JP2002279507A - Commodity rack for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an easily manufacturable novel structure having a small number of parts for a commodity rack of a serpentine type in which a commodity guide path is formed entirely vertically extending in a serpentine form by assembling front and rear walls each consisting of a plurality of curved guide plates between a pair of side plates. SOLUTION: The plurality of curved guide plates 40a, 40b, and 40c for forming the front wall 102 or the rear wall 104 are integrally-molded into a vertically continuously connected form. The curved guide plate 40a is also integrally-molded with the right and left side plates 32 and 34 into a directly connected form.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a serpentine-type merchandise rack used for a vending machine for storing and storing products having a substantially cylindrical outer shape such as canned beverages and bottled beverages in a horizontal state, and a vending machine using the same. And a method for manufacturing such a product rack.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vending machine for a product having a substantially cylindrical shape such as a canned beverage, the product is stored with excellent space efficiency while preventing the product from being caught or the like so as to improve the ingress and egress of the product. For this reason, serpentine type product racks are widely used as product racks for storing products.

This serpentine type product rack is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 55-164,891 and generally has a circular arc between left and right side plates of a flat plate shape opposed to each other at a predetermined distance. A plurality of plate-shaped curved guide plates are vertically arranged to form a front wall and a rear wall, and the curved guide plates of the front wall and the rear wall face each other on the concave side and are vertically staggered. Thus, a product guide path extending vertically in a meandering form is formed between the facing surfaces of the front wall and the rear wall. As described in the above publication, generally, a plurality of such serpentine product racks are housed in a housing of a vending machine, and a different product is stored for each product rack. In each of the methods, a product is added from the upper opening, and an appropriate bend mechanism is provided in the lower opening, so that the products located at the top end are sequentially dropped and taken out one by one.

[0004] By the way, such a serpentine product rack is conventionally provided with a pair of left and right side plates 10 and 10, a plurality of curved guide plates 14 forming a front wall 12, as shown in FIG. A plurality of curved guide plates 18 constituting the rear wall 16 are separately formed of a steel plate or the like, respectively.
It is manufactured by assembling a large number of curved guide plates 14 and 18 constituting the front and rear walls to a pair of side plates 10 and 10 by post-processing.

However, in such a conventional serpentine product rack, the operation of assembling a large number of curved guide plates 14, 18 to the pair of side plates 10, 10 is troublesome and time-consuming, and the production cost is increased. There was a problem. In particular, the curved guide plates 14 and 18 are generally formed by curling the upper and lower end edges so as to form a cylindrical portion 2.
0, 20 are formed, and a small-diameter cylindrical support shaft 22 is inserted through the cylindrical portion 20. Then, both end portions of the support shaft 22 are inserted into through holes 24, 24 of the side plates 10, 10, thereby forming the side plate. Since a structure is employed in which both ends of the support shaft 22 protruding outward from the 10, 10 are locked so as not to come out by edge bending or caulking, the work is extremely complicated and must be performed manually. There were many parts.

[0006] In particular, in recent years, the size of the vending machine has been increasing, and the size of the product rack has been increasing.
The height of 0, 10 is also increased, and both side plates 1
The number of curved guide plates 14 and 18 to be assembled between 0 and 10 is also large, and such a large product rack is, in particular,
There is a problem that handling of each component is complicated and assembly workability is extremely poor.

[0007]

Here, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a front-rear configuration including a plurality of curved guide plates assembled between a pair of side plates. Provided is a product rack for a serpentine-type vending machine having a novel structure that can be easily manufactured with a small number of parts and a simple structure, provided with a product guide path extending in a meandering shape formed in the vertical direction formed by walls. It is in.

Further, the present invention provides a vending machine employing a serpentine type merchandise rack having such a novel structure, and a simple and easy method for manufacturing a serpentine type vending machine merchandise rack. To provide,
Aim.

[0009]

An embodiment of the present invention which has been made to solve such a problem will be described below. The components employed in each of the embodiments described below can be employed in any combination as possible. In addition, aspects or technical features of the present invention are not limited to those described below, but are described in the entire specification and drawings, or based on the invention ideas that can be understood by those skilled in the art from the descriptions. It should be understood that it is recognized on the basis of.

That is, in a first aspect of the present invention relating to a vending machine product rack, a plurality of arc-shaped curved guide plates are vertically arranged between left and right side plates which are opposed to each other at a predetermined distance. A front wall and a rear wall are formed side by side, and the curved guide plates of the front wall and the rear wall are arranged in a staggered manner facing each other on the concave side, thereby forming a space between the opposing surfaces of the front wall and the rear wall. In a vending machine rack in which a product guide path extending vertically in a meandering form is formed, at least two adjacent positions of the curved guide plate on at least one of the front wall and the rear wall are mutually separated in the vertical direction. A plurality of curved guide plates formed continuously and integrally formed directly and integrally with at least a part of the left and right side plates. .

