JP2000113292A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a small vending machine with simple configuration, which is suitable for the sales of a box-shaped package merchandise consisting of a few kind of cigarettes or the like and is excellent in handleability. SOLUTION: The vending machine is provided with a merchandise discharge door 20 which normally clogs respective merchandise discharge ports 12, is pressurized by the merchandise which is pushed-out from each merchandise column so as to be inclined forward and to open the merchandise discharge port and also constitutes the placement part of the merchandise which is discharged from the merchandise column by respectively facing each merchandise discharge port 12 of the plural-string merchandise columns 3 where a merchandise discharge unit 30 is incorporated, which is formed in the internal space of a vending machine main body 1, stores the box-shaped package merchandises S such as the cigarettes by lamination and discharges the merchandises one by one to its lower part. Besides, the merchandise discharge door is functioned as a depressing button for pressurizing a merchandise selecting switch 13.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a small-sized and easy-to-operate vending machine suitable for selling box-shaped packaged products made of small varieties of tobacco and the like.

[0002]

[Related Background Art] Vending machines for box-shaped package products such as cigarettes are exclusively designed to handle large quantities of various types of products, and are designed to be installed not only indoors but also outdoors. Most of them have a robust shape and a large shape. Particularly recently, vending machines capable of handling products (tobacco) of 50 brands or more have been developed. On the other hand, there is also a strong demand for the development of small-sized vending machines that can sell only small varieties of good-selling products (about 5 brands) and can be installed without interruption even in small stores. I have.

[0003]

A vending machine of this kind is provided with a plurality of product columns in a plurality of rows for stacking and storing the products, and the product dispensing unit incorporated at the lower portion of each product column provides the product columns. 1 from the product payout exit
Gutter-shaped product chutes (product passages) provided on the front side of each of the above-mentioned product columns for the products selectively paid out one by one.
Through the front of the vending machine main body, specifically, a product outlet provided at a lower portion of the front door. In this way, by merging the products selectively paid out from a plurality of product columns into one product outlet, the convenience of product extraction is enhanced.

[0004] However, about 5 brand products (cigarettes)
For a small vending machine that only sells,
It is sufficient that a plurality (for example, five) of product columns are arranged in a row in the horizontal direction. For this reason, if the products selectively paid out from each product column are aggregated in one product take-out port, the structure becomes more complicated because the product chute is provided on the front side of the product column, and the structure is increased. It cannot be denied that the depth of the vending machine itself becomes longer.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily take out products to be selectively paid out from each product column without impairing the convenience of taking out products. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine having a simple configuration that facilitates product selection.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a vending machine according to the present invention is formed in an inner space of a vending machine main body and has a plurality of rows for stacking and storing box-shaped package products such as tobacco. Product column, and a product payout unit provided at a lower portion of each of the product columns and sequentially pushing out products stored in each of the product columns from the lowest position thereof and paying out the product in front of the product column. In particular, when the number of product columns is small, the product payout opening of each of the product columns is provided so as to oppose each other, and always closes the product payout opening, and the product payout unit causes the product payout unit to be closed from the product payout outlet. A product payout door is provided which is pressed by the product to be extruded to open the product payout opening and forms a placement portion for the product paid out from the product column. Each of the doors is provided with a product selection switch that is energized by pressing the product payout door, and a product is selected by a pressing operation of the product payout door, and a product to be paid out from each product column is passed through each of the product payout doors. It is characterized in that it can be taken out directly.

That is, in the vending machine according to the present invention, a product payout door facing the product payout opening is provided for each of a plurality of product columns. When the commodities are selectively pushed out of the commodities column by the commodities dispensing unit, the commodities dispensing door is pressed by the commodities, and the commodities are dispensed by, for example, tilting forward about the lower end thereof. The product exit door is opened, and at the same time, the product guide door is made to function as a mounting portion of the product extruded from the product payout outlet, and further, the product guide door has a function as a product selection switch. I have.

