JP2002260083A - Commodity carry-out device of vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a commodity carry-out device of a vending machine capable of carrying out the commodity corresponding to the diameters of various commodities in a relatively simple structure. SOLUTION: In the stand-by state for selling a commodity, a main lock lever 22 is recessed from the interior of a commodity passage A, and the tip of a sub-lock lever 23 is put in the vertical position corresponding to the diameter of the commodity by collision with the commodity. In selling the commodity, the main lock lever 22 is turned to be projected into the commodity passage A, and when the tip of the sub-lock lever 23 is put in the upper position, it collides with the commodity S2 at the second position from the lowermost to be turned downward, so that the commodity is supported by the upper end of the main lock lever 23 projected into the commodity passage. When the tip of the sub-lock lever 23 is put in the lower position, the commodity is held on the front of the main lock lever 22 projected into the commodity passage A.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an article dispensing apparatus for a vending machine which drops and ejects one item at a time from the lowest item in an item column.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a serpentine type vending machine, a product discharging device is installed in a product passage below a product column, and the products are discharged one by one by the product discharging device. To explain this unloading structure, a gate lever that can move in and out of the product passage is installed at the lower part of the product unloading device, and a lock lever that can also move in and out of the product passage is installed at the upper part. When the lowest product is carried out, the lock lever is protruded into the product passage in advance to hold the second lowest product, and then the gate lever is opened to carry out the lowest product. ing.

However, in this product discharging device, the amount of protrusion of the lock lever into the product path is always constant, and it can be used only for products corresponding to this protrusion amount, that is, products of a predetermined product diameter. When a product having a product diameter of 径 is introduced, there is a problem that the product is blocked in the product path.

[0004] In order to solve such a problem, a product unloading device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-160941 has been proposed. This product unloading device has a gate lever for holding the lowest order product, a first lock lever for thin cans,
A second lock lever for a thick can, and when the thin can enters the product passage, is held by the first lock lever;
When the thick can enters the product passage, it is held by the second lock lever. This makes it possible to deal with both small and large cans, and realizes a product discharge device that can be used for both small and large cans.

[0005]

In the latter, however, the first lock lever for thin cans and the second lock lever for thick cans are individually operated, so that each lock lever has a special and precise structure. It was necessary to provide a cam mechanism, and the structure was complicated. In addition, because of the precision structure, there has been a problem that troubles frequently occur due to wear of the cam mechanism and the like.

In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to provide
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vending machine product unloading device capable of unloading products according to various product diameters with a relatively simple structure.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problem. When the lowest product among the products stored in the product column is carried out, the gate lever is retracted from the product passage and the lowest product is placed. In a product unloading device of a vending machine in which a product is dropped and carried out, a lock lever protrudes into a product passage, holds the second lowest product, and carries out products one by one from the lowest product. A main lock lever that can rotate up and down freely in and out of the product passage;
The main lock lever is located above the main lock lever and is vertically urged upward in the product passage. The sub lock lever is rotatable up and down. The tip of the block lever is at the vertical position corresponding to the product diameter, such as hitting the product,
When the product is sold, the main lock lever rotates and protrudes into the product passage, and when the tip of the sublock lever is at the top, the main lock lever pivots downward to hit the second lowest product and protrudes into the product passage. It is supported by the upper end of the lock lever, and is held on the front surface of the main lock lever protruding into the product passage when the tip of the sublock lever is lower.

According to the present invention, when a product is stored in the product column, the lowest product is held by the gate lever. Here, the main lock lever is submerged from the product passage, but the sublock lever is maintained in the product passage in a state corresponding to the product diameter. That is, when the tip of the sublock lever is in contact with the product, the posture is maintained at the contact position, and when it is not, the posture is maintained at the highest position.

Here, when the stored product is a small can having a small product diameter, the distance between the sublock lever and the product is increased by the small product diameter, and the position of the sublock lever that hits the product is reduced. Get higher. That is, during standby for sale, the tip of the sublock lever is kept at the upper position.