In the merchandise rack for a vending machine having such a structure according to this aspect, a curved guide plate directly and integrally formed with the left and right side plates, and a vertical guide with respect to the curved guide plate. Since a plurality of curved guide plates composed of curved guide plates integrally formed continuously in the direction are integrally formed with at least a part of the left and right side plates, the integrally formed curved guide plates are arranged with respect to the left and right side plates. There is no need to assemble by post processing In addition, since the left and right side plates are positioned by being connected to each other by at least one curved guide plate, even when other curved guide plates and other members need to be assembled between the left and right side plates, the left and right side plates can be used. The positioning of the side plates becomes easy, and the assembling workability can be greatly improved.

In this embodiment, the curved guide plate does not need to be formed integrally with the right and left side plates as a whole. For example, the left and right side plates are large or divided for mounting other members. In the case of a structure, a part of the left and right side plates and the curved guide plate may be integrally formed. In that case, a part of the left and right side plates integrally formed with the curved guide plate is post-fixed to the divided left and right side plates by welding, brazing, or the like, but it is particularly preferable. Using a key-shaped locking mechanism using cut-and-raised, etc., with one touch without the need for special tools, the left and right side plates integrally formed with the curved guide plate are divided into the left and right side plates formed separately. The structure which makes it adhere to is adopted. Also, in this aspect, at least one of the curved guide plates may be formed directly and integrally with the left and right side plates, and thus, the curved guide plate integrally formed directly and continuously with the left and right side plates. The other curved guide plates integrally formed vertically in the vertical direction need not be directly connected to the left and right side plates.

According to a second aspect of the present invention relating to a vending machine merchandise rack, in the vending machine merchandise rack having the structure according to the first aspect, the vending machine merchandise rack is formed integrally and continuously with each other in a vertical direction. One of the plurality of curved guide plates is directly and integrally formed with the left and right side plates at substantially the center of the left and right side edges in the vertical direction. In such an embodiment, the strength of the curved guide plate directly and integrally formed directly on the left and right side plates can be advantageously secured, and both ends of the curved guide plate in the vertical direction are separated from the left and right side plates. By making them independent, it is easy to set a large curvature for the entire curved guide plate.

According to a third aspect of the present invention relating to a vending machine merchandise rack, in the vending machine merchandise rack having the structure according to the first or second aspect, the left and right side plates are directly connected to the left and right side plates. In addition to the curved guide plates formed continuously and integrally, at least one curved guide plate independent from the left and right side plates is integrally formed continuously on both sides in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, of the plurality of curved guide plates integrally formed in the vertical direction, the curved guide plate located at the intermediate portion is directly and continuously formed integrally with the left and right side plates. Thereby, the connection strength of the plurality of curved guide plates to the entire left and right side plates can be advantageously secured. Also, when bending the curved guide plate by pressing, by fixing the curved guide plate located in the middle part to the left and right side plates,
Plastic deformation can be smoothly developed as a whole of the plurality of curved guide plates for the left and right plates.

A fourth aspect of the present invention relating to a vending machine merchandise rack is a vending machine merchandise rack having a structure according to any one of the first to third aspects.
The curved guide plate is formed integrally and continuously upward or downward with respect to the curved guide plate formed directly and integrally with the left and right side plates, and is independent of the left and right side plates. At least one is characterized in that positioning means for positioning both right and left edge portions of the curved guide plate relative to the left and right side plates are provided. In such an embodiment, the curved guide plate which is not formed directly and integrally with the left and right side plates can be directly positioned with respect to the left and right side plates by the positioning means. Strength can be advantageously improved. In addition, as positioning means for positioning the left and right edge portions of the curved guide plate relatively to the left and right side plates, for example, a claw-shaped protruding piece cut and raised from the left and right side plates may be provided on one surface of the curved guide plate. For example, a structure or the like that abuts and locks on both surfaces may be adopted.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention relating to a vending machine merchandise rack, in the vending machine merchandise rack having the structure according to the fourth aspect, the vending machine merchandise rack is directly connected to the left and right side plates. And at least one of the curved guide plates independently formed from the left and right side plates is integrally formed continuously upward or downward with respect to the curved guide plate integrally formed, and protrudes to both sides in the left-right direction. The positioning means is constituted by integrally forming locking pieces to be engaged with each other and inserting and locking the locking pieces through locking holes penetrating through the left and right side plates. I do. According to this aspect, the positioning means as described above can be realized with a simple structure using the curved guide plate.

