CN114944034B - Commodity storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

A commodity storage device is provided, which can improve convenience by only assembling and disassembling commodity guides. The commodity column (50) includes a screw (55) which is formed in a commodity-accommodating path (45) extending in the front-rear direction so as to be spirally wound in the extending direction of the commodity-accommodating path (45), and when the screw (55) rotates around the central axis, the commodity column gradually moves forward and feeds out the forefront commodity held between the pitches of the screw (55), and includes a commodity guide (60) which is formed in a manner to be inserted into the screw (55) and extends in the front-rear direction so as to place the commodity on the upper surface, wherein a front end (615) of the commodity guide (60) is attached to a front frame (311) which is a front end portion of a base (30) constituting the bottom surface of the commodity-accommodating path (45), and a rear end (60 a) is provided so as to be placed on a portion of the screw (55) in a manner to be capable of sliding contact with the portion of the screw (55).

Description

Commodity storage device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a commodity storage device, and more particularly to a commodity storage device applied to a vending machine for vending commodities.

Background

Conventionally, in a vending machine for vending a commodity, it is known that after a commodity stored in a commodity carrying rack of a commodity storage container is sent out to a carrying tray, the commodity is carried by the carrying tray and sent out to a predetermined commodity take-out area. The commodity taking-out area is a space communicating with the outside of the commodity storage via the commodity taking-out port, and if the user inserts his or her hand into the commodity taking-out port, the purchased commodity can be taken out.

In general, in such a vending machine, a part of the front surface door constituting the front surface is constituted by a transparent panel such as glass, and it is possible to observe and select the articles stored in the article storage shelves of the article storage container from the outside and to observe a state in which the purchased articles sent from the article storage shelves are transported to the article taking-out area by the transport tray. In this way, the vending machine has an advantage that the user's desire to purchase can be improved, for example, by observing the inside of the commodity storage box.

In such a vending machine, a plurality of product columns are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. Each commodity column constituting the commodity carrying frame has a commodity-accommodating path extending in the front-rear direction, and is configured to include a screw and a commodity guide.

The spiral is spirally wound along the extending direction of the commodity-accommodating path, that is, in the front-rear direction. When the driving force is transmitted from the motor as the driving source via the transmission mechanism, the screw rotates around the center shaft.

The commodity guide is a long-strip member having a longitudinal direction in the front-rear direction, and is formed of, for example, a metal plate or the like. The commodity guide extends in the front-rear direction so as to penetrate the inside of the screw, and has a front end portion attached to a front end portion of the base constituting the bottom surface of the commodity-accommodating passage and a rear end portion attached to an attachment penetrating a hollow portion formed in the transmission mechanism. The commodity guide is a member on which commodities are placed on the upper surface.

In the commodity column having such a structure, the commodity is held between the pitches of the screw in a normal state, and when the screw rotates, the commodity held between the pitches is gradually carried forward and the forefront commodity is sent out (for example, see patent document 1).

Prior art literature

Patent literature

Patent document 1: japanese patent No. 6443459

Disclosure of Invention

In the commodity column, depending on the form of the commodity to be stored, the commodity held between the pitches may be placed on the base without being placed on the upper surface of the commodity guide, and in this case, the commodity guide is preferably removed.

However, in the commodity column proposed in patent document 1, since the front end portion of the commodity guide is attached to the front end portion of the base and the rear end portion is attached to the attachment, only the commodity guide cannot be detached, and thus the convenience is not excellent.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a commodity storage device capable of improving convenience by attaching and detaching only a commodity guide.

In order to achieve the above object, a commodity storing device according to the present invention includes a screw that is spirally wound in a commodity storing passage extending in a front-rear direction in a direction along which the commodity storing passage extends, and when the screw rotates around a central axis, the commodity storing device gradually moves forward a commodity held between pitches of the screw and sends out a forefront commodity, and the commodity storing device includes a commodity guide that extends in the front-rear direction so as to be inserted into the screw and that carries the commodity on an upper surface, wherein a front end portion of the commodity guide is attached to a front end portion of a base that forms a bottom surface of the commodity storing passage, and a rear end portion of the commodity guide is provided in a state of being slidably mounted on a portion of the screw so as to be in contact with the portion of the screw.

In the commodity storing device according to the present invention, at least a lower surface of the rear end portion of the commodity guide is made of a low friction material.

In the commodity storage device according to the present invention, the low friction material is a resin material.

