JP2012230456A - Merchandise delivery device and automatic dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a merchandise delivery device capable of stabilizing a drop attitude of merchandise and carrying out the merchandise regardless of the size of the merchandise, and an automatic dispenser.SOLUTION: In the merchandise delivery device for storing the merchandise 15 in a spiral space section 12 of a spiral member 12 placed on a bottom surface of a merchandise storing part for storing the merchandise 15 in the longitudinal direction and delivering the merchandise 15 in the forefront row by rotating the spiral member 12 by a drive motor 13, a flap 16 is rotatably provided at a front end of the merchandise storing part and the flap 16 is arranged in parallel to a merchandise holding surface of the spiral member 12. Accordingly, troublesome setting of a chute guide according to the size of the merchandise 15 is eliminated and further the merchandise 15 can be carried out in the stable attitude.

Description

  The present invention relates to a product delivery device that drives a spiral member in a horizontal direction to deliver a product stored in a spiral space.

  Conventionally, there is a product sending apparatus provided with a spiral member as disclosed in Patent Document 1.

  FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of a conventional product delivery device for a vending machine described in Patent Document 1. In FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan view of a conventional product delivery device of a vending machine.

  5 and 6, two rotary carry-out members (spiral members) 2 on the product storage column 1 are driven to be mutually reversed by the drive motor 3, and the spiral space of the spiral member 2 is obtained by one rotation of the drive motor 3. The product sandwiched between the portions 2 a slides on the flat spiral angle 4 penetrating the spiral member 2 by one pitch of the spiral member 2, is conveyed forward, and the product in the foremost row is the spiral member 2. When the upper part comes off the free end and is hooked on the chute guide 5, it falls so as to slide on the chute 6, and finally falls to a product outlet (not shown). The chute guide has a structure that can change the contact position in the height direction according to the size of the product.

  Further, in order to detect the sold out of the product, an actuator 7 is provided which is in pressure contact with the product and rotates with the movement of the product. When the actuator 7 rotates, the sold out switch 8 is detected and turned off. When the product does not rotate, the sold-out switch 8 is detected and turned on to display sold-out.

  The product 9 is filled horizontally in the spiral space 2a across the two spiral members, and is conveyed on the spiral angle 4 in this posture.

  Therefore, with these structures, the two spiral members 2 are driven in reverse by the drive motor 3 in a synchronized manner, whereby the product is conveyed forward in a horizontal position on the spiral angle 4. In addition, since the product is pressed against the actuator 6 to detect whether or not the product is sold out, it is possible to convey and sell the product up to the last one.

JP 2001-222752 A

  However, in the above-described conventional configuration, the position of the chute guide 5 that determines the dropping posture of the product can be adjusted, but is basically fixed. When the width / height of the product changes, the chute guide 5 matches the product. The position adjustment is necessary, and the operation is troublesome. In addition, if the height of the chute guide 5 is adjusted incorrectly, the contact position becomes a different drop posture than expected, and in the worst case, there is a possibility that the product cannot be carried out. Further, if the chute guide 5 is fixed, there is a problem that a load is applied when the product is in contact with the chute guide 5 and deformation or breakage occurs.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and even if the product size changes, the product can be separated from the spiral with a stable posture, and the chute guide itself is not subjected to a load so that the durability is improved. It aims at providing a sending device and a vending machine.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the product delivery device of the present invention stores products in a spiral space of a spiral member placed on the bottom surface of a product storage unit that stores products in the front-rear direction, and the drive means A product delivery device for delivering products in the front row by rotating a spiral member, wherein the product storage unit has a flap at the front end thereof, and the flap is disposed in parallel with the product holding surface of the spiral member. It is.

  As a result, it is possible to stabilize the dropping posture due to a slight difference in size of the product, and to eliminate the cause of troublesome operations and erroneous settings. Moreover, since the flap is rotatable, the load due to the contact of the product is reduced, and damage can be prevented.

  The product delivery device of the present invention stores products in a spiral space of a spiral member placed on the bottom surface of a product storage unit that stores products in the front-rear direction, and rotates the spiral member by driving means to move the products in the front row. In this case, there is a flap at the front end of the product storage portion, and the flap is arranged in parallel with the product holding surface of the spiral member, so that an annoying chute guide that matches the product size is set. The product can be carried out in a stable posture.

