JP2004334656A - Apparatus for article storing of vending machine and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for article storing of a vending machine and manufacturing method thereof which can further promote reduction in cost and making the apparatus light-weight while reducing the number of parts and improving imposition workability. <P>SOLUTION: In the storing apparatus for article of vending machine, a serpentine passage of articles is formed by connecting the upper end of a first chute plate bent toward outside to a pivot with rotation free, arranging at the lower end in the vertical direction a parts provided with a second chute plate which is biased to the opposite direction of the bent direction of the first chute plate, and arranging them facing each other. While a plurality of shaft parts extending in the widthwise direction are protrusively provided with at either of the first chute plate or the second chute plate, the other chute plate is provided with a plurality of projection parts having engaging trenches engaging axis parts, and the second chute plate is turnably engaged to the first chute plate by connecting at least one set of adjacent shafts among themselves with springs. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a product storage device of a vending machine using a so-called serpentine column using a large number of curved chute plates to form a meandering product passage, and a method of manufacturing the same.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, for example, a vending machine using a so-called serpentine column, in which a chute plate having a meandering product passage is formed by vertically arranging chute plates having a cross section curved in an arc shape and arranging them in opposition to each other. Product storage devices are well known (for example, Patent Document 1). Further, in recent years, in order to prevent product clogging in the product passage, a device in which another chute plate having a posture control function for controlling the posture of the product in the product passage is connected to the chute plate has already been implemented. I have.
[0003]
In the commodity storage device of the vending machine as described above, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the lower end of the first chute plate 101 having a substantially arc-shaped cross section has a posture control function of the commodity in the commodity passage. Is provided. The chute plate 101 is provided with a protrusion 106 having an insertion hole 104 through which the shaft 103 is inserted. Further, the chute plate 102 is also provided with a protrusion 107 having an insertion hole 105 through which the shaft 103 is inserted. Then, by inserting the shaft 103 into the insertion holes 104 and 105 and the coil spring 108, the chute plates 101 and 102 are assembled, and the chute plate 102 is urged into the product passage. The projecting portions 106 at both ends of the chute plate 101 are provided with caulking portions 109. By caulking the caulking portions 109, the shaft 103 is prevented from falling off.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-6-59976 (page 2, FIG. 1)
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the merchandise storage device of the vending machine as described above, it is necessary to insert the shaft 103 through the insertion holes 104 and 105 and further through the spring 108, and to caulk the caulking portion 109 to prevent the shaft 103 from dropping off. Therefore, the assembling workability may be reduced. Further, when it is necessary to disassemble both chute plates 101 and 102 during maintenance or the like, the disassembling operation is difficult, so that the maintenance workability is significantly reduced. Further, in the above-described structure, the cost of parts increases, which may increase the cost of the entire apparatus.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a vending machine product storage device and a method of manufacturing the same, which can improve the assembling workability and maintenance workability, and can achieve a reduction in the cost of the entire device by reducing the number of parts. is there.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a commodity storage device for a vending machine according to the present invention is configured such that an upper end of a first chute plate curved outward is rotatably connected to a support shaft, and a first end of the first chute plate is connected to a lower end. A vending machine having a second chute plate urged in the direction opposite to the bending direction of the chute plate is arranged in the up-down direction, and arranged so as to face each other to form a meandering product passage. In the product storage device, a plurality of shaft portions extending in the width direction of the chute plate are protruded from one of the first chute plate and the second chute plate, and the other is engaged with the shaft portion. A plurality of protrusions having an engagement groove are provided, at least one pair of adjacent shaft-like portions are connected by a spring, and the second chute plate is rotatably engaged with the first chute plate. It consists of what you do.
[0008]
The shaft portion may be provided on either the first chute plate or the second chute plate. For example, when the shaft portion is provided on the first chute plate, the protrusion may be provided on the second chute plate. On the other hand, when the shaft portion is provided on the second chute plate, the protrusion can be provided on the first chute plate. Further, the shaft portion and the protruding portion can be formed integrally with the chute plate. For example, if a protruding portion is provided intermittently at the end of the chute plate and the protruding portion is bent into a substantially cylindrical shape, a protruding portion having an axial portion and an engaging groove can be easily formed.
[0009]
Although the spring is not particularly limited, it is preferable to use a coil spring. Further, it is preferable that the device has a function of preventing the spring from falling off. For example, in a mode in which a coil spring is used, if a notch is formed in the first chute plate and / or the second chute plate so that the end of the coil spring is engaged, a mechanism for preventing the spring from falling off can be easily configured. be able to.
