JP2003178367A - Commodity housing device for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a commodity clogging or a commodity deformation by housing a commodity differed in diameter between bottom part and spout such as PET bottle commodity in a commodity housing passage with the inputting directions being matched. <P>SOLUTION: This device comprises a commodity input port 2 for putting the commodity S, a top plate 4 inclined backward from the commodity input port 2 to form a commodity input passage 3; the commodity housing passage 5 provided under the rear end part of the top plate 4 to vertically stack and house the commodity S; a passage width regulating member 6 provided on the top plate 4 to regulate the width of the commodity input passage 3; and a height regulating member 7 mounted on the passage width regulating member 5 and protruded sideward from the commodity input passage 3 to partially regulate the height of the commodity input passage 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a product storage device for a vending machine, which is provided with a supply passage restricting member for restricting the width of the product supply passage, the product insertion direction, etc. according to the product to be inserted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional product storage device of this type,
The one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-214374 is known. This product storage device is a vending machine product storage system that connects a meandering product storage passage with a top plate for product insertion on top of it and sends cylindrical products that have been inserted from the front to the product storage passage. A device, which is provided with an L-shaped passage width regulating member that regulates the width of the product loading passage on the top plate according to the length of the loaded product, so that the operation of adjusting the width of the product loading passage is easy and smooth. It was made possible. As a result, when the loaded product rolls in the product loading passage, it is less likely to be inclined with respect to the width direction of the product loading passage, and the loaded product is laid sideways in the product storage passage that follows the rear edge of the top plate. It can be securely stored without clogging.

[0003]

By the way, the types of products sold tend to increase year by year due to diversification of consumers' tastes and sales competition between beverage makers. And, the length and shape of the products have come to be various. For example, when a product such as a bottle product or a PET bottle product having a different diameter from the bottom portion and a spout (hereinafter referred to as a different diameter product) is stored in a conventional product storage device, the product inserted from the product insertion port is , Rolled in the product loading passage while sliding the bottom and top surfaces on the side of the passage width regulation member and the top plate adjusted according to the length of the product, and then stored in the product storage passage continuing to the rear end. .

However, in the conventional product storage device as described above, since the product insertion direction (the direction of the bottom of the product or the pouring port with respect to the product insertion port) is not regulated,
When such different-diameter products are stored in the product storage passage in a laid-down posture without aligning the orientation of the bottom portion or the spout, the product is jammed in the product storage passage at an angle and the product is jammed or stacked. There was a problem that the contact area of the product became small and the product was deformed.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and prevents the product passage from being clogged by allowing different-diameter products to be stored in the product storage passage in the same loading direction. Another object of the present invention is to provide a product storage device for a vending machine in which the product is prevented from being deformed.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 provides a product insertion port for inserting a product and a product insertion passage which is inclined downward from the product insertion port toward the rear. In a product storage device of a vending machine, which comprises a top plate to be formed and a product storage passage which is provided below a rear end portion of the top plate and stores the products in a vertically stacked manner, the height of the product input passage is increased. The height regulating member for partially regulating the height is provided.

According to this structure, the direction of the bottom or the spout of the different-diameter product to be put into the product input passage can be regulated, and the product can be put into the product input passage with the direction of the bottom or the spout aligned. .

According to the invention of claim 2, claim 1
In the invention described in claim 1, the height regulating member is formed to extend from the product insertion passage to above the product storage passage, so that the different-diameter product to be inserted into the product insertion passage is the product storage passage. It is possible to prevent the bottom part or the pouring direction of the pouring port from being reversed while it reaches the upper side.

According to the invention of claim 3, claim 1
Alternatively, in the invention according to claim 2, the passage width regulating member is provided on the top plate and regulates a width of the product input passage, and the passage width regulating member includes a pair of flat plate portions that are bent into a substantially L shape. A height regulating member detachably formed on the member, wherein the height regulating member regulates the height of the product introduction passage by mounting one of the flat plate portions on the passage width regulating member, By mounting the other one of the flat plate portions on the passage width regulating member, the height regulation of the product introduction passage is released.