A sixth aspect of the present invention relating to a vending machine merchandise rack is a vending machine merchandise rack having a structure according to any of the first to fifth aspects.
A curl-bending reinforcing portion is formed on a vertical edge of at least one outermost vertical guide plate of the plurality of curved guide plates formed integrally and continuously with each other. That is the feature. In such an embodiment, the strength of the outermost curved guide plate whose strength is most likely to be a problem can be advantageously secured.

A seventh aspect of the present invention relating to a vending machine merchandise rack is a vending machine merchandise rack structured according to any one of the first to sixth aspects.
From the disposition position of the curved guide plate integrally formed directly and integrally with the left and right side plates and the curved guide plate integrally formed continuously in the vertical direction with respect to the curved guide plate, in the vertical direction In the separated portion, a connecting portion formed independently of the curved guide plates in the vertical direction and connecting the left and right side plates to each other is integrally formed with the left and right side plates. In this aspect, the connecting portion assists the positioning strength of the curved guide plates with respect to the left and right side plates, and the strength of the integrally formed product can be improved as a whole. It is possible to improve the workability of assembling other members such as plates and the ease of handling of the product rack itself. The position at which the connecting portion is formed is not limited, but in general, the curved guide plate is formed at a middle portion in the height direction of the left and right side plates, and therefore, from the viewpoint of securing the strength of the member, the curved guide plate is formed. It is desirable to form a connecting portion that is located on either side in the up-down direction and that extends across the left and right side plates.

An eighth aspect of the present invention relating to a vending machine merchandise rack is a vending machine merchandise rack having a structure according to any one of the first to seventh aspects.
In one of the front wall and the rear wall, some of the plurality of curved guide plates formed integrally and continuously in the vertical direction are integrally formed directly directly on the left and right side plates. In addition, the plurality of curved guide plates independently formed from the left and right side plates are assembled to the other of the front wall and the rear wall. In such an embodiment, the left and right side walls integrally connected by the curved guide plate on one side of the front wall and the rear wall,
The curved guide plates constituting the other side of the front wall and the rear wall can be separately formed and easily assembled. Note that the curved guide plate constituting the other side of the front wall and the rear wall may be pivotally suspended at the upper end portions of the left and right side plates so as to be swingably suspended.

A ninth aspect of the present invention relating to a vending machine merchandise rack is a vending machine merchandise rack structured according to any one of the first to eighth aspects,
In one of the front wall and the rear wall, some of the plurality of curved guide plates formed integrally and continuously in the vertical direction are integrally formed directly directly on the left and right side plates. And a connecting member that restricts the relative displacement of the left and right side plates in the approaching / separating direction by being hung between the left and right side plates and locked to the respective side plates on the other of the front wall and the rear wall. Is provided. In this embodiment, the strength of the left and right side walls can be improved by the connecting member, and the overall strength and durability of the product rack can be improved. In addition, as the connecting member, for example, a locking piece extending substantially perpendicularly to both ends in the longitudinal direction of a longitudinal plate-shaped body having a length corresponding to the distance between the left and right side plates, such as a U-shaped cross section or a V-shaped cross section. It can be advantageously realized by integrally forming and inserting the locking pieces into the locking holes formed in the left and right side plates so as not to come out.

A tenth aspect of the present invention relating to a vending machine merchandise rack is a vending machine merchandise rack structured according to any one of the first to ninth aspects,
In one of the front wall and the rear wall, some of the curved guide plates formed integrally and continuously in the up-down direction are directly and integrally formed directly with the left and right side plates. At least one of the curved guide plates on the other of the front wall and the rear wall is characterized in that left and right fixing plates which are fixed to be overlapped with the left and right side plates are integrally formed. In the merchandise rack for a vending machine having such a structure according to this aspect, both the curved guide plate constituting the front wall and the curved guide plate constituting the rear wall are substantially provided on the left and right side plates. The rigidity of the merchandise rack can be improved. The left and right fixing plates can be formed, for example, with substantially the same structure as the left and right side plates, and can be superimposed substantially over the left and right side plates,
Alternatively, it may be formed with a shape smaller than the left and right side plates, and may be partially overlapped with the left and right side plates and assembled.

Further, the present invention is also characterized by a vending machine provided with a product rack structured according to any one of the first to tenth aspects.