The front view of the goods delivery apparatus of the vending machine in Embodiment 1 of this invention The top view of the goods delivery apparatus of the vending machine in Embodiment 1 of this invention The side view of the goods delivery apparatus of the vending machine in Embodiment 1 of this invention The external perspective view of the vending machine provided with the goods delivery apparatus in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention External perspective view of conventional vending machine product delivery device Side view of a conventional vending machine product delivery device

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the product is stored in the spiral space of the spiral member placed on the bottom surface of the product storage unit that stores the product in the front-rear direction, and the spiral member is rotated by the driving means to be in the front row. In the product delivery device for delivering the product, the product has a flap at the front end of the product storage portion so as to be rotatable, and the flap is disposed in parallel with the product holding surface of the spiral member, thereby stabilizing the dropping posture of the product. At the same time, troublesome settings due to the difference in product size can be omitted, and the flap can be moved, so that the durability applied can be increased by reducing the load on the regulating plate.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the product dropping posture is determined by the flap by forming the product falling end surface of the front end of the product storage portion in parallel with the product holding surface of the spiral member. The timing of the crossing when the product is later removed from the product storage unit and the falling posture can be matched in parallel, so that the product can always be separated from the spiral in the same posture.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the inclination of the front end of the chute for the product that has fallen into the falling posture after being separated from the spiral member to be parallel to the product separation posture. By providing it, the product can be dropped while sliding the front end of the chute without giving resistance to the product that is separated from the product storage unit, and there is a dimensional constraint that the diagonal size of the product cannot be secured. Even in this case, the product can be carried out, and the product delivery device can be downsized.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, by providing a guide for restricting the direction in which the product is ejected when the product is dropped, the product delivery device at the lower stage is provided. The product can be dropped without being touched by stabilizing the product dropping posture.

  Invention of Claim 5 is a vending machine provided with the goods delivery apparatus as described in any one of Claim 1 to 4, and can improve versatility.

  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 delivery device for a vending machine according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the commodity delivery device of the vending machine in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the product delivery device of the vending machine in the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, a drive motor 13 and a spiral member for rotating a spiral member 12 on which a rotary carry-out member (hereinafter referred to as a spiral member) 12 is placed in a substantially V-shaped groove portion 11a of a product storage column 11 having a substantially M-shaped cross-sectional structure. 12 and a joint 14 connecting the drive motor 13. Further, the load of the product 15 is received at two points of the apex portion 11b of the product storage column 11, and the frictional resistance between the product 15 and the apex portion 11b is minimized. Further, the lateral displacement of the spiral member 12 is regulated by the substantially V-shaped groove portion 11a. Further, the flap 16 covers the top of the product 15 and the lower end is installed so as to contact the spiral member 12.

  In FIG. 2, the product delivery device includes a product storage column 11, a spiral member 12 placed in a substantially V-shaped groove 11 a over the length direction, a drive motor 13 for rotating the spiral member 12, and both The joint 14 for interposing the product, the flap 16 for guiding and guarding the front of the product, the product detection sensor 17 for detecting the sold-out of the product 15, and the product storage column jump out at the front end when the product 15 is separated. It comprises a guide 18 for regulating the direction and a chute 19 as a path through which the product 15 passes.

  The flap 16 is arranged so as to be parallel to the product holding surface of the product 15 by the spiral member 12, and a part from which the product of the left slope 18 a and the right slope 18 b of the guide 18 starts to fall. And the line connecting the left slope 18a and the right slope 18b are arranged in parallel to the product holding surface of the product 15 as described above.

  A chute 19 is formed in front of the product storage column 11 as a path through which the product storage column 11 passes when it is separated from the spiral member 12 and falls forward. The front wall 19a of the chute 19 is formed in parallel to a line connecting the tip of the left slope 18a of the guide 18 and the tip of the right slope 18b.

  In FIG. 3, a flap 16 abuts at a location close to the tip of the spiral member 12, and the flap 16 is disposed so as to be rotatable with the upper end as a support shaft. The product storage column 11, the spiral member 12, the product 15, the flap 16, the guide 18 and the chute 19 are different in actual cross section and shape, but are illustrated in a simplified manner for easy understanding of the operation.

  The operation and effect of the vending machine product delivery apparatus configured as described above will be described below.

  First, in FIG. 2, the drive motor 13 has an origin position detection (not shown), and when the drive motor 13 rotates 360 ° from the origin position to the origin position, the spiral member 12 directly connected to the joint 14. Is rotated once and the product 15 sandwiched between the spiral space portions 12a slides on the apex portion 11b of the product storage column 11 and is sent forward by one pitch of the spiral member 12.

  Unlike the case where the conventional spiral member is composed of two pieces, since the spiral member 12 is composed of one piece, the product is conveyed forward in an oblique posture as seen from the plane. The flap 16 starts to open as the spiral member 12 rotates. When the spiral member 12 is removed from the lower end of the flap 16, the flap 16 moves in the closing direction, but hits the product 15 delivered by the spiral member 12, and starts to move in the opening direction again.

  A series of continuous operations will be described with reference to the simplified diagram of FIG. 3. FIG. 3A shows a standby state. In FIG. 3B, the product 15 sent forward by the rotation of the spiral member 12 pushes the flap 16 and the product 15 is sent forward. In FIG. 3C, the product 15 sent forward slides on the guide 18 when it is removed from the sliding surface of the product storage column 11, but the product 15 is sandwiched between the flap 16 and the guide 18. Always slide down diagonally in a stable posture. In FIG. 3 (D), the product 15 finally leaves the guide 18 so as to protrude obliquely downward, but hits the front wall 19a of the chute 19 disposed in front of it or without rotating in a posture to follow, It can be dropped down in a stable posture.