According to this structure, the height regulation of the product introduction passage by the height regulation member can be easily set or released by changing the mounting position.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a partial side cross-sectional view of a product storage device 1 showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a bottom view 4a of a top plate 4 forming a product input passage 3 of the product storage device 1 as viewed from the direction C of FIG. 3 and 4 are partial cross-sectional views perpendicular to the bottom surface 4a of the top plate 4 and the like forming the product input passage 3. This product storage device 1 is provided with side plates 1 that are vertically installed to face each other.
1 (only one side is shown in FIG. 1), a plurality of arc-shaped passage guide plates 12 are arranged so as to face each other to form a product storage passage 5 which meanders and extends in the vertical direction. And product storage passage 5
Above the above, a top plate 4 is provided for guiding the product S inserted from the product insertion port 2 on the front side (left side in FIG. 1) to the product storage passage 5. Furthermore, top plate 4
On the bottom surface 4a on which the product S of
A passage width regulating member 6 that regulates the passage width of the product introduction passage 2 is provided movably in the passage width direction. The passage width regulating member 6 partially regulates the height of the product introduction passage 3 S
A height regulating member 7 that regulates the closing direction is attached.

Next, each structure will be described in detail.

The passage width restricting member 6 is composed of a locking surface 6a that abuts on the bottom surface 4a of the top plate 4, and a side surface 6b that is provided substantially perpendicular to the locking surface 6a and that restricts the length of the input product S. ing. A U-curl portion 16 that engages with the front end of the top plate 4 is provided at the front end of the locking surface 6a, a seat pressing portion 17 that protrudes downward is provided at the rear, and a U-curl portion that protrudes downward at a substantially central portion. A guide claw portion 18 is provided. On the other hand, the side surface 6b is provided with a locking claw portion 19 that protrudes outward from the product insertion passage, and a projecting piece portion 20 having a notch portion 20a at the upper end.

The top plate 4 is provided at its front end with a curl portion 21 for engaging the U curl portion 16 of the passage width regulating member 6, and at the rear side thereof, a seat pushing portion 17 is fitted therein to fit the passage width regulating member 6 therein.
A plurality of positioning holes 22 are provided in the passage width direction for locking the positions at predetermined positions. And the curl part 2
A slit portion 23 with which the guide claw portion 18 engages is formed in the passage width direction in the middle of 1 and the positioning hole 22.

The height restricting member 7 is a protruding portion (flat plate portion) 7a which protrudes laterally into the product input passage 3 to restrict the height of the input product S, and a guide portion which is formed substantially perpendicular to the protruding portion 7a. (Flat plate portion) 7b and has a substantially L-shaped cross section. A U-bending portion 24 for inserting and removing the tip end portion of the passage width regulating member 6 is formed at the front end of the protruding portion 7a, and subsequently, a product guide portion 7c obliquely cut rearward is formed. Further, the protruding portion 7a is formed on the top plate 4
It is possible to reliably regulate the storage direction of the products S that are formed to extend above the product storage passage 5 and are stored in the product storage passage 5. Further, the guide portion 7b is provided on the front side with an engagement hole 25 that is attached to the outside of the side surface 6b of the passage width regulating member 6 and engages with the locking claw portion 19, and the ridge portion where the protruding portion 7a and the guide portion 7b intersect is formed. A slit 26 that engages with the cutout portion 20a of the protruding piece portion 20 is formed on the rear side.

In the product storage device 1 having the above-described structure, the passage width regulating member 6 is pulled up and rotated about the curl portion 21 at the front end of the top plate 4 to rotate the seat pushing portion 1.
7 is removed from the positioning hole 22, is slid in the width direction, is moved, and is rotated downward to fit the seat pressing portion 17 into the positioning hole 22 corresponding to a desired position. It is possible to move according to the length of the input product S. Here, the guide claw portion 1 formed on the locking surface 6a
8 engages with the slit portion 23 of the bottom surface 4a of the top plate 4 to prevent the passage width regulating member 6 from falling off the top plate 4.

As shown in the drawing, the height regulating member 7 has a guide portion 7b mounted on the outside of the side surface 6b of the passage width regulating member 6, and an engaging hole 25 and a slit 26 are respectively provided in the passage width regulating member 6. By engaging the claw portion 19 and the cutout portion 20a of the projecting piece portion 20, the projecting portion 7a is laterally projected into the product loading passage 3 to partially regulate its height, and the product loading passage 3 It is possible to regulate the insertion direction of the bottom portion or the spout of the different-diameter product S such as the bottle product S and the PET bottle product S to be introduced. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when the projecting portion 7a is laterally projected into the product insertion passage 3, the height of the projecting portion 7a is set such that the spout of the plastic bottle product S can pass through and the bottom cannot pass through. The pouring direction of the PET bottle product S can be regulated so that the spout is always on the passage width regulating member 7 side. As a result, the products S having different diameters can be stored in the product storage passage 5 in a sideways posture with the directions of the spout and the bottom aligned, and the products S are jammed due to being stacked obliquely or the contact area of the products S. Can be prevented from being deformed. Furthermore, since the projecting portion 7a is formed so as to extend above the top plate 4 and above the product storage passage 5, the product S is stored in the product storage passage 5
It is possible to prevent the product S from being reversed in the loading direction until the product S reaches the upper side (see FIG. 2), and to reliably regulate the storage direction of the product S stored in the product storage passage 5.