A feature of the present invention relating to a method of manufacturing a merchandise rack for a vending machine is that a plurality of arc-shaped curved guide plates are provided between left and right side plates which are opposed to each other at a predetermined distance. A front wall and a rear wall are formed side by side in the vertical direction, and the curved guide plates of the front wall and the rear wall face each other on the concave side and are positioned vertically in a staggered manner, whereby the front wall and the rear wall are formed. When manufacturing a vending machine merchandise rack having a merchandise guideway extending vertically in a meandering form between opposing surfaces, a flat metal plate is subjected to press working including shearing and bending. , At least two adjacent positions of the curved guide plate on at least one of the front wall and the rear wall are integrally formed continuously with each other in a vertical direction, and the plurality of continuously formed bays are formed. Some of the guide plates, in that so as to form integrally continuously directly with at least a portion of said left and right side plates.

According to such a method of the present invention, it is possible to advantageously manufacture a product rack having the above-described structure according to the present invention, in which at least the left and right side plates are directly or indirectly connected. It is not necessary to rear-fix the plurality of curved guide plates integrally formed on the left and right side plates, and some of the separately formed curved guide plates need not be post-processed between the left and right side plates. Even if it is necessary to assemble them, the left and right side plates are positioned relative to each other by the curved guide plates integrally formed on them, so that the separately formed curved guide plates can be easily assembled in post-processing. It is possible to do it.

In the method of the present invention relating to such a method of manufacturing a merchandise rack for a vending machine, preferably
The bending guide plate, which is integrally formed directly and integrally with the left and right side plates, and the bending guide plate, which is formed integrally and continuously with each other in the vertical direction with respect to the bending guide plate, respectively. It is desirable to perform wave processing for reinforcement at the same time as processing. Thereby, even when the corrugated portion for reinforcement is formed on the curved guide plate, no special press work or the like is required.

[0026]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, in order to clarify the present invention more specifically, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, FIG. 1 shows a front molded body 30 constituting a serpentine type product rack as one embodiment of the present invention. The front molded body 30 includes a left side plate 32 and a right side plate 34 each having a rectangular long flat plate shape.
The left and right side plates 32 and 34 are arranged in parallel and opposed to each other with a distance slightly larger than the length of a product such as canned juice.

The left and right side plates 32, 34 have
At one end in the width direction corresponding to each other, the connecting plates 36 and 38 as two upper and lower connecting portions and a front center curved guide plate 40a located at an intermediate portion are integrally connected to each other. There, the upper and lower connecting plates 3
6, 38 have an elongated plate shape extending with a substantially constant width dimension. On the other hand, the front center curved guide plate 40a has a card-like wide rectangular flat plate shape as a whole, and a pair of left and right intermediate connecting portions 42 provided at respective vertical intermediate portions at both longitudinal end edges. By 42, it is directly and continuously formed integrally with the left and right side plates 32, 34.

Further, the front center curved guide plate 40a
Extend in a substantially constant width in the vertical direction, so that the upper and lower curved guide plates 40b each having substantially the same curved plate shape as the central curved guide plate 40a are formed on both sides in the vertical direction. The curved guide plate 40c on the side is integrally formed continuously with the central curved guide plate 40a. In short, in this embodiment, the central and upper and lower three curved guide plates 40a, 40b, and 40c are formed by one integrated plate 41 having a substantially rectangular flat plate shape.
Are formed integrally by being curved.

Further, the upper curved guide plate 40b and the lower curved guide plate 40c are provided with reinforcing edge portions 44, 46 which are curled at upper and lower edge portions. The reinforcing edge portions 44, 46 are provided on the curved guide plates 40b, 40c.
The locking pieces 48 and 50 are integrally formed so as to protrude toward both sides in the width direction from the curved guide plates 40b and 40c. In the present embodiment, in particular, the upper curved guide plate 4
The reinforcing edge 44 integrally formed on the upper edge of the lower curved guide plate 40c has a substantially cylindrical shape, while the reinforcing edge 46 integrally formed on the lower edge of the lower curved guide plate 40c is formed. The locking pieces 48, 48 and 50, 50 have a substantially semi-cylindrical shape.
In each case, the reinforcing edge portions 44 and 46 are formed so as to extend in both sides in the axial direction with a constant cross-sectional shape.

The upper and lower curved guide plates 40b,
Locking pieces 48, 48 and 50, 50 projecting from 40c
Are locking holes 52, 52 formed through the left and right side plates 32, 34.
And 54, 54 are inserted from the inner surface side, and the distal end portions are bent and locked to the outer surfaces of the left and right side plates 32, 34, thereby being fixedly locked to the left and right side plates 32, 34. Have been.

Further, as described above, the integral plate 41
Intermediate connecting portions 42, 42 in the central curved guide plate 40a
Also at the intermediate portion between the upper and lower curved guide plates 40b and 40c, the central locking pieces 56, 56 and 58, 58 projecting toward the left and right sides are integrally formed. Then, these central locking pieces 56, 56 and 5
8 and 58 are locking holes 6 formed through the left and right side plates 32 and 34.
0, 60 and 62, 62 are inserted from the inner side, and the distal end portions are bent so that the left and right side plates 32,
34, the left and right side plates 32,
34 is fixedly locked. As is clear from the above description, in the present embodiment, the locking pieces 48,
Positioning means for positioning the curved guide plate 40 relative to the left and right side plates 34, 34 is constituted by including the holes 50, 56, 58 and the locking holes 52, 54, 60, 62.

