JP2003109079A - Merchandise storing device for vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sufficiently correct the attitude of a merchandise which enters a merchandise storing passage. SOLUTION: A plurality of passage forming boards 3 are arranged to face in parallel between a pair of right and left pair of side boards so that the merchandise storing passage 5 is formed which is vertically extended while zigzagging. The merchandises 6 are heaped and stored inside the passage. The merchandise 6 put into a merchandise throw-in port is introduced to the merchandise storing passage 5 while rolling on a merchandise guide route 1. Merchandise guides 2 for correcting the attitude of the merchandise at the entrance of the passage 5 are kept in a rotatable state in a front-and-rear direction. A lower board is arranged in a vertically rotatable state at the lower edge of an upper board facing the exist of the merchandise guide route 1. The end of the lower board is kept to be lifted at the exit side of the merchandise guide route 1 by a spring and also a resisting force is given to the downward rotation.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a product storage device of a vending machine for selling cylindrical products such as beverages in cans and beverages in PET bottles. [0002] Vending machines for beverages in cans and beverages in plastic bottles have a width slightly larger than the thickness of the product.
Products are stacked and stored in a product storage passage extending in a meandering manner in a vertical direction, and are discharged one by one sequentially from the lower end portion at the time of sale. A plurality of such product storage passages are arranged in a row in the front-rear direction to form a product rack, and a plurality of the product racks are incorporated to constitute a product storage device. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the internal structure of a vending machine. In FIG. 8, 101 is a vending machine door, 1
02 is an inner box, 103 is a storage room, 104 is a storage room 103
The product storage device provided therein 105 is a cylindrical product such as a can, a bottle, a plastic bottle, etc. 106 is a passage forming plate disposed between left and right side plates (not shown), and is used in the vertical direction. A product storage passage 107 is formed, which stores the products 105 in a meandering manner. Reference numeral 108 denotes a product introduction port, and 109 denotes a product introduction path which is inclined downward toward the rear and guides the product introduced into the product insertion port 108 to the product storage passage 107.
Is a product guide. [0005] Reference numeral 111 denotes a product discharge mechanism provided at the lower end of the product storage passage.
In addition, they are provided in the product storage device 104 in parallel in front and rear. Reference numeral 112 denotes a chute provided below the product storage device 104, which is connected to a sales port (not shown) provided on the door 101. 113 is a compressor, 114
Is a condenser, 115 is an evaporator for cooling the inside of the refrigerator, 116 is a blower in the refrigerator, and these are disposed below the storage room 103. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a conventional product guide. FIG. 9 (a) shows a state where the product 105 is rolling on the product introduction path 109, and FIG. 9 shows a state where has hit the product guide 110, and FIG.
This shows a state in which the posture of the product 105 has been corrected. The product guide 110 is provided so as to face the distal end of each product introduction path 109, and is held in a rotatable state by a rotation shaft 117 inserted between the left and right side plates. [0007] When the commodity 105 is introduced from the commodity insertion port 108, the commodity 105 rolls on the commodity introduction path 109 toward the back as shown in FIG. Then, even if the product 105 rolls obliquely on the product introduction path 109, when it comes to the product guide 110, as shown in FIG. Since it hits the product guide 110 first, it is guided to the curved portion of the product guide 110. Then, as shown in FIG. 9C, the posture of the product 105 is corrected so as to be parallel to the product guide 110. [0008] When the product 105 is stored in the product storage device 104 of the vending machine configured as described above, the product 10
5 is input from the product input port 108, and the product introduction path 10
9. The product falls through the product storage passage 107 via the product guide 110. At this time, the product 105 is placed on the passage forming plates 10 on both sides.
