JP2011039640A - Article storage device for vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article storage device for a vending machine that sufficiently stores the so-called irregular-shaped articles, and pays out them one by one according to a pay out command. <P>SOLUTION: The article storage device includes an article storage passage 13 that extends in the longitudinal direction, is partitioned in a state where it inclines gradually downward as it approaches the back side, and sequentially stores the input articles. The article storage device further includes a pay out mechanism 15 that forward moves a pedal member 15a to the article storage passage 13, butts it on the last article, and regulates backward movement of the articles in a standby state, or backward moves the pedal member 15a from the article storage passage 13 and pays out the articles backward when a pay out command is issued. The article storage device even further includes a rail member 12 that stores the articles in the article storage passage 13 in a state where it is suspended in a standing attitude and defines the positions of the articles by supporting a cap attaching part S1 of the articles having a constricted part S2 between a body part S3 and a cap attaching part S1 to which a cap is detachably attached. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a product storage device of a vending machine, and more particularly to a product storage device applied to a vending machine that sells a product such as a beverage containing a plastic bottle.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a serpentine type product rack is known as a product storage device of a vending machine that sells products such as beverages containing plastic bottles. Such a product storage device has a configuration in which a plurality of arc-shaped segments are installed between a pair of base side plates that are erected so as to be opposed to the left and right, and extend in a meandering manner in the vertical direction. The product storage passage is formed. In addition, the product storage device is provided with a payout mechanism for paying out the lowest product on the lower side of the product storage passage.

  In such a merchandise storage device, merchandise that has been thrown in a sideways position falls while rolling along a segment in a serpentine merchandise storage passage, and is stacked and stored in a row on a dispensing mechanism. When a product is sold, the payout mechanism is driven according to the payout command, and the lowest product is dropped and paid out (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-92767

  By the way, a container such as a plastic bottle that contains a beverage has a form having a constricted portion between a lid attaching portion to which a lid such as a cap is detachably attached and a trunk portion, and the trunk portion is a circle. It was common to have a columnar shape. However, in recent years, a container having a unique shape in which the body portion has a flat shape or a complicated shape, that is, a deformed container has appeared.

  When trying to store a product stored in such a deformed container (hereinafter also referred to as a deformed product) in a serpentine-type product storage device as described above, it is difficult to roll the product storage passage. It is also difficult to maintain a sideways posture, and there is a risk of product clogging and the like. In addition, when the product is stored in the product storage passage, a load is applied to the payout mechanism, and it may be difficult to pay out the products one by one.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a product storage device for a vending machine that can satisfactorily store so-called deformed products and can pay out one by one in accordance with a payout command. To do.

  In order to achieve the above object, a vending machine product storage device according to claim 1 of the present invention extends in the front-rear direction in the frame and gradually inclines downward as it goes rearward. And a pedal member disposed in a swingable manner in a manner to move forward and backward with respect to the product storage passage. While moving the member into the product storage passage and bringing it into contact with the last product, the rearward movement of the product is regulated, and when a dispensing command is given, the pedal member is moved from the product storage passage. In a product storage device of a vending machine provided with a payout mechanism for retreating and delivering the product backward, a product having a constricted portion between a lid attachment part to which a lid is detachably attached and a body part The lid By supporting the part, characterized by comprising a regulating member which is accommodated in the product storage passage in a state of suspended the item into the standing position, and defines the position of the quotient goods.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the commodity storage device for a vending machine according to the first aspect, wherein the defining member defines the commodity storage passage in a pair of left and right directions, and a gap between them. Is formed from a long rail member that is larger than the maximum width of the constricted portion of the product and smaller than the maximum width of the lid mounting portion of the product.

  According to the present invention, the regulating member suspends and supports the product with a constricted portion between the cover attachment part to which the cover is detachably attached and the body part, thereby supporting the product. Since the product is stored in the product storage passage in the posture state and the position of the product is defined, even if the trunk part is a deformed product stored in a deformed container such as a flat shape, it is good without causing product clogging etc. Since the load can be reduced and the load acting on the pedal member of the payout mechanism can be reduced, the payout operation by the payout mechanism is not hindered. Therefore, it is possible to satisfactorily store the irregular shaped products and to pay out one by one according to the payout command.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view schematically showing the internal structure of a vending machine to which a product storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of the commodity storage device illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a product is stored in the product storage device illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view schematically showing the operation of the payout mechanism in the sales standby state. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the operation of the payout mechanism when a payout command is given in the sales standby state.

  Exemplary embodiments of a product storage device for a vending machine according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view schematically showing the internal structure of a vending machine to which a product storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. The vending machine exemplified here is, for example, a product such as a beverage in a plastic bottle, that is, a cap attaching portion (lid attaching portion) S1 (see FIG. 3) to which a cap as a lid is detachably attached, and a trunk portion S3 (see FIG. 3). 3), a product such as a beverage placed in a container having a constricted portion S2 (see FIG. 3) is sold in a cooled or heated state. The main body cabinet 1, the outer door 2, and the inner door 3 It has.