[0008] In particular, the commodity dispensing door is independent of a front door provided so that the front surface of the vending machine main body can be opened, at a portion opposed to a commodity dispensing outlet of each commodities column. And a product selection switch is provided on the back side of the product payout door, and is pressed and urged through the product payout door. Further, in a preferred aspect of the present invention, the commodity dispensing door is elastically biased by receiving a pressing force from the front side, and presses and biases a commodity selection switch provided on the back side thereof. It is characterized in that the elastic piece is partially provided to provide a function as a product selection button without impairing the basic function of the product payout door.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, taking a cigarette vending machine as an example. FIG. 1 is an external view showing a schematic configuration of a small-sized vending machine according to this embodiment, wherein 1 is a box-shaped vending machine main body having an open front side, and 2 is a vending machine main body 1 capable of opening a front surface. It is a front door provided. Inside the vending machine body 1,
Commodity columns 3 for stacking and storing approximately 30 tobacco (commodities) S, which are box-shaped package products, are provided in a horizontal direction, for example, in five rows. Is provided with a control unit (not shown) for controlling the delivery of the product S from each of the product columns 3.

Each of the commodity columns 3 is formed, for example, by partitioning its internal space in the width direction by a plurality of side walls 4 attached to the back plate 1a of the vending machine main body 1. The lower surface of each of the product columns 3 has a top surface serving as a mounting surface of the product S, as will be described later, and is paid one by one to the front side of the product column 3 in order from the lowest product in the product column 3. Each product delivery unit to be delivered is incorporated.

The front door 2 provided on the front of the vending machine main body 1 has a coin insertion slot 5, a bill insertion slot 6, and a display 7 for indicating the amount of money to be inserted, corresponding to the installation area of the control unit. Further, an interface section 9 for money transfer provided with a change return port 8 and the like is provided. The front door 2 is provided with a window 10 made of a transparent material so as to face the formation area of each of the product columns 3. Through the window 10, the type (brand) of the product S stored in each of the product columns 3 can be visually recognized from the outside, and the sales status (remaining status) of each product S can be visually recognized. ing. Further, the window 1 in the front door 2
A plurality of product payout doors 20 are provided below the “0” in a portion facing each of the product columns 3, which faces a product payout exit described later. Each of the commodity payout doors 20 is provided so as to be tiltable forward with its lower end serving as a pivot point and its upper end facing the front as described in detail later. The product S is pushed forward by the product S to be paid out, and further functions as a mounting portion for the product S paid out from the product column 3.

Each of the parts of the front door 2 partitioning between the window 10 and each of the commodity dispensing doors 20 has a corresponding one of the commodity columns 3.
And a display 11 for identifying a sellable product or indicating a sold-out condition of the product. As described above, each of the product columns 3 formed by partitioning the inner space of the vending machine main body 1 in the width direction by the side wall plate 4 has the vending machine main body partially shown in FIG. The upper surface of the commodity dispensing unit 30 incorporated at the bottom of the unit 1 is realized as a commodity placing surface. At this time, the back plate 1a of the vending machine main body 1 is used as a depth regulating member of the product S in the product column 3, and the window 10 of the front door 2 is in front of the product S stored in the product column 3. It serves as a fall prevention member. In particular, the back side of the window 10 also functions as a product guide for smoothly dropping the products S stored in the product column 3 downward without breaking the storage posture (stacking posture).

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1b denotes a depth adjusting member selectively attached to the back plate 1a according to the type of the product S to be stored in the product column 3. By selectively mounting the depth length adjusting member 1b, the depth length of the product column 3 formed between the product column 3 and the back surface of the window 10 is adjusted. Then, for example, in a state where the depth adjusting member 1b is not mounted, a so-called super king size cigarette (product)
The product column 3 capable of stably storing S is realized, and the depth adjustment member 1b is mounted. A product column 3 capable of stably storing a so-called king-sized tobacco (product) S is realized. In addition, each product column 3
When the front door 2 is opened, the front side thereof is opened at a time. In this open state of the front door 2, loading of the product S into each product column 3 is performed.

Here, the merchandise payout unit 30 incorporated in the lower part of each merchandise column 3 will be briefly described. The product dispensing unit 30 has an upper surface of a box-shaped housing 31 as a mounting portion of the product S, and has an endless belt 32 extending in the front-rear direction from the center of the upper surface through the inside of the housing 31. It has. Then, by driving the endless belt 32 to rotate, the pressing member (pusher) 33 attached to the endless belt 32 is projected from the upper surface of the housing 31 and moves from the rear end side of the housing 31 toward the front end side. It has become. Incidentally, the pressing member 33 has, for example, a substantially T-shaped shape with a height lower than the thickness of the product S and a width slightly smaller than the width of the product S, and is formed on the upper surface of the housing 31 from the rear end thereof. When it protrudes, it is provided so as to be able to abut only on the rear end face of the commodity S at the lowest position in the commodity column 3. The pressing member 33 that moves on the upper surface of the housing 31 as the endless belt 32 travels presses the rear end face of the lowermost product S substantially vertically, thereby moving the product S forward without tilting. Move toward The product S placed on the upper surface of the housing 31 by the pressing by the pressing member 33, that is, the product S at the lowest position in the product column 3 is pressed at the rear end thereof and is moved forward of the product payout unit 30. Pay out one by one.

