JP2003296810A - Serpentine article storage rack for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To mount a fall prevention member for preventing fall of a passage regulation board for regulating an article passage width in accordance with an article diameter, onto a rack side plate by pressing. <P>SOLUTION: Locks 53 formed on both the ends of a fall prevention member 50 for mounting the fall prevention member 50 onto the rack side plate and protruded outwards from the rack side plate are folded in advance to incline its top in one direction and when the locks 53 are pressurized from the outside of the rack side plate by pressing, the locks 53 are folded in one direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention has a product passage formed by curved rack segments meandering in the vertical direction, and is arranged to face a product unloading device arranged at the lower end of the product passage. The present invention relates to a serpentine-type product storage rack of a vending machine having a passage width regulation plate that regulates a product passage width according to a product diameter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, this type of serpentine type product storage rack has a product passage for meandering vertically by a curved rack segment to store products in a laid-down posture in a sideways manner. At the lower end of
A product unloading device that holds the lowest-ranked products and carries out the stacked products one by one according to a sales command,
A passage width restricting plate that restricts the width of the product passage according to the product diameter is arranged so as to oppose. The passage width restricting plate is mounted in a setting groove provided in a pair of left and right rack side plates that support the rack segment and is movably arranged along the setting groove. By doing so, the product passage width can be set according to the product diameter.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an automatic vending machine in which a serpentine type product storage rack having such a passage width regulating plate is arranged in a storage. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body case of a vending machine having a front opening, and a front opening of the main body case 1 is provided with a single-opening type outer door 2 and an inner door 3 which can be opened and closed. A plurality of serpentine-type product storage racks 4 are arranged in a row in the case 1. A large number of curved rack segments 4b are provided between the pair of left and right rack side plates 4a, 4a of the product storage rack 4.
A meandering product passage is formed by arranging rack segment rows in which the rack segments 4b are arranged side by side in the vertical direction so as to face each other in the front-rear direction.

A curled portion is formed at both upper and lower ends of the curved rack segment, and the curled portion projects to the left and right. The assembly of the rack segment 4b to the rack side plate is performed by an automated line. In this case, a jig in which a pin is erected at a position corresponding to the curl portion of each rack segment of the rack segment row forming the product passage is prepared, and a pair of left and right rack side plates are provided with a position corresponding to the pin. A hole through which the curl portion protruding to the left and right of the rack segment is inserted is formed in advance. To assemble the rack segment 4b to the rack side plate, a jig is placed on the carrier of the automation line (in this case, the pins face the vertical direction), and one rack side plate is placed on the jig. The jig pins are placed so that the holes punched in the rack side plate penetrate through them. In the next step, the curl portions formed at the upper and lower ends of the rack segment are inserted into the pins erected on the jig to assemble the rack segment. At this time, the curl portion protruding from the rack segment fits into the hole of one rack side plate. In the next step, the other rack side plate is covered over the rack segment. At that time, a hole punched in the other rack side plate is fitted into the other curl portion protruding from the rack segment. In this state, the jig is removed, and in the next step, the curl portion press of the rack segment protruding outward from the pair of rack side plates is collectively caulked to complete the assembly of the rack segment to the rack side plate. There are two types of rack segments, a fixed type having curl portions at the upper and lower ends and a movable type having curl portions only at the upper end. The movable rack segment is also assembled as described above. . Further, the caulking of the curl portion of the rack segment may be performed at the same time as the caulking of the spacing piece for keeping the spacing between the rack side plates constant.