Repeatedly collided with 6, moved down while rolling,
The speed decreases due to energy loss at the time of collision, friction with the passage forming plate 106, and the like, and the rolling speed is suppressed to a predetermined value or less. Further, the product 105 collides with and contacts the passage forming plate 106 so that the outer circumferential circle of the product 105 tends to follow the arc portion of the passage forming plate 106. The posture is controlled to be as follows. While passing through the product storage passage 107, the product 105 falls to the product discharge mechanism 111 and stops while repeatedly receiving the above-described attitude control. Thereafter, the sequentially put products 105 are stacked while meandering upward and stored in the product storage passage 107. The products 105 stored in the product storage device 104 are dropped onto the chutes 112 one by one and moved to the sales outlet by the product discharge mechanism 111 operated according to the sales command. Conventional documents relating to such a vending machine product storage device include, for example, JP-A-7-22
No. 0157 (G07F 11/34). [0011] In such a conventional vending machine product storage device, a product guide 110 is used.
The posture of the product 105 entering the product storage passage 107 is corrected. However, at this time, since the product 105 hits the product guide 110 only once, there is a problem that the posture is not always sufficiently corrected. An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem, that is, to make it possible to more sufficiently correct the attitude of a product entering a product storage passage. [0013] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a product storage device of a vending machine according to the present invention comprises a plurality of passage forming plates arranged in parallel between a pair of left and right side plates which are opposed to stand upright. A vending machine in which a product storage passage extending in the vertical direction while meandering is formed, and a cylindrical product input from a product input port is stacked and stored inside the product storage passage. The product storage device according to claim 1, wherein the product introduced from the product insertion port is rolled and introduced into the product storage passage while being introduced into the product storage passage, and is rotated back and forth by a rotating shaft horizontally extended left and right. An upper plate that is held in a possible state and faces the outlet of the product introduction path, and is rotatable in the vertical direction at a lower edge of the upper plate, and the tip is lifted to the exit side of the product introduction path. Provided in a state where A product guide having a lower plate provided with a resistance to the rotation of the product. By doing so, the posture of the product entering the product storage passage can be more sufficiently corrected. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a product storage device of a vending machine according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a product introduction path, 2 is a product guide, 3 is a passage forming plate, 4 is an attitude control plate, 5 is a product storage passage, and 6 is a product. When the product 6 is introduced from the product introduction port, the product 6 rolls on the product introduction path 1 and hits the product guide 2. The product guide 2 is held in a state in which it can be rotated back and forth by a rotating shaft horizontally extended between the left and right side plates. In addition, as shown in FIG.
An upper plate 7 and a lower plate 8 are provided.
The lower plate 8 is provided at the lower edge of the upper plate 7 so as to be rotatable vertically. The tip of the lower plate 8 is lifted toward the product introduction path by a spring 9 inserted through the rotation shaft of the lower plate 8, and a resistance force is given to the downward rotation. The product guide is supported by a rotating shaft 11, and as shown in FIG. 3 (a), before the product 6 hits, the upper plate 7 is substantially vertical and the product introduction path 1 Facing the exit. Then, as shown in FIG.
First, the upper plate 7 is hit. As a result, similarly to the conventional product guide, the attitude of the product 6 is corrected to some extent. Thereafter, the product 6 falls downward. At this time, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, the product 6 comes into contact with the lower plate 8 and falls while rotating the lower plate 8 downward against the spring 9. Accordingly, the period of contact between the product 6 and the lower plate 8 becomes longer, during which the posture of the product 6 is corrected to a direction completely parallel to the lower plate 8. As described above, the product 6 falls into the product storage passage 5 with the posture completely corrected. Therefore, the product 6 smoothly falls in the product storage passage 5 without being blocked at the entrance of the product storage passage 5. Passage forming plate 3 forming product storage passage 5
Is formed of one metal plate over the entire length of the passage, and has a structure as shown in a perspective view in FIG. 4A and a side view in FIG. That is, the passage forming plate has a flat surface 14 between the inclined surfaces 12 and 13 inclined in opposite directions.