In the commodity storage device according to the present invention, a lower surface of the rear end portion of the commodity guide is inclined upward gradually as it goes rearward.

According to the present invention, the front end portion of the commodity guide that extends in the front-rear direction so as to be inserted into the screw and that carries the commodity on the upper surface is attached to the front end portion of the base that forms the bottom surface of the commodity-accommodating path, while the rear end portion is placed on a part of the screw so as to be capable of sliding contact with the part of the screw. In addition, the commodity guide can be inserted into the screw with the screw attached, and the commodity guide can be attached and detached without detaching the screw. Therefore, only the commodity guide is attached and detached, thereby achieving an effect of improving convenience.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a front view showing an external configuration of a vending machine to which a commodity storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional side view schematically showing an internal structure of a vending machine to which the commodity storage device according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing one of the commodity carriers shown in fig. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part of the commodity shelf shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a main part of the commodity shelf shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the driving unit shown in fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a driving unit, a transmission member, and a screw, which are constituent elements of the commodity column.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the article guide shown in fig. 3 and 5.

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the commodity guide shown in fig. 3 and 5.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the commodity guide shown in fig. 8 and 9 is mounted.

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of the commodity column shown in fig. 5.

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modification of the commodity column according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing the commodity guide shown in fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing the commodity guide shown in fig. 12.

Symbol description

1 … vending machine,

10 … main body cabinet,

11 … commodity storage,

13 … commodity carrying rack,

20 … front face door,

30 … base,

31 … base frame,

311 and … front frame part,

312 … rear frame part,

313. 314 and … side frame parts,

32 … base plate,

40 … separator,

45 … commodity-accommodating passage,

50 … commodity column (commodity storage device),

51 … drive unit,

53 … transfer member,

55 … screw member,

60 … commodity guide,

60a … rear end part,

61 … guide body portion,

611 … base part,

612 … left side,

613 … right side part,

614 and … rear surface portion,

615 … front end,

62 … guide cover.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the commodity storage device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 and 2 are front views showing an external configuration of a vending machine to which the commodity storage device according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied, and fig. 1 is a cross-sectional side view schematically showing an internal configuration of the vending machine. The vending machine 1 illustrated here is installed in, for example, a store or the like, and includes a main body cabinet 10 as a main body of the apparatus.

The main body cabinet 10 is a rectangular parallelepiped frame having an opening (hereinafter, also referred to as a front surface opening) 10a on the front surface, and has a commodity storage 11 inside. The commodity storage 11 is a chamber surrounded by a heat insulating material and having a heat insulating structure, and the commodity shelf 13 is provided with a plurality of layers in the up-down direction. The commodity carrying frames 13 are respectively installed between not-shown carrying frame supporting side plates erected on both sides of the commodity storage 11, and store commodities.

The commodity storage 11 is provided with an evaporator 14a. The evaporator 14a and the compressor 14b, the condenser 14c, and the expansion mechanism 14d of the equipment room 12 disposed in the lower region of the commodity storage container 11 constitute a refrigerant circuit 14 for circulating a refrigerant, and the refrigerant passing through a refrigerant passage, not shown, and the air passing through the commodity storage container 11 around the evaporator are heat-exchanged to cool the air.

By driving the in-house blower fan 15, air cooled around the evaporator 14 is sucked into the ventilation path 16b from the suction port 16a of the back duct 16 provided on the back surface of the commodity storage 11, passes through the ventilation path 16b, and is blown out from the blowing port 16c, whereby the commodity stored in the commodity shelf 13 is cooled.

In a front region of the commodity shelf 13 of the commodity storage container 11, conveying rails 17a are disposed in pairs on both sides thereof, and a conveying carriage is disposed so as to be movable in the up-down direction between the conveying rails 17a by a conveying mechanism not shown. That is, a conveyance path 17 through which the conveyance carriage 17b passes is formed between the conveyance rails 17 a. The conveyance path 17 extends to a front region of the equipment room 12, and a lowest position of the front region of the equipment room 12 is a commodity-taking-out region 18.

The front surface opening 10a of the main body cabinet 10 is opened and closed by a front surface door 20. The front surface door 20 is a door body having a size sufficient to close the front surface opening 10a, and is swingably provided at a left side edge portion on the front side of the main body cabinet 10.