[0010]
In addition, it is preferable to provide a locking portion at one end of the shaft portion for preventing the shaft portion from coming off the engagement groove. If the locking portion is locked to the edge of the protruding portion after the shaft portion is engaged with the engagement groove, the shaft portion is allowed to rotate in the engagement groove, and is removed from the engagement groove. Can be prevented.
[0011]
Further, in the method of manufacturing a product storage device of a vending machine according to the present invention, the upper end of the first chute plate curved outward is rotatably connected to the support shaft, and the first chute plate is connected to the lower end. A device having a second chute plate urged in a direction opposite to the bending direction of a vending machine is arranged in the up-down direction, and these are arranged to face each other to form a meandering product passage. In manufacturing, the plurality of shaft portions provided on one of the first chute plate and / or the second chute plate are connected to the protrusions which are engaged with the shaft portions provided on the other. After engaging with the engagement groove, at least one pair of adjacent shaft-shaped portions is connected by a spring, and the first chute plate is rotatably engaged with the second chute plate. The method consists of:
[0012]
When the shaft portion is engaged with the engagement groove, the shaft portion and / or the protrusion can be easily engaged simply by moving the shaft portion in the axial direction of each other.
[0013]
In the merchandise storage device of the vending machine as described above, one of the first chute plate and the second chute plate is provided with a plurality of shaft-like portions extending in the width direction of the chute plate, On the other side, a projection having an engagement groove with which the shaft is engaged is provided, and at least one pair of adjacent shafts is connected to each other by a spring. By simply sliding in the axial direction, the shaft portion is engaged with the engagement groove, and the second chute plate can be easily and rotatably connected to the first chute plate. Further, the spring can be easily attached and detached while maintaining the engagement between the chute plates. Therefore, the assembling workability and the like can be improved while eliminating the shaft used in the conventional device. Further, cost reduction can be achieved by reducing the number of parts. Further, the elimination of the shaft can contribute to the weight reduction of the entire device.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Preferred embodiments of a vending machine product storage device and a method for manufacturing the same according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
1 to 3 show a vending machine product storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a product storage device of a vending machine. As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus 1 has three columns 2, 3, and 4 arranged in the depth direction of the vending machine (the left-right direction in FIG. 1). In each case, two serpentine-type merchandise passages 5 are formed.
[0015]
The commodity passage 5 is formed between the first chute plates 6 arranged vertically and opposed to each other. The first chute plate 6 is formed of an arc plate curved toward the outside of the product passage 5 as shown in FIGS.
[0016]
At the upper end of the first chute plate, there is formed an insertion portion 8 through which a support shaft 7 supported on the inner wall of the vending machine is inserted. The first chute plate 6 is rotatably connected to the support shaft 7. In this embodiment, the insertion portion 8 is formed by bending the upper end of the first chute plate 6 into a cylindrical shape.
[0017]
On the other hand, the lower end of the first chute plate 6 is configured as a free end. At the lower end of the chute plate 6, a second chute plate 9 protruding into the product passage 5 is provided. The second chute plate 9 is urged into the product passage 5 by a coil spring 10. The posture of the product 11 moving from the top to the bottom in the product passage 5 is correctly controlled by the second chute plate 9, so that clogging of the product in the product passage 5 is prevented.
[0018]
At the lower end of the first chute plate 6, there are provided shaft portions 12a, 12b and 12c extending in the width direction. The shaft portions 12a, 12b, and 12c are formed by bending a projection at the lower end of the chute plate 6 into a substantially cylindrical shape, and are integrated with the chute plate 6. At the end of the shaft portion 12a, there is provided a locking portion 15 for locking which engages with the end portion of the projection 13 and prevents the shaft portion 12a from dropping out of the engagement groove 14. I have.
[0019]
At one end of the second chute plate 9, a projection 13 having an engagement groove 14 with which the shaft portions 12a and 12c are engaged is provided. In the present embodiment, a projection 13 having an engagement groove 14 having a substantially circular cross section is formed by bending a projection provided at one end of the second chute plate 9 into a substantially cylindrical shape. ing. The engagement groove 14 extends in the longitudinal direction of the projection 13.
[0020]
Further, the shaft portion 12a and the shaft portion 12b adjacent to the shaft portion 12a are connected by a coil spring 10, and the second chute plate 9 is moved into the product passage 5 by the restoring force of the spring 10. Have been energized. In this manner, the second chute plate 9 is rotatably engaged with the lower end of the first chute plate 6.
[0021]
Next, a method of manufacturing the product storage device of the vending machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. First, the second chute plate 9 is slid from the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 3A so that each of the shaft portions 12a and 12c of the first chute plate 6 is engaged with the corresponding groove of the projection 13. 14. As shown in FIG. 3A, a locking portion 15 that protrudes in the radial direction is provided at the end of the shaft portion 12a at the left end. 2), the locking portion 15 is located at a position corresponding to the opening of the engagement groove 14, so that the sliding of the chute plate 9 by the locking portion 15 is not hindered.