The arc-shaped lever shown as 34 in the figure sinks into the housing 31 due to the gravity of the product S placed on the product payout unit 30, and is built into the housing 31. It plays the role of energizing the sold-out detection switch (not shown). Therefore, when all of the products S in the product column 3 are paid out (when the products S are exhausted) or the products S left in the product column 3 decrease, as a result, the weight of the products S becomes insufficient. When the lever 34 protrudes from the upper surface of the commodity payout unit 30, the urging of the sold-out detection switch by the lever 34 is released, and the sold-out of the commodity S in the commodity column 3 is detected.

The front door 2, which is positioned at the front of the product column 3 having the above-described product payout unit 30 at its lower part, has a lowermost position placed on the upper surface of each of the product payout units 30. A commodity payout opening 12 is provided to face the front end of the commodity S. Each of these commodity outlets 12 has a width substantially equal to that of the commodity column 3 and a height slightly larger than the thickness of the commodity S,
The front door 2 is formed as an opening having a size that allows only one product S paid out from each product column 3 to pass therethrough. In particular, the commodity payout opening 12 is provided in the lower panel area 2a of the front door 2 and the central panel area 2 incorporating the display device 11.
b defines the height of the opening. The back surface side of the center panel area 2b is used to pay the next product S stacked on the lowest product S, especially when the lowest product S is paid out from the upper surface of the product payout unit 30.
And has a role of preventing the next product S from moving forward due to the frictional force accompanying the movement of the product S at the lowermost position.

Here, a description will be given of the above-described commodity payout doors 20 which are incorporated in the respective commodity payout ports 12 respectively.
The product payout door 20 has, for example, a shape as shown in FIG. 3, and has a lower edge portion serving as a support shaft to close the product payout port 12 so as to close the product payout port 12 (lower panel area 2a). ) To be rotatable. In particular, the product dispensing door 20 is biased by a spring (not shown) to be rotationally biased toward a position that closes the product dispensing port 12, and is assembled to the front door 2 so that the product dispensing port 12 is always closed. Can be When the product S is dispensed from the product column 3 to the front of the product column 3 by the product dispensing unit 30, the product dispensing door 20 is pressed from the back side by the product S, tilts forward against the spring, and leans forward. The payout opening 12 is opened. At the same time, the product payout door 20 functions as a mounting portion of the product S paid out from the product column 3 through the product payout opening 12 by tilting forward to a predetermined angle (for example, about 75 °).

That is, the commodity delivery door 20 is, for example, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (b) of the upright state and the forwardly inclined state, respectively, it basically forms a lid sized to cover the commodity payout opening 12, and has a main surface portion 21 mainly composed of a flat plate, and A slope portion 22 connected to the lower end side of the main surface portion 21 and bent inward, and 2 provided on the back surface thereof in parallel in the vertical direction.
It is configured to include the beams 23, 23. These beams 23,
Reference numeral 23 serves to increase the rigidity of the lid formed by the main surface portion 21 and the slope portion 22 and to serve as a mounting portion for the product S in the forwardly inclined state.

The legs 24, 24 projecting from the lower end of the slope portion 22 so as to be connected to the beams 23, 23, and having a curved shape toward the front, are attached to the commodity payout door 2.
0 to the front door 2.
4 and 24 are fitted into predetermined guide grooves (not shown) provided in the front door 2 so that the product payout door 20 is provided.
Is rotatably attached to the commodity payout opening 12.
The spring for urging the commodity dispensing door 20 to rotate is provided on the leg 2.
4 and a back surface of the lower panel area 2 a of the front door 2.

The main surface portion 21 of the commodity delivery door 20
, A pair of slit grooves 25, 25 located inside the beams 23, 23 are provided in parallel from the upper end to the central portion. A central region surrounded by the beams 23, 23 of the main surface portion 21 is partitioned from the periphery by the slit grooves 25, 25, and an elastic piece 26 elastically deformable with respect to the main surface portion 21 in the front and back direction. It is designed to function as. This elastic piece 23 is used as a pressing member for pressing and urging the product selection switch 13 installed on the back side of the central panel area 2b in which the display 11 is installed.

