EP0012187B1 - Delivery drawer arrangement for a vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A delivery arrangement of a vending machine, more especially a push-button operated vending machine, for cartons stacked in stacking columns (10, 11) in which for each stacking column (10, 11) there is provided a corresponding delivery ejector (7), whereby in each case the lowest carton is supported on not more than three supports (16, 24, 28) provided at respective corner regions of the stacking column (10, 11) and is turned by means of a guide arrangement (26) towards that corner region of the stacking column (10, 11) in which no support is provided, as a result of ejection movement of the delivery ejector (7) transversely to the direction of stacking, characterized in that the guide arrangement (26) comprises a guide surface (32) aligned at an angle to the direction of linear shifting movement of the ejector member (7) and arranged at a corner region of the stacking column (10, 11) which is remote from the engagement side of the ejector member (7) and to which that corner region not provided with a support is adjacent.

Description

The invention relates to a push-out device of a self-seller, in particular a push-button self-seller, for packs of goods stacked in stacking shafts, in which a push-out device is assigned to each stacking shaft, a bottom-most goods pack resting on no more than three supports provided in corner areas of the stacking shaft and by means of one The guide device is guided during the ejection movement of the expeller transverse to the stacking direction over that corner region of the stacking shaft in which no support is provided.

DE-C 114 582 describes an extension device for tickets. The bottom ticket is only in two corner areas. To issue the ticket is rotated by means of a star wheel and guide rollers so that it comes to rest over an opening. The angle of rotation of the star wheel must be strictly observed for card output and a translation must be provided for pressing a push button. This is expensive. The star wheel and the guide rollers protrude laterally far beyond the stacking shaft, so that several stacking shafts cannot be arranged close together. An arrangement of the stacking chutes that is as dense as possible is desirable for self-sellers.

DE-A 26 44 016 describes an ejection device in which the bottom pack of goods is pushed so far by the ejector that it falls out of the stacking shaft on the side opposite the ejector. The distance over which the goods package has to be pushed until it falls from the stacking shaft into an output shaft is almost as long as the goods package itself. As a result, the push-out device has to be moved over a long distance. In DE-A 26 44 016 it is proposed to shorten the stroke of the push button assigned to the pusher to design the pusher as a two-armed lever, whereby a translation is achieved. The result of such a translation is that the necessary movement distance of the pushbutton remains small, but the force required for actuation is greater than in the cases in which work is carried out without translation.

The object of the invention is to propose an ejection device of the type mentioned in the introduction, in which the goods package can be pushed out of the stacking shaft with a stroke that is short in comparison to the length of a goods package, without using a movement translation, with a linear extension movement Turning off goods packs from supports can take place and the ejection device only slightly exceeds the stacking shaft on both sides.

According to the invention, the above object is achieved in an extension device of the type mentioned at the outset in that the guide device has a guide surface which is oriented at an angle to the linear direction of movement of the ejector and which is arranged on a corner region of the stacking shaft which faces away from the attack side of the ejector and which does not a corner area provided adjacent is adjacent. In the stacking position, the bottom pack of goods rests on the supports, a corner area of the pack of goods not being supported. If the pusher is actuated, the bottom pack of goods is released after a short shifting distance and falls into an output shaft. The guide surface directs the bottom pack of goods from the supports.

It is achieved by the invention that the goods package is dispensed after a short stroke of the pusher. This is not achieved by a mechanical translation between the pusher and a control unit, so that no high actuation forces have to be applied. The short stroke is possible due to the special arrangement of the supports and the guide surface. It not only has the advantage of short operating parts, but is also inexpensive because the depth of the self-seller can be largely exploited.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the guide device is formed by a guide plate which is arranged at an angle to the direction of movement of the pusher, which is arranged on the corner region which faces away from the pusher and which is adjacent to that corner region in which no support is provided. When the ejector is actuated, the bottom pack of goods is pressed against the guide plate and slides on it until it falls off the supports.

• Fig. 1 einen Teilschnitt eines Drucktasten-Selbstverkäufers, schematisch,
• Fig. 2 eine Aufsicht auf einen Warenschacht des Selbstverkäufers nach Fig. 1,
• Fig. 3 eine Schachtwand des Stapelschachts längs der Linie 111-111 nach Fig. 2, verkleinert,
• Fig. 4 die andere Schachtwand des Stapelschachts in der Ansicht längs der Linie IV-IV nach Fig. 2 verkleinert und
• Fig. 5 eine in einen Stapelschacht eingesetzte Ausverkaufssperre, schematisch.