Further, as shown by an arrow A in FIG. 4, the height regulating member 7 mounted on the passage width regulating member 6 is pulled out to remove the engagement between the engaging hole 25 and the locking claw portion 19, and the protruding portion is formed. 7a
Is rotated downward and the height regulating member 7 is pushed backward so that the tip of the side face 6b of the passage width regulating member 6 is inserted inside the U-bending portion 24, so that the protruding portion 7a as shown in FIG. It is possible to easily evacuate the above-mentioned protrusion into the product insertion passage 3.

As described above, the passage width regulating member 6 can be mounted with either the projecting portion 7a or the guide portion 7b of the height regulating member 7, and the mounting method of the component can be changed without attaching or detaching the component. By only allowing the protruding portion 7a of the height regulating member 7 to move in and out of the product insertion passage 3, the operability of setting the product insertion passage 3 is improved, and a storage place for the removed parts is unnecessary. The device can be made compact.

In the above embodiment, the passage width regulating member 6 is arranged at one position so as to be movable with respect to the top plate 4. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the passage width regulating member 6 may be provided in the product introduction passage 3. It is also possible to dispose on both sides of and to regulate the passage width by a pair of passage width regulating members. Further, the mounting method of the height restricting member 7 and the passage width restricting member 6 of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be applied and modified within a range including the gist of the present invention.

[0021]

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, the direction of the bottom portion or the spout of the different-diameter product to be introduced into the product insertion passage is regulated, and the bottom or the pour portion of the product is inserted into the product insertion passage. By putting the mouth in the same direction,
It is possible to prevent the products from being stacked obliquely in the product storage passage and prevent the products from being jammed or deformed due to a reduction in the contact area of the products.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the bottom or spout of the product having a different diameter, which is loaded into the product loading passage, from being reversed while it reaches the upper side of the product storage passage. Thus, the storage direction of the products S stored in the product storage passage 5 can be reliably regulated.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the height restriction of the product input passage by the height restricting member can be easily set or released by changing the mounting position to set the product input passage. The operability can be improved and the device can be made compact.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial side sectional view showing a product storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view of the bottom surface of the top plate forming the product input passage of the product storage device according to the embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the direction C in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view perpendicular to the bottom surface of the top plate forming the product input passage of the product storage device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view showing a state in which the guide portion of the height regulating member is attached to the passage width regulating member according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view showing a state in which the protruding portion of the height regulating member is attached to the passage width regulating member according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Product storage device 2 Product slot 3 product input passage 4 top plate 5 product storage passage 6 Passage width control member 7 Height control member 7a Projection (flat plate) 7b Guide part (flat plate part)

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Shuichi Yajima             Sanyo, 5-20-8 Asakusabashi, Taito-ku, Tokyo             Electric Vending Machine Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 3E046 BA03 BB03 BB04 CA01 CD01                       CD02 CD06

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A product input port for inputting a product, a top plate that is inclined rearward from the product input port to form a product input passage, and a top plate provided below a rear end portion of the top plate. In a product storage device of a vending machine having a product storage passage for stacking and storing products in a vertical direction, an automatic device characterized by comprising a height regulating member for partially regulating a height of the product input passage. Vending machine product storage device. 2. The product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the height regulating member is formed so as to extend from the product input passage to above the product storage passage. 3. A passage width regulating member provided on the top plate for regulating the width of the product introduction passage, and a pair of flat plate portions bent in a substantially L shape so as to be attachable to and detachable from the passage width regulating member. The height regulating member is formed, and the height regulating member regulates the height of the product introduction passage by mounting one of the flat plate portions to the passage width regulating member, and the other of the flat plate portions. 3. The product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the height restriction of the product insertion passage is released by mounting the product on the passage width restricting member.