The elastic piece 26 has a shape having an inclined surface projecting forward from the upper end of the elastic piece 26 at a substantially central portion thereof. This inclined surface facilitates the pressing operation of the elastic piece 26 by a finger. The elastic piece 26 is designed so that it can be easily bent. The elastic piece 26 provided in this way
Without impairing the basic function of the product payout door 20,
It functions as a product selection button for pressing and pressing the product selection switch 13 only by partial elastic deformation. Incidentally, the product selection switch 13 is, for example, a push button switch incorporated on a printed circuit board. The operating piece (pressing piece) is attached to the front side of the front panel 2 on the back side of the central panel area 2b in which the indicator 11 is incorporated. It is provided to be pressed and urged.

The product payout door 20 having the above-described shape is incorporated into the front door 2 so as to cover the entire product payout opening 12 as shown in FIG. In particular, the product delivery door 20
Is recessed at a position slightly depressed from the front end surface of the front door 2 so that it cannot be forcibly opened from the outside by a finger or the like. Thus, as described above, a vending machine having a structure in which the product payout doors 20 are provided independently for each of the product payout ports 12 of each product column 3 operates as follows. That is, when a predetermined amount of money is inserted through the money transfer interface unit 9, the display 11 corresponding to the product column 3 storing the products S that can be sold according to the input amount is turned on.
When the commodity payout door 20, particularly the elastic piece 26 at the center thereof is pressed according to the lighting state of the display 11,
Due to the elastic deformation of the elastic piece 26, the commodity selection switch 13 on the back side is selectively energized. By pressing the product selection switch 13, the corresponding product column 3 is pressed.
Is selectively driven, and the product S stored in the product column 3 is pushed out toward the product payout opening 12.

Then, the commodity delivery door 20 which is urged by the spring and always closes the commodity delivery port 12 is moved from the rear side of the commodity S pushed out by the commodity delivery unit 30.
The product payout opening 12 is opened while being tilted forward by being pressed, and the product S extruded through the product payout opening 12 is tilted forward to a position where it is placed on the back side thereof. At this time, the pressing member 33 of the product payout unit 30 stops in a state where the product S is pushed out from the upper surface of the housing 31, particularly in a state where it is positioned at the front end of the upper surface of the housing 31. Therefore, the product S loses its pressing force in a state where it is separated from the upper surface of the product payout unit 30, and stops while being placed on the rear surface of the product payout door 20 that is inclined forward. In particular, the product payout door 20 has a predetermined forward inclination angle (for example, 75 °) as described above.
), The product S is prevented from being pushed out over the product dispensing door 20 and the product dispensing door 20 receives the weight of the product S and receives the weight of the product S. It will maintain the forward leaning posture. Therefore, the product S is stably held in a state of being placed on the forwardly inclined product delivery door 20. In this state, when the product purchaser takes out the product S paid out on the product payout door 20 from the product payout door 20, the product payout door 20 loses the weight added from the product S. And returns to the position where the commodity payout opening 12 is closed.

In the state where the product S is pushed out onto the product payout door 20 as described above, the pressing member 33 of the product payout unit 30 is pushed by the product payout unit 30 as described above.
Is stopped at the front end position of the next product S, and the next product S remaining in the product column 3 is in a state of riding on the pressing member 33 on the front end side. Therefore, the product payout port 12 is substantially closed by the pressing member 33, that is, the gap between the pressing member 33 and the upper edge of the product payout port 12 is set sufficiently smaller than the thickness of the product S. The double payout of the commodity S from the commodity column 3 is prevented beforehand. In addition, the product delivery door 20
After removing the product S from above, even if the product payout door 12 is opened by pressing the product payout door 20 with a finger, the product payout opening 12 is provided on the back side of the product payout outlet 12 as described above. Since the pressing member 33 is positioned so as to close, the take-out of the next product S is prevented.

Therefore, according to the vending machine configured as described above, the commodities S selectively paid out from the merchandise columns 3 are placed on the merchandise payout doors 20 provided at the merchandise payout ports 12 of the respective merchandise columns 3. Since the product S is placed and paid out directly to the front of the front door 2 so that the product S can be taken out, it is possible for the product purchaser to easily take out the product S and to improve its convenience. In particular, in the case of the above-described embodiment, the product payout door 2
0 also functions as the product selection switch 13. Accordingly, the purchaser of the product can purchase the product S via the product payout door 20 provided for the selective pressing operation of the product selection switch 13.
Will be paid out. In particular, since the product S is provided as the product S placed on the product payout door 20 and presented, there is no need for the user to find the product S dropped into the product outlet as in the related art. And the like.