When a transition is made from the stand-by state to the selling state, the main lock lever protrudes into the product passage, the gate lever is opened, and the lowest product is dropped and carried out. As a result, the second product from the lowest moves downward, and accordingly, the sublock lever also rotates downward due to the product load. At this time, the main lock lever has already protruded into the product passage. Therefore, the sublock lever is supported at the upper end of the main lock lever.

Here, if the length dimension from the base to the tip of the sublock lever is designed to be large, the amount of protrusion into the product passage becomes large by that amount, so that the second can from the bottom is surely secured. Can be held.

On the other hand, when the stored product is a large can having a large product diameter, the distance between the sublock lever and the product is reduced by the large product diameter, and the position of the sublock lever at which the product hits is low. Become. That is, the tip of the sublock lever is kept at the lower position during the standby for sale.

When a transition is made from the stand-by state to the selling state, the main lock lever protrudes into the product passage, the gate lever is opened, and the lowest product is dropped and carried out. Here, since the main lock lever has already protruded into the product passage, the sublock lever is not involved in holding the product at all, and the second largest can from the bottom is held by the main lock lever. The sublock lever is held at the front of the main lock lever.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 to 9 show a product discharging device of a vending machine according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of the vending machine, and FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the product discharging device. , FIG.
FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the product carrying device, FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the small-diameter product carrying out, FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the large-diameter product carrying out, and FIG.
FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of a small-diameter product during standby, FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of a small-diameter product at standby, and FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of a large-diameter product during standby. It is a side view schematic diagram.

First, an outline of a vending machine will be described with reference to FIG. This vending machine is a serpentine type vending machine, in which a plurality of product columns 1 are arranged in front and behind, and a product unloading device 2 is installed in a product passage A on the lower side of the product column 1. .

FIGS. 2 to 5 show the structure of the product unloading device 2.
This will be described with reference to FIG. The product unloading device 2 has a vertically extending substrate 21, and a sold-out detection switch 20 is installed substantially at the upper center of the substrate 21. Is detected.

The lower end of the substrate 21 is substantially at the center of the shaft 21.
A plate-shaped main lock lever 22 pivotally supported at 1 extends in the lateral direction. The shaft 221 is rotatable about the shaft 221 so that the shaft 221 can come and go in the product passage A. The main lock lever 22 has two through holes 222 on the left and right, and a claw 234 of the sublock lever 23 described later fits therein. As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of support plates 223 projecting rearward are provided on the back surface of the main lock lever 22 at intervals, and the support plate 223 has a guide groove 224 opened rearward. Has formed. A rotation imparting shaft 225 is provided in the guide groove 224. When the rotation imparting shaft 225 moves up and down, the rotation imparting shaft 225 is rotated.
Traces the guide groove 224 to rotate the support plate 223 up and down, so that a vertical rotation force is applied to the main lock lever 22.

The sub-lock lever 23 is formed in a square shape by a frame 231.
Is rotatably supported by a shaft 232 and can be turned up and down in the product passage A. A spring 233 is wound around the shaft 232, and the frame 23 is
1 is urged upward. Also, the frame 231
Of the front frame has a claw 23 protruding rearward.
4 are formed, and the pawls 234 can be fitted into the through holes 222 of the main lock lever 22. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the length of the sublock lever 23 from the center of rotation to the front end is determined when the sublock lever 23 contacts the front end of the main lock lever 22. Are designed to protrude forward from the upper end of the main lock lever 22.

The main lock lever 22 and the sublock lever 23 configured as described above constitute a lock lever 24 for holding the second lowest commodities S2 and S21.

On the lower part of the substrate 21, the lowest products S1, S
A gate lever 25 that holds the gate 11 is provided. The gate lever 25 is supported on the substrate 21 by a shaft 251 and is rotatable in the vertical direction. A spring 252 is wound around the shaft 251 and urges the gate lever 25 upward. A stopper arm 253 extends obliquely rearward on the back surface of the gate lever 25.

As shown in FIG. 3, a solenoid 26 is provided on the upper back surface of the substrate 21. This solenoid 26
Plunger 261 extends downward,
A vertically extending operating plate 2 is provided at the lower end of the plunger 261.
62 are connected.

