JP2010083608A - Paper pay-out unit and vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a paper pay-out unit of a simple constitution suitable for waste-free paying out of a campaign application postcard. <P>SOLUTION: This paper pay-out unit includes a delivery roller for delivering and sending out paper stored in layers in a paper storage part one by one to a pay-out port, and a paper detecting sensor arranged in the middle of a paper guide passage for connecting the paper storage part and the pay-out port, and includes a first control means for stopping the rotation of the delivery roller after projecting the paper by a predetermined quantity from the pay-out port by driving the delivery roller for normal rotation by particularly receiving a pay-out signal, and a second control means for pulling back the paper projected from the pay-out port to the paper guide passage by driving the delivery roller for reverse rotation when the paper detecting sensor is put in a paper detecting state after a specific time after stopping the rotation of the delivery roller. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a paper dispensing unit suitable for, for example, paying out a campaign application postcard to a product purchaser in conjunction with a product sales operation of a vending machine, and a vending machine equipped with the paper dispensing unit.

  When campaign application postcards used as part of a product sales strategy are provided along with vending machines and provided (distributed) to product purchasers, generally, multiple campaign application postcards are suspended together. Alternatively, it is installed in the front part of a vending machine in a predetermined case. However, when vending machines are installed outdoors, campaign postcards may be damaged by exposure to wind and rain, so measures such as covering with a rain cover are taken exclusively.

Therefore, in order to surely provide campaign purchase postcards one by one to the merchandise purchaser, it is conceivable to equip the vending machine with a so-called postcard dispensing unit that applies a paper feeding device assembled to a printer or the like. By the way, the paper feeding device assembled in the printer, etc., feeds out the uppermost one of a plurality of sheets (postcards) stacked and stored in the paper stocker, and sandwiches it with the transport roller and transports it to the paper discharge stocker. (For example, refer patent document 1).
JP 2007-210723 A

  However, even if the postcard payout unit applying the above-described paper feeder is assembled in the vending machine, the product purchaser always takes (takes out) the campaign application postcard that is transported to the postcard payout exit (paper discharge stocker). Not exclusively. In this case, the campaign application postcard transported to the postcard payout exit (discharge stocker) is not only wasted, but if many campaign application postcards remain in the postcard payout exit (output stocker), There is also a possibility that the paper operation (postcard payout operation) may be hindered. Furthermore, in order to protect the campaign application postcards paid out to the postcard payout outlet (paper discharge stocker) from rain and wind, for example, it is necessary to provide a cover (protective cover) at the postcard payout outlet (paper output stocker). The problem also arises.

The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and the purpose thereof is, for example, a simple and suitable for paying out a campaign application postcard to the product purchaser without waste in conjunction with the product sales operation of a vending machine. It is to provide a paper dispensing unit having a configuration.
At the same time, the present invention is to provide a vending machine equipped with the above-described paper dispensing unit.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the paper dispensing unit according to the present invention is:
<a> a feeding roller that feeds out the sheets stored in the paper storage section one by one and sends them to the discharge outlet;
<b> a paper detection sensor provided in the middle of a paper guide path connecting the paper storage unit and the payout opening;
<c> First control means for stopping the rotation of the feeding roller after the feeding roller is driven to rotate forward in response to the feeding signal to cause the sheet to protrude from the dispensing outlet by a predetermined amount;
<d> When the paper detection sensor is in a paper detection state after a certain period of time after the rotation of the feeding roller is stopped, the feeding roller is driven in reverse to return the paper protruding from the payout port to the paper guide path. And a control means.

  Incidentally, the first and second control means are control functions incorporated in a control circuit of a motor that rotationally drives the feeding roller, and in particular, the first control means is provided after the forward rotation of the feeding roller is started. The feeding roller is rotated forward by a constant circumferential length from the time when the paper is detected by the paper detection sensor, and the second control means is configured to reverse the feeding roller by the constant circumferential length. Preferably, the paper is a postcard having a predetermined shape, and the paper detection sensor is a photoelectric sensor.

  The vending machine according to the present invention includes the paper dispensing unit configured as described above on the front surface of the vending machine main body, and generates the payout signal in conjunction with a preset purchase operation for the vending machine main body. Thus, there is provided a discharge unit starting means for starting the paper discharge unit.

