel with shelf 1
Is fixed to the intermediate arm 2c.

When the solenoid 4 is stopped, the piston 4a projects obliquely downward and to the left. When the solenoid 4 is operated, the piston 4a retracts obliquely upward and to the right. As a result, when the solenoid 4 is stopped,
As shown by a solid line, the intermediate arm 2c is at the first position diagonally below and to the left, and the joint of the second stopper 2b is
, And the joint of the first stopper 2 a is retracted below the product shelf 1. The second stopper 2b protruding above the product shelf 1 allows the product 200 at the lower end of the product row to be
Are supported, and all the products 200 belonging to the product row are prevented from falling. When the solenoid 4 operates, the intermediate arm 2
c moves to the second position diagonally to the upper right, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 3, the joint of the second stopper 2b retreats below the product shelf 1, and the joint of the first stopper 2a moves to the product shelf. 1
Project upward. As a result, the product 20 at the lower end of the product row
0 loses the support of the second sopper 2b and falls downward from the lower edge of the product shelf 1. The second product 20 from the bottom of the product row
0 is supported by the first stopper 2a to prevent all remaining products 200 belonging to the product row from falling. Next, when the solenoid 4 stops, the intermediate arm 2c moves to the first position diagonally below and to the left, the joint of the second stopper 2b projects above the shelf 1, and the joint of the first stopper 2a Retreat down. As a result, the remaining products belonging to the product row move toward the lower edge of the product shelf, the products 200 at the lower end of the product row are supported by the second stopper 2b, and the fall of all the products 200 belonging to the product row is prevented. You.

[0009] As shown in FIGS.
A goods receiving member 5 having a groove-shaped cross-section member 5a extending forward and backward and having an open upper end, and a cart 5b fixed to the front end of the groove-shaped cross-section member 5a is disposed to the left of the left end, which is the lower edge of the groove. Has been established. As shown in FIGS.
Face almost the entire width of the product shelf 1 in the front-rear direction.
Wheel 5b ₁ of the carriage 5b is engaged with the rail 6 extending in the vertical fixed to the casing 100. Channel-shaped section member 5
a and the cart 5b are suspended by a wire 8 which is wound up and fed out by a motor 7, and
Can be moved up and down.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, a commodity conveying conveyor 9 extending in the front-rear direction is attached to the groove-shaped section member 5a. The drive roller 9a of the product transport conveyor is
It is driven via a speed increasing gear 10 composed of a first gear 10a, a second gear 10b, and a third gear 10c rotatably supported by the groove-shaped section member 5a. Guide plates 5a ₁ inclined just above the speed increasing gear 10 is disposed secured.

As shown in FIG. 2, facing an opening 101 formed substantially at the center of the casing 100 in the height direction,
One ends of the arms 11a and 11b are swingably supported by the casing 100. The other ends of the arms 11a and 11b are rotatably connected to the rack 12. The arm 11a is urged by the spring 13 to swing counterclockwise when viewed from the left. Piston 14 of solenoid 14
a is connected to the arm 11b. When the solenoid 14 is not operated, as shown by a dashed line in FIG.
By the urging force of No. 3, the arm 11a is oscillatingly urged counterclockwise when viewed from the left, and the rack 12 is at the retracted position where it does not mesh with the first gear 10a of the speed increasing gear 10. When the solenoid 14 operates, the piston 14a of the solenoid 14 is driven downward as shown by the solid line in FIG.
b is urged to swing clockwise as viewed from the left, and the rack 12
Moves to the operating position where the speed increasing gear 10 can mesh with the first gear 10a.

As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of merchandise shelves 1 are arranged in the left half of a casing 100 of a vending machine. A product stopper 2 and a spring 3 are also provided on a product shelf 1 disposed in the left half of the casing 100 of the vending machine.
And a solenoid 4 are attached. Product shelf 1, product stopper 2, spring 3, solenoid 4 in the left half of casing 100 and product shelf 1, product stopper 2, spring 3, solenoid 4 in the right half of casing 100
Is disposed to face each other with the product receiving member 5 interposed therebetween.

The operation of the unloading mechanism of the vending machine according to the embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described below. One product shelf 1
, The same product 200 is placed. The solenoid 4 is stopped, and as shown by the solid line in FIG. 3, the joint of the second stopper 2b of the product stopper 2 projects above the product shelf 1 to support the product 200 at the lowermost end of the product row. This prevents all the commodities 200 belonging to the row from falling.
The solenoid 14 is stopped, and the rack 12 is at a retracted position where the rack 12 does not mesh with the first gear 10a of the speed increasing gear 10.

The consumer selects a desired product 200 and presses a product selection switch (not shown). A control device (not shown) incorporated in the vending machine operates, the motor 7 operates, the product receiving member 5 moves up and down, and approaches the product shelf 1 on which the specified product 200 is placed.