Further, the left and right side plates 32 and 34 are located below the lowermost front curved guide plate 40, extend rearward at a predetermined length from the front edge, and then bend downward. The support grooves 64 are formed so as to extend and be cut in a substantially L-shape as a whole. Then, the front-side molded body 30
A swingable lower front curved guide plate 66 formed separately therefrom is swingably mounted in a suspended state. The front lower curved guide plate 66 has a plate shape curved into an arc plate shape in substantially the same manner as the curved guide plate 40 formed integrally with the front molded body 30, and has a curl bend at its upper end edge. The cylindrical support shaft insertion portion 68 is formed by processing. A support rod 70 is inserted into the support shaft insertion portion 68, and both ends in the longitudinal direction of the support rod 70 are protruded from the support shaft insertion portion 68 of the curved guide plate 66 in both axial directions. Left and right side plates 3 of front molded body 30
It is configured to be inserted and set so as to be dropped into the support groove 64 formed in the second and the third groove 34. Accordingly, the curved guide plate 66 at the lower front side is swingably suspended and supported from the free suspension position suspended and supported by gravity with the support rod 70 as the rotation center axis. .

Four rod insertion grooves 74 are formed in the rear edge portions of the left and right side plates 32 and 34 at positions deviated by a predetermined amount in the vertical direction from the front curved guide plates 40a to 40c. Have been. Further, the left and right side plates 32 and 34 are located near both upper and lower ends, respectively, are cut and raised in the shape of an arch extending in the vertical direction, and are projected outward slightly more than the plate thickness. Locking arch 7
6, 76 are formed integrally at a predetermined distance in the side plate width direction.

Incidentally, such a front molding 30 is
It can be advantageously formed by pressing. In particular,
First, a blank (a blank) made of an iron-based metal or the like such as a steel plate is subjected to a stamping press process, so that the developed shape of the front molded body 30 as shown in FIG. A deployment plate 78 having The press die used for the punching is not explicitly shown in the drawings, but as is apparent to those skilled in the art, FIG.
A die having a die and a punch corresponding to the hollow portion of the deployment plate 78 shown in FIG. In addition, in the deployment plate 78 shown in FIG. 2, three front curved guide plates 40a, 40
The b and 40c are stamped and formed as an integrally connected rectangular flat plate-shaped integral plate 41.

Next, by subjecting the developed plate 56 to a bending press working, a desired front molded body 30 is obtained as shown in FIG. That is, as is apparent to those skilled in the art, such a bending process is performed by using an appropriate die and punch, and further using a cushion base if necessary.
The integral plate 41 is formed into a corrugated shape by performing corrugated molding, and the intermediate connecting portions 42 and 42 of the central curved guide plate 40 and the upper and lower connecting plates 36 and 38 are formed.
The left and right side plates 3 are bent at substantially right angles at both longitudinal edges thereof.
2 and 34 are formed.

At the same time as the above bending press working,
Alternatively, by performing another press work before or after the press work of such bending, the integrated curved guide plates 40a to
curl bending process for the reinforcing edge portions 44, 4
6 and the locking pieces 48, 50, etc., and the locking pieces 48, 50, 56, 58 are formed with the locking holes 52, 54 and 60, 62 formed by punching the left and right side plates 32, 34. Insert and fix by caulking.

On the other hand, the rear molded body 8 which is combined with the front molded body 30 having the above-described structure to form a desired serpentine type product rack in cooperation.
0 is shown in FIG. The rear side molded body 80 includes a left side plate 82 and a right side plate 84 each having a rectangular flat plate shape, similarly to the front side molded body 30, and the left and right side plates 82, 84 are formed of the front side molded body 30. Left right plate 3
They are arranged in parallel and opposed to each other at a distance greater than the distance between the plates 2 and 34 by about two sheet thicknesses.

The left and right side plates 82 and 84 include:
At one end in the width direction corresponding to each other, the connecting plates 86, 87, 88 as three connecting parts, upper, middle, and lower,
They are integrally connected to each other. In addition, each connecting plate 86,
Each of 87 and 88 has an elongated plate shape extending with a substantially constant width.