  Furthermore, if the product 15 falls too early, it may be placed on the front end of release of the spiral member 12 and start to rotate out of balance, but the guide 18 determines the product's ejection posture, so the front end of the spiral member 12 is released. It is possible to drop the product in a stable posture without touching it.

  Further, in FIG. 1, a product detection sensor 17 for detecting the presence or absence of a product by reflecting light on the product placed on the bottom surface of the product storage column 11 is provided, and the light emitted from the light emitting element is received by the light receiving element. Is detected, and sold out is displayed when no item is detected. Since the sensor 17 does not detect the product by applying an external force to the product, it does not interfere with the delivery of the product, can reduce the product clogging by the detecting means, and can improve the accuracy of the sold-out detection.

  As described above, in the product delivery device of the vending machine according to the present embodiment, when the product holding posture by the spiral member 12 is the same, the product 15 is always carried out in a stable posture regardless of the height of the product 15. Therefore, product clogging can be prevented. In addition, even when all the diagonal dimensions of the product cannot be ensured, the product can be dropped without rotating, so the product delivery device can be downsized. Further, since the front of the product delivery device is covered by the flap 16, it is possible to prevent the product that has fallen from the upper stage from entering and to drop the product in a stable posture without destroying the dropping posture of the product.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the shape is determined so that the flap 16, the guide 18, and the chute 19 are parallel to the product holding surface of the spiral member 12, but the holding posture of the product 15 by the spiral member 12 is The holding posture when the product 15 having a maximum dimension in the front-rear direction that can enter the spiral space portion 12a of the spiral member 12 is described.

  However, the spiral pitch and the like vary during manufacturing, and the same can be said for the product 15, but in a completely parallel state in which the holding posture of the product and the arrangement of the flap 16, the guide 18 and the chute 19 are not slightly different. Since it has been confirmed that the same effect can be obtained if the error is at least several degrees to several tens of degrees, it is defined as parallel if within this error range.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the attitude of the product 15 to be ejected is determined by the inclined shape of the guide 18, the tip position of the spiral member 12, and the attachment position of the flap 16. Since the product falls to the back and a load is applied to the spiral member 12, an inclination of 45 ° or more is desirable.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of a vending machine provided with a product delivery device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  Rails 22 that can be pulled out in the front-rear direction are provided on both sides of the product storage unit 21 to form a product storage shelf 23 having a plurality of product storage columns 11 in the vertical and horizontal directions, and covers the front of the product storage unit 21. The door 24 is connected to the storage shelf 23 and is locked with a key 25 except for the filling and maintenance of products. Further, a merchandise display window 26, a merchandise selection button 27, and a merchandise outlet 28 are arranged on the outer door 24 so that a merchandise purchaser can select a desired merchandise.

  The operation and effect of the vending machine product delivery apparatus configured as described above will be described below.

  First, a purchaser of a product selects a product by looking at the product display window 26 of the outer door 24 and presses a product selection button 27. The product is taken out from the product storage column 11 and the purchaser takes out the product from the product outlet 28. When the sale of the product is repeated, the sale product in the product storage column 11 runs out, and the product detection sensor 17 detects that there is no product and performs a sold-out determination. Therefore, an operation for replenishing goods occurs. At this time, since the goods storage shelf 23 is connected to the outer door 24, when the outer door 24 is held and pulled forward, all the above-mentioned operations are performed with a light operating force by the rail 22. The product storage shelf 23 can be pulled out, and the product storage column 11 can be easily replenished.

  In addition, a stopper is provided in the middle to ensure safety so that the slidable product storage shelf 23 is not pulled out and dropped out.

  As described above, in the product storage section of the vending machine according to the present embodiment, all the product storage shelves 23 can be pulled out with a light operating force, and the product can be easily replenished to all the storage shelves. it can.

  As described above, the product delivery device and the vending machine according to the present invention can improve the product clogging and unloading performance by stabilizing the dropping posture of the product, and therefore can be applied to all types of vending machines that are transported by a spiral member. can do.

11 Product Storage Column 12 Spiral Member 12a Spiral Space 13 Drive Motor 15 Product 16 Flap 18 Guide 19 Chute

Claims (5)

In a product delivery device that stores products in a spiral space of a spiral member placed on the bottom surface of a product storage unit that stores products in the front-rear direction, and rotates the spiral member by a driving unit to send the products in the front row, A product delivery device having a flap at the front end of the product storage section so as to be rotatable, and arranging the flap in parallel with a product holding surface of the spiral member. The product delivery device according to claim 1, wherein a product drop end surface at a front end of the product storage unit is formed in parallel with a product holding surface of the spiral member. The product delivery device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an inclination of the front end of the chute for slipping down the product separated from the spiral member and falling into a falling posture is provided in parallel with the product separation posture. The product delivery device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a guide that regulates a direction in which the product is ejected when the product is dropped. A vending machine comprising the commodity delivery device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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