Further advantageous refinements of the invention result from the following description of an exemplary embodiment. The drawing shows:

• 1 shows a partial section of a push button self-seller, schematically,
• 2 is a plan view of a goods chute of the self-seller according to FIG. 1,
• 3 shows a shaft wall of the stacking shaft along the line 111-111 according to FIG. 2, reduced,
• Fig. 4 reduced the other shaft wall of the stacking shaft in the view along the line IV-IV of FIG. 2 and
• Fig. 5 shows a sellout block inserted into a stacking shaft, schematically.

A mechanical pushbutton self-seller 1 has a number of identical slide carriers 2. These are slidably mounted on a base plate 3. A stop 4 is provided on the slide supports 2, on which a pushbutton 5 acts. The push buttons 5 are mounted on a door 6 of the self-seller. To the A slide 7 is also attached to the slide carrier 2.

On an upper and lower rail 8 9 stacking shaft walls 10 and 11 are arranged by means of hooks. These can be adjusted on the rails 8 so that the stacking shaft can be adjusted to a necessary width.

A guide plate 12 extends between the base plate 3 and the lower end of the stacking shafts, each formed by a right shaft wall 10 and a left shaft wall 11, which bends towards an ejection shaft 13.

A rear bend 14 (FIG. 2) and a front bend 15 are provided on the right shaft wall 10 to improve its stability. At the bottom of the right-hand shaft wall 10, a support 16 is formed for one corner of a pack of goods to be stored between the shaft walls 10 and 11. Following the support 16, the shaft wall 10 is raised so that a lateral opening 17 (Fig. 3) is formed. The opening 17 is partially covered by a shut-off bar 18, which is attached to the free end of two leaf springs 19. The other end of the leaf springs 19 is firmly connected to a slide plate 20 which is mounted on the shaft wall 10 and the height of which can be adjusted by means of a screw-slot connection 21. The front kink extends only in its lower area 15 'to the front edge of the support 16. In the area 15 "above it, the kink 15 is set back, making it easier, in particular, to insert narrow packs of goods between the shaft walls 10 and 11.

The shaft wall 11 is provided (according to FIG. 3) with a rear bend 22 and has a front guide bar 23 designed as a front bend. This is used to guide the packs of goods in a stack of goods at the front edge. At the bottom of the guide bar 23, a support 24 is formed which is at the same height as the support 16.

A unit 26, which is adjustably mounted on the shaft wall 11 by means of a screw-slot connection 25, is arranged thereon (see also FIG. 4). The unit 26 is provided with a rear guide bar 27 for the goods packs and a support 28 which is at the same height as the supports 16 and 24. The guide bar 27 does not extend to the support 28, but ends approximately at the height of the opening 17 above the support 28. A leaf spring 29 is arranged on the guide bar and extends in the extension of the guide bar 27 in the direction of the support 28 (cf. FIG. 4). The leaf spring 29 is provided at the bottom with a bend 30 which has a bevel 31.

A guide device 32 is arranged on the unit 26 and extends between the support 28 and the rear guide bar 27. The guide device 32 is formed by a guide plate which is at an angle W to the guide bar 27. The angle W is, for example, somewhat larger than 45 °. It is dimensioned such that a pack of goods lying on the supports 16, 24, 28 then dodges to the side when it is acted upon by the pusher 7 at the front. The dimensions of the supports 16, 24, 28 are significantly smaller than the side edges of a pack of goods, but are sufficiently large to support a pack of goods as long as it is aligned with the supports 16, 24, 28 by the guide strips 23 and 27. The support 28 is chamfered at its edge 28 'in such a way that a pack of goods displaced by the guide plate 32 cannot be held.

The bevel 31 of the leaf spring 29 is designed so that the leaf spring, when it is moved by a pack of goods in the direction of the guide plate 32, does not abut against the latter before the pack of goods is pushed off the support 28.