  According to the paper delivery unit of the present invention, when a delivery signal is received, the delivery roller is driven to rotate forward so that the paper stored in the paper storage unit is delivered one by one and protrudes from the delivery outlet by a predetermined amount. If a sheet remains at the discharge outlet after a predetermined time has passed after the sheet has been fed to the position, the feeding roller is driven in reverse to return the sheet to a predetermined position, so that the sheet is discharged unnecessarily. There is nothing. In addition, when the paper protruded from the payout opening by a predetermined amount is not taken out, the paper is returned to a predetermined position, so that the paper can be effectively protected from the external environment such as rain and wind.

  Therefore, if the paper payout unit is incorporated in a vending machine as a campaign application postcard payout device, the campaign application postcards can be effectively distributed without waste, and a great effect can be obtained.

Hereinafter, a paper payout unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking as an example a campaign application postcard payout unit incorporated in a cigarette vending machine.
FIG. 1 is a front view of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. This vending machine is provided with a postcard discharge outlet 5 of the paper discharge unit according to the present invention in addition to the commodity display section 2, the commodity discharge outlet 3 and the money processing section 4 at the front door 1 constituting the front portion thereof. Composed. By the way, the product display section 2 displays a plurality of product samples arranged in multiple stages, and is provided with a plurality of product selection buttons and a plurality of display units indicating sold out / sold in association with each product sample. It is. The money processing unit 4 includes a coin insertion slot, a bill insertion slot, a money amount indicator, a change return lever, and the like. In the figure, reference numeral 6 denotes a change return port, and reference numeral 7 denotes an adult identification device including an electronic information input / output device (reader / writer), a display, and the like. Since these product display section 2 and money processing section 4 have no direct relationship with the gist of the present invention, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  Now, as described above, the campaign application postcard payout unit (paper payout unit) that is assembled by providing the front door 1 of the vending machine with the postcard payout exit 5 is schematically shown in FIG. As shown in the cross-sectional structure of FIG. 3, a sheet storage portion 12 for storing a plurality of campaign application postcards A on top of the back side of the box-shaped casing 11 is formed and the front side of the casing 11 is formed. A postcard dispensing chamber 13 is provided at the lower portion of the card. In addition, a drive chamber 14 that houses a motor or the like that is a drive unit of the payout unit is provided in the lower part of the rear surface side of the housing 11.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, a partition wall 15 is provided inside the box-shaped housing 11 to divide the internal space in the front-rear direction and form the main surface of the paper storage unit 12. Further, on the back surface side of the partition wall 15, a shelf plate body 16 is provided that divides the internal space of the housing 11 into upper and lower portions and forms a pedestal surface of the paper storage unit 12. The sheet storage unit 12 is realized as a space that is surrounded by the partition wall 15 and the shelf plate 16 and the peripheral wall of the housing 11 and has the back side open. A back cover 17 is provided on the opened rear side of the paper storage unit 12 so that the lower end of the paper storage unit 12 is pivotally supported and the upper end is rotatably attached. By opening the back cover 17, a plurality of campaign application postcards A can be loaded into the paper storage unit 12, and the plurality of campaign application postcards A are arranged on the shelf board 16 with the lower ends thereof arranged side by side. It is stored in a state leaning against the partition wall 15.

  In addition, an arm body 18 that is urged to rotate toward the inner side (partition wall 15 side) of the paper storage unit 12 by a spring (not shown) is pivotally supported on the inner upper end portion of the back cover body 17. Then, a plurality of campaign application postcards A stored in the paper storage section 12 and arranged on the shelf board 16 by the pressing roller 19 pivotally supported on the lower end portion (tip end portion) of the arm body 18 It is pressed toward the partition wall 15 that forms the main surface of the paper storage unit 12 so that the aligned state of a plurality of campaign application postcards A is maintained.