As shown in FIG. 5, at the lower end of the product passage, there are a passage width regulating plate 6 located on one rack segment row side and a product unloading device (not shown) located on the other rack segment row side. It is provided facing each other. A pair of upper and lower irregularly shaped setting grooves 4c formed on the pair of left and right rack side plates 4a and 4a are inserted through and supported by locking claws 6a protruding from both sides of the passage width regulating plate 6, and are supported according to the product diameter. The passage width is regulated by changing the position. Further, a fall prevention member 5 for preventing the passage width regulating plate 6 from coming off the setting groove 4c and falling off is installed on the rack side plates 4a, 4a along the passage width regulating plate 6. The fall-off prevention member 5 is made of a strip-shaped plate member, and has curl portions 5a, 5a formed at both ends on the long side thereof, and a hook-shaped engagement member facing downward at one end on the short side (right end in FIG. 6). The stop 5b
At the other end, a hook-shaped engaging portion 5c that faces upward is provided. The drop-preventing member 5 hooks the hook-shaped portion of the locking portion 52 on the opening 4e (see FIG. 5) formed in the rack side plate 4a, and then locks the locking portion 53 and the protrusion 54 on the other rack side plate 4a. An operator inserts the locking portion 53, which is inserted into the opening (not shown) and protrudes outward from the rack side plate 4a, by using a tool to bend and attach it. Incidentally, 4d is the rack side plate 4a,
The curl portion is formed on the front edge of 4a to prevent the mechanical strength and the cut surface from being exposed.

[0006]

As described above, the assembling of the fall prevention member 5 is performed by the worker. This is because in an automatic vending machine, since the protrusion to the passage is restricted, the depth dimension is reduced, that is, the thickness is reduced, and the depth dimension of the product storage rack must be made as small as possible. Therefore, it is necessary to bring the passage width regulating plate 6 close to the front edges of the rack side plates 4a, 4a.
The pair of upper and lower deformed grooves 4c formed on the pair of rack side plates must be subjected to burring so that the locking claws 6a of the passage width regulating plate 6 can be moved smoothly. The distance L between the front edge of the side plate 4a has a width of about 8 mm. Fall prevention member 5 using this width
However, the distance L also includes the width of the curl portion 4d provided at the front edge of the rack side plate 4a, and is vertically long as the opening 4e into which the locking portions 5b and 5c of the fall prevention member 5 are inserted. Like the holes in which the curl portion penetrates the rack side plate like the rack segment, the curl portion 5a of the captive prevention member 5 is extended to penetrate the curl portion 5a. Such holes cannot be drilled. For this reason, the assembling of the fall prevention member 5 to the rack side plates 4a, 4a requires the work of bending the locking portion 5c protruding perpendicularly to the rack side plate surface from the opening 4e of the rack side plate 4a, and the rack segment 4b. Since it has to be performed in a process different from the work of assembling the side plates 4a, 4a, there is a problem that the assemblability is poor and the work efficiency is poor.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and the assembling work of the fall prevention member to the rack side plate can be performed at the same time as the assembling work of the rack segment to the rack side plate, so that the assembling property is improved. It is an object of the present invention to provide a serpentine-type product storage rack for a vending machine that can improve work efficiency.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention has a product passage formed by meandering vertically by a curved rack segment arranged between a pair of rack side plates, It has a passage width regulating plate which is arranged so as to face a product unloading device arranged at the lower end of the product passage and regulates the product passage width according to the product diameter, and prevents the passage width regulating plate from falling off. In a serpentine-type product storage rack of a vending machine having a fall-prevention member, locking pieces that are provided at both ends of the fall-prevention member and that are inserted into openings of a pair of rack side plates are protruded to the outside of the rack side plates. It is pre-bent so that it can be tilted in one direction, and the locking piece is bent in one direction by press pressing to assemble the fall prevention member to the rack side plate, so that the fall prevention member can be automatically operated without manual labor. It can be attached to the rack side plate by pressing the chemical conversion line.