The front door 20 has a heat insulating structure, and includes a window 21, wherein a glass plate 21a having heat insulating properties enabling the inside to be viewed from the outside is attached to the window 21, and a rectangular commodity outlet 22 is formed in a lower portion of the window 21.

The commodity outlet 22 is an opening through which a user takes out a commodity transported to the commodity take-out area 18 by the transport tray 17b, and is opened and closed by a commodity take-out door 23.

The front door 20 is provided with a commodity selecting section 24, a coin insertion port 25, a bill insertion port 26, a card reader 27, a coin return port 28, and the like on the right side of the window section 21.

The commodity selecting section 24 has a button keypad, a display, and the like, and is a member for a user to select a commodity. The coin inlet 25 is an opening through which coins are introduced. The bill insertion slot 26 is an opening for inserting bills.

When a recording medium storing amount information called electronic money is held in a predetermined communication-capable area, data relating to the money is transmitted and received between the card reader 27 and the recording medium. The coin return opening 28 is an opening for returning the inserted coins, returning change, or the like.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing one commodity carrying frame 13 shown in fig. 1 and 2. The plurality of commodity carriers 13 shown in fig. 1 and 2 each have the same configuration, and hereinafter, one commodity carrier 13 will be described, and the description of the other commodity carriers 13 will be omitted.

The commodity shelf 13 illustrated here is configured to include a base 30, a partition 40, and a plurality of commodity columns (commodity storing devices) 50.

The base 30 is made of a metal plate or the like, and includes a base frame 31 and a base plate 32. As shown in fig. 4, the base frame 31 has a rectangular shape formed by combining a front frame portion 311, a rear frame portion 312, and a pair of left and right side frame portions 313 and 314 into a four-sided frame, and has a rectangular opening, not shown.

The front frame portion 311 is a long member having a longitudinal direction in the left-right direction, and forms a front end portion of the base 30. The rear frame portion 312 is a long member in the longitudinal direction, and is also a flat plate member protruding upward. A left side frame portion (hereinafter, also referred to as a left side frame portion) 313 extends in the front-rear direction so as to connect a left end portion of the front frame portion 311 and a left end portion of the rear frame portion 312, and a left wall portion 313a extending in the front-rear direction is attached. A right side frame portion (hereinafter, also referred to as a right side frame portion) 314 extends in the front-rear direction so as to connect a right end portion of the front frame portion 311 and a right end portion of the rear frame portion 312, and a right wall portion 314a extending in the front-rear direction is attached.

The base plate 32 is mounted on the base frame 31 so as to close the rectangular opening. As shown in fig. 4, in the base plate 32, a plurality of concave portions 321 extending in the front-rear direction are arranged in a left-right direction, and the concave portions 321 adjacent to each other are planar portions 322 between each other.

The separator 40 is provided in plural numbers as long plate-like members each composed of a metal plate or the like. These separators 40 are fixedly supported by the base 30 such that the lower end locking piece 41 formed at the lower end portion is inserted into the lower locking hole 322a (see fig. 5) formed in the flat surface portion 322 of the base plate 32, the rear end locking piece 42 formed at the rear end portion is inserted into the rear locking hole 312a (see fig. 5) formed in the rear frame portion 312 of the base frame 31, and the attachment piece 43 formed at the lower end portion is attached to the base plate 32 via the attachment pin 44, as shown in fig. 4.

By fixedly supporting the plurality of partitions 40 on the base 30 in this way, commodity storage passages 45 extending in the front-rear direction are defined between the partitions 40 adjacent to each other, between the left wall 313a and the partition 40 adjacent thereto on the leftmost side, and between the right wall 314a and the partition 40 adjacent thereto on the rightmost side. The base plate 32 forms the bottom surface of each commodity-accommodating passage 45, and in particular, the plurality of recesses 321 of the base plate 32 form the bottom of each commodity-accommodating passage 45. In the rear frame 312, a circular coupling hole 312b is formed at a portion that is a rear surface of each commodity-accommodating passage 45.

As shown in fig. 5, the plurality of commodity columns 50 are provided corresponding to the commodity storage paths 45, and each include a driving unit 51 (see fig. 4), a transmission member 53, a screw 55, and a commodity guide 60.

The rotation direction and the like of the screws 55 of the plurality of commodity columns 50 arranged on the commodity shelf 13 may be different, but the basic configuration is the same, and therefore, the commodity column 50 shown in fig. 5 will be described below, and the description of other commodity columns 50 will be omitted.