For the vending machine, the commodity S selectively paid out from the commodity column 3 is transferred to the commodity payout port 12 thereof.
Since it is only necessary to pay out directly to the front of the vending machine via the product payout door 20 provided in the vending machine, there is no need for a product chute or the like, so that the depth length as a vending machine is shortened and the structure is greatly simplified. I can figure it out. Moreover, since the commodity payout opening 12 of the commodity column 3 is always closed by the commodity payout door 20 and entry of foreign matter into the commodity column 3 is prevented, the commodity S stored in the commodity column 3 can be effectively used. Can be protected. In particular, the product payout door 20 not only protects the product column 3 as described above, but also functions as a placing portion for the product S paid out from the product column 3, thereby preventing the product S from being unintentionally dropped. The effect of obtaining is obtained.

Further, as described above, the elastic piece 26 provided integrally with the commodity delivery door 20 functions as an operating piece for pressing the commodity selection switch 13 provided on the back side thereof. The product itself can function as a product selection button, and the product selection switch 13 does not need to be separately installed at an independent position, for example, provided near the display 11. Accordingly, the overall appearance of the front door 2 can be made clear and good-looking. In particular, since the product payout door 20 itself functioning as a product selection button tilts forward and is used for paying out the product S, the consistency between the selected and designated product and the product S actually paid out can be easily and reliably ensured. And the like.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, when only up to about 10 product columns 3 need to be provided, adopting the above configuration is very preferable in order to simplify the overall configuration of the vending machine. Further, as for the structure of the product payout door 20, it is of course possible to make the whole function as an elastic piece. In addition, a touch sensor such as a capacitive element or a piezoelectric element can be incorporated in the product delivery door 20 itself as a product selection switch. In addition, a lock mechanism for locking the product payout door 20 to the closed position of the product payout opening 12 is incorporated, and this lock mechanism is released in conjunction with the energization drive of the product payout unit 30 to pay out the product S from the product column 3. It is also possible to provide the opening only when necessary. In addition, the present invention can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof.

[0029]

As described above, according to the vending machine of the present invention, the vending machine is provided independently of each of the plurality of product columns so as to face each of the product payout portions, and the product placing portion is provided when the product is paid out. Since the product payout door that functions as a function as a product selection button, there is no need to provide a product selection button in association with a product sample at a different position from the product outlet as in the past, and the overall appearance image It can be neat and cohesive. In addition, since each product payout door itself is associated with the product column, and thus with the product, it is possible to improve the operability of selecting the product.

In particular, since the commodity dispensing door itself that has been selectively pressed is opened and the commodity is dispensed while the commodity is placed on the commodity dispensing door, a series of commodities from selection of the commodity to removal thereof is performed. Purchase operations can be simplified,
There are effects such as the ease of handling of the vending machine can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial vertical cross-sectional configuration diagram showing a relationship between a product column and a product payout door of the vending machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a structure of a product payout door shown in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vending machine main body 2 Front door 3 Product column 10 Window 12 Product exit 13 Product selection switch 20 Product exit door 21 Main surface 23 Beam 24 Leg 25 Slit groove 26 Elastic piece 30 Product exit unit 33 Pressing member

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of product columns formed in an internal space of a vending machine main body for stacking and storing commodities, and a plurality of product columns provided at a lower portion of each of the product columns and a lowermost position stored in the product column. A product payout unit that pays out the product in order from the front and a product payout opening of each of the product columns are provided so as to oppose each other, and the product payout unit is always closed and pushed out of the product payout by the product payout unit. A product dispensing door which is pressed by the product to be tilted forward to open the commodity dispensing opening, and forms a mounting portion for the commodities dispensed from the product column; and A vending machine comprising: a product selection switch that is energized by pressing a product dispensing door. 2. The commodity dispensing door is independently provided at a portion of a front door provided to open a front surface of the vending machine main body and facing a commodity dispensing outlet of each of the commodity columns. The respective product selection switches are provided on the back side of the respective product payout doors positioned so as to close the respective product payout openings, and each of the product selection switches is a push that is pressed and urged through the product payout doors. The vending machine according to claim 1, comprising a button switch. 3. The product dispensing door includes an elastic piece that is elastically biased by receiving a pressing force from a front surface and presses and biases a product selection switch provided on a back surface side of the door. 2. The vending machine according to 2.