Further, the left and right side plates 62 and 64 are located at intermediate portions in the longitudinal direction, extend forward by a predetermined length from the rear edge, and then bend downward and extend. The support grooves 90 cut in the L-shape form the left and right side plates 6.
Four of each are formed at a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of 2,64. The swing type rear curved guide plate 92 formed separately from the rear molded body 80 is assembled so as to be swingable in a suspended state. The rear curved guide plate 92 has substantially the same shape and structure as the front lower curved guide plate 66 assembled to the front molded body 30 described above, and has a plate shape curved into an arc plate shape. In addition, a curl bending process is performed on an upper end edge portion thereof to form a cylindrical shaft insertion portion 94. A support rod 96 is inserted into the support shaft insertion portion 94, and both ends of the support rod 96 in the longitudinal direction are protruded from the support shaft insertion portion 94 of the curved guide plate 92 in both axial directions. Each of the rear molded bodies 80 is set so as to be inserted into a support groove 90 formed in the left and right side plates 82 and 84 of the rear molded body 80. Thus, each rear curved guide plate 92 is swingably suspended and supported from a free suspension position suspended and supported by gravity as a rotation center axis of the support rod 96. .

The left and right side plates 82, 84 are formed with cutouts 98, 98 in the form of elongated plates extending forward, near both ends in the vertical direction. , 98 are provided with tongue-shaped locking projections 100 whose rear side edges are cut and raised by U-shaped cuts.
However, it protrudes outward.

The rear molded body 80 can be advantageously formed by press working like the front molded body 30. Further, a plurality of curved guide plates 92 are assembled to the rear molded body 80 after the press working.

The rear molded body 80 is combined with the front molded body shown in FIG. 1 in the front-rear direction and integrally assembled with each other. It is a product rack of the formula.

Here, the front molded body 30 and the rear molded body 80 are combined at each opening side, and the left and right side plates 32 and 34 of the front molded body 30 are respectively formed on their outer surfaces with the rear molded body. The left and right side plates 82 and 84 of the body 80 are overlapped and combined in a substantially close state. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, locking pieces 98, 98 formed on the rear molded body 80 are respectively opposed to locking arches 76, 76 formed on the front molded body 30. The locking projections 100 which are inserted and cut and raised by the locking pieces 98 are locked so as not to be able to come out with respect to the locking arch 76, whereby the front and rear molded bodies 30 and 80 are formed.
Are formed.

In this way, the front and rear molded bodies 30, 8
0, the front and rear molded bodies 30, 8
0, the support grooves 64, 90 formed in the left and right side plates 32, 34, 82, 84, respectively.
2, 34, the support rod 96 of each curved guide plate 92 is connected to each of the left and right side plates 32, 3
4, 82, 84 are assembled so as not to come out of the support grooves 64, 90.

In the product rack thus obtained, the front and rear molded bodies 30 and 80 are mutually connected to the side plates 32 and 3.
4, 82, 84 are mutually locked and fixed,
The curved guide plates 40a-c, 66, 66,
A desired serpentine type product rack having a meandering type product storage area for storing and arranging canned juice and the like can be advantageously realized between the opposing surfaces of the front wall 102 and the rear wall 104 formed by 92. .

Further, in such a product rack, since the front molded body 30 has a structure in which a plurality of curved guide plates 40a to 40c are integrally provided, a plurality of curved guide plates 40 can be rearwardly provided. There is no need to assemble in the process, and assembling workability and manufacturing cost can be dramatically improved.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, this is merely an example, and the present invention is not interpreted in any limited manner by the specific description in the embodiment.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, at least one of the plurality of curved guide plates 92 in the rear molded body 80 can be integrally formed with the left and right side plates 82 and 84. It is. That is, in FIG. 5, the lowermost curved guide plate 92 is directly continuous with the left and right side plates 82, 84 by the pair of intermediate connecting portions 106, 106 at substantially the vertical center of the left and right side edges. And are integrally formed. By adopting such a structure, the rear molded body 80 can also be configured as an integrally molded product including the left and right side plates 82 and 84 including at least one curved guide plate 92. Improvement in assembly workability can be achieved.
In addition, since this structure is the same as that of the front curved plate 40a at the center of the front molded body 30, detailed description is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of curved guide plates 92 constituting the rear wall 104 can be directly assembled to the left and right side plates 32, 34 of the front molded body 30. It is. In particular, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the upper end of the curved guide plate 92 is widened,
By performing the curl bending process on the small-diameter cylindrical shape, the support rod portions 106 protruding on both sides in the width direction can be bent.
2 are formed integrally with the upper edge. Then, both ends of the support rod portion 106 in each curved guide plate 92 are inserted into through holes 108, 108 provided through the left and right side plates 82, 84, so that each curved guide plate 92 is connected to the support rod portion 106. Is supported so as to be swingable around. Further, in the present embodiment, three connecting members 110 are assembled at portions where there is no hindrance to the guide of canned juice or the like by the curved guide plates 92 suspended and supported by the support rods 106. These connecting members 110 are formed by bending a plate, and have a long plate shape extending in an L-shaped or U-shaped cross-sectional shape. And a locking piece 112 bent integrally is formed. And each locking piece 112 is the left and right side plate 3 of the front side molded body 30.
The locking members 114 are fixedly assembled by being inserted through the locking arches 114 formed on the base members 2 and 34 so that they cannot be pulled out.
Thus, the left and right side plates 32 and 34 are mutually restricted in the approaching / separating direction.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 described above,
In order to facilitate understanding, members and parts having the same structure as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings. And