The screws 25 ′ of the screw-slot connection 25 engage on a leg 33 of the unit 26 facing away from the stack of goods. The guide plate 32 is fastened to the lower part 33 ′ of the leg 33, which is angled parallel to the guide plate 32, with the support 28 molded onto it.

5 shows a sellout block 34 to be placed on the stack of goods. This engages around the front guide bar 23 and projects over the front bend 15 '. In the displacement area of the unit 26, the sellout block 34 is provided with a cutout 35. A stop 36 is formed at the front of the sell-out lock 34, against which the pusher 7 concerned strikes when a shaft is sold out. The clearance lock can be designed to be adjustable to different widths of the manhole. In order to ensure that the sales barrier is moved downward, the front bend 15 can be designed with a chamfer between its regions 15 'and 15 ".

• Die Schieberplatte 20 wird so eingestellt, daß ihre untere Kante 20' entsprechend der Höhe der zu verkaufenden Warenpackung über den Auflagern 16, 24, 28 liegt. Damit ist erreicht, daß mit Sicherheit immer nur eine Warenpackung ausgeschoben wird. Weiterhin wird die Einheit 26 so eingestellt, daß der Abstand zwischen der vorderen Führungsleiste 23 und der hinteren Führungsleiste 27 der Tiefe der Warenpackung entspricht. Damit ist von selbst das Auflager 28 und das Führungsblech 32 in der richtigen Position. Die so eingestellten Schachtwände 10 und 11 werden an den Schienen 8 in der Breite der zu verkaufenden Warenpackung so festgelegt, daß dem durch die Schachtwände gebildeten Warenschacht ein Ausschieber 7 bzw. eine Drucktaste 5 zugeordnet ist.

The shaft walls described are adapted to the dimensions of the goods packages to be sold from a goods shaft as follows:

• The slide plate 20 is adjusted so that its lower edge 20 'is above the supports 16, 24, 28 according to the height of the pack of goods to be sold. This ensures that only one pack of goods is always pushed out. Furthermore, the unit 26 is set so that the distance between the front guide bar 23 and the rear guide bar 27 corresponds to the depth of the goods package. The support 28 and the guide plate 32 are in the correct position by themselves. The shaft walls 10 and 11 set in this way are fixed on the rails 8 in the width of the goods package to be sold in such a way that the goods formed by the shaft walls shaft an ejector 7 or a push button 5 is assigned.

• Die jeweils unterste Warenpackung eines Warenstapels liegt in drei ihrer Eckbereiche auf den Auflagern 16, 24 und 28 auf. Wird die diesem Warenstapel zugeordnete Drucktaste eingedrückt, dann nähert sich der Ausschieber 7 der Vorderkante der untersten Warenpackung, wobei ein erster Teil des Hubes zunächst - wie üblich - zur Steuerung der Verriegelung der anderen Ausschieber des Selbstverkäufers bzw. zur Münzauslösung dient. Danach kommt der Ausschieber dann mit der Vorderkante der Warenpackung in Berührung und verschiebt diese. Da die Warenpackung dabei an dem schrägen Führungsblech 32 gleitet, wird sie zu dem Eckbereich hin verschoben, in dem kein Auflager vorgesehen ist. Sobald die Warenpackung vom Auflager 28 frei ist - in Fig. 2 ist diese Stellung strichpunktiert dargestellt - fällt sie auf das Leitblech 12, das hierfür entsprechend weit nach vorn gezogen ist und rutscht in den Auswurfschacht 13. Von dort kann sie entnommen werden. Beim Ausschieben der Warenpackung verschwenkt sich die Absperrleiste 18 und die Blattfeder 29. Durch die Abbiegung 30 an der Blattfeder 29 ist erreicht, daß diese die Warenpackung nicht klemmt und beim Zurückschnappen nicht an der Oberseite der Warenpackung kratzt. Die Blattfeder 29 und die an den Blattfedern 19 gelagerte Absperrleiste 18 dienen dazu, ein Herausfallen einer Warenpackung bei etwaigem Rütteln des Selbstverkäufers zu vermeiden. Der Teil des Hubes, der zum Ausschieben einer Warenpackung erforderlich ist, ist in Fig. 2 mit H dargestellt. Ersichtlich ist dieser Hub im Vergleich zu bekannten Einrichtungen sehr klein. Im Bedarfsfalle kann er auch so bemessen werden, daß er der Tiefe der Auflager 16 und 24 entspricht.