And the inclined surfaces 12 and 13 and the flat surface 14 constitute one angled portion. The chevron portion is provided so that the convex direction is alternately inverted in the vertical direction and is repeated a plurality of times. The flat surface 14 is spaced apart in the width direction and has a triangular shape in the convex direction of the chevron portion. Are formed. Further, beads 16 and 17 which pass through the protruding portion 15 and protrude in the same direction as the protruding portion 15 are formed in the longitudinal direction. The beads 16 and 17 are alternately convex to the front side and the back side. That is, in the passage forming plate, the flat surfaces 14 and the protruding portions 15 are alternately formed in the lateral direction, and are alternately formed in the longitudinal direction. The beads 16 and 17 are formed in the longitudinal direction so as to protrude from the surface of the protruding portion 15 on the convex side. Further, snap pieces 18 and 19 for fixing the passage forming plate to the side plates are provided on both right and left edges of the passage forming plate. Further, punching holes 20 are formed on the inclined surfaces 13 of the passage forming plates before and after the product rack for mounting the attitude control plate 4, and bearing pieces 21 are formed at both outer ends thereof. The attitude control plate 4 has a structure as shown in FIG. The attitude control plate 4 is formed of a metal plate such as a steel plate. At one end, a long axis 22 and a short axis 23 are provided by rolling the metal plate into a cylindrical shape. Then, the coil spring 24 is inserted through the long shaft 22, and the long shaft 22 and the short shaft 23 are fitted into the shaft hole of the bearing piece 21 through the punched hole 20 of the passage forming plate 3 from inside. At this time, the long shaft 22 is inserted first, and the short shaft 23 is inserted into the shaft hole of the bearing piece 21 while compressing the coil spring 24. Thereafter, the attitude control plate 4 is pressed against the short shaft 23 by the pressing force of the coil spring 24 to prevent the short shaft 23 from coming off the shaft hole of the bearing piece 21. After attaching the attitude control plate 4 to the passage forming plate 3 in this manner, a plurality of passage forming plates 3 are arranged in parallel between the side plates provided upright on the left and right, and a product is placed between them. A storage passage is formed. As shown in FIG. 6, the passage forming plate 3 is attached to the side plate 25 by a square hole 26 formed in the side plate 25.
Then, the snap pieces 18 and 19 are inserted by snap fitting. FIG. 6A is a perspective view showing a part of a mounting portion of the passage forming plate 3, and FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a state in which the snap piece 19 is being inserted into the square hole 26. FIG. 6C is a view showing a state after the snap pieces 19 have been inserted into the square holes 26. When the snap piece 19 is inserted into the square hole 26, the snap piece 19 is aligned with the square hole 26 and the passage forming plate 3 is pushed into the side plate 25 side, as shown in FIG. The piece 19 elastically bends and passes through the square hole 26. After the snap piece 19 has passed through the square hole 26, as shown in FIG.
Is returned to the original position, and the passage forming plate 3 does not come off from the side plate 25. Around the snap piece 19, a reinforcing portion 27 formed of a ridge is provided by squeezing so as to surround the snap piece 19. This reinforcing part 27
, Mechanically reinforces the base of the snap piece 19 and also performs a positioning function with respect to the square hole 26. All snap pieces 18, 1 of the passage forming plate 3
9 is fixed by inserting it into the square hole 26 of the side plate 25 as shown in FIG.
As shown in (1), the passage forming plates 3-1 to 3-3 are completely fixed to the side plate 25. And the work is snap piece 1
Since it is only necessary to insert 8, 19 into the square hole 26, it is easy to carry out. In the vending machine product storage device of the present invention,
A plurality of such passage forming plates 3-1 to 3-3 are arranged in parallel, and a product storage passage 5 is formed therebetween. The attitude control plate 4 is provided with passage forming plates 3-1 and 3-3 arranged in front and behind.
The attitude control plate 4 is not provided on the intermediate passage forming plate 3-2 partitioning between the product storage passages 5. Therefore, the punched hole 2 as shown in FIG.