In the above embodiment, for example, the left and right side plates 32, 34, 82, 84 of the front and rear molded bodies 30, 80 are provided.
Also, the curvilinear guide plates 40, 66, and 92 are curled at their respective edges, or provided with reinforcing ribs, corrugations, irregularities, etc., to reinforce the respective members. Is also possible. Furthermore, the curved guide plates 4
For 0, 66, and 92, it is also possible to form a penetrating window for service at an appropriate place such as the center.

The left and right side plates 32, 34, 82, 84
Also, in each of the curved guide plates 40, 66, and 92, unnecessary portions in terms of structure and strength can be appropriately cut off. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the left and right side plates 82 and 84 of the rear molded body 80 are configured as fixed plates that are superimposed on the left and right side plates 32 and 34 of the front molded body 30.

Further, biasing means for constantly biasing the curved guide plates 66, 92, which are arranged to be swingable in a suspended state, in one rotational direction is provided. 92
It is also possible to reduce or prevent the occurrence of vibration and accompanying noise.

The swingable curved guide plates 66, 92
For example, when a base plate is pressed to obtain a developed product of a target product, the curved guide plates 66 and 92, which are swingably assembled, may be formed by punching and forming the base plate by press working. It is possible.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the description has been given of the commodity rack in which one commodity accommodating path is formed. However, the commodity accommodating path is provided with two or more commodity racks as described above in the depth direction of the vending machine. By arranging three or more, for example, a plurality of article storage paths can be formed side by side. In addition, the size and shape of the curved guide plate, and furthermore, the number of attachments, whether or not the curved guide plate is slidably suspended and adopted, and the disposition position, etc., are all the size and shape of the product to be handled. Is appropriately determined according to the conditions, and is not limited at all.

Further, the left and right side plates 32, 34 of the front molded body
Alternatively, the left and right side plates 82 and 84 of the rear molded body 80 are partially cut out and raised inward to form a claw-shaped locking piece in a fixedly integrated manner. Necessary ones of the guide plates 40a to 40c and 66, 92 can be reinforced or positioned.

The right and left side plates 32, 34, 82 and 84 of the front and rear molded bodies 30 and 80 may be provided with through holes for service at appropriate places as necessary, or connecting rods for reinforcement. And other necessary members can be appropriately attached.

In addition, the material of each member constituting the product rack according to the present invention is not limited at all, and various materials such as a steel plate and an aluminum alloy plate are considered in consideration of workability, strength, weight and the like. The material can be appropriately adopted.

In addition, although not enumerated one by one, the present invention
Based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, the present invention can be implemented in a form in which various changes, modifications, improvements, and the like are added.
It goes without saying that all such embodiments are included in the present invention unless they depart from the spirit of the present invention.

[0061]

As is apparent from the above description, in a vending machine rack constructed according to the present invention, a plurality of curved guide plates are formed integrally with at least a part of the left and right side plates. Therefore, the work of assembling the curved guide plates to the left and right side plates is unnecessary or simplified, and the left and right side plates are connected to each other by the curved guide plates, so that the left and right side plates can be easily aligned. Therefore, good assembling workability can be exhibited even when, for example, it is necessary to assemble the curved guide plate later.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a front molded body constituting a serpentine product rack as one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view for explaining one manufacturing process of the front molded body shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a rear molded body that is combined with the front molded body shown in FIG. 1 to constitute a serpentine type product rack as one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged explanatory view of a main part for explaining a locking structure of each of the side plates of the front molded body shown in FIG. 1 and the rear molded body shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a rear molded body constituting a product rack as another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a product rack as still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view schematically showing a specific example of a serpentine type product rack for a vending machine having a conventional structure.