When the product receiving member 5 reaches just below the lower edge of the target product shelf 1, one of the solenoids 4 attached to the target product shelf 1 is operated, and the product stopper 2 driven by the activated solenoid 4 is operated. Second stopper 2b
The commodity 200 at the lower end of the commodity row supported by the product falls from the lower edge of the commodity shelf 1. The remaining merchandise 200 in the merchandise row to which the fallen merchandise 200 belongs is the activated solenoid 4
The product stopper 2 driven by the first stopper 2a is supported by the first stopper 2a and is prevented from falling. After the product 200 at the lower end of the product row falls from the lower edge of the product shelf 1, the operated solenoid 4 stops. The intermediate arm 2c moves to the first position diagonally below and to the left, the joint of the second stopper 2b projects above the shelf 1, and the joint of the first stopper 2a retreats below the shelf 1. As a result, the remaining products 200 belonging to the product row move toward the lower edge of the product shelf, the products 200 at the lower end of the product row are supported by the second stopper 2b, and the fall of all the products 200 belonging to the product row is prevented. Is done. Goods 20 that have fallen from the lower edge of the shelf 1
0 is stored in the channel-shaped cross-section member 5a of the product receiving member 5.

When the merchandise 200 is taken out from the merchandise shelf 1 above the opening 101, the merchandise receiving member 5 containing the merchandise 200 descends and approaches the opening 101 formed in the casing 100. Product shelf 1 below opening 101
When the merchandise 200 is taken out of the container 100, the merchandise receiving member 5 containing the merchandise 200 rises, passes through an opening 101 formed in the casing 100, descends, and approaches the opening 101 formed in the casing 100. The solenoid 14 operates and the rack 12 moves to the operating position. The first gear 10 a of the speed increasing gear 10 meshes with the rack 12. The first gear 10 meshed with the rack 12 by the kinetic energy of the falling product receiving member 5 and the product 200 due to its own weight.
is driven to rotate, the second gear 10b and the third gear 10c rotate, and the product transport conveyor 9 is driven. The goods 200 accommodated in the channel-shaped section member 5a of the goods receiving member 5 are conveyed to the opening 101 by the goods conveying conveyor 9, and passed through the opening 101, and the floor 102a of the goods taking-out opening 102 is provided.
Fall on. The consumer opens the cover 103 and takes out the product 200 from the product outlet 102. The product receiving member 5 passes through the opening 101, and the speed increasing gear 10
, The operation of the motor 7 stops. The operation of the solenoid 14 stops, and the rack 12 moves to the retracted position. The engagement between the rack 12 and the first gear 10a is released,
The transmission of the kinetic energy due to the own weight of the descending product receiving member 5 and the product 200 to the first gear 10a, and further to the product transport conveyor 9, is stopped, and the operation of the product transport conveyor 9 is stopped.

As can be understood from the above description, in the unloading mechanism of the vending machine according to the present embodiment, the product stopper 2 is provided.
200 that has fallen from the lower edge of the product shelf 1 due to the operation of
Is stored in the groove-shaped cross-section member 5a of the product receiving member 5 immediately below the lower edge of the product shelf 1, so that the product 200 is not damaged. The product 200 accommodated in the product receiving member 5 is reliably conveyed to the product take-out port 102 by the lowering of the product receiving member 5 after being lowered or raised and the operation of the product conveying conveyor 9. Since the product transport conveyor 9 is driven by the kinetic energy of the product receiving member 5 descending and the product 200 by its own weight, no electric power is consumed to drive the product transport conveyor 9. Kinetic energy of the product receiving member 5 and the product 200 due to its own weight is irregularly, specifically, the product 20.
0 is transmitted to the product transport conveyor 9 only when the product receiving member 5 accommodating the product receiving portion 0 approaches the product take-out port 102 from above, so that an unnecessary load may be applied to the driving device that drives the product receiving member 5 up and down. There is no.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The rack 12 is replaced with a friction plate, and the first gear 10a, the second gear 10b, and the third gear 10c
May be replaced by friction wheels such as three rubber tires that contact each other.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the piston 14a of the solenoid 14 is connected to the arm 11a, and the vertically extending slide guide 15 is connected to the carriage 5b.
, The slide piece 16 having the projection 16a is engaged with the slide guide 15 so as to be slidable up and down, one end of the wire 17 is fixed to the slide piece 16, and the wire 17 is formed integrally with the first gear 10a. Pulley part 10
a ₁ and the other end of the wire 17 is connected to the pulley 10
fixed to a _1, it may be disposed a spring (not shown) the first gear 10a rotates urging counterclockwise in FIG. In this case, the arm 11b and the rack 12 are not provided.