A return spring 263 is connected to the lower end of the operation plate 262, and when the solenoid 26 is attracted, the operation plate 262 is pulled upward.
When the suction operation of the solenoid 26 ends, the operating plate 262 moves downward by the urging force of the return spring 263. The rotation imparting shaft 225 is connected to the upper side of the operation plate 262, and the main lock lever 22 protrudes and retracts into the product passage A as shown in FIGS. To rotate. A stopper shaft 264 is fixed to a lower end of the operation plate 262. When the stopper shaft 264 is at a lower position (when the gate lever 25 is in a standby state), FIG.
As shown in (2), the lower end of the stopper arm 253 is in contact therewith, and restricts the downward rotation of the gate lever 25. On the other hand, when the stopper shaft 264 moves upward, this restriction is released, and the gate lever 25 is allowed to rotate downward.

As shown in FIG. 3, a guide member 2 for guiding the rotation imparting shaft 225 and the stopper shaft 264 up and down on the left and right sides of the back surface of the substrate 21 as shown in FIG.
7, 28 are formed. Of the guide members 27, 28, the guide member 27 on the left side as viewed in FIG. 3 is a side plate of the substrate 21, while the guide member 28 on the right side is formed of a vertically extending rod. An upper guide hole 27 for guiding the rotation imparting shaft 225 is provided on an upper side of each of the guide members 27 and 28.
1, 281 and a stopper shaft 26 on the lower side.
4 have lower guide holes 272 and 282.

Next, the operation of the product unloading device 2 according to the present embodiment will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. First, the operation of the vending machine when the products S1 and S2 having a small product diameter are stored as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 will be described. At the time of sales standby, as shown in FIG.
Because the product diameter of item 2 is small, the sublock lever 23 and the product S
1 and S2 are widened, whereby the angle of upward rotation of the sublock lever 23 is increased by the urging force of the spring 233. On the other hand, the lowest product S1 is placed on the gate lever 25, and a downward rotational force is applied to the gate lever 25.
Stopper arm 253 is a stopper shaft 264
Therefore, the lowest order product S1 is put on sale standby without the gate lever 25 rotating downward.

When a product sale signal is input in this state, the solenoid 26 is excited and the plunger 261 is pulled upward. As a result, the rotation imparting shaft 225 pushes up the support plate 223 while tracing the guide groove 224, so that the main lock lever 22 is moved as shown in FIG.
It protrudes toward the product passage A. On the other hand, the plunger 26
Since the stopper shaft 264 moves upward by the lifting operation of 1, the stopper shaft 264 is disengaged from the stopper arm 253 as shown in FIG. 7, and the gate lever 25 rotates downward due to the product load. As a result, the lowest order product S1 is dropped and carried out.

By dropping and transporting the lowest commodity S1,
The second lowest product S2 stacked on the product S1 moves downward, and the product S2 hits the sublock lever 23, and the sublock lever 2
3 is rotated downward. When the sublock lever 23 rotates downward, the main lock lever 2
4 protrudes into the product passage A, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the tip side of the sublock lever 23 contacts the upper end side of the main lock lever 22, and the rotation of the sublock lever 23 is restricted at this position. . Accordingly, the second lowest commodity S2 that is in contact with the sublock lever 232 from above is also prevented from falling.

Thereafter, the gate lever 25 having dropped and carried out the lowest order product S1 returns to the standby position by the urging force of the spring 252. When returning to the standby position, the excitation time of the solenoid 26 ends, and the operating plate 262 moves downward again by the urging force of the return spring 263. The downward movement of the operation plate 262 causes the stopper shaft 264 to move downward and hit the lower end of the stopper arm 253, thereby restricting the gate lever 25 from rotating downward. Also, the operation plate 26
Due to the downward movement of 2, the rotation imparting shaft 225 moves downward again while tracing the guide groove 224.
Accordingly, the main lock lever 22 returns to the original position so as to separate from the product path A, while the support state of the sublock lever 23 is released, and the second lowest product S is released.
2 falls on the gate lever 25, and it becomes a standby state for sale.

