EP0259392A1

EP0259392A1 - Delivery device for goods-containing shafts in vending machines

Info

Publication number: EP0259392A1
Application number: EP19870901357
Authority: EP
Inventors: Georg PRÜMM
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-02-27
Filing date: 1987-02-26
Publication date: 1988-03-16
Also published as: DE3606268C2; WO1987005426A1; DE3606268A1; AU7038287A

Abstract

Un dispositif de sortie pour cages de marchandises assure une protection fiable contre le retrait illicite de marchandises. Des éjecteurs formés de façon appropriée et faisant partie d'une bande transporteuse déplacent avant d'atteindre leur position de repos au point antérieur de renversement de la bande transporteuse une trappe obturatrice jusqu'à une position de blocage de la sortie des marchandises et la verrouillent sans interférer avec une force d'éjection qui s'exerce sur un paquet à éjecter. Lorsque l'éjecteur se remet en marche, il déverrouille la trappe obturatrice, de sorte que celle-ci puisse basculer en arrière ou être renversée par un paquet à distribuer avec une dépense insignifiante d'énergie.An exit device for goods cages provides reliable protection against illicit withdrawal of goods. Ejectors suitably formed and forming part of a conveyor belt move, before reaching their rest position at the anterior point of overturning of the conveyor belt, a shutter hatch to a position for blocking the outlet of the goods and lock it without interfering with an ejection force which is exerted on a package to be ejected. When the ejector restarts, it unlocks the shutter, so that it can tip back or be knocked over by a package to be distributed with an insignificant expenditure of energy.

Description

Dispenser for goods chutes in a vending machine

Technical field

The invention relates to a dispensing device, such as can be used at the lower end of vertical goods chutes in vending machines, and above all has the purpose of reliably securing the goods chutes against unauthorized removal of goods packages.

State of the art

German patent application P 33 11 412.9 describes an output device which consists of a rotating belt drive tensioned between at least two deflection rollers, the belt of which has two ejectors with triangular rear supports which alternate the delivery of goods. After a goods delivery, the belt is stopped in such a way that the respective ejector comes to rest at the front reversal point of the belt drive in a position in which it is horizontal and its rear-facing support is vertical. The rear end of the support protrudes somewhat beyond the bearing surface of the stack of goods. This is to prevent packs from slipping out of the goods shaft, e.g. B. if you tilt the machine and thus the goods shaft forward accordingly. However, the backup only works under two conditions that cannot be achieved in practice or can only be achieved at considerable cost:

- The passage in the shaft wall for the dispensing of the bottom pack must be precisely matched to the thickness of the respective pack. If it is higher than the pack to be dispensed, the blocking effect of the superscript extension is lost to a corresponding extent;

- The extension must be exactly vertical. If the belt drive continues to run only slightly beyond this ideal position, the rear end of the upstanding extension will come to a correspondingly lower position and the blocking effect may also be completely eliminated. To remedy the first defect, since the packs of goods are of different thicknesses, a height-adjustable design of the lower edge of the shaft wall above the passage would be available, which would, however, entail additional costs and would frequently change in practical operation due to frequent adjustment work when in use - - ~ -

would disturb disturbing packs.

The second defect shown can only be remedied by more complex control of the drive (clocked stepper motors or engaging a crawl speed at the end of a goods delivery or the like) or by a very slow running which is unacceptable in practice.

Spring flaps are usually used to secure the product chutes, which block the outlet and are pivoted away against the force of the spring by a pack located in the extension. Because a pack is compressed between the spring flap and an ejector, the spring force of the spring flap is limited. For this reason, known fuses are not effective when z. B. places a machine horizontally and pushes it hard: the limited spring force of the spring flap is canceled by its centrifugal forces and the influence of a vertically accelerated packing.

In addition, each spring takes a corresponding amount of force away from the drive, which is extremely disadvantageous, particularly in the case of small individual drives, as in the example discussed. This additional power requirement for the ejection of goods results in the use of larger and more powerful motors and, in addition to higher manufacturing costs, takes up valuable space for stacking goods packages due to the increased space requirement.