In the above configuration, when the solenoid 14 operates, the arm 11a is acted upon against the urging force of the spring 13.
Moves from the evacuation position indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 7 to the operating position indicated by the solid line. The arm 11a comes into contact with the projecting portion 16a of the slide piece 16 of the commodity receiving member 5 which has been lowered, and the slide piece 16 is moved as the commodity receiving member 5 is lowered as shown in FIG.
Push upward from the retracted position shown in. A wire 17 having one end fixed to the slide piece 16 is pulled upward, the wire 17 is wound, and the pulley portion 10a ₁ of the first gear 10a to which the other end of the wire 17 is fixed.
However, the first gear 10a is driven to rotate clockwise in FIG. 7 against the rotational urging force of a spring (not shown). By the rotation of the first gear 10a, the speed-increasing gear 10 operates, and the product transport conveyor 9 operates. After the product transport conveyor 9 transports the product 200 to the opening 101, the product receiving member 5 temporarily stops and then rises a predetermined distance. Sliding piece 16 is lowered, the first gear 10a is in turn pulley portion 10a ₁ is rotated at 7 by the rotation biasing force of a spring (not shown) in the counterclockwise direction, the wire 17 is wound around the pulley portion 10a _1. When the slide piece 16 reaches the retracted position shown in FIG. 7, the engagement between the arm 11a and the projection 16a of the slide piece 16 is released, and the solenoid 1
The operation of 4 is stopped, and the arm 11a is moved to the retracted position indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG.

6 and 7, a first gear 10a and a second gear 10a
The gear 10b and the third gear 10c may be replaced by friction wheels such as three rubber tires that abut each other. The product transport conveyor 9 may be driven using a motor. Instead of the seesaw type product stopper 2, any other product drop control mechanism may be used.

[0022]

As described above, in the unloading mechanism for a vending machine according to the present invention, a commodity receiving member disposed on the side of the lower edge of the commodity shelf and movable up and down, and attached to the commodity receiving member. Since the product transport conveyor is provided, the product dropped from the lower edge of the product shelf can be reliably transported to the product takeout port without being damaged.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an unloading mechanism of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view as viewed in the direction of arrows aa in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a seesaw type product stopper provided in the unloading mechanism of the vending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view taken in the direction of arrows bb in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow c-c in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 5 of another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Commodity shelf 2a 1st stopper 2b 2nd stopper 2c Intermediate arm 3 Spring 4 Solenoid 5 Commodity receiving member 5a Groove type cross-section member 5b Truck 7 Motor 8 Wire 9 Commodity conveyor 10 Speed increasing gear 12 Rack 14 Solenoid 15 Slide guide 16 Slide Peace 17 Wire 100 Vending machine casing 101 Opening 102 Product outlet 200 Product

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of merchandise shelves stacked vertically at intervals and inclined downward to one side, and a product placed on the merchandise shelf is prevented from falling from a lower edge of the merchandise shelf and dropped. A product drop control mechanism for permitting the product, a product receiving member disposed on the side of the lower edge of the product shelf and movable up and down, a product transport conveyor attached to the product receiving member, and a product transport conveyor driving device And a delivery mechanism for a vending machine. 2. The unloading mechanism of a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the commodity conveying conveyor driving device is a device for transmitting the kinetic energy of the commodity receiving member to the commodity conveying conveyor in an unsteady manner. And a gear mounted on the vending machine and movable between a retracted position and an operating position, a gear supported by a product receiving member and meshable with the rack at the operating position. 3. The unloading mechanism of a vending machine according to claim 2, comprising: 4. A product transport conveyor drive device is mounted on a vending machine and is movable between a retracted position and an operating position, and is capable of contacting a friction plate supported by a product receiving member and located at the operating position. 3. The unloading mechanism of a vending machine according to claim 2, further comprising a friction wheel. 5. A commodity transport conveyor driving device, comprising: an arm attached to a vending machine and movable between a retracted position and an operation position; and a slide supported by a commodity receiving member and engageable with the arm at the operation position. A piece, a wire having one end fixed to the slide piece, a gear around which the wire is wound and the other end of the wire is fixed, and a spring for urging the gear in a predetermined direction. Item 3. An unloading mechanism for a vending machine according to Item 2. 6. A commodity transfer conveyor driving device, comprising: an arm attached to the vending machine and movable between a retracted position and an operation position; and a slide supported by a commodity receiving member and engageable with the arm at the operation position. A piece, a wire having one end fixed to the slide piece, a friction wheel around which the wire is wound and the other end of the wire is fixed,
3. The unloading mechanism of a vending machine according to claim 2, further comprising a spring for urging the friction wheel in a predetermined direction.