Next, with reference mainly to FIGS. 8 and 9, the operation when the products S11 and S21 having a large product diameter are stored will be described. At the time of selling standby, as shown in FIG. 8, the distance between the sublock lever 23 and the products S11 and S21 is reduced by the large product diameter of the products S11 and S21. Angle is small. On the other hand, the lowest order product S11 is placed on the gate lever 25, and the lowest order product S11 is put on standby for sale in the same manner as the above-described products S1 and S2 with a small product diameter.

When a sales signal is input in this state, the solenoid 26 is excited to pull up the plunger 261 as described above, and the main lock lever 22 is turned on.
As shown in FIG. 9, it protrudes toward the product passage A. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, the stopper shaft 264 is disengaged from the stopper arm 253 by the lifting operation of the plunger 261, and the gate lever 25 rotates downward due to the product load. Thereby, the lowest commodity S
11 is dropped and carried out.

[0030] By drop-out of the lowest order product S11, the second lowest order product S21 stacked on the first product S1 moves downward. At this time, since the main lock lever 22 has already protruded into the product passage A, the product S21 hits the upper end of the main lock lever 22 as shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 5, the sublock lever 23 has a claw 222 formed with a through hole 234 of the main lock lever 22.
And is held on the front side of the main lock lever 22.

Thereafter, the gate lever 25 returns to the standby position by the urging force of the spring 252, as in the case of the above-mentioned lowest commodity S1, while the excitation time of the solenoid 26 ends and the operation plate 262, the stopper shaft 264 and the rotation applying The shaft 225 returns to the original standby position, the main lock lever 22 and the sublock lever 23 return to the original standby position, and the second lowest product S2 is supported on the gate lever 25.

As described above, according to the commodity discharging apparatus according to the present embodiment, the stored commodities are small commodities S1, S2.
In the case of, at the time of unloading the product, the second lowest product S2
Are supported by the sublock lever 23. On the other hand, when the stored products are the products S11 and S21 having a large product diameter, the second lowest product S21 is supported by the main lock lever 22, so that the thin or large Any product can be securely held. In addition, by increasing the dimension up to the tip of the sublock lever 23, it is possible to cope with products of various product diameters.

The sublock lever 23 for supporting the products S1 and S2 having a small product diameter is simply rotatably installed in the product passage A, and does not require a cam mechanism as in the prior art. It has a very simple structure.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The structure of the lock lever is simple, and various products having different product diameters can be smoothly carried out.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a vending machine.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the product unloading device.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the product unloading device.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view when a small-diameter product is carried out.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view when a large-diameter product is carried out.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of a small-diameter product on standby for sale.

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of a small-diameter product at the time of sale.

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of a large-diameter product on standby for sale.

FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of a large-diameter product at the time of sale.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Commodity column, 2 ... Commodity discharge device, 22 ... Main lock lever, 23 ... Sublock lever, 24 ... Lock lever, 25 ... Gate lever, 26 ... Solenoid, S1, S
2 ... Small diameter product, A ... Product passage, S11, S12 ... Large diameter product.

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] March 5, 2001 (2001.3.5)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] All figures

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG.

FIG. 2

FIG. 3

FIG. 6

FIG. 4

FIG. 5

FIG. 7

FIG. 8

FIG. 9

Claims (1)

[Claims] When the lowest product among the products stored in the product column is carried out, the gate lever is retracted from the product passage and the lowest product is dropped and carried out, and the lock lever projects into the product passage. A product discharging device of a vending machine for holding a second product from the lowest order and discharging the products one by one from the lowest product, wherein the lock lever is rotatable up and down so as to be able to protrude and retract into the product passage. A main lock lever, and a vertically movable sublock lever positioned above the main lock lever and urged upward in the product passage. While being submerged from the inside of the passage, the tip of the sublock lever is located at an up-and-down position corresponding to the product diameter by hitting the product. Is rotated to protrude into the product passage, and when the tip of the sublock lever is at the top, the main lock lever pivots downward to hit the second lowest product and protrudes into the product passage. The vending machine has a front end of the main lock lever protruding into the commodity passage when the tip of the sublock lever is located at a lower position.