  By the way, there is a gap through which the campaign postcard A can pass between the lower end of the partition 15 and the end of the shelf 16 facing the partition 15. It is formed as a feeding port 20. A slit-shaped paper guide path 21 that communicates with the postcard discharge chamber 13 provided in the lower portion on the front surface side of the casing 11 is formed continuously with the paper feed opening 20. The sheet guide path 21 is formed by a pair of wall surface members 22 and 23 which are opposed to each other with a predetermined gap (slit) and curved toward the lower front portion of the casing 11.

  These wall surface members 22 and 23 partition the inside of the casing 11 together with the above-described shelf plate body 16 to form the above-described drive chamber 14 that houses the motor 24 that is the drive unit of the payout unit. It also has a role to play. The length of the paper transport path of the paper guide path 21 formed by the wall surface members 22 and 23 is set to about half the length of the campaign application postcard A, for example. By setting the length of the paper guide path 21 in this way, the campaign application postcard A has the leading end protruding from the postcard payout port 5 by a predetermined length as will be described later. About half of the rear end portion is left in the paper storage unit 12. In other words, the campaign application postcard A has been paid out by about half.

  On the other hand, a postcard discharge chamber 13 provided at the lower part on the front side of the housing 11 is provided with a transparent lid 26 covering the discharge outlet 5 which is an opening thereof. The lid body 26 is pivotally supported at the upper end side and is provided on the front side of the housing 11 so as to be opened and closed. The lid body 26 is normally urged by its own weight or by a spring and is positioned in a substantially vertical state. It plays a role of covering the postcard outlet 5. Then, as described later, when the campaign application postcard A is sent out from the paper storage portion 12 through the paper guide path 21, the lid 26 is slightly pressed at its lower end by the front end portion of the campaign application postcard A. Rotate and open slightly below the postcard payout opening 5 to the extent that the campaign postcard A can pass through. The lid 26 is provided so as to be pivoted by lifting its lower end from the casing 11 (front side of the vending machine) so that the entire postcard outlet 5 can be opened. .

  In this way, a paper storage portion 12 for storing a plurality of campaign application postcards A in a stacked manner is formed in the housing 11, and a paper guide path 21 that connects the paper storage portion 12 and the postcard dispensing chamber 13 is formed. The payout mechanism of the campaign application postcard A in the payout unit is configured as follows. In other words, the feeding mechanism is provided in the paper storage unit 12 and feeds out the campaign application postcard A from the paper storage unit 12 one by one in order from the one in contact with the partition wall 15, and the paper guide path. A return roller 32 and a guide roller 33 for separating the postcard A provided in the campaign guide 21 which is provided in the state 21 and is delivered while being superimposed on the paper guide path 21.

  Specifically, the feeding roller 31 is pivotally supported on the back surface side of the partition wall 15, in other words, on the front surface side of the housing 11, and the roller surface is provided so as to slightly protrude into the paper storage unit 12. ing. The feeding roller 31 abuts on the backmost campaign application postcard A that is in contact with the partition wall 15 among the plurality of campaign application postcards A stored in the paper storage unit 12 in a stacked manner, and this campaign application postcard. It plays a role of feeding A out of the paper storage unit 12 by the frictional force accompanying the rotation.

  The return roller 32 is pivotally supported in the drive chamber 14, and its roller surface is provided so as to slightly protrude into the paper guide path 21, and is driven to rotate in a direction opposite to the feeding roller 31. Yes. Further, the guide roller 33 is provided to face the return roller 32. These rollers 32 and 33 overlap the campaign application postcard A fed out by the feed roller 31 by sandwiching the two campaign application postcards A fed out while being overlapped in the paper guide path 21. The next campaign application postcard A is applied with a reverse frictional force to postcard A, thereby separating these campaign application postcards A. The feed roller 31, the return roller 32, and the guide roller 33 are driven to rotate by the motor 24. In particular, the return roller 32 is driven to rotate only in one direction via a one-way clutch (not shown). It has become.

  In addition, a paper detection sensor 34 is provided at a predetermined position of the paper guide path 21, specifically, at an end position of the paper guide path 21 where the postcard dispensing chamber 13 is desired. The paper detection sensor 34 is composed of, for example, a photoelectric sensor, and plays a role of optically detecting whether or not the campaign application postcard A exists at the installation location. In particular, the paper detection sensor 34 performs an on / off operation at the timing when the front end of the campaign application postcard A fed out to the paper guide path 21 passes, and has a role of detecting the delivery position of the campaign application postcard A. .