  The main body cabinet 1 is configured in a box shape having an open front surface by appropriately combining a plurality of steel plates, and has a commodity storage 4 with a heat insulating structure inside thereof. The outer door 2 is for covering the front opening of the main body cabinet 1 and is disposed at one side edge of the main body cabinet 1 so as to be opened and closed. Although not clearly shown in the figure, on the front surface of the outer door 2, there are a display window, a product selection button, a bill insertion slot, a coin insertion slot, a return lever, an amount indicator, a coin return slot, a merchandise outlet 2a, etc. What is needed when selling products is provided. The inner door 3 is a heat insulating door for covering the front opening of the commodity storage 4 and is disposed so as to be openable and closable at a position on the inner side of the outer door 2. The lower part of the inner door 3 is provided with a product outlet 3a for carrying out the product to the outside of the product storage 4.

  Further, the vending machine has a product shooter 5 provided inside the product storage 4 and a temperature control unit 6 in a region below the product shooter 5 (hereinafter also referred to as “heat exchange region”). The product storage device 10 is provided in a region above the product shooter 5 (hereinafter also referred to as “product storage region”).

  The product shooter 5 is a plate-like member for guiding a product delivered from a product storage passage 13 (to be described later) of the product storage device 10 to the product exit 3a of the inner door 3, and gradually inclines downward toward the front. It arrange | positions in the aspect which does. Although not clearly shown in the figure, the product shooter 5 has a large number of ventilation holes communicating between the heat exchange region and the product storage region.

  The temperature adjustment unit 6 is for maintaining the internal atmosphere of the commodity storage 4 in a desired temperature state, and includes an evaporator 6a, an electric heater 6b, and an internal fan 6c. Although not shown in the figure, the evaporator 6a constitutes a refrigeration cycle through a refrigerant pipe and a compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism, and the like disposed in the machine room 7 of the main body cabinet 1.

  In this temperature control unit 6, for example, when the internal fan 6c is driven in a state where the refrigeration cycle is operated, the air cooled in the evaporator 6a is sent upward through the vent hole of the product shooter 5, and the product storage area is It can be maintained at a low temperature.

  On the other hand, when the internal fan 6c is driven while the electric heater 6b is energized, the air heated by the electric heater 6b is sent upward through the vent hole of the product shooter 5 to maintain the product storage area at a high temperature. Can do.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the product storage device 10 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where the product is stored in the product storage device 10 shown in FIG.

  2 and 3, the product storage device 10 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is configured so that the long rail member 12 is directed in the front-rear direction and rearward in the frame 11 formed by appropriately combining long steel plates. Accordingly, the product storage passage 13 is defined by arranging a plurality of stages in the vertical direction so as to gradually incline downward. In other words, the product storage passage 13 is defined in such a manner that the product storage passage 13 extends in the front-rear direction in the frame body 11 and gradually inclines downward toward the rear, and is provided in a plurality of stages on the left and right sides. It has been.

  The rail member 12 is a long shape that defines a product storage passage 13 in a pair of left and right forms, and two rail members 12 are arranged on each step in the left-right direction, and a plurality of steps (shown in the figure). In the example, four stages) are provided.

  The rail member 12 is formed by appropriately bending a long steel plate, and when one is viewed from the front, the rail member 12 is L-shaped, and when the other is viewed from the front, the rail member 12 is inverted L-shaped. It is a pair. The gap 12S between the pair of left and right rail members 12 is larger than the maximum width of the constricted portion S2 of the target product (beverage containing a plastic bottle) and smaller than the maximum width of the lid mounting portion of the product. It has been adjusted.

  Accordingly, when the product is inserted in a standing posture in such a manner that the constricted portion S2 of the product is inserted into the gap 12S from the front, as shown in FIG. 3, the edge that forms the gap 12S in the pair of left and right rail members 12 A part of the cap mounting portion S1 of the product is placed on the portion 121, whereby the rail member 12 supports the cap mounting portion S1 of the product and suspends the product in a substantially standing posture. The regulating member is stored in the product storage passage 13 in a state and defines the position of the product.

  At the rear end portions of these commodity storage passages 13, a payout mechanism 15 is provided, the upper portion being supported by the rail member 12 and the lower portion being supported by the support member 14 extending along the same direction as the rail member 12.