The operation of the described device is approximately as follows:

• The bottom pack of goods in each case lies in three of its corner areas on the supports 16, 24 and 28. If the push button assigned to this stack of goods is pressed in, the ejector 7 approaches the front edge of the bottom goods package, a first part of the stroke initially serving, as usual, to control the locking of the other ejectors of the self-seller or for coin release. The ejector then comes into contact with the front edge of the goods package and moves it. Since the pack of goods slides on the oblique guide plate 32, it is shifted towards the corner area in which no support is provided. As soon as the pack of goods is free from the support 28 - this position is shown in dash-dotted lines in FIG. 2 - it falls on the guide plate 12, which is drawn far forward for this purpose and slides into the discharge chute 13. From there it can be removed. When the goods package is pushed out, the shut-off bar 18 and the leaf spring 29 pivot. The bend 30 on the leaf spring 29 ensures that the latter does not jam the goods package and does not scratch the top of the goods package when it snaps back. The leaf spring 29 and the shut-off strip 18 mounted on the leaf springs 19 serve to prevent a pack of goods from falling out if the self-seller shakes. The part of the stroke that is required for pushing out a pack of goods is represented by H in FIG. 2. Obviously, this stroke is very small compared to known devices. If necessary, it can also be dimensioned so that it corresponds to the depth of the supports 16 and 24.

This short stroke does not require a high pushing force to be exerted using the pushbutton, unlike known pushing-out pushers that work with a translation. It has been shown that the force required to push out in the described device is only approximately in the order of magnitude of the force to be exerted when pushing out with translation.

The stroke required to eject a pack of goods is not only short in comparison to the length of a pack of goods, but is also the same for shorter or longer packs of goods and is therefore independent of the length of the pack of goods. It is therefore not necessary to provide a longer stroke for longer packs of goods than for shorter packs of goods.

It is not necessary that the corner of the pack of goods lying at the guide plate 32 slide directly thereon. An angle encompassing the corner region of the goods package could also be provided, which can be displaced in a guide that runs approximately in the direction of the guide plate.

In addition, it is possible to integrate the function of the leaf spring 29 and the function of the guide plate 32 in a component which can be pivoted up to a stop.

Claims (8)

1. A delivery arrangement of a vending machine, more especially a push-button operated vending machine, for cartons stacked in stacking columns (10, 11) in which for each stacking column (10, 11) there is provided a corresponding delivery ejector (7), whereby in each case the lowest carton is supported on not more than three supports (16, 24, 28) provided at respective corner regions of the stacking column (10,11) and is turned by means of a guide arrangement (26) towards that corner region of the stacking column (10, 11) in which no support is provided, as a result of ejection movement of the delivery ejector (7) transversely to the direction of stacking, characterized in that the guide arrangement (26) comprises a guide surface (32) aligned at an angle to the direction of linear shifting movement of the ejector member (7) and arranged at a corner region of the stacking column (10, 11) which is remote from the engagement side of the ejector member (7) and to which that corner region not provided with a support is adjacent.

2. A delivery arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized in that supports (16, 24, 28) are provided for three corner regions of the lowermost carton.

3. A delivery arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the guide surface is formed of a guide plate (32) extending at an angle (W).

4. A delivery arrangement according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the guide arrangement (26) and a support (28) are combined in a unit which is displaceable on one column wall (11) and which also comprises a guide ledge (27) for the downwardly slidable cartons.

5. A delivery arrangement according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the wall (10) of the stacking column (10, 11) comprises an opening (17) in the region into which the guide surface (32) deflects a carton, and that there is provided in the opening (17) at least one spring loaded blocking ledge (18,19) which laterally engages the lowermost carton.

6. A delivery arrangement according to Claim 5, characterized in that the height of the opening (17) is adjustable by means of a slidable edge plate (20') provided above the support (16, 24, 28).

7. A delivery arrangement according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the support (28) lying adjacent the guide surface (32) comprises an edge (28') which extends parallel to a lateral edge of a carton when deflected by the guide surface (32).

8. A delivery arrangement according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that two supports (16, 24) adjacent to the engagement side of the delivery ejector (7) are formed by angled portions of the column wall (10, 11).

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