  FIG. 4 shows a schematic configuration of the control system of the paper discharge unit configured mechanically as described above. This control system is constructed by, for example, a motor control unit 41 that is mainly composed of a microprocessor (CPU) and is activated in response to a payout signal (trigger signal) given from the vending machine body. In particular, the motor control unit (CPU) 41 receives the output of the motor drive means 42 for rotating the motor 24 forward or reverse and the output of the paper detection sensor (photoelectric sensor) 34, and the campaign application postcard A feed position. Is provided with postcard detecting means 43 and a timer 44 for controlling the driving of the motor 24 in accordance with the processing procedure shown in FIG.

  The drive control of the motor 24 by the motor control unit 41 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. The payout control of the campaign application postcard A by the drive of the motor 24 is performed by, for example, pressing the product selection button of the campaign target product. It is activated in response to a payout signal (trigger signal) issued from the vending machine body. Upon receiving such a payout signal, the motor control unit 41 first drives the motor 24 in the normal direction, and rotates the feed roller 31 in the normal direction with the return roller 32 reversed, thereby applying the campaign from the paper storage unit 12. Postcard A is fed out and guided to the paper guide path 21 <Step S1>. In this state, the output of the paper detection sensor (photoelectric sensor) 34 is monitored, and the tip of the campaign application postcard A fed out from the paper storage unit 12 as described above is positioned at the installation position of the paper detection sensor (photoelectric sensor) 34. It is detected whether or not it has been reached <step S2>. When the tip of the campaign application postcard A reaches the installation position of the paper detection sensor (photoelectric sensor) 34, the motor 24 is continuously rotated (forward rotation) by a predetermined number of revolutions, and then the motor 24 The rotation is stopped <Step S3>.

  The number of rotations from the detection timing of the campaign application postcard A to the stop of the rotation of the motor 24 is determined by the campaign application postcard A sent by the feed roller 31 that is driven to rotate by the motor 24. Specifically, the number of rotations of the motor 24 corresponding to the transfer length (rotational circumference of the feeding roller 31) until the tip of the campaign application postcard A protrudes about several tens of millimeters from the postcard outlet 5 is as follows. Determined.

  By such forward rotation control of the motor 24, the campaign application postcard A fed out from the paper storage unit 12 is transported to a state where its tip end is projected from the postcard outlet 5 by about several tens of mm. Accordingly, the user of the vending machine can visually recognize the campaign application postcard A protruding from the postcard outlet 5 and picks up the campaign application postcard A at the fingertip and takes it out from the postcard outlet 5. It becomes possible. The state in which the front end portion of the campaign application postcard A protrudes from the postcard outlet 5 by several tens of mm is a state in which the rear end portion of the campaign application postcard A is left in the paper storage unit 12. .

  When the campaign application postcard A is fed to a predetermined position by controlling the rotation of the motor 24 as described above, the motor control unit 41 next starts the timer 44 <Step S4>, and then detects the sheet. The presence or absence of the campaign application postcard A detected by the sensor (photoelectric sensor) 34 is monitored <step S5>. When the output of the paper detection sensor (photoelectric sensor) 34 is turned off, it is determined that the campaign application postcard A delivered to the postcard payout opening 5 is taken out from the postcard payout opening 5 as described above. The postcard payout process by the drive control of the motor 24 is finished <step S5>.

  On the other hand, when the output of the paper detection sensor (photoelectric sensor) 34 is kept on, the campaign application postcard A fed out to the postcard payout outlet 5 as described above becomes the postcard payout outlet 5 as it is. It is determined that it remains (step S5). Then, it is determined from the time counted by the timer 44 whether or not the state in which the campaign application postcard A remains in the postcard payout exit 5 has passed a preset time <step S6>, for example, 10 seconds If the time elapses, for example, the motor 24 is reversely driven by a predetermined number of revolutions <step S7>, and the postcard payout process is terminated.

