JP2010108335A - Device for conveying commodity and vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vending machine having a device for conveying commodities capable of delivering commodities by a spiral member, reducing a manufacturing cost, preventing damage to a package for commodities, and conveying the commodities having different sizes. <P>SOLUTION: A commodity storage column 6 includes a flange member 11 as a means for regulating the side for regulating the side direction for delivery of a commodity 10. The flange member 11 is in line or point contact with the commodity 10. The manufacturing cost can be reduced and damage to the package for commodities can be prevented by minimizing contact resistance between the commodity 10 and the commodity storage column 6, and eliminating need of a drive motor having high torque. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a merchandise conveying apparatus that drives a spiral member in the horizontal direction and sends out merchandise stored in a spiral space.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a product conveying apparatus provided with a spiral member shown in Patent Document 1.

  FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of a conventional product conveying device of a vending machine described in Patent Document 1. FIG.

The two spiral members 2 on the product storage column 1 are driven to be mutually reversed by the drive motor 3, and the product sandwiched in the spiral space 2a of the spiral member 2 by the rotation of the drive motor 3 is the spiral member. 2, slides on the flat spiral angle 4 passing through the inside of the plate 2 by one pitch of the spiral member 2, and is conveyed forward, and the products in the front row slip off the free end of the spiral member 2 and slide on the chute 5, It falls to a product outlet (not shown). The product storage column 1 includes a bottom surface portion 1a, a right side surface portion 1b, and a left side surface portion 1c, and the product prevents the right side surface portion 1b and the left side surface portion 1c from dropping off from the spiral member 2.
JP 2001-222752 A

  However, in the above conventional configuration, since the product contacts the right side surface portion 1b or the left side surface portion 1c of the product storage column 1 or both side surface portions, the frictional resistance is increased, and a high torque drive motor 3 is required. In some cases, there was a problem that the product package was damaged by friction with the side surface.

  Further, there is a problem that products having different dimensions cannot be transported by the same product transport device.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and provides a product transporting device and a vending machine that can transport products of different dimensions with the same product transporting device without reducing manufacturing costs and damaging the product package. Objective.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the product transport apparatus of the present invention stores a product in a product storage column that stores the product in the front-rear direction and a spiral member that is placed on the bottom surface of the product storage column, and is driven In the merchandise transporting apparatus that sends the merchandise in the front row by rotating the spiral member by means, the merchandise storage column is provided with side regulating means that regulates the lateral direction with respect to the delivery of the merchandise, and the side regulating means and the merchandise Is a product that moves a product forward by making line contact or point contact.

  Thereby, the surface which contacts the said goods and the side part of the said goods storage column can be made into a line or a point contact, and contact resistance can be made into the minimum.

  The product conveyance device of the present invention minimizes the contact resistance between the product and the product storage column, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost without requiring a high torque drive motor and preventing the product package from being damaged. Different products can be transported by the same product transporting device.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a product is stored in a product storage column that stores products in the front-rear direction, and a spiral member that is placed on the bottom surface of the product storage column, and the spiral member is rotated by driving means. In the product conveying apparatus for sending the products in the front row, the product storage column includes side regulating means for regulating the side direction with respect to the delivery of the products, and the side regulating means and the products are in line contact or point contact. In addition, by minimizing the contact resistance between the product and the product storage column, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost without requiring a high-torque drive motor and to prevent the product package from being damaged.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the side surface regulating means is a flange member provided on the side portion of the product storage column, and regulates the side direction of the product with a simple structure. In addition, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, an inclined surface is provided on a side portion of the product storage column as a side regulating means, and the inclined surface and the product are in line contact or point contact. In addition, even when a plurality of product storage columns are provided and products having different heights are transported, it is possible to transport products having different heights using the same product storage column.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the position of the side regulating means can be adjusted. It becomes possible to convey the said different goods.

  According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the commodity storage column includes a guide member that can be adjusted in a horizontal direction, and the side regulating means is moved in the horizontal direction by the guide member. The products having different widths can be transported by the same product storage column.

  Invention of Claim 6 is a vending machine provided with the goods conveyance apparatus as described in any one of Claim 1 to 5, and is a low-cost and easy-to-use spiral member is rotated and the front row | line | column is rotated. It is possible to provide a vending machine provided with a product transporting device that sends out products.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a front view of a commodity transport apparatus for a vending machine according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, a spiral member 7 is placed in a substantially V-shaped groove 6 a of a product storage column 6 having a substantially M-shaped cross-sectional structure, and the drive motor 8 that rotates the spiral member 7 and the spiral member 7 and the drive motor 8 are connected. It consists of a joint 9. Further, the load of the product 10 is received at the apex portion 6b2 of the product storage column 6, and the frictional resistance between the product 10 and the apex portion 6b is minimized.

  Further, the product storage column 6 includes a right side surface portion 6c and a left side surface portion 6d having flange shapes on both sides of the product storage column as side surface regulating means for regulating the position in the left-right direction when the product 10 is viewed from the front. The side surface of the product has a structure in line contact with the right side surface portion 6c and the left side surface portion 6d.

  The operation and action of the commodity conveying apparatus of the vending machine configured as described above will be described below.

  First, the drive motor 8 has an origin position detection (not shown). When the drive motor 8 rotates 360 ° from the origin position to the origin position, the spiral member 7 directly connected to the joint 9 rotates once. The product 10 slides on the apex portion 6 b of the product storage column 6 and is sent forward by one pitch of the spiral member 7.

  At that time, the product 10 comes into contact with the right side surface portion 6 c or the left side surface portion 6 d having the flange shape of the product storage column 6, but is conveyed forward while the right side surface portion 6 c or the left side surface portion 6 d is in line contact with the product 10.

