JP2001034831A - Commodity carry-out device for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a commodity carry-out device of a automatic vending machine for reducing human labor and cost when a commodity for sale is changed to a commodity different in an outer dimension by forming the intervals of tips to be smaller than the commodity having the smallest outer dimension among commodities for sale when confronted first restraint members and second restraint members restrain the commodity. SOLUTION: A pair of carry-out device main bodies 4 which are oppositely arranged at the lower end sides of a commodity path 2, a pair of gate levers 5 as first restraint members and a pair of lock levers as second restraint members, both of which are installed in the respective carry-out device main bodies 4 so that they can freely turn, are installed. When a commodity for sale is changed into a commodity B whose diameter is the smallest, the interval L of the gate levers 5 at the time of protrusion is formed to be smaller than the diameter B1 of the commodity B. The lowest commodity B in the commodity path 2 is restrained by the gate levers 5 at the time of waiting sales. Thus, neither a complicated mechanism nor different parts for changing the width of the path is required.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine product delivery device for selling beverages in cans, bottles or plastic bottles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a product unloading device provided in a vending machine of this kind, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-45372,
As described in JP-A-6-282745 and the like, a first locking member for locking and releasing the lowest product in a vertically extending product path and a product from the lowest position in the product path. A second locking member for locking and releasing a second product, wherein the products in the product path are dropped and carried out one by one from the lower end of the product path by opening and closing operations of the respective locking members. It has been known. In addition, in this type of product unloading device, a plurality of types of products having different diameters are sold by providing a width adjustment plate capable of changing the width of the passage in one width direction of the product passage, or by attaching and detaching a spacer of another component. It is possible.

[0003]

However, in the conventional product unloading apparatus, when changing the product to be sold to a type having a different diameter, it is necessary to change the width of the passage of the width adjusting plate or to attach and detach the spacer. Therefore, there is a problem that a great deal of work is required for setting the passage width. In addition, when a width adjusting plate is used, a complicated mechanism is required. When another component such as a spacer is used, a storage place must be secured, and the spacer may be lost.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to reduce human labor and reduce costs when changing a product to be sold to a product having a different external dimension. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vending machine merchandise unloading device capable of performing the above.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a first locking member for locking and releasing a lowest product in a product passage, and a product passage. And a second locking member that locks and releases the second lowest product in the product passage, and protrudes and immerses each of the locking members into the product passage to move the product in the product passage into the product passage. A drop-out device from a lower end of the vending machine, and a plurality of types of products having different external dimensions corresponding to the width direction of the product passage, and capable of selling a plurality of types of products, wherein the first locking member and the second Are provided so as to face each other on both sides in the width direction of the product passage.
The distance between the tips of the locking member and the second locking member at the time of locking the product is smaller than that of the product having the smallest outer dimension among the salable products. As a result, the allowable range of the external dimensions of the salable product is secured by the protruding length of each of the first locking members and each of the second locking members when the product is locked. When changing to a different product, it is not necessary to set the passage width according to the changed product.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the commodity delivery device for a vending machine according to the first aspect, the width of the commodity path is formed larger than the diagonal dimension of the commodity having a rectangular cross section. Accordingly, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, even when the product having a rectangular cross section is oriented so that the diagonal direction thereof coincides with the width direction of the product passage, the product is not jammed in the product passage.

[0007]

1 to 10 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a serpentine column provided with a product discharging device, and FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the product discharging device. 3 to 10 are explanatory diagrams of the operation.

[0008] A serpentine column 1 provided with the product unloading device of the present invention comprises a meandering product passage 2 extending vertically.
The product passage 2 is formed in a meandering shape by facing a large number of arc plates 3.

The product carrying-out device includes a pair of carrying-out device main bodies 4 arranged opposite to the lower end of the product passage 2 and a first locking member rotatably provided at the lower end of each carrying-out device main body 4. A pair of gate levers 5 and a pair of lock levers 6 as second locking members rotatably provided on the upper end side of each unloading device main body 4, each gate lever 5 and each lock lever 6. Are rotated by a well-known drive mechanism including a solenoid (not shown).

Each of the gate levers 5 is rotatably attached at its upper end to the unloading device main body 4 via a support shaft 5a.
At the time of selling standby, the lower end is projected from each unloading device main body 4 toward the product passage 2, and when the product is unloaded, the lower end is immersed in the unloading device main body 4. Also,
Each lock lever 6 has its lower end rotatably mounted on the unloading device main body 4 via a support shaft 6a, and has its upper end immersed in the unloading device main body 4 during standby for sales. It operates so that the upper end side may project from each unloading device main body 4 to the product passage 2 side. In this case, the width W of the merchandise passage 2 between the respective unloading device bodies 4 is formed larger than the diameter dimension A1 of the round can-shaped merchandise A as shown in FIG. Further, when the gate levers 5 and the lock levers 6 protrude (when the product is locked), the distance L1 between the tips thereof,
L2 is the diameter B1 of the round can-shaped product B having the smallest diameter among the sellable products as shown in FIGS.
It is formed smaller than. Further, each unloading device main body 4
As shown in FIG. 8, the width W of the product passage 2 is formed larger than the diagonal dimension C1 of the product C made of a square PET bottle.