[0022]
Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, the second chute plate 9 is rotated in the direction of the arrow. In this state, since the locking portion 15 of the shaft portion 12a is locked to the edge of the projection 13, the shaft portions 12a and 12c are reliably prevented from coming off from the engagement groove 14. It is like this. Then, one end 16 of the coil spring is inserted into the central shaft portion 12b. Further, the other end 17 of the coil spring 10 is inserted into the adjacent shaft portion 12a while being twisted in the direction of the arrow, and the other end 17 contacts the chute plate 9 (FIG. 3C). As a result, one end 16 of the spring 10 abuts against the chute plate 6 and the other end 17 abuts against the chute plate 9, and the restoring force of the spring 10 urges the chute plate 9 into the product passage 5. Since the chute plate 6 (chute plate 9) is provided with a notch (not shown) into which one end 16 (the other end 17) is inserted, the spring 10 is reliably prevented from falling off. I have.
[0023]
In the merchandise storage device of the vending machine and the method of manufacturing the same according to the present embodiment, the first chute plate 6 is provided with axial portions 12a, 12b, 12c extending in the width direction of the chute plate 6 and protruding. The chute plate 9 is provided with a projection 13 having an engagement groove 14 capable of engaging with the shaft portions 12a and 12c. The engagement groove 14 is provided over the entire length of the projection 13 in the longitudinal direction. I have. Therefore, the first chute plate 6 and the second chute plate 9 can be easily connected only by sliding the second chute plate 9 as shown in FIG. Further, an urging structure for connecting the shaft portion 12a and the shaft portion 12b by the coil spring 10 while maintaining the combined state of the two chute plates 6, 9 to turn the chute plate 9 toward the commodity passage 5 side. Can be easily configured. Therefore, the shaft, which is an indispensable member in the conventional apparatus, can be eliminated, so that the assembling workability can be improved and the cost can be reduced by reducing the number of parts. In addition, since the spring 10 can be attached and detached even while the structure for connecting the chute plates 6 and 9 is maintained, maintenance workability can be improved. Also, with the elimination of the shaft, it is possible to contribute to the weight reduction of each of the columns 2, 3, 4, and furthermore, the entire device 1.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, when using the vending machine product storage device according to the present invention, the shaft can be eliminated and the two chute plates can be easily coupled together. Cost and weight can be promoted.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a product storage device of a vending machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an arrangement state of each chute plate in the column of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a process chart showing assembling of a chute plate in the column of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a chute plate provided in a column of a product storage device of a conventional vending machine.
FIG. 5 is a side view of the chute plate of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. 5;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Merchandise storage device 2, 3, 4 Column 5 Serpentine type merchandise passage 6 First chute plate 7 Support shaft 8 Insertion part 9 Second chute plate 10 Coil spring 11 Merchandise 12a, 12b, 12c Shaft portion 13 Projection 14 Engagement groove 15 Locking part

Claims (7)

An upper end of a first chute plate curved outward is rotatably connected to a support shaft, and a lower end has a second chute plate urged in a direction opposite to a bending direction of the first chute plate. In a vending machine in which a meandering product path is formed by arranging the products in the up-down direction and forming a meandering product path, either one of the first chute plate or the second chute plate A plurality of shaft-shaped portions extending in the width direction of the chute plate, and a plurality of protrusions having an engagement groove with which the shaft-shaped portion is engaged are provided on the other side, and at least one set of adjacent shaft-shaped portions Are connected by a spring, and a second chute plate is rotatably engaged with the first chute plate. The product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the shaft portion and / or the protrusion are formed integrally with a chute plate. 3. The product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said spring is a coil spring. The product storage device for a vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a mechanism for preventing the spring from falling off. The product storage device for a vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a locking portion for preventing the shaft-shaped portion from coming off from the engagement groove is provided at one end thereof. An upper end of a first chute plate curved outward is rotatably connected to a support shaft, and a lower end has a second chute plate urged in a direction opposite to a bending direction of the first chute plate. The first chute plate and / or the second chute are used in manufacturing a vending machine product storage device in which a meandering product path is formed by arranging the first chute plate and the second chute. After engaging the plurality of shaft portions provided on any one of the plates with the engagement grooves of the protrusions engaged with the shaft portions provided on the other, at least one pair of adjacent shaft portions is provided. Parts are connected by a spring, and the first chute plate is rotatably engaged with the second chute plate. 7. The method for manufacturing a product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 6, wherein the shaft portion is engaged with the engagement groove while moving the shaft portion and / or the protrusion in the axial direction.

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