0 and the bearing piece 21 are not provided. The product storage passage 5 thus formed
In this case, the flat surface 14 faces the opposite side of the protruding portion 15 across the passage, so that the width of the product storage passage 5 becomes substantially uniform over the entire length, and the product is less likely to be clogged in the passage. In addition, since the beads 16 and 17 are formed over the entire length of the inner surface of the product storage passage 5, the rolling friction of the product can be reduced, and the noise generated when the product rolls can also be reduced. Further, since the protruding portion 15 is formed so as to protrude from the flat surface 14 at the top of the chevron, the height between the protruding portion 15 and the adjacent protruding portion 15 protruding to the opposite side is not increased so much. The height difference can be made large. Therefore, it is easy to form the protruding portion 15 by squeezing. The attitude control plate 4 projects into the product storage passage 5 by the spring force of the coil spring 24.
The product falls in the product storage passage 5 and the posture control plate 4
When the collision occurs, the attitude control plate 4 rotates downward against the coil spring 24, but the reaction speed reduces the falling speed of the product. At this time, even if the product is slightly inclined, the attitude of the product is controlled by the surface of the attitude control plate 4 so as to be horizontal. The attitude control plate 4 is provided such that the long axis 22 is on the side close to the side plate 25, and the distance between the side plate 25 and the edge of the attitude control plate 4 on the side plate side is equal to that of the bearing piece 21 of the short axis 23. It is designed to be shorter than the extra length from the shaft hole. As a result, after the passage forming plate 3 is fixed to the side plate 25, even when the posture control plate 4 is to be removed, the edge of the posture control plate 4 hits the side plate 25, and the short shaft 23 does not come off from the shaft hole of the bearing piece 21. In addition, it is possible to reliably prevent the attitude control plate 4 from falling off. In the above embodiment, the passage forming plate 3 is formed of a single metal plate over the entire length of the passage. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention is also applicable to a system in which a large number of passage forming plates, each of which is formed in an arc shape, are successively provided. As described above, the product storage device of the vending machine of the present invention is held as a product guide so as to be pivotable back and forth, and faces the exit of the product introduction path. An upper plate and a state in which the lower edge of the upper plate is rotatable vertically.
In addition, a lower plate is provided in a state in which the tip is lifted to the outlet side of the product introduction path, and has a resistance against downward rotation by a spring. As a result, the posture of the product entering the product storage passage can be corrected more sufficiently.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a product storage device of a vending machine according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a product guide in the product storage device of the vending machine of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a product guide. FIG. 4 is a view showing a passage forming plate in the product storage device of the vending machine of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a posture control plate. FIG. 6 is a view showing a mounting structure of a passage forming plate. FIG. 7 is a partial side view of a product rack. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the internal structure of a vending machine. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a conventional product guide. [Description of Signs] 1 ... Product introduction path 2 ... Product guide 3 ... Passage forming plate 4 ... Attitude control plate 5 ... Product storage passage 6 ... Product 7 ... Upper plate 8 ... Lower plate 9 ... Spring 10 ... Hanging piece 11 ... Pivot axis

Continuation of front page    F term (reference) 3E044 AA01 FB05                 3E046 BA03 BB03 BB04 CA02 CA04                       CA08 CC02 CC04 DA01 FA03                       HA01 HA10

Claims (1)

[Claim 1] A pair of left and right side plates which stand upright facing each other,
A plurality of passage forming plates are arranged in parallel and opposed to each other to form a product storage passage extending in the vertical direction while meandering, and cylindrical products input from the product input port are stacked and stored inside the product storage passage. A product storage device of a vending machine, wherein a product introduction path for introducing the product supplied from the product input port into the product storage passage while rolling the product.
An upper plate facing the outlet of the product introduction path and a lower edge of the upper plate are rotatably held in a state of being rotatable back and forth by a rotating shaft horizontally extended left and right. And a product guide having a lower plate whose tip is lifted to the exit side of the product introduction path and is provided with resistance to downward rotation by a spring. Characteristic product storage device for vending machines.