  As described above, in the merchandise conveying apparatus of the vending machine according to the present embodiment, the contact resistance is minimized by bringing the surface where the merchandise 10 and the merchandise storage column 6 are in contact with each other by line or point, and low torque By adopting the drive motor 8, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs and prevent damage to the product package.

  In the present embodiment, the right side surface portion 6c and the left side surface portion 6d of the product storage column 6 are in contact with the product 10, but only one of them depends on the shape of the spiral member 7, the package shape, or the like. When it is easy to come into contact with the product 10, the width of the product storage column 6 can be reduced by contacting either the left or right side surface.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 2 shows a front view of a commodity transport apparatus for a vending machine according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The same parts as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  In FIG. 2, the flange part 11 which can adjust height of the flange part which contacts the goods 10 of the right side part 6c of the goods storage column 6 up and down is adjusted, and after adjusting with the height of the goods to store, the right side part 6c and flange member 11 is fixed by a flange fixing member 11a. At this time, it is desirable that at least the height of the flange member 11 in contact with the side surface of the product is higher than the position of the center of gravity of the product. Furthermore, the front end surface of the flange member 11 has a curved surface and is provided with a folded portion.

  The operation and action of the commodity conveying apparatus of the vending machine configured as described above will be described below.

  First, when a product 10 having a plurality of product storage columns 6 and having different heights is transported, if the flange portion 11 of the right side surface portion 6c of the product storage column 6 is fixed, the product storage column for each height of the product 10 is fixed. 6 has to be manufactured, the flange portion 11 is slid up and down, and fixed at an appropriate position according to the height of the product 10, so that the same product storage column 6 has different heights. 10 can be transported. At this time, the front end surface of the flange member 11 has a curved surface and is provided with a folded portion, so that the product moves smoothly without causing the product to be caught. In addition, by setting the height of the flange member 11 above the position of the center of gravity of the product, the operation of the product in the left-right direction can be surely restricted, and no problem occurs.

  In the present embodiment, the right side surface portion 6c has been described. However, the left side surface portion 6d may be configured similarly.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 3 shows a front view of a commodity transport apparatus for a vending machine according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. The same parts as those in the first or second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  In FIG. 3, an inclined surface 12 is formed as a side surface restricting means on the right side surface portion 6c of the product storage column 6, and the inclined surface 12 and the product 10 are in line contact or point contact.

  The operation and action of the commodity conveying apparatus of the vending machine configured as described above will be described below.

  First, since the inclined surface 12 is configured as the side surface regulating means on the right side surface portion 6c of the product storage column 6, the product 10 is in line or point contact with the inclined surface 12, and the frictional resistance can be minimized. . Even when a plurality of product storage columns 6 are provided and products 10 having different heights are transported, the same product storage column 6 has different heights by restricting the product in the left-right direction at the lower end of the product side. The product 10 can be transported.

  In the present embodiment, the right side surface portion 6c has been described. However, the left side surface portion 6d may be configured similarly.

(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 4 shows a front view of a commodity transport apparatus for a vending machine according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. The same parts as those in the first to third embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  In FIG. 4, a guide member 13 capable of adjusting the right side surface 6c of the product storage column 6 in the left-right direction is provided, and the right side surface 6c and the guide member 13 are fixed by a guide fixing member 13a. And under the guide member 13, it has the inclined surface 12 which regulates the left-right direction of goods.

  The operation and action of the commodity conveying apparatus of the vending machine configured as described above will be described below.

  First, when a product 10 having a plurality of product storage columns 6 and having different widths is conveyed and the right side surface portion 6c of the product storage column 6 is fixed, the product storage column 6 must be manufactured for each width of the product 10. Therefore, by sliding the guide member 13 to the left and right and fixing it at the correct position corresponding to the width of the product 10, it is possible to transport the products 10 having different widths in the same product storage column 6. Is possible.

  In the present embodiment, the right side surface portion 6c has been described. However, the left side surface portion 6d may be configured similarly.

  As described above, the product conveying device of the vending machine according to the present invention reduces the manufacturing cost without requiring a high torque drive motor by minimizing the contact resistance between the product and the product storage column. Since the product package can be prevented from being damaged and products with different dimensions can be transported by the same product transporting device, it can be applied to all types of vending machines that transport using a spiral member.

The front view of the goods conveyance apparatus of the vending machine in Embodiment 1 of this invention The front view of the goods conveyance apparatus of the vending machine in Embodiment 2 of this invention The front view of the goods conveyance apparatus of the vending machine in Embodiment 3 of this invention The front view of the goods conveyance apparatus of the vending machine in Embodiment 4 of this invention. Perspective view of conventional vending machine commodity transport device

Explanation of symbols

6 commodity storage column 6c right side surface part 6d left side surface part 7 spiral member 8 drive motor 10 commodity 11 flange member 11a flange fixing member 12 inclined surface 13 guide member 13a guide fixing member

Claims (6)

  A product storage column for storing products in the front-rear direction, and a product transport for storing products in a spiral member placed on the bottom surface of the product storage column and sending the products in the front row by rotating the spiral member by driving means In the apparatus, the commodity storage column includes a side regulating means for regulating a side direction with respect to the delivery of the goods, and the side regulating means and the goods are in line contact or point contact.   2. The product conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the side regulating means is a flange member provided on a side portion of the product storage column.   The product conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an inclined surface is provided on a side portion of the product storage column as a side regulating means, and the inclined surface and the product are in line contact or point contact.   The product conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the position of the side regulating means is adjustable.   5. The commodity transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the commodity storage column includes a guide member that can be adjusted in a left-right direction, and the side regulating means can be adjusted in the left-right direction by the guide member.   A vending machine comprising the commodity transport apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.