As shown in fig. 4, the driving unit 51 is mounted to the rear frame portion 312. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the driving unit 51 shown in fig. 4. As shown in fig. 6, the driving unit 51 is configured such that a motor 512, an output gear 513, and a carry-out detection switch 514 are housed in a pair of front and rear driving cases 511a and 511 b.

The motor 512 is a drive source driven by a drive command received from a control unit, not shown. The output gear 513 is in a substantially annular form, and has a first output tooth 513a formed at an outer peripheral portion and a second output tooth 513b formed at an inner peripheral portion. The output gear 513 is housed inside the drive cases 511a and 511b such that the second output tooth portions 513b are exposed from the inner surfaces of the through holes 511c formed in the drive cases 511a and 511 b. Here, the through hole 511c extends in the front-rear direction at a substantially central portion of the drive cases 511a, 511 b.

The output gear 513 is coupled to the motor 512 via a coupling gear unit 515. The linkage gear unit 515 includes: a first linkage gear 515a engaged with an output shaft 512a of the motor 512; and a second linkage gear 515b engaged with the first linkage gear 515 a. Since the first output tooth 513a is engaged with the second linkage gear 515b, the output gear 513 can rotate around its own central axis. The output gear 513 is housed in the drive cases 511a and 511b such that the central axis coincides with the central axis of the through hole 511c of the drive cases 511a and 511 b.

The carry-out detection switch 514 is housed in the drive cases 511a and 511b so as to be positioned on the right side of the output gear 513. The carry-out detection switch 514 is provided with a carry-out contactor, not shown. The carry-out contactor is biased by a biasing mechanism, not shown, and its standby posture is determined. The carry-out detection switch 514 sends a low-level signal to the control unit that is electrically connected when the carry-out contact is not pressed by any means and is in a standby position, and sends a high-level signal to the control unit when the carry-out contact is pressed by a projection, not shown, formed on the output gear 513 and is displaced against the biasing force of the biasing mechanism. That is, the carry-out detection switch 514 is disposed at a position where the carry-out contactor can abut against the projection of the output gear 513.

The driving unit 51 having such a structure is mounted by inserting the plurality of engagement pieces 52 formed in the driving cases 511a, 511b into the engagement holes 312c formed in the rear frame 312, respectively, to engage with the rear frame 312. In this case, the driving unit 51 is attached to the rear frame 312 such that the through holes 511c of the driving cases 511a, 511b coincide with the coupling holes 312b of the rear frame 312, and the second output tooth 513b of the output gear 513 is exposed from the front via the coupling holes 312b.

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a driving unit 51, a transmission member 53, and a screw 55 as constituent elements of the commodity column 50. The transmission member 53 and the screw 55 will be described using this fig. 7 as appropriate.

The transmission member 53 is configured by integrally forming the transmission base 531, the first transmission shaft portion 532, and the second transmission shaft portion 533. The transfer base 531 has a bottomed cylindrical form, and a through hole (not shown) is formed in a central portion of the bottom portion 531a thereof.

The first transmission shaft portion 532 is a cylindrical portion formed so as to protrude rearward from the rear surface of the bottom portion 531a of the transmission base portion 531. The first transmission shaft portion 532 has an outer diameter that can be inserted into the through hole 511c of the drive cases 511a, 511b, and the inside thereof communicates with the through hole portion. In addition, engagement pieces 532a are formed at portions of the rear end portion of the first transmission shaft portion 532 that face each other. An engagement protrusion 532b is formed at each end of the engagement piece 532a, and engages with a part of the second output tooth 513b of the output gear 513. Thereby, the transmission member 53 can rotate around its own central axis integrally with the output gear 513. Here, the central axis of the transmission member 53 coincides with the central axis of the through hole 511c of the drive cases 511a, 511b and the central axis of the output gear 513.

The second transmission shaft portion 533 is formed so as to protrude forward from the front surface of the bottom portion 531a of the transmission base portion 531, and communicates with the through hole portion. In other words, the inside of the second transmission shaft portion 533 constitutes a hollow portion together with the through hole portion of the transmission base portion 531 and the inside of the first transmission shaft portion 532. In addition, the center axis of the second transmission shaft portion 533 coincides with the center axis of the first transmission shaft portion 532, and coincides with the center axis of the transmission member 53.