Occasionally, product chutes have baffles in the area of the outlet for the packs to be dispensed, which are also intended to give the packs lateral guidance in front of the product chute. If packs have a certain excess width or if a baffle is even slightly bent, then a pack - after it has moved out of the ejector's range of action - can remain trapped between its two end plates and slide in a goods issue can be prevented. Presentation of the invention

The invention aims to remedy the shortcomings described above and to find new, better solutions.

A first object of the invention is therefore to find a simple and inexpensive effective protection against removal of packs and to propose a solution which does not require adjusting devices on the passage in the shaft wall and does not cause any further effort for the control of the drive. The solution according to the invention is intended to work taking into account exemplary variations in the drives (friction, motors) and different load conditions (packs of different weight or different sliding) and not only to be effective in a precisely limited end position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an absolutely shake-proof securing for the goods packs and to design them in such a way that they do not remove any force from the goods ejection and also have a self-locking effect.

Finally, a third object of the invention consists in designing the securing device in such a way that, in addition to its blocking effect, it also has a supporting effect on the delivery of goods and has an effect beyond the area which, in known devices, is limited by the orbit of the moving ejectors.

The above-mentioned objects of the invention are achieved as described below in that a known belt drive or the like. With one or more revolving ejectors, a new type of locking plate is assigned, which can be swiveled freely about a horizontal axis outside the orbit of the ejectors - ie without spring action is arranged so that it partially protrudes into the orbit of the ejectors and thus can be grasped by them at the front reversal point of the belt drive and moved into a locking position and that on the other hand the ejectors are designed so that they are not only in a certain position but act locking over a certain distance by locking the locking plate in its locking position. The force of the belt drive then only acts on the locking flap when the package ejection is completed by an ejector and the pivoting movement of one leg of the locking plate caused by the ejector is used according to the invention to use the other to bring the package to rest

To give the locking plate another movement.

Brief description of the drawings

The details of the invention are described below using only exemplary solutions.

Fig. 1 shows the disadvantages of known designs in several representations, Fig. 2 shows the solution according to the invention in. different stages of a goods issue,

3 shows further details of an advanced embodiment. In the description of the figures, further disclosures are made on the inventive concept.

A belt drive is shown schematically in FIG. 1a and the following are identified: with 1 the movable belt, at the same time support for the pack stack, with 2 a deflection roller, which at the same time determines the front reversal point for the ejectors, with 3 an ejector and at 31 its rear extension. An overlying pack is labeled 4. Assuming that this is the thinnest package (the dimension can be assumed to be 13 mm), the dashed line 40 denotes the passage in the shaft wall 6 required for this.

The dashed line 50 denotes the required passage height for the thickest package (approx. 24 mm thick). The distance is thus 11 mm, the height of an ejector - which must be lower than the flattest pack - only 10 mm. It can be seen that the ejector 3/31, which is in the idle position, has no blocking effect with a thin packing 4 if the passage was dimensioned as shown for the thickest packing. The flat pack 4 could easily be moved outward beyond the extension 31 by shaking.

In FIG. 1b, using the same designations, it is shown how only a slight continuation of the drive beyond the ideal position leads to the blocking effect of the extension 31 being increasingly removed.

The difference between lines 300 (= ideal position, extension 31 is vertical) and 301 (= blocking effect removed; extension 31 is submerged beneath the output plane 1000) is only about 30 degrees. The caster of the belt 1 must be correspondingly low; this is very difficult to achieve.

A conventional retaining flap 90 is shown in FIG. 1c. It can be seen that these harsh manipulations could not provide any reliable resistance because the necessarily small force of the spring 91 acts on the shorter leg and a strongly accelerated packing acts on the longer leg . To the extent that the spring force is increased, the risk of damaging sensitive packages is increased. The force required for the goods issue increases by the amount necessary to overcome the spring resistance of the retaining flap.

Figure 2a shows a solution according to the invention. A pair of angle brackets (70, 700) is connected to a belt drive 10. Arranged between these is the locking flap 7, which can pivot about an axis 73 arranged outside the orbit 32 of the ejector, specifically in the region which is predetermined by the support 74 and the stop 75. One end of the locking flap 7 lies on the support 74, the opposite end 71 projects into the orbit 32. The extension 31 of the ejector 3 is bent on the top in a certain radius. According to a concept of the invention, this radius corresponds to the half-diameter of the deflection roller 2 plus the height of the ejector 3. This determination of the radius according to the invention ensures that the top of the extension 31 always remains in register with the predetermined orbit when it is moves in the front reversal area of the belt drive.