In the commodity delivery device configured as described above, the lowest commodity A in the commodity passage 2 is locked to each gate lever 5 during the stand-by state, as shown in FIG. , The following products A are stacked. Also,
When the product is carried out, as shown in FIG. 3, each lock lever 6 rotates inside the product path 2 to lock the second lowest product A, and each gate lever 5 moves outside the product path 2. , And the lowest commodity A is released from each gate lever 5 and dropped and carried downward. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4, each gate lever 5 rotates inside the product passage 2 and each lock lever 6 rotates outside the product passage 2 so that the following product A It locks and enters the sales standby state.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, when the product to be sold is changed to the product B having the smallest diameter, the interval L1 when each gate lever 5 protrudes is formed smaller than the diameter B1 of the product B. When the product is on standby, the lowest product B in the product path 2 is locked to each gate lever 5. FIG.
Since the distance L2 between the lock levers 6 at the time of projection is smaller than the diameter B1 of the product B as shown in FIG.
The second lowest product B is locked to each lock lever 6 when the product is carried out, and the lowest product B is dropped and carried out by the rotation of each gate lever 5. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, each gate lever 5 pivots inside the product passage 2, and each lock lever 6 pivots outside the product passage 2, and the subsequent product B moves to each lock lever 6. It locks and enters the sales standby state.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, when the product to be sold is changed to a product C made of a square plastic bottle, the width W of the product path 2 between each of the unloading device main bodies 4 is equal to the diagonal dimension C1 of the product C.
Therefore, even when the product C is oriented such that its diagonal direction matches the width direction of the product passage 2, the product C does not jam in the product passage 2.

As described above, according to the commodity discharging device of the present embodiment, the distances L1 and L2 at which the gate levers 5 and the lock levers 6 protrude are determined by the diameter of the commodity B having the smallest diameter among the commodities that can be sold. Since it is formed smaller than the dimension B1, the allowable range of the diameter of the sellable products A, B and C can be secured by the protruding length of each of the levers 5 and 6. Therefore, when changing the sales product to any of the products A, B, and C, it becomes unnecessary to set the passage width according to the changed product.
Not only is there no need for a complicated mechanism for changing the width of the passages, but also any other parts, as well as the setting work at the time of changing the product as in the prior art, which is extremely advantageous for reducing human labor and reducing costs.

Further, the width W of the product passage 2 between each of the unloading device main bodies 4 is set to the diagonal dimension C of the product C made of a square PET bottle.
Since the product C is formed larger than 1, the product C does not clog in the product path 2, and it is possible to reliably prevent the product C from being unsuccessfully carried out.

In the above-described embodiment, if the outer dimensions of the product are larger than the distances L1 and L2 between the levers 5 and 6 and smaller than the width W of the product path 2 between the unloading device main bodies 4, the above-described A and A will be described. Products of sizes other than B and C can also be sold.

[0017]

As described above, according to the commodity discharging device of the first aspect, when changing the commodity to be sold to a commodity having a different external dimension, it is necessary to set any passage width according to the commodity after the change. Since it does not require a complicated mechanism or a separate part for changing the width of the passage as well as the setting work at the time of changing the product as in the related art, it is extremely advantageous for reduction of human labor and cost reduction. is there.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided
In addition to the effect of claim 1, even when the product having a rectangular cross section is oriented so that the diagonal direction thereof coincides with the width direction of the product passage, the product is not jammed in the product passage. It is possible to reliably prevent a defective product having a rectangular cross section as described above.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a serpentine column provided with a product discharge device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the product carrying device.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the product unloading device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the product unloading device.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the product unloading device.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the product unloading device.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the product unloading device.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the product unloading device.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the product unloading device.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the product unloading device.

[Explanation of symbols] 2 ... product passage, 5 ... gate lever, 6 ... lock lever,
A, B, C: Products.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Shigeo Jun 20 Kotobukicho, Isesaki-shi, Gunma F-term in Sanden Co., Ltd. (Reference) 3E046 BA03 BB03 BB04 CA04 DA01 EA08 EA20 EB02 GA03

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A first locking member for locking and releasing the lowest product in a product passage, and a second member for locking and releasing the second lowest product in the product passage. A stopper member, and the products in the product passage are dropped and carried out one by one from the lower end of the product passage by a projecting and retracting operation of each locking member into the product passage, and the outer shape corresponding to the width direction of the product passage. In a product unloading device of a vending machine capable of selling a plurality of types of products having different dimensions, a pair of the first locking member and the second locking member are opposed to each other on both sides in the width direction of the product path. The distance between the leading ends of the opposing first locking member and each of the second locking members when the product is locked is formed smaller than that of the product with the smallest outer dimensions among the salable products. A vending machine's product unloading device. 2. A product according to claim 1, wherein the width of said product passage is larger than a diagonal dimension of the product having a rectangular cross section.
A vending machine described above.