  The reverse drive of the motor 24 is the above-described campaign application postcard A pull-back process by the feeding roller 31, and the campaign application postcard A having the leading end protruding from the postcard outlet 5 by this process is as follows. It is pulled back into the paper transport path 21. At this time, the return roller 32 does not receive the rotational force from the motor 24 via the one-way clutch as described above, and is in an idling state. Therefore, there is no problem in pulling back the campaign postcard A due to the reverse rotation of the feeding roller 31. Therefore, the campaign application postcard A is not left in a state in which the tip portion protrudes from the postcard payout opening 5. As for the reverse rotation of the motor 24, for example, it is confirmed that the campaign application postcard A is pulled back into the paper conveyance path 21 until the presence of the campaign application postcard A is not detected by the paper detection sensor (photoelectric sensor) 34, for example. It is possible to carry out until it is done.

  Thus, according to the paper payout unit for controlling the payout of the campaign application postcard A as described above, after receiving the payout signal, the campaign application postcard A is paid out to the midway state where the tip of the postcard A protrudes from the payout outlet 5 by a predetermined length. If the campaign application postcard A is not taken out, the campaign application postcard A is pulled back into the unit after a predetermined time has elapsed, so the campaign application postcard A is not wasted. In particular, there is no possibility that the campaign postcard A will be damaged by the ambient environment such as rain and wind.

  When the payout signal is received again, the campaign application postcard A that has been pulled back into the paper transport path 21 as described above is paid out again as the payout roller 31 rotates. Also in this case, since the motor 24 is driven forward at a predetermined rotational speed from the timing when the leading edge of the campaign application postcard A is detected by the paper detection sensor (photoelectric sensor) 34, the campaign application postcard A is used for the postcard. It will be in the state which protruded from the payout opening 5 of the fixed amount. Therefore, the campaign application postcard A can be reliably distributed to purchasers of the campaign target product.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. Here, the payout of the campaign application postcard A has been described as an example, but the present paper payout unit can be used in the same manner when providing promotional items such as characters and stickers. Further, the forward / reverse rotation control of the motor 24 can be performed while detecting the rotation speed and the rotation circumference of the rollers 31, 32, 33, for example. In addition, the present invention can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the scope of the invention.

The front view which shows the structure of the vending machine which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. 1 is an external perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a paper dispensing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Sectional drawing which shows the internal structure of the paper discharge | payout unit shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a control system of the paper dispensing unit shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic processing procedure of a payout process in the paper payout unit shown in FIG. 2.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 Postcard discharge outlet 11 Housing | casing 12 Paper storage part 13 Postcard discharge chamber 17 Back cover body 19 Pressing roller 21 Paper guide path 24 Motor 26 Cover body 31 Feeding roller 32 Return roller 33 Guide roller 34 Paper detection sensor (photoelectric sensor)
41 Motor controller (CPU)
42 Motor drive means 43 Postcard detection means 44 Timer A Campaign application postcard (paper)

Claims (4)

A feeding roller that feeds the sheets stored in the paper storage section one by one and sends them to the payout opening;
A paper detection sensor provided in the middle of a paper guide path connecting the paper storage unit and the payout opening;
First control means for receiving a payout signal and driving the feed roller to rotate forward to cause the paper to protrude from the payout opening by a predetermined amount, and then to stop the rotation of the feed roller;
When the paper detection sensor is in a paper detection state after a predetermined time from the stop of rotation of the feed roller, the second control means drives the feed roller in reverse to return the paper protruding from the payout port to the paper guide path. And a paper dispensing unit. The first and second control means are control functions incorporated in a control circuit of a motor that rotationally drives the feeding roller,
The first control means, after starting the forward rotation of the feeding roller, causes the feeding roller to rotate forward by a predetermined circumferential length from the time when the paper is detected by the paper detection sensor,
2. The paper discharge unit according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit reverses the feeding roller by the constant circumferential length. 3.   The paper discharge unit according to claim 1, wherein the paper is a postcard having a predetermined shape, and the paper detection sensor is a photoelectric sensor. A vending machine having the paper dispensing unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3 mounted on a front surface of a vending machine body,
An automatic vending machine comprising: a payout unit starting means for generating the payout signal and starting the paper payout unit in conjunction with a purchase operation of a predetermined product for the main body of the vending machine.

Images