In the position shown, the pushing-out movement of the pack 4 is ended because its rear edge has left the ejector's orbit and the ejector cannot act further on the pack. The rear end of the extension 31 is still in the shaft area, so the drive remains switched on until the next pack 5 can fall off.

Figure 2b shows the moment when this is the case and an arbitrarily arranged switch of any shape switches off the drive. Up to this moment, the ejector 3 - still driven - ran onto the end 71 of the locking flap 7, moved it downwards and at the same time moved the front end 72 upwards. As a result of this jerky movement of the locking plate, the pack 4 was moved again, with its rear end pointing upwards. This movement will certainly cause a "free "if the pack should be slightly jammed between bent baffles and - since the rear end of the pack is lifted up - a safe sliding into an output tray or the like is supported. In the position shown, a pack 5 would be completely secured against unauthorized removal because the this prevents the swiveled-up locking plate and it is securely locked in its locked position by the ejector 3.

FIG. 2c is based on the assumption of the maximum possible overrun of the drive and shows a position in which the rear end of the extension 31 still locks the locking plate 7. Until this position was reached, the deflection roller 2 was able to make almost a quarter turn and the rear extension 31 of the ejector 3 has still not left the swivel range 7 _v QO of the locking plate 7/71. The distance between the lines 302 (which is identical to 300 in FIG. 1b) and 303 illustrates that keeping the ejector 3 in a blocking position, in contrast to known solutions, has become completely uncritical: at the earliest possible time created locking effect of the locking plate 7 is maintained, even if the ejector over a considerable

I moved. The wake is even reduced by the solution according to the invention, because after switching off, part of the momentum is used to move the locking plate and packing. A very precise stopping of the belt drive is thus achieved without any control effort.

You can arrange the stop 75 so that the locking plate 7 does not reach the vertical in the locked position (with the advantage that it falls back under gravity after removal of the lock) or you can arrange it so that it acts in or after the vertical. In this case, too, no disadvantages are to be expected, because the next one ejected pack can easily push the light blocking plate and cause it to tip over.

According to an idea of the invention, it should be noted that the pivoting movement of the locking plate 7 depends, among other things, on the distance of the axis 73 from the orbit 32.

According to a further idea of the invention, it should be noted that the running speed of the belt and the diameter of the deflection roller 2 are in a certain dependency on one another, because - assuming that the height of the ejector depends on the pack of the smallest thickness and therefore must have a fixed dimension - with increasing roll diameter, the protrusion of the extension 31 decreases over the dispensing plane (1000 in FIG. 1b) and the running speed and the caster, which is dependent on this, must be correspondingly lower. The sizes as well as the dimensions of the locking plate can be matched to the respective application case from a design point of view.

FIG. 3a schematically shows a top view of the housing (10, 100) of a belt drive with a belt 1. On the front side, carrier plates 70/700 are attached with corresponding bearings for the axis 73 of a locking plate 7 as well as a support 74 and a stop 75. (The latter are expediently designed as connections between the carrier plates.)

The top of the carrier plates and the locking plate are aligned with the top of the belt drive.

FIG. 3b shows a side view with the same designations, in which a dovetail connection is shown at 80. Best way to carry out the invention

An output device of known type with a rotating belt drive tensioned between at least two rollers with one or more ejectors attached to it and moving in a certain orbit is arranged by means of a dovetail guide (80) on the front side of two vertical and parallel carrier plates (70/700) which face one another and whose upper sides are aligned with the upper side of the dispensing device.

A locking flap (7) arranged between these two plates is free about a pivot axis (73) and is unaffected by spring force or the like. pivoted so that it is also in a horizontal position with its top aligned with the dispenser.

The pivot axis (73) is located outside the orbit (32) of the ejector. One leg of the locking plate (72) rests on a support (74) which brings about the horizontal position, the other

Leg (71) projects freely into the orbit (32) of the ejector.