The screw 55 is formed by, for example, helically winding a metal rod in the front-rear direction. Such a screw 55 connects the rear end portion to the transmission base 531 of the transmission member 53 so that the central axis coincides with the central axis of the transmission member 53 (the central axis of the output gear 513), and the screw 55 can rotate integrally with the transmission member 53.

The screw 55 rotates around the central axis, thereby gradually carrying out the commodity held between the pitches toward the front and carrying out the commodity held between the foremost pitches.

The above-described carry-out detection switch 514 detects the rotation of the output gear 513 by bringing the carry-out contact into contact with a projection provided on the output gear 513, but the output gear 513 and the transmission member 53 rotate integrally, and further the screw 55 and the transmission member 53 rotate integrally, so that the carry-out detection switch 514 finally detects the rotation of the screw 55.

Fig. 8 and 9 show the commodity guide 60 shown in fig. 3 and 5, respectively, fig. 8 being a perspective view and fig. 9 being an exploded perspective view. As shown in fig. 8 and 9, the commodity guide 60 includes a guide body 61 and a guide cover 62.

The guide body 61 is a long member whose longitudinal direction is a longitudinal direction, for example, formed by bending a metal plate or the like. Such a guide main body portion 61 is constituted by integrally forming a base portion 611, a left side portion 612, a right side portion 613, a rear surface portion 614, and a front end portion 615.

The base 611 is a horizontally extending portion extending in the front-rear direction. The left side portion 612 is a portion extending downward from the left edge portion of the base portion 611, and an extending end portion 612a thereof is bent rightward to constitute a part of the lower surface of the guide body portion 61. The right side portion 613 is a portion extending downward from the right side edge portion of the base portion 611, and an extending end portion 613a thereof is bent to the left side to constitute a part of the lower surface of the guide body portion 61.

The left and right side portions 612 and 613 are in a right-left pair relationship, and the lengths extending downward from the base portion 611 are uniform. In addition, the lengths of the downward extensions at the rear end portions of the left and right side portions 612 and 613, respectively, become gradually smaller toward the rear. That is, the extension ends 612a, 613a of the rear ends of the left and right side portions 612, 613 are gradually inclined upward as going rearward.

The rear surface portion 614 is a portion extending downward from a rear end portion of the base 611, and is formed with a support hole 614a. The front end portion 615 is a portion provided continuously with the front end portion of the base 611. The front end portion 615 includes a front end inclined portion 6151, a front surface structure portion 6152, and a front end locking portion 6153.

The front end inclined portion 6151 is a portion that gradually slopes downward as going forward from the front end portion of the base 611. The front surface structure portion 6152 is a portion extending downward from the extending end portion of the front end inclined portion 6151 and then extending rearward. The front end locking portion 6153 is a portion extending downward from the extending end portion of the front surface structure portion 6152, and is formed with a through hole 6153a for mounting.

The lower surface of the guide main body portion 61 having such a structure is formed of a portion of the left side portion 612 and a portion of the right side portion 613, but a lower surface opening 61a is formed between an extended end portion 612a of the left side portion 612 and an extended end portion 613a of the right side portion 613.

The guide cover 62 is a long sheet-like member formed of a resin material such as polyethylene, for example, and having a longitudinal direction. The guide cover 62 is bonded to and joined to the extension end portion 612a of the left side portion 612 and the extension end portion 613a of the right side portion 613 which constitute the lower surface of the guide body 61 by an adhesive or the like so as to close the lower surface opening 61a of the guide body 61. The rear end portion 621 of the guide cover 62 is formed with a supporting through hole 621a bent upward, and covers the rear surface portion 614, and the supporting pin 63 passing through the supporting through hole 621a from the rear is inserted into the supporting hole 614a and supported by the guide body 61.

Accordingly, the lower surface and the rear surface of the commodity guide 60 are constituted by the guide cover 62, and the lower surface of the rear end portion 60a gradually slopes upward as going rearward.

As shown in fig. 10, the commodity guide 60 is installed in the screw 55 by inserting the guide installation pin 65, which penetrates the installation through hole 6153a from the front, into the installation hole 311a formed in the front frame 311 in a state of being inserted into the screw 55 from the front.

As shown in fig. 11, the front end portion 615 of the commodity guide 60 is attached to the front end portion (front frame portion 311) of the base 30 constituting the bottom surface of the commodity storage path 45, while the rear end portion 60a is provided so as to be placed on a part of the screw 55 so as to be capable of sliding contact with the part of the screw 55, and commodity held between the pitches of the screw 55 can be placed on the upper surface of the base 611.