  The payout mechanism 15 has the same configuration as that applied to a conventional serpentine product rack, and includes a pedal member 15a and a flapper member 15b, and is constructed by tying back to back with an adjacent payout mechanism. It is disposed between the left and right product storage passages 13. The pedal member 15a and the flapper member 15b are disposed so as to be swingable in such a manner as to move forward and backward in the product storage passage 13 respectively. When the pedal member 15 a moves forward into the product storage passage 13, the pedal member 15 a comes into contact with the last product in the product storage passage 13 and restricts the rearward movement of the product. When the flapper member 15b moves forward into the product storage passage 13, the flapper member 15b contacts the second product from the rearmost position of the product storage passage 13 and restricts the rearward movement of the product. Note that the advancement movement amount of the flapper member 15b can be varied, and the advancement movement amount is set according to a preset advancement movement amount.

  The product storage device 10 having the above-described configuration can store and pay out products as follows. As a premise, it is assumed that the pedal member 15 a constituting the dispensing mechanism 15 has moved forward into the product storage passage 13 and the flapper member 15 b has moved backward from the product storage passage 13.

  In a state in which the outer door 2 and the inner door 3 of the vending machine are opened, the product is in a standing posture in such a manner that the constricted portion S2 of the product (a beverage containing a plastic bottle) is inserted into the gap 12S of the rail member 12 that is a pair of left and right. When thrown in from the front, the product is suspended and supported in a state where the cap mounting portion S1 is placed on the edge 121 of the rail member 12, and moves toward the rear by its own weight. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, rearward movement is restricted by the pedal member 15 a that moves forward into the product storage passage 13 and sequentially stored in the product storage passage 13. Since the rail member 12 suspends and supports the product stored in the product storage passage 13 as described above, the load acting on the pedal member 15a of the payout mechanism 15 can be reduced.

  After that, when the outer door 2 and the inner door 3 are closed, the state shown in FIG. When a payout command is given in this sales standby state, the flapper member 15b moves forward into the product storage passage 13 as shown in FIG. 5 by the drive of an actuator (not shown) and comes into contact with the second product from the last position. The rearward movement of the product and the product ahead of the product is restricted by the above. Then, the pedal member 15a swings rearward and moves backward from the product storage passage 13, and pays out the last product. The dispensed product rolls on the product shooter 5, passes through the product delivery port 3a, reaches the product take-out port 2a, and is ready to be taken out.

  After the product is paid out, the pedal member 15a moves forward into the product storage passage 13, while the flapper member 15b moves backward from the product storage passage 13 to return to the above-described sales standby state.

  As described above, according to the product storage device 10 of the present embodiment, the rail member 12 supports the product cap attachment portion S1, and stores the product in a state where the product is suspended in the standing posture. Since the product is stored in the passage 13 and the position of the product is defined, even if the trunk portion S3 is a deformed product stored in a deformed container such as a flat shape, it can be stored well without causing product clogging or the like. In addition, since the load acting on the pedal member 15a of the payout mechanism 15 can be reduced, the payout operation by the payout mechanism 15 is not hindered. Therefore, it is possible to satisfactorily store the irregular shaped products and to pay out one by one in accordance with the payout command.

  The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made.

  In the embodiment described above, the rail member 12 has been described as an example of the defining member. However, the present invention is not limited to the rail member 12, and the product is suspended in an upright position by supporting the lid mounting portion of the product. Any form may be used as long as it can be stored in the product storage passage in a state and the position of the product can be defined.

  As described above, the product storage device according to the present invention is suitable for a vending machine that sells products such as plastic bottled drinks.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body cabinet 2 Outer door 3 Inner door 4 Commodity storage 5 Commodity shooter 6 Temperature control unit 6a Evaporator 6b Electric heater 6c In-compartment blower fan 10 Commodity storage device 11 Frame body 12 Rail member 12S Gap 121 Edge edge 13 Commodity storage Passage 14 Support member 15 Dispensing mechanism 15a Pedal member 15b Flapper member S1 Cap mounting part S3 Body part S2 Constricted part

Claims (2)

A product storage passage that extends along the front-rear direction in the frame body and that is gradually inclined downward as it goes rearward, and sequentially stores the input products;
The pedal member is provided so as to be swingable in a manner to move forward and backward with respect to the product storage passage, and in a standby state, the pedal member is moved forward into the product storage passage to contact the last product. An automatic delivery mechanism that includes a payout mechanism that retreats the product from the product storage passage and delivers the product backward when a payout command is given. In the product storage device of the vending machine,
By supporting the lid mounting portion of the product having a constricted portion between the lid mounting portion to which the lid body is detachably attached and the body portion, the product is suspended in the standing posture in the product storage passage. A product storage device for a vending machine, comprising a defining member for storing and defining a position of the product.   The defining member defines the product storage passage in a pair of left and right aspects, and a gap between the defining members is larger than a maximum width of the constricted portion of the product and smaller than a maximum width of the lid mounting portion of the product. 2. The product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the product storage device is composed of a long rail member.

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