[Description of sign]

 Reference Signs List 30 front molded body 32 left side plate 34 right side plate 40, 66 front curved guide plate 80 rear molded body 82 left side plate 84 right side plate 92 rear curved guide plate 102 front wall 104 rear wall

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A front wall and a rear wall are formed by vertically arranging a plurality of arc-shaped curved guide plates between left and right side plates opposed to each other at a predetermined distance, and forming the front wall and the rear wall. An automatic vending machine in which the curved guide plates on the wall face each other on the concave side and are positioned vertically in a zigzag pattern, forming a product guideway extending vertically in a meandering form between the opposing surfaces of the front and rear walls. In the machine product rack, at least two adjacent positions of the curved guide plate on at least one of the front wall and the rear wall are integrally formed continuously in the vertical direction, and a plurality of the continuously formed curved lines are formed. A merchandise rack for a vending machine, wherein some of the guide plates are directly and integrally formed directly with at least a part of the left and right side plates. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of curved guide plates formed integrally and continuously in the vertical direction is directly connected to the left and right side plates at a substantially central portion in the vertical direction at both left and right side edges. The vending machine product rack according to claim 1, wherein the product rack is formed integrally with the vending machine. 3. A curved guide plate independent of the left and right side plates is provided on at least one of each of the curved guide plates independently of the left and right side plates with respect to the curved guide plate directly and integrally formed with the left and right side plates. 3. The product rack for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the product rack is formed integrally and continuously. 4. The curved guide plate, which is integrally formed directly and continuously with the left and right side plates, is integrally formed continuously upward or downward, and is independent of the left and right side plates. In at least one of the curved guide plates,
The merchandise rack for a vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising positioning means for positioning both right and left edges of the curved guide plate relative to the left and right side plates. 5. The curved guide plate, which is integrally formed directly and continuously with the left and right side plates, is integrally formed continuously upward or downward, and is independent of the left and right side plates. In at least one of the curved guide plates,
The positioning means is constituted by integrally forming locking pieces protruding to both sides in the left-right direction, and inserting and locking the locking pieces through locking holes formed in the left and right side plates. A vending machine product rack according to claim 4. 6. A curl-bent shape is formed on a vertical edge of at least one outermost vertical guide plate of the plurality of curved guide plates formed integrally and continuously with each other. The vending machine product rack according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the reinforcing portion is formed. 7. Arrangement of the curved guide plate directly and integrally formed with the left and right side plates and the curved guide plate integrally formed vertically and continuously with the curved guide plate. 7. A connecting part which is formed vertically from the curved guide plate and vertically connected to the left and right side plates at a position vertically separated from the position, and is integrally formed with the left and right side plates. A vending machine product rack described in Crab. 8. In one of the front wall and the rear wall, some of the plurality of curved guide plates integrally formed continuously with each other in a vertical direction are directly connected to the left and right side plates. The automatic vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the plurality of curved guide plates independently formed from the left and right side plates are attached to the other of the front wall and the rear wall while being integrally formed continuously. Product rack for machine. 9. In one of the front wall and the rear wall, some of the plurality of curved guide plates integrally formed continuously in the up-down direction are directly connected to the left and right side plates. It is formed continuously and integrally, and at the other of the front wall and the rear wall, is hung between the left and right side plates and is locked to each side plate, so that the relative displacement of the left and right side plates in the approaching / separating direction. The merchandise rack for a vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a connecting member that regulates the condition. 10. In one of the front wall and the rear wall, some of the curved guide plates integrally formed in the vertical direction are continuously connected directly to the left and right side plates. The left and right fixing plates, which are overlapped and fixed to the left and right side plates, are formed integrally with at least one of the curved guide plates on the other of the front wall and the rear wall. Item 9. The merchandise rack for a vending machine according to any one of items 9. 11. A vending machine provided with the vending machine product rack according to any one of claims 1 to 10. 12. A front wall and a rear wall are formed by vertically arranging a plurality of arc-shaped curved guide plates between left and right side plates opposed to each other at a predetermined distance, and forming the front wall and the rear wall. An automatic vending machine in which the curved guide plates on the wall face each other on the concave side and are positioned vertically in a zigzag pattern, forming a product guideway extending vertically in a meandering form between the opposing surfaces of the front and rear walls. At the time of manufacturing a machine product rack, by performing a pressing process including a shearing process and a bending process on a flat metal plate, an adjacent position of the curved guide plate on at least one of the front wall and the rear wall. And at least two of the plurality of curved guide plates formed continuously in the vertical direction, and some of the continuously formed curved guide plates are directly connected to at least a part of the left and right side plates. Method for producing a product rack for vending machines, characterized in that integrally formed. 13. The curved guide plate, which is integrally formed directly and continuously with the left and right side plates, and the curved guide plate, which is integrally formed continuously with the curved guide plate in a vertical direction. 13. The method for manufacturing a commodity rack for a vending machine according to claim 12, wherein a wave processing for reinforcement is performed simultaneously with the bending processing.