In the commodity column 50 having the above-described configuration, the control unit drives the motor 512 and rotates the screw 55 by rotation of the output gear 513 and the transmission member 53, so that the commodity held between the pitches of the screw 55 is conveyed forward and the commodity held between the forefront pitches is sent forward, provided that the user selects the commodity in the commodity column 50 by the commodity selection unit 24 and inputs a desired money or performs a predetermined money process (subtraction process). The commodity sent from the commodity column 50 is received by the conveyance tray 17b, conveyed by the conveyance tray 17b to the commodity-taking-out area 18, and taken out through the commodity-taking-out port 22.

As described above, according to the commodity column 50 of the embodiment of the present invention, the front end portion 615 of the commodity guide 60 that extends in the front-rear direction so as to be inserted into the screw 55 and on which a commodity is placed on the upper surface is attached to the front frame portion 311, while the rear end portion 60a is placed on a portion of the screw 55 so as to be capable of sliding contact with the portion of the screw 55, and therefore, the commodity guide 60 can be disengaged by removing the front end portion 615 from the front frame portion 311. In addition, the commodity guide 60 can be provided by inserting the commodity guide 60 into the screw 55 in a state where the screw 55 is attached, and thereby the commodity guide 60 can be attached and detached without detaching the screw 55. Therefore, by attaching and detaching only the commodity guide 60, improvement in convenience can be achieved.

In addition, according to the commodity column 50 described above, since the lower surface of the commodity guide 60 is constituted by the guide cover 62 formed of a resin material, the sliding resistance can be reduced by reducing the friction force at the time of sliding contact with the screw 55, and thus good delivery of the screw 55 can be achieved. In particular, since the lower surface of the rear end portion 60a of the commodity guide 60 gradually slopes upward as it goes rearward, the sliding resistance with the rear portion of the screw 55 that is close to the motor 512 can be further reduced, and the load of the motor 512 can be further reduced.

Further, according to the commodity column 50, a part of the screw 55 can be pressed from above by the weight of the commodity placed on the upper surface, so that the screw 55 can be kept from loosening during rotation and the posture of moving forward can be stabilized.

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modification of the commodity column 50 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the commodity column 50 according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in fig. 1 to 11, and the description thereof will be omitted. The commodity column 50' illustrated here is configured to include a driving unit 51, a transmitting member 53, a screw 55, and a commodity guide 70.

As shown in fig. 12 and 13, the article guide 70 is configured to include a guide upper surface portion 71 and a guide lower surface portion 72. The guide upper surface portion 71 is a long sheet-like member formed of a resin material such as polyethylene, for example, and having a longitudinal direction. The guide upper surface portion 71 is formed by integrally molding an upper surface base 711 and an upper surface distal end portion 712.

The upper surface base 711 is a horizontally extending portion extending in the front-rear direction. The upper surface front end portion 712 is a portion provided continuously with the front end portion of the upper surface base 711. The upper surface front end portion 712 is formed along the metal plate member 74, and includes a front end inclined portion 7121, a front surface structure portion 7122, and a front end locking portion 7123.

The front end inclined portion 7121 is a portion gradually inclined downward as going forward from the front end portion of the upper surface base 711. The front surface structure portion 7122 is a portion extending downward from the extending end portion of the front end inclined portion 7121 and then extending rearward. The front end locking portion 7123 is a portion extending downward from an extending end portion of the front surface structure portion 7122, and is formed with a mounting through hole 7123a.

The guide lower surface portion 72 is a long sheet-like member formed of a resin material such as polyethylene, for example, and having a longitudinal direction. The guide lower surface portion 72 is coupled to the lower surface of the upper surface base portion 711 of the guide upper surface portion 71 via a substantially rectangular parallelepiped cushion 73 made of a resin material such as foamed polyethylene, for example, and forms the lower surface of the commodity guide 70. The rear end 72a of the guide lower surface 72 is inclined upward gradually as it goes rearward.

Thus, the upper and lower surfaces of the commodity guide 70 are made of a resin material, and the rear end portion 72a of the guide lower surface portion 72 forming the lower surface of the rear end portion gradually slopes upward as going rearward.

Then, the commodity guide 70 is inserted into the screw 55 from the front, and the guide attachment pin 75 penetrating the attachment through hole 7123a from the front is inserted into the attachment hole 311a formed in the front frame portion 311, and is attached, thereby being provided in the screw 55.