This leg (71) is pivoted downwards by a moving ejector with the swivel radius (7000), the other leg (72) at the same angle upwards.

The pivoting movement is limited by a stop (75).

The belt drive is switched off after the rear end (31) of an ejector (3) has left the shaft area and has made it possible to move the stack of packs in the goods shaft. The resulting wake of the belt drive is dimensioned such that, in the event of the least expected wake of the ejector, the locking plate can move into a vertical locking position and thus cause the outlet opening in the goods shaft to close.

Furthermore, the overrun is dimensioned such that, in the event of the greatest possible overrun to be expected after switching off, the tere end (31) of an ejector (3) can not leave the swivel range (7000) of the locking plate (7). The top of the rear-facing extension (31) of an ejector is rounded in a radius which corresponds to the radius of a deflection roller (2) plus the height of an ejector (3) and thus achieves that an ejector reversing at the front end of the dispensing device also with its rear extension (31) always remains in alignment with the orbit (32).

Industrial applicability

Vending machines with stacking chutes for packs - e.g. B. cigarette machines - are in large numbers in use and are continuously produced in large quantities. Advanced versions are characterized by modular dispensing devices, one of which is assigned to each existing goods chute.

A locking device for blocking the lateral goods outlet at the lower end of the goods shaft between the individual sales processes necessarily belongs to each dispensing device. Conventional locking devices are manufactured in a complex manner, counteract the goods ejection with spring force and are not self-locking. Your lock function is insufficient. Overcoming the spring force that restricts the delivery of goods requires the use of stronger, more expensive and larger motors for the drive than necessary.

A locking device that can be manufactured very cheaply, which consists of only a few parts, which does not remove any force from the outfeed of goods and which is more secure due to automatic locking, therefore fulfills for the first time all practical requirements for safe operation and low manufacturing costs. Since it also has the additional advantage of has supporting function for the pack movement, furthermore without any control and also enables the use of simple drive motors with a corresponding wake, it is commercially usable in corresponding vending machines to a large extent.

Claims

Patent claims

1. Output device for product chutes in an automatic vending machine with a rotating belt drive or the like tensioned between at least two rollers. and one or more ejectors fastened to it and moving in a specific orbit with rear triangular supports pointing in the opposite direction, characterized in that the belt drive is assigned a locking plate (7) which is designed to be pivotable about a horizontal axis and whose Axis (73) is outside the orbit (32) of the ejector and that the locking plate protrudes in the horizontal position with a projection from its axis in the direction of the belt drive (71) into the orbit of the ejector (32) and rests with its other end on a boundary (74).

2. Output device according to claim 1, so that the top of the ejectors and their supports (31) are rounded in a certain radius and that this radius corresponds to the radius of the deflection roller in the front part of the belt drive plus the height of an ejector.

3. Output device according to claim 1 with an arbitrarily arranged switch of any kind for switching off the belt drive after completion of an extension movement, characterized in that the switching point of this switch is selected so that the rearmost end of the ejector causing the extension takes advantage of the least expected toe of the drive still under the pack stack moves the locking plate into a (vertical) locking position for the goods outlet and this locked and also the running speed of the belt drive is dimensioned such that when the drive is to be expected to run after switching off, an ejector (3) with its end (31) still remains in the swivel range (7000) of the locking flap (71) .

Output device according to claim 1, so that the stop plate is assigned a stop (75) for limiting its swiveling movement caused by an ejector into the (vertical) blocking position.

Output device according to claim 1, characterized in that two perpendicular and parallel plates (70/700) and the locking plate (7) arranged between them form a functional unit, that the plates (70/700) corresponding bearings for the pivot axis (73) and Devices for limiting the pivoting movement of the locking plate in both directions (74/75) have that they are fixedly or releasably connected to one another at a certain distance from one another and the functional unit thus formed is connected to the front of an output device in this way, that the top of the two plates (70/700) and the locking plate (7) are in a horizontal position with the top of the dispenser.

Output device according to claim 5, so that the function unit (7/70/700) is connected to the output device by a plug device, preferably by a dovetail guide (80).