In order to attach the drop-prevention member to the rack side plate, the locking piece of the drop-prevention member may be bent by pressurizing when the rack segment is attached to the rack side plate (claim 2). . This makes it possible to attach the drop-prevention member to the rack side plate in the same process as the rack segment attachment to the rack side plate in the automation line. In addition, the width of the locking piece of the fall prevention member may be shorter than the length of the opening formed in the rack side plate, and positioning pieces that contact both edges of the opening may be provided on both sides of the locking piece. 3). As a result, the fall prevention member can be attached to the rack side plate without play.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a fall-out preventing member in a serpentine type product storage rack according to the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a fall prevention member according to an embodiment of the present invention. The fall prevention member is attached at the same position as the fall prevention member shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 50 denotes a fall prevention member according to the present invention. The fall prevention member 50 is a strip-shaped plate member, and a curl portion 51 is formed at one end on the long side thereof.
A double hold portion 52 is formed at the other end, and positioning pieces 54, 54 are formed on both sides of the locking piece 53 at both ends on the short side. The locking piece 53 is slightly bent so that its tip is inclined in one direction.
FIG. 2 shows an opening formed in the rack side plate 4a to which the fall prevention member 50 is attached. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 40 denotes an opening perforated in the rack side plate 4a, and the opening 40 is formed in a convex shape. Locking piece 5 of the fall prevention member 50
Positioning pieces 54, 54 formed on both sides of the positioning piece
Is defined to be slightly shorter than the dimension of the opening 40 in the longitudinal direction, and the bending angle of the locking piece 53 of the fall prevention member 50 is the locking side 53 bent from the plate surface of the fall prevention member 50. Is determined to be smaller than the dimension from the bottom side of the opening 40 in the longitudinal direction to the top side of the protrusion. As a result, the fall prevention member 50
The locking piece 53 and the positioning pieces 54, 54 of the rack side plate 4a.
When it is inserted into the opening 40, the fall prevention member 50 can be inserted from the direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the rack side plate 4a without tilting with respect to the plate surface of the rack side plate 4a. Locking piece 53 of positioning prevention member 50 and positioning piece 5
When 4 and 54 are inserted into the opening 40 of the rack side plate 4a, both ends of each of the positioning pieces 54 and 54 are opened 40.
The fall prevention member 50 is prevented from rattling by coming into contact with the edge of the end portion in the longitudinal direction. Further, the locking piece 53 penetrates the opening 40 and projects to the outside of the rack side plate 4a. Then, when pressure is applied to the tip of the locking piece 53 protruding outward from the rack side plate 4a from a direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the rack side plate 4a, the locking piece 53 bends in one direction inclined in advance.

The rack side plate 4a of the fall prevention member 50.
In the first step, the jig is placed on the carrier of the automation line (in this case, the pins are oriented in the vertical direction), and the first step is the same as the conventional device. Then, one of the rack side plates is placed on the pin of the jig so that the hole drilled in the rack side plate passes through. Then, in the next step, the curl portions formed at the upper and lower ends of the rack segment are inserted into the pins erected on the jig to assemble the rack segment (at this time, the curl portion protruding from the rack segment has one rack side plate). Fit into the hole). At the same time as assembling this rack segment, the fall prevention member 50
One of the locking pieces 53 and the positioning pieces 54, 54 is inserted into the opening 40 formed in the rack side plate 4a. At this time, a pin is erected on the jig at a position corresponding to the curl portion 51 of the fall prevention member 50, and a hole through which the pin penetrates is formed in the rack side plate 4a, and the curl portion 51 is inserted into the pin. By doing so, positioning and holding of the fall prevention member 50 are performed. In the next step, the other rack side plate is covered over the rack segment and the fall prevention member 50. At this time, a hole punched in the other rack side plate is fitted into the other curl portion projecting from the rack segment, and at the same time, the other locking piece 53 and positioning pieces 54, 54 of the fall prevention member 50.
Is inserted into the opening 40 formed in the rack side plate 4a. In this state, the jig is removed, and in the next step, the curl portion of the rack segment protruding outward from the pair of rack side plates and the locking piece 53 of the drop-out prevention member 50 are collectively caulked by a press to press the rack segment and the drop-off prevention member. Assembly of 50 to the rack side plate is completed.