As shown in fig. 12, the upper surface front end portion 712 of the commodity guide 70 is attached to the front end portion (front frame portion 311) of the base 30 constituting the bottom surface of the commodity storage path 45, while the rear end portion is provided so as to be placed on a part of the screw 55 in a slidable contact with the part of the screw 55, and commodity held between the pitches of the screw 55 can be placed on the upper surface of the upper surface base portion 711.

In the commodity column 50 'having the above-described configuration, the control unit drives the motor 512 and rotates the screw 55 by rotation of the output gear 513 and the transmission member 53, so that the commodity held between the pitches of the screw 55 is conveyed forward and the commodity held between the forefront pitches is sent forward, provided that the user selects the commodity in the commodity column 50' by the commodity selection unit 24 and inputs a desired money or performs a predetermined money process (subtraction process). The commodity sent from the commodity column 50' is received by the conveying tray 17b, conveyed by the conveying tray 17b to the commodity-taking-out area 18, and taken out through the commodity-taking-out port 22.

As described above, according to the commodity column 50', the upper surface front end portion 712 of the commodity guide 70 that extends in the front-rear direction so as to be inserted into the screw 55 and carries the commodity on the upper surface is attached to the front frame portion 311, while the rear end portion is provided in a state of being carried on a part of the screw 55 so as to be capable of sliding contact with the part of the screw 55, and therefore, the commodity guide 70 can be disengaged by removing the upper surface front end portion 712 from the front frame portion 311. In addition, the commodity guide 70 can be inserted into the screw 55 with the screw 55 attached, and the commodity guide 70 can be attached and detached without removing the screw 55. Therefore, by attaching and detaching only the commodity guide 70, improvement in convenience can be achieved.

In addition, according to the above commodity column 50', since the upper and lower surfaces of the commodity guide 70 are formed of a resin material, the sliding resistance can be reduced by reducing the friction force at the time of sliding contact with the screw 55, and thus good feeding out of the screw 55 can be achieved. In particular, since the lower surface of the rear end portion of the commodity guide 70 (the rear end portion 72a of the guide lower surface portion 72) gradually slopes upward as it goes rearward, the sliding resistance with the rear portion of the screw 55 that is close to the motor 512 can be further reduced, and the load of the motor 512 can be further reduced.

Further, according to the commodity column 50', the screw 55 can be partially pressed from above by the weight of the commodity placed on the upper surface, so that the screw 55 can be kept from loosening during rotation, and the posture of moving forward can be stabilized.

While the preferred embodiment and the modification of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible.

In the above-described embodiment, the lower surfaces of the rear end portions 60a and the like of the commodity guides 60, 70 are inclined upward gradually as going rearward, but in the present invention, the lower surfaces of the rear end portions of the commodity guides may not be inclined upward gradually as going rearward.

In the above embodiment, the lower surface of the rear end portion 60a of the commodity guide 60 is made of a resin material, but in the present invention, at least the lower surface of the rear end portion may be made of a lubrication-coated steel plate, a lubrication coating applied thereto, or a low friction material, instead of a resin material.

In the above embodiment, the lower surface including the rear end portion 60a and the like of the commodity guides 60, 70 is made of a low friction material such as a resin material, but in the present invention, the screw may be made of a lubrication coated steel plate, and the surface may be coated with a lubrication coating.

Claims (3)

1. A commodity-containing device is provided, which comprises a commodity container,

comprises a screw member which is spirally wound in a commodity-accommodating passage extending in the front-rear direction along the extending direction of the commodity-accommodating passage,

when the screw rotates around the central axis, the commodity containing device gradually carries out the commodity held between the pitches of the screw toward the front and sends out the forefront commodity,

it is characterized in that the method comprises the steps of,

the commodity storage device comprises a commodity guide extending in the front-rear direction so as to be inserted into the screw, and on the upper surface of which commodity is placed,

the front end of the commodity guide is mounted on the front end of the base forming the bottom surface of the commodity-accommodating passage, the rear end is mounted on a part of the screw in a manner capable of sliding contact with the screw,

the lower surface of the rear end portion of the commodity guide gradually slopes upward as it goes rearward.

2. The article storage device of claim 1, wherein,

at least a lower surface of the rear end portion of the commodity guide is composed of a low friction material.

3. The article storage device of claim 2, wherein,

the low friction material is a resin material.