As described above, according to the fall prevention member 50 of this embodiment, since the locking piece can be bent by pressing, the fall prevention member 50 can be mounted at the same time when the rack segment is assembled to the rack side plate. Since it can be assembled to the side plate, the assemblability is improved and the work efficiency is also improved. In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, although the locking pieces 53 are sandwiched at both ends on the short side of the fall prevention member 50 and the positioning pieces 54, 54 are formed on both sides thereof, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the positions of the locking piece 53 and the positioning pieces 54, 54 can be exchanged.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, the product passage is formed by meandering in the vertical direction by the curved rack segment disposed between the pair of rack side plates,
It has a passage width regulating plate which is arranged so as to face a product unloading device arranged at the lower end of the product passage and regulates the product passage width according to the product diameter, and prevents the passage width regulating plate from falling off. In a serpentine-type product storage rack of a vending machine having a fall-prevention member, locking pieces that are provided at both ends of the fall-prevention member and that are inserted into openings of a pair of rack side plates are protruded to the outside of the rack side plates. It is pre-bent so that it can be tilted in one direction, and the locking piece is bent in one direction by press pressing to assemble the fall prevention member to the rack side plate, so that the fall prevention member can be assembled to the rack side plate by pressing. As a result, it is possible to improve the assemblability of the serpentine type product storage rack, and at the same time as assembling the rack segment to the rack side plate, the rack of the fall prevention member By attaching the side plate to the serpentine type product storage rack, the working efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 shows a fall prevention member according to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a front view thereof, (b) is a side view thereof, FIG.
(C) is A-A sectional view of (a)

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing an opening of a side plate into which the fall prevention member of FIG. 1 is inserted.

FIG. 3 is a front external view of a vending machine to which the present invention belongs in an open door state.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the serpentine type product storage rack in FIG.

5 is a partial perspective view showing an enlarged lower end portion of the serpentine type product storage rack in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a fall prevention member in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

4 product storage racks 4a Rack side plate 4b segment 4c setting groove 6 Passage width control plate 6a Locking claw 50 Fall prevention member 51 Curl section 53 Locking piece 54 Positioning piece

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Kentaro Waki             1-1 Tanabe Nitta, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa             Within Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Ken Tsuruha             1-1 Tanabe Nitta, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa             Within Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Naoki Kuwahara             1-1 Tanabe Nitta, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa             Within Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Zhao Akira             1-1 Tanabe Nitta, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa             Within Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Seiichi Tanaka             1-1 Tanabe Nitta, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa             Within Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Jun Saiki             1-1 Tanabe Nitta, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa             Within Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 3E046 BA03 BB03 CA03 CA06 CA08                       CC01 CD04 DA01

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A product passage formed by meandering in a vertical direction by a curved rack segment disposed between a pair of rack side plates, and opposed to a product unloading device arranged at a lower end portion of the product passage. In a serpentine-type product storage rack of a vending machine having a passage width regulation plate that regulates the product passage width according to the product diameter, and a fall prevention member that prevents the passage width regulation plate from falling off, Locking pieces provided at both ends of the drop-out prevention member and inserted into the openings of the pair of rack side plates are preliminarily bent so that the tips of the rack side plates projecting outward are inclined in one direction, and are engaged by pressurizing. A serpentine-type product storage rack for a vending machine, wherein a stopper member is attached to the rack side plate by bending the stop piece in one direction. 2. The serpentine-type product storage rack according to claim 1, wherein the locking piece of the drop-out preventing member is bent by press pressing when the rack segment is assembled to the rack side plate. Serpentine type product storage rack. 3. The serpentine-type product storage rack according to claim 1, wherein a width of the locking piece of the fall prevention member is shorter than a length of an opening formed in the rack side plate, and both sides thereof are positioned so as to contact both edges of the opening. Serpentine-type product storage rack for vending machines characterized by having one piece.